I. When Simon Gets In-Your-Face
When Simon gets up in-your-face,
Watch out because he loves to chase
Your greatest dreams into disgrace.
With his sly moves you can’t keep pace.
So, watch your wallet, watch your back
To guard yourself from sneak attack
Or you might slip on something slick
Which he will call a “harmless trick,”
Then smush a cream pie in-your-face
As others laugh at your disgrace.
You can’t believe he stole your show,
And ask yourself “Where did he go?”
The guy you paid to steal you money
Because “It’s entertainment, honey,”
Has found a way to reenact
His famous disappearing act.
You want to lay your hands on him
Because he made your life so grim.
There seems to be no stopping him.
The chances do appear quite slim
Because the man has earned such fame,
The crowds have glorified his name.
He has the power to bring shame.
When you protest, he’ll shift the blame
And you’ll get nowhere with your claim.
II. Simon In-Your-Face and the Sleeping Church
Alas, the church that stays asleep
Can’t lay a finger on this creep
Because they have been hypnotized
To do what’s right in their own eyes.
But then comes Philip, an honest man
Who offers up a better plan:
“Believe in Jesus and you’ll see
God’s miracles of grace so free.”
“Trust Him to never disappear
Or whisper ‘nothings’ in your ear.
The oil he pours upon your hair
Will never cause you to despair.”
“He’ll never leave. He’s always there
To heal your hurt. His tender care
Will pay you back for all the wrongs
Caused by the evil sorcerer’s songs.”
“Do you want proof that He’s for real?”
Asks Philip. “Well, then, here’s the deal,”
He lays hands on the blind. “Lord, heal,
With salve that they can really feel.”
Their eyes pop open and they see
The truth they sought so desperately.
The lame man jumps up to his feet
And sees his “bitter” turn to sweet!
Beholding hour after hour
God’s amazing healing power,
His joy poured on the one who grieves,
Simon the sorcerer too believes.
Baptism’s water he receives.
III. Simon In-Your-Face Shows No True Repentance
But does he truly turn from sin,
Into the Lord’s death enter in,
Make Jesus’ call to follow his?
It doesn’t take a Bible whiz
To read the tale (Acts chapter 8)
Which says he didn’t do that great
But tried to buy God’s gift with gold.
For Peter said that he was sold
In slavery to inward rage,
Wrath “in-your-face,” the sinner’s wage.
For bitterness lay in his heart,
To hear man say “How great thou art”
And hug God’s praises to himself
Remained a fixture on his shelf
Of personal idolatry,
An eye doll known as “me, me, me.”
He didn’t trust whole-heartedly
In Jesus Christ to set him free.
However, though his final fate
May still be open to debate,
We know that we still have a choice:
In Jesus Christ we can rejoice,
Repent and yield unto the will
Of Him who told the waves, “Be still,”
Or be like Simon “in your face,”
Who scorned God’s wondrous gift of grace.
With Philip he could not keep pace.
But we can choose to run the race. . .
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
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Signs, Wonders, Miracles 