“The Fatherhood Element” Pastor Brown

Sermon 94 -- On Family Religion

John Wesley — text from the 1872 edition

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Josh. 24:15

It is undoubtedly true, that if you are steadily determined to walk in this path; to endeavour by every possible means, that you and your house may thus serve the Lord; that every member of you family may worship him, not only in form, but in spirit and in truth; you will have need to use all the grace, all the courage, all the wisdom which God has given you; for you will find such hinderances in the way, as only the mighty power of God can enable you to break through. You will have all the saints of the world to grapple with, who will think you carry things too far. You will have all the powers of darkness against you, employing both force and fraud; and, above all, the deceitfulness of your own heart; which, if you will hearken to it, will supply you with many reasons why you should be a little more conformable to the world. But as you have begun, go on in the name of the Lord, and in the power of his might! Set the smiling and the frowning world, with the prince thereof, at defiance. Follow reason and the oracles of God; not the fashions and customs of men. “Keep thyself pure.” Whatever others do, let you and your house “adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.” Let you, your yoke-fellow, your children, and your servants, be all on the Lord’s side; sweetly drawing together in one yoke, walking in all his commandments and ordinances, till every one of you “shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour!”


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

"“Fire of the Holy Spirit”" Pastor Brown

Sermon 141 -- On the Holy Spirit

John Wesley — Preached at St. Mary’s, Oxford, on Whitsunday, 1736

“Now the Lord is that Spirit.”

2 Cor. 3:17

“O God, who in all ages hast taught the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.”


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

"Transformed Into the Visible Love of Jesus" Pastor Brown

Sermon 18 -- The Marks of the New Birth

Wesley — text of the 1872 edition

“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters covers the sea.”

Isa. 11:9.

1. How is every one that is “born of the Spirit,” — that is, born again, — born of God? What is meant by the being born again, the being born of God, or being born of the Spirit? What is implied in the being a son or a child of God, or having the Spirit of adoption? That these privileges, by the free mercy of God, are ordinarily annexed to baptism (which is thence termed by our Lord in a preceding verse, the being “born of water and of the Spirit”) we know; but we would know what these privileges are: What is the new birth?

2. Perhaps it is not needful to give a definition of this, seeing the Scripture gives none. But as the question is of the deepest concern to every child of man; since, “except a man be born again,” born of the Spirit, “he cannot see the kingdom of God;” I propose to lay down the marks of it in the plainest manner, just as I find them laid down in Scripture.


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Let Your Light Shine – the Visible Love of Jesus” Pastor Brown

Sermon 3 Awake, Thou That Sleepest

Preached on Sunday April 4, 1742, before the University of Oxford, by the Rev. Charles Wesley, M.A. Student of Christ-Church.

“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters covers the sea.”

Isa. 11:9.

IN discoursing on these words, I shall, with the help of God, — First. Describe the sleepers, to whom they are spoken: Secondly. Enforce the exhortation, “Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead:” And, Thirdly. Explain the promise made to such as do awake and arise: “Christ shall give thee light.”


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Called to Be the Visible Love of God” Pastor Brown

Sermon 63 The General Spread of the Gospel

by John Wesley — text of the 1872 edition

“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters covers the sea.”

Isa. 11:9.

1. In what a condition is the world at present! How does darkness, intellectual darkness, ignorance, with vice and misery attendant upon it, cover the face of the earth! From the accurate inquiry made with indefatigable pains by our ingenious countryman, Mr. Brerewood; (who travelled himself over a great part of the known world, in order to form the more exact judgment;) supposing the world to be divided into thirty parts, nineteen of them are professed Heathens, altogether as ignorant of Christ, as if he had never come into the world: Six of the remaining parts are professed Mahometans: So that only five in thirty are so much as nominally Christians!


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Mom’s Day” Pastor Brown

Sermon 96

On Obedience to Parents

by John Wesley

8. But as for you who are little concerned about this matter, who do not make it a point of conscience to obey your parents in all things, but sometimes obey them, as it happens, and sometimes not; who frequently do what they forbid or disapprove, and neglect what they bid you do; suppose you awake out of sleep, that you begin to feel yourself a sinner, and begin to cry to God for mercy, is it any wonder that you find no answer, while you are under the guilt of unrepented sin? How can you expect mercy from God till you obey your parents? But suppose you have, by an uncommon miracle of mercy, tasted of the pardoning love of God, can it be expected, although you hunger and thirst after righteousness, after the perfect love of God, that you should ever attain it, ever be satisfied therewith, while you live in outward sin, in the wilful transgression of a known law of God, in disobedience to your parents? Is it not rather a wonder, that he has not withdrawn his Holy Spirit from you? that he still continues to strive with you, though you continually grieve his Spirit? O grieve him no more! By the grace of God, obey them in all things from this moment! As soon as you come home, as soon as you set foot within the door, begin an entirely new course! Look upon your father and mother with new eyes; see them as representing your Father which is in heaven: Endeavour, study, rejoice to please, to help, to obey them in all things: Behave not barely as their child, but as their servant for Christ’s sake. O how will you then love one another! In a manner unknown before. God will bless you to them, and them to you: All around will feel that God is with you of a truth. Many shall see it and praise God; and the fruit of it will remain when both you and they are lodged in Abraham’s bosom.


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“First and Last"-- Pastor Brown

From the Beginning to the End: John Wesley’s Doctrine of Creation

Article by Mark K. Olson

The Golden Chain

To appreciate Wesley’s theology of creation we must pause and take a closer look at his ontology of creation. From his reading of works, like John Ray’s The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of Creation and Charles Bonnet’s Contemplation de la Nature, Wesley embraced the popular idea that all creation is structured according to a hierarchical system reminiscing of a great chain. Simpler and more elemental beings are located at the bottom and more complex beings at the top. A basic chart of the chain looks like this:

  • God

  • Angels

  • Humans

  • Animals

  • Vegetation

  • Minerals

This “golden chain,” as Wesley calls it, profoundly shaped his understanding of creation and the new creation.


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Jesus, the Almighty"-- Pastor Brown

TO SPREAD SCRIPTURAL HOLINESS AND TO REFORM THE NATION: THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE THOUGHT OF JOHN WESLEY -- Kingdom of God as Orienting Concern

Article by Philip R. Hamner

What one finds in Wesley’s doctrine of the kingdom of God is a broad and cohesive focus on the full work of God in this world. Personal and corporate aspects of redemption make up the soteriological concern, while the entire doctrine is covered with eschatological concern. Given the broad appeal of the kingdom of God in Wesley’s theology is it possible to use the kingdom as a lens through which to view the shape and scope of other theological doctrines? Some have argued that the best thing to do with Wesley is to recapitulate his arguments as an ordo salutis. Others, like Randy Maddox have argued for an orienting concern which holds in tension the soteriological initiative of redemption in the grace of God with the necessary requirement of human response-ability. Perhaps another orientation in Wesley’s theology with a different focal point, namely the kingdom of God, becomes possible. Although this argument remains at an early stage of evaluation, it might be helpful to review questions that help evaluate this possibility, based on the initial evidence. First, does the kingdom maintain a sufficient place in Wesley’s writings to warrant such a claim? Certainly, the lengthy and extensive work by Wesley on the Sermon on the Mount and his growing interest in the New Creation toward the end of his life give scholars plenty of room to consider the kingdom as a central concern for Wesley. Second, does an orientation around the kingdom of God offer a fuller and richer expression of the various nuances of Wesley’s thinking? It appears reasonable to think of the kingdom as providing a more central role for political theology. However, does this orienting concern provide a suitable focus for the soteriological burden which Wesley’s work carries?


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Seeing the Risen Christ"-- Pastor Brown

Then he appeared to James

Article by Dan LeRoy

Ask James — he’ll tell you it is life changing.

History records that some 30 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christians in Jerusalem were causing so much uproar with their life-changing message that a group of Jewish leaders came to James. They acknowledged how well respected and influential he was in the city and asked him to address the people, assuring them that this business of Jesus being the divine Messiah was not true. They put James up high on the temple wall during Passover and called the people to attention.

When they gave James the opportunity to speak, he declared with force and conviction that Jesus was indeed the risen Lord and was their only way to salvation. Enraged, the leaders threw him off the high ledge into the valley below. The fall did not kill him, and struggling, he gathered himself up on his knees and prayed for the forgiveness of his persecutors. This even further enraged them, and they began stoning him. He was dispatched from this life to the next when a man stepped up and crushed his head with a vicious swing of a wooden pole.

Tradition says that when James’ family and friends retrieved his battered body and began to prepare it for burial, they discovered enormous callouses on his knees. He had spent so much time in prayer, his knees looked like the knees of a camel.


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Palm Sunday"-- Pastor Brown

The Problem of Palm Sunday

Article by Jonathan Parnell

Pastor, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! (Luke 19:38)

Some Pharisees try to get Jesus to make the crowd stop. They ask him to rebuke the people for what they’re saying — the whole “Blessed is the King” bit.


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Decide"-- Pastor Brown

John Wesley organized the people into three types of groups: societies, which we spoke of yesterday, where larger groups of Christians in one area would gather to worship, pray, and hear the Word; and then there were also classes, which were smaller groups of 10-12, where the people could discuss things and talk about their own Christian walk over the last week; and then there were bands, which were small groups of 3 or 4 people of the same gender and age usually, who would get very serious and honest with each other to keep each other accountable in their quest for Christian perfection.

Some people think that the small group phenomenon in church happened in the last 30 years. But Wesley was doing it 260 years before! He believed strongly in Christian people watching over each other and helping each other along the road.


Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

25th Anniversary Celebration

Loving One Another

From Christian Perfection — John Wesley

6. The Danger of Schism 

Beware of schism, of making a tear in the Church of Christ. Ceasing to have a reciprocal love ​“for one another” (1 Cor. 12:25), is inner disunity which is at the very root of all outward separation. Beware of everything which leads to this separation. Beware of a dividing spirit. 

Therefore, do not say, ​“I am of Paul,” or ​“I am of Apollos.” This is the very thing which caused the schism at Corinth. Do not say, ​“This is my preacher, the best preacher in England. Give me him and you can have all the rest.” All this tends to breed division, to disunite those whom God has joined. 

Do not despise or run down any preacher. Do not exalt anyone above the rest lest you hurt both him and the cause of God. Do not bear hard upon any preacher because of some inconsistency or inaccuracy of expression; no, not even for some mistake, even if you are right. 

Do not even give a single thought of separating from your brethren, whether their opinions agree with yours or not. Just because someone does not agree with everything you say does not mean that they are sinning. Nor is this or that opinion essential to the work of God. Be patient with those who disagree with you. Do not condemn those who do not see things just as you do, or who think it is their duty to contradict you, whether in a great thing or a small. 

O, beware of touchiness, of testiness, of an unwillingness to be corrected. Beware of being provoked to anger at the least criticism, and avoiding those who do not accept your word.

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

"Endure"-- Pastor Brown

Loving One Another

From Christian Perfection — John Wesley

5. The Danger of Desiring Anything but God 

Also, beware of desiring anything other than God. Jesus said, ​“If your eye remains single your whole body shall be full of light.” Do not allow the desire for tasteful food or any other pleasure of the senses, the desire of pleasing the eye or the imagination, the desire for money or praise or power, to rule you. While you have the ability to feel these desires, you are not compelled to feel them. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free! 

Be an example to all of denying yourself and taking up your cross daily. Let others see that you are not interested in any pleasure that does not bring you nearer to God, nor regard any pain which does. Let them see that you simply aim at pleasing God in everything. Let the language of your heart sing out with regard to pleasure or pain, riches or poverty, honor or dishonor, ​“All’s alike to me, so I in my Lord may live and die!”

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

"Seek His Face"-- Pastor Brown

Loving One Another

From Christian Perfection — John Wesley

4. The Danger of Sins of Omission 

Sins of omission are avoiding to do good of any kind when we have the opportunity. We must beware of these sins and, instead, be zealous of good works. Do all the good you possibly can to the bodies and souls of your neighbors. Be active. Give no place to laziness. Be always busy, losing no shred of time. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. 

Also, be slow to speak. It is said, ​“In a multitude of words sin abounds.” Try not to talk too much, or for a long period of time. Not many people can converse profitably beyond an hour’s time. Especially avoid pious ​“chit-chat” or religious gossip. 

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“An Opportune Time"-- Pastor Brown

Loving One Another

From Christian Perfection — John Wesley

3. The Danger of Antinomianism, or Lawlessness 

Third, I caution you to beware of antinomianism, which is the belief that there is no need for laws in the life of the believer. That great truth that ​“Christ is the end of the law” may betray us into this belief if we do not consider that Christ himself adopted every point of the moral law! Beware of thinking, ​“Because I have the love of God I do not need holiness,” or ​“Since I pray all the time I have no need for set times of private prayer,” or ​“Because I am spiritual I have no need for self-examination.” 

Instead, let this be our thought: ​“I prize thy commandments above gold or precious stones. O, what love I have found in your laws! All the day long I will study in it.” We must beware of self-indulgence, or of mocking self-denial, fasting, or abstinence. We cannot cry out, ​“Only believe, believe!” and call others ​“legalists” who are trying to live as Scripture teaches. We must remember that ​“by works our faith is made perfect.” 

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Metamorphosis"-- Pastor Brown

Loving One Another

From Christian Perfection — John Wesley

2. The Danger of Enthusiasm 

Also, beware of the daughter of pride: enthusiasm. By enthusiasm I mean the tendency to hastily ascribe everything to God, supposing dreams and voices and visions to be special revelations that God has given to you. While they may be from God, they may also be from the devil. Therefore, ​“believe not every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they be of God.” Test all things by the written word of God, and let all bow down before it. 

You are in danger of enthusiasm every time you depart even a little from the Scriptures. We must never depart from the plain meaning of Scripture, and we must always take it in the context in which it was written. But keep in mind that we must not despise reason, knowledge, or human learning, every one of which is a gift of God and was given to serve a purpose. 

One general inlet to enthusiasm is expecting the end without the means: expecting knowledge, for instance, without searching the Scriptures and consulting with the people of God, or expecting spiritual strength without constant prayer and steady watchfulness, or expecting God to bless you without hearing the word of God at every opportunity. 

Another inlet to enthusiasm may be the very desire to ​“grow in grace.” For some people this will continually lead them to seek ​“new” grace and thereby lead us to seek something other than new degrees of loving God and our neighbor. Some will think they have come upon a new grace when they have discovered what it means to be ​“one with Christ” or to ​“die with Christ.” When we take a fresh teaching from the Scriptures to heart, we must not conclude that it is a ​“new” gift. We have all of these things when we are justified; all that remains is that we experience them in higher degrees. 

We should always remember that love is the highest gift of God. All of our revelations and gifts are little things compared to love. There is nothing higher in religion. If you are looking for anything else, you are looking wide of the mark. Settle in your heart that from this moment on you will aim at nothing more than that love described in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians. You can go no higher than this.

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“What Goes Around"-- Pastor Brown

Loving One Another

From Christian Perfection — John Wesley

1. The Danger of Pride

  • The first advice I would give to those who have been saved from sin by grace is to watch and pray continually against pride. For it is pride not only to ascribe what we have to ourselves, but also to think we have what we do not. One man, for instance, ascribed his knowledge to God and was therefore humble. But then he thought he had more than everyone else which is dangerous pride.

    We often think that we have no need of anyone else’s advice or reproof. Always remember, much grace does not imply much enlightenment. We may be wise but have little love, or we may have love with little wisdom. God has wisely joined us all together as the parts of a body so that we cannot say to another, ​“I have no need of you.”

    Even to imagine that those who are not saved cannot teach you is a very great and serious mistake. Dominion is not found in grace. Not observing this has led some into many mistakes and certainly into pride. Beware even the appearance of pride! Let there be in you that lowly mind which was in Christ Jesus. Be clothed with humility. Let modesty appear in all your words and actions.

    One way we do this is to own any fault we have. If you have at any time thought, spoken, or acted wrong, do not refrain from acknowledging it. Never dream that this will hurt the cause of God — in fact, it will further it. Be open and honest when you are rebuked and do not seek to evade it or disguise it. Rather, let it appear just as it is and you will thereby not hinder but adorn the gospel.

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Some Be Attitudes"-- Pastor Brown

Drawing people into the life of the church

Here are several ideas for taking things a step further and helping the person get to know other people in the church besides you.

  • Now that you are learning a little about the person, introduce them to someone else in the church. Bring them over before or after the service. “Hey! I thought you might like to meet Dawn and Bill.” Perhaps introduce them to someone they share something in common with. If they are a empty nest couple, bring over another empty nest couple and introduce them. If the person’s occupation is a nurse, introduce them to another nurse who attends the church. Etc.

  • Give them a personal invite to a church activity. Offer to save a seat for them, or meet them at the door when they arrive for the activity, or even pick them up. (It can be intimidating to show up for an activity when you don’t know anyone!)

  • Invite them to your house for dinner or invite them to meet you for coffee at a local coffee house. You could do this one-on-one with them, but inviting another person/couple/family along can be a good idea as well. Of course, let them know you are inviting someone else so they are not surprised. This can be an ideal way for them to get to know you and another person/family from the church too. In the casual atmosphere of your home or meeting for coffee, it is easier to get to know someone. And the next Sunday at church, they will hopefully feel more at ease because they will recognize some people in the service instead of feeling so isolated.

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️

 

“Catching Any?" -- Pastor Brown

Drawing people into the life of the church

Practical ways to reach out to others within the church walls.

  • Pray for perception. Pray for spiritual eyesight to notice the people on the sidelines, the lonely, or those not “plugged in” to the life of the church for whatever reasons. Pray for the heart of a shepherd.

  • At church on Sunday, instead of making a beeline for your friends and remaining in a huddle talking with them – make an effort to look around the sanctuary. Be observant. If you’ve never done this, you may want to “observe” for 2 or 3 weeks. You’d be surprised at how much you can notice simply through observation! Not only will you begin to notice people who sit all alone or just look nervous, you’ll also notice how cliquey the sanctuary can appear – lots of people in groups talking.

  • Take some action. Approach some of the people that you’ve noticed on the sidelines. Just sit down next to them and say something like: “Hi! I don’t think we’ve met. My name is Laura. What is your name?”. You could do this on your own or with your spouse. Hopefully this will naturally get a conversation going. Make an effort to remember their name and any other details you learn about them. Yes, I know, remembering names can be hard! It is okay to write things down. After your conversation when you are back at your seat, jot down their name and any other details on a piece of paper.

  • Now…Be on the lookout for them the following week! Approach them again and address them by name, and ask them about something you’d learned about them the week before. “How’s your college class going?” or “Did you get through your tough week at work?” Etc.

Click here for Video of Sunday Message

〰️

Click here for Video of Sunday Message 〰️