Awake Thou That Sleepest!
Recently I read the sermon Charles Wesley preached at Oxford University, April 4, 1742, “Awake Thou That Sleepest.” I wish I was even half as poetic and even half as firey! Wesley said, “Shackled by misery and chains, the sleepers dream that they are free” and “You are sinking into the depth of damnation, the abyss of God’s final condemnation.” The responses were one of two, conviction followed by repentance or insult with indignation. Where has the fire gone? It wasn’t that Wesley necessarily disagreed with the theology of the Church of England, but quite to the contrary. The Wesleys disagreed with the lethargy and “Laodicean spirit” they encountered in the Church of England. Nor do I, or we, take issue with the theology and doctrine of the United Methodist Church, but I do take issue with the lethargy and “Laodicean spirit” with which so many United Methodists approach God. We are “slumbering in the devil’s arms,” as Charles Wesley would say.
What then is the proper response? Approach prayer, fellowship, and Bible study with enthusiasm, excitement, and exuberance. Why is the prayer chapel virtually empty on Tuesday nights? Petty differences with the Pastor or with each other? Hogwash! We have no time for such – Jesus is coming! If we would enter into enthusiastic corporate prayer, petty differences would dissipate and the fire of revival would be rekindled. I say rekindled, because at one point in the history of American Methodism it was estimated that 40% of the population of the United States were Methodists. This population explosion didn’t happen because of covered dish suppers, it happened because of prayer and evangelism. Skyland, let’s get back to the basics – prayer, fellowship, and Bible study. If we enthusiastically do these three, evangelism and church growth will follow. A mere 2% of church membership at corporate prayer gatherings does not constitute enthusiasm! Granted we do better at Bible study and fellowship, although our fellowship is often segregated into typical and existing clicks (and I am as guilty as you). I suppose you will have one of two responses to this article: conviction followed by repentance or insult with indignation. Which will you choose? Oh, by the way – we gather for prayer in the chapel on Tuesday nights at 7:00p.m.
Your servant,
Pastor John