I Actually Quoted John Wesley On Sunday . . .

. . . and that’s unusual.

And not because I don’t like Wesley. I do. Very much. Thank God he believed in free will.

But it’s unusual because I find that most people coming into the church have no awareness of him or his influence.

Even lifelong Methodists have only a passing knowledge. So given that context, I typically spend more time talking about Jesus than John Wesley.

But yesterday was the exception. And I quoted these entries from his diary:

Sunday a.m., May 5 — Preached in St. Ann’s; was asked not to come back anymore.

Sunday p.m., May 5 — Preached at St. John’s; deacons said, “Get out and stay out.”

Sunday a.m., May 12 — Preached at St. Jude’s; can’t go back there either.

Sunday p.m., May 12 — Preached at St. George’s; kicked out again.

Sunday p.m., May 19 — Preached on the street; kicked off the street.

Sunday a.m., May 26 — Preached out in a meadow; chased out of meadow when a bull was turned loose during the service.

Sunday p.m., June 2 — Afternoon service, preached in pasture . . . 10,000 people came.

That’s perseverance, isn’t it?

And it goes to show the people most often opposed to a great move of God are . . . the people of God themselves.

It all supported yesterday’s idea: your critics are REALLY just the motivators of your ambition.

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*From More Perfect Illustrations, Tyndale House, p. 206