Keith Newell, Lead Pastor

I thought that I would focus our attention on the founder of the Methodist movement and his theology as it concerns “love.” John Wesley’s teachings and sermons have formed the basis of understanding biblical truth since the beginning of the Methodist movement in the mid-1700’s. Since February is considered by many to be the “Love” month since Valentines Day is in February, I thought we would look at what Wesley said about love.

Love reigns as John Wesley’s supreme theological and ethical category. In other words, according to John Wesley, love forms the basis of all we do and believe as followers of Christ. John Wesley’s thoughts about what it means to be a Christian and live a life of obedient service to Christ is centered in the power of God’s love for us.

Wesley appeals to the supremacy of love more often and more insightfully than most theologians. He considers love God’s reigning attribute, and he understands divine power in light of love. What this means is that the greatness of our God is centered in God’s love for human beings. That means me and you. It was love that led to Christ’s coming in the form of a man, being born in a manger. It was God’s love for every human being born past, present, and future that motivated Jesus Christ to become the supreme sacrifice for our sin, our rebellion and disobedience to God’s law and commandments.

Once we receive this love through faith in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we are filled to overflowing with love for God and love for others. Like most biblical writers, Wesley typically understands love as action that promotes well-being. Love is “benevolence,” he says, “tender good-will to all the souls that God has made.” What he means by this is that the person who loves is one who blesses others, benefits others, enjoys mutual benefit, or overcomes evil with good. These are all acts of love, understood as promoting the well-being of others.

Doing good is the “nature” of love, says Wesley, but love takes various forms and produces diverse fruit. For instance, we often express love by choosing humility, gentleness, patience, self-control, etc. We express love by helping the poor, being kind to strangers, encouraging those in the community of faith, forgiving one another, etc. This is what John Wesley believed Jesus meant when He taught us to love God with our whole being and every other person, as we love ourselves.

I invite you to join us on this journey to understand God’s love and to put it into practice every day. As the old song puts it: “What the world needs now, is love, sweet love.” We believe all love comes from God and when we enter into a relationship with God, love becomes our greatest character trait.

In His great love,

Pastor Keith