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One of the places that Wesley stands with classic catholic Christianity against Protestants, especially, Luther, is in Wesley's positive embracement of the Law. In this fifth discourse on the Sermon on the Mount, Wesley makes this abundantly clear: the Christian faith lies in continuity with Judaism. He writes at the beginning of the sermon, "some might hope it was so that He [Jesus]was abolishing the old religion, and bringing in another, -- one which, they might flatter themselves, would be an easier way to heaven. But our Lord refutes, in these words, both the vain hopes of the one, and the groundless calumnies of the other."

In this sermon, he again demands the continuity of both external actions and internal goods. In and of themselves, the external are vain, and even dangerous. But they are indispensable. Thus the Christians righteousness must exceed the scribes and the Pharisees -- they become a positive example for our lives as followers of Christ. Yet mere engagement with external behaviors is vain, unless the actions arise from the love of God in Christ being spread abroad in our hearts, cleansing them by faith.

The full sermon may be found at http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/sermons/025.htm

I. 3. There is, therefore, the closest connexion that can be conceived between the law and the gospel. On the one hand, the law continually makes way for, and points us to the gospel; on the other, the gospel continually leads us to a more exact fulfilling of the law. The law, for instance, requires us to love God, to love our neighbour, to be meek, humble, or holy. We feel that we are not sufficient for these things; yea, that "with man this is impossible:" But we see a promise of God, to give us that love, and to make us humble, meek, and holy: We lay hold of this gospel, of these glad tidings; it is done unto us according to our faith; and "the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us," through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

We may yet farther observe, that every command in holy writ is only a covered promise. For by that solemn declaration, "This is the covenant I will make after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws in your minds, and write them in your hearts," God hath engaged to give whatsoever he commands. Does he command us then to "pray without ceasing?" To "rejoice evermore?" "To be holy as He is holy?" It is enough. He will work in us this very thing. It shall be unto us according to his word.

. . .

7. And yet, "except your righteousness," saith our Lord, "shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." A solemn and weighty declaration, and which it behoves all who are called by the name of Christ seriously and deeply to consider. But before we inquire how our righteousness may exceed theirs, let us examine whether at present we come up to it.

First, a Pharisee was "not as other men are." In externals he was singularly good. Are we so? Do we dare to be singular at all? Do we not rather swim with the stream? Do we not many times dispense with religion and reason together, because we would not look particular? Are we not often more afraid of being out of the fashion, than of being out of the way of salvation? Have we courage to stem the tide? -- to run counter to the world? -- "to obey God rather than man?" Otherwise, the Pharisee leaves us behind at the very first step. It is well if we overtake him any more.

But to come closer. Can we use his first plea with God, which is, in substance, "I do no harm: I live in no outward sin. I do nothing for which my own heart condemns me." Do you not? Are you sure of that? Do you live in no practice for which your own heart condemns you? If you are not an adulterer, if you are not unchaste, either in word or deed, are you not unjust? The grand measure of justice, as well as of mercy, is, "Do unto others as thou wouldst they should do unto thee." Do you walk by this rule? Do you never do unto any what you would not they should do unto you, Nay, are you not grossly unjust? Are you not an extortioner? Do you not make a gain of anyone's ignorance or necessity; neither in buying nor selling? Suppose you are engaged in trade: Do you demand, do you receive, no more than the real value of what you sell? Do you demand, do you receive, no more of the ignorant than of the knowing, -- of a little child, than of an experienced trader? If you do, why does not your heart condemn you? You are a barefaced extortioner! Do you demand no more than the usual price of goods of any who is in pressing want, -- who must have, and that without delay, the things which you only can furnish him with? If you do, this also is flat extortion. Indeed you do not come up to the righteousness of a Pharisee.

8. A Pharisee, Secondly, (to express his sense in our common way,) used all the means of grace. As he fasted often and much, twice in every week, so he attended all the sacrifices. He was constant in public and private prayer, and in reading and hearing the Scriptures. Do you go as far as this? Do you fast much and often? -- twice in the week? I fear not! Once, at least, "on all Fridays in the year?" (So our Church clearly and peremptorily enjoins all her members to do; to observe all these as well as the vigils and the forty days of Lent, as days of fasting or abstinence.) Do you fast twice in the year? I am afraid some among us cannot plead even this! Do you neglect no opportunity of attending and partaking of the Christian sacrifice? How many are they who call themselves Christians, and yet are utterly regardless of it, -- yet do not eat of that bread, or drink of that cup, for months, perhaps years, together? Do you, every day, either hear the Scriptures, or read them and meditate thereon? Do you join in prayer with the great congregation, daily, if you have opportunity; if not, whenever you can; particularly on that day which you "remember to keep it holy?" Do you strive to "make opportunities?" Are you glad when they say unto you, "We will go into the house of the Lord?" Are you zealous of, and diligent in, private prayer? Do you suffer no day to pass without it? Rather are not some of you so far from spending therein (with the Pharisee) several hours in one day that you think one hour full enough, if not too much? Do you spend an hour in a day, or in a week, in praying to your Father which is in secret? yea, an hour in a month? Have you spent one hour together in private prayer ever since you was born? Ah, poor Christian! Shall not the Pharisee rise up in the judgment against thee and condemn thee? His righteousness is as far above thine, as the heaven is above the earth!

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Above all, let thy righteousness exceed theirs in the purity and spirituality of it. What is the exactest form of religion to thee? the most perfect outside righteousness? Go thou higher and deeper than all this! Let thy religion be the religion of the heart. Be thou poor in spirit; little, and base, and mean, and vile in thy own eyes; amazed and humbled to the dust at the "love of God which is in Christ Jesus thy Lord! Be serious: Let the whole stream of thy thoughts, words, and works, be such as flows from the deepest conviction that thou standest on the edge of the great gulf, thou and all the children of men, just ready to drop in, either into everlasting glory, or everlasting burnings! Be meek: Let thy soul be filled with mildness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering toward all men; at the same time that all which is in thee is athirst for God, the living God, longing to awake up after his likeness, and to be satisfied with it. Be thou a lover of God, and of all mankind. In this spirit, do and suffer all things. Thus "exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees," and thou shalt be "called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Posted by johnwright at 9:52 PM | Comments (20)

Wesley's Fourth Discourse on the Sermon on the Mount surprises. On and on, Wesley speaks about the inwardness of "true religion" -- the love of God that is shed abroad in our heart. Yet in this sermon, covering "you are the light of the world" and following, Wesley does not allow discipleship to be collapsed into the private self, an inward, solitary experience. Faith in Christ by which the Spirit is shed abroad in the believers heart in love must manifest itself in interaction with believer and unbeliever alike. Faith must issue forth in works. As Wesley constantly quotes, what really matters is the faith that works through love.

Particularly insightful is Wesley's understanding how God uses "difficult persons" to bring forth the Christian virtues in ourselves. He recognizes that God uses such encounters to bring forth true holiness of heart and life. Such social interactions are necessary so that we might be renewed in the image of God in which we are created. Thus, Wesley teaches that "that Christianity is essentially a social religion; and that to turn it into a solitary religion, is indeed to destroy it." Whereas this is often misquoted to legitimate a certain type of social action in the world in the name of Wesley, his sense is much simpler: Christianity demands interactions of certain sorts with others, both saints and sinners. If we run from such interactions, God will not complete the fulness of God's work in us. As Wesley states towards the end of the sermon, "It is most true that the root of religion lies in the heart, in the inmost soul; that this is the union of the soul with God, the life of God in the soul of man. But if this root be really in the heart, it cannot but put forth branches. And these are the several instances of outward obedience, which partake of the same nature with the root; and consequently, are not only marks or signs, but substantial parts of religion."

The importance of this insight for us is immense. We have a tendency to play the "social" against the "personal" or the "community" against the "individual" or "works" against "faith". These are all false alternatives in the faith given to the saints -- in Christ, they all presuppose each other. It is the formation of American culture that opposes the "public" to the "private" that generates this issue. Wesley's sermon here images for us how this interaction takes place in our lives to form us into persons who are given the Christian virtues.

You can find the full text of this sermon at http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/sermons/024.htm.

By Christianity I mean that method of worshipping God which is here revealed to man by Jesus Christ. When I say, This is essentially a social religion, I mean not only that it cannot subsist so well, but that it cannot subsist at all, without society, -- without living and conversing with other men. And in showing this, I shall confine myself to those considerations which will arise from the very discourse before us. But if this be shown, then doubtless, to turn this religion into a solitary one is to destroy it.

Not that we can in any wise condemn the intermixing solitude or retirement with society. This is not only allowable but expedient; nay, it is necessary, as daily experience shows, for everyone that either already is, or desires to be, a real Christian. It can hardly be, that we should spend one entire day in a continued intercourse with men, without suffering loss in our soul, and in some measure grieving the Holy Spirit of God. We have need daily to retire from the world, at least morning and evening, to converse with God, to commune more freely with our Father which is in secret. Nor indeed can a man of experience condemn even longer seasons of religious retirement, so they do not imply any neglect of the worldly employ wherein the providence of God has placed us.

2. Yet such retirement must not swallow up all our time; this would be to destroy, not advance, true religion. For, that the religion described by our Lord in the foregoing words cannot subsist without society, without our living and conversing with other men, is manifest from hence, that several of the most essential branches thereof can have no place if we have no intercourse with the world.

. . .

4. Another necessary branch of true Christianity is peacemaking, or doing of good. That this is equally essential with any of the other parts of the religion of Jesus Christ, there can be no stronger argument to evince, (and therefore it would be absurd to allege any other,) than that it is here inserted in the original plan he has laid down of the fundamentals of his religion. Therefore, to set aside this is the same daring insult on the authority of our Great Master as to set aside mercifulness, purity of heart, or any other branch of his institution. But this is apparently set aside by all who call us to the wilderness; who recommend entire solitude either to the babes, or the young men, or the fathers in Christ. For will any man affirm that a solitary Christian (so called, though it is little less than a contradiction in terms) can be a merciful man, -- that is, one that takes every opportunity of doing all good to all men? What can be more plain, than that this fundamental branch of the religion of Jesus Christ cannot possibly subsist without society, without our living and conversing with other men?

5. "But is it not expedient, however," one might naturally ask, "to converse only with good men, -- only with those whom we know to be meek and merciful, -- holy of heart and holy of life? Is it not expedient to refrain from any conversation or intercourse with men of the opposite character . . .

6. Much more the words of our Lord; who is so far from directing us to break off all commerce with the world, that without it, according to his account of Christianity, we cannot be Christians at all. It would be easy to show, that some intercourse even with ungodly and unholy men is absolutely needful, in order to the full exertion of every temper which he has described as the way of the kingdom; that it is indispensably necessary, in order to the complete exercise of poverty of spirit, of mourning, and of every other disposition which has a place here, in the genuine religion of Jesus Christ. Yea, it is necessary to the very being of several of them; of that meekness, for example, which, instead of demanding "an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth," doth "not resist evil," but causes us rather, when smitten "on the right cheek, to turn the other also;" -- of that mercifulness, whereby "we love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us;" -- and of that complication of love and all holy tempers which is exercised in suffering for righteousness' sake. Now all these, it is clear, could have no being, were we to have no commerce with any but real Christians.

7. Indeed were we wholly to separate ourselves from sinners, how could we possibly answer that character which our Lord gives us in these very words? "Ye" (Christians, ye that are lowly, serious and meek; ye that hunger after righteousness, that love God and man, that do good to all, and therefore suffer evil; ye) "are the salt of the earth:" It is your very nature to season whatever is round about you. It is the nature of the divine savour which is in you, to spread to whatsoever you touch; to diffuse itself, on every side, to all those among whom you are. This is the great reason why the providence of God has so mingled you together with other men, that whatever grace you have received of God may through you be communicated to others; that every holy temper, and word, and work of yours, may have an influence on lo them also. By this means a check will, in some measure, be given to the corruption which is in the world; and a small part, at least, saved from the general infection, and rendered holy and pure before God.

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (10)

Acts 12 begins a new section in the story of the church. Whereas expansion had occurred after God had given relief from persecution, it begins again -- now with a different agent than before. The agent of persecution is Herod, the son of King Herod. What is interesting is that technically speaking, Herod had no authority in Jerusalem. He had wanted to be made king, but the Romans would name him.

It is interesting to ask what it is that makes this Christians so dangerous to the authorities.

Vv. 1-5: Herod Antipas seems to be the major figure in this passage. We know some about him from other sources. He thought that he would be named "King of the Jews". When the Romans refused to so name him, he made frequent trips to Jerusalem, especially during Passover, to impress the people with his presence and hopefully, raise popular demand that he replace the Roman governors to exercise direct authority over Jerusalem. Notice the difference between his actions with James, the brother of John, and Peter. Why would he do this during Passover? What sort of problems would he have had with James? Why would that "execution" lead to the arrest of Peter to please the Temple authorities in Jerusalem? It is interesting to contrast the actions of the two groups who made claims on Peter's body. What did Herod do? What did the church do? Discuss the differences in the presuppositions of who is in control of Peter and how it affects their treatment of him.

Vv. 6-11: The deliverance

v. 6: When does this event take place? What is Peter's physical position? You could either act this out or draw it so people might see what the scene really is and the full account of what happens.

Vv. 7-8: To whom does the angel appear? Anyone else? What happens? How does Peter wake up? What is remarkable about this whole setting? What is really going on here? Again, acting it out might be helpful!

v. 9-10: Distinguish between Peter's consciousness and what is happening. Why does he not understand what is going on? When does the angel leave him? Would anyone else have known that the angel had left? What is the purpose of the angel?

v. 11: When does Peter recognize what has happened? Why? What spurs him to this realization?

What would be the reaction of those whom he had walked out of and past? Herod? Who is the contest here between? What would be the consequences of this for Herod in light of his attempt to make himself an attractive candidate for king?

What does this say about the workings of God? Obviously this is an extraordinary occurence, but have you had anything happen in any similar way? How does one tell that it is God and not something that you ate the night before?

Peace to you!!

Posted by johnwright at 12:41 PM | Comments (2)

Wesley's Third Discourse on the Sermon on the Mount continues his spiritual guidance for the Christian life. Deeply anchored in the early Christian and medieval traditions, the sermon remains full of wisdom for today. The words in the third discourse that I wish to highlight are on "the pure of heart" and the "peace-makers." Notice the concrete practical sense of peace-making that Wesley discusses, not merely intervention in conflict, but life in and among the poor in the works of mercy. Wesley envisions an inner motivation arising out of God's love in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins that is shed abroad in our heart and overflows in love of neighbor, a love manifested, if real, in our outward actions.

May this words continue to challenge us during this Lenten season.

I. 1. How excellent things are spoken of the love of our neighbour! It is "the fulfilling of the law," "the end of the commandment." Without this, all we have, all we do, all we suffer, is of no value in the sight of God. But it is that love of our neighbour which springs from the love of God: Otherwise itself is nothing worth. It behoves us, therefore, to examine well upon what foundation our love of our neighbour stands; whether it is really built upon the love of God; whether we do "love him because he first loved us;" whether we are pure in heart: For this is the foundation which shall never be moved. "Blessed are the pure in heart: For they shall see God."

2. "The pure in heart" are they whose hearts God hath "purified even as he is pure;" who are purified, through faith in the blood of Jesus, from every unholy affection; who, being "cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfect holiness in the" loving "fear of God." They are, through the power of his grace, purified from pride, by the deepest poverty of spirit; from anger, from every unkind or turbulent passion, by meekness and gentleness; from every desire but to please and enjoy God, to know and love him more and more, by that hunger and thirst after righteousness which now engrosses their whole soul: So that now they love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and mind, and strength.

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11. But the great lesson which our blessed Lord inculcates here, and which he illustrates by this example, is, that God is in all things, and that we are to see the Creator in the glass of every creature; that we should use and look upon nothing as separate from God, which indeed is a kind of practical atheism; but, with a true magnificence of thought, survey heaven and earth, and all that is therein, as contained by God in the hollow of his hand, who by his intimate presence holds them all in being, who pervades and actuates the whole created frame, and is, in a true sense, the soul of universe.

. . .

II. 1. Thus far our Lord has been more directly employed in teaching the religion of the heart. He has shown what Christians are to be. He proceeds to show, what they are to do also; -- how inward holiness is to exert itself in our outward conversation. "Blessed," saith he, "are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God."

2. "The peace-makers:" The word in the original is oi eirhnopoioi. It is well known that eirhnh, in the sacred writings, implies all manner of good; every blessing that relates either to the soul or the body, to time or eternity. Accordingly, when St. Paul, in the titles of his epistles, wishes grace and peace to the Romans or the Corinthians, it is as if he had said, "As a fruit of the free, undeserved love and favour of God, may you enjoy all blessings, spiritual and temporal; all the good things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

3. Hence we may easily learn, in how wide a sense the term peace-makers is to be understood. In its literal meaning it implies those lovers of God and man who utterly detest and abhor all strife and debate, all variance and contention; and accordingly labour with all their might, either to prevent this fire of hell from being kindled, or, when it is kindled, from breaking out, or, when it is broke out, from spreading any farther. They endeavour to calm the stormy spirits of men, to quiet their turbulent passions, to soften the minds of contending parties, and, if possible, reconcile them to each other. They use all innocent arts, and employ all their strength, all the talents which God has given them, as well to preserve peace where it is, as to restore it where it is not. It is the joy of their heart to promote, to confirm, to increase, mutual good-will among men, but more especially among the children of God, however distinguished by things of smaller importance; that as they have all "one Lord, one faith," as they are all "called in one hope of their calling," so they may all "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called; with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

4. But in the full extent of the word, a peace-maker is one that, as he hath opportunity, "doth good unto all men;" one that, being filled with the love of God and of all mankind, cannot confine the expressions of it to his own family, or friends, or acquaintance, or party, or to those of his own opinions; -- no, nor those who are partakers of like precious faith; but steps over all these narrow bounds, that he may do good to every man, that he may, some way or other, manifest his love to neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies. He doth good to them all, as he hath opportunity, that is, on every possible occasion; "redeeming the time," in order thereto; "buying up every opportunity, improving every hour, losing no moment wherein he may profit another. He does good, not of one particular kind, but good in general, in every possible way; employing herein all his talents of every kind, all his powers and faculties of body and soul, all his fortune, his interest, his reputation; desiring only, that when his Lord cometh He may say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

5. He doth good, to the uttermost of his power, even to the bodies of all men. He rejoices to "deal his bread to the hungry," and to "cover the naked with a garment." Is any a stranger? He takes him in, and relieves him according to his necessities. Are any sick or in prison? He visits them, and administers such help as they stand most in need of. And all this he does, not as unto man; but remembering him that hath said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (9)

Todays Wesley quote continues through the beatitudes -- the meek,those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful. Here is practical wisdom from Wesley, a clear teaching on the Christian virtues placing our emotions in the right order. Here he again reads an ascending path of the Christian life.

This is an important point about what Wesley teaches us. Wesley always criticizes the merely external actions; what Wesley judges as the deepest work of God is a re-formation of our emotions, our passions, our desires, our character. Yet Wesley knows that unless one engages in the externals, the necessary internal dispositions will not arise. Yet it is the internal dispositions that matter -- the participation in the Triune God who is Love that is the real goal of the Christian journey. Yet participating in this Love leads to spreading it, to compassion for those around. It is a beautiful vision of the end, the goal, of our life in Chirst.

4. Meekness, therefore, seems properly to relate to ourselves[.] But it may be referred either to God or our neighbour. When this due composure of mind has reference to God, it is usually termed resignation; a calm acquiescence in whatsoever is his will concerning us, even though it may not be pleasing to nature; saying continually, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." When we consider it more strictly with regard to ourselves, we style it patience or contentedness. When it is exerted toward other men, then it is mildness to the good, and gentleness to the evil.

5. They who are truly meek, can clearly discern what is evil; and they can also suffer it. They are sensible of everything of this kind, but still meekness holds the reins. They are exceeding "zealous for the Lord of hosts;" but their zeal is always guided by knowledge, and tempered, in every thought , and word, and work, with the love of man, as well as the love of God. They do not desire to extinguish any of the passions which God has for wise ends implanted in their nature; but they have the mastery of all: They hold them all in subjection, and employ them only in subservience to those ends. And thus even the harsher and more unpleasing passions are applicable to the noblest purposes; even hatred, and anger, and fear, when engaged against sin, and regulated by faith and love, are as walls and bulwarks to the soul, so that the wicked one cannot approach to hurt it.

6. It is evident, this divine temper is not only to abide but to increase in us day by day. Occasions of exercising, and thereby increasing it, will never be wanting while we remain upon earth. "We have need of patience, that after we have done" and suffered "the will of God, we may receive the promise." We have need of resignation, that we may in all circumstances say, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." And we have need of "gentleness toward all men;" but especially toward the evil and unthankful: Otherwise we shall be overcome of evil, instead of overcoming evil with good.

. . . .

II. 1. Our Lord has hitherto been more immediately employed in removing the hindrances of true religion: Such is pride, the first, grand hindrance of all religion, which is taken away by poverty of spirit; levity and thoughtlessness, which prevent any religion from taking root in the soul, till they are removed by holy mourning; such are anger, impatience, discontent, which are all healed by Christian meekness. And when once these hindrances are removed, these evil diseases of the soul, which were continually raising false cravings therein, and filling it with sickly appetites, the native appetite of a heaven-born spirit returns; it hungers and thirsts after righteousness: And "blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled."

2. Righteousness, as was observed before, is the image of God, the mind which was in Christ Jesus. It is every holy and heavenly temper in one; springing from, as well as terminating in, the love of God, as our Father and Redeemer, and the love of all men for his sake.

. . .

4. And it is as impossible to satisfy such a soul, a soul that is athirst for God, the living God, with what the world accounts religion, as with what they account happiness. The religion of the world implies three things: (1.) The doing no harm, the abstaining from outward sin; at least from such as is scandalous, as robbery, theft, common swearing, drunkenness: (2.) The doing good, the relieving the poor; the being charitable, as it is called: (3.) The using the means of grace; at least the going to church and to the Lord's Supper. He in whom these three marks are found is termed by the world a religious man. But will this satisfy him who hungers after God? No: It is not food for his soul. He wants a religion of a nobler kind, a religion higher and deeper than this. He can no more feed on this poor, shallow, formal thing, than he can "fill his belly with the east wind." True, he is careful to abstain from the very appearance of evil; he is zealous of good works; he attends all the ordinances of God: But all this is not what he longs for. This is only the outside of that religion, which he insatiably hungers after. The knowledge of God in Christ Jesus; "the life which is hid with Christ in God;" the being " joined unto the Lord in one Spirit;" the having "fellowship with the Father and the Son;" the "walking in the light as God is in the light;" the being "purified even as He is pure;" -- this is the religion, the righteousness, he thirsts after: Nor can he rest, till he thus rests in God.

III. 1. And the more they are filled with the life of God, the more tenderly will they be concerned for those who are still without God in the world, still dead in trespasses and sins. Nor shall this concern for others lose its reward. "Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy."

The word used by our Lord more immediately implies the compassionate, the tender-hearted; those who, far from despising, earnestly grieve for, those that do not hunger after God.

This eminent part of brotherly love is here, by a common figure, put for the whole; so that "the merciful," in the full sense of the term, are they who love their neighbours as themselves."

2. Because of the vast importance of this love, -- without which, "though we spake with the tongues of men and angels, though we had the gift of prophecy, and understood all mysteries, and all knowledge; though we had all faith, so as to remove mountains; yea, though we gave all our goods to feed the poor, and our very bodies to be burned, it would profit us nothing," -- the wisdom of God has given us, by the Apostle Paul, a full and particular account of it; by considering which we shall most clearly discern who are the merciful that shall obtain mercy.

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (3)

Todays Wesley quote continues through the beatitudes -- the meek,those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful. Here is practical wisdom from Wesley, a clear teaching on the Christian virtues placing our emotions in the right order. Here he again reads an ascending path of the Christian life.

This is an important point about what Wesley teaches us. Wesley always criticizes the merely external actions; what Wesley judges as the deepest work of God is a re-formation of our emotions, our passions, our desires, our character. Yet Wesley knows that unless one engages in the externals, the necessary internal dispositions will not arise. Yet it is the internal dispositions that matter -- the participation in the Triune God who is Love that is the real goal of the Christian journey. Yet participating in this Love leads to spreading it, to compassion for those around. It is a beautiful vision of the end, the goal, of our life in Chirst.

4. Meekness, therefore, seems properly to relate to ourselves[.] But it may be referred either to God or our neighbour. When this due composure of mind has reference to God, it is usually termed resignation; a calm acquiescence in whatsoever is his will concerning us, even though it may not be pleasing to nature; saying continually, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." When we consider it more strictly with regard to ourselves, we style it patience or contentedness. When it is exerted toward other men, then it is mildness to the good, and gentleness to the evil.

5. They who are truly meek, can clearly discern what is evil; and they can also suffer it. They are sensible of everything of this kind, but still meekness holds the reins. They are exceeding "zealous for the Lord of hosts;" but their zeal is always guided by knowledge, and tempered, in every thought , and word, and work, with the love of man, as well as the love of God. They do not desire to extinguish any of the passions which God has for wise ends implanted in their nature; but they have the mastery of all: They hold them all in subjection, and employ them only in subservience to those ends. And thus even the harsher and more unpleasing passions are applicable to the noblest purposes; even hatred, and anger, and fear, when engaged against sin, and regulated by faith and love, are as walls and bulwarks to the soul, so that the wicked one cannot approach to hurt it.

6. It is evident, this divine temper is not only to abide but to increase in us day by day. Occasions of exercising, and thereby increasing it, will never be wanting while we remain upon earth. "We have need of patience, that after we have done" and suffered "the will of God, we may receive the promise." We have need of resignation, that we may in all circumstances say, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." And we have need of "gentleness toward all men;" but especially toward the evil and unthankful: Otherwise we shall be overcome of evil, instead of overcoming evil with good.

. . . .

II. 1. Our Lord has hitherto been more immediately employed in removing the hindrances of true religion: Such is pride, the first, grand hindrance of all religion, which is taken away by poverty of spirit; levity and thoughtlessness, which prevent any religion from taking root in the soul, till they are removed by holy mourning; such are anger, impatience, discontent, which are all healed by Christian meekness. And when once these hindrances are removed, these evil diseases of the soul, which were continually raising false cravings therein, and filling it with sickly appetites, the native appetite of a heaven-born spirit returns; it hungers and thirsts after righteousness: And "blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled."

2. Righteousness, as was observed before, is the image of God, the mind which was in Christ Jesus. It is every holy and heavenly temper in one; springing from, as well as terminating in, the love of God, as our Father and Redeemer, and the love of all men for his sake.

. . .

4. And it is as impossible to satisfy such a soul, a soul that is athirst for God, the living God, with what the world accounts religion, as with what they account happiness. The religion of the world implies three things: (1.) The doing no harm, the abstaining from outward sin; at least from such as is scandalous, as robbery, theft, common swearing, drunkenness: (2.) The doing good, the relieving the poor; the being charitable, as it is called: (3.) The using the means of grace; at least the going to church and to the Lord's Supper. He in whom these three marks are found is termed by the world a religious man. But will this satisfy him who hungers after God? No: It is not food for his soul. He wants a religion of a nobler kind, a religion higher and deeper than this. He can no more feed on this poor, shallow, formal thing, than he can "fill his belly with the east wind." True, he is careful to abstain from the very appearance of evil; he is zealous of good works; he attends all the ordinances of God: But all this is not what he longs for. This is only the outside of that religion, which he insatiably hungers after. The knowledge of God in Christ Jesus; "the life which is hid with Christ in God;" the being " joined unto the Lord in one Spirit;" the having "fellowship with the Father and the Son;" the "walking in the light as God is in the light;" the being "purified even as He is pure;" -- this is the religion, the righteousness, he thirsts after: Nor can he rest, till he thus rests in God.

III. 1. And the more they are filled with the life of God, the more tenderly will they be concerned for those who are still without God in the world, still dead in trespasses and sins. Nor shall this concern for others lose its reward. "Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy."

The word used by our Lord more immediately implies the compassionate, the tender-hearted; those who, far from despising, earnestly grieve for, those that do not hunger after God.

This eminent part of brotherly love is here, by a common figure, put for the whole; so that "the merciful," in the full sense of the term, are they who love their neighbours as themselves."

2. Because of the vast importance of this love, -- without which, "though we spake with the tongues of men and angels, though we had the gift of prophecy, and understood all mysteries, and all knowledge; though we had all faith, so as to remove mountains; yea, though we gave all our goods to feed the poor, and our very bodies to be burned, it would profit us nothing," -- the wisdom of God has given us, by the Apostle Paul, a full and particular account of it; by considering which we shall most clearly discern who are the merciful that shall obtain mercy.

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (6)

John Wesley wrote an important sermon called "Original Sin." The Christian understanding of original sin -- not really even on the map today in the society at large, and hardly so amongst Christians -- was being undercut in England and Scotland of Wesley's day -- particularly by the fathers (and they were all male) of political liberal thought. He writes, "it is now quite unfashionable to talk otherwise, to say anything to the disparagement of human nature; which is generally allowed, notwithstanding a few infirmities, to be very innocent and wise and virtuous!

Wesley recognized that such a teaching denied the Scriptures and undercut the whole Christian gospel. The Christian teaching on sin represents the "one grand fundamental difference between Christianity, considered as a system of doctrines, and the most refined Heathenism." By denying humanity's sinfulness, one denies the necessity of Christ and the need for justification -- forgiveness, and sanctification, being renewed in the image of God, the healing of original sin. This is the section that I'd like to offer to us this morning.

III. 3. What is the proper nature of religion, of the religion of Jesus Christ. It is "therapeia psyches" -- God's method of healing of a soul which is thus diseased. Hereby the great Physician of souls applies medicines to heal this sickness; to restore human nature, totally corrupted in all its faculties. God heals our Atheism by the knowledge of Himself, and of Jesus Christ whom the Father has sent; by giving us faith, a divine evidence and conviction of God, and the things of God -- in particular, of this important truth, "Christ loved me and gave Himself for me.' By repentance and lowliness of heart, the deadly disease of pride is healed; that of self-will by resignation, a meek and thankful submission to the will of God; and for the love of the world in all its brances, the love of God is the sovereign remedy. Now, this is properly religion, 'faith' thus 'working by love'" working the meek humility, entire deadness to the world, with a loving, thankful acquiescence in, and conformity to, the whole will and word of God.

4. Indeed, if a person were not thus fallen, there would be no need of all this. There would be no occasion for this work in the heart, this renewal in the spirit of our mind. The superfulity of godliness would then be a more proper expression than the 'superfluity of naughtiness.' For an outside religion, without any godliness at all, would suffice to all rational intents and purposes. It does, accordingly, suffice in the judgement of those who deny this corruption of our nature. Mr. Hobbes did of reason. According to him, reason is only a 'well-ordered train of words': according to them, religion is only a well-ordered train of words and actions. And they speak consistently with themselves; for if the inside be not full of wickedness, if this be clean already, what remains, but to 'cleanse the outside of the cup'? Outward reformation, if their supposition be just, is indeed the one thing needful.

5. But you have not so learned the oracles of God. You know that God who sees what is in humanity gives a far different account both of nature and grace, of our fall and our recovery. You know that the great end of religion is to renew our hearts in the image of God, to repair that total loss of righteousness and true holiness which we sustained by the sin of our first parents. You know that all religion which does not answer this end, all that stops short of this, the renewal of our soul in the image of God, after the likenss of God the created it, is no other than a poor farce, and a mere mockery of God, to the destruction of our own soul. O beware of all those teachers of lies, who would palm this upon you for Christianity! . . . By nature you are wholly corrupted; by grace you shall be wholly renewed. In Adam you all died; in the second Adam in Christ, you all are made alive. 'You that were dead in sins God has quickened'; God has already given you a principle of life, even faith in Christ who loved you and gave Himself for you! Now, 'go on from faith to faith,' until your whole sickness be healed, and all that 'mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus'!

Posted by johnwright at 8:01 AM | Comments (5)

At the center of Wesley's Standard Sermons are a series of sermons on the Sermon on the Mount. Wesley here picks up a medieval catholic practice of the moral foundation for believers. Wesley reads the Sermon on the Mount, as you will see below, as describing the way of salvation, an ascending moral transformation that arises out of faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins.

Wesley here captures a central paradox of Christian life -- those who are most authentically holy are so made by recognizing the depth of their own sinfulness -- outward and inward. By recognizing one's sinfulness, one thereby recognizes the depth of God's love in Christ for each and every one of us. This recognition allows us to participate in God by the Spirit -- to have the love of God shed abroad in our heart by faith. For Wesley, as throughout the catholic Christian tradition, the Christian life is a journey that begins in poverty of spirit -- a recognition of our dependence on Christ for the forgiveness of sins in all that we are and do.

The last sentences of this section express this paradox as well as any time that I know of in the Christian tradition. May the Spirit move so in us to experience the real depths of the poverty of Spirit so that we might experience the fulness of God's love for us in Christ.

I. 1. Some have supposed that he designed in these to point out the several stages of the Christian course; the steps which a Christian successively takes in his journey to the promised land; -- others, that all the particulars here set down belong at all times to every Christian. And why may we not allow both the one and the other? What inconsistency is there between them? It is undoubtedly true, that both poverty of spirit, and every other temper which is here mentioned, are at all times found, in a greater or less degree, in every real Christian. And it is equally true, that real Christianity always begins in poverty of spirit, and goes on in the order here set down, till the "man of God is made perfect." We begin at the lowest of these gifts of God, yet so as not to relinquish this, when we are called of God to come up higher: But "whereunto we have already attained, we hold fast," while we press on to what is yet before, to the highest blessings of God in Christ Jesus.

2. The foundation of all is poverty of spirit: Here, therefore, our Lord begins: "Blessed," saith he, "are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

. . .

4. Who then are "the poor in spirit?" Without question, the humble; they who know themselves; who are convinced of sin; those to whom God hath given that first repentance, which is previous to faith in Christ.

. . .

7. Poverty of spirit then, as it implies the first step we take in running the race which is set before us, is a just sense of our inward and outward sins, and of our guilt and helplessness.

. . .

I. 13. Then you learn of him to be "lowly of heart." And this is the true, genuine, Christian humility, which flows from a sense of the love of God, reconciled to us in Christ Jesus. Poverty of spirit, in this meaning of the word, begins where a sense of guilt and of the wrath of God ends; and is a continual sense of our total dependence on him for every good thought, or word, or work; of our utter inability to all good, unless he "water us every moment;" and an abhorrence of the praise of men, knowing that all praise is due unto God only. With this is joined a loving shame, a tender humiliation before God, even for the sins which we know he hath forgiven us, and for the sin which still remaineth in our hearts, although we know it is not imputed to our condemnation. Nevertheless, the conviction we feel of inbred sin is deeper and deeper every day. The more we grow in grace, the more do we see of the desperate wickedness of our heart. The more we advance in the knowledge and love of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, (as great a mystery as this may appear to those who know not the power of God unto salvation,) the more do we discern of our alienation from God, of the enmity that is in our carnal mind, and the necessity of our being entirely renewed in righteousness and true holiness.

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (7)

I want to share a section from Wesley's sermon "The New Birth" this morning. It uses much of the same language that we have seen throughout this week. Yet I am impressed, over and over, how Wesley consistently reminds us that the whole Christian life must arise out of an awareness of God's love in Christ for each and every human being in our own particularity, indeed, all of creation in its particularity. Experiencing the love for human beings, the Love that is nothing less than God's Spirit, the Love that binds eternally the Father and the Son, is nothing less than participating in God. The whole Christian life is anchored in Christ's life, death, and resurrection, experienced as for me by faith in the forgiveness of my sins.

This awareness of the utter graciousness of God and participating in the Love that is the Spirit becomes "breathed into" our lives in Christ. The experience of forgiveness of our sins by God become the primary point of living all our life, the perspective that provides the basis for our inner and outer moral reworking by God. This is the new birth.

II. 4. As soon as a person is born of God, there is a total change in all these particulars. The 'eyes of his understanding are opened' (such is the language of the great Apostle); and, God, who of old 'commanded light to shine out of darkness shining on his heart, he sees the light of the glory of God,' His glorious love, 'in the face of Jesus Christ.' The person's ears being opened, one is now capable of hearing the inward voice of God saying, 'Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you'; 'Go and sin no more.' This is the purport of what God speaks to the heart; although perhaps not in these very words. The person is now ready to hear whatever 'God that teaches humans knowledge' is pleased, from time to time, to reveal to him or her. This person 'feels in the heart,' to use the language of our Church, 'the mighty working of the Spirit of God'; not in a gross, carnal sense, as persons of the world stupidly and wilfully misunderstand the expression; though they have been told again and again, we mean thereby neither more nor less than this: a person feels, is inwardly sensible of, the graces which the Spirit of God works in the heart. A person feels, is conscious of, a 'peace which passes all understanding.' A person many time feels such joy in God as is 'unspeakable, and full of glory.' A person feels 'the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto him or her'; and all the spiritual senses are then exercised to discern spiritual good and evil. By the use of these, the person is daily increasing in the knowledge of God, of Jesus Christ whom the Father sent, and of all the things pertaining to God's inward kingdom. And now the person may be properly said to live: God has quickened him or her by God's Spirit, the person is alive to God through Christ. The person lives a life which the world knows not, a 'life which is hid with Christ in God.' God is continually breating, as it were, upon the soul; and the soul is breathing unto God. Grace is descending into the heart; and prayer and praise ascending to heaven; and by this intercourse of God and the human, this fellowship with the Father and the Son, as by a kind of spiritual respiration, the life of God in the soul is sustained; and the child of God grows up until the person comes to the 'full measure of the stature of Christ.'

5. From here it manifestly appears, what is the nature of the new birth. It is that great change which God works in the soul when God brings it into life; when God raises if from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. It is the change wrought in the whole soul by the almighty Spirit of God when it is 'created anew in Christ Jesus'; when it is 'renewed after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness'; when the love of the world is changed into the love of God; pride into humility, passion into meekness, hatred, envy, malice into a sincere, tender, distinterested love for all humanity. In a word, it is that change whereby the earthly, sensual, devilish mind is turned into the 'mind which was in Christ Jesus.' This is the nature of the new birth: 'so is every one that is born of the Spirit.'

Posted by johnwright at 8:02 AM | Comments (5)

Wesley taught us well that the Christian life is more than mere forgiveness -- that life in Christ is a new life. In his sermon "The Great Privilege of those that are Born of God", he writes "justification and the new birth are, in point of time, inseparable frome ach other, yet they are easily distinguished. . . . Justification implies only a relative, the new birth a real, change. God in justifying us does something for us; in begetting us again, God does the work in us. The former changes our outward relation to God, so that instead of enemies, we become children; by the latter our inmost souls are changed so instead of sinners we become saints. The one restores us to the favor, the other the image of God. The one is taking away the guilt, the other the taking away of the power, of sin."

Wesley thus goes on to describe the life of the new birth, a life in God, what God in Christ by the Spirit does in us. This is of tremendous importance for our lives together. We live in a day of mere 'nominal' Christianity -- becoming a Christian involves only a name that persons take after some sort of experience of forgiveness. There is a life in God, a life in Love, that we must live in as Christians. The quote is a bit extensive, but speaks of this new birth in contrast to a life "not sensible" of God.

I. 6. Before that great change is wrought, although he subsists by God, in whom all that have life 'live, and move, and have their being,' yet one is not sensible of God; one does not feel, one has no inward consciousness of God's presence. God does not perceive that divine breath of life, without which one cannot subsist a moment, nor is one sensible of any of the things of God; they make no impression upon the soul. God is continually calling this person from on high, but God is not heard; the ears are shut so that the 'voice of the charmer' is lost, 'charm one never so wisely.' One sees not the things of the Spirit of God, the eyes of the understanding being closed and utter darkness covering the whole soul, surrounding the person on every side. It is true that one may have some faint dawnings of life, some small beginnings of spiritual motion; but as yet he has no spiritual senses capable of discerning spiritual objects; consequently, he 'discerns not the things of the Spirit; one cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned.'

7. Hence the person has scarce any knowledge of the invisible world as this person has scarce any intercourse with it. Not that it is afar off: no: the person is in the midst of it; in encompasses round about. The other world, as we usually term it, is not far from every one of us: it is above and beneath, and on every side. Only the natural human discerns it not; partly because this person has no spiritual senses, whereby alone we can discern the things of God; partly because os thick a veil is interposed as one knows not how to penetrate.

8. But when one is born of God, born of the Spirit, now is the manner of existence changed! The whole soul is now sensible of God, and one can say, by sure experience, "You are about my bed and about my path'; I feel You in all my ways: 'You beset me behind and before and lay Your hand upon me.' The spirit or breath of God is immediately inspired, breathed into the new-born soul; and the same breath which comes from, returns to God: as it is continually received by faith, so it is continually rendered back by love, by prayer, and praise and thanksgiving; love and praise and prayer being the breath of every soul which is truly born of God. By this new kind of spiritual respiration, spiritual life is not only sustained but increased day by day, together with spiritual strenth and motion and sensation; all the senses of the soul being now awake, and capable of discerning spiritual good and evil.

Posted by johnwright at 5:14 AM | Comments (2)

I finally found again volume I of Wesley's Standard Sermons -- it was in the trunk of the 2000 Chevy Prism that we drive. It must have slipped out of my bag in going to work one day. I want to return to the end of Wesley's sermon, "The Circumcision of the Heart" because it shows the deeply Augustinian -- and catholic Christian -- Wesley. It is a call to love of God as the end of the Christian life, a love manifest in love of neighbor.

II. 9. Love, cutting off both the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life -- engaging the whole person, body, soul, and spirit, in the ardent pursuit of that one object -- is so essential to a child of God, that without it, whoever lives is counted dead before God. 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I am as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains and have not love, I am nothing.' Nay, 'though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.'

10. Here, then, is the sum of the perfect law; this is the true circumcision of the heart. Let the spirit return to God that gave it, with the whole train of affections. 'Unto the place from whence all the rivers came,' thither let them flow again. Other sacrifices from us He would not; but the living sacrifice of the heart God has chosen. Let it be continually offered up to God through Christ in flames of holy love. And let no creature be suffered to share with God: for God is a jealous God. God's throne will not divide with another; God will reign without rival. Be no design, no desire admitted there, but what has God for its ultimately object. This is the way wherein those children of God once walked, who, being dead, still speak to us: 'Desire not to live but to praise His name: let all your thoughts, words, and works tend to God's glory. Set your heart firm on God and on other things only as they are in and from God. Let your soul be filled with so entire a love of God that you may love nothing but for God's sake.' 'Have a pure intention of heart, a steadfast regard to God's glory in all your actions.' 'Fix your eye upon the blessed hope of your calling, and make all the things of the world minister unto it.' For then, and not till then, is that 'mind in us which was also in Christ Jesus'; when in every motion of our heart, in every word of our tongue, in every work of our hands, we 'pursue nothing but in relation to God and in subordination to God's pleasure'; when we, too, neither think, nor speak, nor act, to fulfill our 'own will, but the will of Him that sent us'; when whether we 'eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God.'"

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (5)

Prophecy has a bad name amidst "sophisticated Protestants" such as myself. Once someone had a prophecy that the person was to wed one of my associate pastors. The problem was that my associate pastor had not had the same vision. "Prophecy" seems to be ways of personal subjectivity being projected upon God and thus given a legitimacy it would not otherwise have.

The passage at the end of Acts 11 speaks of prophets. We've just read a section involving visions. Strange stuff indeed. What we see here, however, is in no way trivial or contrary to the workings of God in Jesus Christ. Prophecy becomes an "extra-rational" (not irrational or arational) perception of reality in light of Jesus Christ and the Spirit of Jesus. The prophets exhortations help the church stay true to their mission in Jesus.

V. 27: What is the significance that these prophets come from Jerusalem? What does it tell you that they are coming to Antioch? Who might these people be?

V. 28: What is the message of the prophecy? The famine will be on "the whole of the household economies" -- every one would feel it. Obviously the account is written after the fact of the prophecy. Why would this be necessary and important to add that it had happened?

V. 29: What is the response of those in Antioch? To whom do they send their goods? In what action does the prophecy result? If the famine is to happen in "all household economies", what does this tell you? Why would they send goods to Jerusalem? What is the purpose of the prophecy?

V. 30: What is the role of Barnabas and Saul? What is the significance of Saul here? What has happened to Saul? When was he last in Jerusalem? What would the church, the elders, in Jerusalem see as a result?

The whole of the event becomes very interesting at multiple levels. One can understand how different this is from so much of contemporary prophecy. What does it tell us about the church here? What does it tell us about our life together in a local congregation in relationship to our congregations throughout the world?

May God send us prophets!

Posted by johnwright at 1:18 PM | Comments (2)

This last quote from "The Catholic Spirit" clearly distinguishes Wesley from any sort of Protestant liberalism that sees doctrine as merely an outward expression of an inward experience. For Wesley catholic Christian convictions mattered. He recognized that truthfulness, rather than meaningfulness, mattered in the Christian life. The Christian faith cannot be translated into terms that we find more relevant without losing the power of religion, as Wesley would say.

Of course, we can't forget as well that Wesley grounds his rejection of "latitudinarianism" (the conviction that convictions don't matter as long as a person is 'sincere') in his knowledge of the Triune God as Love, a love that we participate in through faith in Christ. Christians have a much higher virtue than tolerance -- we have love of enemy. Tolerance is merely a cheap imitation of the Christian virtue of love.

III. 1. We may learn, first, that a catholic spirit is not speculative latitudinarianism [ed. note: i.e., tolerance]. It is not an indifference to all opinions: this is the spawn of hell, not the offspring of heaven. This unsettledness of thought, this being 'driven to and fro, and tossed about with every wind of doctrine' is a great curse, not a blessing; an irreconcilable enemy, not a friend, to true catholicism. A man of a truly catholic spirit has not now his religion to seek. He is fixed as the sun in his judgement concerning the main branches of Christian doctrine. . . . Observe this, you who know not what spirit you are of, who call yourselves men of a catholic spirit, only becuase you are of a muddy understanding; because your mind is all in a mist, becuase you have no settled, consistent principles but are for jumbling all opinions together. Be convinced that you have quite missed your way, you know not where you are. You think you are got into the very spirit of Christ when in truth you are nearer the spirit of Antichrist. Go, first and leanr the first elements of the gospel of Christ and then shall you learn to be of a truly catholic spirit.

2. From what has been said, we may learn, secondly that a catholic spirit is not any kind of practical latitudinarianism. It is not indifference as to public worship or as to the outward manner of performing it. This, likewise, would not be a blessing but a curse. . . .

3. Hence we may thirdly learn that a catholic spirit is not indifference to all congregations. This is another sort of latitudinarianism, no less absurd and unscriptureal than the former. But it is far from a person of a truly catholic spirit. One is fixed in a congregation as well as one's principles. A person is united to one, not only in spirit, but by all the outward ties of Christian fellowship. There one partakes of all the ordinances of God. There one receives the supper of the Lord. There one pours out one's soul in public prayer and joins in public praise and thanksgiving. There one rejoices to hear the word of reconciliation, the gospel of the grace of God. With these nearest, best-loved brothers and sisters, on solemn occasion, one seeks God by fasting. There particularly the person watches over in love, as they do over this person's soul; admonishing, exhorting, comforting, reproving, and every way building up each other in the faith. These the person regards as his or her own household; and therefore, according to the ability God has given, naturally cares for them and provides that they may have all the things that are needful for life and godliness.

4. But while one is steadily fixed in religious principles, in what one believes to be the truth as it is in Jesus; whe one firmly adheres to that worship of God which is judged to be most acceptable in God's sigh; and while one is united, by the tenderest and closest ties to one particular congregation, one's heart is enlarged toward all humanity, those one knows and those one does not. One embraces with strong and cordial affection neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies. This is catholic or universal love. And the one that has this is of a catholic spirit. For love alone give the title to this character: catholic love is a catholic spirit.

Posted by johnwright at 5:49 AM | Comments (5)

Wesley's sermon the "Catholic Spirit" was an attempt to keep his Methodist Societies together. These were not congregations and not a 'denomination.' Wesley encouraged the Methodists to stay involved in the local congregations that gave them faith. In many ways, they remind me of the "new religious movements" within Roman Catholicism.

The Catholic Spirit was thus to help keep peace in his Methodist societies, while at the same time providing a convictional and behavioral core for the unity of these groups. It it thus important to see how Wesley envisioned his groups renewing the church catholic found in various types of local congregations. He saw church order and forms of worship (to a degree) as open to differences. Yet he saw catholicity as a means of expressing Christian love and mutual care for each other, an embodied unity that overcame distinctions between congregations. It is a powerful vision for working together to heal the rifts in the body of Christ, both within our own selves and across congregational lines.

Love me, Wesley pleads . . . as I do, and give me your hand.

II. 2. 'If your heart is as my heart,' if you love God and all humanity, I ask no more: 'give me your hand.'

3. I mean, first, love me: and that not only as you love all humanity; not only as you love your enemies or the enemies of God, those that hate you, that 'despitefully use you and persecute you'; not only as a stranger, as one of whom you know neither good nor evil. I am not satisfied with this, no. 'If your heart be right, as mine with your heart,' then love me with a tender affection, as a friend that is closer than a brother; as a brother in Christ, a fellow citizen of the New Jerusalem, a fellow soldier engaged in the same warfare, under the same Captain of our salvation. Love me as a companion in the kingdom and patience of Jesus, and a joint heir of His glory.

4. Love me (but in a higher degree than you love the bulk of humanity) with the love that is long-suffering and kind; that is patient-- if I am ignorant or out of the way, bearing and not increasing my burden; and is tender, soft, and compassionate still; that envies not, if at any time it please God to prosper me in His work even more then you. Love me with the love that is not provoked, either at my follies or infirmities, or even at my acting (if it should sometimes so appear to you) not according to the will of God. Love me so as to think no evil of me; to put away all jealousy and evil-surmising. Love me with the love that covers all things, that never reveals either my faults or infirmities -- that believes all things; is always willing to thing the best, to put the fairest construction on all my words and actions -- that hopes all things; either that the thing related was never done, or not done with such circumstances as are related; or, at least that it was done with a good intention or in a sudden stress of temptation. And hope to the end, that whatever is amiss will, by the grace of God, be corrected; and whatever is wanting, supplied, through the riches of His mercy in Christ Jesus.

5. I mean, secondly, commend me to God in all your prayers . . . beg of Him who is then very present with you that my heart may be more as your heart, more right both toward God and toward humans . . . Pray that the love of God and of all humanity may be poured into my heart; and I may be more fervent and active in doing the will of my Father which is in heaven; more zealous of good works and more careful to abstain from all appearance of evil.

6. I mean, thirdly, provoke me to love and to good works. Second your prayer as you have opportunity by speaking to me in love, whatever you believe to be for my soul's health. Quicken me in the work which God has given me to do and instruct me how to do it more perfectly. Yes, 'smite me friendly and reprove me' when I appear to you to be doing rather my own will than the will of Him that sent me. O speak and spare not whatever you believe may conduce, either to the amending my faults, the strengthening of my weakness, the building me up in love or the making me more fit in any kind for the Master's use.

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (3)

Wesley's "The Catholic Spirit" records his commitment precisely to what he says -- catholicity. Wesley had no desire to be Wesleyan or to preach anything other than the faith given to the saints; he wanted no ethic except for that which call all Christians together. For those who want to turn to "distinctiveness" in order to "brand" their congregations, Wesley gives little justification.

Yesterdays excerpts move from God to God in Christ to participation in God -- "your 'life is hid with Christ in God.' The next paragraphs might be filed under "love of God." As we will discover, this is followed by "love of neighbor". Wesley does not look for an catholicity of "belief" versus a ecumenicity of "praxis" or "behavior." The "catholic spirit" cannot separate "belief" from "behavior" as the love of God and neighbor must arise out of the Love that is God in Christ through the Spirit filling our hearts.

These next two paragraphs describe what Wesley sees as the "catholic spirit" in loving God with one's whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. As we've seen, coming from God, we are returning to God. Love for God is our call along the way. Yet love of God cannot be separated from love of neighbor. Thus two more paragraphs follow, describing the commitment to neighbor love, including love of enemy.

It is a challenging section to read. The crucial line is at the end: "if you are but sincerely desirous of it and following on till you attain, then 'your heart is right as my heart is with your heart." The catholic spirit is right desire for the triune God through love of neighbor.

II. 15. Are you employed in doing 'not your own will, but the will of Him that sent you' -- of Him that sent you down to sojourn here awhile, to spend a few days in a strange land, till, having finished the work God has given you to do, you return to your Father's house? Is it your meat and drink 'to do the will of our Father which is in heaven'? Is your eye single in all things, always fixed on God? always looking unto Jesus? Do you point a God in whatsoever you do? in all your labor, business, your conversation? aiming only at the glory of God in all; 'whatsoever you do, either in word or deed, doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto God, even the Father through Him?

16. Does the love of God constrain you to serve God with fear, to 'rejoice unto Him with reverence'? Are you more afraid of displeasing God that either of death or hell? Is nothing so terrible to ou as the thought of offending the eyes of God's glory? Upon this ground, do you 'hate all evil ways,' every transgression of His holy and perfect law and herein 'exercise yourself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward humans'?"

17. Is your heart right toward your neighbor? Do you love as yourself, all humanity without exception? 'If yo love those only that love you, what thanks have you?' Do you 'love your enemies'? Is your soul full of good will of tender affection toward them? Do you love even the enemies of God, the unthankful and unholy? Do your bowels yearn over them? Could you 'wish yourself' temporally 'accursed' for their sake? And do you show this by 'blessing them that curse you and praying for those that despitefully use you and persecute you'?

18. Do you show your love by works? While you have time, as you have opportunity, do you in fact 'do good to all persons, 'neighbors or strangers, friends or enemies, good or bad? Do you do them all the good you can, endeavoring to supply all their wants, assisting them both in body and soul to the uttermost of your power? If you are thus minded, may every Christian say, even if you are but sincerely desirous of it and following on till you attain, then 'your heart is right as my heart is with your heart.'

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (2)

One of Wesley's well-known sermons is his sermon on "Catholic Spirit." He begins the sermon with the biblical commands to love everyone, including our enemies. But he recognizes a special love, "a peculiar love which we owe to those who love God." The sermon then tries to bind Christians together in the special love that comes from participation in God. He writes that "herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences. These remaining as they are, they may forward one another in love and in good works."

Wesley's "Catholic Spirit" has often been invoked to justify a certain type of "pseudo-Christian tolerance," a tolerance that empties the faith of its content, and thus makes it palatable for the contemporary liberal nation-state or the liberal international system that justifies these states. It is important to see that Wesley's convictions are not grounded in a subjective piety, though faith in Christ, of course, is important. Wesley sees Christian unity grounded first and foremost in God.

The next couple days I will quote from this sermon about what Wesley taught was implied in "Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart." He begins, as he should, with a full and classical Christian doctrine of God. His embracing of such a doctrine as central to Christian convictions speaks firmly against those who wish to evoke a "Wesleyanism" in order to justify a non-catholic teaching about God, such as God's openness, as central to his thought. For Wesley, God is God, eternal, unchangeable, the Alpha and the Omega. All things must be seen by faith in the Invisible, so as not to get caught in reducing the visible to merely the visible.

I. 12. The first thing implied is this: Is thy heart right with God? Do you believe His being and His perfections? His eternity, immensity, wisdom, power? His justice, mercy, and truth? Do you believe that He now 'upholds all things by the word of His power'? and that God governs even the most minute, even the most noxious, to God's own glory, and the good of them that love Him? Have you a divine evidence, a supernatural conviction of the things of God? Do you 'walk by faith, not by sight'? looking not at temporal things but things eternal?

13. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 'God over all, blessed forever'? Is He revealed in your soul? Do you know Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Does He dwell in you and you in Him? Is He formed in your heart by faith? Having absolutely disclaimed all your own works, your own righteousness, have you 'submitted yourself unto the righteousness of God,' which is by faith in Christ Jesus? Are you 'found in Him,not having your own righteousness, but the righteousness which is by faith'? And are you through Him, 'fighting the good fight of faith, and laying hold of eternal live'?

14. Is your faith "filled with the energy of love? Do you love God (I do not say 'above all things', for it is both an unscriptural and an ambiguous expression, but) 'with all your heart, and with all your mind, and with all your soul, and with all your strength'? Do you seek all your happiness in Him alone? And do you find what you seek? Does your soul continually 'magnify the Lord, and your spirit rejoice in God your Saviour'? Having learned 'in everything to give thanks', do you find 'it is a joyful and a pleasant thing to be thankful'? Is God the centre of your soul, the sum of all your desires? Are you accordingly laying up your treasure in heaven, and counting all things else dung and dross? Has the love of God cast the love of the world out of your soul? Then you are 'crucified to the world'; you are dead to all belove, and your 'life is hid with Christ in God.'

Posted by johnwright at 7:39 AM | Comments (6)

I again inadvertently left vol. 1 of Wesley's Standard Sermons at the office -- or perhaps misplaced it here in the house -- welcome to insight into my life! This morning, then, I would like to offer excerpts from Vol. II of the Standard Sermons, particularly Wesley's sermon on "Christian Perfection."

Here is the end, the telos, the goal of all Christian life. Here is holiness of heart and life. Yet it is not exactly a popular concept today, though it stands central in the Christian tradition. Wesley himself recognized this. He begins the sermon "There is scarce any expression in the holy writ whcih ahs given more offense than this. The word "perfect" is what many cannot bear. The very sound of it is an abomination to them; and whoever "preaches perfection" (as the phrase is), that is, asserts that it is attainable in this life, runs great hazard of being accounted by them worse than a heathen or a publican." With this recognition, Wesley nonetheless dived into "preaching perfection." May we not be offended, but perfect as our Father who is in heaven is perfect."

I. 9 Christian perfection does not imply (as some seem to have imagined) an exemption either from ignorance or mistake or infirmities or temptations. Indeed, it [Christian perfection] is only another term for holiness. They are two names for the same thing. Thus, every one that is holy is, in the Scripture sense, perfect. Yet we may, lastly, observe that neither in this respect is there any absolute perfection on earth. There is no perfection of degrees, as it is termed; none which does not admit of a continual increase. So that however much any person has attaned, or in how high a degree a person is perfect, one still needs to 'grow in grace,' and daily to advance in the knowledge and love of God his Savior.

II. 1. In what sense, then, are Christians perfect? This is what I shall endeavor, in the second place, to show. But it should be premised that there are several stages in Christian life as in natural life; some of the children of God being but newborn babes, others having attained to more maturity. And according to St. John in his First Epistle (2:12) applies himself severally to those he terms 'little children,' those he styles 'young men,' and those whom he entitles 'fathers.' 'I write unto you, little children, ' says the Apostle, 'because your sins are forgiven you'" because thus far you have attained; being 'justified freely,' you 'have peace with God through Jesus Christ.' 'I write to you, young men, because you ahve overcome the wicked one': or (as he adds afterwards), 'because you are strong and the word of God abides in you.' You have quenched the fiery darts of the wicked one, the doubts and fears wherewith he disturbed your firt peace; and the witness of God that your sins are forgiven, now abides in your heart. 'I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him that is from the beginning.' You have known both the Father and the Son adn the Spirit of Christ in your inmost soul. You are 'perfect men,' being grown up to 'the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.'

Posted by johnwright at 8:12 AM | Comments (2)

Lent continues. Today is a Friday; our baptismal candidates will fast -- we are enjoined to fast with them in memory of the death of Jesus on the cross.

I took my volume of Wesley to the office on Thursday and inadvertently left it there. I did, however, bring a copy of Augustine's "On Christian Doctrine" home to show the similarities. So today I'd like to share with you some excerpts from Augustine's "On Christian Doctrine". I think that is is one of the most important passages for living our Christian life in the tradition. I am convinced that it stands firmly behind all of Wesley's call to Christian perfection.

Book I

III. Some things are to be enjoyed, others to be used, and there are others which are to be enjoyed and used. Those things which are to be enjoyed make us blessed. Those things which are to be used help and, as it were, sustain us as we move toward the blessedness in order that we may gain and cling to those things which make us blessed. If we who enjoy and use things, being placed in the midst of things of both kinds, wish to enjoy those things which should be used, our course will be impeded and sometimes deflected, so that we are retarded in obtaining those things which are to be enjoyed or even prevented altogether, shackled by an inferior love.

IV. To enjoy something is to cling to it with love for its own sake. To use something, however, is to employ it in obtaining that which you love, provided that it is worthy of love. For an illicit use should be called rather a waste or an abuse. . . . Thus in this mortal life, wandering from God, if we wish to return to our native country where we can be blessed we should use this world and not enjoy it, so that the 'invisible things" of God "being understood by the things that are made" may be seen, that is, so that by means of corporal and temporal things we may comprehend the eternal and spiritual.

V. The things which are to be enjoyed are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, a single Trinity, a certain supreme thing common to all who enjoy it, if indeed, it is a thing and not rather the cause of all things, or both a thing and a cause. It is not easy to find a name proper to such excellence, unless it is better to say that this Trinity is one Gand and that "of him, and by him, and in him are all things."

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (3)

It is appropriate to understand John Wesley's life and teachings as the passionate pursuit of holiness or Christian perfection. While Wesley's teachings changed in small, and some not-so-small ways, the end of the Christian life as "holiness and happiness" remained constant. We can see this in the very early sermon, written in 1733, five years before Wesley felt "his heart strangely warmed." This sermon, "The Circumcision of the Heart," shows clearly Wesley's anchorage in the teachings of St. Augustine: God is to be enjoyed, as humans true end; all other things are to used for the sake of the love of God. Thus, holiness, Chrsitian perfection, the circumcision of the heart, is found in the fulfillment of the law: the love of God and in God, the love of neighbor.

I want to share the next two days with quotes from this very early sermon. The remind us of the true end of our lives in God within this Lenten season.

I. 1. I am first to inquire wherein that circumcision of the heart consists, which will receive the praise of God. In general we may observe, it is the habitual disposition of the soul which, in the sacred writings, is termed holiness; and which directly implies the being cleansed from sin, 'from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit'; and by consequence, the being endued with those virtues which were also in Christ Jesus; the being so 'renewed in the spirit of our mind,' as to be 'perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.'

2. To be more particular: circumcision of heart implies humility, faith, hope, and charity. . . .

11. Yet you lack one thing, whosoever you are, that to a deep humility and a steadfast faith, have joined a lively hope and thereby in a good measure cleansed your heart from its inbred pollution. If you will be perfect, add to all these, charity; add love, and you have the circumcision of the heart. 'Love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment.' Very excellent things are spoken of love; it is the essence, the spirit, of all virtue. It is not only the first and great command, but it is all the commandments in one. 'Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are amiable' or honorable; 'if there by any virtue, if there be any praise,' they are all comprised in this one world -- love. In this is perfection and glory and happiness. The royal law of heaven and earth is this, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'"

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (6)

I'm late with today's Bible Study, but I wanted to post it anyway. It has been a full last three days. Yesterday I spend the day in a Board of Orders and Relations for the Church of the Nazarene, interviewing ministerial licensing and ordination candidates. It was very moving in many ways -- I hope to blog on a couple of things along the way. Monday night we had our church board meeting -- which was good as well. We have very much for which to be thankful.

Acts 11:19-30 continues the expansion of the church after the persecution initiated by Stephen's stoning ended. The story continues about good news bringing non-Jews to the God of Israel in Christ Jesus. It is good to read this passage carefully!

V. 19: Verse 19 returns us briefly to 8:2. We sense here the extent of the Jews in the Mediterranean world -- one sees here that the crucial network for the spread of the Gospel was the synagogue, not the Roman empire. What does it tell us that these were "speaking the word" onto to the Jews?

V. 20-21: The NIV translation of this verse is just not very good. Here is how I would translate it: "And some persons from among them [those mentioned in v. 19], Cyprians and Cyrenes, having gone to Antioch were speaking even to those who spoke Greek, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus." The text leaves ambiguous whether these Greek speakers were Jewish or not. Yet one can trace those who spoke to the Greek speaking messianic Jews who left Jerusalem during the persecution. These were described by the same word (6:1).

Verse 21 speaks of the result of their speaking: "and the ones who believed turned to the Lord." The use of the word "Lord" here is wonderfully ambiguous -- who is the Lord -- the God of Israel? Jesus? Both together as One, the Triune God? Again it is important to recognize the significance of these terms. "Believed = showed allegiance to"; "turned" speaks of moving from facing one god to another. Faith is in Jesus who is the Lord, the God of Israel.

v. 22: Why would the Jerusalem church send someone to the new believers in Antioch? Notice, no where does it say that these people were Gentiles -- the whole context suggest that they were Greek speaking Jews -- an extension of the bodies of the Greek speaking messianic Jews from Jerusalem.

Vv. 23-24: Again the NIV translation just is not very good: "Having arrived and seeing the grace of God, he gave thanks (the same verb that comes from the Greek word "eucharist") and exhorted all to persevere with the Lord with the resolution of their heart." My reading of this is a verse is that the passage shows the person from Jerusalem showing up to celebrate the Eucharist among the new believers as a means of setting the foundation of the church there. Why would this be so? How does this relate to the exhortation to keep at it? Why would they need exhorted to have resolve? Notice, as well, that the "heart" is singular here.

Why would the verse turn to the character of Barnabas? And then to the impact of his presence to outsiders as well? Why would there be a concern to tie the church so closely to Jerusalem? What is the relationship between being filled with the Holy Spirit with "faithfulness"?

vv. 25-26: If one notices, it was the Jerusalem church that sent Saul home to Tarsus to keep him alive (9:28-29). Why would Barnabus travel to Taursus to look for him now? What is his purpose for bringing Saul to Antioch? What would Barnabus and Saul taught them for a year? Why would they need such a long time?

How does all this relate to the comment that it was then, first in Antioch, that these messianic Jews were called Christians?

It is interesting to reflect upon the balance between the spread of the church, the grounding of the church in the apostolic teaching and the Eucharist, and the devotion to careful teaching over time. It is hard today to have people commit themselves to study and learning the faith over a period of time. Why?

Sorry to be so late! Hope you can use this still!

Posted by johnwright at 7:05 PM | Comments (2)

John Wesley was disturbed early in his ministry when some of his newly formed Methodists began ignoring all Christian means of grace -- "certain outward means for conveying His grace into the souls of humans" (Sermon on The Means of Grace"). Wesley could have none of this. The inner and the outer go together. While the goal of the means of grace is in the formation of love of God and neighbor, "the heart renewed after the image of God", these will not take place without certain means of grace, ordered by Christ.

I'm going to provide three different, short excerpts about these three means of grace that Wesley sees as essential. As I noticed them, they also record the essential elements of a Christian worship service -- in a certain order. While Wesley does not make this connection explicit, I think that it tells us much of what Wesley presupposed about the Christian lifes interaction with the church catholic in worship.

III. 1. First, all who desire the grace of God are to wait for it in the way of prayer. This is the express direction of our Lord Himself. . . .
5. A direction, equally full and express, to wait for the blessing of God in private prayer, together with a positive promise that, by this means, we shall obtain the request of our lips, He has given us in those well-known words: 'Enter into your closet and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father that sees in secret shall reward you openly (Matt vi.6)
. . .

7. Secondly, all who desire the grace of God are to wait for it in searching the Scriptures. Our Lord's direction, with regard to the use of this means, is likewise plain and clear . . . .
8. This is a means whereby God not only gives, but also confirms and increases true wisdom.
. . .

11. Thirdly. All who desire an increase of the grace of God are to wait for it in partaking of the Lord's Supper; for this also is a direction given . . . Is not the eating of the bread, and the drinking of the cup, the outward, visible means whereby God conveys into our souls all that spiritual grace, that righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, which were purchased by the body of Christ once broken and the blood of Christ once shed for us? Let all, therefore, who truly desire the grace of God, eat of that bread and drink of the cup. . . .

IV. 4. In using all means, seek God alone. In and through every outward thing, look singly to the power of His Spirit and the merits of His Son. Beware you do not stick in the work itself; if you do, it is all lost labor. Nothing short of God can satisfy your soul. Therefore, eye Him in all, through all, and above all.
Remember, also to use all means as means; as ordained, not for their own sake, but in order to the renewal of your soul in righteousness and true holiness. If, therefore, they tend to this, well; but, if not, they are dung and dross.

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (8)

Nothing that Wesley says and teaches us makes sense without Jesus Christ. Wesley lived in a day that sought a foundation for all rational human beings in either a universal human experience or in an "objective history as recorded in the Bible." Our day continues this path, especially within the Protestant Church and some sections of Catholicism. Thus you have the division in the Body of Christ seen in the distinction between American evangelicals and mainline Protestants.

For Wesley there is only one foundation -- Jesus Christ. This foundation only emerges by faith -- a faith that opens one to the illuminating presence of God in all things. It is this quote that we find in "The Witness of our own Spirit."

But whoever desires to have a conscience thus void of offence, let him see that he lay the right foundation. Let him remember, 'other foundation' of this 'can no man lay than what is laid, even Jesus Christ.' And let him also be mindful, that no man builds on Him but by a living faith; that no man is a partaker of Christ until he can clearly testify 'The life which I now live I live by faith in the Son of God' in Him who is now revealed in my heart; who 'loved me, and gave Himself for me.' Faith alone is that evidence, that conviction, that demonstration of things invisible whereby the eyes of our understanding being opened, and divine light poured in upon them, we 'see the wondrous things of God's law; the excellency and purity of it; the height, and depth, and length, and breadth therof, and of every commandment contained therein. It is by faith that, beholding 'the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,' we perceive, as in a glass, all that is within ourselves, even the inmost motions of our souls. And by this alone can that blessed love of God be 'shed abroad in our hearts,' which enables us so to love one another as Christ loved us. By this is that gracious promise fulfilled unto all the Israel of God 'I will put My laws in their mind and write (or engrave) 'them in their hearts' (Heb viii 10); hereby producing in their souls an entire agreement with His holy and perfect law, and 'bringing them into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.'"

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (7)

To be honest, I have struggled with the historical results of Wesley's doctrine of the witness of the Spirit. By placing assurance of salvation within the consciousness of the individual, Wesley made his heirs prone to reducing theology to anthropology, or in more recent days, psychology. God in Christ becomes secondary to the psychological experience of individuals. One is Christian, and even holy, if one feels oneself that one is holy. It becomes a horrible problem, to speak in terms of Bonhoeffer, of justifying sin and not the sinner.

I re-read Wesley's sermon "The Witness of the Spirit" with interest, therefore. The emphasis on the human conscious is there -- "Are you not immediately conscious of it?" Yet Wesley is very aware of our deceit about ourselves -- the real problem is not our sin that we know; it is the sin that we deny or blame on others. Ironically, Wesley knows the profound Christian paradox that love for God and neighbor (ie, holiness) springs out of a sense of our own sinfulness that recognizes our salvation is entirely in God in Christ by the Spirit -- the Triune God who is Love, not ourselves. Holiness arises out of a sense of our sinfulness; without a sense of our sinfulness we cannot be filled with the love of God that arises out of God's forgiveness in Christ. This is why people cannot name themselves saints -- such would be an expression of pride, the root of all sin. Knowing that we are sinners, and the extent of our sin is a moral accomplishment, wrought by the Spirit. The witness of the Spirit cannot be separated from a sense of God's love for us individually as sinners and then an obedience to God's commandments that arise out of the experience of God's love in Christ.

Thus, Wesley's understanding shifts our understanding. The section today comes from his discussion on how to discriminate the witness of the Spirit from self-delusion, the natural mind. It is a penetrating quote to lead us to repentance.

II. 6. By the present marks may we easily distinguish a child of God from a presumptuous self-deceiver. The Scriptures describe that joy in the Lord which accompanies the witness of His Spirit, as an humble joy; a joy that abases to the dust, that makes a pardoned sinner cry out, 'I am vile! What am I or my father's houes! Now my eye sees You, I abhor myself in dust and ashed!' And wherever lowliness is, there is meekness, patience, gentleness, long-suffering. This is a soft, yielding spirit; a mildness and sweetness, a tenderness of soul, which words cannot express. But do these fruits attend that supposed testimony of the Spirit in a presumptuous man? Just the reverse. The more confident he is of the favour of God, the more he is lifted up; the more he exalts himself, the more haughty and assuming is his whole behavior. The stronger witness he imagines himself to have, the more overbearing is he to all around him; the more incapable of receiving any reproof; the more impatient of contradiction. Instead of being more meek and gentle and teachable, more 'swift to hear and slow to speak,' he is more slow to hear and swift to speak; more unready to learn of any one; more fiery and vehement in his temper and eager in his conversation. Perhaps there will sometimes appear a kind of fiercenes in his air, his manner of speaking, his whole deportment, as if he were just going to take the matter out of God's hands and himself to 'devour the adversaries.'

7. Once more: the Scripture teach, 'This is the love of God,' the sure mark thereof, 'that we keep his commandments (1 John v.3). And our Lord Himself says, 'He that keeps My commandments, he it is that loves Me (John xiv 21). Love rejoices to obey; to do, in every point, whatever is acceptable to the beloved. A true lover of God hastens to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. But is this the character of the presumptuous pretender to the love of God? No, but God's love gives him liberty to disobey, to break, not keep, the commandments of God. Perhaps, when he was in fear of the wrath of God, he did labour to do God's will. But now, looking on himself as 'not under the law' he thinks he is no longer obliged to observe it. He is therefore less zealous of good works; less careful to abstain from evil; less watchful over his own heart; less jealous over his tongue. He is less earnest to deny himself, and to take up his cross daily. In a word, the whole form of his life is changed, since he has fancied himself to be at liberty. He is no longer 'exercising himself unto godliness'; 'wrestling not only with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers,' enduring hardships, 'agonizing to enter in at the strait gate.' No; he has found an easier way to heaven, a broad, smooth, flowery path, in which he can say to his soul, 'Soul, take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.' It follows, with undeniable evidence, that he has not the true testimony of the witness of his own spirit. He cannot be conscious of having those marks which he has not; that lowliness, meekness, and obedience: nor yet can the Spirit of the God of truth bear witness to a lie; or testify that he is a child of God, when he is manifestly a child of the devil.

8. Discover yourself, you poor self-deceiver!

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (5)

Psychologist who look to "integrate" theology into psychology (rather than find how to order psychology intellectual as a means of understanding the human being in light of the Triune God) look to Wesley as justification through his understanding of the witness of the Spirit. This ultimately leads to a secularization -- the collapsing of God's revelation into the human being, rather than finding the human being in God. God ultimately becomes reduced to an inner, private experience of personal well-being, joy, happiness, as the political structures of American culture encourage. We know God, in such an understanding, only through the comprehension of our inner selves -- this is M. Scott Peck's position in the psychological self-help book, The Road Less Traveled. For those brighter or going through psychological struggles, this leads to a radical theological relativism in which Christ is unnecessay (as are the sacraments and the church), and ultimately to an atheism due to its nihilistic undercurrents.

Wesley's sermon "The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption" speaks of the witness of the Spirit that comes by faith. He speaks of the release from guilt, the "healing light" that breaks in on us in Christ. In Christ, one "sees the light of the glorious love of God, in the face of Jesus Christ." He has a divine 'evidence of things not seen' by sense, even of 'the deep things of God'; more particularly of the love of God, of His pardoning love to him that believes in Jesus." What the therapeutic psychological interpretation of Wesley does is abstract this valid experience of participation in God through the Spirit away from Christ and saving faith in Christ.

Wesley thought that similar types of psychological experience came to the "natural man" -- yet without God, this experience is a parody of assurance in Christ. At the same time we can see that for Wesley the Spirit's work does not annul nature, but elevates it, lifts it into God, and brings it to its true fulfillment in Christ, a fulfillment not found in the natural by itself without God, but which, nonetheless, the natural yearns, and is opened to. For Wesley, human psychology is not denied, nor repressed -- but we need to understand that in God, happiness and holiness ultimately stand together in God, the God who has revealed God's self to us in Christ and the Spirit, in whom we participate in by faith in Jesus Christ.

The excerpt this is from the beginning of the sermon, describing what Wesley calls "the natural man'.

I. 1. . . . [the natural human] has no conception of that evangelical holiness without which no man shall see the Lord; nor of the happiness which they only find whose 'life is hid with Christ in God.'

2. And, for this very reason, because he is fast asleep, he is in some sense at rest. Because he is blind, he is also secure: he says, "Tush, there no harm will happen unto me.' The darkness which covers him on every side, keeps him in a kind of peace; so far as peace can consist with the works of the devil, and with an earthly, devilish mind. He sees not that he stands on the edge of the pit; therefore he fears it not. He cannot tremble at the danger he does not know. He has not understanding enough to fear. Why is it that he is in no dread of God? Because he is totally ignorant of Him: if not saying in his heart, 'There is no God'; or, that 'He sits on the circle of the hevens and humbles' not 'Himself to behold the things which are done on earth'; yet satisfying himself as well to all Epicurean intents and purposes by saying, 'God is merciful'' confounding and swallowing up all at once in that unwieldy idea of mercy all His holiness and essential hatred of sin; all His justice, wisdom, and truth. . . .

3. [The natural human] is secure because is utterly ignorant of himself. Hence he talks of 'repenting by-and-by'; he does not indeed exactly know when, but some time or other before he dies; taking it for granted that this is quite in his own power. . . .

4. But this ignorance never so strongly glares as in persons who are termed persons of learning. If a natural man be one of these, he can talk at large of his rational faculties, of the freedom of his will, and the absolute necessity of such freedom in order to constitue humans as moral agents. He reads and argues and proves to a demonstration that every one may do as he will; may dispose his own heart to evil or good, as it seems best in his own eyes. Thus the god of this world spreads a double veil of blindness over his heart, lest, by any means, 'the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine' upon it.

5. From the same ignorance of himself and God, there may sometimes arise, in the natural man, a kind of joy, in congratulating himself upon his own wisdom and goodness; and what the world calls joy he may often possess. He may have pleasure in various kinds; either in gratifying the desires of the flesh, or the desire of the eye, or the pride of life; particularly if he has large possessions; if he enjoy an affluent fortune; then he may 'clothe' himself 'in purple and fine linen and fare sumptuously every day.' And as long as he thus does well unto himself, persons will doubtless speak good of him. They will say, 'He is a happy man.' For, indeed, this is the sum of worldly happiness; to dress, and visit and talk and eat and drink, and rise up to play.

6. It is not surprising, if one in such circumstances as these, dosed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine among his other waking dreams, that he walks in great liberty. How easily may he persuade himself that he is at liberty from all vulgar errors and from the prejudice of education; judging exactly right, and keeping clear of all extremes. 'I am free,' may he say, 'from all the enthusiasms of weak and narrow souls; from superstition, the disease of fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from bigotry, continually incident to those who have not a free and generous way of thinking.' And too sure it is, that he is altogether from the 'wisdom which comes from above,' from holiness, from the religion of the heart, from the whole mind which was in Christ."

Posted by johnwright at 6:59 AM | Comments (7)

Last night I dropped down by the church for awhile as we opened the downstairs in light of the rain. Wesley's quotes have a certain poignancy there. New folk are coming in from downtown -- a wonderful gift to us. A new friend from the neighborhood dropped in as well. We were well into the mid-teens. Eric Lee worked very hard to make accommodations appropriate and comfortable. Thank you Eric and those who followed and worked this morning.

The guest were very gracious. As I left, several were watching "50 First Dates." Yet I noticed some new challenges for us. Since some had come from downtown, they had had to leave downtown without supper in order to get to us. Folk were hungry and thirsty -- though not complaining, but inquiring. I was also very humbling just to find people grateful for such humble accommodations.

I again have to see myself and others differently because of the witness of the congregation and our involvement in the works of mercy. Pettiness, "entertainment", seeking personal honor just don't seem as important when one engages in a faith in Christ that works by love. The Spirit works within, challenging the sinful patterns that we don't even know are there -- which is why Wesley also recognized the works of mercy as works of mercy. These are means by which the Spirit cleanses us from our inward sin by living life from God and to God through Christ.

This is the subject of the quote from Wesley's sermon, "The First-Fruits of the Spirit." If yesterday gave the goal as love of neighbor, here Wesley describes the problem and means to work towards our end in God as God's creatures.

II. 5. That the corruption of nature does still remain, even in those who are the children of God by faith; that they have in them the seeds of pride and vanity, of anger, lust, and evil desire, yea, sin of every kind; is too plain to be denied, being matter of daily experience. And on this account it is that St Paul, speaking to those whom he had just before witnessed to 'in Christ Jesus' (1 Cor 1:2,9) to have been called of God into the fellowship' (or participation) 'of His Son Jesus Christ' yet declares "Brothers and sisters, I cold not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ' (1 Cor. iii.1); 'babes in Christ'; so we see they were 'in Christ'; they were believers in a low degree. And yet how much of sin remained in them! of that 'carnal mind, which is not subject to the law of God'!

. . .

IV. 4. Be not afraid to know all this evil of your heart, to know yourself as also you are known. Yes, desire of God, that you may not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Let your continual prayer be,

Show me, as my soul can bear,
The depth of inbred sin;
All the unbelief declare,
The pride that lurks within

Posted by johnwright at 6:25 AM | Comments (6)

Wesley pays much attention to justification and faith in his early sermons in the Standard Sermons. Wesley lived in a day that was opposite in many ways than ours. Whereas we live in a world that collapses all the Christian life to a private location within an individual, empty of any cognitive or behavioral content, Wesley lived in a day of behavioral practices and cognitive assent to doctrine that never shaped individuals other than during times of their public performance. Wesley presupposed this content as normative, but again and again called to develop the right inner affections and dispositions to sustain these practices. Thus in his sermon, "The Way to the Kingdom", he defines the kingdom of God by Romans 14:17: 'The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit'.

Wesley defines righteousness/justice in terms of love of God and neighbor -- an inner disposition of the heart. But he is not afraid at all to tell us what this looks like. The following excerpt is Wesley's description of love of neighbor -- basically defined in terms of the teaching of Jesus in the Gospels. Thus love of neighbor arises from faith in God in Christ. Love of neighbor, for Wesley, cannot be separated from a concept of the Good, and goodness cannot be separated from God. To convert Wesley's words into a prayer is a very good thing to do. May God's love be so spread abroad in our hearts that Wesley's description is our reality.

The second commandment is like unto this; the second great branch of Christian righteousness is closely and inseparably connected [with love of God]; even, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' You shall love -- you shall embrace with the most tender good-will, the most earnest and cordial affection , the most inflamed desires of preventing or removing all evil, and of procuring for him every possible good. Your neighbor -- that is, not only your friend, your kinsman, or your acquainance; not only the virtuous, the friendly, him that loves you, that prevents or returns your kindness; but every child of humanity, every human creature, every soul which God has made; not excepting him whom you never have seen in the flesh, whom you know not, either by face or name; not excepting him whom you know to be evil and unthankful, him that still despitefully uses and persecutes you; him you shall love as yourself; with the same invariable thirst after his happiness in every kind; the same unwearied care to screen him from whatever might grieve or hurt either his soul or body.

Now is not this love 'the fulfilling of the law'? the sum of all Christian righteousness? of all inward righteousness -- for it necessarily implies 'bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind' (seeing 'love is not puffed up'), 'gentleness, meekness, longsuffering' (for love is not provoked' but 'believes, hopes, endures all things'): and of all outward righteousness -- for 'love works no evil to his neighbor,' either by word or deed. It cannot willingly hurt or grieve any one. And it is zealous of good works. Every lover of humans, as he has opportunity, 'does good unto all humans,' being (without partiality and without hypocrisy) 'full of mercy and good fruits.'

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (5)

Wesley's sermon on justification by faith emphasizes the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ as central to the Christian life. Where as God in creation and redemption through Christ is the ground of justification, faith is the gift of God given to us. Faith, for Wesley, is not a grounded in humanity, but in God -- "the very moment God gives faith (for it is the gift of God) to the 'ungodly' that 'works not' that 'faith is counted to him for righteousness. Justifying faith implies, not only a divine evidence or conviction that 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, but a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, that He loved me, and gave Himself for me." Faith there is the "only necessary condition" for justification.

What this means, then, is that without faith in Christ we "have no righteousness at all antecendent to this". This is the context of the extended quote from Wesley. What he rightfully states is that there is no good works outside of faith in Christ. This has profound implications for us in understanding that good works must rise out of faith in Christ, and be an expression of this justifying faith. Good works will flow from faith; but without faith, works that look good are in vain, even dangerous, for they can build pride and direct us away from God in Christ. Thus the call for us all must first and foremost be to faith in Christ, and then to good works arising out of the participation in God's pardoning Love by faith.

III. 4. the ungodly . . . work not, before we are justified, anything that is good, that is truly virtuous or holy, but [work] only evil continually. For his heart is necessarily, essentially evil, till the love of God is shed abroad therein. And while the tree is corrupt, so are the fruits; 'for an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit.'

5. If it be objected, 'No, but a person before one is justified, may feed the hungry, or clothe the naked; and these are good works' -- the answer is easy: One may do these, even before one is justified; and these are, in one sense, 'good works' -- they are 'good and profitable to men.' But it does not follow that they are, strictly speaking, good in themselves or good in the sight of God. All truly good works (to use the words of our Church) follow after justification; and they are therefore good and 'acceptable to God in Christ' because they 'spring out of a true and living faith.' By a parity of reason, all works done before justification are not good, in the Christian sense, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ (though [often] from some kind of faith in God they may spring); 'yea rather, for that they are not done as God has willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not' (how strange soever it may appear to some 'but they have the nature of sin.'

6. . . . God has willed and commanded that all our works should be done in charity, in love, in that love to God which produces love to all humanity. But none of our works can be done in this love, while the love of the Father (of God as our Father) is not in us; and this love cannot be in us till we receive the 'Spirit of adoption, praying in our hearts, Abba, Father.' If, therefore, God does not justify the ungodly and him that (in this sense) works not, then has Christ died in vain.

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (7)

The passage for this evening continues the time when there was no persecution that provides the context for all these Petrine adventures of the past chapters. Verses 11-18 provide a repetition of the events just past. The narrator drives in the points emphasized through the character of Peter. Peter continues to process and interpret the vision given to him in light of the on-going history that he lives. To read the passage entails watching this development.

Vv. 1-3: News spreads back to Jerusalem faster than Peter,implied from those who accompanied him from Joppa. What exactly had the apostles and the brothers and sisters heard? Verse two indicates a later date from v. 1, and is identified as "those from the circumcision". Of course all male Jews were circumcised in Jerusalem. While we often think of this as an intra-Christian conflict, that is not necessarily the case as the text does not have firm borders between the Jews and the believers. Believers up to this time were Jews, as Jesus, after all, was proclaimed as the Jewish Messiah, the revelation of the God of Israel.

In v. 3 what is the concern expressed to Peter? What is the issue? We should not over-interpret the case. The eating with Gentiles would have lead to Peter's impurity -- but that is not a moral fault. What it meant is only that Peter could not enter the Temple without going through cleansing. Peter is being excluded from the Temple through this censure. The whole stage sets up a soliliquy by Peter.

Vv. 4-17: Compare Peter's summary in v. 5-10 with 10:9-16. For instance, Peter's summary says nothing about his hunger! What do you notice? Why do you think that it is so closely repeated? Now compare vv. 11-17 with 10:17-47. Here the changes are more pronounced and can help us see the emphasis on the repetition of the story. What does he leave out? Why? What is added? If you notice, the story becomes re-interpreted in its repetition, continually on the move to enfold those listening into the work of God.

V. 18: How do "those from the circumcision" respond? What is it that God has given the Gentiles?

That final phrase, in light of the whole story, raises an interesting issue: how is this all "a repentance into life"? This becomes the concluding word in the narrative of Cornelius' turning. Maybe you can discuss together what this text implies about repentance and life, and why repentance into life is seen as a gift from God -- not a human accomplishment. How have you found this true in your lives?

Enjoy!

Posted by johnwright at 12:30 PM | Comments (2)

I'd like to spend two days from Wesley's sermon "Justification by Faith." While Wesley is accused often collapsing the faith given to the saints into human subjectivity, I am finding this a profound misreading of Wesley. Even when discussing justification, Wesley knows that justification is first and foremost about the Triune God, not us. The "general ground of this whole doctrine of justification" is God's creation of humanity in the image of God and God's redemption of humanity through Christ.

Wesley begins the sermon with the beginning of the biblical narrative -- the creation of humanity before the fall. What one sees here in his description of pre-fall humanity (pre-lapsarian in fancy theological language) is what God also restores through the Spirit's sanctification following. Humanity begins from God, and is to return to God. In Augustinian language, before sin, humans 'enjoyed God, which is in substance, life everlasting" -- participating in the Love that is God. The following quotation comes from the beginning of the sermon:

1. In the image of God was humanity made; holy as God that created him is holy; merciful as the Author of all is merciful; perfect as his Father in heaven is perfect. As God is love, so humanity, dwelling in love, dwelt in God and God in him. God made humanity to be an "image of His own eternity,' an incorruptible picture of the God of glory. He was accordingly pure, as God is pure, from every spot of sin. He knew not evil in any kind or degree, but was inwardly and outwardly sinless and undefiled. He 'loved the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his mind, and soul and strength.'
. . .
4. Such then was the state of humanity in Paradise. By the free, unmerited love of God, he was holy and happy: he knew, loved, enjoyed God, which is, in substance, life everlasting. And in this life of love he was to continue for ever, if he continued to obey God in all things; but if he disobeyed Him in any, he was to forfeit all. 'In that day,' said God, 'you will surely die.'

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (7)

John Wesley got into some trouble for preaching his sermon "Scriptural Christianity." It was preached at St. Mary's Oxford on August 24, 1744 -- and the Vice-Chancelor of Oxford University asked for his notes afterwards, and dismissed Wesley from the speaking in the university ever again.

What got Wesley in trouble? Implying that England was not a Christian nation! Suggesting that the members of the Oxford administration needed to repent! Suggesting that the laxness of devotion of the Oxford students suggested that they were not really Christian! The sermon reveals Wesley's zeal for genuine Christianity, how amidst the "already" and "not yet" of the kingdom, Wesley called believers to live the "already!" He gives an account of Christianity had begun and continued for awhile, and that, Wesley argued, should be lived today.

What I'd like to share is Wesley's vision of the kingdom come in its fullness -- what a Christian world will look like. Note the role of peace and the relationship of this vision to the Our Father -- Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. It is this peaceable kingdom that Wesley called for believers to live now. It is interesting that such a call can still get one banned from pulpits!

III. 3. Suppose now the fullness of time to be come, and the prophecies to be accomplished. What a prospect is this! All is peace, 'quietness and assurance for ever.' Here is no din of arms, no 'confused noise,' no 'garments rolled in blood.' 'Destructions are come to a perpetual end': wars are ceased from the earth. Neither are there any intestine jars remaining; no brother rising up against brother; no country or city divided against itself, and tearing out its own bowels. Civil discord is at an end for evermore, and none is left either to destroy or hurt his neighbour. Here is no oppression to 'make' even 'the wise man mad'; no extortion to 'grind the face of the poor'; no robbery or wrong; no rapine or injustice; for all are 'content with such things as they possess.' Thus 'righeousness and peace have kissed each other'; they have 'taken root and filled the land'; 'righteousness flourishing out of the earth'; and 'peace looking down from heaven.

4. And with righteousness or justice, mercy is also found. The earth is no longer full of cruel inhabitations. The Lord hath destroyed both the blood-thirsty and malacious, the envious and revengeful human. Were there any provocatio, there is none that now knows to return evil for evil; but indeed there in none that does evil, no, not one; for all are harmless as doves. And being filled with peace and joy in believing, and united in one body, by one Spirit, they all love as brethren, they are all of one heart and of one soul. 'Neither says any of them, that aught of the things which he possesses is his own.' There is none among them that lack; for every person loves his neighbor as himself. And all walk by one rule: 'Whatever you would that men should do unto you, even so do them.'

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (7)

Yesterday morning and today have been very interesting. Sometimes it's hard to relate what goes on in and around the congregation in Mid-City because of the holy chaos and concerns to sustain the honor of those whom God gathers to us . Yet I think that I would like to write a little bit about yesterday. It is good just to get a feel of what goes on in and around the building, both for those whom God gathers in that place on Sunday mornings and for those who travel with me in this "cyber space".

Brian Becker left us yesterday to go the the Congo to work in micro-economics there with a Christian organization. Unable to take his olive oil with him because of weight limitations, he handed it on to Ryan Krebs, whom we are all sure will use it well. Leigh Nottingham returned from her galavanting around the world to help Brian pack and finish up in his whirlwind transition. Brian's words from the pulpit were profound and moving. To think that he had once interned with the congregation all those years ago.

I was assigned to talk to the children, so I slipped out of the church to go downstairs. I found Miciah teaching Jordan, newly engaged to Michelle who was there, who to read picture books to children. Church nurseries are wonderful places for youngsters to teach adults what really is important in life.

Scott Borger introduced us to the Church of the Nazarene's Alabaster Offering that goes 100% for church buildings and properties throughout the world. After Brian's sermon, we prayed for Chelle and dismissed her from the congregation with Pastor Kathy after the ministry of the Word for conversation in her preparations for baptism. Pastor Deron then consecrated the elements. Upon reflection I have discovered how much my week depends upon the reception of Christ's body and blood, and those few moments of prayer at the altar rails. The sacrament reorders my life in a way that I desparately need. We were able to send Brian and Kim, who had years ago been a member of the Cambodian congregations youth group who has come back to Jesus Christ. She has been a wonderful gift, and returns to south of Boston for some schooling. Then I was able to announce for those who lived in a certain area of the city around the church that they could vote today for Cassie Lewis-Beevers and Stephanie Harris for the City Heights planning committee -- an important committee for the use of the land in the area.

Immediately after the service Michelle Gates introduced me to a couple and two children who had come into the service late. The adults only spoke Spanish, which pretty well eliminated me. Soon Erin Kane was deeply engaged in conversation, and Pastor Shawn right by. The man had lost his job, and then, housing. He had gotten a new job, but his brother had said that they had to move out of the house. We were able to put them up for a couple of days in a hotel, connect them to other resources. A group is meeting with them tonight at 6:00 at the church to see how it is going and what is good as we travel with them. They were an extremely noble couple.

That was all after the service. Carlos Manriquez, who had showed up Tuesday after five or six years, spent Saturday night with Daniel Hartzeim, Josh van Bruggen, and Nate in the "mountain cabin in Pt. Loma." They cared well for Carlos, who, quite honestly, has struggled and is extremely sad. Concerned about losing his car, he had gone over the border Friday to Tiajuana to sell his clothes. Carlos was convinced by a person to try to smuggle him over the border in the trunk of his car. He got caught, the car impounded, and has been issued a $5000 fine. Last night he spent in a hotel through an anonymous gift from within the congregation. Pastors Deron, Kathy, and I met with Carlos this morning to work on a plan to get him feeling "not so sad" so that his gifts might be fully realized among us. In the time he was gone, we discovered that he was named the employee of the year at a "Smart and Final" grocery store!

Then there was Ellis who needs a new cell phone as he has moved to a halfway house; Jane needed a bus pass -- given to her this morning by Deron -- so that she can get to the appointments that she needs; Billy showed up -- first time in a long time and was only happily drunk rather than completely inebriated when he can get a bit obnoxious. Bill H. supposedly had an appointment to check on his legs in the afternoon (he was sleeping this morning in his car so I didn't get the update), and admits that he has a serious health problem. One of the moving parts of the morning was a Muslim man who came by. He was born in Bethlehem like our Lord -- "about 2 miles from where Jesus was born", he said. He was surprised to find a congregation that was concerned about the Palestinians and knew of their plight. He needed bus fare to go to a Christian alcoholic rehabilitation center, and we gave him some bread to take with him for breakfast. Pastor Jeff also was able to bring a few friends from downtown that we have met over the years to worship with us.

A wonderful nap met me during the afternoon, followed by our pastoral team meeting. The evening ended by going over Eric Lee's and Tiana's engagement site after they had registered several places over the weekend in anticipation of their wedding (73 days to go!).

This evening we're going to try to open the building for rain and cold -- and Carlos. Tomorrow we have the Bread of Life downtown. Deron will take Carlos to the doctor at the clinic in our building (pray for them). We'll see how our new family friends do after the conversations today.

I discover again and again that the kingdom of God is not something that we build with our instrumental reason -- we can only receive it gladly as God brings it our way by the Spirit in Jesus Christ. Such was a day -- very mundane, very tiring, very exciting, very unusual, very usual at Mid-City. All we can do is give thanks to God.

Posted by johnwright at 12:29 PM | Comments (13)

There is one sermon not written by John Wesley, but by his brother, Charles, in the Standard Sermons. What I am noticing in ways never before is how the Wesleys' understand the Christian life, not in "relational" terms of a human being with God, but in terms of the gift that human beings might participate in God in Christ by the Spirit through a faith that works through love. Salvation is nothing more nor less than the participation in God.

This is a difficult concept for us who have been formed by the modern world that sees all things, including ourselves, as independent entities that may relate to other entities, but do so as one object to another. Yet God is not another object for John and Charles Wesley, nor an entity to be "brought into relationship" to us. God is God, the eternal, unchangeable, unfathomable Creator of all things who has redeemed us humans in Christ and called us back to God through the Holy Spirit. God is not an agent to be collapsed into our lives, but the Love in which all things, including ourselves, find the origin and true end, the Alpha and Omega. To receive the Spirit, then, is nothing more than participating in the very divine nature. This is another remarkable quote from Charles Wesley's sermon, "Awake, thou that Sleepest."

10. Yet, on the authority of God's Word, and our own Church, I must repeat the question, 'Have you received the Holy Spirit?' If you have not, you are not yet a Christian. For a Christian is a person that is 'anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power.' You are not yet made partaker of pure religion and undefiled. Do you know what religion is? -- that it is a participation of the divine nature; the life of God in the soul of humans; Christ formed in the heart; 'Christ in you the hope of glory'; happiness and holiness; heaven begun upon earth; 'a kingdom of God within you; not meat and drink,' no outward thing; 'but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit'; an everlasting kingdom brought into your soul; a 'peace of God, that passes all understanding'; a 'joy unspeakable and full of glory'?

11. Know you, that in "jesus Christ, neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision; but faith that works by love'; but new creation? See the necessity of that inward change, that spiritual birth, the life from the bead, that holiness? And are you thoroughly convinced that without it no person shall see the Lord? Are you labouring after it? -- 'giving all diligence to make your calling and election sure,' 'working out your salvation with fear and trembling,' 'agonizing to enter in at the strait gate'? Are you in earnest about your soul? And can you tell the Searcher of hearts, "You, O God, are the thing that I long for! Lord, You know all things; You know that I would love You!'

Posted by johnwright at 4:00 AM | Comments (6)

Wesley's sermon "The Almost Christian" has been a source of some debate on how to interpret his understanding of salvation in recent Wesley scholarship -- those who want to read Wesley through Protestant evangelical eyes have referred to the text to support an evangelical understanding against an interpretation of Wesley in which salvation comes for those outside faith of Christ through what people (not Wesley) call prevenient grace. However, in reading the sermon, that is not Wesley's issue at all. Wesley's concern in the sermon is to show how grace perfects nature, rather than annulling it, or being added on to a nature that is autonomous. For Wesley human beings have a natural desire for God that must be elevated and taken up in Christ to its true end of love of God in Christ and love of neighbor. None of the "almost" is annulled by Wesley; but he argues that it is vain unless it is enfolded in Christ by the faith in Christ that works in love. I want to give an excerpt of the life that Wesley sees as "altogether a Christian".

II. If it be inquired, 'What more than this is implied in the being altogether a Christian?' I answer,

(i) First, The love of God. For thus saith His word, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all they mind, and with all they strength.' Such a love [of God] is this, as engrosses the whole heart, as takes up the affections, as fills the entire capacity of thse soul, and employs the utmost extent of all its faculties. He that thus loves the Lord his God, his spirit continually 'rejoices in God his Saviour.' His delight is in the Lord, his Lord and his All, to whom 'in everything he gives thanks. All his desire is unto God, and to the remembrance of His name.' His heart is ever crying out, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.' Indeed, what can he desire beside God? Not the wold, or the things of the world: for he is 'crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him.' He is crucified to 'the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life.' Yea, he is dead to pride of every kind: for 'love is not puffed up'; but 'he that dwelling in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him,' is less than nothing in his own eyes.

(ii)2. The second thing implied in the being altogether a Christian is the love of neighbour. For thus said our Lord, in the following words, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' If any man ask, 'Who is my neighbour?' we reply, Every man in the world; every child of His who is the Father of the spirits of all flesh. Nor may we in any wise except our enemies or the enemies of God and their own souls. But every Christian loveth these also as himself, yea, 'as Christ loved us.' He that would more fully understand what manner of love this is, may consider St. Paul's description of it. It is 'long-suffering and kind.' It 'envieth not.' It is not rash or hasty in judging. It 'is not puffed up'; but maketh him that loves, the least, the servant of all. Love 'doth not behave itself unseemly'; but becometh 'all things to all men.' She 'seeketh not her own'; but only the good of others, that they may be saved. 'Love is not provoked.' It casteth out wrath, which he who hath is [not made perfect] in love. 'it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. It covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Posted by johnwright at 6:50 AM | Comments (6)

The first sermon in Wesley's Standard Sermons is "Salvation by Faith", preached at Oxford University in 1738. After preaching it, he was not invited back. I'm going to quote from the introduction -- a lengthy quote. One here discovers a vigorous understanding of God as the basis for his sermon -- it is so vigorous and classically Christian (and Augustinian) that the later Methodst editor became uneasy with it, and wrote a note to modify Wesley's point. All that is, all that we are, all that we have, comes, according to Wesley here, as the gift of God. As a result, the quote ends with a statement about salvation that mirrors very closely the Catholic-Lutheran statement on justification: "grace is the source, faith the condition, of salvation." Yet for Wesley, faith is not merely some inward positive disposition, "it is faith in Chirst: Christ, and God through Christ, are the proper objects of it . . . it is not barely a speculative, rational thing, a cold lifeless assent, a train of ideas in the head; but also a disposition of the heart." Yet at the following quote makes clear, faith itself is not a human accomplishment, but a gift of God.

1. All the blessings which God has bestowed upon humanity are of God's mere grace, bounty, of favour; God's free, undeserved favour; favour altogether undeserved; man having no claim to the least of God's mercies. It was free grace that 'formed humanity from the dust of the bround, and breathed into him a living soul,' and stamped on the soul the image of God, and 'put all things under his feet.' The same free grace continues to us, at this day, life, and breath, and all things. For there is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least thing at God's hand. 'All our works, Thou, O God, has wrought in us.' There, therefore, are so many more instances of free mercy: and whatever righteousness may be found in humanity, this is also the gift of God.

2. Wherwithal then shall a sinful human atone for any the least of his sins? With our own works? No. Were they ever so many or holy, there are not his own, but God's. But indeed they are all unholy and sinful in themselves, so that every one of them needs a fresh atonement. Only corrupt fruit grows on a corrupt tree. And our heart is altogether corrupt and abominable; being 'come short of the glory of God,' the glorious righteousness at first impressed on our soul, after the image of our great Creator. Therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness nor works, to plead, our mouth is utterly stopped before God.

3. If then sinful humans find favour with God, it is 'grace upon grace!' If God vouchsafe still to pour fresh blessings upon us, yea, the greatest of all blessings, salvation; what can we say to these things but "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!' And thus it is. Herein 'God commendeth God's love toward us, in that , while we were yet sinners, Christ died' to save us. "By grace' then 'you are saved through faith.' Grace is the source, faith the condition of salvation."

Posted by johnwright at 6:36 AM | Comments (3)

The following quote again comes from the preface to the Standard Sermons. Wesley here recognizes that one cannot separate faith from works, the inside from the outside, our emotions or passions from the activities of our bodies. He writes his sermons in order for the formation of our whole lives in Christ as we move from God to God.

Herein it is more especially my desire, first, to guard those who are just setting their faces toward heaven (and who, having little acquaintance with the things of God, are the more liable to be turned out of the way), from formality, from mere outside religion, which has almost driven heart-religion out of the world; and, secondly, to warn those who know the religion of the heart, the faith that worketh by love, lest at any time they make void the law through faith, and so fall back into the snare of the devil.

Posted by johnwright at 5:52 AM | Comments (7)

John Wesley's reflections in the Preface of the Standard Sermons lays out his understanding of human life as coming from God and returning to God, a mortal on a journey into the Immortal. Here is a wonderful quote to begin our Lenten journey:

"I am a creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God: just hovering over the great gulf; till, a few moments hence, I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing -- the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this very end he came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God!"

Posted by johnwright at 9:40 PM | Comments (4)

We have had our Wiley lectures this week at PLNU with Dr. Kent Brower of British Isles Nazarene College in Manchester, England, a college in relationship with the University of Manchester. He has given wonderful lectures on Paul, and it has been a joy to have him here. It also has provided more activity in the week. Yet I want to get back in the "groove" of our weekly Bible Studies.

As we get back into our bible studies, it might be good to retrace the whole story of God's incorporation of Cornelius into the church. Perhaps this is most important for us to hear. This is God's doing, God's idea, not humans. As throughout Acts, the apostles and the church have to run to keep up with God's surprising activity in the strangest places, even unbeknownst to them. Peter has just given his sermon of the word God sent to Israel, preaching the good news of peace by Jesus Christ -- he is Lord of all. In vv. 44-48 we have the subsequent episode, the initial finale in the story.

V. 44: Upon whom does the Spirit fall? Now this is a trick question in some way. We want to think of the focus on Cornelius and those gathered with him. But go back to v. 23b. If this is so, the Spirit falls on Jew and Gentile together here! Notice as well, that no human response comes. As Jarislov Pelikan states, "The use of the verb 'fell' in 10:44 and other passages of Acts serves to emphasize the sovereign freedom of the Holy Spirit to 'blow where it wills' (John 3:8) beyond human control or manipulation" (Acts, p. 136). The focus here is on God's faithfulness to God's promise that through Jesus, the heirs of Abraham become as blessing to all the nations. Cornelius and family are united with the Jews by the Spirit of God, incorporated into the people of God.

V. 45: The Jewish Jesus messianic loyalists (the 'believers from those circumscribed') express surprise. Rather than "Gentiles", the term used in Greek is "ethna" or the nation. Yet if the Spirit is indeed a "gift", can a gift be given to the nations, or merely to the Jews? If a gift, of course it can be given to others. This raises interesting issues of why it is that upon receiving the gift of God in the Spirit, we become surprised when others receive the gift. We want to turn the "gift" into what is "given" -- what 'naturally' belongs to us. Yet God has ways again of surprising us, reminding us that we too have been enfolded into God's Spirit only as gift, not because of we are good enough, or smart enough, or because people like us.

V. 46: The verse is interesting, because the evidence of the Spirit to the Jewish messianic believers is vocal expression of the praise of God, the God of Israel. Here "tongues" does not seem to be an unintellgible language, but a language understood by those around that expresses Cornelius and his posse's loyalty to the God of Israel.

V. 47: Peter interprets the whole event here -- finally understanding what had been given to him in his initial vision. The confessions of praise of the God of the Israel, the faith, loyalty, allegiance that is evidence of the presence of the Spirit, brings the unbaptized into the waters. Their faith must be sealed in baptism, the working of the Spirit in bringing forth faith must issue into baptism into Christ and therefore, into the body of Christ, the Church. Again, it is interesting that baptism is not Cornelius' idea -- he remains remarkably passive throughout the story. Baptism is Peter's idea for them in light of God's incorporation of them into God's own Life through the Spirit -- Peter accepts them as candidates for baptism in light of their confession of praise that comes from the Spirit's presence. They must submit to Peter's command for incorporation into the church. The text assumes that they found such a submission no problem.

V. 48: Indeed, the submission into the faith requires Peter to stay with them. While understated, here is Peter completing their initiation into the church, into the faith given to the saints. The whole conversion process, begun by the Spirit in the visions to Cornelius and Peter, finds itself continuing in prolonged teaching, immersion in the apostolic faith. It is not merely a "one and done" episode. Baptism is not an end, the mastery of faith, but the beginning of faith that requires its nurturing and growing and immersion through the life and teaching in the body of the apostle Peter.

Maybe you can talk about your baptisms, how your baptism sealed your faith that came as a gift of the Spirit, even as a surprise of those around you. What is it today to submit to the teaching of the apostles? How can we all keep baptism as truly an initiation into the church -- a beginning into the teaching of the apostles, rather than being seen as an end? What does it require of the congregation? What does it require of each person?

Gee, if I would have planned, I would have thought that this lesson was designed for Ash Wednesday and our beginning of our journey with our catechumenates towards baptism!!

Posted by johnwright at 10:07 AM | Comments (1)

Today is Ash Wednesday. We will begin our journey to Easter Sunday morning this evening at 7:00 for the imposition of Ashes, and the enrollment of baptismal candidates into our catechumenate.

As part of our Lenten observation, I also am going to post every morning at 4:00 am Pacific time brief quotes from the Standard Sermons of John Wesley for our congregation in Mid-City, and others. In the Wesleyan Theological Journal, William Abraham rightfully spoke of Wesley as a "spiritual father" within the wider canonical history of the church catholic. I hope that these reflections push us deeper in the love of God and neighbor through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit's power.

Posted by johnwright at 10:03 AM | Comments (4)