Why I Am A United Methodist - Part 1 Mark12:28-34
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him. "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord you God with all you heart and with all you soul with all your mind and with all you strength. 31The second is this: "Love your neighbor and yourself. There is not commandment greater than these." 32"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is not other but him. 33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all you strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisley, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God.
About this sermon series....
Why I am a United Methodist
If you listen to the title, it is why "I" and a united Methodist
I hope that you will learn come things about the UMC over the next month
I hop you will find confidence in your choice of churches
I want you to kow why I am a United Methodist.....
At some point today, I am going to tell you that the conversion story of John Wesley had a significant impact on my life.
First lets talk a bit about the scripture
Jesus is being questioned...What is the most important commandment
A hearer affirms Jesus' answer
Jesus sees something in the man
"you are not far from the kingdon"
These are the words that Wesley read in his daily devotions on May 24, 1738---You are not far from the kingdom of God,
These words spoke to Wesley
How many of you here are life long Methodists?
I was not born a Methodist, I am a Methodist by choice.
If was born in the Lutheran church, very formal, lots of liturgy.
When I was 16, my family was booted our of the Lutheran church
Church vagabonds, wandering from one church to the next.
Landed in a closet assembly of God church.
Finished college at an assembly of God liberal arts college
Assembly of God are fine folks, but it was not for me.
A couple of years out of college, I was ready to go to seminary.
I knew that I would be a pastor someday, but I didn't know how.
I saw a commercial on tv...Oral Roberts University School of Theology trains for all denominations.
Disclaimer: black eye. Lost accredidation, always a story....
I went to check it our in Tulsa.
Seminary was 90% Methodist. Oral is a Methodist.
Went to seminary there, got involved in the Methodist church
found the historical roots of my youth, and the like of the holy spirit.
One of the places that I found the life on the spirit in, was in the conversion story of John Wesley.
A bit about John Wesley's life
Raised in a religious home. 1703.
College, seminary, ordained Anglican priest 1725
Yet he struggled to find faith.
Wesley in Georgia
Wesley returns home to England
Search for faith -- age 35
Evening trip to a small group meeting on Aldersgate Street.
What I hope to be saved by before this
I still read the Scriptures, and said my prayers, morning and evening. And what I now hoped to be saved by was, 1. Not being so bad as other people. 2. Having still a kindness for religion.
And, 3. Reading the Bible, going to church, and saying my prayers.
I love this story because it involves no preachers' handiwork
It is clearly the hand of God at work.
The most exciting works of God to me are the actions that take place in your heart when its only you and Him.
The other thing I love about this story is that
it involves both the gradual work of the spirit, and the immediate.
Wesley's story...
May 24th. In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
Luthers preface to his commentary on the book of Romans
Faith is a divine work in us, which changes us and makes us newly born of God, and kills the old Adam, makes us completely different men in heart, disposition, mind and every power, and brings the Holy Spirit with it. O faith is a lively, creative, active, powerful thing, so that it is impossible that it should not continually do good works. It does not even ask if good works are to be done, but before anyone asks, it has done them and is always acting.
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him. "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord you God with all you heart and with all you soul with all your mind and with all you strength. 31The second is this: "Love your neighbor and yourself. There is not commandment greater than these." 32"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is not other but him. 33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all you strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisley, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God.
About this sermon series....
Why I am a United Methodist
If you listen to the title, it is why "I" and a united Methodist
I hope that you will learn come things about the UMC over the next month
I hop you will find confidence in your choice of churches
I want you to kow why I am a United Methodist.....
At some point today, I am going to tell you that the conversion story of John Wesley had a significant impact on my life.
First lets talk a bit about the scripture
Jesus is being questioned...What is the most important commandment
A hearer affirms Jesus' answer
Jesus sees something in the man
"you are not far from the kingdon"
These are the words that Wesley read in his daily devotions on May 24, 1738---You are not far from the kingdom of God,
These words spoke to Wesley
How many of you here are life long Methodists?
I was not born a Methodist, I am a Methodist by choice.
If was born in the Lutheran church, very formal, lots of liturgy.
When I was 16, my family was booted our of the Lutheran church
Church vagabonds, wandering from one church to the next.
Landed in a closet assembly of God church.
Finished college at an assembly of God liberal arts college
Assembly of God are fine folks, but it was not for me.
A couple of years out of college, I was ready to go to seminary.
I knew that I would be a pastor someday, but I didn't know how.
I saw a commercial on tv...Oral Roberts University School of Theology trains for all denominations.
Disclaimer: black eye. Lost accredidation, always a story....
I went to check it our in Tulsa.
Seminary was 90% Methodist. Oral is a Methodist.
Went to seminary there, got involved in the Methodist church
found the historical roots of my youth, and the like of the holy spirit.
One of the places that I found the life on the spirit in, was in the conversion story of John Wesley.
A bit about John Wesley's life
Raised in a religious home. 1703.
College, seminary, ordained Anglican priest 1725
Yet he struggled to find faith.
Wesley in Georgia
Wesley returns home to England
Search for faith -- age 35
Evening trip to a small group meeting on Aldersgate Street.
What I hope to be saved by before this
I still read the Scriptures, and said my prayers, morning and evening. And what I now hoped to be saved by was, 1. Not being so bad as other people. 2. Having still a kindness for religion.
And, 3. Reading the Bible, going to church, and saying my prayers.
I love this story because it involves no preachers' handiwork
It is clearly the hand of God at work.
The most exciting works of God to me are the actions that take place in your heart when its only you and Him.
The other thing I love about this story is that
it involves both the gradual work of the spirit, and the immediate.
Wesley's story...
May 24th. In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
Luthers preface to his commentary on the book of Romans
Faith is a divine work in us, which changes us and makes us newly born of God, and kills the old Adam, makes us completely different men in heart, disposition, mind and every power, and brings the Holy Spirit with it. O faith is a lively, creative, active, powerful thing, so that it is impossible that it should not continually do good works. It does not even ask if good works are to be done, but before anyone asks, it has done them and is always acting.
Went to bed worrying that this was temporary
Woke up the next day
Thursday, 25. -- The moment I awakened, "Jesus, Master," was in my heart and in my mouth; and I found all my strength lay in keeping my eye fixed upon Him and my sould waiting on Him continually.
This incident sparked a 50 year revival that has changed millions of lives for Christ.
I am one of them.
I wanted a religion that would change me.
I needed to be changed. I needed hope that life could be different. I needed something real.
What about you?
If we are going to have religion, shouldn't it be something that makes us different? Better?
More gracious?
My son asked me what the sermon was on today...
I told him
Does this do anything for you?
How is it with your soul?
What if you heard the words today, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."
What do you think? What do you feel?
Do you know him?
Do you have faith in Christ?
God is still in the business of warming hearts.
Call upon the name of Jesus Christ, claim Him as your own.
Let us pray.
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