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A Methodist Legacy

A Methodist Legacy

May 25, 2008

Text: Acts 10:19-34,44

Acts 10:19-34,44

19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look, three men are searching for you. 20 Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them." 21 So Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?" 22 They answered, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man…was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say." 23 So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging.

The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him. 24 The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 On Peter's arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshiped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, "Stand up; I am only a mortal." 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; 28 and he said to them, "You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?"

30 Cornelius replied, "Four days ago at this very hour, at three o'clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 31 He said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.' 33 Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say."

34 Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality…”

44While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.

NRSV,

NRSV

We heard in the Scripture lesson today a story of change—a radical change.

The early church was in its infancy, still trying to feel its way along. Peter was eager, open to following wherever the Holy Spirit blew. He saw visions, dreamed dreams, met interesting people, participated in miracles. Because of his passion and devotion, he was open to doing exciting, new, never-done-before things. He broke with centuries of Jewish tradition, and the church was founded. Jesus knew what he was doing when he said, “Peter, you’re the ‘rock,’ and upon this rock I will build my church.”

Throughout church history, you’ll find “rocky” people like Peter. Folks who are so radically open that they are willing—eager—to throw off the baggage of tradition that has outlived its purpose. They embrace change, and embark on journeys with unknown destinations.

On this Memorial Sunday, I want celebrate one particularly rocky man—the person who accidentally founded Methodism—John Wesley.

I’m not going to go into a biography of him—after all, seminary courses are spent on his life and theology. But what I want to focus on is what he had in common with Peter this morning. I want to focus on how—because of his devotion to Christ—he was open to doing new, daring things.

Wesley lived in the 1700’s. He was a priest in the Church of England. The Church of England back then was very proper—stuffy, you might say. They had beautiful cathedrals, a big book of prayers and hymns, and the backing of the state. They felt they had a monopoly on God and so, in the best tradition of a monopoly, they expected people to come to them. Sort of like Charter Cable without competition from DirectTV.

Wesley was a part of this. But then, in 1738, he had an intensely emotional encounter with Christ. He said his heart was “strangely warmed.” After that, he was restless, and started doing unusual things.

1—His preaching took on a new, passionate edge. He didn’t just preach in the cathedrals. He preached where people were. In the fields. Near the mines. On street corners.

He began doing unconventional things in his preaching. Once, as he was holding forth, he noticed that several members of his congregation had fallen asleep. “Fire! Fire!” he suddenly shouted. The guilty parishioners jumped up. “Where?” they asked, looking around. “In hell,” Wesley replied, “for those who sleep under the preaching of the Word!”

2—He did unusual things in worship. He felt some of the songs sung in church lacked passion. So, he encouraged his brother Charles to write hymns that stirred the emotions, such as “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemer’s praise, the glories of my God and king, the triumphs of his grace!” I believe sometimes Charles put his words to tunes of songs of his day—even drinking songs—so people could more easily sing and feel them.

If you look in the beginning of the hymnal, you’ll find Wesley’s unconventional instructions for singing these hymns. I like #4:

“Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.”

3—As people were touched by the Spirit, they grew in number. Wesley, ever creative, devised a system by which these people could be organized into small groups. They met weekly, held each other accountable for spiritual growth, prayed, and studied the Scriptures. Because of this “methodical” system, these people became known as “Methodists.”

This wasn’t taken too kindly by the established church at that time. The religious establishment considered Wesley, and the priests and people who were part of his movement, “enthusiasts.” Wesley and the church increasingly grew at odds with each other.

He never left the church, but he did do things that were radical. The most radical of all was when people pushed him to help organize the Methodists in America. There were not enough ordained Church of England priests here to guide this growing group of believers. So, Wesley did the most radical, unthinkable thing. He took two priests,

Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke, and ordained them as “superintendents” for the Methodist movement in America. Now a preacher doesn’t ordain—only a bishop does. But Wesley, seeing the need and pushed by the urgency to preach the Gospel in the New World, broke with tradition.

Asbury and Coke are known as the first “bishops” for the Methodists in America. They organized the churches, ordained preachers, and the rest is, as they say, Methodist history.

There you have Wesley. Preaching to the miners. Singing songs to bar tunes. Ordaining people.

That’s the mark of someone who’s gotten too close to the Holy Spirit. When you’re too close to the Holy Spirit, you do bold, creative, fear-less things.

Have you ever known anyone like this, who got too close to the Holy Spirit?

This could be a family member. A friend. A teacher or preacher. A counselor. A co-worker or a boss.

This someone who got too close to the Holy Spirit inspired you. Opened up the world to you, making you see things in a different way. They encouraged you to follow a higher, passionate calling. They inspired you to take risks, because they so easily took risks. They made you draw on strengths inside yourself you never knew existed.

Who was—or is—such a Wesley-like person to you? Someone whose words and example stand out to you because of their insight and boldness?

I remember someone.

He’s Dr. Brad Powell. He was the pastor of 1^st UMC in Poplar Bluff when I was a teenager. It was under his ministry that Jesus became real to me. I decided to enter the ministry, and he opened up opportunities for me to teach Sunday School and even preach a little. Throughout college and seminary he was my mentor. His teaching and example as a pastor took root.

Finally, my ordination as an elder was approaching. But Dr. Powell’s health was failing. He so wanted to participate in the laying on of hands with the bishop, but it looked like he wouldn’t make it.

One day, as I was on my way back to seminary, I stopped by his house for a quick visit. As I was leaving, he asked me to kneel in the living room. Puzzled, I did. There he put his hand on my head, and said a prayer over me for my future ministry. He “ordained” me, before the bishop had a chance.

That was a radical, unorthodox thing to do. But people who get too close to the Holy Spirit do things like that.

Who has ordained you?

Get in your mind’s eye the face of that person who lived like Peter, Wesley, Dr. Powell. Someone who lived boldly, passionately, faithfully. Then take that flower and come, place it in the cross. As you do so, thank God for that person, and ask for a portion of their spirit.

If you do this, then maybe, when you leave this morning, you too will feel the power that comes from having gotten too close to the Holy Spirit!