The seasonal gears have shifted in a churchly
way. Some of the highest events of the Church’s year -- for
example, Palm-Passion Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday,
Easter Day, Pentecost Day, and Trinity Sunday -- are now behind.
And the long Season of Pentecost, with its twenty-six "ordinary"
Sundays, has begun.
The seasonal gears have shifted in another
way. For "the lazy, hazy days of summer" have arrived.
Experiencing these changes (which create a
pause in the action), in the Church’s calendar and in nature’s
routines, we might want to consider what God asks of His people.
In other words, what is the will of God for us?
The briefest answer is from Jesus Christ,
when He declares: "The first [commandment] is, ‘Hear, O Israel:
The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with
all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this,
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other
commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31, RSV)
Another answer, which is more specific, is
the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5). The Ten
Commandments give detail to the love of our Lord’s commandment(s).
Yet another answer is the baptismal covenant
and its promises -- to renounce and resist sin, to confess Jesus
Christ as Savior, to serve Jesus Christ as Lord, to be faithful
members of Christ’s holy Church, to be actively loyal to The
United Methodist Church, and to participate in the ministries of
St. Peter’s United Methodist Church.
There is one more answer that deserves
mention. It is called "The General Rules of the Methodist
Church" (1808, in The Book of Discipline [2004], pp.
71-74). Though little known and seldom quoted in our time, the
General Rules were used by Methodists in earlier generations, as
a standard, to make sure they were increasing in faith and
faithfulness. For your Pentecost-summer reading, the General
Rules follow.
"It is...expected of all who continue [in
these Methodist societies or covenant groups] that they should
continue to evidence their desire of salvation, [underlining
added, here and below, for emphasis]
"First: By doing no harm, by
avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most
generally practiced, such as:
"The taking of the name of God in vain.
"The profaning the day of the Lord, either by
doing ordinary work therein or by buying or selling.
"Drunkenness: buying or selling spirituous
liquors, or drinking them, unless in cases of extreme necessity.
"Slaveholding; buying or selling slaves.
"Fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother
going to law with brother; returning evil for evil, or railing
for railing; the using many words in buying or selling.
"The buying or selling goods that have not paid the duty.
"The giving or taking things on usury -- i.e., unlawful
interest.
"Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation;
particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers.
"Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us.
"Doing what we know is not for the glory of God, as:
"The putting on of gold and costly apparel.
"The taking such diversions as cannot be used
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
"The singing those songs, or reading those
books, which do not tend to the knowledge or love of God.
"Softness and needless self-indulgence.
"Laying up treasure upon earth.
"Borrowing without a probability of paying;
or taking up goods without a probability of paying for them.
"It is expected of all who continue in
these societies that they should continue to evidence their
desire of salvation,
"Secondly: By doing good; by
being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have
opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as
possible, to all men:
"To their bodies, of the ability which God
giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by
visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison.
"To their souls, by instructing, reproving,
or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; trampling under
foot that enthusiastic doctrine that ‘we are not to do good
unless our hearts be free to it.’
"By doing good, especially to them that are
of the household of faith or groaning so to be; employing them
preferably to others; buying one of another, helping each other
in business, and so much the more because the world will love
its own and them only.
"By all possible diligence and frugality,
that the gospel be not blamed.
"By running with patience the race which is
set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross
daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the
filth and offscouring of the world; and looking that men should
say all manner of evil of them falsely, for the Lord’s
sake.
"It is expected of all who desire to
continue in these societies that they should continue to
evidence their desire of salvation,
"Thirdly: By attending upon all the
ordinances of God; such are:
"The public worship of God.
"The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded.
"The Supper of the Lord.
"Family and private prayer.
"Searching the Scriptures.
"Fasting or abstinence.
"These are the General Rules of our
societies; all of which we are taught of God to observe, even in
his written Word, which is the only rule, and the sufficient
rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these we know his
Spirit writes on truly awakened hearts..."
The General Rules -- as with Jesus’
commandment(s), the Ten Commandments, and the baptismal covenant
-- express God’s will for the good of the people called
Methodist. They were written and used in the hope of drawing
people closer to God. This they accomplished in earlier
generations.
Even with all their old-fashioned words, the
General Rules might be more than a little assistance to us
United Methodists today. Applied to our circumstances and with
the help of the Holy Spirit, they might well draw us closer to
God.
A blessed Pentecost Season and summer to you.
