Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001244
00:07 It has stood the test of time,
00:11 God's book -- the Bible. 00:17 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:24 It Is Written ... 00:29 sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 Thanks for joining me today. 00:37 I'm John Bradshaw and this is It Is Written. 00:41 Every now and then someone appears on the world stage 00:44 that makes a dramatic difference. 00:47 As the old saying puts it, Cometh the hour, cometh the 00:49 man. 00:51 The 'hour' we're talking about today was the 18th 00:53 Century - a time when England had degenerated, religiously, 00:58 into a tired and formulaic routine. 01:01 The Church of England was now the state church in the 01:03 United Kingdom, and though it had broken from Rome, and 01:06 several of Rome's doctrines had been rejected, the forms 01:09 of Rome had been largely retained by the Church of 01:12 England. 01:13 And the monarchy had simply taken the place of the pope 01:16 as the head of the church. 01:18 The road to Protestantism had been rocky. 01:22 Men and women had won freedom from Rome at a great cost - 01:25 many lost their lives being murdered, or martyred, and 01:29 persecution was intense. 01:32 By the 1700s, Protestantism in England wasn't the vital 01:35 force its founders had hoped it would be. 01:37 The vitality had just seeped right out of the church. 01:41 Formalism and nominalism had taken over spiritual life. 01:45 Something was needed. 01:47 Someone was needed. 01:50 [Music] And in the early 1700s - June 28, 1703, the 02:01 15th of Samuel and Susanna Wesley's children was born 02:05 here in Epworth, in Lincolnshire, England. 02:09 Epworth is about 45 miles south of York and about the 02:12 same distance from Leeds, and today has a population of 02:15 less than 4000 people. 02:17 Obviously much smaller back then. 02:22 The Wesleys had moved here in 1695. 02:26 Yet from this unassuming place came the man who would 02:28 go on to become one of the great religious reformers of 02:32 all time. 02:33 He would become the founder of the Methodist Church -- and 02:36 would breathe new life into Christianity in England -- and 02:39 provide inspiration to Christians all over the 02:42 world. 02:46 Only 10 of Samuel and Susanna Wesley's 19 children 02:50 survived. 02:51 And if you think that was a large family, Susanna's 02:54 father - a dissenter pastor who had separated from the 02:58 established church - had 25 children, and Susanna was the 03:02 25th. 03:06 Samuel Wesley - who went to school with Daniel Defoe, the 03:10 author of Robinson Crusoe - had graduated from Oxford and 03:14 was the church of England pastor here - and this is 03:18 where the Wesley's lived. 03:24 At that time the rectory was a wooden building and it had 03:27 a thatched roof. 03:28 When John Wesley was 5 years old, the Rectory burned down. 03:32 His father would say that he believed the fire was set 03:35 intentionally by discontented church members. 03:38 Little Jacky (as his mother called him) was rescued in 03:41 dramatic circumstances. 03:43 John wrote later that he was saved 'as a brand plucked 03:46 from the burning'. 03:48 This new Rectory was built in 1709 at a cost of £184, not 03:55 quite $300 USD. 03:58 When John Wesley was about 13, certain events lead 04:00 people to believe that this Rectory was haunted. 04:03 People urged Samuel Wesley to take his family away from 04:06 here and get them to safety. 04:08 Samuel said that he believed the devil should flee from 04:11 him, and not the other way round... 04:28 [Music] Samuel Wesley, John's father, was the pastor of 04:32 this church. 04:33 This is St Andrew's Church, the parish church of Epworth. 04:38 Parts of this building date back to the 12th Century. 04:47 And as a young man, John Wesley was the curate of the 04:50 parish church in the little village of Wroot, about 5 or 04:54 6 miles from Epworth. 05:01 He is buried here, just yards from where he used to preach. 05:05 John Wesley would come back to Epworth and come here to 05:08 St. Andrews and step up on top of his father's tombstone 05:12 and use it as a pulpit from he would preach the Word of 05:15 God. 05:21 When he'd come back to Epworth to visit his family, 05:24 John Wesley would normally stay right here, at the Red 05:28 Lion Inn, and because the wasn't allowed to preach in 05:31 the churches, he'd preach from unorthodox places, such 05:35 as from right on top of his father's tomb and he would 05:38 preach here, from these very steps, in this exact place 05:43 and from these steps take his Bible in his hand, proclaim 05:47 the Word of God and encourage the people of Epworth to 05:51 follow Jesus Christ by faith. 06:02 In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God says, "It is written, man 06:05 shall not live by bread alone but by every word that 06:09 proceeds from the mouth of God. 06:11 Every Word is a one minute Bible based daily devotional 06:14 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw and designed 06:17 especially for busy people like you. 06:21 Look for Every Word on selected networks or watch it 06:27 on line every day on our website itiswritten.com. 06:32 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 06:36 Watch Every Word. 06:37 You'll be glad you did. 06:40 Here's a sample. 06:42 I read an article recently that investigated why it is 06:45 that kids in other countries seem to take on 06:48 responsibility more readily than American kids. 06:51 The article said that children in many other parts 06:53 of the world seemed to be more disciplined, and that 06:56 Western kids -- Surprise! 06:57 Surprise! 06:58 -- are indulged. 06:59 Parents seem to coddle and spoil them, the story said. 07:02 But look at what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 29:17, 07:05 "Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he 07:08 will give delight to your soul." 07:09 Not cruelty, discipline - which is 07:12 virtually the same word as "disciple". 07:15 Many parents want to be their kids' buddy, but not their 07:16 parent. 07:18 And maybe it's because self-discipline is slipping 07:20 slowly away. 07:21 Sometimes you've got to put your foot down. 07:23 Parents with children, absolutely. 07:25 But also put your foot down in your own life. 07:28 Our parent, God, might want to correct us. 07:30 And when he does, we need to let Him do so. 07:32 Let's live today by Every Word. 07:35 It is written is dedicated to sharing the gospel around the 07:38 world. 07:39 To discover more about It Is Written, I invite you to 07:42 visit our website: itiswritten.com. 07:45 And browse the dozens of pages that describe what we 07:47 do and how we do it. 07:49 Let's get to know each other better. 07:51 Visit our website itiswritten.com today. 07:55 [music]♪♪♪♪♪♪ John Wesley studied 08:11 at Christ Church at Oxford University. 08:14 It was and still is a very prestigious school. 08:17 King Edward the 7th was educated here. 08:19 William Penn, the founder of the State of Pennsylvania, 08:21 and the current Archbishop of Canterbury. 08:25 In fact, Christ Church has produced as many Prime 08:27 Ministers of Great Britain - 13 - as the other 45 Oxford 08:31 colleges combined. 08:32 And it was while he was here that John Wesley began to 08:40 experience personal spiritual revival. 08:43 Along with his brother, Charles, and others such as 08:45 George Whitefield, or Whitfield, depending on your 08:47 pronunciation, John Wesley formed the Holy Club - a 08:51 group that met regularly and were determined to live a 08:54 holy life dedicated to God, in a very systematic way. 09:05 Wesley sought to be holy. 09:08 So he adopted a very rigid approach to his life, often 09:12 denying himself and following certain 'methods' of living 09:16 that he believed would enable him to live that life that he 09:19 wanted to live. 09:21 This 'methodical' approach to faith in God saw Wesley and 09:25 his fellows in the Holy Club here at Lincoln College 09:29 become branded as "Methodists." To begin with, 09:33 this term "Methodists" was intended as an insult but 09:38 Wesley and his friends came to embrace the term as they 09:42 believed it reflected God's will for their lives. 09:53 [Music] When Wesley came to Oxford University, he knew 09:55 full well just what faithfulness to the Word of 09:57 God could cost. 09:59 He knew that in 1536 another former Oxford student, 10:02 William Tyndale, had been burned at the stake for his 10:05 faith in Jesus Christ and for daring to disobey the orders 10:08 of the Roman Catholic Church. 10:10 And Wesley had another very graphic reminder of what 10:13 faithfulness cost. 10:14 You see, right here behind me is the very spot in which 10:19 Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas were burned at the 10:23 stake for their faith in the Word of God. 10:25 Latimer and Ridley in 1555 and Cranmer, who had been the 10:28 the Archbishop of Canterbury - in 1556. 10:32 It is said that Latimer said to Ridley as they were about 10:35 to be burned, "Be of good comfort." 10:38 "We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in 10:42 England, as I trust shall never be put out." 10:46 Now Cranmer, on the other hand, recanted his opposition 10:49 to the Roman Catholic Church several times but then he 10:53 recanted his recantations. 10:55 He was brought to this spot on Broad Street in Oxford and 10:59 burned at the stake. 11:00 And when he was, he did what he said he would do. 11:03 He took the very hand that had written the recantations 11:06 and thrust it into the flames. 11:10 Today, a cross commemorates the spot at which these men 11:14 gave their lives for their faith in Christ, while near 11:17 this sport stands the Oxford Martyrs' Memorial, in 11:20 remembrance of Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer. 11:24 The inscription on the base of the memorial says this: 11:28 "To the Glory of God, and in grateful commemoration of His 11:31 servants, Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, Hugh 11:35 Latimer, Prelates of the Church of England, who near 11:39 this spot yielded their bodies to be burned, bearing 11:43 witness to the sacred truths which they had affirmed and 11:45 maintained against the errors of the Church of Rome, and 11:50 rejoicing that to them it was given not only to believe in 11:54 Christ, but also to suffer for His sake." John Wesley 12:02 knew that the road to reform would not be easy. 12:06 He understood what opposition to truth could look like. 12:09 But he was determined. 12:10 He was determined to live a life of faith. 12:13 A life to the glory of God. 12:15 A life that would result in personal transformation. 12:19 But just as the road to reform in the church would no 12:22 be easy, Wesley discovered that the road to reform in 12:26 his own personal life would not be easy either. 12:30 You see, like most people, John Wesley had to learn the 12:33 secret of living a life of faith. 12:36 So what was it that John Wesley learned that changed 12:39 his life? 12:40 And could it change your life? 12:43 More in just a moment. 12:47 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect of 12:50 Christian Stewardship. 12:51 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer 12:54 free planned giving and estate services. 12:57 For information on how we can help you, please call 13:01 1.800.992.2219. 13:02 To receive additional material on the advantages of 13:05 life-income plans such as a Charitable Gift Annuity, 13:08 which can provide you with tax benefits and income for 13:12 life, call today or visit our special website: 13:15 www.hislegacy.com. 13:19 You could also write to It Is Written, Planned Giving and 13:22 Trust Services, Box O, Thousand Oaks, California 13:25 91359. 13:28 Our toll-free number again is 1-800-992-2219 and our web 13:33 address: www.hislegacy.com 13:42 Perhaps something in today's program has sparked your 13:44 interest in greater Bible study. 13:46 We invite you to visit our website itiswritten.com where 13:50 you will find a host of inspirational resources 13:53 including free Bible study guides, there's also a 13:56 complete archive of past television programs and 13:58 special video seminars that you can view on-line or 14:01 download. 14:02 Discover more at itiswritten.com It was in 14:08 1735 that John Wesley and his brother Charles, newly 14:12 ordained to ministry, left England bound for the 14:15 province of Georgia in the American colonies. 14:18 They left from Gravesend, near where the River Thames 14:21 runs into the English Channel, on a ship called The 14:24 Simmonds. 14:25 And it was on that journey that John Wesley came face to 14:28 face with what he perceived to be his own great spiritual 14:32 lack. 14:33 While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, a terrible storm 14:36 arose. 14:37 Wesley believed that he was going to die - and he was 14:40 terrified. 14:43 But also aboard the ship were a number of German Moravian 14:46 believers, members of a religious group that had its 14:48 origins in the teachings of John Huss - who himself was 14:52 strongly influenced by another English reformer, 14:55 John Wycliffe, the Morning Star of the Reformation. 15:01 During this storm the Moravians remained calm - no 15:05 panic, and they had a peace that Wesley didn't possess. 15:09 In fact, they sang as the storm raged around them. 15:13 Wesley later asked them if they had been afraid to die. 15:16 No, they said, we were not afraid to die. 15:19 And it was then that Wesley realized that in spite of his 15:23 methodical approach to his religious life, he was 15:26 missing something tremendously important. 15:29 His brother Charles had a similar experience. 15:32 It was thought at one time that Charles was going to 15:34 die. 15:35 He had become so ill and somebody asked him upon which 15:38 he rested his hope of salvation. 15:41 Charles answered by saying, "I have used my best 15:44 endeavors to serve God." Led to believe his answer might 15:48 have been lacking just a little bit, Charles thought, 15:51 "Are not my endeavors a sufficient ground of hope? 15:55 I have nothing else to trust to!" The Wesleys had thought 16:01 that living a virtuous life and observing all the right 16:04 forms would bring them to the place where they had peace 16:07 with God. 16:08 But they came to understand that genuine Christian living 16:11 involves an inward change that affects the thoughts and 16:15 the feelings, not just the words and the actions. 16:18 They came to understand that this inward transformation 16:21 was an integral part of genuine Christian living. 16:24 Up until now, they had been trying to achieve 16:27 righteousness by works but now they began to understand 16:30 that great foundational teaching of Christianity - 16:34 righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ alone. 16:38 By 1738, John Wesley, now 35, and his brother Charles, 31, 16:46 returned to England. 16:47 And it was that year that something remarkable 16:51 happened, something that would the world. 16:54 On May 24, 1738, John was attended a Moravian meeting 16:59 in London, right here on Aldersgate Street. 17:03 This is what he would later write about what happened 17:05 here that night. 17:08 "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in 17:12 Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface 17:15 to the Epistle to the Romans. 17:17 About a quarter before nine, while the leader was 17:20 describing the change which God works in the heart 17:22 through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely 17:26 warmed. 17:27 I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation; and an 17:32 assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, 17:35 even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." 17:51 [Music] John Wesley would never be the same again - and 17:54 nor would the world. 17:56 He continued to live his methodical, self-denying 17:59 life, but now as the result of his faith in God, and not 18:04 the ground of his faith in God. 18:06 Wesley came to understand that the grace of God is the 18:09 foundation of a believer's existence and he realized 18:12 that grace resulted in obedience. 18:16 Wesley dedicated his life to preaching these great truths 18:19 - justification through faith in the blood of Jesus, and 18:23 the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in a person's 18:26 life. 18:28 Today we've looked at individuals whose lives were 18:30 changed because of the power of the Word of God. 18:33 And I want to share with you how the Bible can bring joy 18:36 and victory into your life. 18:38 There is a special Bible study guide I want you to 18:41 have. 18:42 It's called The Secret of Happiness. 18:44 In just a few pages, you'll discover what the Bible has 18:47 to say on this vital subject and it's our free gift to 18:50 you. 18:51 The secret of happiness explains just how the Word of 18:53 God has the power to transform your life and give 18:57 you abundant joy. 18:58 Right now, it's available free from It Is Written. 19:01 Just call 1.800.253.3000 and ask for The Secret of 19:06 Happiness. 19:07 You can also get the Secret of Happiness by writing to It 19:10 Is Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks, California 91359. 19:15 And we will send a copy to your address in North 19:17 America. 19:18 I want you to have this booklet. 19:20 It could absolutely change your life or the life of 19:23 someone you care about. 19:25 Be sure also to visit our website itiswritten.com where 19:29 you will discover additional helpful resources on a host 19:32 of life-changing topics. 19:33 It Is Written is a faith-based outreach made 19:36 possible by viewers like you. 19:38 Thank you for your letters and emails and thank you for 19:42 your continued financial support. 19:44 It's your support that enables us to present clear 19:47 Bible truth all over the world. 19:50 Our toll-free number is 1.800.253.3000 and our web 19:56 address is itiswritten.com Like many reformers, John 20:01 Wesley had no intention of starting a new denomination 20:04 when he founded Methodism. 20:06 It's interesting - Catholicism had been the 20:08 state religion, and it needed serious reformation. 20:11 Out of that milieu came the Church of England - which 20:14 itself came to the place where IT needed to be 20:17 reformed. 20:18 To begin with, John Wesley wanted to teach and preach 20:20 within the confines of the Church of England. 20:22 But it wasn't long and he wasn't welcome in the Church 20:25 of England. 20:26 He was ardently opposed to the Calvinist teaching of 20:29 predestination, believing instead that people were free 20:32 to choose whether they wanted to accept or reject 20:35 salvation. 20:37 This pitted him against his good friend, George 20:39 Whitefield, with Wesley saying that he believed 20:42 Calvinism represented "God to be worse than the devil." 20:46 After Whitefield died, John Wesley wrote that "in some 20:50 things, people might agree to disagree". 20:54 That's the first time we know of that the phrase "agree to 20:56 disagree" ever appeared in print. 21:03 And John Wesley was a committed abolitionist. 21:06 He was friends with William Wilberforce and with John 21:09 Newton who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace. 21:12 So this was another point where he differed from his 21:14 friend George Whitefield, who had argued in favor of 21:17 slavery. 21:19 John Wesley usually travelled on horseback, and he preached 21:21 two or three times a day. 21:23 Stephen Tomkins wrote that Wesley traveled "more than 21:26 250,000 miles, he gave away 30,000 pounds, ... 21:31 and preached more than 40,000 sermons. 21:34 Now all this travel was not especially good for Wesley's 21:37 marriage. 21:38 When he was 48 he married Mary, a 40-year-old widow. 21:43 Wesley's philosophy was pretty simple. 21:45 He wrote, 'I cannot understand how a Methodist 21:48 preacher can answer it to God to preach one sermon or 21:52 travel one day less, in a married than in a single 21:55 state.' Mary had a hard time seeing it that time. 21:59 She grew weary of his relentless travel schedule, 22:02 and she become jealous of the attention that Wesley was 22:05 getting from other women. 22:07 Now it cannot be said that John Wesley handled all of 22:10 the pressure on his marriage like a saint. 22:13 He actually wrote and said some pretty scathing things 22:15 to Mary. 22:16 Biographer Robert Southey wrote 'There are few stomachs 22:19 which could bear to have humility administered in such 22:22 doses.' Molly actually left Wesley several times, but 22:26 after he would beg her to return, she'd come back. 22:29 But things were not good at home. 22:31 Write John Pollock wrote that Mary was actually seen 22:35 dragging Wesley across the floor by his hair. 22:38 No wonder, then, that after 15 years of marriage, Mary 22:41 left. 22:42 And when she did, Wesley wrote, ", 'I did not forsake 22:45 her, I did not dismiss her, I will not recall her.' [Music] 22:56 Wesley's Chapel here on City Road in London was built in 23:00 1778. 23:02 Wesley preached in this very chapel - continuing to 23:05 proclaim the powerful grace of God that is able to 23:09 forgive sins and change a human heart. 23:12 Wesley taught a lot about the Holy Spirit, and the 23:15 infilling of the Holy Spirit, which he believed to be the 23:19 privilege of a believer to receive. 23:21 He taught on the doctrine of sanctification, how a person 23:25 could have the "mind which was in Christ, enabling us to 23:28 walk as He walked" as Wesley said. 23:31 He taught that a person is restored "not only to the 23:34 favor, but likewise to the image of God." Wesley died in 23:45 1791, almost 87 years old. 23:48 His emphasis on personal revival based on the power of 23:52 the Bible and the work of the Holy Spirit in a person's 23:54 life saw him leave behind 135,000 Methodist Church 23:59 members and over 500 itinerant Methodist 24:02 preachers. 24:03 And he died poor. 24:06 Virtually everything he owned or had earned he had given to 24:09 the cause of God. 24:12 When he was dying, he took hold of the hands of those 24:15 with him in his room and said again and again, "Farewell, 24:18 farewell." And finally he said, "The best of all is, 24:23 God is with us". 24:24 And he said it again: "The best of all, God is with us." 24:29 And then, he died. 24:36 He's buried here, just behind this chapel. 24:40 His Godly mother, Susanna, is buried just across the street 24:43 in Bunhill Fields cemetery as is John Bunyan, the writer of 24:48 one of the most magnificent and famous literary works in 24:51 the history of Christianity - Pilgrim's Progress.His 24:55 brother Charles is buried about two miles from here. 24:58 Charles is famous for writing some of Christianity's 25:00 best-loved hymns. 25:02 Hymns such as "And Can it Be"; "O For a Thousand 25:06 Tongues to Sing"; "Christ the Lord is Risen Today"; 25:10 "Soldiers of Christ Arise." 25:13 What an active place this is going to be on the morning of 25:16 the resurrection, when "the dead in Christ shall rise." 25:21 Like so many of us, John Wesley had a religion that 25:24 was all about the forms or religion but didn't have the 25:27 power of living faith. 25:29 His belief system didn't change his heart or give him 25:32 assurance of salvation. 25:35 But everything changed because John Wesley met Jesus 25:40 - the real Jesus, a personal Saviour, a close friend. 25:45 John Wesley discovered the power of the presence of 25:49 Christ in his life. 25:50 I want you to know that the same Jesus that changed John 25:55 Wesley's life can change your life. 25:59 The same Bible that brought such power into John Wesley's 26:03 daily existence can bring power to where you are right 26:06 now. 26:08 And the same Holy Spirit that brought transformation and 26:12 assurance of forgiveness of sins and the life of Jesus 26:15 lived out in John Wesley's life can bring all those 26:20 things into your life right now. 26:23 Just one man - John Wesley - and the world was changed. 26:28 Just one man - Jesus - and you're life can be changed, 26:34 today. 26:35 Let me pray with you...Our father in heaven, from this 26:39 really rather sacred spot, I want to thank you today for 26:43 Jesus, the Jesus that John Wesley met, the Jesus who 26:46 changed his heart and changed his life. 26:49 And the Jesus who can come into our lives right now and 26:51 make them everything they ought to be. 26:54 I thank you today for assurance. 26:57 I thank you that you forgive us for our sins and I thank 27:00 you that Jesus will live his life in us and make us 27:04 completely new. 27:05 Let us live now believing and knowing and leaning on you 27:10 and trusting in Christ for our salvation. 27:13 We pray and thank you in Jesus' name, Amen. 27:40 [Music] I want to thank you for joining me today and 27:42 until next time, remember: It is written, man shall not 27:47 live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from 27:51 the mouth of God. |
Revised 2015-02-06