1/19 Are You Ready to Receive the Laying on of Hands?
/Acts Chapter 40 - Sermon
Date: January 19, 2025
Title: Are You Ready to Receive the Laying on of Hands?
Text: Acts 8:9-25
Scripture Reading (Acts 8:9-25, NIV)
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,
10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”
11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.
12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.
15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money
19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.
23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
Last week, we reflected on how Christianity spread to Samaria through faithful Christians like Philip and what happened as the people there began following Jesus.
According to Scripture, wherever Jesus and His disciples went, evil spirits were driven out without exception. Similarly, in modern times, when the gospel first enters a place, similar events often occur.
Although Western society has rapidly entered a post-Christian era, a small remnant of faithful people of God still exists as the true Church. Where the worship of Spirit and truth continues, those places have not yet become entirely spiritually barren or lands of paganism.
The final verse of last week’s message has lingered in my heart: “There was great joy in that city!”
When does joy come?
Unlike fleeting pleasures or instant gratification, joy always includes hope. For example, when parents confirm a pregnancy, they begin to love the tiny, barely-formed life, giving it a nickname and looking forward to the child to come. This is joy filled with hope.
In Samaria, the activities of evil spirits that had long held the city captive began to retreat, and people were being freed from various forms of bondage. The joy they experienced was full of hope.
However, we must remember that during this period of great revival in Samaria, many house churches in Jerusalem were disappearing, and the city was becoming spiritually desolate once again.
### Outline
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Last week, we reflected on how Christianity spread to Samaria through faithful Christians like Philip and what happened as the people there began following Jesus.
According to Scripture, wherever Jesus and His disciples went, evil spirits were driven out without exception. Similarly, in modern times, when the gospel first enters a place, similar events often occur.
Although Western society has rapidly entered a post-Christian era, a small remnant of faithful people of God still exists as the true Church. Where the worship of Spirit and truth continues, those places have not yet become entirely spiritually barren or lands of paganism.
The final verse of last week’s message has lingered in my heart: “There was great joy in that city!”
When does joy come?
Unlike fleeting pleasures or instant gratification, joy always includes hope. For example, when parents confirm a pregnancy, they begin to love the tiny, barely-formed life, giving it a nickname and looking forward to the child to come. This is joy filled with hope.
In Samaria, the activities of evil spirits that had long held the city captive began to retreat, and people were being freed from various forms of bondage. The joy they experienced was full of hope.
However, we must remember that during this period of great revival in Samaria, many house churches in Jerusalem were disappearing, and the city was becoming spiritually desolate once again.
Looking Critically at Revival
When we critically examine revival movements that lasted anywhere from several months to at most three years, it seems similar to how passion fades in young couples after about three years. Could it be nothing more than fleeting passion? Are most revival movements like this?
When I first believed in Jesus, I attended church with great enthusiasm. I sought out every possible worship service and participated in more and more church activities. At that time, a senior colleague at my workplace, who had attended church since childhood, said something to me:
“I’ve been there too... Everyone has that phase.”
Those words hit me like a bolt from the blue. Looking back, I realized that I had similar experiences in the past—enthusiastically joining Mac user clubs, photography clubs, and motorcycle clubs, only to lose interest after two or three years.
So when I heard that comment, fear overwhelmed me: What if this, too, was just a passing passion that would fade after two or three years?
That Sunday during our small group meeting, we had a time to draw cards with Scripture verses on them. The verse I received was:
**Matthew 7:25**
*“The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”*
At the time, I didn’t fully understand the verse, but the word **“rock”** gave me great comfort. It felt like a word that steadied my anxious heart, assuring me that there was something unshakable. Now, nearly 20 years later, I am thankful that the fire within me is still alive.
Thousands or even tens of thousands of people simultaneously experiencing such fervent passion is undoubtedly a special time. During those moments, spiritual activities are often expressed through emotional zeal, and historically, it is clear that such movements tend to begin as temporary phenomena.
However, not everyone who experienced those passionate seasons continued to carry that fire. This has been true of every revival in history. Many people allowed those seasons of passion to end as nothing more than temporary moments.
### Simon the Sorcerer
Today’s passage introduces us to an intriguing character: Simon the Sorcerer.
Simon practiced sorcery, performing miracles by relying on demonic powers. Sorcery was a grave sin detested by God and punishable by expulsion under Israelite law. However, this was Samaria, and here he was regarded as *“the Great Power of God”*.
Verses 9-11 provide a detailed description of this unique figure. Simon was not a transient charlatan who tricked people briefly and disappeared, nor was he a fleeting sensation. He had been in the city for a long time, astonishing people with his acts, and had earned the admiration of everyone—from commoners to the elite.
Simon wielded enduring influence, much like a modern-day figure such as Elon Musk. A person of immense wealth and extraordinary ability, someone whose words and actions could shake the world and leave people amazed and envious.
Yet, despite his prominence, Simon, along with the rest of the Samaritans, heard Philip’s message, believed, and was baptized. The passage tells us that men and women alike were baptized, and even Simon, the city’s most famous and admired figure, became a follower of Philip.
The impact of this revival must have been tremendous. Imagine if someone like Elon Musk were to announce publicly that he had become a Christian and was baptized. It would make global headlines, with every media outlet rushing to cover the story.
A few years ago, even a brief comment by Musk on a Christian podcast, where he expressed his respect for the Golden Rule and the teachings of Jesus, became a significant topic. Christian newspapers turned it into headlines, and it sparked widespread discussion.
Back then, and even now, when someone like Simon converts, there’s a temptation to give them special treatment and leverage their influence to maximize the momentum of revival. From the text, it seems Simon might have expected to be treated as someone exceptional.
However, instead of receiving special treatment, Simon was harshly rebuked by the apostles and ultimately rejected. The passage recounts this in great detail.
Hearing of the remarkable revival in Samaria, two of Jesus’s closest disciples, Peter and John—referred to as apostles—came to join Philip in his ministry.
The apostles began laying hands on the new believers who had already been baptized in the name of Jesus, praying for them to receive the Holy Spirit. It was then that the Holy Spirit came upon those who had received the laying on of hands.
A Significant Theological Question
This passage raises a profound theological question for us.
The believers in the Samaritan church, including Simon the Sorcerer, had already heard the gospel of Christ through Philip. They had obeyed his teaching and been baptized in the name of Jesus.
As a result, the demons in the city were cast out, and people’s values began to change. Joy, hope, and freedom swept through the city. Even Simon, the renowned sorcerer, became a devoted follower of Philip and was baptized.
Yet the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon these people. Isn’t that astonishing?
While Scripture focuses on Philip, it is likely that a small number of disciples from the Jerusalem church were also evangelizing in Samaria. Through their ministry, countless people were impacted, and their values and culture were being completely transformed. However, all of this was the work of the Holy Spirit operating through Philip and the disciples.
The Bible makes this clear: even though the Samaritans had been baptized and were zealously following Jesus under Philip’s guidance, their experiences were external. The joy and power they felt were an overflow of the Holy Spirit working through Philip and the disciples. It was not a new life that had been birthed within them.
Do you understand the difference?
In sensational situations, people can experience excitement and passion for months or even years, much like falling in love for the first time. These experiences can be shaped and sustained by external circumstances.
The Samaritans witnessed remarkable signs: the sick being healed and demons being driven out. This created a sense of awe and a sensational response. They were captivated by Philip’s message, obeyed his teachings, and followed him daily. But the new life of the Spirit had not yet taken root within them.
Everything changed when Peter and John arrived and began laying hands on the Samaritans. Through their prayers, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers.
Now, the act of receiving the Holy Spirit is not something visible to the naked eye. How, then, did everyone know the Spirit had come upon them? Isn’t that remarkable in itself?
Moreover, these people had already undergone significant cultural and spiritual changes and were actively following Jesus. What further transformation could have occurred that made the Spirit’s arrival so unmistakable?
A similar phenomenon occurred during the First Great Awakening in America, which took place in the 1730s and 1740s.
The figure who became the starting point of this revival was Pastor Jonathan Edwards, and the sermon that ignited it was titled **“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”**
As a result of this revival, churches that had been nearly empty and lifeless were suddenly overflowing with people, so much so that services often had to be held outdoors. A massive wave of repentance swept across the United States like a tidal wave.
However, Jonathan Edwards himself noticed something troubling amidst the revival.
He observed the rise of what he referred to as **“enthusiasm” or “emotionalism”**—a phenomenon where people sought after powerful emotional experiences during services and revivals but did not undergo genuine personal or existential transformation.
This prompted him to write a thick book titled **“Religious Affections”** to distinguish between the true work of the Holy Spirit and these superficial emotional responses.
*Religious Affections* is divided into three parts, addressing the essence of true faith and its evidence. Edwards argued that true faith necessarily includes emotions. Faith goes beyond intellectual understanding, involving “holy affections,” or a deep sense of love and reverence for God from the depths of one’s heart. However, not all emotions are evidence of true faith; the source and outcome of emotions must be carefully examined.
Intense emotions alone are not proof of true faith. External emotional expressions (e.g., physical reactions, loud cries) are not evidence of true faith. Sudden emotional experiences cannot be assumed to be genuine conversions. Reciting or quoting Scripture does not guarantee genuine conversion.
Evidence of true faith includes love and reverence for God’s glory and character, obedience to biblical truth, transformation into a holy life, humility and self-denial, and the fruit of the Spirit. While feelings of peace or passionate emotions are natural and good in Christ, they are not always evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work.
The true work of the Spirit begins with an absolute acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty. It is accompanied by awe and reverence for Him, resulting in a joy born of love for God. This joy produces a longing for God’s Word, a desire to obey it, and an inevitable transformation into a holy life. Selfishness, greed, deception, and darkness gradually fade away, and pride diminishes as humility grows.
What change occurred in the people who had zealously followed Philip? In short, they transitioned from merely following Philip to living their own lives as independent witnesses for Jesus. This does not mean they immediately became equal to Philip. However, they no longer needed Philip as their sole mediator to connect with Jesus. They now carried Jesus’s life within them and became Philip’s coworkers, living as evangelists according to their own calling. They became new beings—this is what we call rebirth.
Even Simon the Sorcerer could see the unmistakable transformation in those who received the laying on of hands. At that time, most ordinary people lived passively, always following someone else. But suddenly, Simon saw these people displaying unprecedented boldness, confidence, and noble character. What astonished Simon the most was seeing traits he had only known in society’s elite—people of influence and authority like himself—now appearing in ordinary people who had received the laying on of hands. This was a miracle far greater than healing the sick or casting out demons. These individuals, who might have considered themselves worthless, were transformed into new and noble creations. Witnessing this, Simon resolved to obtain this power at any cost.
Acts 8:18-19 (NIV):
“18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’”
The apostles did not lay hands on Simon or pray for him. Instead, Peter rebuked him sternly:
Acts 8:23 (NIV):
“For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Let us imagine the situation. The laying on of hands involved the apostles placing their hands on the foreheads of individuals and praying for them one by one. Simon, observing this scene, was deeply shocked by the dramatic transformations in those who received prayer. He approached the apostles with money and made a special request: Unlike others, Simon said, “I’ll give you all the money you want—just sell me that power. Give me the ability to lay hands on people so that they, too, can receive the Holy Spirit.”
What happened to Simon? He not only failed to acquire the ability to lay hands on others, but he also received a severe warning and ultimately did not receive the Holy Spirit as the other Samaritans had.
Why does the Book of Acts suddenly include this strange story about Simon the Sorcerer? Today’s passage challenges us to find the answer to that question.
In the Gospels, Jesus praises the faith of only two individuals, both of whom were Gentiles.
One was a Roman centurion. A centurion was a high-ranking officer commanding 100 soldiers.
Luke 7:6 says,
*"He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: 'Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.'”*
The centurion was so humble that he felt unworthy for the holy Lord to meet him, a Gentile who had committed many acts of violence, or to enter his house. For this humility, Jesus commended him:
Luke 7:9 says,
*"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 'I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.'”*
The other was a Gentile woman who pleaded with Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus tested her faith with a seemingly harsh statement:
Matthew 15:26 says,
*"He replied, 'It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.'”*
The woman responded humbly, and Jesus gave her great praise in return:
Matthew 15:27-28 says,
*"‘Yes it is, Lord,’ she said. ‘Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed at that moment."*
Here, Jesus defines true humility as faith. He equates the greatness of faith with the depth of humility.
The laying on of hands is also something one cannot receive without humility.
In the Old Testament, laying on of hands was most commonly performed not on people but on sacrificial animals. It was a ritual to transfer one's sins onto the animal to atone for them.
An instance of laying on of hands on a person occurs when Moses commissions Joshua through prayer.
These two examples might seem like opposites—one transferring sin like a curse, the other bestowing authority like a blessing. But Numbers shows that they are fundamentally the same.
Numbers 8:10-11 says,
*"You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them. Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord."*
Laying on of hands always signifies that the recipient is being dedicated as an offering to God.
The significance of the Levites being presented as offerings is that they were set apart to live solely for the Lord.
Joshua and the Levites shared this: their lives were fully dedicated to serving as mediators between God and the people. While their specific roles differed, and even among the Levites there were various types of work, they shared the same reality: God was the master of their lives, and their purpose was to bridge the gap between God and His people. In turn, God took full responsibility for their lives.
All the ordinary Samaritan believers willingly accepted this calling, received the Holy Spirit, and began living out this mission. They had no reason to boast or grow proud; they were weak and humble, yet, as Jesus said, their weakness and humility became their blessing.
However, Simon, who was powerful and high-ranking, sought to possess the power of the Holy Spirit for his own benefit. While he had listened to Philip’s teachings and followed him zealously, all his actions were ultimately aimed at elevating himself.
The God we worship is not a deity who exists for our personal religion. He does not tolerate being treated that way. No matter how fervent one’s efforts, if the purpose of one’s faith is centered on oneself, God will deliver the same curse and severe warning He gave to Simon the Sorcerer.
But to those who willingly offer themselves as sacrifices for God and His people, the Lord will lay His hands upon them and pour out His Spirit in abundance.
The path of the cross that the Lord walked, the way of living sacrifices, is the most noble purpose of life. Those who walk this path willingly will experience the greatest blessing, dignity, happiness, and peace.
The Holy Spirit comes only to those who are humble, ready to close their eyes, and receive the touch of the Lord’s hand upon their forehead.
Are you ready to receive the laying on of hands?
