1. Text: Acts 8:9-25
= Good News with a Blemish:
Acts 8:6-8 – Philip went down
to a city in Samaria and
proclaimed the Christ there.

2. When the crowds heard Philip
and saw the miraculous signs
he did, they all paid close
attention to what he said. With
shrieks, evil spirits came out of
many, and many paralytics
and cripples were healed. So
there was great joy in that city.

3.  Vs. 23 - For I see that you
are full of bitterness and
captive to sin.”

4. Topic: Overcome the
Spirit of Bitterness

5. = Working Out of Salvation
Phils. 2:12-13 - Therefore, my
dear friends, continue to work
out your salvation with fear
and trembling, for it is God who
works in you to will and to act
according to his good purpose

6.  Dear friends, work hard to
show the results of your
salvation, obeying God with
deep reverence and fear. For
God is working in you, giving
you the desire and the
power to do what pleases
him.

7. = Working Out of Wholeness
1Thess. 5:23 - May God
himself, the God of peace,
sanctify you through and
through. May your whole
spirit, soul and body be kept
blameless at the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ.

8. How Can We Enjoy the
Wholeness of Ourselves
in the world?

9. 1.1. Your Will for Wholeness
Vs.12 - 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.

10. = How does Our Heart
Function in Coming to the
Point of Accepting Jesus
Christ?
 Vs. 13 - Simon himself believed
and was baptized. And he
followed Philip everywhere,
astonished by the great signs
and miracles he saw.

11. Rom. 10:9-10 - if you confess
with your mouth, “Jesus is
Lord,” and believe in your
heart that God raised him from
the dead, you will be saved.
For it is with your heart that
you believe and are justified,
and it is with your mouth that
you confess and are saved.

12. = What Often Makes Non-
Christians Decide for the
Saving Faith in Jesus
Christ?

13. Acts 8:6-8 – When the crowds
heard Philip and saw the (1)
miraculous signs he did, they
all paid close attention to what
he said. With shrieks, (2) evil
spirits came out of many, and
many (3) paralytics and
cripples were healed. So
there was (4) great joy in that
city.

14. Acts 8:6-8 – When the crowds
(5) heard Philip and saw the
(1) miraculous signs he did,
they all paid close attention (6)
to what he said. With shrieks,
(2) evil spirits came out of
many, and many (3) paralytics
and cripples were healed. So
there was (4) great joy in that
city.

15. = What might have been the
Impression of the
Christianity to Simon?
 Vs. 13 - Simon himself believed
and was baptized. And he
followed Philip everywhere,
astonished by the great
signs and miracles he saw.

16.  Vs. 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,

17.  Ps 51:13 - Then I will teach
transgressors your ways, and
sinners will turn back to you.
 Ps 86:11 - Teach me your
way, O LORD, and I will walk
in your truth; give me an
undivided heart, that I may
fear your name.

18. 2.2. Your Mind for
Wholeness
 Vs. 20 - Peter answered: “May
your money perish with you,
because you thought you
could buy the gift of God with
money!”

19. = Why do you Think Simon
Wanted to Buy the Ability
through Peter and John?

20. Vs. 18-19 - When Simon saw
that the Spirit was given at the
laying on of the apostles’
hands, he offered them money
and said, “Give me also this
ability so that everyone on
whom I lay my hands may
receive the Holy Spirit.”

21. = What is the Reason Peter
had to Correct Simon’s
Action of Trying to Buy the
Gift of God with Money?
 Vs. 20 – Peter answered: “May
your money perish with you,
because you thought you could
buy the gift of God with
money!”

22. (1) Simon with Wrong
Ambition
 Vs. 19 - “Give me also this
ability so that everyone on
whom I lay my hands may
receive the Holy Spirit.”

23. (2) Simon With Wrong
Doctrine
 Vs. 20 – Peter answered:
“May your money perish
with you, because you
thought you could buy the
gift of God with money!

24. (3) Simon with Wrong
Relationship
 Vs. 21 - You have no part or
share in this ministry,
because your heart is not
right before God.

25. 3.3. Your Emotion for
Wholeness
Vs. 22-23 - Repent of this
wickedness and pray to the
Lord…. For I see that you are full
of bitterness and captive to sin.”

26. = How Do You Know the Root
Cause of Wrong Feeling in
your Life?
 Vs. 23 – For I see that you are
full of bitterness and captive
to sin.

27. A Case Study of Simon
(Acts 8:9-13)
(1) He Amazed all people,
Vs. 9a - Now for some time a
man named Simon had
practiced sorcery in the city and
amazed all the people of
Samaria.

28. (2) He Boasted of his
Greatness,
 Vs. 9b - He boasted that he
was someone great

29. (3) He Had all People’s
Recognition
 Vs. 10 - all the people, both
high and low, gave him their
attention and exclaimed,
“This man is the divine
power known as the Great
Power.”

30. (4) He Had Followers
Vs. 11 - They followed him
because he had amazed them
for a long time with his magic.

31. (5) People Followed Philip
Vs. 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.

32. (6) Simon Followed Philip
Vs. 13 - Simon himself
believed and was baptized. And
he followed Philip everywhere,
astonished by the great signs
and miracles he saw.

33. = Why Do You Think Simon
was Keeping Bitterness in
His Heart as a Christian?
 Vs. 22-23 - Repent of this
wickedness and pray to the
Lord…. For I see that you are
full of bitterness and
captive to sin.”

34. Eph. 4:17-18 - So I tell you this,
and insist on it in the Lord, that
you must no longer live as the
Gentiles do, in the futility of their
thinking. They are darkened in
their understanding and
separated from the life of God
because of the ignorance that is
in them due to the hardening of
their hearts.

35. = How Can You Help Yourself
toward the Wholeness of
Your Emotion?
(1) Apply Repentance toward
Sin
 Vs. 22 - Repent of this
wickedness and pray to the
Lord.

36. A Case Study of Jonah and
Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-10)
Vs. 3-4 - Now Nineveh was a
very important city—a visit
required three days. On the first
day, Jonah started into the city.
He proclaimed: “Forty more days
and Nineveh will be overturned.”

37.  Vs. 5-9 - The Ninevites believed
God. They declared a fast, and
all of them, from the greatest to
the least, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the
king of Nineveh, he rose from
his throne, took off his royal
robes, covered himself with

38.  sackcloth and sat down in the
dust. Then he issued a
proclamation in Nineveh: “By
the decree of the king and his
nobles: Do not let any man or
beast, herd or flock, taste
anything; do not let them eat or
drink. But let man and beast

39.  be covered with sackcloth. Let
everyone call urgently on God.
Let them give up their evil ways
and their violence. Who knows?
God may yet relent and with
compassion turn from his fierce
anger so that we will not
perish.”

40.  Vs. 10 - When God saw what
they did and how they turned
from their evil ways, he had
compassion and did not bring
upon them the destruction he
had threatened.

41. (2) Apply Prayer to God.
Vs. 22 - Repent of this
wickedness and pray to the
Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you
for having such a thought in your
heart.
Vs. 24 - Then Simon answered,
“Pray to the Lord for me so that
nothing you have said may
happen to me.”

42.  Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then
approach the throne of
grace with confidence, so
that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us in
our time of need.

43. (3) Apply Mind toward Heart
Vs. 22b-23 - Perhaps he will
forgive you for having such a
thought in your heart. For I
see that you are full of
bitterness and captive to sin.”

44. (a) How do we stop Bitterness
from Growing?
 Hebrews 12:15 - Look after
each other so that none of
you fails to receive the grace
of God. Watch out that no
poisonous root of
bitterness grows up to
trouble you, corrupting

45.  Ephesians 4:31 - Get rid of all
bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along
with every form of malice.

46. (b) How does our Mind affect
our Heart?
 Rom. 12:2 - Don’t copy the
behavior and customs of this
world, but let God transform
you into a new person by
changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know
God’s will for you, which is
good and pleasing and

47.  Vs. 20-23 - Peter answered:Vs. 20-23 - Peter answered:
Repent of this wickedness andRepent of this wickedness and
pray to the Lord. Perhaps hepray to the Lord. Perhaps he
will forgive youwill forgive you for havingfor having
suchsuch a thoughta thought in yourin your heart.heart.
For I see that you are full ofFor I see that you are full of
bitterness and captive to sin.”bitterness and captive to sin.”

48. (c) How do we Guard our
Hearts and Minds?
 Philippians 4:7 - the peace
of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard
your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus.

49.  Heb 4:12 - For the word of
God is living and active.
Sharper than any double-
edged sword, it penetrates
even to dividing soul and
spirit, joints and marrow; it
judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart.

50. How Can We Enjoy the
Wholeness of Ourselves in
the world?
 Your Will
 Your Mind
 Your Emotion
for Wholeness.