ARISE! Charles Wesley Sings the Good News

(based on the hymn “Arise, My Soul, Arise!)

Preached by Gary Hicks on July 20, 2014 at Brook Hill United Methodist Church, Frederick, MD.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death… For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:1-2, 14-16)

Sometimes things from long ago are better than new things. In the category of “Love poetry” would you prefer William Shakespeare or Justin Bieber? In the “Art” category, would you prefer Marie Cassatt or contemporary Spanish painter José Merello? In the “Grab Bag” category, would it be King Solomon or Weird Al Yankovic?

Charles Wesley is a man from long ago. He was born in 1707, three hundred years ago, more or less. And he is a hymn-writer whose good old hymns are likely to be sung for centuries to come.

Charles Wesley was John Wesley’s younger brother. Most of us know that John and Charles started the Methodist movement. John was the leader and organizer. Charles was the poet. Methodists sang his hymns each week when they came together.

He wrote more than 6000 hymns. (By writing 3 hymns a week, you too could write 6000 hymns – in 38 years!) Millions of Christians sing Charles’s hymns today. They are full of good theology. Our Methodist hymnal includes 59 of them.

Today we’re focusing on “Arise, My Soul, Arise” – my favorite Wesley hymn. Growing up in Canada, we didn’t sing it in my church, but Dad sang it as he prepared sermons.

Read this hymn together with me...

Arise, my soul, arise! Shake off thy guilty fears.

The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears.

Before the throne my Surety stands;

My name is written on His hands.

He ever lives above for me to intercede,

His all-redeeming love, His precious blood to plead.

His blood atoned for all our race

And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds He bears, received on Calvary.

They pour effectual prayers, They strongly plead for me.

“Forgive him, O, forgive,” they cry,

“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

The Father hears Him pray, His dear Anointed One;

He cannot turn away The presence of His Son.

His Spirit answers to the blood,

And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled; His pardoning voice I hear.

He owns me for His child; I can no longer fear.

With confidence I now draw nigh,

And “Father, Abba, Father,” cry.

Today this hymn is our framework to retell the good news of Jesus.

First I want to make one observation, and then share two truths with you.

My observation is that THIS HYMN EMPHASIZES THE BLOOD OF JESUS. This hymn sees the blood of Christ as God’s remedy for our sin.

The Bible tells us that, in the Old Testament, “almost everything was cleansed by sprinkling it with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Hebrews 9:22 – Living Bible).

And Wesley uses several strong phrases to describe the blood of Jesus: “the bleeding sacrifice”; “His precious blood”; “Five bleeding wounds”. One phrase hits me hardest: “My name is written on His hands.”

When we partake of the Lord’s Table, the grape juice reminds us of the blood sacrifice. We say, “the blood of Christ, shed for you.”

We don’t fully understand why God gave blood sacrifice such an important place in ancient worship. Maybe part of it was to help us understand how distasteful sin is to Him.

But blood sacrifices ended with the death of Jesus. He was the perfect, final sacrifice. I thank God for His perfect sacrifice for my sins!

Now let’s look at the two important truths emphasized by Wesley:

1. GOD WANTS TO PARDON US, NOT CONDEMN US. The scripture we read says: “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1) And John 3:17 tells us that: “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

God’s plan is not condemnation, but restoration.

Listen to these strong phrases from Wesley’s hymn:

“The bleeding sacrifice in MY behalf appears” (Note the personal pronoun “my”). “He ever lives above for ME to intercede.” “Five bleeding wounds… pour effectual prayers, They strongly plead for ME.”

Friends, God is on OUR side! The Father treasures us. The Son died and rose again for us.The Spirit fills us with divine love. God is on our side!

Here’s the scene that Charles Wesley seems to set up: Imagine yourself as the accused, on trial in a great courtroom. God the Father is the judge. Satan is the prosecuting attorney. And Jesus is your defense attorney.

All the charges against you are listed: perhaps 50 pages full of accusations. Satan brings many witnesses against you. The charges are obviously true – you are guilty. Finally the prosecution rests its case.

Now your defense attorney stands – Jesus of Nazareth. All eyes are on Him. He steps from behind the defendant’s table. We notice that his hands have been pierced through. We see that His feet have been badly wounded. We see a deep wound in His side, where a spear has torn the flesh.

Jesus says, “Yes, Your Honor, the defendant is guilty. But she is my sister. I have already taken her guilt upon me, I have suffered in the defendant’s place. Let her go free.”

Now all eyes are on the judge – God the Father. And quickly He says, “Oh, yes, set her free! Someone else has paid her penalty. My Son has suffered in her place.”

It’s a powerful scene. But the Bible never says that such an event ever takes place. The courtroom drama may help us understand the power of Christ’s wounds, but it could also give us a false picture.

If we think that the Son loves us more than the Father, we’re mistaken. If we think that the Father is out for justice but the Son wants mercy, then this imaginary scene has gone too far. God is One. He does not want to condemn us. His agenda is pardon. When it comes to our salvation, the Creator of the universe is on our side!

2. WHEN WE’RE BORN OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT TELLS US SO. Sometimes we call this the “assurance of salvation.” It makes sense that if God forgives our sins, He wants us to know without any doubt that we are forgiven.

In their early years, John and Charles Wesley were both hindered by the mistaken idea that we cannot know for sure if God has saved us from our sins. This false theology says that, in this life, we cannot know for sure whether we are bound for heaven or hell.

But the Wesleys had Christian friends (the Moravians) who convinced them otherwise.   

The scripture we read says: “the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by [that same Spirit] we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit… testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Rom. 8:15-16)

“Abba” is an Aramaic word that means “Daddy” (or “Papa.”) It’s a term of endearment, an intimate word. If you’ve ever wondered if God is a personal God, you should ponder this word ABBA.

The Father wants us to feel an intimacy with Him. He is not some faraway deity running the world by remote control. He is our PAPA, our DADDY. Somehow DADDY sounds too familiar, too irreverent. But God yearns for that kind of relationship with us!

Here’s how the scripture we read is translated in The Message: “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.”

When we believe in Jesus we are adopted into God’s family. And the Holy Spirit goes to work. He speaks with our spirits and assures us that we are God’s children.

Say (if you believe it): “God speaks to me.” “When I am forgiven, God tells me so.”

When we have been redeemed, an inner voice will speak peace and assurance to our spirits.

Charles Wesley was 30 before he felt the inner witness and knew that he was forgiven. Christianity.com says that he was sick with pleurisy and a bad toothache. He was staying at a friend’s house in London, England. On Pentecost Sunday morning, 1738, Charles asked God to give him an assurance of salvation.

At one point he heard a friend's voice saying, "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, arise, and believe, and you shall be healed of all your infirmities."

Charles whispered, "I believe, I believe." That day he received the witness of the Spirit within himself. He was assured that his sins were forgiven. His life was changed. (http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/charles-wesley-lacked-holy-spirit-no-more-11630225.html)

Charles had been a seeker after God, a doer of good deeds. But that day was a turning point.

Now he was confident of God’s forgiveness. He was to become a much more effective worker for Jesus.

What about you? Do you have an inner witness from the Spirit that your sins are forgiven? Are you confident that, if you were absent from your body, you would be present with the Lord?

God wants to assure you of your salvation. Ask Him to give you that inner witness. I know that He will!

Speak with a Christian friend and pray together that God will help you know without a doubt that your sins are forgiven. Or I would be glad to meet with you and we can pray together.

And it might be that you are in need of the Holy Spirit’s help in strengthening your faith, or reaffirming your Christian convictions. Let’s do business with God this morning, while He’s speaking to us!