In this sermon, exploring the question "What did John Wesley teach us about the care of animals?", the pastor traces a theological thread from the Hebrew prophets through Christ's parables, the early church fathers, and into Wesley's own writing, showing how deeply care for animals is woven into Christian faith. Drawing on Jeremiah's image of the stork, Jesus's parable of the lost sheep, and the creation story in Genesis, the message reveals a consistent biblical vision: our love and stewardship of animals reflects and teaches us about God's love for us.
The sermon then moves through voices like Irenaeus, Basil of Caesarea, John Chrysostom, and Francis of Assisi, each contributing to a growing understanding that animals are fellow creatures worthy of care rather than mere resources for human use. This sets the stage for John Wesley's sermon "The General Deliverance," in which he argues that animals cannot sin yet still suffer — a suffering caused by human sinfulness — and that part of God's ultimate restoration of creation includes the healing of the whole animal kingdom, not just humanity.
The sermon closes by connecting this rich heritage to the United Methodist Church's Social Principles and to our present responsibility: not to wait passively for God to repair a broken world, but to actively partner in that restoration through compassionate, humble stewardship of all creation.
