Small
Group Life
Week of June 3, 2007
Ice Breaker
What
ability would you be willing to pay $1000 for if you could instantly receive
it: singing, speaking another language, public speaking, sculpting, home run
hitting, something else?
Getting into the Word
Acts 8:4-25 (NIV)
4
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and
proclaimed the Christ there. 6 When the
crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention
to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil
spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
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.
14
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent Peter and John to them. 15
When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy
Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had
not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into 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. Perhaps he will 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 When they had
testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to
Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
1. What
influences Simon and others to become believers (v. 6-8)?
2. How does
Simon’s reaction to the apostles (v. 18-19) show his deep misunderstanding
about the gospel?
3. Why is Peter
so harsh with Simon (v. 20-22)?
4. Do you think
Simon’s words in verse 24 reveal a change in his heart? Why or why not?