Scriptural Christianity

then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. (Ezekiel 33:4)

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.(Acts 4:31)

     This sermon was preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the facility and students of the institution. This sermon is broken into four parts. The first three parts are a discrimination of how Christianity began to exist in individuals, spread from person to person, and how it spread through the earth. The final section was the application of this teaching. Put differently, where does Christianity now exist? 

     It is this final section that makes this, without a doubt, John's most controversial, and challenging sermon. In this sermon he puts a challenge before those in attendance to examine themselves. Ask the tough questions, are we living in a truly 'Christian country,' is this (a nominally Christian institution) a truly 'Christian city' and 'Christian University?'

     In this sermon Wesley urgently calls all the hearers to examine their hearts. Are they kind, compassionate, merciful, or, if not, are these things they desire to grow into by the grace of God? Wesley suggests that they are not in such a place. Almost as if they wanted to prove him right, they kicked him out of his Alma-mater forever. Rather than examining themselves they, chose to forbid Wesley from ever preaching there again. As we digest this challenging sermon my hope is that we would not be like the folks at Oxford. 

     My hope is that, rather than dismissing Wesley as a fundamentalist, madman, or extremest, we would prayerfully consider the questions he raises. Do I live in full abandonment to Christ's rule and reign? Is my life different because I call myself a Christian? In asking these tough but important questions of ourselves, perhaps we can allow the Holy Spirit to call us into an even closer loving relationship with our Creator through the forgiveness and transformation we find in Christ Jesus!

     I will break the discussion of this sermon down into the four segments of it, then pose several discussion questions. If you would like to read the original text click here.

Christianity as it began in individuals

     Here Wesley takes back to that first Pentecost by having us consider one of those who's heart was pricked by Peter's "bold preaching" that was referred to out of the Acts reading. This person's heart would have been pricked for the conviction of his or her sins, turned to Christ for the remission of that sin, and receive the spirit of adoption. This spirit is an inward and invisibly interaction where the Spirit witnesses to our spirit that we are children of God and in our distress we can call out to Him "Abba, Father." For Wesley this was the evidence of saving faith. The essence is that "the love of God the Father, through the Son of His love, to him or her a sinner, now accepted in the Beloved." 

     This love is not just the love of God in one's heart but is also the love of neighbor. It is not a puffed up love, but is humble and this love saves one from pride, lust, ambition, covetousness, and vanity. It causes the one saved to desire and be empowered to avoid evil and to do good, so much as the person is able. The world is crucified to this person in such a way that he or she desires to share their time, talents, and treasures for God's glory and the aid of neighbor.

Questioins

1. What is the closest human relationship you have ever had? How has this relationship changed how you feel, and what you do?

2. How does understanding God as "Abba" (an Aramaic word that combines the reverence of Father and warmness of Daddy) change how we view Him and how we are to relate to Him?

Christianity spreading from person to person

     The Christian faith is a relational faith and is therefore transmitted in a relational way. This means that the faith spreads gradually from person to person. The impetus for a believer to share his or her faith is that, as we grow deeper in love with the Lord, we begin to have His heart for the world. We see the brokenness of this world and of the people in it. Because we have experienced wholeness in Christ we are compelled, out of compassion, to share it with others. 

     Wesley recognized that this sharing in the Scriptures, and in our day, is not one size fit all. Indeed Wesley says that the apostles "endeavored to speak to everyone severally as they had need." A more modern way that I have heard it stated is that we are called to "Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable!" To those who pridefully assume their own righteousness and seem to find fault in everyone but themselves, we need, at times, to speak frankly and firmly to them. This, of course, is not to hold it over the person, or to only make them feel guilty. Instead, if the Holy Spirit does use us to convict a persons heart, it's design is to point them away from their sins and toward Christ. On the other hand, if there is a person who is all torn up over his or her brokenness we do not need to confront them. Instead our role is to assure them that they have an advocate in Christ Jesus, He has paid it all, and they can be reconciled to their loving Father, and the Spirit will witness to their spirit that they have been adopted as His son or daughter. 

     As the early Christians shared their faith, they were not only successful in encouraging others to put their faith in Christ, but they were also successful in offending everyone else. Wesley tells us that those who were "men of pleasure" were offended because their assumptions about the meaning of life were challenged and some of their companions were converted and not longer lived as hedonists. This is such an appropriate word for us today. In our North American context, how often do folks just assume the purpose of life is to avoid pain and absorb pleasure? In other words, the mantra "If it feels good, do it" reigns for many around us. If we are allowing the reign of Christ to rule in our lives, the purity of our lives may offend them, just ask a kid in high school who tries to live in abstinence. 

     These early Christians also, offended "men of esteem" in Wesley's words. These were folks that were used to the red carpet treatment, they were used to folks bowing down to their power and prestige. Naturally, when Christians refused to bend their knee to people like this because they would only bow to Christ as Lord, it did not go over very well. In the same way for us, many times people will not know what to do with us when we do not bow to the Cesar of the media, political parties, or corporations.

     For the early Christians the people who are most offended by the gospel are religious people. Is it not always true that the most offended at God's mercy are those who believe that they have earned it!? Just as the elder brother in the prodigal son was furious, many people at the start of the Christian movement and now, become uncomfortable when considering the possibility that God's love and forgiveness and love might actually extend to 'those people.'

     Paul reminds us, but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,  Because of this, we should not be surprised that Christians in the book of Acts and today, experience persecution. Wesley finishes this segment by talking about the persecution of the early church. What I often marvel at, and what Wesley seems to marvel at, is that the church not only survives but thrives in the midst of, and perhaps because of, the persecution.

Questions

1. The groups of people that the early Christians offended are often temptations we can fall into. For example, we can be tempted to value our pleasure, our power, or the power of others, or our religious 'good deeds' over our relationship with God. Which one of these temptations (pleasure, celebrity, cold religion) do we tend to fall into?

2. The gospel is offensive, when we are spreading it people will be offended. However, we want our only offence to be the gospel. How do we allow the gospel to be offensive in our lives, but not cause offence for other reasons? 

3. Have you ever experienced 'persecution' for your faith? What was it like, or what was it like when you came into contact with, Christian persecution?

Christianity spreading throughout the world

     In this short segment of the sermon Wesley considers what it might look like if Scriptural Christianity would be lived out in community. It is interesting to see Wesley's picture of what the kingdom of God might look like. Here Wesley does not infuse any controversial or complex doctrine into this vision. Instead it is simply a picture of people living in love of God and their neighbors. One incredible thing about Wesley's vision is that it is not a high pie in the sky vision of golden streets or pearly gates. Instead, the things Wesley seems to envision were bringing about the kingdom of God here and now. In other words, we do not need to wait to live out the kingdom of heaven. Instead we can live in love with God and peace with others in our daily lives.

Questions

1. How does understanding God's kingdom as a current reality that we are called to live into change how we live?

2. What are some ways in which the kingdom of Heaven can come through us?

The Application 

     Now we have come to the part of the sermon that caused Wesley to never be invited back. This is the part where John asks the question, does this picture look like us? In this section Wesley endeavored to speak to the people plainly. In these plain questions Wesley is clear that he is not saying, that "the question moved is not concerning doubtful opinions of one kind or another, but concerning the undoubted, fundamental branches of our common Christianity." In other words, this is not a question of people having the most informed theological opinions on complex doctrines. Instead, Wesley is raising the question about whether we believe, practice and live out the most basic and fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. 

     In this section Wesley says that this Christian life is not just to be lived out by clergy, or the professors or students studying to become ministers. Instead it is for everyone who claims the name of Christian. Here Wesley challenges all people who want to be Christians to examine themselves. Wesley asks the listeners to bring Christ's Lordship to bear in all areas of their lives. Essentially, he asks them "where are your passions, where is your time spent, and where do you spend your money?"  

     Admitting that he was once one, Wesley almost begs them "do not be a generation of triflers! Do not trifle your passion away on lesser things! Do not trifle away your time on a kingdom that will not last! Do not trifle your money away by investing it in a things that are not eternal." I think this is a powerful word for us in our culture. In every area, accept for our faith, people assume that if we are committed to something it will take our passion, time, and financial resources. 

     Imagine an athlete who claims to be committed to his or her sport. This athlete eats junk food, never disciplines his or herself to work out, and never goes to team practice. How committed is this person as an athlete? Yet someone can be considered a 'committed Christian' and never concern themselves with what kind of spiritual food they are ingesting, never dive into spiritual disciplines, and go to our 'team meetings' of worship and bible study half of the time. There is a disconnect there. 

     My point, and I think Wesley's, is not to cause people to try to earn their salvation. Instead, these are questions that we need to ask ourselves in terms of trust and commitment. The fundamental requirement of being a Christian is to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust that He has taken away the guilt and power by His crucifixion and trust that in His resurrection power we can live new lives. Part of trusting Jesus as Lord is being committed to our relationship with Him.

     Wesley closes with this appeal to his hearers and to the Lord:

Lord, save, or we perish! Take us out of the mire, that we sink not! O help us against these enemies! for vain is the help of man. Unto thee all things are possible. According to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die; and preserve us in the manner that seemeth to thee good; not as we will, but as thou wilt!

     So, when we feel as if we are sinking, when our faith walk has become a crawl, let us turn to Jesus. Let us turn to Him by trusting in His Lordship and committing ourselves to growing in Him. Growing into the people, families, groups, and churches that God has called us to be!

Questions

1. What are you most tempted to 'trifle away' (passion, time, or money)?

2. When considering this challenge, how do you feel (offended, nervous, excited etc.)?

3. What are ways God may be leading you to trust Christ and become more committed to His Lordship? 

Awake, Thou That Sleepest

“Wake up, sleeper,  
rise from the dead,  
and Christ will shine on you.”
(Ephesians 5:14)

     One of the things I have always admired about John Wesley is that from all the evidence we have, he was a very self effacing man. While his opinions were strong, he never wanted God to be on his side, instead he wanted to be sure he was on God's side. We see this in his preface to the 52 standard sermons. Here he is giving his life work and theology. Those things he holds most dear he is about to share and instead of dogmatically saying it's my way  or the highway, he writes, "Are you persuaded you see more clearly than me... Then treat me as you would desire to be treated yourself upon a change of circumstances. Point me out a better way than I have yet known."

     Perhaps one of the most interesting examples of Wesley's self effacing personality is the fact that not all of his 52 standard sermons are his sermons. Instead, John honors and acknowledges the theological and poetic abilities of his little brother Charles by including this sermon. As one reads this sermon, it is obvious that John was the mind of the Methodist but Charles was the heart. This sermon is full of poetic and emotional imagery he borrowed from scripture. Images that he hoped would stir our hearts to wake up out of our sinful slumber. Waking up so that the Holy Spirit may open our eyes to see our need for God's grace, mercy, and transformation through Jesus Christ. 

     In this sermon, Charles breaks this waking process in three stages. First, he describes what it means to be 'spiritual asleep.' Second, he attempts to wake us up! Here he attempts to shake anyone listening out of that sleep. Finally, he talks about the promise of forgiveness and transformation we have if we turn toward Christ in our awakened state. I will now summarize each of these points with some discussion questions afterward. If you are interested in reading the full sermon you can click here.

Who are the the sleepers?

     Charles tells us, and I think he is correct, that the people who are spiritually asleep are people who are not 'awake' to their own broken relationship with God nor are they aware of how that relationship can be healed. Charles says that this person, "sees no necessity for the one thing needful' and later says that they are "ignorant of both the disease, and of the only remedy for it."

     We can see this today in folks who say, "I'm a good person, isn't that enough?" The reason I think they are asleep is because if you start probing this statement you discover how unthought-out it is. For example, why do you want to be a 'good person?' What does it mean to be a 'good person?' Put differently, what standard are you using? Many times people will respond by saying something like, "I try hard to be nice and I'm not like all those bad people," then list bad people to highlight how 'good they are.' This, I believe is the draw of shows like Jerry Springer. I have heard people saying that they watch it to feel better about themselves. Charles calls this person a "wretched self deceiver" and "thanks God that he or she, 'is not as other people are; adulterers, unjust, extortioners."

     Under the surface, however people in Wesley's day and our day, know that something is wrong. Charles says the Holy Spirit is a sinner "made sensible of his or her lost estate." We might believe that folks do not talk or think in these categories anymore. It may be argued that since 'sin' and 'being lost' are not ways people think and talk, how can it possibly be true that people are awakened to their sin or lostness. To illustrate this I am reminded of a scene from the movie Forest Gump. Lt. Dan asks Forest "Have you found Jesus, Gump?" To which Forest answers, "I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for Him sir." In other words, how can God judge us for not finding Jesus if no one knows they are supposed to be looking for him.

    To this I would make some observations. We live in the wealthiest, safest, and most comfortable country in the history of the world. Now, there are folks that are unsafe, genuinely poor, hungry, and lack the basic necessities in our country. However, they are more the expedition here than in any other country ever. Despite this fact we people cannot beat down the doors of therapists, buy self-help books, or ingest medication (prescribed or otherwise) fast enough!

     I want to be very clear on what I am and am not saying in this observation. I am not saying that medicine and professional councilors are never needed. Indeed, the Lord works mightily through these things to help make people whole again. What I am saying is that we are kidding ourselves if we think everything is alright! We are asleep to our need of a savior if we continue to use pills, professionals, and self-help books to numb our soul to the reality that we are broken and in need of a savior!

Questions

1. Why is it so easy to be 'asleep' to how much we need transformation in Christ?

2. What are some things that act as 'sleeping pills' for our souls? Put differently, what are those distractions that keep us from admitting to God that we are broken sinners in need of His mercy and transformation?

3. Have you ever had a 'wake up call' for your soul? What was it like?

Wake Up Call!

     In this section, Charles has a flurry of poetic and powerful appeals for us to WAKE UP from our spiritual slumber. He begins it by reminding us of the text from which this sermon was inspirit. Charles says:

Wherefore, "awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead." God calleth thee now by my mouth; and bids thee know thyself, thou fallen spirit, thy true state and only concern below. "What meanest thou, O sleeper Arise! Call upon thy God, if so be thy God will think upon thee, that thou perish not." A mighty tempest is stirred up round about thee, and thou art sinking into the depths of perdition, the gulf of God's judgements. If thou wouldest escape them, cast thyself into them. "Judge thyself, and thou shalt not be judged of the Lord."

     Here Charles is begging us to not lead an examined life.  Most believe in God but few reflect on who He is and what He created us for. To this Charles encourages us to "Awake, thou everlasting spirit, out of thy dream of worldly happiness! Did not God create thee for Himself" (Italics mine)? If we are created beings, what were we created for? The Christian answer is that we were created for loving relationship. Loving relationship with our creator that flows out into loving relationship with our fellow image bearers!
     Being engaged in this relationship is being asleep to one thing that we were created for, the one thing needful in our lives. Charles goes on to ask penetrating questions about our relationship with the Lord. These questions center around whether we earnestly desire, even mourn over the lack of, reconciled relationship with God. Do we feel the separation? Do we earnestly want reconciliation? Charles finishes the section by saying:

O that in all these questions ye may hear the voice that wakes the dead; and feel that hammer of the Word, which breaketh the rocks in pieces! "If ye will hear his voice to-day, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts." Now, "awake, thou that sleepest" in spiritual death, that thou sleep not in death eternal! Feel thy lost estate, and "arise from the dead." Leave thine old companions in sin and death. Follow thou Jesus, and let the dead bury their dead. "Save thyself from this untoward generation." "Come out from among them, and be thou separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and the Lord shall receive thee." "Christ shall give thee light."

Questions

1. Have you ever missed someone so much that it hurt? Why did you miss that person?

2. What is it like whenever you have been reconciled with someone you love? 

3. Have you ever felt a rift between you and God? What causes that rift?

4. What might reconciliation to the Lord look like if that rift were healed?

The Promise

     If we feel this rather jolting wake up call of that one thing necessary, Charles closes with a word of encouragement. If we are awakened to the the one thing needful, a reconciled relationship to our creator, we should be of good cheer! For, in the words of Charles, "whosoever you are who obeys His call, you cannot seek His face in vain" (updated language and italics mine)!  Did you catch that? If you seek His face you cannot fail! That is good news!

     Charles closes with this good news by reminding us that "God is light, and will give Himself to every awakened sinner that waits for Him." If we wait on Him, the Holy Spirit will witness to our spirit that we are redeemed sons and daughters of the Lord. However, there are times when we all do not feel that witness. Charles closes with this promise to encourage us that, if we are awakened to our sin, we need to be patient and alert in waiting on the Lord. Alert in that "he hath given us long space to repent" so we should take advantage and search our own hearts. Search them to be sure that we are not "resisting the last effort of divine grace to save us. 

     In this alertness of being awakened we also need to be patient by waiting on Him while being in, what both of the Wesley's called the means of grace. These means are things like prayer, Christian conferencing, the reading and exposition of scripture, Communion and acts of mercy. If we are awakened to lost state and desire God's mercy and reconciliation, God has set out certain ways in which He communicates His mercy and reconciliation. 

     While not in this sermon, the Wesley's were careful to remind us that these things are not God's mercy in and of themselves. Put differently, it is not as if doing these things will 'earn' our salvation. Instead our salvation is a gift wrought for us on Calvary's Hill by Christ's sacrificial death and victorious resurrection. However, this does not mean that God has left us to do nothing while waiting on Him. Instead, these means of grace are normal ways in which the Holy Spirit communicates God's mercy and transformation. 

     I use the analogy of a cell phone. Imagine you are separated from someone you love and the only way you can communicate with them is your cell phone. That phone becomes vitally important to you, and you want to avail yourself to it whenever possible. However, that phone is not important for its own sake. Rather it is important because it is your means of connecting with that person. In the same way, means of grace to not earn our salvation. However, once we are awakened to our need for salvation we wait in these means of grace for the Holy Spirit to bring us back into reconciled loving relationship with our Lord. As we stay in these means of grace they not only communicate saving grace but also the transformation grace that enables us to become who we were created to be!

     So let us all call upon His name, mercy, grace and salvation. Call upon Him to awaken us to all of those areas of our hearts and lives that are separated from Him. Let us call upon Him to awaken us to the reality that we can trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to send His Holy Spirit so to turn us away from that brokenness toward His hope, healing, and wholeness!

Questions

1. Have you ever had to 'wait on the Lord?' What was it like?

2. What is it like when you have been 'awakened' to something you were unaware of? What did you do when being awakened? 

3. Have you felt the saving and transforming grace of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit in the means of grace that our Heavenly Father has ordained? What was it like?

The Almost Christian

Agrippa replied to Paul, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26:28)

     This sermon and the next one "Awake Thou That Sleep" (written by his brother Charles), in many ways, go together. They go together because both are in response to the dead, un-transformation, religion that John and Charles saw all around them in 17th century England.  Seeing the kind of 'fat cat' Christianity that caused people to attend service, take communion, and even read scripture but not be changed, caused both of the Wesley brothers great concern. 

     In Luke 12, Jesus tells a parable about servants being ready for their master's return. He concludes the parable with the famous line "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required." Wesley knew that many people in the Anglican Church had been given much. They had been given much in terms of knowledge and opportunity to respond to God's redemptive and life transforming love. In the same way, we live in a country and time when knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is readily available. Through these challenging sermons, particularity this one and the  next, Wesley's hope was to wake people up to the powerful and life transforming message that was all around. Wake them up so that they would not end up like King Agrippa and be presented the Gospel and end up only being 'almost persuaded.' Perhaps in studying these sermons, the Holy Spirit can waken us up as well!
     This post will be broken down into the two segments that Wesley has in his sermon. The first is a description of what he means by an 'Almost Christian.' The second is what it means to be an 'altogether Christian.' These two segments will be brief overviews of what Wesley said and will be colored with my interpretation of them. I would like to encourage you to read the whole sermon here for a more in depth understanding of Wesley's theology.

The 'Almost Christian'

     For Wesley the first thing that is implied in being an 'almost Christian' is what he called 'heathen honesty.' Today we would probably think of folks that are not Christians or only nominally define themselves as Christians, but are still honest people. These are folks that pay their taxes, do not lie, cheat, or steal. People who fit into the category of an 'honest heathen' will even give to the needy, out of their access.
     Upon reflecting on this I think of folks who say "I'm a good person, isn't that enough?" With this kind of thinking I can see at least three issues. First, how good is 'good enough?' Is the litmus test 'people who are as good as me and better?' It seems that we, at least I, tend to give ourselves a little too much credit. Allow me to give an example. If someone cuts you off in traffic they are worthless, should be forced to give up their licence, or are clearly doing it just to make you mad. On the other hand, if you have stuff on your mind, are in a rush, or are in a fog from being tired what right does that jerk have to flip out on you when you make an honest, innocent, traffic mistake?
     The second is, motivation. When asking people who may be 'honest heathens,' there are certainly many responses. Some folks really don't know why they feel compelled to do kind things (I would argue it is the Image of God within them trying to express itself). Others say things like, "So others will like me," or "The best way to get hope is to give hope." The problem with this motivation is that it does not encourage us to be unselfish loving people, but selfish people doing loving things.
     While this seems harsh, think about it. I am not saying these people run around thinking "I don't care about anyone but myself so I will only help others if it helps me," consciously. However if the only reason I am doing something is to get something out of it I am really serving myself and it is only incidental that it is blessing others. Besides that, what happens when others mock us for doing the right thing, and, when we give, we get less than we sacrifice! Wesley touches the nerve of this in his sermon by saying:

"they extended not only to those little offices of humanity which are performed without any expense or labour, but likewise to the feeding the hungry, if they had food to spare; the clothing the naked with their own superfluous raiment; and, in general. the giving, to any that needed, such things as they needed not themselves" (italics mine).

     The final issue that I believe in this attitude is that assumption that all God want's from us is to be 'nice people.' As if God wants us to just be nice people, who only say nice things, and the goal of life is to have everything be nice, easy and uncontroversial. While there is nothing wrong with being 'nice,' what God is really after is transformation. Paul reminds us of this by saying "anyone in Christ, is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
     This leads to the second thing that Wesley believed was implied in being an almost Christian which was what he called 'the form of godliness.' Originally, I believed Wesley was going to go on and speak of people who went to church and called themselves 'Christian,' but did not lead transformed lives. However, for Wesley, to have the 'form of godliness' meant a lot more. These are folks who earnestly desired that transformation I just mentioned. They not only give out of their access or when it is easy. Instead the person with the form of godliness "labors and suffers for the profit of many, that by all means he or she may help some."
     Indeed, to have the form of godliness, one not only goes to church on a regularly basis but also avails him or herself to 'the means of grace.' Meaning, they pray in public, private, and in their family. This person reads the scripture and sincerely wants to conform to God's desires for his or her life. This person, not only, shows all the outward signs of wanting to obey God, but sincerely wants to in his or her heart.
     After this description we are left wondering, can anyone be an 'altogether Christian?' Wesley predicts this by saying that it may be asked "Is it possible that any man living should go so far as this, and, nevertheless, be only almost a Christian? What more than this, can be implied in the being a Christian altogether." Wesley's answer is yes for two reasons. First, it is what he saw in the scriptures. Second, it is what he experienced himself. Wesley admits that he lived as an almost Christian for much of his life. He tried to fight the good fight but, in the end, he tells us, "my own conscience bore me witness in the Holy Ghost, that all this time I was but almost Christian."

Questions:

1. What is the difference between being a 'good person' (honest heathen) and a 'transformed creature in Christ (an altogether or even almost Christian)?'

2. Do you ever wonder if you are indeed an altogether Christian? If so why?

3. When assessing our own position in terms of being a 'good person,' why do we tend to have such a distorted perception?

Altogether Christian

     So what more could be involved in being an altogether Christian. Does Wesley think we need to memorize all of scripture to be a 'real Christian?' Is Wesley going to go on and say that we have to work harder to earn God's love and, therefore, salvation? Perhaps he will tell us that we have to agree with him and understand every fine point of doctrine in order to be called 'altogether Christian.' No, none of that is what Wesley thought caused one to be an altogether Christian. In fact, thinking that we have to earn it may even militate against the three simple things that Wesley does mention.

     The first is the love of God. An all permeating love for God that fills our entire heart and life. A love that Wesley describes as "enabling us to desire nothing but God and His love." If I may interject my own understanding, I believe the love Wesley talks about is loving God for His own sake. Put differently, loving God, not for what He can do for us, but for who He is! This kind of love begins when realizing that "this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins." In my experience, this kind of love begins with gratitude in what God has done for us and grows. It grows into loving God, for His own sake! Loving God because He is worthy of love!

     The second is loving our neighbor as ourselves. This is the kind of love that seeks good for those we know, those we have yet to meet and even our enemies. This is a kind of love that is born out of being conformed to the image of Christ. When we see others, not as objects, but as fellow bearers of the image of God we do not want their destruction, but their restoration. Just as Christ died as a ransom for many, we would be willing to lose our lives for the sake of another. This is, indeed, a hard teaching. However, I think Wesley rightly sees it not only in the commands of Jesus, but in Jesus' example.

     How does one have such love of neighbor and God? The final thing that Wesley considers in being an altogether Christian is that which holds together, and enables the other two. The final aspect Wesley considers is faith. As was discussed in the last post it is more than mere belief in orthodox doctrine. Instead, it is a faith that trusts. It trusts that if we confess our sins to God, and rely on Christ's merit on the cross, we will be forgiven of our sin and released from its power. Releasing us from sin's power causes our faith in Christ to be one that "purifies the heart, from pride, anger, desire, from all unrighteousness." The kind of trust that grows a love in us that does not come from us, "love stronger than death" as Wesley tells us. Faith that trusts in our sinful self dying in Christ's crucifixion and our new self, our true self, being enlivened in Christ's resurrection power.  

       I would add, it is the kind of faith that trusts in God more than our feelings or present circumstances. Faith that even though at times we feel like, and may presently be, an almost Christian, if we trust in the Lord, and stay in the means of grace, God will bring about transformation! 

     Wesley concludes with a series of penetrating questions. He encourages us to reflect by asking ourselves

"Am I of that number? Do I so far practice justice, mercy, and truth, as even the rules of heathen honesty require? If so, have I the very outside of a Christian the form of godliness Do I abstain from evil, --from whatsoever is forbidden in the written Word of God? Do I, whatever good my hand findeth to do, do it with my might? Do I seriously use all the ordinances of God at all opportunities And is all this done with a sincere design and desire to please God in all things?...Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart? Can you cry out, "My God, and my All?" Do you desire nothing but him Are you happy in God Is he your glory, your delight, your crown of rejoicing And is this commandment written in your heart, "That he who loveth God love his brother also?" Do you then love your neighbour as yourself Do you love every man, even your enemies, even the enemies of God, as your own soul as Christ loved you?"

     If we cannot answer yes to these questions, Wesley's answer, and the answer of scripture is not to try harder. Instead it is to have faith in Christ Jesus. Faith that trusts that he will bring about the transformation that will enable the Holy Spirit to witness to our spirit that we are, by Christ's merit and power, children of God.

Questions:

1. Why is it difficult to so fully trust in God?

2. How does God's love for us inform how we ought to love other people?

3. How does love of God and love of neighbor naturally flow out of faith that trusts in Christ's crucifixion, death and resurrection? 

Salvation By Faith

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— (Ephesians 2:8)

     The first Sermon Wesley put in his 52 standard sermons was that which he perceived as first importance. This is the doctrine of salvation by faith. He preached this sermon less than a month after his Evangelical conversion in which he said " I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."
     Coming by the name "Methodist" honestly, in this sermon Wesley 'methodically' unpacks this doctrine in three parts. The first part is defining what kind of faith is it by which we are saved, second is what is meant by salvation and the conclusion consists of common objections made to this doctrine.
     I will proceed by giving a brief synopsis of each of the three parts with discussion questions at the end. I would encourage anyone to read the whole sermon by clicking here. While the older English is tricky at times, I think it is still a valuable resource with great insights.

What is 'Faith?'

     In order to explain what kind of faith saves, Wesley talks about what saving faith is not. First, it is not what he calls the faith of a 'heathen.' What he means by this is the assent to the fact "That God is; that he is a reward-er of them that diligently seek him." If he were preaching today, Wesley might talk about vague spirituality. Today many, believe that it does not matter what you believe so long as you are sincere! As popular as this is, it is obviously false. If you do not believe me take this following example given by Pastor Mark Driscroll:
     Imagine that you are drowning. You try and try to save yourself but no matter how hard you try you cannot. If someone throws you something and says, "Put your faith in this and it will save you," will your faith in that object save you? Imagine that it is an anvil and you have honest sincere faith in that anvil. What will happen when you grasp that anvil with all of your sincerity and faith? It is the object of faith that saves not faith itself! In order to have faith that saves it cannot be in a vague recognition that there is a 'god' and that god may or may not have certain expectations of us.
     The next kind of faith that we are told is not saving is what Wesley calls the 'faith of the devil.' As we read through Jesus' encounter with the evil one, it appears that the devil has a good understanding of who Jesus is, and scripture. By not having the faith of the devil Wesley means not having the kind of faith that intellectually assents to all of the 'right doctrine' but that assent does nothing in terms of encouraging us to follow God. Thus Augustine famously said, "We are not saved by faith plus works but faith that works."
    The third and final kind of faith that Wesley tells us does not save, shocked me at first. It is the faith of the apostles before the resurrection. This kind of faith is close but not the kind of faith that saves. This is the kind of faith that has the proper object (Jesus Christ) and alters one's behavior (after all, the disciples left everything to follow Him) but it is missing one thing. This kind of faith will change what we are doing but it is missing the change in our being. This kind of faith trusts in one's own merit and ability in following Jesus' way.
     The kind of faith that saves is one that trusts in Christ and Christ alone for forgiveness and transformation. this is evident in Peter's post Pentecost preaching. When asked "What shall we do?" Peter responds by saying, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
This is the kind of faith that does not rely on good works to earn salvation but upon Christ's merit, that by His sacrificial death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit enables us to die to our sinful dispositions and experience Christ's resurrection power.
     In other words this faith is not just an intellectual assent that Jesus Christ shows us that way to eternal life. Instead it is faith trusting that He IS the way to eternal life in the future and abundant life now. In the words of Wesley, "It acknowledges His (Jesus') death as the only sufficient means of redeeming people from death eternal, and His resurrection as the restoration of us all to life." This kind of faith trusts that in Christ's crucifixion our sin debt is paid. This kind of faith trusts that we can die to all those parts of our selves that do not come from God by participating in Christ's crucifixion and that we can live transformed lives by the power of His resurrection. The difference between the faith of the apostles before and after Christ's death and resurrection is well articulated by C.S. Lewis:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Discussion Questions:

1. How could having what Wesley understands as 'saving' faith cause us to live differently that if we had any of the other kinds of faith?

2. Are the first three types of faith easier to embrace and live out? If so what makes 'saving' faith more difficult?

What is 'Salvation?'

     Have you ever heard someone ask the questions "are you saved?" These well meaning Christians, I believe, are missing a step. This step is explaining from what do we need saving? The Christian faith is ludicrous for folks who feel as if they have their lives all figured out. Instead, the Christian faith only makes sense if we are creatures in need of saving. The Christian answer is that we need saved from the guilt and power of sin. We, however do not live in a culture that is overly anxious about sin. We are, in contrast, very anxious over the effects of sin, namely, guilt, fear, and death.
     Salvation by faith strikes at the core of these effects in two ways. First, in Christ, we find the standard against which we ought to feel guilty for breaking. There is a lot of false guilt or false shame in our culture. Many times we feel guilty of and ashamed of things ought not to feel guilty or ashamed of. For  example, we should not be ashamed, or feel guilty, for not being able to 'keep up with the Jones.' Second, when we do feel true guilt over actual sin, fear over it's effects in the future and suffer the literal or metaphorical death that ensues, Christ's sacrificial death frees us from the guilt and power of that sin. Amazingly, we are not only freed from the guilt and power of past sins, but, in Christ's resurrection power, we are transformed from the inside out so that we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, grow into becoming people that no longer do those sinful things.
     For Wesley, it was important to emphasize that we are saved from all sins and completely saved from them. In other words, salvation is not just a 'get out of hell' free card for the future. Instead salvation is a total and present rescue from the power, guilt, and fear of sin. To highlight the present reality of this salvation Wesley reminds us that Paul tells the believers in Ephesus "not ye shall be, (although that is also true) but ye are saved through faith."  This full and present salvation is evident in much of John Wesley's writings and many of Charles Wesley's hymns. After all, one of my favorites is "And Are We Yet Alive" which says:

"Then let us make our boast of his redeeming power, which saves us to the uttermost, till we can sin no more." 

Questions:

1. The death that sin brings about comes in the form of separation. This is separation from relationship with God and each other. While the separation of physical death will be overcome when we all share in Chris's resurrection upon His return, His resurrection power enables us to be saved from broken relationships here and now. What does His resurrection power look like when it brings about reconciled relationships with other people and God?

2. Do you feel the need to be 'saved' from something? If so what?

3. Have you experienced ways in which you been saved from the guilt, power, and death that sin brings about?

Objections:

1. Salvation by faith militates against good works: A simple way to characterize this objection is to say, "If you are saved by faith and works, why do good works? After all, if we are not 'earning heaven' why do good things?"

     This objection comes from multiple misunderstandings. First, the kind of faith that we are saved by trusts that in Jesus Christ we find the objective good that we are held to and desires to become more like Christ. This faith trusts that, in Him, we will more and more become the kind of people who want to do good works. This objection actually shows that, apart from Christ, 'good deeds' are just an extension of selfishness. Put differently, if one sees no reason to do good deeds outside of reward form humans or God, they are not really 'good people.' Instead they are selfish people who want to get rewards are are using good works to get them. Put more succinctly, when we are saved by faith we do good, not to get good things, but because, by the grace of God, we are becoming good people (this good can be defined as doing that which loves others and God not as means to ends but as ends in and of themselves).   

     This leads to the second problem with this objection. It does not take into account the enormous gratitude people feel when they are saved by faith. Imagine a father and son are camping. The father tells his son, "do not go in the river it is dangerous." The son is disobedient, and get's caught up in its current. The son loses consciousness and the last thing he thinks is, "Why was I so stupid to disregard my father's words! Now I am going to die and I have no one to blame but myself!" The son wakes up to find himself lying on the bank of the river with his dad lying next to him, half dead from exhaustion from rescuing him. Later on that night, the dad days, "Could get us some firewood?" What kind of ungrateful snot would say, "No, dad, it's not like you have done anything for me lately!" In the same way, when we are saved by faith we realize that we have been forgiven of the sins we have committed and have been freed from their power. If for no other reason, we want to do God's will out of gratitude!

2. Salvation by faith leads to pride: This objection is born out of the unfortunate reality that many people who claim to be saved by faith brag about it. Just think about how prideful the 'church lady' was on SNL!

     If you think about it, this attitude and the belief that it flows from is ridiculous! In fact, if we keep reading the text from Ephesians that Wesley chose for this sermon Paul writes this, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life." In other words, the kind of faith that saves us admits that we need to trust in Christ and Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins past, and the power to not commit them in the future. If we are indeed saved by faith we should boast in Jesus Christ not ourselves!

     But what about boasting in Jesus Christ? One of the more modern objections to Salvation by faith is that it is arrogant to claim that Jesus is the only way. To that, I think David Gooding has an excellent response. He writes:

"To ask why must we think that Christ is the only way to God is to miss the point completely. For Christ does not, in that sense, compete with anyone for the simple reason that no one else claims to deal with this fundamental problem. He is the only one in the running. How can it be narrow-minded or arrogant to accept from Christ what no-one else offers?"

3. The final objection I will deal with is "doesn't this encourage people to sin?" After all, if we are freed from the fear of God punishing us than why not sin?

     I think folks with this objection view God as a cosmic police officer. When driving through a place that is known to have cops waiting to pull folks over for speeding we tend to be more likely to drive the speed limit. If you are anything like me, you are not driving it because your heart is as their heart and you want to obey out of love. Instead, we obey because of fear of not getting caught. Indeed God can and does use this fear to encourage people back to Him.
     However, once we are saved by faith we no longer fear Him because of punishment. Instead of this, what Wesley calls, servile fear we have the kind of filial fear of offending. In other words, we fear God as a loving father, not tyrannical dictator. Initially, children fear their parents because of punishment, but as the children mature that changes. If the parents are loving but firm the children fear disobeying, or disappointing their parents because the love and respect their parents and do not want to grieve their hearts.
     In the same way, when we first turn to God for forgiveness it may be because we fear the gates of hell. However, as we mature we begin to love God and see Him as our heavenly Father. In this sense our 'fear' of God comes from loving and respect Him. This objection, like many others, is born out of not understanding the complete transformation that is wrought through Salvation by faith!

I think the apostle Paul put it well when saying:"if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new"

The doctrine of salvation by faith in Christ is indeed:

The greatest story every told 

That hardly ever gets told

Project 52

     

“I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” (John Wesley, Thoughts Upon Methodism)

     Greetings! In the church that I am blessed to serve (LaPorte UMC) there is a men's group. As a group we wanted to get a better understanding of what it means to be Methodist. As Methodists, we are in a unique position in that Wesley never intended for us to become a separate denomination. Instead, Wesley's original vision was to create a movement within the Anglican church to reform it from within.
     Because of this the founder of the Methodist movement (John Wesley) never sat down and wrote a huge systematic theology book detailing what Methodists should believe. This, of course, does not mean Wesley did not have thoughts on theology and doctrine. Indeed, from his letters, articles, and the hymns of his brother Charles, we get a robust, and distinctive, understanding of what John called "Scriptural Christianity."
     At the request of some of his friends, John put together 52 sermons that he believed embodied what he embraced and taught as "the essentials of true religion." So in an effort to regain and retain the doctrine, spirit, and discipline, with which the movement we are a part of first set out, we decided to go through John's 52 standard sermons.
     I would like to invite all of you to join us as we discuss one sermon a week. Every week I will be posting a brief synopsis of each sermon with some discussion questions. Click here for the Wesley Center's list of the sermons in the order that Wesley picked out and that we will follow.

In Christ,
Pastor Bill Wendell

Freedom!

July is here! It is time for family vacations, fun in the sun and the 4^th of July celebration.  On the 4^th we there will be a lot of grilling, family, and fireworks. I once heard someone say that we are, “celebrating the birth of our country by blowing up a piece of it!”

But what are we celebrating on the 4^th of July? The primary emphasis of celebrating Independence Day is celebrating our freedoms we enjoy in this great nation. Just a few of them are the freedom of speech, assembly, and, perhaps most notably, freedom of religion. We are so blessed to live in such a country!

As Christians we always have to remember, however, that our greatest freedom comes in Christ. In the book of Galatians Paul reminds us that, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery,” (5:1). Without Christ we are enslaved by our selfish desires or forces outside our control. This Independence Day, I want us all celebrate as Christians. 

Free, through Christ, not just from the guilt but the power of sin. Further, this freedom is not meaningless. Instead we are freed so that we can do what we can seek and live out who God has called us to be. May God bless you as you seek to become freed son or daughter of God.

In Christ,

Pastor Bill

Home For Christmas

     I think that we can all relate to Clark Griswold in the movie "Griswold's Family Vacation." After doing everything in his power to have his family experience a 'good old fashioned family Christmas,' everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. Relatives bring unwanted and unruly pets into the home, the Christmas tree is set ablaze by cat chewed Christmas tree lights, and a rouge squirrel in the replacement tree causes a squirrel verses dog chase leaving the Griswold home almost uninhabitable! Because of this, the relatives decide to throw in the towel on this 'fun old fashioned Christmas.' Their giving up, prompts this (pastorally edited) rant from Clark:

 Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny (bleep) Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white (caboose) down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of (folks) this side of the nuthouse.

    In the same way, we try and try to capture this magical feeling  with some forced family fun and it never lives up to our expectations. However, are these expectations the one's we ought to have? Is this what the very first Christmas looked like? In the opening chapters of Luke, we find the story of the first Christmas and it is not nearly as shiny, pristine, and perfect as our expectations normally are.

    A poor, unwed, teenager, becomes very unexpectedly pregnant. Despite the social, religious, and legal rejection that it carried, Mary and Joseph (with a little angelic help) decide to continue their engagement and traverse the difficult road from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Mary is very pregnant and all the homes very full. Mary is forced to deliver Jesus, Love's pure light, in a dirty and smelly manger, where the animals were kept. To say this was a messy and un-pristine way for God to come to earth would be the understatement of the millennium!

     There has only been one person in the history of creation to be able to choose where He was born, Jesus Christ! He did not choose to make his home for that first Christmas a perfect, pristine and mess free family. Instead, He made His home among us in the dirty, gritty, and very messy stuff of our lives. If any of us are experiencing a full blown, four alarm, holiday emergency, take heart. The angel in Luke 2 reminds us all that even in the messiness of Bethlehem, and our lives,  the Lord gives us "good news that willcause great joy for all the people!" This is the news of the arrival of a Savior that does not wait for us to have our lives all figured out. Instead, He is a Savior who is our Emmanuel (God with us) in the midst of our messy, chaotic, and sometimes unpredictable lives.

     As we come home for Christmas, let us consider the fact that Christmas is not our birthday, it is Jesus' birthday. Let us consider how to honor Him by sacrificially giving to others just as He sacrificially gave Himself so that we might have life and have it abundantly!

Many Christmas Blessings  from our family to yours!

Pastor Bill, Brittany and Billy