Stay In Love With God | Rev. Jarrett Wallace | Chapel Roswell

·26 min·2 clips

Rev. Jarrett Wallace describes men circling a cypress tree at a Boy Scout camp, desperately trying to get a cell signal to call home.

The episode is a sermon delivered by Rev. Jarrett Wallace at Chapel Roswell. It serves as the conclusion to a series on John Wesley's three rules or goals for Christian living, specifically addressing the third rule: 'stay in love with God.' Wallace begins with an anecdote about his time at a Boy Scout camp in North Georgia, where men would gather around a specific cypress tree to get a cell signal, illustrating how easily connection can be lost and must be intentionally maintained. He references Mark 12, where Jesus commands loving God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving one's neighbor as oneself. Wallace argues that loving God leads naturally to loving self and others, not as works-based faith but as an outpouring. He acknowledges that staying in love is harder than falling in love, requiring ongoing energy and intentionality. The sermon then walks through Wesley's listed disciplines, which Wallace calls ordinances, starting with public worship. He shares his dislike of virtual worship during COVID, stressing the importance of corporate gathering. Next, he discusses the ministry of the word, meaning preaching and teaching, which helps believers learn practical ways to live out God's word. On prayer, Wallace admits his own struggles, feeling prayers often become wish lists, but asserts there is no wrong way to pray other than not praying at all. He highlights the need for both speaking and listening in prayer. Searching the scriptures involves Bible study in groups or personally to understand God's character. Wallace humorously corrects common misattributed quotes like 'all good things come to those who wait' and 'money is the root of all evil,' emphasizing scriptural literacy. Fasting is described as depriving oneself of something, like food, to connect with Christ, symbolized by barren rocks and purple cloth representing royalty. Wallace notes fasting isn't for everyone but is a valuable discipline. He warns against treating these practices as empty rituals, urging believers to understand their purpose in maintaining love for God. The sermon culminates with a focus on communion as a sacrament, where Wallace explains that Jesus simply said 'remember me,' allowing for diverse interpretations—remembering his death, life, or teachings. He connects this to funeral eulogies, where remembering loved ones keeps them alive in spirit. Wallace stresses that communion is open to all who desire Christ, with no qualifications, reflecting Methodist tradition. He closes with a communal recitation of the Lord's Prayer, reinforcing the theme of connection through disciplined practice.

As heard by us

A fragile cell signal becomes a clear image for staying close to God through prayer and scripture.

Connection gives this single-episode sermon its shape. At a Boy Scout camp in North Georgia, the speaker remembers adults clustered around a cypress tree near the lake, trying to hold a cell signal long enough to call home.

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Why you'd press play

You get a cypress tree, a fragile phone signal, and a sermon that turns staying connected into a way to stay in love with God.

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