John Wesley was not primarily known as a systematic theologian, but as a pastoral leader. His theology was contained largely in his writings for preaching. He collected certain ones of these into what came to be called his "52 Standard Sermons."
John Wesley As a Preacher
Wesley was a short, slight Englishman, approximately 5'2'' (157cm), and was not known as much for preaching as some of his contemporaries, such as George Whitfield. However, in his own right, and through the publication of his sermons, his influence over preaching is difficult to overstate.
Wesley's "52 Standard Sermons" were carried far and wide in England and surrounding countries by the Methodist Circuit Riders. They were preached thousands of times when John Wesley was not present.
John Wesley's Most Influential Sermons
Not all of the sermons Wesley wrote were influential or famous. Some are far less commonly read today. Yet some rose above the others in influence over Methodist thought, by catching the public imagination.
Out of Wesley's 52 Standard Sermons, which ones were the most influential?
While this is a matter of opinion, I would suggest the following list. The links that are in the list are links to condensed versions of those sermons.
The Almost Christian
The Way to the Kingdom
The First-fruits of the Spirit
The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption
The Witness of the Spirit
The Witness of our own Spirit
The Marks of the New Birth
The Great Privilege of those that are Born of God
Sermon on the Mount
The church world needs to recapture John Wesley's writings and theology. Have we ever needed more, that robust faith which denies a simple transactional nature of salvation, and recaptures the robust Scriptural meaning of the term?
I have written a variety of condensation of some of Wesley's sermons. The links above will take you to a condensation of those sermons.
Some of the sermons Wesley preached that were perhaps less influential, but are still valuable for understanding his theology, can be found here:
For an analysis of John Wesley's writing, The Character of A Methodist, you can click through here.
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For an overview of the life and influence of John Wesley, click this link.
To learn more about John Wesley's most famous sermons, click this link.
For my own explanation of the Doctrine of John Wesley's doctrine of holiness in modern language, check out The Pursuing Holiness curriculum at www.40daysofholiness.com.
It includes a 130 page workbook. Here's a sample teaching video from one of the 40 days.
