“The gift of God for the people of God…“
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. [1] 2 Corinthians 9:10
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement in the 18th century, established three essential rules for the Oxford Holy Club. These rules are pivotal in guiding our actions:
**General Rule #1: Do no harm.** This principle is critical. It's about consciously avoiding actions that could cause injury to ourselves, others, or our relationship with God. There are many strategies to implement this rule in our daily lives.
**General Rule #2: Do good.** While doing no harm sets the groundwork, actively doing good is where we make a difference. The distinction lies in taking initiative to positively impact the lives of others. There are countless opportunities to extend kindness and support.
**General Rule #3: Attend upon all the ordinances of God.** Engaging in practices like church attendance, communion, prayer, and Bible study is vital for spiritual growth. My favorite way to deepen my relationship with God is through consistent prayer and reflection.
Throughout my ministry, I have committed myself to these rules. I will admit that I haven’t always upheld them perfectly, but I strive toward that ideal. It's about embracing progress rather than perfection.
The apostle Paul, in his second letter to a challenging church, wrote:
"He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your seed store and enlarge the harvest of your righteousness."
This message underscores that God is the source of all our blessings and will amplify the fruits of our righteousness. However, it also reminds us there are times to prioritize righteousness over being correct.
A wise pastor reminded me, “There are moments to heed your wife’s advice and not to. Pilate should have listened to his wife regarding Jesus; Abram should not have listened to Sarah when she suggested he take her Egyptian slave.” I'll leave it to you to discern when to choose wisely.
Righteousness is not merely about being right; it's about advocating for the poor, immigrants—documented or not—marginalized communities of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, disabled veterans, and the elderly in care facilities who wait in solitude. It's critical to also acknowledge the many former churchgoers who suffer due to bigotry related to skin color, gender, and sexuality.
For over 2,000 years, the Church of Jesus Christ has committed grave errors in the name of God, the Bible, and self-preservation. If we do not learn from our history and recognize the sins of our past and present, we risk perpetuating them in the future.
I am driven by righteous indignation rather than the desire to be right. I aim to illuminate sin within the Church, but first and foremost, I must confront my own shortcomings.
When Wesley made his pioneering trip to the American colonies, he went to Georgia, where he was engaged to Governor’s daughter, Sophie Hopkey. When she broke off their engagement, the situation escalated. Some time later, Sophie and her new fiancé entered the church where Wesley was officiating Communion, and in a confrontation, he withheld Communion from them, a serious moral offense in that time.
As a result, the governor dispatched the militia after John Wesley, forcing him to flee until he could escape back home. In his journals, he reflected:
**The Voyage to England**
“My mind was now full of thought; part of which I wrote down as follows: ‘I went to America to convert the Indians; but oh! who shall convert me? Who, what is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of mischief? I have a fair summer religion. I can talk well; nay, and believe myself, while danger is not near; but let death look me in the face, and my spirit is troubled. Nor can I say, 'To die is gain!'”
However, on May 5, 1738, Wesley’s heart was “strangely warmed,” and he received the assurance of salvation in Jesus. This revelation was transformative.
Wesley’s three rules are to keep us in righteousness with God. He did not want us to be right!
So this week: Do no harm, stay in love with God, and attend to all the ordinances of the church!
Do this, and you will grow in your salvation and holiness unto God.
[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Co 9:10–11.
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