Preach It Oyster Man!

“The early Methodist meetings were often led by lay preachers with very limited education. On one occasion, such a preacher took as his text Luke 19:21, “Lord, I feared thee, because thou art an austere man.” Not knowing the word “austere,” he thought that the text spoke of “an oyster man.” He spoke about the work of those who retrieve oysters from the sea-bed. The diver plunges

down from the surface, cut off from his natural environment, into bone-chilling water. He gropes in the dark, cutting his hands on the sharp edges of the shells. Now he has the oyster, and kicks back up to the surface, up to the warmth and light and air, clutching in his torn and bleeding hands the object of his search. So Christ descended from the glory of heaven into the squalor of earth, into sinful human society, in order to retrieve humans and bring them back up with Him to the glory of heaven, His torn and bleeding hands a sign of the value He has placed on the object of His quest. Twelve men were converted that evening. Afterwards, someone complained to Wesley about the inappropriateness of allowing preachers who were too ignorant to know the meaning of the texts they were preaching on. Wesley, simply said, “Never mind, the Lord got a dozen oysters tonight.”

(From Albert C. Outler, John Wesley’s Sermons: An Introduction, p 79)

Fletcher and the Three Hebrews

JOHN WILLIAM FLETCHER, native of Nyon, Switzerland (1729), and graduate of the University of Geneva, was prevented by an accident from becoming a soldier of the Portuguese Army in Brazil.

As he was about to start, a serving-maid spilled a kettle of boiling water on him, incapacitating him for some time. Later, under Methodist influence, he entered into a Christian experience and became one of Wesley’s preachers. Still later he was appointed vicar of the Church of England at Madeley, a notoriously wicked community.

On Sunday mornings he went about at five o clock, ringing a bell to rouse people in time for service. His church soon was crowded, to the disgust of a group of evildoers who determined to stop him. They arranged a “bull-baiting” near his preaching place and planned to pull him off his horse when he arrived. But, called to a child’s funeral, he was providentially a little late for the service; and, while the conspirators were in a drinking booth, the bull broke loose, charged the tent and scattered them so effectually that he preached in peace.

A butcher forbade his wife attending Fletcher’s church threatening to cut her throat if she went. When she started to go, he exclaimed, “Are you going to Fletcher s church?” “I am,” she replied. “Then, I shall not cut your throat as I intended, he declared, “`but I will heat the oven and throw you into it, when you come home!” Fletcher preached that morning on the first Scripture lesson of the day-the three Hebrews, saved in the flames of Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace. The message so heartened the distracted woman that, on returning, she courageously faced her husband and conquered his evil spirit until he was convicted of sin.

This article was taken from the book entitled “One Hundred and One Methodist Stories” by Carl F. Price and published by the Methodist Book Concern.

A need for prayer

"God only requires of his adult children, that their hearts be truly purified, and that they offer him continually the wishes and vows that naturally spring from perfect love. For these desires, being the genuine fruits of love, are the most perfect prayers that can spring from it." ~[from "A Plain Account of Christian Perfection by John Wesley (1703-1791)]

Prayer for forgiveness:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast goodness; in your abundant mercy blot out my offences. Wash me thoroughly from my sin. For I acknowledge my rebelliousness, And my sin is always before me. Against you only have I sinned, And done what is evil in your eyes. Purge me with hyssop and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. ~ Psalm 51

On Being a Wii

For the past few years I have been hinting to my hubby that I would like to have a Wii game system. I've rationalized this desire with arguments like, "I could get in shape with it, they have a great fitness program!" Another one I tried was, "We could go dancing, bowling, or have a date night right here at home!Think about all the money you could save!" I've also played the "pity me" angle, "I don't ask for much and after all it is my birthday (Christmas, anniversary, etc.)" So far, none of these arguments have been successful and I still don't have my own Wii game system. My arguments for this new toy may have come to a halt after a message was shared today during the memorial service at UMC Annual Conference.

What I heard was, "I am not a "me" I am a "we". I am made up of a part of everyone who has touched my life or whose life I have touched." As I reflected on that statement, my mind could not help but think of all of the people who have touched my life and influenced me to be the person I am becoming. In the same way, my mind wandered to the scores of people who I have come into contact with and been privileged to leave my fingerprint on their lives. The next thought that jumped into my mind as I listened to the names being read of the clergy and laity that had served the Methodist Church so faithfully was, "Have I lived my life following Jesus' example?" Is there any way we can measure that example?

John Wesley is oft times quoted as saying, "Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can." As an example of accountability in the Methodist Church, maybe this is one way we can use to measure ourselves and the way we have touched another person's life. I for one intend to think how a word, a smile, a touch, can leave a fingerprint on someone's life. Maybe then I will become more aware of the fingerprints that are being left on my life and the loving example's God is sharing with me each day as I continue to become more of who "We" are called to be, instead of trying to be more "me".

"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." - Romans 12:4-6a