Scripture: Acts 8:18-19 – “Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’” (NRSVue)
What is true faithfulness and what is just for show? Does the Lord work in showy or subtle ways? These are questions that I pondered when I reread the story of Simon Magus from the Acts of the Apostles. Simon is mostly a forgotten figure these days, but he was very famous in the Middle Ages. Acts says that he “had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great.” He was more of a showman than a healer and had a very high opinion of himself. One day, Philip, one of the Gentile deacons sent to preach the word in the first days of the church, came into Samaria. The people heard the good news, and many were baptized, including Simon. However, because Philip was baptizing in the name of Jesus, but not through the power of the Holy Spirit, the apostles Peter and John came to baptize them into full communion with God.
Simon was amazed by this power and wanted to be just as important and powerful within his new church community as he was when he was a magician. But he did not have a strong prayer life. He did not really know Jesus in his heart. But what he did have was money, so he offered it to Peter so that he might have the same “magical” power that they did. Peter rebuked Simon for this saying, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God.” Simon offered a half-hearted plea to avoid God’s condemnation, but it is unclear whether he ever got his heart right before God.
For Simon, faith was all about show. It was about spectacle, and “miracles”, and the praise of others. It was about making money and feeling important. It was about power in all the ways in which we think of power in the world. But for Peter, the power was invisible, yet real. It was the real power of heaven that transforms the soul.
While people are not buying bishoprics anymore, the sin of Simon is still prevalent. People think that leaders with the biggest personalities and the flashiest cars (or private jets!) are the most important. But that is just razzle dazzle. You cannot turn faith into God into a magic trick to ooh and aww the crowd. The Holy Spirit is often that still small voice, which comforts us in our pain and channels our fears and anger into hope and love.
We do not worship a magical God. We worship the God of the Spirit. So, when you feel like what you do is not making a difference or that what you love is not impressive to others, remember Simon. You can’t buy holiness. It is a gift from God that grows in your heart now and always.
Prayer: Lord, help me know your Spirit and remember that you come to us in the quiet of prayer and not the busyness of the world. Amen.
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