History
(Acts 10:34-48)
(Acts 10:34-48)
A. Introduction
1. Good morning, my name is Dikerson Smith and I’d like to welcome you to m
y home and the regular meeting of our Methodist Meeting Society. You see, we don’t have a church building, we meet in homes. We don’t have a church building and that’s fine. Our spiritual ancestors began that way. Some say the mother church had lost its way because once churches were built, it stayed within the confines of the church walls. John Wesley, the founder of Methodist, changed all that when he created meeting societies. The fervor of the church, the purpose of the church, was reestablished when Christianity moved out of churches and back into the homes and hills. When Christianity meets in homes, it is not just about religion, it is about the way we live.2. And we live with purpose. We know our purpose. If anyone was to ask a meeting society just about anywhere, “What is your mission?” the response would be clear. It is to “Reform the nation, especially the church, and spread Scriptural holiness across the land.” And we believe it. I was told the other day that here in 1834 that one third of all church going people in America were Methodists. That’s a testament to the preachers, circuit riders, lay people, societies, and just plain Methodists all across America. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to change people, and He’s changed us.
3. (Take off hat--part of 19th century costume) To step out of character a minute, and I’ll be moving in and out of character quite a lot, I’m not sure how Mr. Smith would have sounded in 1834. There were lot’s of people of English and Scottish decent that settled the area. Still are. But many of them came from Tennessee and Kentucky. In fact, a generation earlier, Kit Carson’s parents had moved to this area from Kentucky. Don’t know what influence Appalachia might have had on the dialect or how much influence there might have been from the Deep South. Suffice it to say, I’ll be talking with good ole Midwestern as best I can.
4. And if you want to know what the folks might have been wearing, a look at a “Little House on the Prairie” rerun might be in order. I’d be wearing bib overalls except I would be able to show off my Pentecost suspenders.
5. (Put on hat.) Anyway welcome to the Smith family home. You all have made a significant effort to get here, harnessing the horse and buggy, riding 30 minutes to an hour. And you’ll be repeating that after the meeting is over. Your faith, your friends are important to you. And it continued that way. Louise’s husband, Charles, told me that when he was two weeks old, that was 1919, his parents bundled him up in the wagon and brought him to church. He attended here all his life. Ollie, I don’t suppose it was much different when your dad was born 50 years earlier, 1873, the family boarding the wagon and off to church or gathering. An hour of preparation and travel before. An hour of travel and putting the horse up after. Your faith was important to you. Still is. That’s why we’ve been here 175 years.
6. The Methodist church grew up in homes as meeting societies, outside of a church, and neighbors of many denominations might have been invited, even a few Baptists. Wesley’s grace-filled, free-will, simple theology had wide appeal. Even after chapels and churches had been built, the meeting societies, those home meetings continued and were essential to the faith. It was around the table that faith was experienced, where Scriptures were learned, where people told the truth in love to one another. In a place like Howard County, Missouri, in 1834, where 25 percent of the population at that time was slave; more than likely it was around the table or in hearing shot of the kitchen, where men and women, slave and free learned faith. It was the Methodist Meeting Society.
B. Body
1. I can imagine the fervor of those who gathered around the table. And although it was 40 years later that this song appeared, as they gathered, something like this might have been sung.
a. (Blessed Assurance.)
b. Let us pray.
2. At this point in the meeting it would have been time for Scripture and exhortation. Remember now, our purpose was to reform the nation and spread Scriptural holiness across the land. I can think of few better stories than the first record of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the gentiles. Peter is called in a vision to go to the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, a gentile. Peter takes the opportunity to tell the good news of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:34-48a).
3. The good news of Jesus Christ is for all. The gift of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s presence, God’s presence with us may be the story of Pentecost, but the purpose of Pentecost is the gift of the Holy Spirit to all, all that believe of every nation and race. We see that in this Scripture. And it is with the power of the Holy Spirit that reformation takes place. It is with the power of the Holy Spirit that Scriptural holiness is spread across the land. It is with the power of the Holy Spirit that we come to understand that the good news is for all.
4. Paul tells us that there is no distinction in Jesus Christ, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3.22); and there is no distinction among those saved by Jesus Christ: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3.28)There is no distinction. “Christ is all and in all.” (Col 3.11b)
a. What great news this was to Cornelius and his household. In his house we had Jew and Greek, commander and servant, master and slave. In them all, Christ is all and in all.
b. And what great news for those of us who gather here in rural America in 1834. There is no longer male or female, slave or free. The Holy Spirit descends upon us all. Christ is all and in all. Glory be to God. Amen.
5. After the singing, Scripture and short exhortation, the conversation around the table got down to the real things in life. Are we living as faithful disciples of Christ in a way that brings salvation to us and witness to others? Are we being true to our purpose to bring reformation to the nation, to the church, and to spread Scriptural holiness across the land? Part of meeting together is to hold ourselves accountable, to watch over one another in Christian love.
a. The first and most important question we would ask of one another is “How is the state of your soul?” In other words, “How are you fairing on your spiritual journey?” Since all of us are in a different place in our faith walk, the answer would be varied as is the advice each might receive to strengthen their souls. How is the state of your soul?
b. All are expected to open themselves to grace. If we want to receive grace, we need to put ourselves in a place to receive it. If we want an apple to drop into our lap, we need to at least walk in the orchard. So Wesley taught we need to immerse ourselves in grace through acts of mercy and acts of piety. Acts of mercy: ways of loving our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the lonely. Acts of piety, ways of loving God, praying, reading Scripture, listening to exhortation, taking communion, fasting, participating in Christian conversation. How are we doing? How are we doing immersing ourselves in grace?
c. A third area of discussion would be “How are we doing abiding by the general rules of societies.?” The general rules, three of them.
d. We had a sermon series earlier this year on Wesley’s Three Simple Rules, based on a book by retired Bishop Reuben Job who based his book on Wesley’s rules for societies. There are a few copies in the back if you would like to explore more (See Jan 2009 Blogs). The rules are to first, do no harm, avoid evil of every possible sort. I’ve always thought it interesting that Wesley chose this rule to be first, do no harm. Harm can almost never be undone. Doing harm can be forgiven, yes; but the consequences of harm can almost never be undone. First do no harm. Have you done harm this week? Have you engaged in any evil practice? Anything by deed or example that might harm the soul of another? First, do no harm.
e. Second, do good. “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 the Bible says, “Never grow weary of doing good.” How are you doing? Wesley fought hard against what he called the enthusiastic doctrine of devils, that is the practice of only doing good when we felt like it. How are we doing in doing good?
f. The third general rule of societies, in simple terms is staying in love with God. Wesley said “Following the ordinances of God.” After all, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jesus prayed, Jesus read Scripture, Jesus went to Synagogue to worship each Sabbath, Jesus gave us Holy Communion, Jesus fasted, Jesus engaged in holy conversation with his disciples and others. How are we doing in staying in love with God? The purpose of the meeting societies was to hold one another accountable in Christian love. “What sins have you committed, have you done harm? Let us pray for forgiveness. What good have you done? How can I help? How is your prayer life? What can I suggest?”
6. This sharing and fellowship most took place around a table, most likely as part of a meal or a tradition called the love feast. There was seldom an ordained minister there so that rather than Holy Communion, the tradition of the love feast was used. The love feast reaches all the way back to the house churches in Paul’s day and was revived in Wesley’s time. It’s part of our current Book of Worship but not often used. The love feast was an important part of early American Methodism. I’m sure it was part of the Smith Meeting Society. Rather than communion elements, bread and wine, crackers, sweet bread, some other simple element might be used. As we talk, I’m going to have the kids pass out these rice chex among you. Take one and hold it. We’ll get to it in a moment. They’re glutton free if that is a concern.a. As the sweet bread, or crackers or chex were passed from person to person, praise or Scripture or prayer might be offered spontaneously: Praise, “I will love the Lord my God with my whole heart.” Scripture: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be satisfied.” Prayer, “Gracious God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Spontaneous, simple, heart-felt, maybe even song, “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemer’s praise, the glory of our God and king the triumph of his grace.” The Holy Spirit with us in the feast. Think now as you eat your chex, what is on your heart in praise or song or prayer of Scripture? Savor it. What is the Spirit testifying through you.
b. And rather than wine, water, tea or cider might have been used. And as the water or cider was passed, and it might have been in a two handled loving cup, testimony might be given. Where have you seen God at work in your lives or in the life of others this week? What does your salvation mean to you? What has God done in the world this week to reform the nation or to spread Scriptural holiness across the lan? What is your testimony? What do you offer for the uplifting of others as the loving cup is passed?
7. It is now time to pray (hat removed for prayer). For this time, let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us. And for this time, let us do so with eyes wide open, with chins up, looking into the eyes of others. Remembering that for Jesus, God was "Daddy," "Abba"; that the heaven where God resides can be as close as the air we breath, as close as our skin; that we have Father who hears our prayers, who listens to us, who meets our daily needs, who forgives our sins when we go to Him. Think about what the words mean to each of us. Let us pray: “Our Father…
8. Now let us lift our voices once again in assurance. (“This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.”)
C. Close
1. The meeting is over. (Remove hat.) 175 years have come and gone since the founders of Smith Chapel began meeting in the Smith family home. Such different times yet so many things remain the same. We have the same good news, a God who loves and gave himself for us. We have the same command, to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. We have the same rules, to first do no harm, to do good, to stay in love with God. And we have the same need to share our faith with one another, to hold one another accountable, to inquire as to the health of our souls.
2. We have the same need to reform the nation, especially the church, and the same need to spread Scriptural holiness across the land, maybe even more so.
3. (Take off hat--part of 19th century costume) To step out of character a minute, and I’ll be moving in and out of character quite a lot, I’m not sure how Mr. Smith would have sounded in 1834. There were lot’s of people of English and Scottish decent that settled the area. Still are. But many of them came from Tennessee and Kentucky. In fact, a generation earlier, Kit Carson’s parents had moved to this area from Kentucky. Don’t know what influence Appalachia might have had on the dialect or how much influence there might have been from the Deep South. Suffice it to say, I’ll be talking with good ole Midwestern as best I can.
4. And if you want to know what the folks might have been wearing, a look at a “Little House on the Prairie” rerun might be in order. I’d be wearing bib overalls except I would be able to show off my Pentecost suspenders.
5. (Put on hat.) Anyway welcome to the Smith family home. You all have made a significant effort to get here, harnessing the horse and buggy, riding 30 minutes to an hour. And you’ll be repeating that after the meeting is over. Your faith, your friends are important to you. And it continued that way. Louise’s husband, Charles, told me that when he was two weeks old, that was 1919, his parents bundled him up in the wagon and brought him to church. He attended here all his life. Ollie, I don’t suppose it was much different when your dad was born 50 years earlier, 1873, the family boarding the wagon and off to church or gathering. An hour of preparation and travel before. An hour of travel and putting the horse up after. Your faith was important to you. Still is. That’s why we’ve been here 175 years.
6. The Methodist church grew up in homes as meeting societies, outside of a church, and neighbors of many denominations might have been invited, even a few Baptists. Wesley’s grace-filled, free-will, simple theology had wide appeal. Even after chapels and churches had been built, the meeting societies, those home meetings continued and were essential to the faith. It was around the table that faith was experienced, where Scriptures were learned, where people told the truth in love to one another. In a place like Howard County, Missouri, in 1834, where 25 percent of the population at that time was slave; more than likely it was around the table or in hearing shot of the kitchen, where men and women, slave and free learned faith. It was the Methodist Meeting Society.
B. Body
1. I can imagine the fervor of those who gathered around the table. And although it was 40 years later that this song appeared, as they gathered, something like this might have been sung.
a. (Blessed Assurance.)
b. Let us pray.
2. At this point in the meeting it would have been time for Scripture and exhortation. Remember now, our purpose was to reform the nation and spread Scriptural holiness across the land. I can think of few better stories than the first record of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the gentiles. Peter is called in a vision to go to the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, a gentile. Peter takes the opportunity to tell the good news of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:34-48a).
3. The good news of Jesus Christ is for all. The gift of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s presence, God’s presence with us may be the story of Pentecost, but the purpose of Pentecost is the gift of the Holy Spirit to all, all that believe of every nation and race. We see that in this Scripture. And it is with the power of the Holy Spirit that reformation takes place. It is with the power of the Holy Spirit that Scriptural holiness is spread across the land. It is with the power of the Holy Spirit that we come to understand that the good news is for all.
4. Paul tells us that there is no distinction in Jesus Christ, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3.22); and there is no distinction among those saved by Jesus Christ: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3.28)There is no distinction. “Christ is all and in all.” (Col 3.11b)
a. What great news this was to Cornelius and his household. In his house we had Jew and Greek, commander and servant, master and slave. In them all, Christ is all and in all.
b. And what great news for those of us who gather here in rural America in 1834. There is no longer male or female, slave or free. The Holy Spirit descends upon us all. Christ is all and in all. Glory be to God. Amen.
5. After the singing, Scripture and short exhortation, the conversation around the table got down to the real things in life. Are we living as faithful disciples of Christ in a way that brings salvation to us and witness to others? Are we being true to our purpose to bring reformation to the nation, to the church, and to spread Scriptural holiness across the land? Part of meeting together is to hold ourselves accountable, to watch over one another in Christian love.
a. The first and most important question we would ask of one another is “How is the state of your soul?” In other words, “How are you fairing on your spiritual journey?” Since all of us are in a different place in our faith walk, the answer would be varied as is the advice each might receive to strengthen their souls. How is the state of your soul?
b. All are expected to open themselves to grace. If we want to receive grace, we need to put ourselves in a place to receive it. If we want an apple to drop into our lap, we need to at least walk in the orchard. So Wesley taught we need to immerse ourselves in grace through acts of mercy and acts of piety. Acts of mercy: ways of loving our neighbors, our brothers and sisters, by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the lonely. Acts of piety, ways of loving God, praying, reading Scripture, listening to exhortation, taking communion, fasting, participating in Christian conversation. How are we doing? How are we doing immersing ourselves in grace?
c. A third area of discussion would be “How are we doing abiding by the general rules of societies.?” The general rules, three of them.
d. We had a sermon series earlier this year on Wesley’s Three Simple Rules, based on a book by retired Bishop Reuben Job who based his book on Wesley’s rules for societies. There are a few copies in the back if you would like to explore more (See Jan 2009 Blogs). The rules are to first, do no harm, avoid evil of every possible sort. I’ve always thought it interesting that Wesley chose this rule to be first, do no harm. Harm can almost never be undone. Doing harm can be forgiven, yes; but the consequences of harm can almost never be undone. First do no harm. Have you done harm this week? Have you engaged in any evil practice? Anything by deed or example that might harm the soul of another? First, do no harm.
e. Second, do good. “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 the Bible says, “Never grow weary of doing good.” How are you doing? Wesley fought hard against what he called the enthusiastic doctrine of devils, that is the practice of only doing good when we felt like it. How are we doing in doing good?
f. The third general rule of societies, in simple terms is staying in love with God. Wesley said “Following the ordinances of God.” After all, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jesus prayed, Jesus read Scripture, Jesus went to Synagogue to worship each Sabbath, Jesus gave us Holy Communion, Jesus fasted, Jesus engaged in holy conversation with his disciples and others. How are we doing in staying in love with God? The purpose of the meeting societies was to hold one another accountable in Christian love. “What sins have you committed, have you done harm? Let us pray for forgiveness. What good have you done? How can I help? How is your prayer life? What can I suggest?”
6. This sharing and fellowship most took place around a table, most likely as part of a meal or a tradition called the love feast. There was seldom an ordained minister there so that rather than Holy Communion, the tradition of the love feast was used. The love feast reaches all the way back to the house churches in Paul’s day and was revived in Wesley’s time. It’s part of our current Book of Worship but not often used. The love feast was an important part of early American Methodism. I’m sure it was part of the Smith Meeting Society. Rather than communion elements, bread and wine, crackers, sweet bread, some other simple element might be used. As we talk, I’m going to have the kids pass out these rice chex among you. Take one and hold it. We’ll get to it in a moment. They’re glutton free if that is a concern.a. As the sweet bread, or crackers or chex were passed from person to person, praise or Scripture or prayer might be offered spontaneously: Praise, “I will love the Lord my God with my whole heart.” Scripture: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be satisfied.” Prayer, “Gracious God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Spontaneous, simple, heart-felt, maybe even song, “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemer’s praise, the glory of our God and king the triumph of his grace.” The Holy Spirit with us in the feast. Think now as you eat your chex, what is on your heart in praise or song or prayer of Scripture? Savor it. What is the Spirit testifying through you.
b. And rather than wine, water, tea or cider might have been used. And as the water or cider was passed, and it might have been in a two handled loving cup, testimony might be given. Where have you seen God at work in your lives or in the life of others this week? What does your salvation mean to you? What has God done in the world this week to reform the nation or to spread Scriptural holiness across the lan? What is your testimony? What do you offer for the uplifting of others as the loving cup is passed?
7. It is now time to pray (hat removed for prayer). For this time, let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us. And for this time, let us do so with eyes wide open, with chins up, looking into the eyes of others. Remembering that for Jesus, God was "Daddy," "Abba"; that the heaven where God resides can be as close as the air we breath, as close as our skin; that we have Father who hears our prayers, who listens to us, who meets our daily needs, who forgives our sins when we go to Him. Think about what the words mean to each of us. Let us pray: “Our Father…
8. Now let us lift our voices once again in assurance. (“This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.”)
C. Close
1. The meeting is over. (Remove hat.) 175 years have come and gone since the founders of Smith Chapel began meeting in the Smith family home. Such different times yet so many things remain the same. We have the same good news, a God who loves and gave himself for us. We have the same command, to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. We have the same rules, to first do no harm, to do good, to stay in love with God. And we have the same need to share our faith with one another, to hold one another accountable, to inquire as to the health of our souls.
2. We have the same need to reform the nation, especially the church, and the same need to spread Scriptural holiness across the land, maybe even more so.
3. Somewhere out there, to use a phrase of our bishop. Somewhere out there, there is a soul that needs to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. That needs to know that there is no distinction in Christ Jesus, for all are one in Christ Jesus. That the gift of the Holy Spirit is for all. There is no distinction, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, there is no distinction. Grace, grace is free to all.
4. People of Smith Chapel, today is our birthday, today is the birthday of our church. The greatest gift you can give the church is to be church, is to be the body of Christ in someone’s life. To reform the nation one person at a time, to spread Scriptural holiness across the land one person at a time. Happy birthday church. Now, go and be church. So may it be in all of your lives. Amen.
4. People of Smith Chapel, today is our birthday, today is the birthday of our church. The greatest gift you can give the church is to be church, is to be the body of Christ in someone’s life. To reform the nation one person at a time, to spread Scriptural holiness across the land one person at a time. Happy birthday church. Now, go and be church. So may it be in all of your lives. Amen.
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