John Wesley - Sermon 14
Lent week 1 | Year B | Mark 1:9-15 | Wesley and AI
This week is the first Sunday of Lent. I thought it might be interesting to see how ChatGPT summarizes John Wesley's , "The Repentance of Believers" I maintained Wesley's numbering to make it easier to compare to those so inclined.
"Repent and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15)
1. Many people think that repentance and faith are only important when we first start following Christianity. They believe that these are only needed at the beginning of our journey towards God's kingdom. This idea seems supported by the Apostle Paul, who told the Hebrew Christians to move beyond the basic teachings about repentance and faith, urging them to aim for spiritual maturity.
2. It's true that there's a specific kind of repentance and faith needed at the start. We need to acknowledge our sins and our need for God's forgiveness, and then accept His love and grace into our lives.
3. But even after we become believers, repentance and faith remain crucial. We need them to keep growing spiritually and to keep following Jesus. So, what does it mean to repent and believe after we've already accepted the gospel? This is a big question that we need to think about carefully.
I. Let's start by understanding what it means to repent.
1. Repentance often refers to a change of heart, turning away from sin and choosing to live a holy life. But here, we're talking about it in a different way. It's about recognizing that we're still sinners, even though we're now part of God's family.
2. When we first experience God's forgiveness and love, it's easy to think that we're completely free from sin. Some people even believe that once they've been forgiven, they'll never sin again. However, this isn't true. While we're forgiven and made new in Christ, we still struggle with sin. Acknowledging this ongoing struggle is an important part of the repentance we're talking about.
3. Sometimes, even after thinking they've gotten rid of all their sins, a person might still find pride in their heart. They realize they've thought too highly of themselves and taken credit for things they didn't really earn. But even though they know God loves them, they shouldn't lose faith in themselves. They still feel God's Spirit confirming they're His children.
4. Soon, they might notice their own will conflicting with what God wants. Every person has their own desires, which is a natural part of being human. Even Jesus had his own will as a human, but he always followed God's will. However, true believers sometimes find themselves wanting things that don't align with God's plan. They might want something because it feels good, even if it's not what God wants for them. Or they might not want something because it's hard, even if it's what God wants. But fighting against these desires shows they're aware of them.
5. Having our own desires and pride can be like worshipping idols instead of loving God. Even believers can struggle with this. When they first become believers, they might only want God and nothing else. But over time, they might find themselves drawn to earthly things or pleasures. They might even feel a strong urge to prioritize relationships or possessions over their relationship with God. It's easy to be tempted by things that seem exciting, even though they don't truly satisfy our deepest needs. Resisting these temptations and focusing on what truly matters can be a constant struggle.
6. If they're not careful, they might find themselves wanting things just because they look great or unique. This desire can come in many forms, even for the smallest things like clothes or furniture. Even though these things can't satisfy our deepest needs, it's natural for us to desire them. It can be hard to resist these desires, especially when they seem new or interesting.
7. It's really tough for even God's children to completely get rid of the pride of life! It's like when we want people to think highly of us and we get happy when they do. And along with that, we're scared of people thinking badly of us. Sometimes, we even feel ashamed of things we should be proud of. And being scared of what people think can cause a lot of trouble in our hearts. Even people who seem strong in their faith still have some of these bad feelings lingering inside them.
8. Do we ever notice ourselves feeling things that go against loving our neighbor? Love for others means not thinking bad things about them. But do we ever feel jealous or suspicious of others for no good reason? If we're honest, we'll realize we sometimes have these feelings. Maybe we feel envy when someone has something we want but can't have. Or maybe we feel angry when someone we cared about hurts us. Sometimes, we might even want to get back at them instead of forgiving them. These feelings show that we still have a lot in our hearts that's not loving towards others.
9. Being greedy, wanting more and more, goes against loving others just as much as it goes against loving God. Whether it's wanting more money or just wanting to have more stuff, it's not good for us. Not many people, not even those who believe in God, are completely free from being greedy. Martin Luther, a great man, once said he never felt greedy, but that's pretty rare. It's likely that everyone who's ever lived, except Jesus, has felt greedy at some point. So, it's clear that even those who believe in God still struggle with greed, pride, stubbornness, and anger.
10. This realization has led many serious people to think that a part of the Bible talks about them, not people who don't know God but those who do. They believe that even after we're forgiven by God, there's still a part of us that's not completely changed. It's like we still have a part of us that wants to do bad things, even if we don't want to. This understanding helps us see that even after we start believing in God, we still need to keep turning away from bad things and asking God for help.
11. We need to understand that sin is still in our hearts, and it shows in everything we say and do. Sometimes, our words aren't just a little bit wrong; they're totally wrong. This happens when we talk badly about others or say things that don't come from love. Gossiping, telling tales, whispering mean things about people who aren't there—all of that is wrong. How many of us believers never do these things? And even if we avoid these, do we always talk about things that matter? All of this makes God sad and goes against His wishes. And remember, even our small, idle words will be judged one day.
12. Let's say we pray and try to avoid these mistakes, always keeping watch over what we say. We aim to speak kindly, but do our words come out pure and free from selfish thoughts? Do we speak only to please God or partly to please ourselves? When we do good things, do we feel proud of ourselves? Even when we're trying to help others, are we thinking of ourselves too? These thoughts show that sin is still a part of us, even when we're trying our best to be good.
13. If we really pay attention, we'll see sin in our actions too. Some things we do might seem okay to the world, but they aren't right according to God's standards. Many times, we act without thinking about God or trying to do what He wants. Even when we aim to please God, we often mix in our own desires. Our good deeds aren't always entirely good. Even when we pray or do things for God, our minds might wander, and we might feel ashamed of our actions.
14. What about the good things we should have done but didn't? We know that if we know something is right and don't do it, that's also wrong. There have been many times when we could have helped someone but chose not to. We've missed chances to pray or learn more about God. Even great people like Archbishop Usher felt this way and asked God to forgive them for not doing enough.
15. Apart from not doing what we should, we also have many flaws inside us. We don't love, fear, or trust God as much as we should. We don't love others the way we're supposed to, whether they're far away or close to us. We lack the right attitude in everything, and when we realize it, we feel ashamed and wish we were better.
16. Believers in God often feel sorry for the wrong things they do. But it's important to understand this feeling carefully. Even though they trust in Jesus and try to live the way God wants, they still can't meet God's standards perfectly. They know they deserve punishment for all the wrong things they've done. Without Jesus, they would be condemned to punishment. But because of Jesus' sacrifice, they don't face that punishment. However, many people either feel too guilty or think they're completely innocent. The truth is somewhere in between. Believers still deserve punishment, but they're saved from it because Jesus speaks for them to God.
17. Another part of feeling sorry is understanding that believers can't do good things by themselves. Even though they have faith in God, they can't think, desire, speak, or act rightly without God's help. They can resist sin and evil, but only with God's power, not their own. They can't get rid of their pride, selfishness, or love for worldly things on their own. They're also unable to stop themselves from saying or doing unkind or unhelpful things, or from missing chances to do good. They depend on God's help every moment.
18. This helplessness also means believers can't get rid of the guilt they feel or the sinful tendencies they still have, even with all the grace they've received. They can't clean up their words and actions entirely, avoid unkind or unhelpful conversations, or fix all the mistakes they've made. They're unable to fully love God and others the way they should.
19. Anyone who doubts this can try to remove sin from their life without God's help. Let them see if they can get rid of their pride, selfishness, or other sinful habits by themselves. They can try to clean up their words and actions, avoid unkind or unhelpful conversations, and fix their mistakes. The more they try, the more they'll realize they can't do it alone.
20. Almost all believers agree on one thing: even though they can resist sin and make progress, they can't completely get rid of it without God's help. They can't cleanse their hearts and hands entirely, no matter how hard they try. Only when God cleanses them again can they be free from sin completely. If there's no such second change, believers must accept that they'll keep sinning until they die, and they'll keep feeling guilty for it. As long as sin remains, their guilt grows too.
II. 1. After we're forgiven by God, we need to be sorry for the wrong things we've done. This is called repentance. Until we realize our mistakes and want to change, we can't move forward. But once we do repent, then we're called to "believe the gospel."
2. This means we should trust in the good news of salvation that God has for everyone. Believe that Jesus, who shows us what God is like, can save us completely if we come to God through him. He can save us from the sin that still lingers in our hearts, from the wrong things we say and do, and from the good things we miss doing. It's true that we can't do this on our own, but with Jesus, anything is possible. He has promised to do this in the Bible, both in the old and new parts. It says God will make us clean and help us live right. So, you have good reason to believe that Jesus is not only able but also willing to clean you up. He wants to make you clean from all the bad things you've done.
3. You might wonder if Jesus will clean you up today or wait until tomorrow. He answers, "Today, if you hear my voice, don't ignore it." If you wait until tomorrow, you're ignoring his message. So believe that he's willing to save you today. He wants to save you right now. He says, "Now is the time to be saved." Just believe, and you'll see that anything is possible for those who trust in him.
4. Keep believing in Jesus who loved you so much that he sacrificed himself for you, carrying all your sins on the cross. He saves you from all guilt by continually applying his blood. This is how we stay in a state of being made right with God. As we keep growing in faith and trusting more in Jesus, we also believe that he can cleanse us from our inner wrongdoings and save us from all our impurities. This means we're also saved from the guilt and punishment we felt before. So, we can confidently say, not just,
Every moment, Lord, I want
The merit of thy death!
but, likewise, in the full assurance of faith,
Every moment, Lord, I have
The merit of thy death!
Because of our faith in Jesus' life, death, and prayers for us, renewed each moment, we become completely clean. Now, there's no condemnation for us, and we don't deserve punishment like we did before, because the Lord purifies both our hearts and our actions.
5. With our faith in Jesus, we can feel his strength helping us all the time, making us who we are. This power is what keeps us going spiritually, and without it, even if we seem good now, we could turn bad in an instant. But as long as we believe in Jesus, we keep getting strength from the salvation he offers. When we lean on Jesus, who lives in us and gives us hope, and who prays for us to God, we get help to think, speak, and act in ways that make him happy. He guides those who believe in him in everything they do, helping them from start to finish. He cleans our thoughts and hearts through his Spirit, so we can love him perfectly and honor his name the right way.
6. So, in people who believe in God, changing our hearts and trusting him go hand in hand. When we feel sorry for our sins, we also trust in God's power to clean us up and help us. Feeling sorry helps us see the bad stuff in our hearts and actions, while faith reminds us that Jesus is always on our side, keeping us safe from punishment. Feeling sorry helps us understand that we can't fix things on our own. But with faith, we know that God is there for us whenever we need help. Feeling sorry shows we need help, but faith tells us we can do anything with God's help. With him, we can beat our bad habits and love God with everything we've got, living rightly every single day.
III. 1. We can learn a lot from what's been said about the idea that we become totally pure when we first believe in God. Some people think that when we're made right with God, all the bad stuff in our hearts disappears. It's true that when we believe, we stop letting sin control us on the outside, and the power of sin inside us gets weaker, so we don't have to do what it tells us anymore. But that doesn't mean all the bad stuff inside us is gone. We still have pride, selfishness, anger, and love for the wrong things in our hearts. Believing that we're already perfect stops us from trying to change anymore. If we think we're already perfect, we won't even try to become better people, whether slowly or quickly.
2. On the other hand, when we realize that we're not perfect yet, and there's still a lot of bad stuff in us, it shows us that we need more change. When we first believe in God, we start a new life, and we change inside from being like people who don't know God to being more like Jesus. But we're not completely changed yet. We still have sin deep down inside, and that's why we keep asking God to save us fully. People who don't see how bad their hearts are don't really care about becoming completely good. They might think they'll become perfect when they die or at some point in the future, but they don't feel a strong need for it now. They'll only start wanting to be truly good when they understand how bad they really are and ask God to show them.
3. Another thing we can learn from this is that after we believe in God and are accepted by him, it's important to keep feeling sorry for our sins. Feeling guilty, in a way, helps us understand how much we need Jesus' sacrifice to forgive us, just like we needed it before. If we don't feel sorry for our sins, we might start thinking that Jesus' sacrifice isn't that important anymore because we think all our past sins are already forgiven. But if we're still doing bad things, we're still making ourselves guilty all the time, and we'd be in big trouble if Jesus didn't keep praying for us and asking God to forgive us. It's this feeling sorry and believing in Jesus that's shown in these powerful lines: "I do wrong with every breath I take, not following your rules like the angels do. But your love and sacrifice keep cleansing me until I'm perfect in love."
4. Lastly, realizing that we can't fix ourselves and get rid of all the sin in our hearts and lives makes us truly depend on Jesus. We understand that we need to trust him not just to forgive us but also to help us live the right way. When we realize how helpless we are, we give Jesus all the credit for saving us and making us better. We stop trying to be important and let Jesus take over everything. Then, with Jesus' help, all our thoughts, actions, and words start to be what Jesus wants them to be.
LONDONDERRY, April 24, 1767.
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