WEDNESDAYS WITH WESLEY

IMMANUEL

Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar found themselves worshipping at a candle light service when they beheld a cloud of witnesses.  They thought of the dear departed who had taught them how to seek the Christ child.  They thought of John Wesley, a circuit rider indeed, who rode 250,000 miles on horseback, a distance equal to ten circuits around the globe.  At John Wesley’s death in 1791, his followers numbered 79,000 in England and 40,000 in America.  But John Wesley lived at a time when the church did not really celebrate Christmas.  So, for all his preaching, and the 40,000 sermons he wrote and preached, not one of them was a Christmas sermon.  “Is that true?” said Caspar.  “Yes.” said Melchior.  Balthazar looked at them, “My friends, then we shall have to be brother John Wesley’s Christmas sermon.

SCRIPTURE:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.   In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5,9-14)

FOOLISH WISDOM:  When John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, lay on his deathbed, he was heard repeating softly a phrase that reflected a lifetime of earnest meditation on the Christian life.  In his last hours, Wesley said simply, “The best of all is, God is with us.” (Paul Thigpen, A Reason for Joy)

TWO MUSIC SELECTIONS:

All Is Well by Michael W. Smith

CCLI Song #355008, CCLI License #2740836

Jason Moon and Margaret Tobat, duet

Laura Hesse, piano

Weihnachtstraum (Christmas Dream) by Max Reger

Laura Hesse, organ