I slept in the same room in a house in Bruin, Pennsylvania from 1970 until 1979. My father was pastor in Bruin and Parker, and we lived in the parsonage—the house provided by the church for the pastor and family. I started sixth grade that fall of 1970, so from the age of 11 to the age of 20 I slept in that room (when I wasn’t sleeping on the front porch in the porch swing). My parents didn’t allow me to have girls visit me in my bedroom.
In June 1986 I slept in that same room on a Saturday night—the night before I preached at Bruin United Methodist Church, to thank them for sending me on the road to the ministry (at the end of that month, I would be beginning my first full time appointment as pastor in Rhinebeck, New York). I would turn 27 later that month, and there was no argument about having a girl with me in that room—I was married (it was a little strange, however!). And my parents no longer lived there.
I got to go back to a place I had been before, and even as so much was familiar, it was also really different. I was the same guy, but now with a calling to ministry that I was living out, and so therefore not exactly the same guy. And as nostalgic as it was, it was also purposefully different. When we have had experiences of God’s calling on our lives—when the Holy Spirit has touched our heart and guided us in our purpose, the familiar is seen and understood with new eyes.
This happens to Philip. Philip goes to Samaria. He has been there before. He was with Jesus in Samaria at the time that Jesus spoke with the woman at the well about “living water” (John 4:5-42)—when the disciples “were astonished that he was speaking with a woman”, and a Samaritan woman at that. But now, as the disciples have received power from the Holy Spirit, Jesus has sent them—including Philip-to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
And so Philip goes to Samaria. He’s been there before. But this is different. No longer operating by “Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans” (John 4:9b), which has been standard operating procedure for hundreds of years, he takes literally Jesus’ words that they are to go to Samaria. And his message about the Messiah is welcomed: “The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city.” (Acts 8:6-8)
Places we’ve been before can be different when we go there in the power of Jesus’ gift to us of the Holy Spirit. Years of prejudice can fall away, both our own and that of others. Healing can happen, for us and others. The transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ can entirely change things—even things we thought could never change, even realities we thought were so fixed that it wasn’t possible even to imagine they could be any different.
Are we meant to be a part of such transformation?
NEW TESTAMENT Acts 8:4-13
4 Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6 The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7 for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
9 Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. 10 All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, ‘This man is the power of God that is called Great.’ 11 And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.