Tag: George Whitefield

MODERN ENGLISH ADAPTION OF A SERMON FROM GEORGE WHITEFIELD (C.1750)

Let me tell you about the greatest love story ever told – one that’s still unfolding today. It starts with an ancient verse that speaks of a king and his beloved, but it’s really about something much deeper. The words come from Psalm 45: “Listen, daughter, consider this carefully: Forget your former life and family traditions, for your true beauty will capture the King’s heart. Honor him, for he is worthy of your devotion.”

I want to speak to you today about love – not the fleeting kind that fills romance novels or lights up social media, but a love so profound it can transform your entire life. I’m talking about the love Christ offers to each of us, a relationship more genuine than any you’ve ever known.

You might wonder how this kind of relationship works. Imagine meeting someone who knows everything about you – every mistake, every flaw, every hidden struggle – and loves you completely anyway. That’s what this relationship offers. It begins with a choice, but not just your choice. Before you ever think about this relationship, you’re already chosen, already loved, already valued beyond measure.

When this connection begins, something remarkable happens. It’s like watching a flower slowly open to the sun. Your heart starts to change. You find yourself drawn to this love not out of duty or obligation, but because it fulfills something deep within you that nothing else has ever satisfied. It’s as if you’ve been reading books in black and white all your life, and suddenly someone hands you a full-color edition.

This isn’t some distant, formal arrangement. It’s an intimate bond that nothing can break. Not failure, not doubt, not fear, not even the judgments of others. Think about the strongest relationship you know – this is stronger. Think about the deepest love you’ve experienced – this goes deeper. It’s a connection that transforms you from the inside out, yet somehow lets you become more truly yourself than you’ve ever been.

Let me be clear: this invitation isn’t just for people who have their lives together. You don’t need to clean yourself up first or reach some standard of worthiness. This love reaches into every circumstance, every background, every situation. Whether you’re successful by the world’s standards or struggling to get by, whether your past is relatively clean or filled with regrets, this invitation is for you.

What does it take to enter this relationship? Simply an open heart and a willingness to change direction. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need to be honest about wanting something more than what you’ve known before. It’s like standing at the edge of an ocean – you can keep playing in the shallow water of lesser loves, or you can dive deep into something real and lasting.

When you accept this love, everything shifts. Not all at once, perhaps, but steadily and surely. You discover a beauty within yourself that has nothing to do with external appearance. You find strength you never knew you had. You gain purpose beyond just getting through each day. Most importantly, you experience a peace that stays with you even when life gets difficult.

Why does this matter so much? Because we’re all looking for love that doesn’t fade, for purpose that doesn’t hollow out, for meaning that goes beyond the surface of things. We’re searching for something real in a world of artificial connections and temporary pleasures. This relationship offers what nothing else can – a love that’s both tender enough to heal your deepest hurts and strong enough to transform your greatest weaknesses.

I know some of you might be hesitating. Maybe you’re worried about what others will think. Maybe you’ve been hurt by relationships before. Maybe you’re not sure you’re ready for this kind of change. But consider this: what if everything you’ve been looking for, everything you’ve been trying to find in other places, has been waiting for you here all along?

This isn’t about joining a religion or following a set of rules. It’s about entering a relationship that will reshape your entire life while somehow making you more truly yourself than you’ve ever been. It’s about finding love that doesn’t demand perfection but empowers transformation. It’s about discovering that you’re more valued, more loved, and more capable of loving than you ever imagined.

The invitation stands open. You don’t need special qualifications or a perfect past. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to be willing to take the first step toward this love that’s been waiting for you all along. In a world that’s increasingly disconnected and superficial, this relationship offers something real, something lasting, something true.

I’ve seen this love transform lives over and over again. I’ve watched it heal deep wounds, restore broken spirits, and bring light to the darkest places. And I believe with all my heart that this same love is reaching out to you right now, offering you a relationship more genuine and more fulfilling than anything you’ve known before.

Will you consider this invitation? Will you open your heart to this possibility? The choice is yours, but know this: you are deeply loved, completely valued, and eternally welcome in this relationship. All you need to do is say yes.

BASED ON A WRITING BY GEORGE WHITEFIELD (c. 1750)

Genesis 22:12 says, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld your only son from me.”

The Apostle Paul tells us that everything written in the past was for our learning, so that through the scriptures we might have hope. Since faith is essential to please God, the examples of strong faith in the Bible were meant for our guidance. That’s why Hebrews 11 highlights the faith of Old Testament saints, encouraging us to follow their example. Abraham, called the “friend of God” and the “father of the faithful,” stands out among them. He faced many trials, but the hardest was God’s command to offer his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. This is the story we reflect on today.

The Bible says God “tested” Abraham, though this doesn’t mean God tempted him to do wrong, as James tells us God never tempts anyone to sin. Instead, God tested Abraham’s faith, just as he sometimes tests ours to strengthen our trust in Him. When God called Abraham, he responded without hesitation, ready to obey, showing the close relationship between God and those who trust in Him.

God commanded Abraham to take Isaac, his beloved and only son, and offer him as a sacrifice. Abraham could have questioned the command, reasoning that it went against natural love for his child and God’s promise of descendants through Isaac. Yet, Abraham obeyed without delay, trusting that God could even raise Isaac from the dead. His faith was so strong that he believed God’s promises despite the command seeming impossible to understand.

This teaches us that true faith trusts God’s word, even when it doesn’t align with human reason. Like Abraham, we must believe in God’s promises, even when they seem beyond our understanding. Where reason fails, faith begins.

Let’s look again at Abraham’s story. God commands him to sacrifice his son Isaac, yet Abraham does not object or question God. Instead, we are told he rises early, gathers what is needed, and begins the journey to the place God had shown him. The fact that Abraham rose early suggests God spoke to him during the night. Perhaps it was right before dawn that God said, “Take your son.”

Despite how difficult this command must have been, Abraham obeys, showing deep humility and faith. He saddles his own donkey and keeps the sacrifice a secret from everyone, including his wife Sarah, knowing she might try to intervene. After three days of walking, Abraham spots the place where he is to offer Isaac. Although he must have struggled internally, Abraham shows no hesitation. When Isaac asks about the missing lamb for the sacrifice, Abraham replies that God will provide, though he knows Isaac is to be the offering.

Isaac, unaware of the full plan, carries the wood for the sacrifice, unknowingly carrying the very instrument of his own death. Abraham binds Isaac and places him on the altar. Just as he lifts the knife to sacrifice his son, an angel stops him, saying, “Do not lay a hand on the boy.” Abraham’s faith had been proven, and God provides a ram to sacrifice instead. Abraham’s obedience is rewarded with a renewed promise that through his offspring, all nations will be blessed.

This story prefigures the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the true Lamb of God. Just as Abraham was willing to give up his only son, God actually gave His only Son for our salvation. While Isaac was spared, Jesus was not, and He bore the weight of our sins on the cross.

The lesson here is that faith in God requires trust, even when His commands seem impossible. Like Abraham, we are called to obey without hesitation, believing that God will provide in His time. Abraham’s faith was shown through his actions, and so must ours be—faith without works is dead. True faith changes our hearts and leads to a life of obedience and love for God.

Let this story remind us to hold loosely to worldly things and to be ready to surrender everything to God, just as Abraham did with Isaac.