When will JW learn to pray for his own healing

Sun 3 October 1756: My disorder returned as violent as ever. But I regarded it not while I was performing the service at Snowsfields in the morning or afterward at Spitalfields, till I went to the Lord’s table in order to administer. A thought then came into my mind. ‘Why do I not apply to God in the beginning, rather than the end of an illness?’ I did so and found immediate relief, so that I needed no farther medicines.

Confirmation Sermon, 3 Oct 2010. A Call to Faith and Good Works

Psalm 137
Luke 17:5-10
Ephesians 2:8-10

The gospel reading set for this Sunday is a wonderful reading to read on a confirmation Sunday, where we not only confirm, but also remember our own confirmation and public declaration of faith. So in a sense a confirmation service is also a re-affirmation service for us all.

Our gospel reading is one of those that we don't always know exactly what to do with.

It has the disciples asking the Lord to increase their faith…. very good prayer for us to copy…. Except that the Lord goes on to say: Chaps, with just a mustard seed size of faith (in other words, a very small amount of faith) you can tell this mulberry tree to pull itself up by the roots and run into the sea and plant itself there, and it will do just that.

It's an amusing picture and one that Jesus used on another occasion when he was standing next to a hill and said: With faith the size of a mustard seed you can say to this hill …go and throw yourself into the sea… and it will do just that.

With these words, Jesus isn't encouraging us to become magicians or tricksters, but rather he is encouraging us to become heroes in the faith as we bravely do good works in the world around us.

He is saying it is the quality of our faith which is important, and not the quantity.

So what is quality faith? Quality faith is faith in God as revealed in Jesus Christ.

Some folk have faith in God as they see Him revealed in nature. So they look to the world around them, to beautiful mountains, to breathtaking sunsets, to lovely colourful flowers, to caterpillars that go into cocoons and come out as butterflies, and they see a God who is great, awesome, creative and so on, and they worship him.

Others have faith in God as they see Him revealed in the Old Testament. Such people can become very obsessed with laws and keeping laws and they are led to believe, like the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law of Jesus’ day, that if they keep enough laws and don't sin, then they will be good enough for God to save them. They can also become like the person who wrote the Psalm set for this Sunday. “By the Rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, and oh how we wept when we remembered Zion.” It's a beautiful psalm, written at a time when the nation was in exile and far from Jerusalem and the Temple …..and of course it was turned into a lovely song by the group Boney-M in the 70s….. except…. Boney-M left out the last two verses: Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy are those who pay you back for what you've done to us; who take your babies and smash them against a rock.

Some people have faith in God as revealed in the Old Testament, a God of law and the God who, if you step out of line, will send fire to destroy you, or send someone to destroy your enemies and their babies!

Quality faith is neither of these two that I have mentioned; quality faith is faith in God as revealed in Jesus Christ.

Yes, God reveals Himself to us in the world around us and especially in the beauty and wonder of creation, and of course God reveals Himself to us in the Old Testament, that's why it is so important to read it. But God’s full and final revelation of Himself to us is in Jesus Christ. In Christ we see God fully revealed and we see humanity fully revealed. Jesus shows us what a human being can be. Jesus shows us what life, real life, abundant life, really is. Jesus shows you and me what it means to be human, but in particular what it means to be a born-again human being, the only type of human being worth being.

What type of faith do you have? The only faith worth having, the only faith which saves, is faith in God as revealed in Jesus Christ and which leads to good works in the world around us. Our reading from Ephesians reminded us that it is by God's grace that we have been saved through faith…. what kind of faith….. faith in God as revealed in Christ. The verse goes on…. it is not the result of your own efforts…. in other words it's got nothing to do with how many laws you've kept, or how little you have sinned, and then the verse goes on…. salvation is God's gift, so no one can boast about it. God has made us what we are and in our union with Christ Jesus, he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.

A mustard seed size of faith in God as revealed in Christ deals with a mountain or a forest full of sin and dumps it in the deepest part of the ocean and sets us free for a life of good works… which leads us to the last part of our gospel reading from Luke.

Jesus tells the strange parable of the master who has a servant who ploughs all day in the field and when he comes home, he doesn't pamper him and say: O shame, you've worked hard all day, sit down and have some food and drink and rest.
No, says Jesus. When he gets home from his hard day in the field, he must first do the work necessary at home, cooking for the master and waiting on him. Jesus goes on and says the servant doesn't deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? It is the same with you; when you have done all you have been told to do, say ‘we are ordinary servants; we have only done our duty.’ These words are from the Jesus who on another occasion said: I didn't come to be served but to serve.

You and I are ordinary servants and as we serve in the Kingdom we are called to do our duty. So what is our duty?

Now the answer to that question of course could be a whole sermon in itself, rather than just a conclusion to this one. Be that as it may, in the context of today's Gospel lesson and in the context of confirmation and reaffirmation of our faith I suggest these duties:

Cultivate faith and pray: Lord increase my faith;

Look for God in the world around you, and look for him in the Old Testament as you read it and study it, which I suggest we have a duty to do, but look ultimately and primarily to Jesus to see what God is like and what He wants us to be like; and

Follow the example of Jesus and do good works in the world around you.

The children at Kingswood

Fri 1 to Sun 3 Oct 1779: I took a solemn leave of the children at Kingswood. Several of them have been convinced of sin again and again; but they soon trifled their convictions away. On Sunday I preached once more in the square to a multitude of people, and afterward spent a solemn hour with the society in renewing our covenant with God.

Blessed in order to Bless, a reflection on 'Zionism' and Wesleyanism

Blessed in order to Bless
The 2010 Feast of Tabernacles has just finished and has led me to reflect on our pilgrimage to the Feast in 2009.
Chris and I went on this pilgrimage as the guests of dear friends of ours.
It didn't cost us a cent! We praise God for the opportunity we were given
to journey through this amazing land and thank God for the renewal He has brought us.
Health wise 2009 was the worst year of my life and we marvel at how
in God's perfect timing He had this time of refreshing already planned for us.
What a mighty God we serve!
The couple who blessed us in this way are always very quick to tell
us that they bless others because God has blessed them.
They are a reminder to me of the reason why God created this people
called the Jews: "Abraham, I will bless you and you will be a blessing."
We are only ever blessed in order to be a blessing to others. God formed
a nation out of the descendants of Abraham and called them to be a blessing
to the nations, a shining light to the world. They were to show the world
what a nation under God looks like, how a nation under God lives and in
so doing they were meant to attract people to God and point them to God.
This remains their calling, a calling to which they have been disobedient.
In Romans, Paul points out how in His grace God has used the Jews'
disobedience in order to bless us Gentiles and graft us into His Life.
"There is a secret truth, my friends, which I want you to know,
for it will keep you from thinking how wise you are. It is that the
stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent, but will last
only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to God." (Rom 11:25)
We are living in exciting times. The return of Jews to the Promised Land
is the fulfilment of many Old Testament prophecies, but sadly in the
Promised Land they continue to live in disobedience to God. Their trust and faith
is in weapons and powerful friends, rather than in their God. When will they learn
(and remember from their history) that when their trust is in God, no weapon
will ever prosper against them? I hope they will learn soon, and then we will
see Paul's prophecy fulfilled: "All Israel will be saved" (Rom 11:26).
We can bless this people through whom we have been blessed by praying
for them and praying for the peace of Jerusalem to return to Jerusalem
and her people. We know that the Prince of Peace, Jesus Himself,
is the source of the peace we pray for. We can also pray for the safe return
of Jews from all over the world to this land and even ask God
to show us how we can help this to happen.
" They will bring back all your people from the nations as a gift to me.
They will bring them to my sacred hill in Jerusalem on horses, mules,
and camels, and in chariots and wagons, just as Israelites bring grain
offerings to the Temple in ritually clean containers."(Isa 66:20)
There is a beautiful Wesleyan hymn based on the verses I have quoted
above which was written to help people like us understand God's plan
revealed in Scripture to return the Jews to the Promised Land.

Almighty God of love,
Set up th’ attracting sign,
And summon whom thou dost approve
For messengers divine;
From favoured Abraham's seed
The new apostles choose,
In isles and continents to spread
The dead-reviving news.

Them, snatched out of the flame,
Through every nation send,
The true Messiah to proclaim,
The universal Friend;
That all the God unknown
May learn of Jews to adore,
And see thy glory in thy Son,
Till time shall be no more.

O that the chosen band
Might now their brethren bring,
And, gathered out of every land,
Present to Zion's King!
Of all the ancient race
Not one be left behind,
But each, impelled by secret grace,
His way to Canaan find.

We know it must be done,
For God hath spoke the word;
All Israel shall the Saviour own,
To their first state restored;
Rebuilt by his command,
Jerusalem shall rise,
Her temple on Moriah stand
Again, and touch the skies.

Send then thy servants forth,
To call the Hebrews home,
From east, and west, and south, and north,
Let all the wanderers come;
Where'er in lands unknown
The fugitives remain,
Bid every creature help them on,
Thy holy mount to gain.

An offering to their Lord
There let them all be seen,
Sprinkled with water and with blood,
In soul and body clean;
With Israel's myriads sealed
Let all the nations meet,
And show the mystery fulfilled,
Thy family complete.

Travelling

Fri 1 Oct 1762: I preached at Taunton and Shepton-Mallet, and on Saturday, 2, rode on to Bristol. In the two following weeks I visited as many as I could of the societies in the country, as well as regulated those of Bristol and Kingswood.

I will not go to America

Thu 30 Sep 1784: I had a long conversation with John McGeary, one of our American preachers, just come to England. He gave a pleasing account of the work of God there continually increasing, and vehemently importuned me to pay one more visit to America before I die. Nay, I shall pay no more visits to new worlds till I go to the world of spirits.

Children advancing in the faith which works by love

Wed 29 Sep 1773: After preaching at Pensford, I went to Publow, and in the morning spent a little time with the lovely children. Those of them who were lately affected, did not appear to have lost anything of what they had received; and some of them were clearly gaining ground, and advancing in the faith which works by love.

Without discipline, little good can be done among the Methodists

Mon 20 Sep 1784: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I met the classes, but found no increase in the society[Mid-Somer Norton]. No wonder, for discipline had been quite neglected, and without this, little good can be done among the Methodists.

JW's Notes on RCL Gospel reading for Sunday 3rd

Luke 17:5-10
Luk 17:5 Lord, increase our faith - That we may thus forgive, and may neither offend nor be offended.
Luk 17:6 And he said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed - If ye had the least measure of true faith, no instance of duty would be too hard for you. Ye would say to this sycamine tree - This seems to have been a kind of proverbial expression.
Luk 17:7 But which of you - But is it not meet that you should first obey, and then triumph? Though still with a deep sense of your utter unprofitableness.
Luk 17:9 Doth he thank that servant - Does he account himself obliged to him?
Luk 17:10 When ye have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants - For a man cannot profit God. Happy is he who judges himself an unprofitable servant: miserable is he whom God pronounces such. But though we are unprofitable to him, our serving him is not unprofitable to us. For he is pleased to give by his grace a value to our good works, which in consequence of his promise entitles us to an eternal reward.

Worship versus Wrestling

Mon 27 Sep 1762: I rode to Mary-Week. It was a kind of fairday; and the people were come far and near for wrestling and other diversions. But they found a better way of employing their time; for young and old flocked to church from all quarters. The next day I preached at Mill-House; on Wednesday, at Collumpton;

Groaning for Full Redemption

This is another 1 verse hymn from Collection of Hymns. It is to the tune Amsterdam

Give me the enlarged desire, (Eph. 3:18-19)
And open, Lord, my soul,
Thy own fullness to require,
And comprehend the whole;
Stretch my faith's capacity
Wider and yet wider still; (Ps. 81:10)
Then, with all that is in thee,
My soul forever fill!

Rabble with Gunpowder

Sun 26 Sep 1742: In the evening I rode to Marshfield. The next evening I reached Whitchurch. Tuesday morning I preached at Great Marlow, on the Pharisee and the publican. Many were surprised, and perhaps in some measure convinced (but how short-lived are most of these convictions!), that ’tis very possible a man may be a Pharisee now—yea, though he be not a Methodist.
A little before twelve I came to Windsor. I was soon informed that a large number of the rabble had combined together and declared again and again, there should be no preaching there that day. In order to make all sure they had provided gunpowder enough, and other things, some days before. But Burnham Fair coming between, they agreed to go thither first, and have a little diversion there. Accordingly they went, and bestowed a few of their crackers upon their brother mob at Burnham. But these, not being Methodists, did not take it well, turned upon them, and gave them chase. They took shelter in an house. But that would not serve. For those without soon forced a way in, and seized on as many as they could find, who, upon information made, were sent to jail. The rest run away, so that when I came, none hindered or interrupted. In the evening I came to London; I proposed spending a fortnight there, and then returning to Bristol.
I spent this time partly in speaking severally to all the members of the society, partly in making a full inquiry into those devices of Satan whereof I had scarce ever heard or read before. And I believe they were now thoroughly discovered and brought to nought. O may they never more deceive the hearts of the simple!

Of course the Presbyterians can use our preaching-house

Sat 25 Sep 1790: Mr. Hay, the Presbyterian Minister of Lewensmead meeting, came to desire me to let him have the use of our preaching-house on Sundays, at those hours when we did not use it ourselves, (near ten in the morning and two in the afternoon,) while his House was re-building. To this I willingly consented, and he preached an excellent sermon there the next day at two. I preached at five in the morning; to more than the House would well contain.

The Danger of Riches

Fri 24 Sep 1779: James Gerrish, Junior, of Rode near Frome, was for several years zealous for God. But he too grew rich, and grew lukewarm, till he was seized with a consumption. At the approach of death, he was ‘horribly afraid’; he was ‘in the lowest darkness and in the deep’. But he ‘cried unto God in his trouble’ and was ‘delivered out of his distress’. He was filled with peace and joy unspeakable, and so continued till he went to God. His father desired I would preach his funeral sermon, which I accordingly did this day at Rode. I concluded the busy day with a comfortable watch-night at Kingswood.

Make your will before you sleep

Thu 23 Sep 1779: I preached in the afternoon near the Fishponds. The people here had been remarkably dead for many years. But since that saint of God, Bathsheba Hall, with her husband, came among them, a flame is broke out. The people flock together in troops and are athirst for all the promises of God.
In the evening one sat behind me in the pulpit at Bristol who was one of our first masters at Kingswood. A little after he left the school, he likewise left the society. Riches then flowed in upon him; with which, having no relations, Mr. Spencer designed to do much good—after his death. ‘But God said unto him, Thou fool!’ Two hours after, he died intestate and left all his money to—be scrambled for!
Reader! If you have not done it already, make your will before you sleep!

Wesley, 'Zionism' and the Feast of Tabernacles

Thursday 23 September marks the start of the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles, a 7 day long celebration and one which still awaits it’s Christian fulfilment (Passover and Pentecost having been fulfilled). Over the next week I’ll be posting some thoughts from our pilgrimage to Israel for the feast in 2008 and reflections on John Wesley’s thoughts on the celebration and his thoughts on the return of the Jews to their homeland, which, in the 1700’s, he longed for and looked forward to.

What is the Feast of Tabernacles
"All the men of your nation are to come to worship the LORD three times a year at
the one place of worship: at Passover, Harvest Festival, and the Festival
of Shelters." Deuteronomy 16:16

Three Festivals
In this reading God gives to the people three festivals, three celebrations, three feasts that they are to celebrate every year in Jerusalem at the Temple. Now each of these festivals was an agricultural festival celebrating some stage in the harvest process, but, and far more importantly, each festival also had a religious significance.

Passover
Passover (which for us now is the Easter celebration of the Lamb of God who was
slain and raised to life in order to set us free from bondage to sin) was a reminder and celebration of the redemption from bondage in Egypt, but it also had an agricultural element.Passover ends with the Festival of First Fruits, where the people bought the first part of their harvest as an offering to God in anticipation of a good harvest to come. Jesus was raised from the dead on the day of this festival which is why Paul says(1Corinthians15:20) "Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep so that in Christ all will be made alive."

Pentecost
The next festival mentioned is the Harvest Festival, also called the Festival of Weeks, as it took place seven weeks after Passover and First Fruits. At the time of Jesus this festival was known as Pentecost which is a Greek word which means "seven weeks". The Jews celebrated the harvest and that God had given them everything they
had hoped for when they brought their first fruits. They also remembered on this day the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Pentecost became of course the time when God poured out His Spirit and put His Law into our hearts.

Tabernacles
The final festival mentioned is the Festival of Tabernacles, and is celebrated at the end of the harvest season. Passover is in early spring, Pentecost is in late spring and the Festival of Shelters or Tabernacles or Booths is in autumn. The Jews at this time remember that during the 40 years in the wilderness they lived in shelters or tabernacles, hence its name. The prophet Zechariah says: "Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles" (14:16). This feast seems to look forward to the time when the Kingdom of God will be established on earth in all its fullness at Christ's return. So while we as Christians can look back and see how God has used two of these festivals for His redemptive purposes and they have in a sense been 'fulfilled', this last one, the feast of Tabernacles, is one which we still look forward to being fulfilled.

What Tabernacles anticipates
It points to Christ's return when according to the New Testament there will be
a new Jerusalem and God will tabernacle with people: "Behold the Tabernacle of God is with people and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." (Rev 21:3)

The Times we are Living in
Can you see that we are now living between the fulfilment of the second and the
third Festivals, between Pentecost, which has been fulfilled, and Tabernacles, which is yet to be fulfilled? Going back to the harvest calendar, the time between these two festivals was a time of gathering in the full harvest. No wonder Jesus said to his disciples and says to us: "You have a saying, 'Four more months and then the harvest.' But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested!"......and....."The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in.Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest.".......and....."For the saying is true, 'Someone plants, someone else reaps.' I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work."


Jesus and Tabernacles
After this, Jesus travelled in Galilee; he did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jewish authorities there were wanting to kill him. The time for the Festival of
Tabernacles was near,.... After his brothers had gone to the festival, Jesus also went.....On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, "Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and whoever believes in me should drink.As the Scripture says, 'Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.' "Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive. (selected verses from John 7).

JW forgot to ask the Great Physician

Wed 22 Sept 1756: I was considering I had not yet asked help of the Great Physician, and I resolved to delay no longer. In that hour I felt a change. I slept sound that night and was well the next day. [See Thurs16 below]
Thu 16 Sep: I walked over to Bishop Bonner’s,1 and preached to a large and serious congregation. I found some faintness, the sun being extremely hot; but more in walking from thence to Westminster, where I preached at seven. In the night my old disorder returned and gradually increased, in spite of all medicines. However, on Sunday and Monday it was so far suspended that I abated nothing of my usual employment.

Of Conference, Purple-clad elites and the Poor

“I was at a meeting of the Superiors General in Europe. They talked only of changing the structures of society, organizing things in a different way. It all came to nothing. It did not do something for the poor, or preach Christ to those without religion, to those totally ignorant of God”

This is a quotation from Mother Theresa and as I read it I can't help but think of our Conference, beginning on Wednesday, and what its outcome may be. Our connexion, covering Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, has a multitude of dreadful problems, not least of all the scourge of preventable disease which kills thousands, particularly amongst the poor, daily. South Africa has the greatest gap between rich and poor in the world, having recently overtaken Brazil in this disgraceful statistic. Corruption is rife and many continue to live as if there is no God. Will Conference 2010 affect the great justice issues in our part of the world.

This week's RCL Gospel reading, Luke 16:19-31 (the parable of the rich man with the beggar at his gate) addresses some of these issues as it records a conversation across the divide between haves and have-nots, between the purple clad elites (in the KJV) and the masses.

It speaks of Abraham (and perhaps the descendants of Abraham, the church) being able to communicate with both sides and in this life, of bridging the gap (as a dentist I love that idea), closing the space, perhaps even laying ourselves down as the pontic.

I hope our Conference will help us, as it guides us, to work at closing the iniquitous gaps in the places God, in His grace, has called us to be Methodists

JW's Notes on RCL Gospel reading for Sunday 26th

Luke 16:19-31
Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man - Very probably a Pharisee, and one that justified himself before men; a very honest, as well as honourable gentleman: though it was not proper to mention his name on this occasion: who was clothed in purple and fine linen - and doubtless esteemed on this account, (perhaps not only by those who sold it, but by most that knew him,) as encouraging trade, and acting according to his quality: And feasted splendidly every day - And consequently was esteemed yet more, for his generosity and hospitality in keeping so good a table.
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, (according to the Greek pronunciation) or Eleazer. By his name it may be conjectured, he was of no mean family, though it was thus reduced. There was no reason for our Lord to conceal his name, which probably was then well known. Theophylact observes, from the tradition of the Hebrews, that he lived at Jerusalem. Yea, the dogs also came and licked his sores - It seems this circumstance is recorded to show that all his ulcers lay bare, and were not closed or bound up.
Luk 16:22 And the beggar - Worn out with hunger, and pain, and want of all things, died: and was carried by angels (amazing change of the scene!) into Abraham's bosom - So the Jews styled paradise; the place where the souls of good men remain from death to the resurrection. The rich man also died, and was buried - Doubtless with pomp enough, though we do not read of his lying in state; that stupid, senseless pageantry, that shocking insult on a poor, putrefying carcass, was reserved for our enlightened age!
Luk 16:23 He seeth Abraham afar off - And yet knew him at that distance: and shall not Abraham's children, when they are together in paradise, know each other!
Luk 16:24 Father Abraham, have mercy on me - It cannot be denied, but here is one precedent in Scripture of praying to departed saints: but who is it that prays, and with what success? Will any, who considers this, be fond of copying after him?
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son - According to the flesh. Is it not worthy of observation, that Abraham will not revile even a damned soul? and shall living men revile one another? Thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things - Thou didst choose and accept of worldly things as thy good, thy happiness. And can any be at a loss to know why he was in torments? This damnable idolatry, had there been nothing more, was enough to sink him to the nethermost @#!*% .
Luk 16:26 Beside this there is a great gulf fixed - Reader, to which side of it wilt thou go?
Luk 16:28 Lest they also come into this place - He might justly fear lest their reproaches should add to his own torment.
Luk 16:31 Neither will they be persuaded - Truly to repent: for this implies an entire change of heart: but a thousand apparitions cannot, effect this. God only can, applying his word.

Detestable practice of cheating the King

Tue 21 Sep 1762: I rode on to Port-Isaac. Here the stewards of the eastern Circuit met. What a change is wrought in one year's time! That detestable practice of cheating the King is no more found in our societies. And since that accursed thing has been put away, the work of God has everywhere increased. This society, in particular, is more than doubled: And they are all alive to God.