Title: A Warm Heart

Date: 2008-05-25

Reference: Acts 2: 37-42

A Methodist Minister had just preached what was in his judgement one of his poorest sermons. He had stammered and floundered. When he finished he felt he had been a complete and total failure that day. He was humiliated and when he arrived home he fell on his knees and prayed: “Lord God you can do something with nothing. Please bless this poor sermon.” All week he prayed the same prayer. He was absolutely determined to redeem himself the next Sunday by preaching a truly good sermon. And it went beautifully, without a hitch. People praised his message. This Sunday he went home very pleased with himself. He decided to watch the results of the two sermons. From the first sermon he was able to trace several conversions. From the 2nd sermon not a single soul was stirred. The Holy Spirit used one and not the other. Putting our best efforts aside we know we can do nothing without the Spirit’s power in our lives.

The Holy Spirit does extraordinary things through the lives of ordinary believers. This is Aldersgate Sunday. 270 years ago today was John Wesley’s heartwarming experience at Aldersgate chapel. On that Sunday evening the Holy Spirt became real to Wesley and the rest is history.

John Wesley was an ordained priest, the son and grandson of clergy. His mother Susanna was a devout Godly woman. When Wesley was six years old he had been rescued from his burning home and he believed God had spared him for a life of ministry. He had the best intentions, the best education, much experience, an admirable devotion. But Wesley said: “I was empty inside.” Early one Wesley said: “My plan for salvation was not being so bad as other people. Having a kindness toward religion. Reading the Bible, going to church, saying my prayers.” Many people today have the same plan. If I am good enough, read and study the Bible enough, listen to enough sermons, pay enough tithes, I will be saved.

On one occasion a Moravian Preacher asked Wesley if he knew Jesus Christ. Wesley responded:”I know he is the Savior of the world.” “True” responded the preacher, “but do you know he saved you?” This preacher invited Wesley to a service on a Sunday Night. Wesley said: “Sitting there in that little chapel, about a quarter before nine, while the teacher was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Jesus Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ and Christ alone for Salvation. An assurance was given me that He had taken away my sin, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” Wesley was determined that he would no longer preach a doctrine but would speak of a personal relationship with God made possible by Christ. He would speak by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Ministry of John Wesley turned England upside down. Secular historians credit Wesley and the Methodists with sparing England a violent revolution such as the one that took place in France. John Wesley always maintained his ministry was the sole result of the Holy Spirit’s Supernatural activity in his life. The difference in his ministry was the power source. I am convinced that many churches and ministries today are floundering for exactly the same reason. They don’t depend on the power God has provided.

Over the years I’ve seen the church accomplish a great deal when we’ve depended on the Holy Spirit to lead us, strengthen and empower us. When the Spirt is leading we’ve accomplished far more than we ever thought possible. I’ve also seen the church limp listlessly along losing ground when we have excluded the Spirit. Whenever we make plans without consulting God, those plans will not succeed. When we are fearful we will not follow where God is leading. I have always believed a healthy church should always have some grand, bold plan out in front of us. A plan so big we know we can never accomplish it alone, but only with the help of God.

This is also Memorial Day Weekend and Christian Heritage Week. At this time we pause, and with gratitude celebrate the faithfulness of a previous generation. We remember their remarkable accomplishments. How they followed God’s leading in their time and how we build upon that legacy this day. We remember the past with an eye to the future, trusting in God and following His leading.

When God plants a dream, God provides a way. A week before the first Pentecost Sunday Peter had allowed himself to be bullied by a servant girl. He was so frightened he denied even knowing Jesus. Then the Holy Spirit came. Peter was transformed. He stood up and boldly addressed the crowd teaching about Jesus. On that day God used Peter’s Sermon to convert three thousand people.

Three signs accompanied the coming of the Spirit. The sound of rushing wind. Tongues of fire and the believers praising God in various languages. Even today combine wind and flame and you have a blaze.

The Christians then were not content to meet once a week. They met daily. They served daily and won souls daily. And the church increased in number daily. The spirit led Christian faith is a day to day reality not a weekly routine. The power of God’s spirit was at work in their lives and wants to work in our lives as well. Every true Christian possesses the Holy Spirit and it’s through the Spirit’s power that the Christian is able to function in the world. Not to know and depend on the Spirit’s provision is to live a life of spiritual poverty.

John Wesley traveled 250k miles on horseback and preached over 40k sermons in his career. He authored hundreds of books and pamphlets and founded hundreds of Methodist meeting houses and schools. He sent out dozens of missionaries and mobilized hundreds of preachers. All of this because he depended on the Spirit’s Power. Peter took his place as the rock of the church again because he depended on the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

If the Holy Spirit could take a simple fisherman like Peter, an introverted bookish priest like John Wesley and use them to shake the world. What could the Holy Spirit do with our time, talents, and abilities today?

I don’t believe it’s a matter of human talent as much as availability. Making oneself available to the leading of the Holy Spirt and depending upon His leadership, help, friendship and power than our own. The Spirit filled Christian should be the most optimistic person in the world. But all too often we are among the most negative. We need the Spirit’s help in developing a more positive outlook on life and realizing life’s potential The Holy Spirit will help us see the glass as being half full and not half empty. He will help us greet each new day with the anticipation of something good. Even when we have made mistakes we are able to learn something valuable, we are open to suggestion and correction. A relationship with the spirit makes us less judgmental. The Spirit allows us to see beyond the layer of clouds to the sun that is shining above, ready to break through.

A missionary to Africa always carried a copy of the New Testament in his pocket. At the time of his death someone read the following verse he had written in his well worn Bible: “I cannot do it alone. The waves dash fast and high. The fog comes chill around. The light goes out in the sky. But I know we two shall win in the end.Jesus and I. He never gives up on me and we two shall win. Jesus and I.”

A wise man once said: “When you have nothing left but God then for the first time ever you become aware that God is enough.” So many person have learned over the years that one person plus God is always a majority.

This weekend we look back at those who lived before. They were faithful because they worked hard and depended on God. Life wasn’t always easy or fair but they were faithful ,putting one foot in front of the other. I pray we will imitate their faithfulness and do all we can to further the cause of Jesus Christ. I am hopeful we will learn to look for and expect large blessings, seeing ourselves as part of the solution to the challenges we see all around us.

God has always taken willing, humble, available people like Peter and John Wesley and filled them with His Spirit. Spirit filled persons have been able to accomplish far more than they ever dreamed possible, giving all thanks and credit to God.

Today we give thanks for those faithful persons from the past. We invite the Holy Spirit to fill us anew. And we dedicate ourselves to making a difference in the world around us. Send Your Spirit Lord. Use us. Do it again Lord, Do it again.