Rules for Living: Do Good

18 months ago I posted the first sermon in a series on John Wesley's "General Rules". I realized today that I never posted the other two sermons. Here is #2. #3 will come in a few days.
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We are continuing our series on John Wesley’s “General Rules”. Wesley said that everyone in the Methodist societies should show evidence of “their desire of salvation.” They would show this evidence, he said, by holding to these three rules. 1) Do no harm, 2) Do good, & 3) Attend to the ordinances of God.[1] In these three rules we find a guide for what it means to live a life of discipleship.

Last week, we looked at the first rule: Do no harm. And looked at what it means to do no harm to ourselves, to others, and to God. I hope you used the affirmation I gave you last week. I hope you made an effort to “do no harm” this past week. If you did, I’m sure you realize it is not an easy thing to do. It takes a conscious effort to do no harm. 

You have to pay attention. You have to begin to see past stereotypes and prejudices. You have to actually see people that you may typically ignore. As you pay attention and “love your neighbor as yourself” not only do you avoid doing harm, you also notice opportunities to practice the second rule – Do good.

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James 2:14-18

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷ So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.[2]

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How important do you think it is that we do good? There were several verses and passages I could have chosen for this particular sermon. In Acts 10:38, Peter is talking to a Roman centurion, named Cornelius. He is telling him about Jesus. He told him, “Jesus traveled around doing good and healing everyone oppressed by the devil because God was with him.”[3]

In a letter written to Gaius, the author, thought to be the Apostle John, wrote of doing good. He wrote, “Dear friend, don’t imitate what is bad but what is good. Whoever practices what is good belongs to God. Whoever practices what is bad has not seen God.”[4]

And there are more. I chose to use this passage from James. Because it gives at least one example of what it means to do good. It shows us that what we, as disciples of Jesus, are called to is not simple good thoughts or good feelings. We are not called just to pray for those who are oppressed or less fortunate than us. We are called to DO good. “If you say to someone, ‘Go in peace; stay warm and eat your fill,’ but don’t meet their needs, what good is it?”

We are called to DO good. Doing no harm is only the beginning. Saying to someone , “Peace be with you; stay warm and get plenty to eat. Jesus loves you” Is nice. But what good does it do? Wesley says that we show “evidence of our desire for salvation” by DOING good. Not by thinking good thoughts. Not by being good. But by DOING good.

In his published General Rules, Wesley says we show evidence of our desire of salvation “By doing good, by being … merciful, as they have opportunity of doing good of every sort… to all men.”[5]

That included, he said, doing good to their bodies – giving food to the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and those in prison. In other words, we are to take care of the physical and emotional needs. This sort of doing good is what John Wesley would call works of mercy. It is seeing the needs of someone and acting to meet those needs.

This comes directly from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew’s gospel. “I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.” “When you have done it for the least of these, you have done it for me.”[6] It is, as James writes, “meeting the bodily needs” of those around us.

Wesley also said we are to do good to the souls of others – by instructing, reproving, or exhorting. In other words, we are to teach and guide one another in discipleship to hold accountable and to encourage others in their faith. How many of you have or had someone in your life that you view as a mentor in your faith? Someone who teaches you? Who encourages you when you struggled? Who cheers you on when you were doing well? Someone who holds you accountable?

How many of you have someone who you mentor? I encourage you to find someone – find a mentor and find someone to mentor. Find a small group of people who want to learn from one another and help hold one another accountable.

Those are a couple of ways Wesley says we should do good – physical and spiritual good. There is a quote that is often attributed to John Wesley, but likely came from someone else – but it sums up this rule of doing good pretty well. “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

I mentioned Ruben Job’s book, Three Simple Rules, last week. In that book, Job says that doing good is a proactive way of living. It is not simply helping someone when we see them in need, it is how we should live – seeking to do good. We don’t have to be, and shouldn’t, wait to be asked. Job wrote, “[We] do not need to wait until circumstances cry out for aid to relieve suffering or correct some horrible injustice.”[7]

Living out this rule of doing good is a choice we make. It is how we choose to respond to the world, but it is also a way of living. Job wrote, “I can decide that I will choose a way of living that nourishes goodness and strengthens community.”[8]

Living to do good, means living a life of love. It is loving God and loving others. When we seek to do good, we let God’s love guide us. “Every act and every word must pass through the love and will of God and there be measured to discover if its purpose does indeed bring good and goodness to all it touches.”[9]

We can think of this second rule as kind of a continuation of the first rule. When we live in a way that does no harm, it puts on the right track for doing good. Not saying or doing things that cause harm makes room for words and actions that do good. “Words and acts that wound and divide will be changed to words and acts that heal and bring together.”[10] Doing no harm also means that we do not participate in oppressive systems or agencies – that’s why John Wesley mentioned slave holding as one of the ways we do harm. Racism, classism, sexism, governments that deny their citizens basic rights. Doing no harm means we do not participate, but doing good means that we actively stand up to and speak out against such systems. Remember Jesus in the Temple? The economic system of the Temple was oppressive to the poor and Jesus spoke up and acted against that system.

            We have to remember that when we seek to do good, we do good to everyone. Bishop Job wrote, “[D]oing good is not limited to those like me or those who like me. Doing good is directed at everyone, even those who do not fit my category of ‘worthy’ to receive any good that I or others can direct their way.”[11]

            In fact, Jesus told us to love our enemies. He said, “do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.”[12] We are called to love and to do good to everyone. Jesus continued, “If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you be commended?”[13] Anyone can be good to people who are good to them. Anyone can do good to those who do good to them. We are called to be kind and do good, just as God does. Jesus says, that God is “kind to ungrateful and wicked people.”[14] As followers of Jesus, doing good should be a way of life.

            We don’t do good because we expect congratulations. Or because we expect some reward. We do good because we are followers of Jesus – because that’s what we do. Because God loves us and as followers of Jesus we are called to share that love. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t benefit us or that we don’t enjoy it or that we don’t get thanked. We like to see people doing good. I wish we would celebrate the good a little more regularly.

This past Friday, I couldn’t help but watch some of the TV shows commemorating the events of September 11, 2001. It is easy to get sucked right back into the tragedy of that day. But I spent some time Friday watching shows about the heroes of that day. Some who lost their lives, some who didn’t. Of course, there were countless police officers and fire-fighters who gave their lives trying to save others. There are also stories of civilians who gave their lives helping others.

Welles Crowther was an investment banker in one of the towers. He reportedly entered and exited the building 3 times urging people to evacuate, carrying injured people, getting people to safety. He gave his life doing good – helping others.

We will probably never be in a situation like that – that sort of “doing good” will probably never come our way. Hopefully. But we can still do good in our own context. So how can we do good?

First, by living out the commandments Jesus gave us. Love God with all of your heart, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. Of course, that’s difficult. Loving people. Some more so than others. Some people are difficult to love. But it is our calling, it is our job as disciples of Jesus to love as he loved.

Doing good doesn’t have to be something big and grandiose. It can be as simple as being kind to someone – offering a kind word, a smile, a card. Small gestures matter, just as big acts of love matter.

North Wood has opportunities for you to do good. By helping or contributing to our food pantry. We distribute food to families and individuals in need almost every week.

We’re getting ready to help with Room in the Inn in a couple of months. That is a ministry that hosts people who are homeless or do not have adequate shelter during the coldest months of the year. This year we will, again, welcome guests who need a place to stay warm. You can help out by providing food (dinner and breakfast), by staying overnight, by providing transportation, or just visiting with the guests.

You can help with one of the ministries that are just getting started. Providing rides to church for people who cannot drive or have trouble driving. Visiting with our shut-ins or those who are sick.

You can volunteer at the Help Center. They always need people to help distribute food and clothing. Or to sort items that are donated.

There are countless ways you can do good. It is in your control. Living life in a way that does good. Rueben Job wrote, “My desire to do good is in response to God’s invitation to follow Jesus, and it is in my control.”[15]

This week, look for opportunities to do good. Look for ways you can actively live in God’s love. It may be small it may be huge. But watch and you will find our chance to do good.

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[1] United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2012; ¶104, p. 76

[2] New Revised Standard Version, 1989

[3] Acts 10:38 – Common English Bible, 2011

[4] 3 John 11 – CEB

[5] John Wesley; Nature, Design, and GeneralRules of the United Societies; 5.1

[6] Matthew 25:35-56, 40

[7] Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living; Rueben P. Job; loc. 310

[8] Ibid., loc. 317

[9] Ibid. loc. 323

[10] Ibid. loc. 361

[11] Ibid. loc. 298

[12] Luke 6:27-28

[13] Luke 6:32

[14] Luke 6:35

[15] Job, loc. 342

Rules for Living: Do No Harm

18 months later, I realize I never posted the other two sermons in this series. I'll take care of that. - Scott (3/21/2017)

Time for a new sermon series. This 1 of 3 in a series on John Wesley's "General Rules".
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Today, we are starting a new sermon series. Over the next 3 weeks, we are going to look at something called the “General Rules”. These date back to John Wesley and the Methodist societies in England in the 18^th century. They are still a part of our theological beliefs as stated in the Book of Discipline.  

Wesley said that everyone in the Methodist societies should show evidence of “their desire of salvation.” They would show this evidence, he said, by holding to these three rules. 1) Do no harm, 2) Do good, & 3) Attend to the ordinances of God.[1] In these three rules we find a guide for what it means to live the life of discipleship.

For these next three weeks, we will look at these rules, why they are still relevant, what they mean for us, and how we can live them out in our lives. 

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Galatians 5:13-21

¹³ For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. ¹⁴ For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

¹⁶ So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. ¹⁷ The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. ¹⁸ But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.[2]

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Today we are examining the first of these three rules – Do no harm. In this passage, Paul gives us a glimpse of what it means to Do No Harm. Don’t serve the sinful nature, but serve one another in love. Paul tells us, though that these two things are in a constant struggle against one another.

Our selfish, sinful nature is in perpetual conflict with the Holy Spirit. We desire to be led by the Spirit, but the sinful nature fights back. The Spirit leads us to follow the command that Paul says sums us all the law – “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

But our response is not always love. Instead, we respond by biting and devouring one another. We respond to the world with words and actions that bring pain and division. We spend more time destroying one another rather than loving one another.

Of course, that’s not true of all of us all the time. It’s not how we respond to everyone around us. We are all guilty of harming others – probably this week.

So, our first rule is, do no harm. What does it mean to “do no harm”? In the publishing of the General Rules, John Wesley gave several examples of what it means to do no harm. We do no harm “by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced, such as: Taking the name of God in vain. Profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work therein or by buying or selling. Drunkenness. Slaveholding (which may have been added later); buying or selling slaves. Fighting, quarreling, or brawling. Returning evil for evil. Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation, particularly speaking evil of magistrates or (this is the one I really like) ministers. Buying or selling goods that have not paid the duty. Giving or taking things on usury – unlawful interest. Borrowing or buying on credit without probability of paying. Laying up treasure on earth.”[3]

That is just part of the list. Now obviously, some of those things don’t apply to us. When is the last time you bought or sold something without paying the duty? And I know that thing about speaking evil of the minister doesn’t apply today.

But the list also includes things like not fighting or quarreling. Not speaking in a hurtful way. Not returning evil for evil. Those absolutely apply to our modern world – and they definitely speak to our current culture. They also show us that we are not doing a great job with this rule of doing no harm.

When we think through that list of things and what it means to do no harm, we can think about it on three levels.

First, do no harm to yourself. Do you ever think that in those terms? I will do no harm to myself. How do we harm ourselves?

By eating and drinking things that harm our bodies – or eating and drinking too much of things that harm us. Not taking care of ourselves. We harm ourselves when we listen to those who demean us, objectify us, or treat us as less than them. We harm ourselves when we see ourselves as less than others. We harm ourselves when we think of ourselves as anything less than God’s child, cherished by God, deserving of love and respect.

Maybe a good way to do no harm to ourselves is a little daily affirmation. You may want to write this down and repeat it every morning – “Today, I will love myself. I am God’s child, loved and cherished. I am deserving of love and respect. I will not harm myself and I will not allow others to harm me.” What would it do for your day? For your self-image to say those words every day, and mean them?

Second, we are to do no harm to others. Think of the ways you have hurt others in your past. Think of the times you have spoken carelessly. The times you have acted with only your interests in mind. The times you have intentionally said hurtful things. We have all done it.

As I look around the world, I don’t see this rule practiced very often – do no harm. Instead, I see people who say and do things, often intentionally and purposefully, that cause hurt. Often it comes down to selfishness.

“This is what I believe, this is what I want to do, and if you don’t like or if it hurts you, tough! You need to get a thicker skin.”

We focus so much on our own interests, our own ideas, and our own agenda that we leave a trail of hurt and anger in our wake. And that hurt and anger usually leads to more hurt and anger.

We, as a society, maybe as a species, don’t disagree well. At some point, we began to believe that anyone who disagrees with us to be our enemy. At some point, it became accepted, even expected, that if you disagree with me and you are my enemy, I can say anything about you, do anything to you, to prove you wrong and me right – to prove you to be lesser and me to be more.

Bishop Rueben Job wrote a book a few years ago on these General Rules. He wrote about this tendency we have to tear down those with whom we disagree. He said when I seek to do no harm, “I will guard my lips, my mind, and my heart so that my language will not disparage, injure, or wound another child of God.”[4]

We don’t like to guard our lips, hearts, or minds. We’d rather just speak our mind. Doing no harm means that we consider the impact our words and actions will have on others. Bishop Job wrote, “When our words and actions are guarded by this first…rule, we have time and space to think about consequences before a word is spoken or an action taken.”[5]

Maybe this is the pessimist in me, but we seem to be getting more and more divided as a society. Whether it’s politics or social issues or foreign relations – racism, nuclear deals, police shootings and shooting police, marriage certificates, white and gold or black and blue. (You remember that dress, right?) They are issues that separate us, that divides us, that cause passionate debate.

There is nothing wrong with disagreeing. There is nothing wrong with a difference of opinions, but when we let those differences divide us to the point that we lash out at the other side – when we let differences push us so far apart that the other side becomes a stereotype or a punch line – we lose sight of our purpose.

When we let differences push us so far apart, we fail as disciples – we fail as the church. Bishop Job says this, “Our witness to the redeeming love of God loses its authenticity and its power as our unwillingness to be reconciled continues.”[6] As followers of Christ, we are called to build relationships, not destroy them. We are called to reconciliation. We are called to bring healing.

That healing and reconciliation can start when we commit ourselves to “do no harm.” Actively seeking to do no harm can lead us to reconciliation. It can lead us to disagreeing well. To relationships of mutual respect and admiration. Then we begin to listen to one another to hear the concerns of those who disagree with us. Job writes, “When I am determined to do you no harm, I lose my fear of you; and I am able to see you and hear you more clearly.”[7]

Henri Nouwen says that when we love and follow Jesus, “we cannot do other than bring healing, reconciliation, new life, and hope wherever we go.”[8] Doing no harm we allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us to lead and guide us in ways that bring nothing other than healing and reconciliation and hope. And to convict us and lead us to repentance when we bring hurt and agitation and despair.

Maybe we need to add to our morning affirmation. Maybe we add this, “Today, I will do no harm to others. I will love others as I love myself. My words and my actions will echo the heart of Jesus and reveal God’s love. I will bring only healing, reconciliation, new life, and hope.”

Doing no harm means doing no harm to ourselves, doing no harm to others, and, finally, doing no harm to God. Doing no harm to God, means doing those first two. When we harm ourselves and we harm others, we harm God. When we treat or think of ourselves and others as less than cherished children of God, we hurt God.

Wesley used the example of “taking the name of God in vain” – which is more than a curse word, by the way. When we use the name of God to justify injustice, or to condemn others because they don’t believe exactly the way we believe, we take God’s name in vain and we do harm to God.

Let’s add one more sentence to our affirmation. “Today, I will do my best to do no harm to God – to God’s children, to God’s creation, to God’s kingdom.”

Why do we want to live in ways that do no harm? Because that’s how Jesus lived. When you read the gospel, notice how Jesus treated others. Notice how he talked to them. Nicodemus the Pharisee came to Jesus and Jesus treated him respectfully. Zacchaeus, the tax-collector, came to Jesus and Jesus went to his home to eat with him. A woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus and he didn’t condemn her, he saved her and invited her to a life of freedom.

How do we live in such a way that we “do no harm”?

Pay attention. Pay attention to what you do and what you say. Think about the consequences of what you say and do, before you say or do anything.

Practice seeing the good in others. Practice seeing them as cherished children of God – even those with whom you disagree – even those you might consider evil or no good – God loves them the same as God loves you.

Remember the words of Jesus – “Do to others what you want them to do to you.” Treat them how you want to be treated. “Take the log out of your eye before you worry about the speck in someone else’s eye.” Worry about you. When we honestly examine our behavior, we can’t judge others too harshly.

As Paul wrote to the Galatians, live “led by the Spirit.” Let love be your guide. Let love be the lens through which you see everyone.

And maybe a little daily reminder. “Today, I will do no harm. Today, I will love myself. I am God’s child loved and cherished. I am deserving of love and respect. I will not harm myself and I will not allow others to harm me. Today, I will do no harm to others. I will love others as I love myself. My words and my actions will echo the heart of Jesus and reveal God’s love. I will bring only healing, reconciliation, new life, and hope. Today, I will do my best to do no harm to God – to God’s children, to God’s creation, to God’s kingdom.” 

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[1] United Methodist Book of Discipline, 2012; ¶104, p. 76

[2] New Living Translation, ©2013

[3] Book of Discipline, 2012; ¶104, p. 76-77

[4] Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living; Rueben P. Job; loc. 193

[5] Ibid.; loc. 185

[6] Ibid.; loc. 123

[7] Ibid.; loc. 203

[8] In the Name of Jesus; Henri J.M. Nouwen; p. 41.