George Whitefield: Be an instrument

Charity never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:8a

“Our charity comes from a right end, when it proceeds from love to God, and for the welfare both of the body and soul of our fellow-creatures. When this is the sole end of relieving our distressed fellow-creatures, then our charity comes from a right end, and we may expect to reap advantage by it: this is the charity which is pleasing to God. God is well pleased, when all our actions proceed from love, love to Himself, and love to immortal souls.

Consider, my dear brethren, that it was love for souls, that brought the blessed Jesus down from the bosom of His Father; that made Him, who was equal in power and glory, to come and take upon Him our nature; that caused the Lord of life to die the painful, ignominious, and accursed death of the cross. It was love to immortal souls, that brought this blessed Jesus among us. And O that we might hence consider how great the value of souls was and is: it was that which made Jesus to bled, pant, and die. And surely souls must be of infinite worth, which made the Lamb of God to die so shameful a death.

And shall not this make you have a true value for souls? It is of the greatest worth: and this, this is the greatest charity, when it comes from love to God, and from love to souls. This will be a charity, the satisfaction of which will last to all eternity. O that this may make you have so much regard for the value of souls, as not to neglect all opportunities for the doing of them good: here is something worth having charity for, because they remain to all eternity. Therefore, let me earnestly beseech you both to consider the worth of immortal souls, and let your charity extend to them, that by your advice and admonition, you may be an instrument, in the hands of God, in bringing souls to the Lord Jesus.”

George Whitefield (1714-1770) in “The Great Duty of Charity Recommended” sermon on 1 Corinthians 13:8 in Selected Sermons of George Whitefield (Grand Rapids, MI: CCEL) 487.

I am teaching a group of United Methodist Church foundation managers today in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Southeastern Jurisdiction of United Methodist Foundations Conference. I chose to read and cite this sermon by Whitefield as he was one of the founders of the Methodist movement.

I realize this is a long post, so I will only make this brief comment and leave you with a prayer. Consider how God has positioned you to “be an instrument” in His hands to bring His love through your charity to the souls around you.

Father in heaven, speak through me today to these foundation managers here in Virginia and bless all meditations readers everywhere. By your Holy Spirit, shape us into instruments of love so that our charity toward souls points people to you. Hear my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

For God is my King of old; the help that is done upon earth, He doeth it Himself. Psalm 74:13

“He is infinite in wisdom as well as in power: And all His wisdom is continually employed in managing all the affairs of His creation for the good of all His creatures. For His wisdom and goodness go hand in hand: They are inseparably united, and continually act in concert with almighty power, for the real good of all His creatures. His power being equal to His wisdom and goodness, continually co-operates with them. And to Him all things are possible: He doeth whatsoever pleaseth Him, in heaven and earth, and in the sea, and all deep places: And we cannot doubt of His exerting all His power, as in sustaining, so in governing, all that He has made…

We should take the utmost care to walk humbly and closely with our God. Walk humbly: For if you in anywise rob God of His honor, of you ascribe anything to yourself, the things which should have been for you wealth will prove to you an occasion of falling. And walk closely: See that you have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man. It is so long as you so this that you are the peculiar care of your Father which is in heaven. But let not the consciousness of His caring for you make you careless, indolent, or slothful: On the contrary, while you are penetrated with that deep truth, “The help that is done upon earth, He doeth it Himself,” be as earnest and diligent in the use of all the means…”

John Wesley (1703-1791) Anglican minister and co-founder (with his brother, Charles) of the Methodist Church, in Sermon 67 – “On Divine Providence” 14, 29.

It seemed fitting to read one of Wesley’s sermons this morning for three reasons. One, our recent journey through church history has brought us to the 18th century. Two, I will miss church because I have to catch a flight to Richmond, VA. And, three, and I am speaking tomorrow at the Southeastern Jurisdiction of United Methodist Foundations Conference at the invitation of my friend, Stephen Clark.

The first excerpt from Wesley’s sermon “On Divine Providence” today celebrates God’s providential care for all creation and creatures. I can’t speak for you, but it leaves me in awe of our great God. The second paragraph marks how Wesley thinks we should respond. He’s spot on. Each of us must walk humbly and closely with God.

Notice where we can get in trouble if we don’t walk humbly. If, as Wesley puts it, you “ascribe anything to yourself, the things which should have been for you wealth will prove to you an occasion of falling.” Think about it. God made and sustains everything. If at any stage we take credit for what we have, or as Wesley states, “rob God of His honor,” we will be brought down by that which was intended to lift us up.

Then he also calls us to walk closely, which is to keep in step with Him so we imitate Him. His care must not lead us to be careless, but to exercise the same care. He concludes that even as God uses everything to work for good, we must marshal all the means available to us for the same purpose.

On this Lord’s day, take inventory. I will ask the UMC stewards to follow suit. Has the wealth of God’s abundant blessings to you become an occasion of falling? If so, get back on your feet. Walk humbly and closely with God and marshal all the means available to you to do His work as He would do it with earnest and diligence.

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20

“These wounds were meant to purchase me. These drops of blood were shed to obtain me. I am not my own today. I belong to another. I have been bought with a price. And I will live every moment of this day so that the Great Purchaser of my soul will receive the full reward of His suffering.”

Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760) as recounted in an online index of some of his sermons and statements. Zinzendorf was a German reformer and the bishop of the Moravian Church.

Why recount this quote from him today? Think with me for a moment about the work of “the Great Purchaser” and how it should shape our generosity.

Since Christ bought us with his blood – the greatest act of generosity – the Apostle Paul says we should glorify God in our bodies. This brings many questions into view. Do we live like we belong to Him? Do our lives render to Christ the full reward of His suffering? Do we bring God glory?  Our generosity does not save us but points others to our Savior.

As this week draws to a close, sit with me in this idea for a minute: I am not my own today. I belong to Christ.

Brothers and Sisters, since Christ purchased us, owns us, saved us, gave us life, and showed us how to live it, let us in turn live, give, serve, and love every moment of our lives in such a way that the world may see God’s matchless generosity through us.

Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all. Proverbs 22:2

“What do you understand by the providence of God? Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty — all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from His fatherly hand.”

Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus served as primary co-authors of the Heidelberg Catechism 27 (1563). This was one of many Reformation documents mentioned at the EFCA Theology Conference at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL over the past few days (pictured above). The Heidelberg Catechism was, in plain terms, a document drafted in Germany as a resource for teaching young people and as a manual for preaching in churches across the country.

This excerpt from it that defines “providence” is both timeless and tender. When we realize God cares for everything and that nothing happens by chance but that everything comes to us from His fatherly hand, we are humbled and become profoundly grateful. The humility and gratitude also lead us to become more generous because they take us to a place of realizing how generous God has been to us in the past, is toward us in the present, and will be unto us in the future.

God, thanks for upholding us and everything else in creation by your fatherly hand. When we prosper, help us enjoy and share your blessings. If we find ourselves in poverty, show your glory by hearing our prayers and working to minister to our needs by your Holy Spirit and through humble and grateful saints. Hear my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise. Ephesians 5:15

These excerpts come from his “General reminders for Christian living in every state of life.”

“The principle thing we must acquire and have is the grace of God, without which one cannot live in a Christian way. For this it will help to have the fear of God, which is the beginning of our salvation and every good, guarding ourselves against anything which would offend His most pure eyes. Therefore always have God before your eyes, in whose sight you stand and who always sees you…

Have your eye continually on the providence of God, thinking that nothing comes about without His will and that good is drawn out of everything. Make diligent effort for self-knowledge, for the knowledge of your own lowliness, baseness, and misery, fleeing vanities and one’s own reputation…Take care to be grateful to God for His many benefits, recognizing them, thanking Him, and living well in order to show your gratitude.

Do not be concerned about pleasing men, provided you are pleasing to God, and always be looking out for what will be to His greater glory and service. Await the reward for your every effort from Christ and not from the world…Know and recall that there is no greater wealth and treasure, nothing more excellent and fruitful, than to love God and serve Him, and that everything else passes like smoke and shadow.”

Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) in “Making the World Holy” in Charles Borromeo: Selected Orations, Homilies and Writings (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017) 167-168. Borromeo was bishop of Milan in the difficult days of the sixteenth century.

No wonder Borromeo was a unifying reformer in century when God’s Church fractured! Follow his thinking with me: We must have the grace of God. We respond with the fear of God. Our focus is on the providence of God, which helps us put ourselves in the right perspective and leads to be grateful to God. We show our gratitude by living well. Rather than treasuring wealth, we realize nothing is greater or more fruitful than to love and serve God. It’s great advice. The result is a generous life!

This perspective leads a person to grasp true riches. If you want to read more on this topic, check out a blog I wrote for the Ministry Fundraising Network called, True Riches.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3

“In all your affairs lean solely on God’s providence, by means of which alone your plans can succeed. Meanwhile, on your part work in quiet cooperation with Him, and then rest satisfied that if you have trusted entirely to Him you will always obtain such a measure of success as is most profitable for you, whether it seems so or not to your own individual judgment.

Imitate a little child, whom one sees holding tight with one hand to its father, while with the other it gathers strawberries or blackberries from the wayside hedge. Even so, while you gather and use this world’s goods with one hand, always let the other be fast in your heavenly Father’s hand, and look around to make sure that He is satisfied with what you are doing at home or abroad. Beware of letting go, under the idea of making or receiving more.”

Francis de Sales (1567-1622) in Introduction to the Devout Life (New York: Vintage, 2002) 114-115. Francis served as bishop of Geneva. He unified Catholic and Protestant followers of Christ by focusing everyone on deep faith in Jesus Christ. We should follow suit in the divided world in which we live today, so that our lives help others find peace in trusting in God’s providence (my word for 2017)!

This excerpt seemed fitting today as I have meetings with God’s servants at Made to Flourish (by phone) and at the Kern Foundation outside Milwaukee on the integration of faith and work. Our aim is to help pastors at large, but also specifically within the EFCA, to make disciples whose Sunday faith is lived out in their Monday through Saturday work.

And what a beautiful word picture Francis paints linked to our work. How often do we let go of the Father’s hand thinking we need to gather more of the world’s goods? In reality the best way to position ourselves to live generous lives is to “lean solely on God’s providence” and work in “quiet cooperation” with our Heavenly Father, trusting Him to give us “the measure of success as is most profitable” for us.

When we live this way, our lives bring glory to God, and we serve as agents of peace and contentment in a world filled with unrest and greed. When we work like this, our posture in whatever profession we toil, reflects kindness and dependence on God’s providence, and shows others around us how to live satisfied and generous lives.

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Matthew 16:26

“People should not rejoice over riches, neither when they possess them nor when their neighbor possesses them, unless God is served through them. If it is in some way tolerable to rejoice in riches, it is when they are spent and employed in the service of God. This is the only way profit will be drawn from them.

The same holds true for other temporal goods, titles, and positions, and so on. It is vain for people to rejoice in these goods if they do not serve God by them and walk more securely on the road of eternal life. And because they cannot know with certitude that they are serving God more, it would be vain for them to rejoice over those goods for such joy cannot be reasonable. As our Lord says, even though one gains the whole world, one can lose one’s soul. The only reason for rejoicing then is the greater service of God.”

John of the Cross (1542-1591) in The Ascent of Mount Carmel in the Collected Works of St. John of the Cross (Washington: ICS Publications, 1991) 296. John was a reformer of the Carmelite order with Teresa of Ávila in Spain.

It would be enlightening to have a reformer saint like John of the Cross as a neighbor or spiritual friend! Our world bombards us with messages, such “to rejoice over riches,” and he rightly reminds us to celebrate rather when they are “spent and employed in the service of God.”

John helps us see life through the lens of the cross so that we stay “on the road of eternal life” rather than get too comfortable here on earth. Let’s champion this perspective today with God’s help, for our own well being and the good of our neighbors.

Father in heaven, we rejoice not in earthly riches, but in the eternal life we have in you! Help us, by your Holy Spirit, to use the riches you shower on us for your service, so people may come to know Jesus. Amen.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6 (cf. Proverbs 3:34, 29:23; Matthew 23:12; 1 Peter 5:5)

“If we think the Lord has given us a certain grace, we must understand that it is a blessing which we have received but which He may take away from us again, as indeed, in the great providence of God, often happens. Have you never observed this yourselves, sisters? I certainly have: sometimes I think I am extremely detached, and, in fact, when it comes to the test, I am; yet at other times I find I have such attachment to things which the day before I should perhaps have scoffed at that I hardly know myself…

That being so, who can say that he possesses any virtue, or that he is rich, if at the time when he most needs this virtue he finds himself devoid of it? No, sisters: let us rather think of ourselves as lacking it and not run into debt without having the means of repayment…

If others, thinking we are good, bestow favors and honours upon us, both they and we shall look foolish when, as I say, it becomes clear that our virtues are only lent us. The truth is that, if we serve the Lord with humility, He will sooner or later succour us in our needs. But, if we are not strong in this virtue, the Lord will leave us to ourselves, as they say, at every step. This is a great favor on His part, for it helps us to realize fully that we have nothing which has not been given us.”

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) helped people find inward peace with God during times that were outwardly troubled linked to the Spanish Inquisition. Her most famous work is Interior Castle, and this except comes from The Way of Perfection, and Conceptions of Divine Love.

The Way of Perfection, and Conceptions of Divine Love provides a sampling of Teresa’s contribution to the Counter-Reformation happening in the Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation. While Luther (in Germany) and Calvin (in Switzerland) were fighting the battle for the Christian mind and establishing separate Christian movements outside of the Catholic Church, Teresa (in Spain) was fighting the battle for people to love God deeply in their hearts, and urging for change within the Catholic Church. As an agent of reform, Teresa founded the order of Discalced Carmelites with John of the Cross, whom we will hear from tomorrow.

Scholars note that her inspiration for writing this book came from reading the classic work, The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis. The Way of Perfection, and Conceptions of Divine Love contains 42 chapters. The first 18 chapters or so deal with life in the order, while the remaining chapters focus on aspects and approaches to growth in the spiritual life. Today’s reading gave me deeper insight to the oft quoted statement in Scripture: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

God is generous and gives us grace at every turn. He gives us grace to attach to that which is good and detach from that which is unhealthy or harmful for us. He gives us grace to serve, grace to love, grace to give, grace for every aspect of the Christian life. We must not, however, in modern terms, think “we have arrived” lest pride overtake us. The idea that virtues are only “lent us” helped me realize that that the inner posture of the generous person must focus on humility if there be any generosity in outward living.

Think about it. She concludes by helping the sisters (and us) understand that the reason the Lord wants us to take a perpetual posture of humility is so that our own pride does not destroy us: “This is a great favour on His part, for it helps us to realize fully that we have nothing which has not been given us.” Teresa generously blessed others because she fixed her heart on humility before the Lord, and in so doing, God made her a conduit of blessing. Make it so, Lord, in each of our lives!

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38

“A person should not be miserly when God our Lord has been so generous with him. We shall have peace and kindness in proportion to how much of them we have given in this life.” Letter 2 (1532)

“By obedience one puts aside all one is, one dispossesses oneself of all that one has, in order to be possessed and governed by divine providence.” Letter 31 (1553)

Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), Spanish founder of the Society of Jesus and author of Spiritual Exercises, in St. Ignatius of Loyola: Personal Writings (New York: Penguin, 1996) 120, 255.

In reading some of the letters by Ignatius, I discovered these two statements, so hopefully you find today’s post doubly good. To give you a frame of reference, Ignatius was born an aristocrat and became a bold soldier. He had a reputation for emerging from battles unscathed until a cannonball badly damaged one of his legs in 1521. While recovering, he read “De Vita Christi” (The life of Christ), which changed his life.

In 1522 he joined a Benedictine monastery. In 1523 he traveled to the Holy Land and back. These were troubled times due to the Spanish Inquisition, so by 1531, he traveled to Paris, France, for further theological education. This first quote comes from a letter during his season of study. He appears to be mapping out his rule of life while exploring the teachings of Jesus. The first quote echoes today’s biblical text.

Some time later, in 1540, his order, the Society of Jesus, was approved by the Pope. By the time of his death in 1556 he had established 35 schools with over 1,000 members. As you notice above, the second excerpt comes from his personal advice to society members late in his life. The tone sounds like that of a mentor sharing with young Christ followers what he could only have learned by experience.

These two statements provide priceless counsel for us today! Let us not be “miserly” but choose a generous measure for dispensing “peace and kindness” to others. We must choose the proportion such as we’d like to receive. And let us set aside ourselves, our will, our possessions, which actually entangle us, and “be possessed and governed by divine providence” so that God’s love flows richly through us.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

“Now the time requireth to declare another cause of our sedition, which is the greedy desire and, as it were, worshipping of riches, wherewith both the high and low sort being too much blinded have brought our realm to this point. And surely nothing more hath caused great and puissant armies, realms, and empires to be overthrown, than hath done the insatiable covetousness of worldly goods. For hereby, as by a most strong poison, whole realms many times have come to ruin, which seemed else to have endured forever: sundry commonwealths, which before were conserved in unity, have by incurable disorder been divided and separated into many parts.

This manner of vice, if it be unseemly unto any other people, to them surely that profess Christ it is utterly shameful and detestable; which above all nations should be the true esteemers and lovers of pure godly things which be eternal and immortal, and ought to seek for right judgment and estimation of things only at their own profession. For as many of us as be truly called Christians of Christ, do confess that we be redeemed by him, not through the vain and uncertain riches of this world, but through the strong and perfect obedience whereby he submitted himself unto his Father, to be obedient even unto the death of the cross.

Worldly-wisemen esteem worldly riches and wealth above all other things; but the wisdom of God esteemeth obedience above all things, that is to say, that a man should submit his will to God’s will, that he should not desire to use anything in this world, no, not his own life, but as it shall please God and be to his glory; and to be content with that state, place, and degree, that God, the Author of all good things, hath called him unto. With this sacrifice of obedience Christ did reconcile us unto his Father, humbling himself to his Father’s will even to the death of the cross; and he hath commanded all them that profess to be his disciples to follow this his example.”

Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) in “A Sermon Concerning the Time of Rebellion” in Miscellaneous Writings and Letters of Thomas Cranmer (Cambridge: University Press, 1846) 192. Cranmer was the leader of the Protestant Reformation in England and the Archbishop of Canterbury. He wrote the first two editions of the Book of Common Prayer. As you may recall, I did my PhD studies at a leading Anglican school for training ordinands for the Church of England, Trinity College Bristol, so I hold saints like Cranmer in high regard!

I believe we too live in an era when “insatiable covetousness” has its grip on many, even among the rulers of the kingdoms of the earth. We as Christians must not let it destroy us. This vice can worm its way into our hearts. How can we avoid it? We must not seek after “vain and uncertain riches” to secure or sustain us but obediently follow the Father’s plan for us. That’s what Jesus did. Even to the point of embracing death on a cross.

So what’s better than worldly riches? As Cranmer puts it, “the wisdom of God” is greater than anything else! That wisdom calls us as Christians to obedience and submission. When we choose this path, don’t lose anything. We gain everything. We find contentment and freedom because we have Christ. This realization also positions us to live generously in a world gripped with greed and where earthly kingdoms are destroyed by avarice.

Only in obedience and submission do we learn that having Christ means having everything we will ever need. This wisdom helps us find contentment not in having lots of stuff, but in having Christ. This wisdom transforms our greed into generosity. Without this humble obedience, it’s impossible to be generous. The “poison” of the vice of greed will render us detestable. With it, our lives will reflect the generosity of Christ to the world. God give us your wisdom in abundance!