ALDERSGATE SUNDAY SERVICE 2020
INTRODUCTION:
Today is Aldersgate Sunday, when we remember the evangelical conversion of John Wesley, human founder of the Methodist Church. This service very much focuses on that Aldersgate theme and is intended for those who will be unable to access our Circuit Zoom Service. The opening prayers and sermon are different from the Zoom service, but everything else is the same.
We begin by hearing what are, to many Methodists, some very familiar words.
Aldersgate Reading
In October 1735 the brothers John and Charles Wesley went to Georgia in America. John went as a missionary to the colony, and Charles served as Secretary to the Governor.
Their time in Georgia proved to be far from happy. By 1738 the Wesley brothers had returned to London both disillusioned and downhearted. They saw something in the hearts of the Moravian Christians they’d met there which they thought they didn’t have. So they longed for a deeper experience of faith and forgiveness – they struggled for some time to find it. Nevertheless, the penny was to drop for them, and their lives were to be transformed: Charles first, and then we read from John’s journal what was to happen to him on the 24th May 1738, in the month before his 35th birthday. We hear the words of John Wesley,
Their time in Georgia proved to be far from happy. By 1738 the Wesley brothers had returned to London both disillusioned and downhearted. They saw something in the hearts of the Moravian Christians they’d met there which they thought they didn’t have. So they longed for a deeper experience of faith and forgiveness – they struggled for some time to find it. Nevertheless, the penny was to drop for them, and their lives were to be transformed: Charles first, and then we read from John’s journal what was to happen to him on the 24th May 1738, in the month before his 35th birthday. We hear the words of John Wesley,
‘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.
About a quarter before nine, while (the leader) 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 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.’
About a quarter before nine, while (the leader) 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 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.’
John’s life was transformed – and Charles experienced something similar. Despite being devout Christians and coming from a clerical family, their faith previously lacked assurance. John felt he had been struggling to save his own soul.
HYMN: Singing the Faith 340 “Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim”
1 Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name all-victorious of Jesus extol;
his kingdom is glorious, and rules over all.
and publish abroad his wonderful name;
the name all-victorious of Jesus extol;
his kingdom is glorious, and rules over all.
2 God ruleth on high, almighty to save;
and still he is nigh, his presence we have;
the great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.
and still he is nigh, his presence we have;
the great congregation his triumph shall sing,
ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.
3 ‘Salvation to God who sits on the throne!'
Let all cry aloud, and honour the Son;
the praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.
Let all cry aloud, and honour the Son;
the praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.
4 Then let us adore, and give him his right;
all glory and power, all wisdom and might,
all honour and blessing, with angels above,
and thanks never-ceasing, and infinite love.
all glory and power, all wisdom and might,
all honour and blessing, with angels above,
and thanks never-ceasing, and infinite love.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 340
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 340
PRAYERS:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
to you be all praise and glory!
There is none like you.
You are the giver of life and hope,
and so we worship You.
We thank you that you have invited all people to be part of your community of love, and entrusted us to be your channels of grace, life and healing in the world.
Forgive us when we fail to listen to your voice.
Forgive when our hearts are cold and hard.
Forgive us when we have not loved you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Forgive us when we fall short of the best we could be - hurting You, others, and ourselves by our words and actions.
Your Word reminds us that ‘while we were yet helpless, Christ died for the ungodly’,
may we hear Jesus’ gracious words,
“Your sins are forgiven.”
We open our hearts and minds, so Your Spirit may speak to us afresh, and we may be better able to live for you in the coming week.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
to you be all praise and glory!
There is none like you.
You are the giver of life and hope,
and so we worship You.
We thank you that you have invited all people to be part of your community of love, and entrusted us to be your channels of grace, life and healing in the world.
Forgive us when we fail to listen to your voice.
Forgive when our hearts are cold and hard.
Forgive us when we have not loved you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Forgive us when we fall short of the best we could be - hurting You, others, and ourselves by our words and actions.
Your Word reminds us that ‘while we were yet helpless, Christ died for the ungodly’,
may we hear Jesus’ gracious words,
“Your sins are forgiven.”
We open our hearts and minds, so Your Spirit may speak to us afresh, and we may be better able to live for you in the coming week.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
READINGS:
Romans 5: 1-11
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we] boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Luke 10: 1-12, 17-20
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
HYMN: Singing the Faith 666 ‘Master speak! Thy Servant Heareth”
1 Master, speak! Thy servant heareth,
waiting for thy gracious word,
longing for thy voice that cheereth;
Master, let it now be heard.
I am listening, Lord, for thee;
what hast thou to say to me?
waiting for thy gracious word,
longing for thy voice that cheereth;
Master, let it now be heard.
I am listening, Lord, for thee;
what hast thou to say to me?
2 Speak to me by name, O Master,
let me know it is to me;
speak, that I may follow faster,
with a step more firm and free,
where the Shepherd leads the flock
in the shadow of the rock.
let me know it is to me;
speak, that I may follow faster,
with a step more firm and free,
where the Shepherd leads the flock
in the shadow of the rock.
3 Master, speak! Though least and lowest,
let me not unheard depart;
Master, speak! For O thou knowest
all the yearning of my heart,
knowest all its truest need;
speak, and make me blest indeed.
let me not unheard depart;
Master, speak! For O thou knowest
all the yearning of my heart,
knowest all its truest need;
speak, and make me blest indeed.
4 Master, speak: and make me ready,
when thy voice is truly heard,
with obedience glad and steady
still to follow every word.
I am listening, Lord, for thee;
Master, speak! O speak to me!
when thy voice is truly heard,
with obedience glad and steady
still to follow every word.
I am listening, Lord, for thee;
Master, speak! O speak to me!
Frances Ridley Havergal (1836–1879)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 66
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 66
SERMON:
I guess that Aldersgate Sunday is the nearest that Methodism ever comes to celebrating a saints day, as we remember the two brothers who found Methodism, John and Charles Wesley.
I began our service this morning by reading the account of John Wesley’s spiritual experience at a society in Aldersgate Street on 24th May 1738. Some have called that experience Wesley’s conversion, although I’m not so much sure it was a conversion as a coming to a fresh realisation of the true meaning of the gospel and an experience of the power of the Holy Spirit, of God’s closeness and love.
John Wesley wrote, “I felt I did trust in 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.’
This realisation completely transformed John Wesley and his ministry. He felt an assurance that he had indeed been saved from eternal death by faith in Jesus; and it is an assurance that can be experienced by each one of us in this church today.
In our passage from Romans we read, “But God has shown us how much he loves us – it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us.”
The Cross of Christ is the supreme demonstration of God’s love for us. We human beings did nothing whatsoever to deserve the cross; it is God’s free offering to us. There is nothing at all we can do to earn our salvation and the promise of eternal life, nothing at all. It doesn’t matter what rules we follow, it doesn’t matter how many charitable deeds we do, it doesn’t matter how good we are; we can do nothing to earn our salvation; it is a free gift from a loving God.
This side of heaven we may never fully understand what God did for us in Jesus on the cross. There are many theories from learned theologians about exactly how Jesus death on the cross saved us from the consequences of our sins and when I was training to be a Methodist Minister I had to read about more than a few of them, some are very simple and some very complex. Yet at the end of it all a simple and profound truth hit me, Christ died on the cross and, as a result, anybody who confesses and repents of their sin and acknowledges Jesus as Saviour and Lord is restored to a right relationship with God and has the assurance of eternal life.
Salvation is the free gift of a loving God to his children and there is nothing we can do to earn that salvation, yet there is something that we must do to claim it for ourselves. We claim that salvation and the forgiveness that it by confession and repentance. Repentance isn’t just feeling a bit guilty or sorry for our sin, repentance means turning around and going the other way. If sin is a failure to love God then if we repent we do the opposite, we give our loving God the love he deserves. We do that by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We do that by worshipping him, not only in church with our brothers and sisters in Christ but in the way we live our lives as lives filled with love.
Christianity isn’t about rules, regulations and laws; that was Judaism. Christianity is simply about love. It is about loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and loving our neighbour as ourselves. It we let love be our sole motivation we don’t need long lists of rules and regulations because living a life of self-sacrificial love, the same kind of love that sent Christ to the cross, means that we will be living as God wants us to live.
Many sermons I’ve heard over the years have ended with exhortations to live better lives, to attend worship more often, to read our Bibles more or to pray more. I’m not going to ask you to do any of that today. All I’m going to challenge us to do is to love as God wants us to love, by loving God first, others second and ourselves last of all.
God, in his love, sent his only Son Jesus to die on the cross so that we might receive forgiveness of our sins and the gift of eternal life. He loved us so much that he stretched out his arms and died.
John Wesley understood this, and as a result wrote, “I felt I did trust in 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.”
It is my prayer that each one of us reading this today could echo those words of Wesley, because they are true in our own lives and hearts.
PRAYERS:
Loving Heavenly Father,
we bring you our prayers in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May your Holy Spirit guide us as we pray.
we bring you our prayers in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May your Holy Spirit guide us as we pray.
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
thankful for your love.
We pray today for your created world,
for people and situations we know about through the media or through our own relationships, thinking especially of the family and friends of Aya from our ARC Community.
We pray for ourselves, as we seek to live out our lives faithfully, graciously, and compassionately
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
for people and situations we know about through the media or through our own relationships, thinking especially of the family and friends of Aya from our ARC Community.
We pray for ourselves, as we seek to live out our lives faithfully, graciously, and compassionately
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
We pray for the church, giving thanks for those working alongside the marginalised, persecuted and dispossessed people groups around the world.
As churches and church leaders continue to find ways to work together and to share Good News and grace throughout the world, we pray for greater opportunities for collaboration and community engagement during the current crisis and as we go forwards.
As we remember John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience, we pray for a deeper call to mission to be felt and expressed by your Church. We pray especially for people who are living out their faith in their day to day lives: at work, with family and friends, and in local community groups. Warm our hearts that we too may take opportunities to change the world.
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
As churches and church leaders continue to find ways to work together and to share Good News and grace throughout the world, we pray for greater opportunities for collaboration and community engagement during the current crisis and as we go forwards.
As we remember John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience, we pray for a deeper call to mission to be felt and expressed by your Church. We pray especially for people who are living out their faith in their day to day lives: at work, with family and friends, and in local community groups. Warm our hearts that we too may take opportunities to change the world.
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
We pray for people known to us, who are struggling to cope with life, relationships, hurts and doubts; especially those who are ill, in pain, frightened or angry.
Heal those who are sick in body, mind and spirit,
Equip those who work with the sick and dying,
By your Holy Spirit, draw alongside those who care for their loved ones, enabling them to know that they too are loved, precious, needed and trusted – amidst and despite the struggles they face.
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
We pray for ourselves,
Asking for a blessed assurance of your love and grace throughout this week,
Help us to recognise that we are loved, precious, needed and trusted children of God.
In turn, help us to act upon those moments where we might be able to make a difference to the world through what we say, what we do, and who we are as followers of Jesus.
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
Receive our prayers in Jesus’ name, who taught us when we pray to say…
Our Father….
Asking for a blessed assurance of your love and grace throughout this week,
Help us to recognise that we are loved, precious, needed and trusted children of God.
In turn, help us to act upon those moments where we might be able to make a difference to the world through what we say, what we do, and who we are as followers of Jesus.
We offer the prayers of our broken hearts,
thankful for your love.
Receive our prayers in Jesus’ name, who taught us when we pray to say…
Our Father….
HYMN: Singing the Faith 345 “And Can It Be?”
1 And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Saviour's blood?
Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
an interest in the Saviour's blood?
Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
2 'Tis mystery all: the Immortal dies!
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the first-born seraph tries
to sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
let angel minds enquire no more.
Who can explore his strange design?
In vain the first-born seraph tries
to sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
let angel minds enquire no more.
3 He left his Father's throne above —
so free, so infinite his grace —
emptied himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
for, O my God, it found out me!
so free, so infinite his grace —
emptied himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
for, O my God, it found out me!
4 Long my imprisoned spirit lay
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray —
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light,
my chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quickening ray —
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light,
my chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
5 No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine!
Alive in him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach the eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ, my own.
Jesus, and all in him, is mine!
Alive in him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach the eternal throne,
and claim the crown, through Christ, my own.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 345
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 345
PRAYER:
Almighty God, as you kindled the flame of sacred love in the heart of your servant John Wesley, so we pray that your love will burn within us and illuminate our minds: Grant to us, we pray, such a warming of our hearts, that we, being set afire by holy love, may spread its flame to the uttermost parts of the earth. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BLESSING:
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
Be with us now and for evermore. Amen.
BLESSING:
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
Be with us now and for evermore. Amen.
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