Sermon | Receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit | Rev. Ann Mann | Barnesville FUMC | Jan. 12, 2025

Sermon | Receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit | Rev. Ann Mann | Barnesville FUMC | Jan. 12, 2025

Today’s scripture invites us to reflect on what it means to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and how it shapes our lives as disciples of Jesus.

As United Methodists, we have a rich understanding of the Holy Spirit, rooted in the teachings of John Wesley. Wesley believed that the Holy Spirit isn’t just a one-time experience but works continually in our lives, transforming us and empowering us to live as followers of Jesus.

Scripture Reading: Acts 8:14-17 (NRSV)
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

It was an exciting time for the early church. The message of Jesus was spreading beyond Jerusalem, and new communities of believers were forming in unexpected places. In Samaria, a region that had a complicated history with the Jewish people, people were receiving the good news of Jesus Christ with joy. Philip had been preaching and performing signs, and many had come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. But something was missing.

The apostles in Jerusalem heard about the movement of faith happening in Samaria, and they sent Peter and John, to go and pray for these new believers. Why? Because though they had been baptized in the name of Jesus, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit.

Peter and John laid hands on them, and something powerful happened, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers. This moment wasn’t just about a spiritual experience; it was a confirmation that the good news of Jesus is for everyone, everywhere. The same Spirit who had been given to the believers in Jerusalem was now being given to the Samaritans, bridging the divide between two communities.

1. The Spirit as a Gift of Grace

In Acts 8, we see that the Holy Spirit is a gift. The Samaritans couldn’t earn it, nor could Peter and John manufacture it. The Spirit was given freely by God in response to prayer and faith. This resonates deeply with our Wesleyan understanding of grace, that God’s grace is always at work in our lives, from the moment we first become aware of His presence.

John Wesley taught about prevenient grace, that God is at work in us before we even realize it. For the Samaritans, God had already been at work through Philip’s preaching, preparing their hearts to receive the message of Christ.

But then comes justifying grace, the moment when we accept Jesus and are made right with God. Yet, Wesley didn’t stop there.

He taught about sanctifying grace, the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, shaping us more and more into the likeness of Christ.

When Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans, it was as if they were ushering in this next stage of grace. The Spirit’s coming wasn’t just about personal transformation; it was about empowerment for ministry and mission. It was about being equipped to live out their faith in the world.

2. The Spirit Unites Us

The Holy Spirit bridges the divide between Jews and Samaritans. These two groups had been at odds for centuries. But when the Spirit comes, old divisions lose their power.

As United Methodists, we affirm that the Church is a community of all believers, united by the Spirit. This unity isn’t based on uniformity but on our shared identity in Christ.

It’s the Spirit who enables us to live in love and fellowship with one another, even when we come from different backgrounds or have different perspectives. In a world that is increasingly divided, this message is more important than ever.

3. The Spirit Empowers Us for Mission

When the Holy Spirit comes, it isn’t just for the sake of personal spiritual fulfillment. The Spirit empowers us to be witnesses, to serve others, and to share the love of Christ in tangible ways. The Samaritans, having received the Spirit, were now part of the mission to spread the good news of Jesus.

John Wesley emphasized that faith without works is dead. He believed that the evidence of the Spirit’s presence in our lives is found in the way we live, in acts of mercy, justice, and love.

We are called to seek the Spirit’s power daily. Through prayer, study of scripture, and participation in the life of the Church, we open ourselves to the ongoing work of the Spirit. And when we do, we are transformed, not just for our own sake but for the sake of the world.