George Wishart

St Andrews today is famous for two things. Number one, it's the home of golf. And number two, it's the town where Prince William made met Kate whilst he was studying at university. But it's the spiritual history of this town that is most interesting and significant. St Andrews was the town in the 1500s where the first Protestant Scottish martyr was burned for his faith. His name was Patrick Hamilton and he is remembered by a spot with his initials on the ground.

But we fast forward to the year 1538 when Cardinal David Beaton took over over and made it his mission to catch a reformer by the name of George Wissart and stamp out what he saw as the growing heresy in Scotland. At the time, George was only a young man, 25 years old and he stayed one step ahead of the Cardinal and escaped and went to Cambridge University where he met with Hugh Latimer and together they went on to Bristol. He was only there for about six months when he got into trouble again and had to flee the city.

He went to Switzerland where he spent three years traveling to various cities including Geneva and Zurich. And he had the chance to meet with John Calvin and Bullinger, where he was able to study and crystallize his views on the gospel. In. In 1542 he returned to the British Isles and went to Cambridge where he taught at the university. After teaching for one year, he then returned to Scotland where he began to preach the gospel in cities around the country.

He went to Montrose to teach the book of Roman and then he went to Dundee. Beaton followed him there, but Wishart hid from him. Then he went to Perth to preach and then to Ayr. The Archbishop followed him but he could not catch him. He then went back to Dundee and a priest by the name of John Wyton was sent to kill him, but the crowd turned against him. George Wishart was much loved by his countrymen as he didn't just preach, but had a very practical side to his ministry. In one instance in the city of Dundee, when the plague broke out, most people fled the city. But George Wishart went into the city so he could care for the sick and the suffering.

Towards the end of his life he met John Knox, who was a young man at the time and would go on to be a great leader in his own right in the Scottish Reformation. He started out essentially as a bodyguard for George Wishart and carrying a two handed sword with him. As he traveled around the country. They built a strong bond as teacher and student until finally Cardinal Beaton with 500 soldiers captured George Wishart John Knox wanted to follow George into captivity, but was told to stay with the word one is sufficient for sacrifice.

He was brought here to the castle and put here in this sea tower where he was imprisoned. He was then tried, and as he was tried, he answered all his accusations from the Bible. They were not satisfied and he was condemned to death outside the castle walls. The initials GW Are imprinted on the ground, marking the exact spot where George Wishart gave his life at the young age of 30.

Two. Things we learn from this man, number one, in his ministry and life, he was incredibly faithful and was ministering to the sick and suffering as he traveled around the country. Number two, we learn about the power and importance of preaching, how in two years, as he traveled around the country, he caused great revival, making a lasting change and impression here in this country. The thing that stands out to me the most, though, is how young he was that he died at the age of 33. He was a teacher at Cambridge at the age of 29. He gave his youth to God and God used him in a powerful way. God is calling for young people again today. Young people who will give their talents and their gifts to him and allow themselves to be used in a powerful way.

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