Read at beginning of service:
Ephesians 2:11-22 (NIV)
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)– 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
INTRODUCTION
Today, I?m continuing the series I?ve been preaching on called “Revolt against Religion”. I?m convinced that when you look at the original teachings of the historical Jesus in the Bible, you discover a person who sets in motion the end to religion. He offers people a non-institutional, deeply relational approach to spirituality ? a way of living that god originally intended for us to know.
So far we?ve looked at what Jesus had to say to religious people and their adherence to rules, regulations, and routine at the expense of the transforming work of love. Jesus lived by a simple philosophy: if love guides our hearts, rules become redundant. It?s not that they don?t serve a purpose ? the commands and rules we read about in the Bible are important in their purpose to expose sin. But obedience to these rules apart from heart change is meaningless. In other words, if you love God and you love your neighbour the resulting inward change will take care of everything else in your relationship with God and your relationship with others! Simply remove rules and you are left with anarchy. Transcend rules with love, and you?re beginning to live like Jesus!
Last week I spent some time highlighting Jesus? message to the religious leaders and the religion of His day about their attachment to certain traditions and customs. The danger of tradition is that it can be elevated to a place of authority equal to the place of Scripture and becomes what I call a “Sacred Cow”. A common saying of religions people is, “This is the way it?s always been done ? so this is the way it always should be done!”
Jesus made it absolutely clear in His ministry and in His various confrontations with religious tradition that tradition must take a back-seat to the Scripture it claims to be based on. This doesn?t mean that traditions can never be helpful spiritual tools ? but we must always be ready to evaluate whether a tradition or custom has become a ?sacred cow? because if it gets to that point then it ceases to be helpful and becomes harmful. Last week I shared with you some questions that you can ask that can help you in determining whether there are any traditions or customs that you follow that might be ?sacred cows? in your life.
The problem Jesus had with the traditions and customs of the religion in His day was that they had created a wall preventing intimacy with God, made faith a lifeless ritual, and blinded people to the truth. Jesus exposed the hypocrisy with the “Tradition of the Elders” in the religious people and we desperately need this same hypocrisy exposed and dealt with today!
This morning I want to take a few minutes to share with you the next characteristic of religions/religious people that Jesus debunked. Jesus? message of God?s love was radically inclusive in a world where religions were anything but. He came with a strong rebuke against the way the religious people of His day had lost touch with the universal focus of their faith.
God had always intended for His chosen people to be the vehicle through which His glory would be displayed to the whole world. Certainly, when taken as a whole, the historical account of the nation of Israel and the Jewish people and all the events they went through and the instructions God gave them were recorded in the Bible not just to preserve a genealogical or narrative record for future generations. Rather, the Holy Spirit divinely inspired and initiated everything towards the singular purpose of the revealing of God?s answer to the sin problem that plagued the world from the fall of Adam ? an answer that was planned because of His love for the human race. Interwoven throughout the entire scriptures are many references to a person coming who would be a messiah, a savior, who would restore once and for all God?s people to completeness. Truly, this messiah was the hope of the Jewish nation. Yet, the cool thing ? God never intended this Savior to only save the Israelites but through Him the entire world. Listen to the prophetic words of Isaiah as God spoke through Him?
Isaiah 42:6 (NIV)
6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
Isaiah 49:6 (NIV)
6 he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah was talking about the coming Messiah and how He would not only restore Israel to glory an righteousness but would be a light for the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth. What?s this mean? Two quick definitions: Gentile = non-Jewish person; Salvation = Rescuing from the consequence, penalty, and curse of sin (death). Put simply, God is saying through His servant Isaiah that through the Messiah sin will be dealt with and everyone will have the opportunity to be saved from the curse of sin. It seems though that for the most part ? the Jewish religious people had forgotten about this prophecy of the coming Messiah. In fact the religious people of Jesus? day had become incredibly exclusive in their religiosity. So much so that when Jesus was speaking to His disciples and a crowd of Jewish people who had gathered around Him one day He made a point of drawing a connection between what they were hearing, seeing, and experiencing and their responsibility. Listen to His words?
Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Even though Jesus made many statements indicating that He was sent first to help the Jewish people get on course ? for example?
Matthew 10:5-6 (NIV)
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
Matthew 15:24 (NIV)
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
?his message and mission intentionally extended God?s offer of loving relationship beyond the ethnic boundaries of Jewish religion. Through Jesus, Gentiles (non-Jews) were invited to become equal citizens in God?s Kingdom alongside Jewish brothers and sisters.
John 3:16 (NIV)
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. “
It was a message and teaching clearly understood and modeled by leaders in the early Christian church as evidenced in their letters?
(see also Romans 2:17-29; Romans 4:9-18)
Romans 9:6 (NIV)
6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
Romans 10:11-13 (NIV)
11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Ephesians 2:11-22 (NIV) ? read this morning
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Here?s the important point of Jesus revolt against religion here: Jesus challenged the strong kinship based identity of first-century Israel by offering a radical reorientation of family values. One time, Jesus had gone to a house ? probably for a bite to eat and a time of rest ? but scriptures record in Mark 3:20 that crowds began to gather again and Jesus and His disciples didn?t get a chance to eat. In the midst of this, Jesus counters some accusations from the religious leaders declaring that Jesus gained His power from being possessed by Satan. Jesus further shares a strong warning against rejecting and dishonoring the work of the Holy Spirit by attributing His work to the work of evil spirits. In the midst of all this, something interesting happens?
Mark 3:31-35 (NIV)
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Through these words, Jesus opposed the idea that birth, blood, and biology defines true family. Instead, he stressed that our unity with God and one another comes through shared faith and common purpose. In this way, Jesus invited his followers to become part of a worldwide, trans-national, multi-ethnic family of faith. And so, it is to his Jewish friends that Jesus said once,
John 10:16 (NIV)
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
The apostle Paul described the inclusive reality of the Kingdom this way:
Galatians 3:28-29 (NIV)
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Colossians 3:11 (NIV)
11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
In Christ?s Kingdom, ethnicity, social status, or gender identity are no longer important categories of distinction. Instead, all members of this Kingdom are unified as one family, with God as our shared Father and Abraham as our shared ancestor.
Jesus came against the characteristic where Religious people belong to an exclusive “club”. The religious people in Jesus day had a religious “club” that was defined by family ties and birth. I would venture to say this morning that today there exists a similar manifestation of this characteristic in the Christian church. It?s a bit harder to pick up on this characteristic because it is a little bit more subtle than the others and is harder to recognize sometimes because of it?s nature. However, I want to quickly give a few clues that will help us to discern and recognize it?s presence when we come across it.
How can we recognize this characteristic today?
When evangelism is something “someone else” will do.
A recognizable feature of this religious characteristic is the lack of care for those who are lost. At the extreme it manifests in a protectionist policy whenever someone “new” or “different” comes to church on a Sunday and there is fear they upset the status quo. “Aww man, someone has sat in my seat!”, “I wish that person wouldn?t come ? they really need a shower.” “Did you see what she?s wearing!”. Or it will manifest in the hiding of one?s “religion” when out in the big, bad “world” because it?s dangerous out there. Well I don?t dispute that our society is becoming increasingly hostile to Christianity I would venture to say it?s more because all Canadians are being exposed to is the Christian “religion” ? rather than the transforming presence of God in His relationship with individuals sold out to Him!
Friends, to counter this mindset we need to regain an understanding of exactly what Jesus has rescued us from and gain a compassion for those still lost! Every single one of us has a sphere of influence where we have an opportunity to demonstrate the difference Christ makes in our life. Pastor Nancy shared a message two weeks ago on evangelism I hope you heard ? and if you didn?t get a tape! We need to be reminded constantly that evangelism is not something that “someone else” will do but is something every one of us can do!
A significant event in the life of any family is the addition of a new family member. I?ve got news for you?God WANTS His family to grow! And it will grow when we allow the light of Christ to shine in our lives in acts of compassion, works of grace, gifts of generosity, and words of LIFE! He wants all of us to be like a “city on a hill”!
When some sins are worse than others?
Another extreme manifestation of this mindset of course is the idea that there are certain sins worse than others. This leads to all sorts of discrimination in who “deserves” to hear the gospel message. What barriers have been erected by religious people today for ministry to people serving time in prisons for murder, or homosexuals, or prostitutes, because of the nature of their sin? What prejudices are those in our lives that need to be exposed? A good indicator that we have these prejudices is when we consider certain sins worse than others.
We must not forget Jesus drew no distinction between degree of sinfulness but highlighted the depravity of anyone outside of God?s grace! In fact in a very pointed story Jesus indicates the danger of this kind of thinking to your own salvation!
Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men–robbers, evildoers, adulterers–or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
When fellowship is just a Sunday buffet.
How can this be an indicator of a “club” mentality in religion? Now don?t get me wrong ? I love the times when we come together as a church family and have fun together and eat together. There?s nothing wrong with that ? and it should be something we do often. However, fellowship as understood in the biblical context is so much more than just having a meal with a group of people. Acts 2:42 contains a picture of the early church and introduces the kind of fellowship that Jesus promotes,
Acts 2:42 (NIV)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
The Greek word for fellowship used in this verse is “Koinonia” (see also 2 Cor. 6:14; 13:13-14; Phil. 3:10; 1 John 1:3) and carries with it the idea of partnership and sharing together in a cause and sharing with each other. There is this incredible sense associated with the word fellowship of not just being a “part” of something but actually belonging to and investing in it. The idea that in the family of God, we belong to each other! What are the practical implications of this? When you read further about the early church in Acts you discover in verses 44-47 the demonstration of biblical fellowship,
Acts 2:44-47 (NLT)
And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord?s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity ? all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
Wow! Truly, every-time I read that I realize that we come pretty close to this biblical idea of fellowship but in some ways we?re still quite a ways away from it.
When fellowship is just a Sunday Buffet in the mindset of the religious person it?s usually because they really don?t understand what it means to really belong to God?s family. It?s not being a part of a social club, or a people with like interests, or spiritual tea party ? viewed with this perspective Christianity becomes very exclusive and religious. Whereas when a person embraces the biblical understanding of fellowship and incorporates this incredible sense of belonging to a family then there is a sense of other-focused sharing in every area of life. And it?s interesting that the more this healthy understanding of biblical fellowship is embraced ? the more inclusive we become of those new to the family who might be a little different than us ? because we are family!
CONCLUSION
I?ve just shared with you three indicators that can help us discern when – either collectively as a church body or individually – we wade into the thinking of Religious people where we?re a part of an exclusive club. Just to be clear, these aren?t the only indicators! There are more, but for the sake of time I?ve decided to share these three today (for example another one is when the church is defined as a building rather than a body). The point is this ? Jesus stressed that our unity with God and one another comes through shared faith and common purpose. Jesus invited His followers to become part of and belong to an incredible diverse group of people united in Him as God?s family.
As we look at what Jesus has to say to religion and the religious people of His day and today it?s important that I draw your attention to one passage in the New Testament that, on first read, seems to have something positive to say about “religion”. I?m going to share it as I close this message because it?s related to this whole idea of family in God?s kingdom. The focus of this passage is on the lifestyle that should characterize people who follow Jesus. James (the brother of Jesus) dedicated his entire letter to the early followers of Christ to reminding them of what their “religion” should look like.
James 1:26-27 (NIV)
26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
This verse is the only positive use of the word “religion” in the Bible. James did not place the emphasis on ritual, but rather on practical, other-centered behaviour. To summarize James said Christians should be:
- constructive rather than destructive in our words
- compassionate in practical ways toward people in distress;
- counter-cultural in our daily life, refusing to simply follow the accepted norms of the majority (the “world”) when those norms do not lead to a loving lifestyle.
In other words the only “religion” that God approves of is faith (a trusting relationship with the Person of God) expressing itself in practical loving action. James goes on to describe this more fully in the remainder of his letter. For people who want to follow Jesus, the emphasis on ritual should be replaced with other-centered relationship. Period. That?s a description of good religion in a nutshell, which in the end has little to do with what many people mean when they use the word religion today.
Notice, however, what James did not say in his letter to Christ followers. He did not say that the only religion God approves of involves:
- saying certain prayers a specified number of times each day,
- participating in the proper rituals,
- meditating in the right position,
- believing the right doctrines,
- attending the specified services,
- reading the appropriate books,
- memorizing the right texts,
- celebrating the right holidays and so on.
What people usually think of when they look at the topic of “religion” ? the rules, rituals, and routines ? are completely absent in James letter. Instead, he teaches that God wants us to experience and intimate relationship with himself and then express that through a holistic lifestyle of compassion for others.
Is it any wonder then, that in one of his letters to the early Christian community, the Apostle Paul wrestled with the same issue of following the way of relationship or religion. Paul?s conclusion?
Galatians 5:6 (NIV)
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.