Billy Graham began preaching fifty-two years ago on a cold night before thirty-six Baptists in Bostwick, Florida. Since then he has preached to over one hundred million people. The man who converted Billy was Mordecai Ham who dedicated his whole ministry to reaching what he called "halfway Christians." Ham said these halfway folks "hold onto the church with one hand while they play with the toys of the world with the other."

Simon was a "halfway Christian." Simon was in, but in reality he was out. He wanted to use the Church in order to make himself a better magician. He was never fully converted to Christ. He never fully gave his life to Christ. He still felt that the bottom line was "If it's good for Simon, it's good" -- not if it's good for Christ and His Church, it's good for me. Any kind of a commitment less than a full commitment means trouble for the individual, and trouble for the church if too many people like that are in the church.

What Simon did not realize is that salvation is a free gift of God. It cannot be bought, it can only be received. It was not for sale, but for the taking. There is another passage in the Book of Acts which illustrates the same point. Peter and John were approached at the gate of the Temple by a crippled beggar, who asked for a handout. The two apostles were without funds. In effect they said, "We are broke, but we can give you something." Recognizing this as an artful dodge, the panhandler started hobbling away toward some more likely prospect. But he stopped short when Peter said, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" So he did! That was God's gift to this man; it could not be bought, yet it was free for the taking. Simon didn't realize grace is free to human beings, even though it was costly to God.

Many of us are abusing the gift that God has given us. We are misusing it, and therefore breaking it. Not taking care to use the gifts of God for the purposes for which He gave them to us, is breaking them. A mind is a wonderful thing, but we confuse it with drugs. God has given us a colorful rainbow of people, and we discriminate against those not like us. God has given us a beautiful world, and we pollute it. God has given us a garden, and we have made it a wasteland. God gives us the Holy Spirit in order to make us more loving and kind, and we try to use this gift for our glory.

Somehow the Simons in this world never seem to understand that loving relationships are given by loving people. They are freely given. The significant thing about having money is that it can be either a means whereby a person can lay up treasures in heaven or, if abused, prepare the way to hell. It is a very volatile commodity because it means so much to most of us. It has a great potential for good, or evil. Even as I preach on money, many of you are uncomfortable.

Jesus never condemns those who have money. How can you condemn someone who was born into money? It wasn't his fault. How can you condemn someone who has worked hard and honestly and gained money? Having money is not evil. Not using it for the glory of God is evil.