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May 28: PENTECOST/MEMORIAL DAY--“Is Spreading Scriptural Holiness a Disease?” (Matthew 5:48; 22:37, 39; 28:19a; Acts 2:4a; Romans 12; Philippians 2:5; 1 Peter 1:13-25; 2:9; 1 John 2:6)
The Lord calls us to holiness, and Jesus manifested it in His life to show us what it looks like. We cannot make ourselves holy; we can only surrender to the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, which is a really good idea on Pentecost Sunday! John Wesley was all in about spreading scriptural holiness, that is, living and acting like Jesus as we spread the gospel and uphold biblical standards. But are the followers of Christ and Wesley actually doing this? Come find out this Sunday.
The Lord calls us to holiness, and Jesus manifested it in His life to show us what it looks like. We cannot make ourselves holy; we can only surrender to the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, which is a really good idea on Pentecost Sunday! John Wesley was all in about spreading scriptural holiness, that is, living and acting like Jesus as we spread the gospel and uphold biblical standards. But are the followers of Christ and Wesley actually doing this? Come find out this Sunday.
“IS ‘SPREADING HOLINESS’ A DISEASE?”
Now the short answer is “No”, but we’ll get back to that later; first let’s do history!
From 1744 to 1783 to 2023
1744--Scriptural Christianity: “Where, I pray, do the Christians live? Which is the country, the inhabitants whereof are ‘all filled with the Holy Ghost’? Who one and all have the love of God filling their hearts, and constraining them to love their neighbor as themselves? Why, then, let us confess we have never yet seen a Christian country upon the earth.” (Acts 2:4a; Matthew 22:37, 39)
1783--The General Spread of the Gospel: “What manner of Christians are they? Are they ‘holy as He that called them is holy’? ...Is there ‘that mind in them that was also in Christ Jesus’? And do they ‘walk as Christ also walked’? Nay, they are as far from it as hell is from heaven!” (1 Peter 1:15; Philippians 2:5; 1 John 2:6)
2023—Is it any different, or better, today?
John Wesley’s designed purpose for the people called Methodist:
“To reform the nation, particularly the Church, and
to spread scriptural holiness over the land!”
This is a distinctive identity...
...and it is a distinctive mission
In what manner is this “scriptural holiness” to manifest?
On a simpler level, in two ways:
Personally: Vital Piety
Socially: Works of Mercy
On a broader level, in five ways:
Individually: God says to each one of us, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)
Congregationally: “...(Y)ou are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9; emphasis added)
Denominationally: Wesley intended Methodism to be a reform movement within the Anglican Church; today it is METHODISM that needs renewal
Nationally: Wesleyan social reform in 18th century England; what it’s like now in the 21st century United States?
Globally: From “The world is my parish!” to “Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!” (Matthew 28:19a)
Symptoms of a “Disease”
Most Christians avoid a serious pursuit of holiness like the plague!
But, we need to be Contagious Christians “breaking out” with many positive INFECTIONS like the love of the Father; the grace of the Son; the power of the Spirit; vital piety; works of mercy; the fruit of the Spirit; the gifts of the Spirit; authenticity and transparency; radical and sacrificial love—for both God AND neighbor; a balanced inward and outward focus, a desire to impart grace equal to the desire to receive it, a slowness to anger and a quickness to forgive, to name just a few!
This is all unlikely…UNLESS, we Pray for a new Pentecost; let’s do that now!
Now the short answer is “No”, but we’ll get back to that later; first let’s do history!
From 1744 to 1783 to 2023
1744--Scriptural Christianity: “Where, I pray, do the Christians live? Which is the country, the inhabitants whereof are ‘all filled with the Holy Ghost’? Who one and all have the love of God filling their hearts, and constraining them to love their neighbor as themselves? Why, then, let us confess we have never yet seen a Christian country upon the earth.” (Acts 2:4a; Matthew 22:37, 39)
1783--The General Spread of the Gospel: “What manner of Christians are they? Are they ‘holy as He that called them is holy’? ...Is there ‘that mind in them that was also in Christ Jesus’? And do they ‘walk as Christ also walked’? Nay, they are as far from it as hell is from heaven!” (1 Peter 1:15; Philippians 2:5; 1 John 2:6)
2023—Is it any different, or better, today?
John Wesley’s designed purpose for the people called Methodist:
“To reform the nation, particularly the Church, and
to spread scriptural holiness over the land!”
This is a distinctive identity...
...and it is a distinctive mission
In what manner is this “scriptural holiness” to manifest?
On a simpler level, in two ways:
Personally: Vital Piety
Socially: Works of Mercy
On a broader level, in five ways:
Individually: God says to each one of us, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)
Congregationally: “...(Y)ou are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9; emphasis added)
Denominationally: Wesley intended Methodism to be a reform movement within the Anglican Church; today it is METHODISM that needs renewal
Nationally: Wesleyan social reform in 18th century England; what it’s like now in the 21st century United States?
Globally: From “The world is my parish!” to “Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!” (Matthew 28:19a)
Symptoms of a “Disease”
Most Christians avoid a serious pursuit of holiness like the plague!
But, we need to be Contagious Christians “breaking out” with many positive INFECTIONS like the love of the Father; the grace of the Son; the power of the Spirit; vital piety; works of mercy; the fruit of the Spirit; the gifts of the Spirit; authenticity and transparency; radical and sacrificial love—for both God AND neighbor; a balanced inward and outward focus, a desire to impart grace equal to the desire to receive it, a slowness to anger and a quickness to forgive, to name just a few!
This is all unlikely…UNLESS, we Pray for a new Pentecost; let’s do that now!
10:15 Contemporary Service
Death Was Arrested ~ Cornerstone
I Surrender ~ Lord I Need You ~ 10,000 Reasons
I Surrender ~ Lord I Need You ~ 10,000 Reasons
10:30 Traditional Service
America the Beautiful ~ Breathe on Me Breath of God
Sent Forth by God's Blessing
Sent Forth by God's Blessing