THE OCCULT

1. Last Thursday CNN reported that the entire state of West Virginia was “for sale.”

2. This sale was not the kind typically done by a real estate broker.

3. West Virginia was being marketed on the Internet.

4. Most who have used the Internet are familiar with EBAY, an electronic auction company.

5. People buy and sell things by using computers.

6. Someone used their computer to create an auction for the entire state of West Virginia.

7. Bidding for the state finally reached a point where it was 4 quarters short of 100 million dollars.

8. The seller of this American state described his “item for sale” in this way:

“I, as emperor of W. VA, have been appointed as steward of this sale. You are bidding

on the ENTIRE state of W. Va. Please note that this auction does not come with

governing rights, nor the inhabitants of said property. You may also not change the

state flag, bird, or so on. This is merely for bragging rights, or to hang a sign in your

garage which says, ‘I own W. VA.” Also, please note, you will have every right to

secede from the union, but that has been tried in the past without much success. I am

also willing to relinquish the seat of ‘Emperor’ for free.”

WE CAN LOOK AT OR LISTEN TO THIS AUCTION BID AND LAUGH OR MAKE QUIPS ABOUT THE STUNT. W E CAN ALSO OBSERVE THAT WHAT SOMEONE DID WAS NOT EXACTLY NEW.

a) People have been making wild and certainly deceitful claims for a long time.

b) Some of what has been done has consisted of pranks; other actions have been more serious.

c) Consider what is described in Acts 8:11-12.

2) Luke provided a great deal of information about a man named Simon.

3) According to the end of verse 11, he was involved with sorcery.

4) Outside the New Testament there are some wild stories about Simon.

5) One tale (which is surely false) says he levitated in flight over Rome.

6) As he was sashaying through the air Peter brought him to the ground through prayer.

7) That account is interesting but hardly credible.

8) Luke provides some solid facts about Simon.

9) For instance, we know that he claimed to be great (verses 9-10 — READ).

10) Simon’s assertions about himself were almost Godlike.

a) A.T. Robertson says he claimed to be a “spark” of God.

b) Simon must have said something like, “God is all powerful; He has many powers and attributes.”

c) “I am one of God’s most powerful powers.”

d) It would be like claiming there are several rays emanating from God and Simon was the strongest ray.

11) His claims are further described as being a “great one” in 9b.

12) According to sources that define Biblical words, this description applied to either:

13) An extraordinary person (1) in the history of the world, or (2) history of salvation.

14) Simon was making claims so boisterous there were in the realm of being Messianic.

15) We might say he presented himself as “the leading conduit (instrument/agent) to deity.”

16) As he proclaimed how great he was, people believed him.

17) Luke says the “least to the greatest believed.”

18) Luke even used the word “all.”

19) All these people listened to Simon for a “long time.”

20) If all these descriptions were not enough, Luke used two key tenses.

21) He used the imperfect tense to say people continually listened to Simon.

22) Just as a person might watch a t.v. show on a continual basis, so Simon was given on-going attention.

23) Luke also used the perfect tense to explain something about Simon’s credibility.

24) The perfect tense means Simon’s hold on the people was deep and strong.

25) People really believed Simon was a conduit to God who had supernatural powers.

26) Today there is disagreement as to whether or not this man actually had supernatural powers.

27) Whether his power was from the occult or mere deception, we know he was extremely successful.

PART OF HIS SUCCESS MUST BE LINKED WITH THE OCCULT.

1) He had some type of relationship with the dark side of the spiritual realm.

2) Luke says he was involved with sorcery.

3) There is not absolute certainty on what this term means.

4) Perhaps the best explanation is that Simon relied upon 2 sources to gain and keep followers.

5) He may have been like a good magician who can fool people.

6) A few days ago Teresa watched a program which contained a test.

7) Viewers were asked to focus attention on people passing a basket ball.

8) During this time someone dressed as a gorilla walked into the circle where the balls were being thrown.

9) She didn’t see the man dressed as the gorilla.

10) Those who had originally been tested also did not see the man dressed as a gorilla.

11) In fact, those first test denied that this had occurred until they were shown a video of the event.

12) People can be tricked and it seems Simon was good at deceit.

13) At the same time, the word Luke used also seems to include the idea of the occult.

14) He may have convinced people by making future predictions, summoning spirits, and casting spells.

15) People were very interested in his real or alleged powers.

16) Today this same interest exists.

17) We are living in a time when a lot of people are very interested in the occult.

a) In fact, there is a site on the Internet which just came to my attention about a week ago.

b) Former witches, many of whom have embraced denominational ideas about Jesus, are on the web.

c) In reading some of their posts, it is amazing at how widespread occult interest is.

18) Earlier I mentioned the Internet auction side EBAY.

19) This afternoon I went to that site and ran a search with the words “teen witch.”

20) I ran that same search two weeks ago (when different auctions were running), and the results were nearly identical.

21) About 40 items can be found and there is a lot of bidding going on.

22) Many of the items offered for sale were described as harmless and good, clean fun.

23) This was not Philipp’s message when he came to town.

24) Philip preached a message of “good tidings,” the “Kingdom of God,” and “Jesus Christ.”

25) People were then baptized (brought out of Simon’s error and falsehood).

26) We are in a society which encourages people to go back to what should be left behind.

27) Even television exposes us to the occult by offering “psychic readings.”

28) That might be labeled as fun and games, but it is a page straight out of the occult.

29) In some of the EBAY witch auctions there were kits; you can get a little kit with a makeshift altar.

30) Today’s claims may not be as outrageous as those made by Simon, but the occult is alive.

AS CHRISTIANS—ESPECIALLY CHRISTIAN PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS—THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE SHOULD NOT BE IGNORANT OF (1) WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD, AND (2) WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT CHRISTIAN LIVING AND THE OCCULT.

a) Deuteronomy 18 was written for the nation of Israel.

b) God told His people that they would enter into the promised land.

c) Verse 9 of Deut. 18 is straight to the point.

d) Certain practices in the land of Canaan were detestable in the eyes of God.

e) Jehovah said, “Be sure that you avoid these acts.”

f) What kinds of practices did God despise?

g) I want to read verses 10-11 of this chapter – READ

h) Under the Old Testament fortune telling was condemned.

i) Sorcery and witchcraft had no part in God’s plan for those who were saved.

j) Casting spells, being a medium to the dead, and trying to be a psychic were all sins.

k) People usually use these things to gain control over one or more people.

2) God told His people to not pursue items in these categories.

3) Verse 12 says that those who practice these and similar things are an abomination to God.

4) At a later time in Israel’s history there was a king who began to practice what Deut. 18 describes.

5) Manasseh was this ruler’s name (2 Kgs. 33:6), and the Bible says he “did much evil.”

6) His works “aroused the anger of God.”

7) Jehovah is not kidding when His word says occult practices are wrong.

8) Sellers on EBAY and other places can this type of stuff is good clean fun but God says “ABOMINATION.”

9) Other forms of occult behavior include palm readings, tarot cards, and following superstitious omens.

10) Lev. 19:26 warned the people of Israel that fortune telling was wrong.

11) We have read a few verses from Acts 8, but I want to draw from Acts 8:21.

12) By this time in the story Simon had become a Christian. He had seen true power.

13) Because he saw the difference, he wanted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit.

14) Notice what Peter said to him – verse 21 – READ.

15) This is a fantastic verse to use when talking about the occult.

16) Darkness has no part with light.

17) Christianity is in no way associated with the occult.

18) Thus, Christians have no business playing around with witchcraft or anything similar to it.

19) If what has not been said is not sufficient to be convincing, consider Rev. 21:8.

a) Here John spoke about liars.

b) He listed unbelievers and even murderers.

c) His list of sinners who will be punished with unending misery includes witchcraft.

20) Those who are engaged in this area for any reason need to get out or pay with their soul.

21) With the Internet it is easier than ever to be exposed to the dark side of the spiritual realm.

22) As I read some information on the site by ex-witches I found this comment by the site organizer:

23) “I had been a leader in AOL’s pagan community for 5 years.”

24) The occult has leaders. Like a drug dealer, it is looking for people who will just try it.

25) It can even be tried out by a computer and a phone line.

26) Another point from the site of ex witches also struck me as interesting.

a) Several scriptures were used to encourage people to leave the occult.

b) Passages from the New Testament as well as the Old Testament were listed.

c) By studying God’s word, people surely not associated with the church say they were wrong.

d) Simon had to learn about another way, and he took that alternative path.

27) Tonight we hope that two things are true in your life:

28) First, you have been introduced to the right path to become a Christian.

29) Once this choice has been made, permanently decide to leave the occult alone.

30) If you find someone who is enslaved to it, or moderately interested in it, try to turn them to Christ.