Being Blessed by God Through the Holy Spirit

Pentecost, Power, and Purpose

Pentecost Sunday reminds us that God never blesses His people merely for their own benefit. Every blessing He gives carries a purpose beyond ourselves. The gift of the Holy Spirit was given to empower believers to become witnesses for Jesus Christ in the world.

Key Theme: We are blessed by God through the Holy Spirit so that we may become a blessing to others.

As we reflect upon what we have already spent time discussing the blessings of God, it’s important for us to consider that God just simply blessed us by being willing to abide with us and in us by the power of the Holy Spirit

A Gathering of God’s People

This past week our General Church gathered to elect leadership, discuss theology, and affirm the mission God has entrusted to us. Delegates from around the world celebrated our commitment to holiness, evangelism, and scriptural truth.

Historically, we are part of a connectional movement rooted in the ministry of John Wesley and the revival movement that emphasized evangelism, discipleship, and holy living.

The Wesley / Aldersgate Connection

On May 24, 1738, John Wesley attended a Moravian society meeting on Aldersgate Street in London. While listening to a reading from Martin Luther’s Preface to Romans, Wesley later wrote that he felt his heart “strangely warmed.”

That transforming encounter became a defining moment in Wesleyan history and reminds us that Christianity is not merely intellectual assent but a living experience with God.

“I felt my heart strangely warmed.” — John Wesley

Historical Background of Pentecost

Pentecost was originally a Jewish harvest festival celebrated fifty days after Passover. It commemorated God's provision and was associated with the giving of the Law.

In Acts 2, God transformed Pentecost into the birth of the Church. Instead of writing His law on tablets of stone, He began writing His truth upon human hearts through the Holy Spirit.

The Promise of Power

Acts 1:8

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me...”

Jesus promised that His followers would receive power through the Holy Spirit. The purpose of that power was witness. First comes the power; then comes the witness.

Pentecost Was Promised

Joel prophesied that God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. At Pentecost, Peter declared that Joel’s prophecy was being fulfilled. The Spirit would no longer be limited to kings, prophets, and priests but would be available to all believers.

“The Spirit-filled life is a life of faith in Jesus Christ, trusting Him for the fulfilling of His own promise.” — Andrew Murray

Pentecost Was Powerful

The Greek word dunamis means power, strength, force, or ability. It is the root of the English words dynamic, dynamo, and dynamite. The Holy Spirit transformed fearful disciples into bold witnesses.

Pentecost Was Purposeful

The miracle of languages at Pentecost demonstrated God's desire to reach all people. Many scholars see Pentecost as God's answer to Babel. Where Babel brought confusion, Pentecost brought understanding. Where pride divided, grace united.

Filled for God’s Purpose

Like a balloon that must be filled before it fulfills its purpose, believers must be filled with God's Spirit to fulfill God's calling. The goal is not simply to possess more of God but to allow God to possess more of us.

Guided by the Spirit of Truth

John 16:13

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”

I’m reminded of the price of truth. When I was on the jury of a federal case, the Justice Department brought in an expert witness. In defense to that an argument was given that they had paid $100,000 for this witness who only spoke for 15 minutes. The Defense called this the tragedy and labeled it and injustice of its own. Of course that sit with me and it was rather confusing to me. I had a conversation with a friend of mine who had been in the government as a retired Secret Service agent. As he helped me to unravel this troubling fact, he made the statement that changed my perspective. He stated, “what’s the price of truth?“ That is a profound question for sure. I find myself now thinking about the price that Jesus paid for our sin and the promise he had given that he would send a Holy Spirit to be with us to empower us. The writer of the scripture, John simply records interaction by stating that Jesus will send us the spirit and he will guide us into all truth.

Jesus explained that He would leave physically, but the Holy Spirit would come to dwell within believers. The Spirit teaches, guides, convicts, and glorifies Christ.

“Unless the Holy Spirit fills, the human spirit fails.” — E. Stanley Jones

Pentecost Was Only the Beginning

Pentecost marked the birth of the Church, the fulfillment of prophecy, the empowerment of believers, and the beginning of worldwide Gospel expansion.

Conclusion

Pentecost was not the conclusion of God's work. It was the beginning of God's work through His people. The same Spirit who empowered the early church continues to empower believers today.

Blessed To Be A Blessing — Gifts We Give God

A Mother’s Day Reflection from the Life of Hannah

1 Samuel 1–2

When I think about Mother’s Day, I often find myself reflecting on my childhood and

remembering the countless things my mother did for our family that we rarely appreciated at

the time.

My mother is Dutch, organized, and very much a neat freak. Honestly, with eight children

running through the house, I’m not sure how she survived.

Laundry was never-ending in our home. We would throw piles of clothes together for Mom to

sort and wash, and somehow, instead of helping, we usually made things worse. My brothers

and sisters and I would actually jump into the piles of clean or sorted laundry, scattering

clothes everywhere while my mother tried desperately to keep order in the middle of chaos.

We ran in and out of the front and back doors all day long, leaving a trail of destruction behind

us—dirt on the floors, shoes scattered everywhere, wet towels tossed aside, dishes left

behind.

And somehow, my mother kept serving.

As children, we rarely stopped to think about how exhausting that must have been. We simply

assumed the laundry would be folded, the meals would appear, the house would function, and

somehow Mom would always be there holding everything together.

The older I get, the more I realize that many of the greatest acts of love happen in ordinary

moments that nobody applauds.

That is one reason the story of Hannah speaks so powerfully to us today.

Hannah demonstrated both persistence and obedience—two hallmarks of genuine faith.

The Silent Pain of Hannah

Hannah was deeply loved by her husband, Elkanah, yet she carried enormous pain because

she could not bear children.

In that culture, infertility was not merely a private disappointment—it often became a public

sorrow.

Then there was Peninnah, Elkanah’s other wife, who continually provoked Hannah. Every

child Peninnah held became another reminder of what Hannah longed for but could not have.

Yet what is remarkable is that Hannah did not become bitter.

Hurting people often become hardened people—but Hannah did not.

Instead of attacking Peninnah, Hannah carried her pain to God.

That is one of the great lessons from her life: pain can either harden the heart or deepen the

soul.

Isn’t it amazing how God can transform pain into joy?

Lesson One — God Hears the Honest Cry of a Surrendered Heart

In 1 Samuel 1, we see Hannah pouring out her soul before the Lord. Her lips moved, but no

words came out. She was praying from the deepest place of her heart.

Eli misunderstood her and accused her of being drunk. But what Eli failed to recognize, God

fully understood.

Sometimes churches misread broken people.

Sometimes spiritual leaders become more skilled at managing appearances than discerning

hearts.

But God sees hidden tears, silent prayers, exhausted mothers, and faithful people carrying unseen burdens.

Hannah teaches us that some of the holiest prayers are prayed silently through tears.

D. L. Moody once said:

“Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.”

Hannah became one of those kneeling figures in Scripture.

People may misunderstand your struggle, but God never misunderstands your prayer.

It makes you wonder how much we might miss if we are not persistent in our prayer life.

And perhaps this is a good place for a little humor. Someone once asked why the Mexican

archer had trouble hitting his target. The answer? Because he didn’t “habanero.”

There is something beautiful in this love story between a husband and wife. It reminds us,

men, how we should treat the women in our lives—especially our wives. It also reminds us that

our value is not based on what we produce, accomplish, or achieve. Our value comes from the

simple truth that we are created by God.

Lesson Two — A Blessed Life Learns to Release God’s Gifts Back to Him

After God answered Hannah’s prayer and gave her Samuel, she did something extraordinary.

She gave him back to God.

That is the heart of this message: Blessed To Be A Blessing.

Samuel was not merely a gift to Hannah—he became a gift through Hannah.

True worship begins when we stop clinging to what already belongs to God.

John Wesley once wrote:

“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God… andthey alone will shake the gates of hell.”

Samuel would become one of those spiritual voices because a mother first surrendered him to

God.

Mothers Shape Generations

Long before Samuel stood publicly as a prophet, he was shaped privately through the faith of

his mother.

Quiet faithfulness leaves eternal fingerprints.

Many mothers wonder if their sacrifices matter.

Hannah reminds us that they do.

Some of the greatest spiritual leaders in history first learned faith from a praying mother.

Abraham Lincoln famously said:

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

The prayers of mothers echo longer than we often realize.

The Song of Hannah — Worship After the Struggle

The story of Hannah does not end in bitterness. It ends in worship.

First Samuel 2 records what is often called The Song of Hannah. The woman who once

prayed silently now lifts her voice publicly in praise.

Her worship teaches us that God lifts the humble, remembers broken people, honors

surrendered hearts, and reverses impossible situations.

Some of the deepest worship in Scripture came from people who first wept before they sang.

There is something beautiful about a believer who can still worship after disappointment, grief,and waiting.

Conclusion

Hannah’s story reminds us that when God blesses our lives, He often invites us to become a

blessing in return.

The gifts we give God are not always material things. Sometimes they are our prayers, our

trust, our surrender, our worship, our children, our service, and our willingness to say:

“Lord, everything I have ultimately belongs to You.”

Because sometimes the greatest gift we give God… is surrender.

Hannah’s story began with silent tears, misunderstanding, and longing. But it ended with

worship, surrender, and testimony.

The same God who heard Hannah still hears the cries of His people today.

Blessed To Be A Blessing — Gifts We Give God

Prepared for sermon and blog development by Rev. Rick Carder