Losing My Religion

Beautiful

Bobby was a decent guy…

Bobby was a decent guy…

Bobby became religious

The good people

The bad people

Every religionEvery political system

Every culture

Has the "good people"And the "bad people"

Except The Faith

New Kingdom= New Rules

Religion makes people goodFor the sake of God

Religion makes people goodFor the sake of God

The Faith makes Jesus gloriousFor the benefit of man

When men are lifted upThey turn people off to GodOr steal his glory

When God is lifted upMen are drawn to him

God is lifted upWhen we live out the truth

Of the Gospel of Jesus

Creation- in God's imageFall- "I/We will be like God"Redemption- Jesus buys backRestoration- God restores

When the primary focus is meOr even other people

I'm living in the Fall

When the focus is JesusI'm living as a New Creation

Created, RedeemedBeing Restored

IdentityValue

Purpose

Created, RedeemedBeing Restored

Man's Religion distorts it

IdentityValuePurpose

Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him

And as Jesus reclined at the table in the house, behold, many tax

collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus

and his disciples

And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

The Good Ones want to knowWhy Jesus is with

The Bad Ones

But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick

Jesus is calling The Pharisees "well"?!?

Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”- Matt. 9

Jesus is callingThe Religious Leaders

"Righteous"?!?!?

Go and learn what this means, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners"

Man's Religion:

"We're better than you are Because we've sacrificed the

things you still do"

Religion:Makes heroes out of menUsing the wrong standard

Of comparison

"Look at what I've sacrificed!"

Focus is on meLiving in the FallMakes me good and them bad

The Faith:

I'm different, but no betterBecause I sin, tooAnd God is both PerfectAnd Forgiving

The Faith:Makes God the hero

And produces deep humility

In those who know him

Mercy:I haven't walked in your shoes

Mercy:I haven't walked in your shoesI have the same propensity to sin

Mercy:I haven't walked in your shoesI have the same propensity to sinI'm not here to look down onBut to give a hand up… If you're willing

Only happensWhen Jesus is the focus

"I desire mercy, and not sacrifice

Doing religious things for GodWithout loving people made in the image of God is hypocrisy

But did Jesus Call them "righteous"?

For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners"

"You guys are so busyProclaiming your righteousnessThat you forgot to what's Most important:

Showing mercy to people I love"

"You guys are so sickYou can't even see how illYou actually are"

You calling us blind, boy?

If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you

say, "We see," your guilt remains- John 9

You can't heal peopleWho are unwilling to admitThey're sick

"Why you with those sinners?"

Man's Religion always createsGood people and Bad people

Accepted people andRejected people

What are someModern religious judgments

For seeing people asAccepted and Rejected

?

When men are lifted upThey turn people off to GodOr steal his glory

When God alone is lifted upMen are drawn to him

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do…

For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy

burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger

They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long

They look and act religiousAnd then tell you what to do

In order to be accepted

How does that make you feel?

…and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and

greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others

They love being honoredThey love titles and position

And favor in society

How does that make you feel?

When men are lifted upThey turn people off to God

Or steal his glory

When God alone is lifted upMen are drawn to him

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers

And call no man your father on earth, for you have one

Father, who is in heaven

Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant

Don't make heroesOut of people

And don't make themThe focus

We don't do "Reverend"Our Elders serve

The ground is levelFunction relates to gifting

Not giving $$

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles

himself will be exalted- Matthew 23, then 7 Woes

Religion makes men goodFor God's sake

The Faith makes Jesus gloriousFor man's benefit

When men are exalted:- Position and favor must be kept- We use people and get used- Religion becomes a prison- God is a means of manipulation- Hypocrisy is the norm

When Jesus is Glorious:- Identity is in Christ alone

- People: Mentor, Mutual, Mission- Faith sets us free

- God has no ulterior motives- Transparency and authenticity

Any of us can slip into religion And struggle

With wanting acceptance

From (important) people

When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned

For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with

the Gentiles

But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group

The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas

was led astray

When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all…

"You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is

it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?"

Why wasn't PaulAffected by the need

To please these religious men?

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me- Galatians 2

The only way menStop being heroes

Is for us to dieAnd Christ to live through us= Value, Identity, Purpose

When Jesus is beautiful

- No manipulation- No good/bad (He alone is good)

- Identity, Value, Purpose- Fear of man dies

All black hatsOne white hat

Only one HeroAnd we're drawn to him

Bobby fell…

Bobby fell…And found freedom

Because God redeems

We lift JesusJust Jesus

Because he alone is worthyAnd that is to our benefit

Q and A

Great Clothes Exchange"Thank you!"

Thanksgiving Dinner, 6 PM

Christmas Offering

Thank you Guests!

Card + Email