THE ONLY RIGHT REASON TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN (13 OF 20)
Scripture: ACTS 8:9-25
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The Only Right Reason to Become a Christian (13 of 20)
E. Andrew McQuitty
Acts 8:9-25
Jones, you never told me that I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. There are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, Christian businessmen. So what's the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up all that--if that's Christianity--count me out (Mickey Cohen, famous gangster who temporarily became a Christian under the preaching of Billy Graham). Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, 'Give this authority to me as well. . .' (Acts 8. 17-18).
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Introduction: Three wrong reasons to become a Christian
A man who can't afford it picks up an expensive dinner tab to impress his friends while his wife fasts to fit more appealingly into a dress and impress her friends. Two people do good things, but for questionably selfish motives (drama). Do you ever do seemingly spiritual things for selfish motives? I do. The other night Jonathan was in the bathroom right after dinner when he called out: I need some help in here; I've got diarrhea! When I heard that, I sprang into action--cleaning up the kitchen. I wanted to be real busy in a helpful task when Alice inquired as to what I was doing. I'd rather clean up a dirty kitchen than, well, enough said! Problem: bumped into Alice as she came madly rushing in to clean up the kitchen!
In the same way that a person can do Christian sorts of things from less than Christian motivation, so one can embrace Christianity from less than Christian motivation. READ 8.9-25. Simon Magus as a sorcerer was reaping some very important personal rewards. When Philip confronted him with the power of God, Simon didn't give these rewards up. Rather, he embraced Christianity because he hoped that God's greater power (13b) would result in ...
E. Andrew McQuitty
Acts 8:9-25
Jones, you never told me that I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. There are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, Christian businessmen. So what's the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up all that--if that's Christianity--count me out (Mickey Cohen, famous gangster who temporarily became a Christian under the preaching of Billy Graham). Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, 'Give this authority to me as well. . .' (Acts 8. 17-18).
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Introduction: Three wrong reasons to become a Christian
A man who can't afford it picks up an expensive dinner tab to impress his friends while his wife fasts to fit more appealingly into a dress and impress her friends. Two people do good things, but for questionably selfish motives (drama). Do you ever do seemingly spiritual things for selfish motives? I do. The other night Jonathan was in the bathroom right after dinner when he called out: I need some help in here; I've got diarrhea! When I heard that, I sprang into action--cleaning up the kitchen. I wanted to be real busy in a helpful task when Alice inquired as to what I was doing. I'd rather clean up a dirty kitchen than, well, enough said! Problem: bumped into Alice as she came madly rushing in to clean up the kitchen!
In the same way that a person can do Christian sorts of things from less than Christian motivation, so one can embrace Christianity from less than Christian motivation. READ 8.9-25. Simon Magus as a sorcerer was reaping some very important personal rewards. When Philip confronted him with the power of God, Simon didn't give these rewards up. Rather, he embraced Christianity because he hoped that God's greater power (13b) would result in ...
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