A Tale Of Two Men

The First Man

Acts 8:18-24 "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, [19]  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. [20]  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. [21] Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. [22]  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. [23]  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. [24]  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me."

Acts 8:34-39 "And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? [35]  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. [36]  And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? [37]  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. [38]  And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. [39] And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."

I was recently asked by the Ordination Council if I believed in the Eternal Security of the believer. My answer: "Absolutely!", though I qualified this statement with "if that person is truly saved". Though no one questioned the qualification I made, I feel that the Lord wants us to look at the lives of two men today, two who both claimed to undergo the conversion of salvation, but only one of which showed the fruits of conversion. These two men were Simon the Samaritan Sorcerer (magician) and a man only known as "a man of Ethiopia, an Eunuch of great authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians (Acts 8.27).

Before we can talk about these two men, though, we need to talk about the tool that God used to witness to both these men. The tool I'm talking about is Philip, the Evangelist. There's much to love about Philip. When the Apostles became overwhelmed with the administrative duties of the early Church, a rapidly growing Church, they got together and, under the leading of God the Holy Spirit, picked out seven men who would step in and see to the Church's business. These men are listed in:

Acts 6:5-6 "And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: [6]  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them."

Philip was one of the original deacons of the Church. When Stephen was brutally murdered by the religious crowd, and Saul (later Paul the Apostle) began to destroy the Church (Acts 8.3), the Church began to scatter. The next time you see a tragedy and say, "How could a loving God have permitted such a thing?", think on this: Until Saul, acting as a servant of Satan scattered the Church, the Gospel was tied to a small area of the world. Until Stephen was brutally murdered, Philip did not discover his gift of evangelism. As the Scripture says:

Romans 8:28-31 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. [30]  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. [31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"

Acts 8.4 tells us that, as the Church was scattered (just as God intended, that we go into all the world), Philip went out and began to preach the Word of Christ. His first stop for evangelism was Samaria, a land that stood as an insult to the common Jew. Samaria was a city of compromise. A temple was built to God in Samaria, but, when threatened by the heathen, Samaria allowed false idols into the temple. Samaria was also a place where half breed children, children born of Jew and Gentile, were sent to live out their lives. The Orthodox Jew would not step foot in Samaria, nor talk to a Samaritan, yet Jesus specifically ordered that His Apostles preach in Samaria:

Acts 1:8  "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Jesus always taught that He did not come for the righteous, but for the lost. And who were more lost than the Samaritans? So when Philip went out to preach, he obeyed His Lord and headed straight to Samaria. The Apostles were still preaching in Jerusalem. The Apostles, who were specifically commissioned to preach to the Samaritans, were still hanging around the Holy City while the lowly Deacon, Philip, did what the Lord told the Apostles to do. Philip, under the control of God the Holy Spirit, evangelized Samaria for the glory of God.
 

Powerpoint: God doesn't leave holes in His Plans. If you are called to do a job, and refuse to do it, God will find someone else who will do that job. And Philip, the one who does the job, will be given the blessing and the reward. Look to your calling, O Christian! Look to your calling, O Pastor!

While evangelizing, Philip met a man named Simon, a sorcerer, a magician, who enjoyed popularity among the people as a great "power of God". He enjoyed this prestige, he enjoyed this recognition. Power is a heady thing, something that few people, truth be told, can handle without being corrupted. The Bible says of Simon:

Acts 8:9-11 "But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: [10]  To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. [11]  And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries."

Simon saw the power of God exhibited in the life of Philip, saw the fruits of Divine Power, saw the fruits of salvation, and when he saw it it diminished his own status in his own eyes. Simon openly professed Christ as Saviour, even was baptized under the water baptism of Christ:

Acts 8:13  "Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done."

And followed after Philip, watching in amazement the miracles that were performed, the clear evidence of God's hand through man. But was Simon saved?
 

There is the story told of an old native American Indian who walked through the crowded streets of a big city with his grandson. As they walked down the street the grandfather stopped and said, "I hear a cricket!". The grandson looked at his old grandfather and said, incredulously, "That can't be! How can there be a cricket here and, if there is, how can you possibly hear it over the sound of the city?".  The grandfather walked over to a lone tree, poking up from out of the concrete jungle, and tenderly pulled a bunch of grass back at the base of the tree. The grandson looked and, behold, there was the cricket. In amazement the Grandson asked, "How could you hear such a thing, Grandfather?", to which the old man replied with a gesture. He reached into his pocket, pulled out some loose change, and dropped it to the pavement. When he did that people who had been hurrying to their appointments, to their meetings, to their clubs, all spun around at the sound of the coins hitting the pavement. The Grandfather simply said, "Wherever your heart is, that's where it will be focused. I heard the cricket because my heart is with the nature all around us. They heard the coins because their hearts are on the coins."

Simon, though he openly professed Christ as Saviour, had his heart not on the Saviour, but on the fame of Philip. When he believed, he believed not in Christ, but on Philip. When he yearned, he yearned not for the Son, but for the fame he lost when Philip came into Samaria. He longed for the prestige, the power, and yes, the money. Just as the big city dwellers spun around when they heard the coin hit the concrete, Simon spun after Philip to regain that which he had lost: fame and fortune. Look at his heart:

Acts 8:18-19 "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, [19]  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost."

When Simon saw the great Gift, the miraculous Gift that God bestowed through the Apostles, his heart was laid bare. The Bible says, "he offered them money". He thought that he could buy God's Grace with a handful of coins, thought that he could regain his old power with the offer of filthy lucre. Merely crying our "Lord, Lord" will not save you, dear people. Look what the Scripture says:

Matthew 7: 21-27 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. [24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: [25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. [26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: [27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Your outward works, no matter how great they are for God and this Church, will not save you. You can prophecy in His name, cast out devils in His name, do many wonderful works in His name - for the name of Jesus has power, power above every name. But if you, like Simon, still hold onto your old life in your heart - if you have not, deep down inside where it counts, committed your eternal salvation to the One True Saviour, then you are yet unsaved, yet lost. Simon, though he followed after Philip, was yet unsaved. Look at Simon's condition:

1. His heart was not right with God:

Acts 8:21 "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God."

Romans 10:9-11 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10]  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11]  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."

The salvation that saves is the salvation that comes from the heart. It comes from a heart of desperation, a heart that stands before God and says, "I cannot be good enough. I am evil, O God. I am nothing, and do not deserve your Grace. But I ask it, believing on the name of Jesus.".

2. Simon had never repented of his past life:

Acts 8.22  "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. "

Acts 3:19  "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord"

Repent, METANOEO, means to "change the mind", to turn from one thing to another. Simon never took the first step, repentance, so God could not take the second step, the blotting out of sins. Finally,

3. Simon was still a slave to sin, the mark of the lost soul:

Acts 8.23  "For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."

Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2]  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

If a person goes to the Cross of Christ with a broken heart, he cannot return from that Cross with the same heart, with the same ways. Certainly we do not become sinless after salvation, not while we draw breath on this earth. Yet we become new creatures in Christ - old things are passed away - behold, all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). The pig who goes to the Cross becomes a sheep, not an outwardly washed pig. The bastard that goes to the Cross becomes an adopted son, does not remain a bastard.

Consider Simon, then consider the unnamed Eunuch, a great and powerful man, one who "had the ear of the Queen". Notice that this man had riches and power, more riches and power than Simon ever dreamed of having:

Acts 8:27  "And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship"

The Eunuch had charge of the treasury of a Nation, and was, I'm sure, richly rewarded for his labors. He sat in a chariot, the Cadillac of the ancient world, and drove to his own personal engagements in this early limousine. As he sat reading the Scriptures the Holy Spirit led Philip to go to him, and preach Christ crucified and risen to him.

And as they rode along, the Eunuch accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour. No bolt of lightening came out of the skies. Philip did not have to show the Eunuch a miracle to get him to believe, but as they rode the Eunuch said:

Acts 8.36  "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

Here is a famous man, a great man, who was willing to step out of a great chariot and allow a lowly Deacon baptize him. The Eunuch didn't ask for a miracle, just a baptism. When he asked, Philip answered:

Acts 8:37a  "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. "

Here's the key, dear friend, to "believest with all thine heart". Repentance had to proceed belief. The heart has to give up, to stand broken before God, to focus on Christ and Christ alone, before the Holy Spirit can enter and purge the Temple. If you say, "Lord, I believe, but I hold on to ___", then this is not whole hearted belief, and salvation, sadly, is no more than that which came into Simon's life. Notice what the Eunuch replied:

Acts 8:37b "And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

The Eunuch's heart was focused on one thing, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That He is God incarnate, that He came to earth, suffered, and died for you, and for me. That I am unable to be saved of my own accord, but I know Someone who saves and keeps on saving.

With that said, the Eunuch was baptized. Look at the results:

Acts 8:39  "And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."
 

Powerpoint: The minister who faithfully preaches the Word will never be left unattended by the Spirit of God. The believer who faithfully serves will always be abundantly blessed with a close relationship with His God.

The lowly Deacon, Philip, was caught up by God the Holy Spirit (look at the similarities to Elijah, 2 Kings 2.11). His work was done, and done well. He had preached Christ crucified, and a soul was now eternally in Christ's hands. How do we know?

From the Eunuch's fruits: he went on his way rejoicing. The Eunuch didn't follow after Philip. He didn't have his faith in Philip, but in the Lord God of all creation, Jesus Christ. The Eunuch immediately began to show the fruit of a saved life, rejoicing in God. Rejoice, the heart that knew only hopelessness but now only certainty. Rejoice, the heart now released from the bondage from sin.

How's your heart today? Do you see the fruit of salvation in your life, or are you still bound by the shackles of sin? Are you rejoicing in your Saviour, or dreading Church meeting each Sunday? Do you reflect the confidence of the Cross, or do you hope that, somehow, you'll make your way to Heaven after death?
 

"The thief [on the Cross beside Jesus] had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation, and yet Christ offered him the gift of God; and he took it. Christ threw him a passport, and took him into Paradise." (D. L. Moody, from "Day by Day with D.L Moody)

Repent, and be converted!

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