Come, sinners, to the gospel feast

Reflections on 'A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodist' #2 - Come, sinners, to the gospel feast 

The text to the hymn can be found here

Life can be tiring. The emotional drain of global conflicts and local issues, of trying to be good enough, of balancing all the competing calls on time can leave you feeling like a restless wanderer. Always pressing on, always keeping going. 'If only I can get through this pile of admin...' 'If only I can get through to next week...' 'If only this national leader would disappear...' If only...then life would find a new equilibrium. Yet you never reach that state. There's always something else, always another burden, always something else to sap the energy from you.

Wesley's hymn is an invitation to all who feel drained by life, and especially drained by the constant toil of finding contentment in life, to come to God's banquet - there is a place for all. Christ waits to offer a hearty welcome as the host of the feast. For any who feel that they are not worthy of a place at this banquet table, this message as from God receive - you all may come to Christ, and live. 

Sadly, the Church hasn't always been good at proclaiming this message. In fact, the opposite has sometimes been true - you are not welcome if... People are excluded, some are made to feel less worthy than others. As the opening of the hymn makes clear - none of us are worthy, all of us are welcomed through the undeserved love of God.

This love of God isn't some shallow sentimental expression of love, but it is persistent and powerful compelling all to accept. Joining with Wesley, the Church should have that desire that our voice could reach you all, that all may taste the goodness of God, experience that love which proclaims we don't have to earn our way in, and find the rest for which our hearts crave.

 

Reflections on 'A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodists' #1 - O for a thousand tongues to sing

The Collection of Hymns was first published by John Wesley in 1780 and was almost exclusively made up of hymns written by his brother, Charles. It was designed to be 'a little body of experimental and practical divinity.' They were designed to be reflected on and prayed through by the Methodist people, and not only used for corporate worship. I intend to offer my own personal reflections on each of the hymns - at least for as long as I have time. Who knows how long it might take to work through! 

I couldn't find a version online that quite has all the verses in this Collection, but here is a link to the nearest: Hymn Text Comparison | Hymnary.org

The opening section of the hymn book is entitled 'Exhorting, and beseeching to return to God.'

This opening hymn, which has become a classic of Methodist hymnody and beyond, was supposedly written on the first anniversary of Charles' experience of the Holy Spirit. Its opening line comes from something his Moravian friend, Peter Bohler, had apparently said to him, 'If I had a thousand tongues, I would praise God with all of them.'

What difference does faith in Christ make? Sometimes it can be made to seem as though it is only about believing certain statements, praying in particular ways, or being involved in particular programmes or activities. 

This is not Charles' belief. Instead, for him, although doctrines and practices would be important throughout his life, the important thing is the experience of God's Spirit. What might someone experience when placing their trust in Christ?

This hymn sets out a range of experiences. 'He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free.' There is a liberation from the baggage that might hold us back. Those nagging voices in our heads (or even on the lips of others) reminding us of past wrongs, or times we have struggled or failed. In Christ all that can be left behind - if we would but let the Spirit remove it from us.

'Jesus, the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease.' Sometimes it may be that we are filled with sorrow that we will never be good enough, that we are not worthy of being loved. In Jesus we find an end to those sorrows and fears.

This all sounds very good in theory, but the reality can sometimes be anything but. The story of both John and Charles Wesley is that theirs were lives that had their share of ups and downs, of being able to let go of the baggage, and of struggling to set it down. What they had come to realise by the time Charles penned these words was that it wasn't in their strength, but only by the grace of God that they could experience this forgiveness, rooted in the death and resurrection of Christ. It is God's triumphs, not their own that they celebrate.

So, to close, the final experience of the Spirit to note is that it is not only about dealing with the past, but also looking to the future. To those open to receive of God's Spirit there is music in one's ears, which brings life, health, and peace. It is not only about a legal transaction of forgiveness, but Christ brings medicine for our souls. As we open ourselves to receive of it in this life, we can discover even here a slice of heaven on earth.