One of John Wesley's most important sermons is The Scripture Way of Salvation. In it, Wesley reminds us that salvation is not simply about what happens after we die. It is God's healing work in our lives here and now.
Wesley describes salvation as "a recovery of the image of God." That simple phrase captures much of the Methodist understanding of faith. God's desire is not merely to forgive us, but to restore us. Through grace, God is continually at work healing what is wounded, strengthening what is weak, and drawing us more deeply into lives shaped by love.
Wesley famously wrote:
"By salvation I mean... a present deliverance from sin."
For Wesley, salvation is not only a future promise. It is a present reality. God's grace is already at work within us, helping us turn away from whatever causes harm and toward lives marked by mercy, compassion, justice, and love.
This understanding of salvation connects beautifully with the ministry of Jesus. Again and again, Jesus moves toward people who are hurting, excluded, struggling, or considered unworthy. He calls tax collectors. He eats with sinners. He touches the sick. He restores dignity to those whom others have rejected.
The church, then, is not a gathering of people who have everything figured out. It is a community of healing. We come carrying griefs, fears, regrets, addictions, limitations, and wounds. We come not because we are perfect, but because we know we need grace.
The good news is that Christ meets us exactly there.
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June also brings Pride Month, an opportunity to celebrate the rich diversity of God's creation and to reaffirm our conviction that every person is of sacred worth. As a Reconciling congregation, we affirm and celebrate that LGBTQ+ persons are beloved children of God and full participants in the life of the church.
God's grace does not require us to become someone else before we are loved. Rather, God's grace invites each of us to become more fully who God created us to be. The call of discipleship is not about changing our identity; it is about turning away from harm and toward good, away from fear and toward love, away from exclusion and toward welcome.
In the weeks ahead, we will hear Jesus say, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." These are not words of condemnation. They are words of hope. They remind us that Christ comes not for the perfect, but for all who are willing to receive grace.
We are all on the journey together—receiving healing, offering healing, and trusting the Great Physician to continue the good work God has begun in us.
Grace and Peace, Pastor M@