Saying No to Religion, and Yes to Jesus

Part of my family and I spent the morning volunteering at a local food pantry.  I spent the time getting to know people, hearing their stories, and re-introducing them to Jesus.  I say re-introduce because Jesus is so familiar, and yet so unknown.  Most people have been inundated with religious jargon, that seems completely irrelevant to our lives.  We've heard that Jesus died on the cross on our sins.  People know they should go to church, pray, read their bibles and try to be good people.  Religion is all about trying to be good.  Over and over I've heard  people talk about going back to church so they can start living better, or get themselves right.  Others go to church so that they hear an encouraging message that will jump start them for the week, then they go back to life as usual.  I spoke with a lady today who was more concerned about God answering her prayers than God himself.  "Yes, I believe God answers my prayers because I always see a rose when he does."  That's cool, but do you know God?  Why would God do something so personal, if he didn't want you to know Him intimately? 

(Many of us want God to answer our prayers, but we're uninterested in actually knowing Him. He's just our Genie-in-a-bottle.)

The American culture is full of religion.   So many of us put on religious masks that keep us from encountering the real Jesus.  We can say the "right" words.  We pray the "right" prayers.  We can quote scripture, and sing the "right" songs.  We go to church and participate in church activities.  But... do we know God(aka Jesus)?

How, you ask?

Great question.  How do you get to know anybody you want to know?  It's quite simple.  By spending time with him or her.  Get alone and spend face to face time getting to know God.  That requires, quite obviously, a recognition that there is a God to be known.  If you don't believe that God exists, why would you ever attempt to spend time with Him?  Once alone, talk to God.  We call that prayer.  If you're going to talk to God, you must believe that He's listening.  Why would you waste time talking to someone who can't hear you, or who doesn't care to listen?  Next you must listen to Him.  That's right, listen.  Of course, that means that He speaks.  Not only does that mean He speaks, but He wants to speak to each of us personally.  He speaks through His words.  Many of His words are written in the Bible.  He reveals to us who He is.  He shows is ways of working in the world.  He gives us examples of others who were His friends.  He teaches us much about ourselves and the world. 

He will speak specifically to us.  About our lives. About our destiny.  About our circumstances.  About who we are.  His words aren't simply printed words on a page, they are words that are overflowing with life, and meaning.  They are relevant and true.  They go beyond our natural understanding. They go deeper than deep.  Those who continue to dive into His word daily find themselves discovering treasure after treasure. There's an endless supply! 

God also speaks to our Spirits in ways that cannot be explained in words.  He speaks in our minds.  He speaks through creation.  He speaks in dreams and visions.  He speaks  in the silence.

And once He's spoken, we must believe His words to us.  What's the use in listening, if you won't believe? And what's the point of believing, if you won't do what He tells you to do?

We can also know Jesus by being around others who know Him--His children.  His children are also known as "the church".  God wants us learning together, praying together, and serving together.  TOGETHER is the key word.  He doesn't want us on our own.  In fact, He promises a special manifestation of His presence when we gather together.  I can't completely explain it, but I've experienced it many, many times.  When we come as humble seekers of the true and living God, expecting Him to speak to us and to do something special among us, He does.  Often, we come with our own agenda, that we expect Jesus to follow.  We often gather with others in order to check off our, Went-to-church-this-week box, rather than with the desire to meet with Jesus, and pour out our love and devotion to Him.

Don't abandon gathering with other true followers with Jesus.  Just find some true followers to gather with.  God will guide your search. He doesn't want you alone.

I'm currently reading a book that is encouraging me in my search to know the "real Jesus".  I want to know Him for myself.  So I'm reading the gospels with new ears, and new eyes, asking God's Spirit to show me the real Jesus.  The author of this book encourages His readers to do the same.  We've painted this flat, uninteresting, powerless, and quite frankly, impersonal Jesus.  We've made Him distant and unapproachable, sorta like the Pope.  That's not the real Jesus!  The real Jesus was continually surrounded with sinners.  Prostitutes. The despised. Thiefs. The sick. The demon possessed--crazies. The destitute. The broken. The  poor. Jesus welcomed these people in His presence.  Jesus isn't somewhere up in the clouds, unapproachable by us.  He wants us to know Him and to live in a continual relationship with Him. 

The last lady I spoke with today talked about her frustration with her church.  She wants more.  She thought that there was more. 

There is.

Religion doesn't fill the deepest longings of our souls.

Jesus does.

Say yes to the real Jesus.

He wants you to know Him.

What have we done to "the least"? part 2

God made each of us unique.  Each unique difference gives us a glimpse of the infinitely diverse God of the Universe.  When God's people, who were meant to display His beauty to the world, decide to ignore certain people in our midst because they are different from us, we miss out on God's revelation of Himself.  Every person He places in our midst is valuable because God placed His image in each of us.   They aren't people to be changed to fit into our culture.  We shouldn't expect them to conform so that we are more comfortable.  They shouldn't be avoided because we're afraid of offending them.  We need to make an effort to acknowledge "the least" among us.  "The least" need to be noticed--not a polite, uncomfortable "hello", but a welcoming "We're so glad you're here!" 


Have you ever been "the least" in a culture?  I have.  Being a black woman, puts me among "the least" in most places in America.  I have friends that are in "the least" category in other ways.  Some are poor.  Some are disabled.  Some are single moms.  Some are from other countries.  One thing is sure.  People get really uncomfortable around "the least".  And "the least" try really hard to fit in with the majority.  They try to hide their disabilities.  They try change their appearances in order to fit "the norm" of the majority culture.  They try to disguise their poverty with nice clothes.  Poor people don't like looking poor when they're among the "non-poor".  Very few people enjoy being "the least".  So if you can't blend in, you try to find other people like you.   Birds of a feather flock together because everyone wants to feel "normal" and accepted. ( Or you try to elevate yourself--making someone else "the least".)


So how should the body of Christ respond to "the least"?   

Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians to elevate the needs and desires of others above ourselves.  

Phil 2:3-4  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 
 
If we take that seriously, following Jesus' pattern,we will lay aside our on preferences, desires and even our rights in order to lift others up.  In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he tells us that God purposefully arranged the parts of His body just as he wanted them.  God brought every person to your local community.  Your church body is being designed by God.  Are you paying attention?  Are you cooperating with His work?

1 corinthians 12:22 says "...those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable..."  People who seem to have nothing of value to contribute are the most necessary for a healthy thriving community.  1 corinthians 12:23 "... and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor..."  Some among us have been treated with such disrespect and dishonor.  Some have been treated as though they are invisible.  Some have been ignored.  Some have been oppressed by the culture.  We must elevate them.  We must show them special honor. When we do this, we recognize their worth. 

Let us be people who look for opportunities to elevate "the least". 

God gave His best to "the least".  (In God's economy, we're all "the least".)

Do we give our best to "the least"?

As I consider Jesus' example, he often elevated "the least".  He gave them special privileges, respect and opportunities. He taught them by example that they were valuable in the eyes of their Maker.  Here are a few examples:   He took time to talk to women, giving them special attention and privileges.  This was a culture where women had little value, so it was pretty revolutionary.  He touched the outcasts:  prostitutes, foreigners, lepers, the blind, the cripple,the "half-breeds", tax collectors, "the crazies"--the unclean.  He took time to listen to them, to heal them, to free them from their bondage,  and ultimately gave them a face-to-face encounter with God Himself.   He lifted them out of the depths of degradation, humiliation, and dehumanization.  The God of Heaven humbled Himself to lift them up.   And so He says to us, "Go and do the same."

John 13:13-17  "You call me `Teacher' and `Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. [14] Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. [15] I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. [16] I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

God delights in using "the least".

1CO 1:26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. [28] He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, [29] so that no one may boast before him.

Are we following His example?  

Asking Questions

Lately, I've been asking myself questions.  Why do I do what I do?  I've been asking God questions.  I've been wrestling with things that I've accepted about life without ever really analyzing them.  So much of christianity is cultural.  I'm realizing that more than ever.  The way we express our love and devotion to God, the way we live out our faith.  Much of it is expressed in a cultural context.  

There is so much that we do and say as christians.  We do these things because someone says we must--usually a pastor.  We do these things because that's what we've always done.  We do these things because they've been passed down from our family.  And many of the things we do, we're passionate about them. They're part of our "deep down" belief system.  We've taken many of our own personal preferences and convictions and called them "biblical" or "right".  God is so much bigger than one group's own personal preferences or convictions.  Are you willing to consider that there are other ways to live out the christian faith that look very different from the way you live out your faith?
 
Asking questions can be unsettling.  It can shake up your world.  It can lead to more unanswered questions. 

I believe that we can no longer ignore questions.  People all around us want to know the relevancy of christianity and the church.  Former "church-goers" want to know why they can't worship God at home.  The early church met in homes. There are many people that are disheartened and dissappointed with church leaders.  Is being a part of an organized church our only option?  Can coming together for the purpose of worshiping God, encouraging one another, praying for another, and loving each look many different ways? What should a community of Christ-followers look like?  Is church tradition wrong?  Should we rediscover the old?  Should true followers of Christ leave the church in mass exodus in order to start all over from the ground up, or should we seek to do what Martin Luther tried to do to the Catholic church--reform it? Should we meet in homes?  Should we meet in large church buildings?  Does it matter where we meet?  Does it matter what day we meet?


When Jesus gave His followers the mission to go (leave that which is comfortable and familiar), and make more followers of Him, I wonder if the current American church is what He had in mind.  We've made christianity, comfortable.  It's a great way to live.  It's a great way to raise your kids.  It's just a great community to be a part of.  The people are nice.  It keeps us from coming in contact with those-- sinners.  Sinners are bad.  They're going to hell.  They're messing up our nation.  They're left winged liberals. They're destroying marriages.  Sinners should be avoided and shunned.  Shouldn't sinners be accepted as sinners?  Shouldn't sinners be loved --while they are sinners?  (I'll admit.  I like them to get their acts together first before I love them.)  But doesn't God love us while we are sinners?  He gave his life while we were His enemies.

When God looks at the American church as a whole, is He pleased? There is so much division in the church.  So much division in His body. Isn't there only one body with Christ as the head?

Is He pleased with me?

Questions, questions, questions...

I hope I stirred up a few questions in your mind today.