We are “sinners in the hands of an angry God”, wrote Jonathon Edwards. Read Psalm 103:8. Jonathon Edwards was a little-known pastor in Massachusetts until he preached a sermon to his congregation on a hot July Sunday in 1741 called “In the hands of an angry God.” With his words, he painted a vivid image of a fiery hell as our souls hovered over it, being pulled down into it. The First Great Awakening was a movement of the Holy Spirit in the 1730s and 1740s when many people became Christians in England and the 13 colonies of America, due to the evangelical preaching of John Wesley, George Whitfield, and local pastors like Jonathon Edwards. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, also warned people of an unpleasant eternity. There was a main difference between the two. Jonathon Edwards preached that God made the decision about who would go to heaven or hell. John Wesley preached that God gave each person free will with the opportunity to repent of their sins, accept Jesus Christ as Savior, and live with Jesus forever in heaven. While there is plenty in Scripture about God’s wrath, the primary theme of the Bible is about God’s love. The psalmist wrote, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” Motivated by love, God offered to be our God and invited us to be God’s people. Motivated by love, God sent Jesus so that whoever would believe in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God’s love is so great that God does not force us to believe or drop us into a fiery pit. Jesus shows us the way, and now we must decide whether to walk the path with Jesus or go our own way.

Most Holy God, we profess our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We choose the way of love. Help us to love like Jesus and to proclaim your love to all the world. Amen.