Difference between revisions of "Sermon for October 5th, 2025"
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12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Grecian: for he that is Lord over all, is rich unto all that call on him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved. 14 But how shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them which bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the Gospel: for Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 Then faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. | 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Grecian: for he that is Lord over all, is rich unto all that call on him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved. 14 But how shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them which bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the Gospel: for Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 Then faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. | ||
| − | == | + | ==Guillaume Farel - Proclamation & Passion== |
| − | + | Since we’re in the middle of football season, I’m reminded of the story about the young man who bought two tickets to the Super Bowl months ahead of time, not realizing that the Super Bowl was scheduled the exact same day as his upcoming wedding. What a dilemma this young man was in! He had paid a small fortune—about $8,000 for each ticket. So, the young man did the only reasonable thing he could think of—he put up an ad on Facebook marketplace asking if anyone would like to go in his place? He said, it will be at 3:00pm at First Baptist Church and her name is Tiffany. | |
| + | |||
| + | [[File:ReformationWall.jpeg|300px|thumb|left]] Of course, October here at First Presbyterian Church is also Reformation Heritage Season, and we have our very own “Hall of Fame” located in Geneva, Switzerland. These guys are the GOATs—and not just because of their beards! They are considered the Greatest of All Time when it comes to Reformed Preaching in the 16th century. From left to right, we have Will “I’m on Fire” Farel, John “the other J.C.” Calvin, Ted “wake up the dead” Beza, and Johnny Knox from the Ville! In previous years, I have preached about John Knox and Theodore Beza, so this year (among others) we’ll talk about the first two bearded giants on the Reformation Wall: Guillaume Farel (or as he is often called in English, William Farel) and John Calvin. | ||
| + | |||
| + | And it’s fitting that we kick off the series today with William Farel. He was the one who kicked off the reformed movement in Geneva. He’s first on that wall for a reason: Without him, there would be no Reformation wall, no John Calvin, no Theodore Beza, and no John Knox—which means no Presbyterian church, in Scotland or in the United States; no First Presbyterian Church of El Paso, and no you and me here today worshiping God in this beautiful, reformed sanctuary. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Guillaume Farel was born in 1489 in France, and began his religious life as a devout Catholic. While studying in Paris, he came under the influence of Jacques Lefèvre, whose emphasis on Scripture and simple faith deeply impacted him. Farel soon broke with Catholic tradition and became a passionate preacher of the Gospel, often facing fierce opposition. Expelled from multiple towns, he eventually arrived in Geneva in 1536, where he persuaded the city to embrace Protestant reforms. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Shortly after Farel arrived in Geneva, he learned that a young French lawyer by the name of John Calvin was passing through the town. Years later, Calvin wrote that “Farel, who burned with an extraordinary zeal to advance the Gospel, immediately strained every nerve to detain me.” Calvin had only intended to stay in Geneva for one night, and so he politely declined. Farel wouldn’t give up though and kept on imploring Calvin to join him in the work of reforming the city. | ||
| + | |||
| + | First Calvin protested that he couldn’t teach, he was too young and inexperienced. Next he protested that his health wasn’t good enough and he needed a place where he could rest and study. Farel’s response: “Rest? Death alone permits the soldiers of Christ to rest from their labors.” Next, Calvin said that the city of Geneva was too violent, too sinful, and probably couldn’t be reformed. Farel responded, “The greater the disease, the stronger the measures must be employed to cure it.” | ||
| + | |||
| + | Calvin begged Farel to let him go—his only desire was to be a scholar, studying the scriptures in peace. To this, Farel said, “You are thinking only of your tranquillity, you care for nothing but your studies. Be it so. In the name of Almighty God, I declare that if you do not answer to His summons, He will not bless your plans. May God curse your rest! May God curse your studies, if in such a great necessity as ours you withdraw and refuse to give us help and support!” | ||
| + | |||
| + | That did the trick. Calvin felt convicted by the Holy Spirit through the words of Farel, and stayed in Geneva for the rest of his life, becoming the greatest theologian, scholar, preacher and pastor of the Reformation. More on Calvin later this month. | ||
| + | |||
| + | With Geneva in capable hands, Farel eventually settled in the Swiss town of Neuchâtel, becoming the city’s first pastor. He corresponded with Calvin until the end of his life, and he wrote several works of theology, liturgy, and doctrine. He preached with fiery conviction well into his 70’s. Farel was certainly not the luminary genius that Calvin was, and he is far less remembered than other reformers like Martin Luther or John Knox. But there’s an old Christian campfire song that says “it only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in it’s glowing.” Guillaume Farel was the spark that lit Geneva on fire. That city—the one Calvin thought couldn’t be reformed—would later famously be called “the most perfect school of Christ that ever was since the time of the Apostles.” | ||
| + | |||
| + | In our scripture passage today, the Apostle Paul says that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But there’s a basic problem with that kind of salvation: How can you call on someone if you don’t believe? And how can you believe if you have never heard? And how can you hear, without a preacher? And how can someone preach to you, unless someone calls them to preach? | ||
| + | |||
| + | For Paul, the person who called him to preach (also against his will) was Jesus. For Jesus, it was his cousin, John the Baptist. For Calvin, it was Farel. For Farel, it was Jacques Lefèvre. For me, it was a guy named Don Foresman (my grandmother’s pastor at Trinity-First United Methodist Church—and yes, I thought he was out of his mind. I ignored his words for over a decade). | ||
| + | |||
| + | But you don’t have to be a pastor to share your faith, passionately, with the people in your life. As Presbyterians, we talk about the “priesthood of ALL believers.” If you are here this morning, if you took the time to get out of bed, to get dressed, and to come sit here in church for an hour, I’ve got to believe it’s because you think there is something important here—for you and for your family. And if you believe that, then there are people in your life who desperately need this, too. People who need to hear that God loves them, that Jesus died for them, and that there is a spiritual home where they can grow and walk together with others in Christian community. | ||
| + | |||
| + | And maybe you are the William Farel someone is waiting for. Don’t take no for an answer. | ||
Latest revision as of 20:16, 4 October 2025
Romans 10:12-17 GNV 1599 (NT p.160)
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Grecian: for he that is Lord over all, is rich unto all that call on him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved. 14 But how shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them which bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the Gospel: for Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 Then faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Guillaume Farel - Proclamation & Passion
Since we’re in the middle of football season, I’m reminded of the story about the young man who bought two tickets to the Super Bowl months ahead of time, not realizing that the Super Bowl was scheduled the exact same day as his upcoming wedding. What a dilemma this young man was in! He had paid a small fortune—about $8,000 for each ticket. So, the young man did the only reasonable thing he could think of—he put up an ad on Facebook marketplace asking if anyone would like to go in his place? He said, it will be at 3:00pm at First Baptist Church and her name is Tiffany.
Of course, October here at First Presbyterian Church is also Reformation Heritage Season, and we have our very own “Hall of Fame” located in Geneva, Switzerland. These guys are the GOATs—and not just because of their beards! They are considered the Greatest of All Time when it comes to Reformed Preaching in the 16th century. From left to right, we have Will “I’m on Fire” Farel, John “the other J.C.” Calvin, Ted “wake up the dead” Beza, and Johnny Knox from the Ville! In previous years, I have preached about John Knox and Theodore Beza, so this year (among others) we’ll talk about the first two bearded giants on the Reformation Wall: Guillaume Farel (or as he is often called in English, William Farel) and John Calvin.
And it’s fitting that we kick off the series today with William Farel. He was the one who kicked off the reformed movement in Geneva. He’s first on that wall for a reason: Without him, there would be no Reformation wall, no John Calvin, no Theodore Beza, and no John Knox—which means no Presbyterian church, in Scotland or in the United States; no First Presbyterian Church of El Paso, and no you and me here today worshiping God in this beautiful, reformed sanctuary.
Guillaume Farel was born in 1489 in France, and began his religious life as a devout Catholic. While studying in Paris, he came under the influence of Jacques Lefèvre, whose emphasis on Scripture and simple faith deeply impacted him. Farel soon broke with Catholic tradition and became a passionate preacher of the Gospel, often facing fierce opposition. Expelled from multiple towns, he eventually arrived in Geneva in 1536, where he persuaded the city to embrace Protestant reforms.
Shortly after Farel arrived in Geneva, he learned that a young French lawyer by the name of John Calvin was passing through the town. Years later, Calvin wrote that “Farel, who burned with an extraordinary zeal to advance the Gospel, immediately strained every nerve to detain me.” Calvin had only intended to stay in Geneva for one night, and so he politely declined. Farel wouldn’t give up though and kept on imploring Calvin to join him in the work of reforming the city.
First Calvin protested that he couldn’t teach, he was too young and inexperienced. Next he protested that his health wasn’t good enough and he needed a place where he could rest and study. Farel’s response: “Rest? Death alone permits the soldiers of Christ to rest from their labors.” Next, Calvin said that the city of Geneva was too violent, too sinful, and probably couldn’t be reformed. Farel responded, “The greater the disease, the stronger the measures must be employed to cure it.”
Calvin begged Farel to let him go—his only desire was to be a scholar, studying the scriptures in peace. To this, Farel said, “You are thinking only of your tranquillity, you care for nothing but your studies. Be it so. In the name of Almighty God, I declare that if you do not answer to His summons, He will not bless your plans. May God curse your rest! May God curse your studies, if in such a great necessity as ours you withdraw and refuse to give us help and support!”
That did the trick. Calvin felt convicted by the Holy Spirit through the words of Farel, and stayed in Geneva for the rest of his life, becoming the greatest theologian, scholar, preacher and pastor of the Reformation. More on Calvin later this month.
With Geneva in capable hands, Farel eventually settled in the Swiss town of Neuchâtel, becoming the city’s first pastor. He corresponded with Calvin until the end of his life, and he wrote several works of theology, liturgy, and doctrine. He preached with fiery conviction well into his 70’s. Farel was certainly not the luminary genius that Calvin was, and he is far less remembered than other reformers like Martin Luther or John Knox. But there’s an old Christian campfire song that says “it only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in it’s glowing.” Guillaume Farel was the spark that lit Geneva on fire. That city—the one Calvin thought couldn’t be reformed—would later famously be called “the most perfect school of Christ that ever was since the time of the Apostles.”
In our scripture passage today, the Apostle Paul says that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But there’s a basic problem with that kind of salvation: How can you call on someone if you don’t believe? And how can you believe if you have never heard? And how can you hear, without a preacher? And how can someone preach to you, unless someone calls them to preach?
For Paul, the person who called him to preach (also against his will) was Jesus. For Jesus, it was his cousin, John the Baptist. For Calvin, it was Farel. For Farel, it was Jacques Lefèvre. For me, it was a guy named Don Foresman (my grandmother’s pastor at Trinity-First United Methodist Church—and yes, I thought he was out of his mind. I ignored his words for over a decade).
But you don’t have to be a pastor to share your faith, passionately, with the people in your life. As Presbyterians, we talk about the “priesthood of ALL believers.” If you are here this morning, if you took the time to get out of bed, to get dressed, and to come sit here in church for an hour, I’ve got to believe it’s because you think there is something important here—for you and for your family. And if you believe that, then there are people in your life who desperately need this, too. People who need to hear that God loves them, that Jesus died for them, and that there is a spiritual home where they can grow and walk together with others in Christian community.
And maybe you are the William Farel someone is waiting for. Don’t take no for an answer.
