It has stood the test of time,
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God's book -- the Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written ...
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sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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I'm John Bradshaw and
this is It Is Written.
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Every now and then someone
appears on the world stage
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that makes a
dramatic difference.
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As the old saying
puts it, Cometh the hour,
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cometh the man.
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The 'hour' we're
talking about today was the 18th
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Century - a time when England
had degenerated, religiously,
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into a tired and
formulaic routine.
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The Church of England
was now the state church
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in the United Kingdom,
and though it had broken
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from Rome, and several of Rome's
doctrines had been rejected,
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the forms of Rome
had been largely retained
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by the Church of England.
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And the monarchy had simply
taken the place of the pope
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as the head of the church.
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The road to
Protestantism had been rocky.
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Men and women had won freedom
from Rome at a great cost -
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many lost their lives
being murdered, or martyred,
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and persecution was intense.
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By the 1700s, Protestantism
in England wasn't the vital
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force its founders
had hoped it would be.
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The vitality had just
seeped right out of the church.
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Formalism and nominalism
had taken over spiritual life.
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Something was needed.
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Someone was needed.
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[Music] And in the
early 1700s - June 28, 1703,
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the 15th of Samuel and Susanna
Wesley's children was born
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here in Epworth, in
Lincolnshire, England.
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Epworth is about 45
miles south of York and about
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the same distance from Leeds,
and today has a population
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of less than 4000 people.
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Obviously much
smaller back then.
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The Wesleys had
moved here in 1695.
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Yet from this unassuming
place came the man who would
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go on to become one of the great
religious reformers of all time.
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He would become the founder
of the Methodist Church --
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and would breathe new life
into Christianity in England --
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and provide inspiration
to Christians all over
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the world.
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Only 10 of Samuel and Susanna
Wesley's 19 children survived.
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And if you think that
was a large family, Susanna's
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father - a dissenter
pastor who had separated from
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the established church -
had 25 children, and Susanna
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was the 25th.
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Samuel Wesley - who went
to school with Daniel Defoe,
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the author of Robinson Crusoe
- had graduated from Oxford
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and was the church of England
pastor here - and this is where
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the Wesley's lived.
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At that time the
rectory was a wooden building
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and it had a thatched roof.
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When John Wesley was 5 years
old, the Rectory burned down.
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His father would say that
he believed the fire was set
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intentionally by
discontented church members.
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Little Jacky (as his
mother called him) was rescued
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in dramatic circumstances.
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John wrote later that
he was saved 'as a brand
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plucked from the burning'.
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This new Rectory was
built in 1709 at a cost of £184,
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not quite $300 USD.
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When John Wesley was about
13, certain events lead people
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to believe that
this Rectory was haunted.
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People urged Samuel Wesley
to take his family away from
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here and get them to safety.
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Samuel said that he believed
the devil should flee from him,
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and not the other way round...
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[Music] Samuel Wesley,
John's father, was the pastor
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of this church.
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This is St Andrew's Church,
the parish church of Epworth.
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Parts of this building
date back to the 12th Century.
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And as a young man, John Wesley
was the curate of the parish
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church in the little village
of Wroot, about 5 or 6 miles
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from Epworth.
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He is buried here, just yards
from where he used to preach.
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John Wesley would come
back to Epworth and come here
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to St. Andrews and step up
on top of his father's tombstone
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and use it as a pulpit
from he would preach the Word
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of God.
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When he'd come back to
Epworth to visit his family,
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John Wesley would normally
stay right here, at the Red Lion
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Inn, and because he
wasn't allowed to preach in
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the churches, he'd
preach from unorthodox places,
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such as from right on top of
his father's tomb and he would
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preach here, from these
very steps, in this exact place
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and from these steps take
his Bible in his hand, proclaim
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the Word of God and encourage
the people of Epworth to follow
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Jesus Christ by faith.
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In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says, "It is written, man
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shall not live by bread alone
but by every word that proceeds
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from the mouth of God.
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Every Word is a one minute
Bible based daily devotional
00:06:11.53\00:06:14.70
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:06:14.70\00:06:17.70
especially for
busy people like you.
00:06:17.70\00:06:19.96
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch
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it on line every day on
our website itiswritten.com.
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Receive a daily spiritual boost.
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Watch Every Word.
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You'll be glad you did.
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Here's a sample.
00:06:32.46\00:06:34.90
I read an article
recently that investigated why
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it is that kids in
other countries seem to take
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on responsibility more
readily than American kids.
00:06:48.43\00:06:51.56
The article said that
children in many other parts
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of the world seemed to be
more disciplined, and that
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Western kids -- Surprise!
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Surprise!
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-- are indulged.
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Parents seem to coddle and
spoil them, the story said.
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But look at what
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 29:17,
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"Correct your son, and he
will give you rest; yes, he
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will give delight to
your soul." Not cruelty,
00:07:08.60\00:07:11.20
discipline - which is virtually
the same word as "disciple".
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Many parents want to
be their kids' buddy,
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but not their parent.
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And maybe it's because
self-discipline is slipping
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slowly away.
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Sometimes you've got
to put your foot down.
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Parents with
children, absolutely.
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But also put your
foot down in your own life.
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Our parent, God,
might want to correct us.
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And when he does, we
need to let Him do so.
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Let's live today by Every Word.
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? [music] ? John Wesley studied
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at Christ Church
at Oxford University.
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It was and still is a
very prestigious school.
00:07:53.86\00:07:57.00
King Edward the
7th was educated here.
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William Penn, the founder
of the State of Pennsylvania,
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and the current
Archbishop of Canterbury.
00:08:01.73\00:08:05.10
In fact, Christ Church
has produced as many Prime
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Ministers of Great Britain
- 13 - as the other 45 Oxford
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colleges combined.
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And it was while he
was here that John Wesley
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began to experience
personal spiritual revival.
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Along with his brother,
Charles, and others such
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as George Whitefield, or
Whitfield, depending on your
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pronunciation, John
Wesley formed the Holy Club -
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a group that met regularly
and were determined to live
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a holy life dedicated to
God, in a very systematic way.
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Wesley sought to be holy.
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So he adopted a very rigid
approach to his life, often
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denying himself and following
certain 'methods' of living
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that he believed would
enable him to live that life
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that he wanted to live.
00:08:59.76\00:09:01.33
This 'methodical' approach
to faith in God saw Wesley
00:09:01.33\00:09:05.43
and his fellows in the Holy
Club here at Lincoln College
00:09:05.43\00:09:09.63
become branded as "Methodists."
00:09:09.63\00:09:11.00
To begin with, this term
"Methodists" was intended
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as an insult but Wesley
and his friends came to embrace
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the term as they
believed it reflected God's will
00:09:19.60\00:09:24.43
for their lives.
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[Music]
00:09:27.06\00:09:30.86
When Wesley came to
Oxford University, he knew
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full well just what
faithfulness to the Word
00:09:36.06\00:09:38.40
of God could cost.
00:09:38.40\00:09:39.30
He knew that in 1536
another former Oxford student,
00:09:39.30\00:09:42.30
William Tyndale, had been
burned at the stake for his
00:09:42.30\00:09:45.03
faith in Jesus Christ and
for daring to disobey the orders
00:09:45.03\00:09:48.03
of the Roman Catholic Church.
00:09:48.03\00:09:50.13
And Wesley had another
very graphic reminder of what
00:09:50.13\00:09:53.13
faithfulness cost.
00:09:53.13\00:09:54.13
You see, right here behind
me is the very spot in which
00:09:54.13\00:09:59.46
Hugh Latimer, Nicholas
Ridley and Thomas were burned
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at the stake for their
faith in the Word of God.
00:10:03.06\00:10:05.86
Latimer and Ridley in
1555 and Cranmer, who had been
00:10:05.86\00:10:08.56
the the Archbishop
of Canterbury - in 1556.
00:10:08.56\00:10:12.23
It is said that Latimer
said to Ridley as they were
00:10:12.23\00:10:15.53
about to be burned,
"Be of good comfort."
00:10:15.53\00:10:18.33
"We shall this day light
such a candle, by God's grace,
00:10:18.33\00:10:22.23
in England, as I trust
shall never be put out."
00:10:22.23\00:10:26.36
Now Cranmer, on the other
hand, recanted his opposition
00:10:26.36\00:10:29.53
to the Roman Catholic
Church several times but then
00:10:29.53\00:10:33.70
he recanted his recantations.
00:10:33.70\00:10:35.63
He was brought to this
spot on Broad Street in Oxford
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and burned at the stake.
00:10:39.56\00:10:40.56
And when he was, he did
what he said he would do.
00:10:40.56\00:10:43.70
He took the very hand that
had written the recantations
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and thrust it into the flames.
00:10:46.76\00:10:50.60
Today, a cross commemorates
the spot at which these men
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gave their lives for their
faith in Christ, while near
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this sport stands the
Oxford Martyrs' Memorial,
00:10:57.43\00:11:00.63
in remembrance of
Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer.
00:11:00.63\00:11:03.96
The inscription on the
base of the memorial says this:
00:11:03.96\00:11:08.10
"To the Glory of God,
and in grateful commemoration
00:11:08.10\00:11:11.60
of His servants, Thomas
Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, Hugh
00:11:11.60\00:11:15.40
Latimer, Prelates of the Church
of England, who near this spot
00:11:15.40\00:11:19.23
yielded their bodies
to be burned, bearing
00:11:19.23\00:11:22.90
witness to the sacred
truths which they had affirmed
00:11:22.90\00:11:25.00
and maintained against
the errors of the Church
00:11:25.00\00:11:28.03
of Rome, and rejoicing that
to them it was given not only
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to believe in
Christ, but also to suffer
00:11:32.00\00:11:37.30
for His sake." John Wesley
knew that the road to reform
00:11:37.30\00:11:44.23
would not be easy.
00:11:44.23\00:11:45.90
He understood what opposition
to truth could look like.
00:11:45.90\00:11:49.10
But he was determined.
00:11:49.10\00:11:50.73
He was determined to
live a life of faith.
00:11:50.73\00:11:53.13
A life to the glory of God.
00:11:53.13\00:11:54.93
A life that would result
in personal transformation.
00:11:54.93\00:11:59.50
But just as the road to
reform in the church would
00:11:59.50\00:12:02.50
no be easy, Wesley discovered
that the road to reform in his
00:12:02.50\00:12:06.53
own personal life
would not be easy either.
00:12:06.53\00:12:10.23
You see, like most
people, John Wesley had to learn
00:12:10.23\00:12:13.26
the secret of
living a life of faith.
00:12:13.26\00:12:16.13
So what was it that John
Wesley learned that changed
00:12:16.13\00:12:19.33
his life?
00:12:19.33\00:12:20.53
And could it change your life?
00:12:20.53\00:12:23.83
More in just a moment.
00:12:23.83\00:12:26.03
It Is Written is
dedicated to sharing the gospel
00:12:26.73\00:12:28.93
around the world.
00:12:28.93\00:12:30.20
To discover more about
It Is Written, I invite you
00:12:30.20\00:12:32.43
to visit our website:
itiswritten.com and browse
00:12:32.43\00:12:35.73
the dozens of pages
that describe what we do
00:12:35.73\00:12:38.33
and how we do it.
00:12:38.33\00:12:39.30
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:12:39.30\00:12:41.03
Visit our website
itiswritten.com today.
00:12:41.03\00:12:44.96
[Music] Eyes for
India is giving sight
00:12:46.66\00:12:49.86
to the blind and
you can be a part
00:12:49.86\00:12:52.26
of this amazing
work that God is doing.
00:12:52.26\00:12:54.86
Fifteen million blind people
live in India, more than any
00:12:54.86\00:12:58.16
other country in the world.
00:12:58.16\00:12:59.86
And many of the blind
in India could see again,
00:12:59.86\00:13:02.53
if only they could have
simple cataract surgery.
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It is Written is
making that happen.
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Would you
support Eyes for India?
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For just $75 you'll be giving
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Here's all you need to do.
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Call 1.800.253.3000.
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That's 1.800.253.3000 to
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India or you can write
to It Is Written, Box O,
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Thousand Oaks, California 91359.
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You'll also find Eyes for
India online at itiswritten.com.
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Every $75 you give gives
someone the precious gift
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of sight.
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Eyes for India, doing the work
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00:13:47.20\00:13:51.03
of the blind and opening
hearts to the love of God.
00:13:51.03\00:13:56.00
Call 1.800.253.3000 or
write to Box O, Thousand Oaks,
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California, 91359 or
visit itiswritten.com.
00:14:00.66\00:14:06.63
It was in 1735 that
John Wesley and his brother
00:14:08.53\00:14:11.06
Charles, newly ordained to
ministry, left England bound
00:14:11.06\00:14:15.30
for the province of Georgia
in the American colonies.
00:14:15.30\00:14:18.73
They left from Gravesend,
near where the River Thames
00:14:18.73\00:14:21.20
runs into the English
Channel, on a ship called
00:14:21.20\00:14:24.10
The Simmonds.
00:14:24.10\00:14:25.53
And it was on that journey
that John Wesley came face
00:14:25.53\00:14:28.20
to face with what he
perceived to be his own
00:14:28.20\00:14:31.93
great spiritual lack.
00:14:31.93\00:14:33.16
While crossing the Atlantic
Ocean, a terrible storm arose.
00:14:33.16\00:14:37.23
Wesley believed that he
was going to die - and he
00:14:37.23\00:14:40.36
was terrified.
00:14:40.36\00:14:42.36
But also aboard the ship
were a number of German Moravian
00:14:43.43\00:14:46.03
believers, members of a
religious group that had
00:14:46.03\00:14:48.73
its origins in the teachings
of John Huss - who himself
00:14:48.73\00:14:52.33
was strongly influenced
by another English reformer,
00:14:52.33\00:14:55.33
John Wycliffe, the
Morning Star of the Reformation.
00:14:55.33\00:14:59.33
During this storm the Moravians
remained calm - no panic,
00:15:01.20\00:15:05.03
and they had a peace
that Wesley didn't possess.
00:15:05.03\00:15:08.93
In fact, they sang as
the storm raged around them.
00:15:08.93\00:15:13.56
Wesley later asked them if
they had been afraid to die.
00:15:13.56\00:15:16.43
No, they said, we
were not afraid to die.
00:15:16.43\00:15:19.20
And it was then that Wesley
realized that in spite of his
00:15:19.20\00:15:23.00
methodical approach to
his religious life, he was
00:15:23.00\00:15:26.16
missing something
tremendously important.
00:15:26.16\00:15:29.46
His brother Charles
had a similar experience.
00:15:29.46\00:15:32.06
It was thought at one
time that Charles was going
00:15:32.06\00:15:34.36
to die.
00:15:34.36\00:15:35.36
He had become so ill
and somebody asked him upon
00:15:35.36\00:15:38.50
which he rested
his hope of salvation.
00:15:38.50\00:15:41.20
Charles answered by
saying, "I have used my best
00:15:41.20\00:15:44.60
endeavors to serve God."
Led to believe his answer might
00:15:44.60\00:15:48.60
have been lacking just a
little bit, Charles thought,
00:15:48.60\00:15:51.16
"Are not my endeavors a
sufficient ground of hope?
00:15:51.16\00:15:55.30
I have nothing else to trust
to!" The Wesleys had thought
00:15:55.30\00:16:01.56
that living a virtuous
life and observing all the right
00:16:01.56\00:16:04.16
forms would bring them
to the place where they
00:16:04.16\00:16:06.93
had peace with God.
00:16:06.93\00:16:07.93
But they came to understand
that genuine Christian living
00:16:07.93\00:16:11.70
involves an inward
change that affects the thoughts
00:16:11.70\00:16:15.03
and the feelings, not
just the words and the actions.
00:16:15.03\00:16:18.06
They came to understand
that this inward transformation
00:16:18.06\00:16:21.40
was an integral part of
genuine Christian living.
00:16:21.40\00:16:24.76
Up until now, they
had been trying to achieve
00:16:24.76\00:16:27.10
righteousness by works but
now they began to understand
00:16:27.10\00:16:30.83
that great foundational
teaching of Christianity -
00:16:30.83\00:16:34.13
righteousness by
faith in Jesus Christ alone.
00:16:34.13\00:16:38.60
By 1738, John Wesley, now
35, and his brother Charles, 31,
00:16:38.60\00:16:46.40
returned to England.
00:16:46.40\00:16:47.40
And it was that year
that something remarkable
00:16:47.40\00:16:51.23
happened, something
that would the world.
00:16:51.23\00:16:54.86
On May 24, 1738, John was
attended a Moravian meeting
00:16:54.86\00:16:59.40
in London, right
here on Aldersgate Street.
00:16:59.40\00:17:03.46
This is what he would
later write about what happened
00:17:03.46\00:17:05.50
here that night.
00:17:05.50\00:17:08.00
"In the evening I went
very unwillingly to a society
00:17:08.00\00:17:11.90
in Aldersgate Street, where
one was reading Luther's preface
00:17:11.90\00:17:15.16
to the Epistle to the Romans.
00:17:15.16\00:17:17.43
About a quarter before nine,
while the leader was describing
00:17:17.43\00:17:20.40
the change which God
works in the heart through faith
00:17:20.40\00:17:22.66
in Christ, I felt my
heart strangely warmed.
00:17:22.66\00:17:27.46
I felt I did trust in
Christ alone for salvation;
00:17:27.46\00:17:31.90
and an assurance was given me
that He had taken away my sins,
00:17:31.90\00:17:35.86
even mine, and saved me
from the law of sin and death."
00:17:35.86\00:17:41.46
[Music]
00:17:42.83\00:17:46.86
John Wesley would
never be the same again -
00:17:51.16\00:17:54.60
and nor would the world.
00:17:54.60\00:17:56.06
He continued to live
his methodical, self-denying
00:17:56.06\00:17:59.33
life, but now as the
result of his faith in God,
00:17:59.33\00:18:03.90
and not the ground
of his faith in God.
00:18:03.90\00:18:06.46
Wesley came to
understand that the grace of God
00:18:06.46\00:18:07.93
is the foundation of
a believer's existence
00:18:07.93\00:18:10.50
and he realized that
grace resulted in obedience.
00:18:10.50\00:18:15.93
Wesley dedicated his life
to preaching these great truths
00:18:15.93\00:18:19.56
- justification through
faith in the blood of Jesus,
00:18:19.56\00:18:23.06
and the transforming
power of the Holy Spirit
00:18:23.06\00:18:26.00
in a person's life.
00:18:26.00\00:18:28.56
Today we've looked at
individuals whose lives were
00:18:28.56\00:18:30.66
changed because of the
power of the Word of God.
00:18:30.66\00:18:33.20
And I want to share with
you how the Bible can bring joy
00:18:33.20\00:18:36.26
and victory into your life.
00:18:36.26\00:18:38.50
There is a special Bible
study guide I want you to have.
00:18:38.50\00:18:41.96
It's called The
Secret of Happiness.
00:18:41.96\00:18:44.60
In just a few pages,
you'll discover what the Bible
00:18:44.60\00:18:46.93
has to say on this vital subject
and it's our free gift to you.
00:18:46.93\00:18:51.06
The secret of happiness
explains just how the Word
00:18:51.06\00:18:53.76
of God has the power to
transform your life and give
00:18:53.76\00:18:57.20
you abundant joy.
00:18:57.20\00:18:58.73
Right now, it's available
free from It Is Written.
00:18:58.73\00:19:01.06
Just call 1.800.253.3000
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00:19:01.06\00:19:06.56
of Happiness.
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You can also get the Secret
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Box O, Thousand Oaks,
00:19:09.40\00:19:12.73
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00:19:12.73\00:19:15.43
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00:19:15.43\00:19:17.53
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00:19:17.53\00:19:18.76
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00:19:18.76\00:19:20.76
It could absolutely
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00:19:20.76\00:19:23.43
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00:19:23.43\00:19:25.16
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00:19:25.16\00:19:26.46
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00:19:26.46\00:19:30.13
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00:19:30.13\00:19:33.76
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00:19:54.10\00:19:58.20
Like many reformers,
John Wesley had no intention
00:19:59.93\00:20:02.73
of starting a new denomination
when he founded Methodism.
00:20:02.73\00:20:06.40
It's interesting -
Catholicism had been
00:20:06.40\00:20:08.63
the state religion, and it
needed serious reformation.
00:20:08.63\00:20:11.86
Out of that milieu came
the Church of England - which
00:20:11.86\00:20:14.66
itself came to the place
where IT needed to be reformed.
00:20:14.66\00:20:18.36
To begin with, John Wesley
wanted to teach and preach
00:20:18.36\00:20:20.53
within the confines
of the Church of England.
00:20:20.53\00:20:22.83
But it wasn't long and he
wasn't welcome in the Church
00:20:22.83\00:20:25.46
of England.
00:20:25.46\00:20:26.63
He was ardently opposed
to the Calvinist teaching
00:20:26.63\00:20:29.03
of predestination, believing
instead that people were free
00:20:29.03\00:20:32.46
to choose whether they wanted
to accept or reject salvation.
00:20:32.46\00:20:36.96
This pitted him
against his good friend,
00:20:36.96\00:20:39.23
George Whitefield, with
Wesley saying that he believed
00:20:39.23\00:20:42.90
Calvinism represented "God
to be worse than the devil."
00:20:42.90\00:20:46.43
After Whitefield died,
John Wesley wrote that "in some
00:20:46.43\00:20:50.83
things, people
might agree to disagree".
00:20:50.83\00:20:54.03
That's the first time we
know of that the phrase "agree
00:20:54.03\00:20:56.33
to disagree" ever
appeared in print.
00:20:56.33\00:20:59.93
And John Wesley was a
committed abolitionist.
00:21:03.86\00:21:06.60
He was friends with William
Wilberforce and with John
00:21:06.60\00:21:09.30
Newton who wrote
the hymn Amazing Grace.
00:21:09.30\00:21:12.83
So this was another
point where he differed from
00:21:12.83\00:21:14.83
his friend George Whitefield,
who had argued in favor
00:21:14.83\00:21:17.60
of slavery.
00:21:17.60\00:21:19.40
John Wesley usually travelled
on horseback, and he preached
00:21:19.40\00:21:21.90
two or three times a day.
00:21:21.90\00:21:23.60
Stephen Tomkins wrote
that Wesley traveled "more
00:21:23.60\00:21:26.13
than 250,000 miles, he
gave away 30,000 pounds, ...
00:21:26.13\00:21:31.13
and preached more
than 40,000 sermons.
00:21:31.13\00:21:34.66
Now all this travel was not
especially good for Wesley's
00:21:34.66\00:21:37.30
marriage.
00:21:37.30\00:21:38.66
When he was 48 he married
Mary, a 40-year-old widow.
00:21:38.66\00:21:43.43
Wesley's
philosophy was pretty simple.
00:21:43.43\00:21:45.83
He wrote, 'I cannot
understand how a Methodist
00:21:45.83\00:21:48.70
preacher can answer it
to God to preach one sermon
00:21:48.70\00:21:52.03
or travel one day less,
in a married than in a single
00:21:52.03\00:21:55.66
state.' Mary had a hard
time seeing it that time.
00:21:55.66\00:21:59.56
She grew weary of his
relentless travel schedule,
00:21:59.56\00:22:02.43
and she become jealous
of the attention that Wesley
00:22:02.43\00:22:05.43
was getting from other women.
00:22:05.43\00:22:07.56
Now it cannot be said
that John Wesley handled all
00:22:07.56\00:22:10.53
of the pressure on
his marriage like a saint.
00:22:10.53\00:22:13.06
He actually wrote and said
some pretty scathing things
00:22:13.06\00:22:15.53
to Mary.
00:22:15.53\00:22:16.70
Biographer Robert Southey
wrote 'There are few stomachs
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.70
which could bear to have
humility administered in such
00:22:19.70\00:22:22.23
doses.' Molly actually
left Wesley several times,
00:22:22.23\00:22:25.93
but after he would beg her
to return, she'd come back.
00:22:25.93\00:22:29.53
But things were
not good at home.
00:22:29.53\00:22:31.56
Writer John Pollock wrote
that Mary was actually seen
00:22:31.56\00:22:34.96
dragging Wesley
across the floor by his hair.
00:22:34.96\00:22:38.70
No wonder, then, that
after 15 years of marriage,
00:22:38.70\00:22:41.26
Mary left.
00:22:41.26\00:22:42.63
And when she did, Wesley
wrote, ", 'I did not forsake
00:22:42.63\00:22:45.46
her, I did not dismiss
her, I will not recall her.'
00:22:45.46\00:22:50.70
[Music]
00:22:52.06\00:22:55.03
Wesley's Chapel here
on City Road in London
00:22:57.26\00:23:00.66
was built in 1778.
00:23:00.66\00:23:02.86
Wesley preached in this
very chapel - continuing
00:23:02.86\00:23:05.76
to proclaim the powerful grace
of God that is able to forgive
00:23:05.76\00:23:09.26
sins and change a human heart.
00:23:09.26\00:23:12.80
Wesley taught a lot
about the Holy Spirit,
00:23:12.80\00:23:14.30
and the infilling of
the Holy Spirit, which he
00:23:14.30\00:23:17.63
believed to be the privilege
of a believer to receive.
00:23:17.63\00:23:21.73
He taught on the doctrine
of sanctification, how a person
00:23:21.73\00:23:25.06
could have the "mind
which was in Christ, enabling us
00:23:25.06\00:23:28.90
to walk as He
walked" as Wesley said.
00:23:28.90\00:23:31.90
He taught that a
person is restored "not only
00:23:31.90\00:23:33.80
to the favor, but
likewise to the image
00:23:33.80\00:23:38.10
of God."
00:23:38.10\00:23:39.30
[Music]
00:23:40.70\00:23:44.26
Wesley died in
1791, almost 87 years old.
00:23:45.20\00:23:48.43
His emphasis on personal
revival based on the power
00:23:48.43\00:23:52.33
of the Bible and the work of
the Holy Spirit in a person's
00:23:52.33\00:23:54.60
life saw him leave
behind 135,000 Methodist Church
00:23:54.60\00:23:59.76
members and over 500
itinerant Methodist preachers.
00:23:59.76\00:24:03.83
And he died poor.
00:24:03.83\00:24:06.10
Virtually everything he
owned or had earned he had given
00:24:06.10\00:24:09.60
to the cause of God.
00:24:09.60\00:24:12.43
When he was dying, he
took hold of the hands of those
00:24:12.43\00:24:15.43
with him in his room and
said again and again, "Farewell,
00:24:15.43\00:24:18.80
farewell." And finally he
said, "The best of all is,
00:24:18.80\00:24:23.46
God is with us".
00:24:23.46\00:24:24.73
And he said it
again: "The best of all,
00:24:24.73\00:24:26.66
God is with us."
00:24:26.66\00:24:29.06
And then, he died.
00:24:29.06\00:24:31.86
He's buried here,
just behind this chapel.
00:24:36.73\00:24:40.56
His Godly mother, Susanna,
is buried just across the street
00:24:40.56\00:24:43.23
in Bunhill Fields cemetery
as is John Bunyan, the writer
00:24:43.23\00:24:48.46
of one of the most magnificent
and famous literary works
00:24:48.46\00:24:51.23
in the history of Christianity
- Pilgrim's Progress.
00:24:51.23\00:24:55.26
His brother Charles is buried
about two miles from here.
00:24:55.26\00:24:58.33
Charles is famous for
writing some of Christianity's
00:24:58.33\00:25:00.66
best-loved hymns.
00:25:00.66\00:25:02.50
Hymns such as "And Can it
Be"; "O For a Thousand Tongues
00:25:02.50\00:25:06.46
to Sing";
"Christ the Lord is Risen
00:25:06.46\00:25:08.86
Today";
"Soldiers of Christ Arise."
00:25:08.86\00:25:14.66
What an active place this
is going to be on the morning
00:25:14.66\00:25:16.73
of the resurrection, when
"the dead in Christ shall rise."
00:25:16.73\00:25:21.56
Like so many of us, John
Wesley had a religion that was
00:25:21.56\00:25:24.50
all about the forms or religion
but didn't have the power
00:25:24.50\00:25:27.83
of living faith.
00:25:27.83\00:25:29.60
His belief system didn't
change his heart or give him
00:25:29.60\00:25:32.40
assurance of salvation.
00:25:32.40\00:25:34.40
But everything changed
because John Wesley met Jesus
00:25:35.53\00:25:40.20
- the real Jesus, a personal
Saviour, a close friend.
00:25:40.20\00:25:45.06
John Wesley discovered
the power of the presence
00:25:45.06\00:25:49.86
of Christ in his life.
00:25:49.86\00:25:51.96
I want you to know
that the same Jesus
00:25:51.96\00:25:55.00
that changed John Wesley's
life can change your life.
00:25:55.00\00:25:59.86
The same Bible that brought
such power into John Wesley's
00:25:59.86\00:26:02.96
daily existence can
bring power to where you
00:26:02.96\00:26:06.50
are right now.
00:26:06.50\00:26:07.93
And the same Holy Spirit
that brought transformation
00:26:07.93\00:26:12.00
and assurance of forgiveness
of sins and the life of Jesus
00:26:12.00\00:26:15.80
lived out in John Wesley's
life can bring all those things
00:26:15.80\00:26:20.40
into your life right now.
00:26:20.40\00:26:23.73
Just one man - John Wesley
- and the world was changed.
00:26:23.73\00:26:28.36
Just one man -
Jesus - and you're life
00:26:28.36\00:26:32.60
can be changed, today.
00:26:32.60\00:26:35.03
Let me pray with you...
00:26:35.03\00:26:36.93
Our father in heaven,
from this really rather sacred
00:26:37.96\00:26:40.73
spot, I want to thank you
today for Jesus, the Jesus
00:26:40.73\00:26:43.16
that John Wesley met, the
Jesus who changed his heart
00:26:43.16\00:26:46.53
and changed his life.
00:26:46.53\00:26:49.26
And the Jesus who can
come into our lives right now
00:26:49.26\00:26:51.53
and make them
everything they ought to be.
00:26:51.53\00:26:54.03
I thank you today for assurance.
00:26:54.03\00:26:57.36
I thank you that you forgive
us for our sins and I thank
00:26:57.36\00:27:00.46
you that Jesus will live
his life in us and make us
00:27:00.46\00:27:04.46
completely new.
00:27:04.46\00:27:05.46
Let us live now believing
and knowing and leaning on you
00:27:05.46\00:27:10.10
and trusting in
Christ for our salvation.
00:27:10.10\00:27:12.93
We pray and thank
you in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:27:12.93\00:27:17.30
[Music]
00:27:19.30\00:27:23.76
I want to thank you
for joining me today
00:27:41.33\00:27:43.43
and until next time,
remember: It is written,
00:27:43.43\00:27:46.96
man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word
00:27:46.96\00:27:50.60
that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:27:50.60\00:27:54.43