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 wisely, 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 hope you will find confidence in your choice of churches
I want you to know 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 let’s 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 kingdom"
These are the words that Wesley read in his morning devotions on Wednesday, May 24, 1738---You are not far from the kingdom of God,
These words spoke to Wesley
How many of you here are lifelong 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 out 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 accreditation, always a story....
I went to check it out in Tulsa.
Seminary was 90% Methodist. Oral is a Methodist.
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 hope you will find confidence in your choice of churches
I want you to know 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 let’s 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 kingdom"
These are the words that Wesley read in his morning devotions on Wednesday, May 24, 1738---You are not far from the kingdom of God,
These words spoke to Wesley
How many of you here are lifelong 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 out 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 accreditation, always a story....
I went to check it out in Tulsa.
Seminary was 90% Methodist. Oral is a Methodist.
Great Methodist professors: ed wimberly, steve omalley, jim
buskirk, bob tuttle
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. Father an Anglican priest
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. Father an Anglican priest
Fire in the parsonage – brand plucked from the burning
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
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
He was lost on the road of life
Evening trip to a small group meeting on Aldersgate Street.
Evening trip to a small group meeting on Aldersgate Street.
He felt his heart
strangely warmed
he said, prior to this,
I still read the Scriptures, and said my prayers, morning and evening. And what I now hoped to be saved by was,
he said, prior to 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 in his own words...
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.
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.
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 in his own words...
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.
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.
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.
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 soul 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 a faith, shouldn't it be something that
makes us different? Better? Sweeter? More
gracious?
Does this do anything for you?
Every year at your
pastors annual reviews, the DS opens with a question - How is it with your
soul?
I talked to someone the other day who told me that they felt
lonely and lost, yet they were not sure if they believed in God….
Are you a prime candidate for conversion?
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?
Methodists are a people
of a warm hearted faith
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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