George Mueller: Biographical Sermon

Introduction to George Mueller

In today’s modern American society money is everything. We set up multiple savings accounts, which sit accumulating money. Once we acquire a desired salary, we seek to make more. Our houses are filled with multiple flat screen TVs and expensive furniture. We are constantly trying to keep up with the neighbors next door. The idea that Jesus presents to the rich young ruler in Mark 10:21 of selling everything you have to give to the poor is quite foreign to us. I would dare say it is repulsive. I would like suggest, however, living a life of complete faith and trust in God for all our provisions is the more enjoyable lifestyle.

I would like to share with you the story of a man who ended his life with only 160 pounds to his name.[1] I’m sure you’re thinking what kind of life could this man have had dying in clear poverty? The answer is one so extraordinary, it will, hopefully, encourage you to live a life of radical nature too.

George Mueller is this radical man with only a few hundred dollars to his name. Mueller was a missionary to Bristol England. During his time there, he touched the lives of tens of thousands of people, including over 10,000 orphans. While doing his ministry, Mueller decided to do an experiment. His experiment was to see if God would truly provide for all the needs of his family and the orphans he supported. Over the course of Mueller’s story, we shall see how the experiment faired.

George Mueller was born in Kroppenstaedt, Prussia, on September 27, 1805. This is in modern day Germany. He was especially privileged growing up except that he did not grow up in a family of believers. Therefore, Mueller did not know Christ. Ironically, even though Mueller’s father was not a believer, he sent him to school to become a clergyman. It was a way Mueller could become successful and make a good living. You might be thinking this path would help him to discover Christ. You are right, but it took quite a long time for it to sink in. During his youth, he stayed far from God. He fell into the addictive sin of stealing. He didn’t just steal little things, but large sums of government money that had been entrusted to his father. He even spent some time in jail as a teenager. He was addicted to drinking and was even found drunk with his friends the day after his mother died. Mueller’s life did not look like it would ever turn around. By God's Grace, however, Mueller came to a turning point.

George Mueller’s Conversion

A friend of Mueller’s, Beta, told Mueller about a meeting he was planning to attend. The meeting consisted of prayer, scripture reading, and singing hymns. For some strange reason, which could only be the Lord, Mueller had a desire to go too. Against Beta’s better judgment, he decided to take Mueller along. Upon entering the house, Mueller felt so out of place he apologized for being there. The response to his apology, however, left a deep impression on him, “Come as often as you please; house and heart are open to you.”[2] As the night continued, Mueller was left with many deep impressions. George Mueller’s own words describe the meeting for us.

“We sat down and sang a hymn. Then brother Kayser, afterwards a missionary in Africa in connection with the London missionary society, who was then living at Halle, fell on his knees and asked a blessing on our meeting. This kneeling down made a deep impression upon me; for I had never either seen any one on his knees, nor had I ever prayed myself on my knees. He then read a chapter and a printed sermon; for no regular meetings for expounding the scriptures were allowed in Prussia, except an ordained clergyman was present. At the close we sang another hymn, and then the master of the house prayed. Whilst he prayed my feeling was something like this: I could not pray as well, though I am much more learned than this illiterate man. The whole made a deep impression on me.”[3]

This deep impression led to his conversion. Mueller’s life was completely transformed.

Lessons learned From Muller’s Conversion 

Three lessons can be found in Mueller’s conversion story. The first is deals with grace. You are never too deep in sin to receive God’s grace. Please don’t say to yourself, “God could never forgive me because I’ve been too bad.” That is not how God works. Mueller’s story is just like the prodigal son. In every way, the son did not disserve to be forgiven; he squandered away all his father’s money and was left to tend pigs. Upon returning home, however, the father runs to embrace the son and rejoices that he has returned. The father then proceeds to clothe him and celebrate his return. The father knew the sins the man had committed, but he forgave his son anyway. God is our Father waiting for us to come to him, so he can embrace us. If you make the decision to turn to God, He will embrace you, no matter where you are or have been in the past.

            The second lesson from Mueller’s life is that a truly converted life, shows transformation. While Mueller didn’t walk a perfect Christian life right off the bat, there was evidence he was being transformed. He did not want to return to his old bad friends, but instead, returned almost daily to the house of the man who had prayed at the end of the meeting. He went there to study Scripture because he felt it would be too long to wait until the next Saturday. I would encourage each of you, who call yourselves Christians, to examine your lives. Is there evidence of transformation? Or does your life look just like your non-Christian neighbors? If we are truly saved, we should be different.

            The third and final lesson we find in Mueller’s conversion story is the idea of outreach. What do visitors think as they pass through our doors? Are they deeply moved by your hospitality, or are they even noticed? The man, who spoke the words of welcome to Mueller, made Mueller feel comfortable. Once he was comfortable, he began to engage himself and hear what the Holy Spirit was saying to him. Do not underestimate the power of a kind word, or an invitation to church. We need to be reaching out to our friends, so they can have the opportunity to hear the word of God.

George Mueller a Man of Faith

George Mueller was very serious about his conversion and his commitment. Within a few short weeks of conversion, he resolved to become a missionary. Over the course of the next few years, he became a missionary in Bristol, England, working as a preacher and reaching out to Jews.[4] Mueller was so confident the Lord would provide for him in this position, that he resolved to never again take any salary. I know what most of you are thinking right now. Was he crazy? The answer is no. He was totally sold out on the truth of Scripture, believing God will provide for his children. You now are thinking wow, that man has the gift of faith! Mueller, on the other hand, would disagree. In response to people putting him on a pedestal, Mueller writes, “Think not, dear reader, that I have the gift of faith, that is, that gift of which we read in 1 Corinthians 12:9.”[5] Instead, Muller believed he had the grace of faith. He explains it this way,

“The difference between the gift and the grace of faith seems to me this. According to the gift of faith I am able to do a thing, or believe that a thing will come to pass, the not doing of which, or the not believing of which would not be sin; according to the grace of faith I am able to do a thing, or believe that a thing will come to pass, respecting which I have the word of God as the ground to rest upon, and, therefore, the not doing it, or the not believing it would be sin. For instance, the gift of faith would be needed, to believe that a sick person should be restored again though there is no human probability: for there is no promise to that effect; the grace of faith is needed to believe that the Lord will give me the necessaries of life, if I first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness: for there is a promise to that effect.”[6]

Muller feels everyone can have the same extraordinary things happen to them, if they trust God for their provisions. He was truly upset to see so many believers with such little faith in the provision of God. This idea that everyone with God’s help can have faith drove his ministry.[7] How many of us like to believe we cannot do as much as others for God because we do not have the gift of faith? As you listen to the rest of this message, I would like you to focus on how much this man did without the “gift” of faith.

Mueller’s Work among Orphans

While serving in his church, Mueller’s eyes were opened to the needs around him, orphans and believers with very little faith. Mueller’s idea to open his first orphan house came when he saw a little boy being taken to the poor house because of a lack of homes available to care for orphans. In England in 1834, there was only room for 3,600 orphans at established institutions. There were more than double that many orphan children under the age of eight in prison because of the lack of orphanages. Stepping out in faith with just enough money for him and his young family, he proposed that his church start an orphan House. They too saw the need and jumped on board. Mueller saw this as an opportunity to not only serve orphans, but also to encourage the saints by growing their faith. Referring to his first orphanage, Muller states,

“I know you can reach up and touch God when you pray. I’ve proved it to myself. It changed my life. And I want to convince other people. I think I can, if I can point to something God has done through prayer. Something real and tangible. If God can take me, a very poor man; if I can bring together twenty children in an orphanage; if He will give the strength to ask no man for anything- to ask only him for my money- then I will prove to some people anyway that God is still faithful today.”[8]

Mueller came up with three key goals, when he started his Orphan Houses. All of these goals reaffirm that Mueller wanted to encourage believers. In order of importance, the first goal was God would be glorified by showing other believers, it is possible to trust in God alone for every need. The second goal was to promote the spiritual welfare of the fatherless and motherless children. The final goal was to provide physically for the children. George Mueller successfully accomplished all three through prayer alone. Over the course of his time in orphan work, five orphan houses were opened, accommodating over 10,000 children who passed through the doors. Many of these children came to faith in Christ, while living in one of those houses. Not only were the goals for the orphans accomplished, but also the first goal, to encourage believers’ faith in God, was accomplished. George Mueller had an open book policy, meaning anyone could look into the finances of the orphan houses. If you were to take a look, you would find he received almost a million and a half pounds over the course of his life. We should remember that Mueller was living almost 200 years ago.

Conclusion

 Author, A.T. Pierson, described Muller, as someone who, “devised large and liberal things for the Lord's cause.”[9] I’m not going to try and convince you Mueller’s life was always easy, or he didn’t struggle with moments of lack of faith in the Lord, but I think we can agree, at the end of his life, it was clear God never stopped providing for Mueller. I would like to offer you one final question. What large and liberal things is God calling you to do? How is God calling you to help the orphan? Now you have seen how one very sinful man was made clean by the blood of Christ, and how he gave his life to fully trust in him. I hope you too are encouraged by Mueller’s life and how God can and will use you in mighty ways too; of course you have to allow him to do so.

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[1] George Muller, How God answers prayer, iv.

[2] George Muller, A million and a Half in Answer to Prayer, 9.

[3] Ibid 9-10.

[4] Jennings, Look what God can Do!, 99.

[5] Mueller, Narrative, 1:302.

[6] Ibid 1:65.

[7] John Piper, “George Mueller’s Strategy for Showing God: Simplicity of Faith, Sacred Scripture, and Satisfaction in God” (paper presented at, Bethlehem Conference for Pastors Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 4, 2004).                                                                                                                                 

[8] Faith Coxe Bailey, George Mueller, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1958), 85.

[9] Pierson, George Mueller of Bristol, 264.