Friday, February 7,
2014
While I’ve been sharing this week about what
moved me along in my journey to worship with Methodists, there is a larger
picture in view than just my story. It
is the question: considering all the denominations
and different ways of worship, different doctrines, worship styles, how shall
we view and treat each other across those lines?
God has given us a few (hundred)
examples. John Wesley preached from a
great text which captures the spirit of God’s way for us to be different and
still cooperate.
In his sermon “Catholic Spirit”[1] Wesley
described Jehu as a “mixed character”.
He was a hard-driving political type, city-dweller. On a mission to clear the land of idols, false
religion and apostasy, Jehu met Jehonadab, a tent-dwelling, aesthetic who would
have nothing to do with cities and wine parties. Yet Jehonadab was fiercely devoted to Moses’
law and serving God.
You could not have found
two totally different men; yet both shared a passion to serve God.
Jehu asked Jehonadab two questions, the first
of which was – Is your heart right? Jehu
was asking him, are you a child of God?
Jesus would later explain what that’s like:
“‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your
mind.’ This
is the first and greatest commandment. A
second is equally important: ‘Love your
neighbor as yourself.’ The
entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two
commandments.” Matthew 22:37 - 40 (KJV)
It’s important
to note that Jehu did not ask Jehonadab if he lived like Jehu lived, or would
sign a doctrinal statement of agreement.
He wasn’t interested if Jehu called himself a Methodist or Presbyterian,
or even if he liked NASCAR; Jehu was interested to know if Jehonadab’s heart
was passionate for God.
This is what
Wesley described as a “catholic[2]
spirit”. This is the spirit of Jesus’
loving God and neighbor. Catholic spirit
is catholic love.
Jehu’s second
question to Jehonadab was simpler – take my hand? It simply meant, let me help you up here in this
chariot so we can join together and get busy.
I believe Wesley
got to the heart of it when he preached this sermon – he didn’t demand a person
take communion like he did, or at all.
He wasn’t interested in your method of baptism, or if you baptized at
all. He didn’t care if you used written
prayers or let it flow extemporaneously.
What he cared about was whether you love and serve Almighty God and all
people.
Wesley finished
his sermon this way:
Let
all these smaller points stand aside. Let them never come into sight "If thine
heart is as my heart," if thou lovest God and all mankind, I ask no more: "give me thine hand."
Therein is my understanding of the answer to the
larger question about denominations, switching and whether you’re left-leaning or
right-leaning. Put the junk aside and let
your love for God BE your love for others.
We live in a culture of anger, selfishness and
finger-pointing. How can we possibly talk
about the love of Christ when, even inside the church, we make so much over which
way is right, and who should be in charge? We must stand with our hearts right and hands extended
in a catholic spirit.
Today…for you:
Heart
checkup time; do you love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength?
Are you ready to deny self and offer your
hand to others…even those who hurt you?
Catholic spirit rocks!
Portions of this last part of the series was influenced
by my reading the thoughts of Dr. Don Haynes, a former professor of mine.
You can read Dr. Haynes' blog “Wesleyan Wisdom” on this topic here: http://unitedmethodistreporter.com/2013/09/27/wesleyan-wisdom-can-united-methodists-learn-pope-francis/
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