A Means of Grace

The Wesleyan tradition is one where grace abounds.  In his journal Wesley wrote, "For God hath in Scripture ordained prayer, reading or hearing, and the receiving the Lord's Supper, as the ordinary means of conveying His grace for man."  In another place he wrote about the Lord's Supper being the "grand channel" whereby the grace of the Spirit is conveyed to human souls.  For Wesley it was not a sentimental moment, but a holy moment of receiving God's grace as He deemed fit to give it to those who hold open hands and hearts before Him.    

To think of Holy Communion according to Wesley is to think of it primarily as a means of grace.  In one of his sermons he identified means of grace with the words, "By means of grace I understand outward signs, words, or actions ordained of God and appointed for this end...to be the ordinary channels whereby He might convey to men preventing, justifying, and sanctifying grace."  When we kneel at the Table we come with different needs, but we come with an openness to receive whatever the gift of grace God desires to give to each of us individually.   In the Wesleyan tradition the Lord's Supper and baptism are regarded as sacraments that convey to believers the gracious gift of Christ.  

As Methodists we do not hold to the idea that we hold the actual body of Christ in our hands, but that what we hold is a means of grace which Wesley spoke of in a letter to his brother as being "life giving food filled with the spirit and power of Jesus Christ."   It is a shame that we find ourselves in a hurry when the Table is uncovered in our midst and the invitation is issued for us to come.  Better that we go with a hunger and thirst for what is being offered.  Better that we go as one who knows that life and wholeness is dependent upon the gift of God's grace which He so freely desires to give to each one of us as we approach the holy Sacrament.