This article is part two in a series on Bible Interpretation. To go back and read part one, which discusses our Articles of Religion, click HERE.
In our first article we reviewed our Articles of Religion, an important series of faith statements that help explain who we are and what we believe as Methodists. As we’re looking at Bible Interpretation, we reviewed the specific guidance that our Articles provide on how we read and interpret scripture.
One of the great things about our Wesleyan-Methodist tradition, however, is that we hardly ever just stop at principles and guidelines. Faith is active and alive, and what is interpreted in scripture needs to be put into practice. Methodists have always been a very practical branch of the Christian faith, and that’s where our next batch of foundational documents take us.
The Standard Sermons and Explanatory Notes of John Wesley
Our Book of Discipline includes these sermons as a resource for United Methodist Doctrine (what we believe) and Theology (what we understand about God). The four-volume set referenced in the Book of Discipline contains 151 sermons in it. The Explanatory Notes is a two-volume commentary on scripture. The sheer size of these resources makes them challenging to summarize. Everyone uses these resources differently, so all I can do is tell you how I use it as a Pastor in the Methodist Tradition.
- The technology of our modern world has provided the chance to own these digitally, which I do through a program called Logos Bible Software. That program offers a search function that I make great use of. It allows me to search the sermons and notes topically, and by Scripture citation for sermon preparation. Occasionally I will quote or reference them directly, sometimes the outline of whole sermons. If you are a church member or friend of Downs UMC and would ever like me to search these digital resources for a topic or scripture, that is something I would be glad to do. Just email me what you’re looking for (pastor@downsumc.org) and I’ll share what I find with you.
- Additionally, I believe that the sermons can be very useful for devotional reading, though you do have to enjoy reading older documents. The 18th century language is a challenge to read at times. There are a handful of Methodist authors who work to bring these older documents into greater modern use, and one that I have always enjoyed reading is Paul Chilcote.
What do Wesley’s Sermons and notes teach us about Biblical Interpretation?
They show us Bible-Interpretation-Applied. John Wesley was famous for calling himself “A man of one book” and by that he meant the Bible. You can see this very clearly in his sermons and notes. You will encounter an author who is extremely well acquainted with the scriptures and willing to apply them in all manner of challenging situations, always with a bent to a sort of “practical theology”. Or to put it another way: the Word of God should impact who we are, what we do, and why we do it. John Wesley is an excellent example of someone who was saved by the Grace of God, and lived by the Word of God, teaching others to do the same. His notes are informative as you read scripture (and very approachable in resources like the Wesley Study Bible). His sermons expound on, interpret, and apply the Word of God to his particular context, and challenge us to do the same with our own.
The General Rules of the Methodist Church
This is a really neat document in our church history. You can read it here. In fact, a ministry in our church, Journey Groups, is based almost entirely on this piece of Methodist history. You could argue, it’s one of the things we have done best as a historical church. These rules detail a special kind of meeting where Christians would come together outside of church (kind of like a small group ministry) and they would hold one another accountable to three commitments.
- Do no harm – they committed to avoid sin as it was explained in scripture, in its original form the General Rules document lists the common sins of the time (an interesting look into the early 1800’s)
- Do good – they committed to do good works, as we are taught to do in scripture. In its original form the General Rules document lists recommended ways to do good for its time (again an interesting look into the early 1800’s)
- Attend on all the Ordinances of God – Essentially, stay connected (or as one Bishop puts it, “stay in love”) with God. Recommended activities for this are: the church worship service, Communion, family and private prayer, fasting or abstinence, and no less than three recommendations regarding the Bible
- Early Methodists were to:
- Read Scripture
- Expound Scripture (usually preaching or hearing preaching)
- And search Scripture – because it was considered to be “…the only rule, and sufficient rule, both of faith and practice.”
- Early Methodists were to:
Our Journey Groups are a direct extension of this great practice of the faith, and the people who participate in them are blessed with a depth of Christian fellowship that can only be found in accountability groups such as these. When these groups are run well, they are a blessing to all who participate.
What do the General Rules teach us about Biblical Interpretation?
They exist as an answer to a question. Several early Methodists approached John Wesley asking for practical advice on “how to flee from the wrath to come.” While there was a strong desire in these individuals to escape the judgement of God, there was also an opportunity here for spiritual growth. Wesley, and later all early Methodists, took what they understood from reading, expounding, and searching scripture and put it to practice. These groups provided practical application, prayerful support, and created a powerful kind of Christian community. Many people grew in their faith and developed a much deeper relationship with God by meeting together like this.
How is all this applied locally at Downs UMC?
We understand that the fruits of our Biblical interpretation have a purpose. We cannot just stop at Bible Study. What is learned, and what insights are gifted by the Holy Spirit are intended to be put to use. We, as a church, try to carry on that tradition of practicality that has always been a part of Methodism. Our ministries, our mission work, and our time together is a practical extension of our experience with God through Jesus Christ, and our interpretation of scripture in the Wesleyan tradition.
In addition to that, the ministry of preaching at the church is a powerful way to share and expound upon the Word of God. It’s part of every Sunday morning worship service, and that’s why sermons at Downs UMC always have a scriptural backbone.
I hope you also find it encouraging to hear that Bible reading, searching, and expounding is NOT LIMITED to pastors and church leaders. Working with the Word of God is something that our Methodist tradition encourages you to do! The Word of God is in your hands now more than any other time in human history, and your Methodist tradition encourages you spend time with it: Read, search, listen to teachers as they expound on it, and in all ways interact with the Bible! God will bless your good work!
In our next article we will discuss a neat section of the Book of Discipline called “Our Theological Task”.