Losing My Religion Beautiful

Bobby was a decent guy…

Bobby was a decent guy… Bobby became religious

The good people The bad people

Every religion Every political system Every culture Has the "good people" And the "bad people"

Except The Faith New Kingdom= New Rules

Religion makes people good For the sake of God

Religion makes people good For the sake of God The Faith makes Jesus glorious For the benefit of man

When men are lifted up They turn people off to God Or steal his glory When God is lifted up Men are drawn to him

God is lifted up When we live out the truth Of the Gospel of Jesus

Creation- in God's image Fall- "I/We will be like God" Redemption- Jesus buys back Restoration- God restores

When the primary focus is me Or even other people I'm living in the Fall

When the focus is Jesus I'm living as a New Creation Created, Redeemed Being Restored

Identity Value Purpose Created, Redeemed Being Restored

Man's Religion distorts it Identity Value Purpose

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 know Why 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 calling The 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 men Using the wrong standard Of comparison

"Look at what I've sacrificed!" Focus is on me Living in the Fall Makes me good and them bad

The Faith: I'm different, but no better Because I sin, too And God is both Perfect And 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 shoes I have the same propensity to sin

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

Only happens When Jesus is the focus

"I desire mercy, and not sacrifice Doing religious things for God Without 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 busy Proclaiming your righteousness That you forgot to what's Most important: Showing mercy to people I love"

"You guys are so sick You can't even see how ill You 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 people Who are unwilling to admit They're sick "Why you with those sinners?"

Man's Religion always creates Good people and Bad people Accepted people and Rejected people

What are some Modern religious judgments For seeing people as Accepted and Rejected ?

When men are lifted up They turn people off to God Or steal his glory When God alone is lifted up Men 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 religious And 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 honored They love titles and position And favor in society How does that make you feel?

When men are lifted up They turn people off to God Or steal his glory When God alone is lifted up Men 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 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant

Don't make heroes Out of people And don't make them The focus

We don't do "Reverend" Our Elders serve The ground is level Function 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 good For God's sake The Faith makes Jesus glorious For 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… 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 Paul Affected 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 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 men Stop being heroes Is for us to die And 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 hats One white hat Only one Hero And we're drawn to him

Bobby fell…

Bobby fell… And found freedom Because God redeems

We lift Jesus Just Jesus Because he alone is worthy And that is to our benefit

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