“Simon the Sorcerer boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention.” Acts 8:9-10

What drives you, motivates you, gives you power to get through the day? 

Advertisers proclaim it’s coffee: American runs on Dunkin’. Athletes are encouraged by the website Fueled By Obsession. Plenty of voices out there stress personal fulfillment: Just Do It; Be All You Can Be. Money - having it, growing it, spending it - is a motivator for millions. 

Each one of these driving forces is a natural, human motivation. Each one of these, coffee included, affords some measure of natural power, power with varying degrees of effectiveness. But each one of these motivators is, essentially, selfish: what can this do for me? And for Jesus-followers, isn’t that missing the point? What if there’s a better power to motivate us to run our race well?

Scripture shows the right kind of power. We read of men and women, motivated by God, using His divinely-empowered gifts to prophesy, preach, heal, and encourage. Granted, the Bible also shows (but also condemns) a different supernatural power: one associated with sorcery and magic. Both miraculous healing and magic tricks amaze people and spawn followings, but how many people benefit from those exhibitions of supernatural power, and who’s just getting rich? 

Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24) uses his supernatural power to “boast that he is someone great.” Indeed, his followers call him The Great Power, but we don’t see Simon’s sorcery helping anyone; it simply amazes them (akin to palm-reading and Ouija boards today). Once Simon hears about Jesus, though, it’s his turn to be amazed at supernatural power. Simon “believed [Peter’s message], was baptized” (8:13), and wants to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit, too. Red flag: the Holy Spirit is not a commodity to buy and then (presumably) sell to make yourself even greater. Read Peter’s swift condemnation of Simon’s desire in vs.20-23. This cautions us, too, to beware those seeming to be altruistic under the guise of just getting something for themselves.

Simon’s supernatural power, while amazing, is motivated by greed and benefits no one else. That’s not from God. We need to be cautious when we, today, hear of “preachers” who “heal” while raking in millions, read accounts of events we simply cannot explain, or watch the Statue of Liberty “disappear” right before our eyes. Supernatural power? Maybe. Holy Spirit power? No. Examine the motive. Ask who’s being blessed. When we run our life’s race motivated by prayer, Bible study, counsel of godly friends, and appropriating the Holy Spirit, we'll have the right kind of supernatural power. We won’t be looking to enrich ourselves with money or fame. Instead, in His power we’ll be sharing His gifts to benefit others. That’s living a genuinely supernatural life.

I’d like to close by having you reflect on a bumper sticker my friend June Little saw last week, right here in Briar Chapel: “I run on coffee, chaos and cuss words.” While that might elicit a quick chuckle, is that a source of power worth bragging about? What would your bumper sticker say?