Confusing Things Christians Say - Week 2 - St. Peter - Pastor Bill Monday
Confusing Things Christians Say
Week 2 - St. Peter
Pastor Bill Monday
God bless you. They didn't tell me that you'd have to watch it every Sunday during the series. So, that was fun. We're going to be returning to our series “Confusing Things That Christians Say”. Last week we had this beautiful message about being born again and what that is and how we treasure Grace that from Pastor Tim. Today we're going to go onto another saying we saw one of the bubbles up there. What do we mean by “It's not a religion that I practice, it's a relationship.” Is that confusing? Is that accurate? What are we to make of that in? Should we use that? And when we hear it, What should we do with that before we jump into that? Why don't we open up with a prayer and ask God to inspire us through his word and John chapter 15? Let's pray.
Sanctify Us by the truth. O Lord. Your word is truth. Amen.
So I decided to take a look when I was assigned. This thoughts, not a religion relationship and see how popular it is. I know I've heard that here and there and you do a Google Search and a lot of thoughts come up about that phrase that term what in particular was from Reddit, the website and app. That's kind of a social news aggregation. The place where people can post things about everyday life, for everyday things in the news and comment. So, I found this article, Oh, I thought was kind of interesting and maybe picks up on how this phrase is kind of confusing and not really helpful in, maybe not even well, receive, the title is, It's not a religion, it's a relationship is such BS. Now when I grew up that was bull-stuffing was the be at. So what works with that definition there? This is what this person says, just one event. “Gen Z Christians are the weirdest to me because they know their religion looks uncool. And think by being not like the other girls, they're going to win brownie points. People ain't stupid calling your religion, a relationship does nothing.” Also lifestyle implies the religion, completely hates women, judge your life, which makes Christianity sound even more like a cult.
Hello, you're trying to lure in young people here. You could cut back on the queer phobia and the anti premarital sex talk but then how can you shame people into your religion? And comments begin to fire up the not one of them. My word encouraged one qualified and said you know that saying isn't unique to gen Z? Been hearing that nonsense for like 30 plus years.
So what do you think whether you're new to that saying or you've heard it said, or maybe even offering it up? Is it confusing? “Not a religion, but a relationship.” I should we use it. How so or should we put it around like other sayings that come and go as we can? Which a one saying that I came across, which I don't think I've ever heard kind of an old saying his butter done slid off as biscuit.
It's weird. Yes, that's the way to say he lost his mind. Right? Hs butter done slid off his biscuit. How about this one? We were off like a herd of turtles. It's kind of maybe a Midwestern goodbye. All right. We got going after about an hour saying goodbye. Well, this one has got a favorite, “not my monkey, not my circus.” So I've heard that one recently. Maybe we should keep that one. But what do we do with this? This phrase again, is not a religion, it's a relationship. I think the best way to go about this and this will be for your choice today. If you use that, God bless you. And if you can gain some insight and understanding of it all together, then we'll be better off. And if you choose not to use it because of what we find and are guided by the Scriptures then good I think we want to be clear about the hope we have in Jesus, that's the bottom line, isn't it? So that whoever might post something and read it like that might understand by what? You say and how do you live? Oh, maybe I have this whole Christian, anything just figured out yet. So let's define religion, and no better place than the internet actually, an authoritative source on the internet. Merriams Oxford dictionary defines religion, this way, and we'll sum it up here. If you're taking notes, it's action or conduct. Indicating belief in or obedience to in reverence for a God and we might parentheses flesh that out or something. That is treated like a God and out of that, there's a performance of religious rights or observances and so on, and so forth. So my question to you is we defined this religion is conduct so, how do you live your life? Indicating belief in God? So you put your hope in something. You treasure something and in turn, it defines you and leads you?
What we say, just working with that basic, neutral definition that you know, that defines Christianity.
I believe so, right? We put our hope in Jesus. We know who he is unlike anyone else that's ever walked this Earth.
And by God's will and his design, Jesus came to be with us in our brokenness. God with us and God so loved us that knowing our faults, knowing that we were in rebellion against him and we had no chance, but our only choice is to reject him. By such love and humility, and humbleness. He earned our Perfection for us all that God demands of you. Jesus earned and gifted you and all the sins that separated us from God. Even that rebellious heart, that wanted nothing to do with them. Jesus said, put that on me, I'll become that. He became that on the cross. He suffered our death, our, how so that we could be at peace with God no matter where we've come from. And in 3 days, Jesus proved it by rising from the dead. He offers new life which is your future and hopes even now you're experiencing. And after 40 days, he ascended to the father's right hand. Humanity, ascended to the father's right hand so that your status could be elevated to royalty, to a Divine status.
Wow, that love that defines our conduct, our actions, doesn't. I mean, not that we're perfect, but we walk in Grace. We confess our sins and we enjoy that new life and we trust him. It defines us. I very much would say Christianity is that definition of conduct, right? That's defined by what our hope is in the Apostle Paul. Really summed it up. Well, this way, what I just shared with you.
He says, Christ's love, compels us. All that Christ is compels us, drives us to find us why? Because we're convinced that one died for all. Therefore all died. Praise God. We all suffered the wages of death in Christ. It was a peaceful dying and in faith we’re risen again and that we live life so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him, there's only one life to live and that's Christ.
And that's what we mean by religion. And so, I don't know if it's honest to say, I'm not a religion. The neutral term, is the heart of the definition. Yeah, I know, I hope in him and he defines me
I love it. Of course, Christianity is the only religion. There are all kinds of religions out there. There are over 4,000 of them and even non-religions that people will say, not religious at all. And yet, they still remember back in the early days of being instructed in the faith and you came across this term idolatry, it's having anything as a god that is not open idolatry might be like, well Islam. Allah is not a real God, but people follow him or Hinduism. This non-conscious all-being God, people follow that but then their secret. A dollar, idolatry. People follow after money or power and influence, well they don't call it a God but it defines their conduct.
And so we're going to map out our discussion of religion. Yes. Christianity is a religion. But what? Understanding that putting your hope in something God, or whatever, and it defines your life, we could easily argue. All people are religious even if they say they're not, because this is the heart of what religion is. We're defining a lot of terms today. The etymology, the origin of the term religion in English comes from the Latin relig. Ra Just simply needs to bind yourself to something. So religion is about making a Val binding yourself to that, which you want to Define your life or that which will, and you can do that willingly or unwillingly. You can be bound to things and everyone is
So, if everybody's religious, and Christianity is a religion then what's the hang-up, why would we have an aversion to religion? Was it because there's a lot of baggage to the word religion today? And it's precisely because of the binding involved, isn't it? What I mean, is this? Nobody wants to be bound to something that oppresses them .
And it's sad to see that from this article. This person has a view of Christianity: that it oppresses people.
Maybe we've heard another saying, people, know what, we're against more than they know what we're for. That's a sense of being oppressed.
But praise God, Christianity is not an oppressive religion. That's what we want to promote and I think people are trying to, when they say not a religion, it's not a present. You got to give it a chance. It's about a relationship. I like that sentiment.
But maybe again, it would be good for us to articulate that, to clarify. I think because she picks up on this, I just know that Christians are about, well, they're about homophobia and they're about anti-whatever outside of marriage as far as intimacy. Is that what we're known for today? Because that's not what Christianity is about and that does sound oppressive. So, I suppose, I would say to an author of such an article instead of God's. Not a religion,
I might instead just say, Well you bring up some good points.
Can I share with you? What would I do practice though? It's a life that is compelled by Jesus' love. Do you know Jesus? Do you know what he's done for all of us whether you're gay or straight or whatever, whether you're living with somebody outside of marriage or are in marriage? Whether you're doing, whatever you know, what Jesus is all about? Can I share with you that and after sharing the hope we have in Forgiveness. I'm hoping that this person and others would see. This isn’t an oppression at all now. I know who I am. No, I know my purpose now. I know Grace. Now I know how God sees me as a dear child.
Patterning my life. After those truths mean religion, then call me religious. This is amazing. And it's so freeing from what I once wa .
I was a religious bound in works. Didn't have anything to do with Grace. This is what makes Christianity so unique, all praise to God. It's not because we came up with it. But he’s going down the line, whether it's Islam or Hinduism, or if it's running after money, or if it's after sex or fame, or influence and power or politics or whatever, have you noticed that all those things are, all oppressive by Nature?
Because the god of Islam or the god of Hinduism or the god, that is money can be the god of influence and power. And politics always says, I want more, I need more from you, you want to be happy, you do these things and then maybe just maybe you'll find complete satisfaction, but it always eludes us. Hey, those that are religious as far as secularism and running after things of this life and money and what? Look at the latest celebrities, how many of them are truly happy, although they have at al. That's because money can be an oppressor of power. Can be an oppressor. It's never enough. It's exhausting and it cannot rescue us from death. Only one thing can. It's Jesus. Jesus, in all our strivings and our pursuits of trying to be happy, and fulfilled, and satisfy, and work, and work, and work. Jesus says, “Come to me. All you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke of Grace upon you. Learn from me. I'm humble. And gentle and hard. I will turn no one away.” I don't care where you've been. What are the religious thoughts? Secular sacred says that I wonder if this contributor read it. She knew that if that might change your mind, and so does that phrase help not a religion? I think we got to go deeper, don't we? Which is why I believe we turn our thoughts to a relationship. Let's define that too. Because it's a great way to say it, but is it completely accurate as well? Because there are failings with that to when we say, “oh I'm in relationship with God.”
Well, let's go back to Merriams Oxford dictionary and see what the authority says on a relationship. The relation connecting, or I'm going to throw in, the binding of participants in a relationship. I do believe that's a flaw and I can't believe it's such an authority. You're not supposed to define a thing by using the same word, are you? I remember my English teacher back way back saying, “don't define a definition by the same term. That helps no one. That's what they did. So anyway, Such as specific instance, or type of kinship, so how people connect our bound a state of affairs existing between those having relations or dealings a romantic or passionate attachment and so on and so forth. That didn't help me at all. Did it help you? All right, let's try again. And I'm just going to sum up what I found there and I think intuitively we know what a relationship is. But it is the simple connection binding two parties/participants. Very clinical definition. I don't know if that helps us with God. I think that's part of the problem.
I think it's part of the problem because relationships can be such a broad thing. I mean, you have a different relationship with your boss and you do your spouse or your spouse and your child or friend and your spouse. And yeah, we just throw that out there. Like we have a relationship.
So what kind of relationship? Maybe this is where we could define and this is inspired by John's gospel. John 15. Christianity is about a relationship that is unequal with God. That means God has far more say and far more authority to define what he means by relationship and there's good news with that. But do know this, that when we say we're relationship with God, it's not the kind of relationships that we often enjoy in this life, where maybe even between spouses or friends. There's a mutual agreement. Both are equal in this and both can define relationships and hopefully, it goes well,
No, praise God. He didn't establish a relationship like that with us where we get to Define how things go.
And again understanding our sinful nature, that's good. Because if it were up to me to find my relationship with God, I would be the Taskmaster, he would be my servant and this is how it would be, and I would destroy myself.
That's why I need Christian. He's not equal or I suppose we might say a personal relationship with God, you could understand that correctly. But the danger and saying, I have an individual relationship with God or a personal relationship is that we start to define it how we want making up a new Jesus. That is not Jesus. So kind of calling you back to last week's message. All these people are chosen. You see, he forges the relationship the two terms and what that relationship looks like. And it's beautiful but we did not choose him, nor can we choose the terms of relationship? And what do we find is that we connect with God. Praise God, it's not about activities doing this in formalism and whatever the trappings of religion can be.
But God calls us children and he is our father.
Jesus is your dearest brother? And your friend who would literally lay down his life for you. Only to pick it up again and rescue you in every way. As the Community were called the bride of Christ.
But that doesn't apply personally as if I'm the bride of Christ because again, that suggests kind of this equal to finding of terms. And Nobody is the groom for us, his people again laying down his life. You see there are particular ways that God defines his relationship with us for your blessing and mind.
Where am I bringing all of this out from it is from John. Let's take a look at John 15 again. When Jesus says this noticed the inequality but it's for our betterment. He says I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, there's an elevation of your status. In mind, we were once slaves unworthy and we were lost condemned creatures slaves to sin and then even if God wanted to bring us over, who would be enough just to be his servants?
But in Grace, he wants friends and he makes us such. He says you did not choose me, but I chose you.
I think about how the relationship works, it would be like the president calling you up today and saying, hey, would you like to be friends now? If the president of the United States, whether this administration or the past or whatever your favorite President, called you up and said, “like to be your friend,” would you not be floored, amazed, humbled? And would you ever think about like, “okay, well then here's how it's going to have to be….” We would never say that. And conversely could I call up the president today and say, “hey, by the way, would you be my friend?” Never happen.
King Jesus has come into this life and he's called you by name and said, would you be my friend? I Choose You. That is good news.
And something that we don't want to abuse either, though, I think there is a lot of this may be in the Western church today. People to finding their relationship with God if there's equality there. There, there isn't again, if there were, we destroy ourselves.
And it may be one of the clearest ways I see. It. Happen picking up again on the Oxford dictionary. This thought about a romantic or passionate relationship with God.
Maybe we should use those terms. I don't think we do and yet sometimes we get ahead of it. I think it's displayed oftentimes, maybe an art or music, come across both contemporary music. And old traditional hymns, suggesting this personal relationship with God, that kind of goes beyond what the scriptures say. I think we got to be careful of that. Otherwise again, we start defining things to our detriment. I, David Crowder, anybody needs fans of David Crowder, a Christian Canterbury. I am, I love his stuff. There's one song though that I think he goes too far and he admits it. The song. “Oh, How He Loves Us?” This great, the original lyric, he wrote Heaven meets earth, like a wet sloppy kiss. I don't think so, it sounds kind of weird and it was changed to Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss, like a father to a child. But this whole idea of my heart turns violently inside my chest.
With ideas and overtones of a romantic connection with God, I think. Well, I think we're going too far or I think about the movie Sister Act. That dates me a little bit. Whoopi Goldberg, she kind of hides out as a nun, she's found out but then she comes to Faith and she decides to revive the church, a little bit, cheeky takes a love song from 1963. She makes it a choir piece of hymn. And I will follow him but doesn't really change the words. I get it. Nice try. But God is not a lover.
And God is not our buddy. Jesus is our good friend and Savior, and Lord. You see, there's a Transcendent nature to that relationship that is a blessing to us to understand, as he says, come to me, talk to me. I'm your dearest friend. He also says now, follow me and pick up your cross. What I call you to will be difficult because you'll be hated, but I'm Lord over all. It's good to have that balance because you can earn both sides' relationship or religion. To maybe we can sum it up this way.
To understand, bring clarity, to that confusing phrase, “not a religion, but a relationship” is I think we could say it this way, “Christianity is a religion in a savior. One of grace who defines your life by grace? No burden. No pressure. No formalities. No rules that bind us only freedom? And that brings us into a relationship with the Lord. The one, who defines the terms, the one who is an all authority. The one who loves us, lays down his life for us and blesses us, according to his designs.
Not our own making. That's what we have with Jesus and because we have that We live. Maybe always then in Humble Faith. Appreciate this religion of Grace. And a relationship with the Lord and may God bless us with words to speak, to those who get a little confused about who God is and what we're all about with Jesus.
