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Amazing Grace: Love, text

WELCOME TO TODAY'S WORSHIP SERVICE

JANUARY 15, 2012

Amazing Grace:  Transformational Love
 

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THIS YEAR'S THEME:   The Year of the Lord
THIS MONTH'S TOPIC:  Finding the Lord
TODAY'S MESSAGE:     Amazing Grace:  Transformational Love



READINGS


From the Bible

John 1


14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

From Swedenborg
Apocalypse Explained (Whitehead) n. 22
22. Grace to you and peace, signifies the delight of truth and good. This is evident from the signification of "grace" as being the delight of truth (about which more presently); and from the signification of "peace," as being the delight of the good of innocence and love (on which see in the work on Heaven and Hell, where the State of Peace in Heaven is treated of, n. 284-290). "Grace" means the delight of truth, because there are two things that proceed from the Lord, united in their origin, but separated with those that receive them. For there are those that receive more the Divine truth than the Divine good, and those that receive more the Divine good than the Divine truth. Those that receive more the Divine truth than the Divine good are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and are therefore called spiritual; but those that receive more the Divine good than the Divine truth are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, and are therefore called celestial (On these two kingdoms in heaven and in the church, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 20-28.) To those in the spiritual kingdom it is granted by the Lord to be in the affection of truth for the sake of truth; and this Divine is what is called grace; so far, therefore, as anyone is in that affection is he in the Lord's Divine grace; nor is there any other Divine grace with man, spirit, or angel, than to be affected by truth, because it is truth, since in that affection there is heaven and blessedness for them (see in The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 232, 236, 238; and Heaven and Hell, n. 395-414). Whether we say the affection of truth or the delight of truth it is the same; for there is no affection without delight.
[2] This in particular is what is meant by "grace" in the Word; as in John:
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt in us, and we beheld His glory, a glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth, of His fullness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 16-17).
It is said "grace and truth," because grace is the affection and the delight of truth.

 

MESSAGE

Amazing Grace:  Transformational Love


John Newton was the captain of a slave ship when God began working in his life. It was March 10, 1748, when his shipped was almost sunk in a severe storm. John began to feel the reality of God. His life changed slowly. It was awhile before he could give up his occupation as slave ship captain. Eventually, he did, however, as God continued to work on his heart. Newton became an Anglican priest where he became known for his sermons and his songs. His most famous is “Amazing Grace.” He wrote it in 1772; interestingly that was the year that Swedenborg died.
  For more information about Newton, click HERE

William Wilberforce was in the Rev. Newton's congregation.  He was greatly inspired by this man. 

Wilberforce has his own encounter with God.  Eventually, Wilberforce becomes a key figure in ending the British slave trade.


Olaudah Equiano is a former slave who writes a powerful story of his life and becomes a leader in the abolition movement in Great Britain.




How did each of these men find God in their lives?  Or, as Wilberforce would say, how did God find each of these men?  How did they experience the Divine, and how were they transformed by it?  Do you connect to any of their experiences?

Where are Swedenborg's ideas in this story?  Swedenborg wrote about freedom for all people, and was especially passionate about the importance of Africans.  Many early Swedenborgians were quite active in the abolitionist movement.  One such man was Charles Berns Wadstrom. He was an active Swedenborgian and a passionate abolitionist movement.  There were a number of times that he and Wilberforce worked together on their common cause.  In this book at the left, there is a discussion of Wadstrom's testimony in the British Parliament, where Wilberforce was an active member.

For more about Wadstrom and other Swedenborgian abolitionists, see the additional resources page.



Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr., day.  It is a time for prayer and reflection on the tragic consequences of racial oppression, and on the brave people, like Martin Luther King, Jr., whose lives make a difference in our world.

NEXT WEEK:  Love in Action -- we'll look at how the lives of these men changed after their encounters with God.





for more information on how you can watch the movie, see the additional resources page.



LET US PRAY

Dear Lord,creator of all, thank you for Your Love in my life.  Help me to see Love in my daily life.   Clear me of anything which stops me from being your instrument.  Help me to be the instrument through which you can express Your Love to others. Thank you, Lord, for the answer to my prayers.   AMEN.
Rev. Judith

For further inspiration, click here.
Additional sermon resources page

Go in peace, walking hand-in-hand with all our sisters and brothers.

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