Frank Rowley discuses this statement and suggests ways in which John Wesley was prepared for his great work.
LIFE INFLUENCE
John Wesley was born of Christian parents; their influence on his life was beyond measure. Their values, qualities and gifts were his lifetime heritage. He was born at the now famous Epworth rectory in Lincolnshire on a sunny day on the 17th June 1703. Her Majesty Queen Anne was on the throne in London unaware of the birth of one of England’s greatest sons. At home mother would teach her children Greek, Latin and French, whilst their father would teach them Poetry!
CONFIDENCE AND INFLUENCE
His mother Susanna passed on to him a wonderful strength of character. Her orderliness, reasonableness and steadfast purpose, a calming authority and tender affection were all to be reflected in her son and his far reaching Gospel ministry of full Salvation. John had great confidence in his mother; she had great influence in his life.
STUDIES AT SCHOOL
At the age of eleven John entered Charter House School. Nomination to the school was under the providence of God for his own father was so impoverished and would not have been able to pay for John’s education. He studied there for about six years.
His education continued when in1720 he won a scholarship to Christ Church College at Oxford. Here again we see the hand of God leading John in the fact that an Oxford fellowship would enable and give him unlimited freedom to preach in any parish in the Church of England.
His unease and dislike of the college was brought about in general by the idleness of the teaching staff and lazy ways of the students.
GREEK AND LOGIC
He was delighted to be enrolled as a fellow of Lincoln College in March 1720. John worked with his father Samuel as a curate for a few months, then in 1729 returned to Lincoln College to take up tutorial work. Wesley lectured in Greek and Logic. He was always happy teaching Logic and praised God for giving him ‘this honest art’.
BRAND FROM THE BURNING
Just before John was six he very nearly lost his life. The old thatched rectory with its lath and plaster walls was burnt to the ground. In moments the place became a furnace, all the family escaped except little John who was sleeping by himself. John wakened by the noise and light of the flames appeared at the bedroom window. His father was going to rescue him but the burning wooden stairs crashed to the ground in flames. John was eventually saved with the help of brave neighbours who climbed on each others shoulders forming a human ladder and rescued ‘little Jacky’ just as the roof fell in.
This one event which he described - “Like a brand from the burning” was the sign among signs that John Wesley was indeed ‘A Chosen Vessel to God”
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE
It gave John Wesley a purpose and perspective in life which he never lost. It gave him steel and courage at all times he was to need it in his preaching ministries, for on many occasions he was to be delivered from storms, angry mobs (as when he came to Leeds in 1745), violent attackers. Always this incident, as a boy rescued from the blazing fire reminded him that God’s hand was on his life and on his ministry of the Gospel of Salvation. Witness to his heart and mind that he was indeed ‘A Chosen Vessel of God’