Astonished

DEVOTION

THE BOOK OF ACTS

ASTONISHED

Acts 8:9-13

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 the divine power known as the Great Power." 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached 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.

NIV

So Simon was known as the Great Power, but it is very clear that when Phillip showed us, this Great Power was trumped by the Word of God as well as the great signs and miracles Phillip did as a result of his relationship with God. It appears that it does not matter how much power man can obtain, even if it is by some source outside the human realm, man can never out power the power of God. Magic does not come from God, by his divine power does enable man to do great things. Although it appears this kind of magic Simon did, it not as obvious today, nor for that matter, is the power of God in men to do great signs and wonders. We certainly have science today where magic was in those days, and this science has grabbed the attention of many people, but high and low. They exclaim that science is the Great Power. Science explains away God and makes man the center of the universe, yet it is God who invented all the things science discovers. We only have to look at nature, look through the eyes of science to see God. When Simon who did magic, was confronted with the power of God, he believed and followed Phillip everywhere. We should understand that the word of God is powerful and can bring people to repentance and belief in the name of Jesus Christ. But it is also the great signs and miracles that people see which astonishes them. Why did God feel it was so necessary to have men who did great signs and wonders then, but it seems he does not have that kind of men today? We are looking at all the people of Samaria being amazed by this Simon, but we are also looking at all of them believing the words of Phillip and seeing the great signs and wonders he did as a result of the power of God in his life. It would seem if God does not change, that it is us, the people who have changed. Is it possible that we simply believe more in the magic of science more than we do in the power of God? We may say we believe in God, but do we actually believe in the way that Phillip did? He was not impressed with Simon’s magic, for Phillip was filled with the Holy Spirit and knew the power of God in a real way. Have we just incorporated God into our life based on the magic of science, or are we truly filled with the Holy Spirit and know the power of God in our lives? Can we be believers like Stephen or Phillip? The answer is, yes we can, and yes we should, and if we are we should see people astonished.