Religion or Relationship?
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 12 viewsNotes
Transcript
breaking the spirit of religion
RELIGION-
: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
2a(1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural (SOUNDS GOOD)
(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance (ALSO SOUNDS GOOD)
WE'VE ALL HEARD SOMEONE SAY OR HAVE SAID IT OURSELVES THAT...
"IT'S NOT ABOUT RELIGION, IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIP"
WHILE THIS IS TRUE IN MANY WAYS,
IT’S ALL ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THE FATHER....
TRUE AND PURE RELIGION IS IMPORTANT AND...
IT’S ACCEPTED BY GOD
TRUE RELIGION BRINGS SELFLESS LOVE
IN FACT JESUS TELLS US THIS IN JAMES
LETS LOOK AT.....JAMES 1:27
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.
SO IF YOUR RELIGION DOESN'T CULTIVATE A HEART OF SELFLESS LOVE THEN......
YOUR RELIGION IS NOT PURE.
HE SAYS....IT’S FAULTY
WRITE THIS DOWN......
RELIGION CULTIVATES RELATIONSHIP
IF RELIGION DOES NOT CULTIVATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THE FATHER THEN..
IT IS FALSE RELIGION
CHURCH....
GOD WANTS US TO PURSUE HIM.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND....
Religion THAT DOES NOT CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIP....
kills intimacy.
It’s a relationship that God desires MOST!
He doesn’t want you trying to be religious.
THIS IS WHAT THE PHARISEES WERE ALL ABOUT
WE CAN SOUND RELIGIOUS AND LOOK RELIGIOUS ALL DAY LONG
YOU CAN EVEN FOOL ME AND YOU CAN FOOL OTHERS BUT...
NOT GOD
TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR...
TALK IS CHEAP.....
CHURCH...
IF YOUR NOT PRODUCING FRUIT...
THEN ALL YOU HAVE A IS RELIGIOUS SPIRIT
Pastor Chris…What is that??????
I’M GLAD YOU ASKED....
A religious spirit is a type of demonic spirit that influences a person to replace a genuine relationship with God with works and traditions.
UNDERSTAND THIS....
Works mean nothing if YOUR heart is not right.
OH COME ON….
have you ever met someone who talks a real good game when it comes to religious stuff. (Expound)
YOU KNOW WHO ELSE TALKS A GOOD GAME?
THE DEVIL
he knows all about the word of God.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER PRODUCES..
INTIMACY AND
A SERVANTS HEART WHICH IS......WHAT?
PURE AND FAULTLESS RELIGION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD..RIGHT?
He wants you to seek Him CHURCH
LETS LOOK AT....
1 Corinthians 10:14-21
14 So then, my Beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel.[i] Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I do say that what they[j] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons! 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons.
PAUL IS WRITING TO A CHRISTIAN CHURCH…
IN 1 CORINTHIANS
HE CALLS THEM "SAINTS"
IN CHAPTER 10:14 HE CALLS THEM "MY BELOVED"
MY BELOVED
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE FAMILY OF GOD
SO, WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT....
HE'S WRITING TO CHRISTIANS…..NOT NON-CHRISTIANS.....BUT...
HE'S WRITING ABOUT A CONCERN...
HIS CONCERN IS THAT THEY GET RID OF IDOLS
The idols of false religion
SO EVIDENTLY ACCORDING TO THIS PASSAGE....
YOU CAN BE A CHRISTIAN AND IN A “CHRISTIAN CHURCH”.....
AND STILL BE HANGING OUT WITH IDOLS
NOTICE THE WORDS SHARE AND PARTICIPATE HE USES IN THIS PASSAGE...
HE USES IT TWICE IN VERSE 16
SHARING, SHARING
VERSE 17 ....SHARE
VERSE 18......PARTICIPATE
VERSE 20....PARTICIPANTS
VERSE 21.....SHARE
THE WORDS TO "SHARE" MEANS...
TO PARTICIPATE WITH,
TO PARTNER WITH,
TO HOLD IN COMMON WITH
HIS CONCERN HERE IS THAT....
EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE “CHRISTIANS”
THEY WERE HANGING OUT WITH DEMONS
NOT ONLY WERE THEY HANGING OUT WITH DEMONS BUT.....
THEY WERE DOING IT IN CHURCH
WHEN HES TALKING ABOUT THE CUP AND THE BREAD THAT WE TAKE.....
HES TALKING ABOUT COMMUNION
ONE OF THE CHURCH ORDINANCES
HE GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY PARTICIPATE IN SACRIFICES AT THE ALTAR....
WHEN DID THEY DO THAT?
AS PART OF THEIR WORSHIP (explain)
SO THEY WERE WORSHIPING AND GOING TO CHURCH
YET HE SAYS....
"IDOLS AREN'T REAL GODS BUT,
THE DEMONS THAT FLOW THROUGH THEM ARE"
HE SAID…
“I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE PARTICIPANTS OF DEMONS”
WHY DID HE FEEL THE NEED TO SAY THAT?
WRITE THIS DOWN....
BECAUSE IDOLATRY INVITES THE DEMONIC REALM
OH COME ON CHURCH...
MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE...
WE FACE BECAUSE THE DEMONS WONT LET US GO
THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR YOUR ATTENTION
THEY ARE STRAPPING THEMSELVES TO YOU AND HOLDING ON AT ALL COST
AND THE ONLY THING THAT WILL CAUSE THEM TO BE LOOSED IS....
THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST THAT IS AT WORK WITHIN US AS HIS CHILDREN
NOW...
HE MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT..
YOU CANT SIT AT GOD'S TABLE AND THE DEMONS TABLE TOO.
YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE
WHEN YOU TRY TO HAVE BOTH
YOU WILL ONLY HAVE DEMONS
THIS IS WHY GOD SAID IN REVELATION 3:16
16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
PAUL SAYS...
YOU CANT SIT AT BOTH TABLES
YOU CANT WORSHIP SIMULTANEOUSLY IN BOTH ENVIRONMENTS
OH WOW.....
SO THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THESE “CHRISTIANS” WERE TRYING TO DO......
SO...
HIS ISSUE IS ABOUT AN IDOL THAT SHOWS UP IN WORSHIP..
AN IDOL THAT DEMONS USE IN ORDER TO INFILTRATE WORSHIP
WRITE THIS DOWN...
RELIGION IS.....
MANS ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE GOD THROUGH ACTIVITY, IN ORDER TO GET HIM TO BE FAVORABLE TO YOU
OH MY LORD....HELP US
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE.....
WANT GODS FAVOR
WANT GODS BLESSING
AND SO,
THEY DO “RELIGIOUS THINGS” IN ORDER TO MOTIVATE GOD TO GIVE THEM FAVOR OR BLESSINGS
RELIGIOUS THINGS....
CHURCH ATTENDANCE
SAYING GRACE
READING THE BIBLE
PRAYING
ALL OF THESE ARE LEGITIMATE AND NECESSARY BUT,
ALL OF THESE CAN BE DEMON INFECTED...
HOW?
OH I’M GLAD YOU ASKED....
BECAUSE ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN MEAN....
THAT YOUR JUST CARRYING OUT A RELIGIOUS DUTY,
RATHER THAN PURSING A DIVINE PERSON
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
IN OTHER WORDS....
RELIGION....
LOOK WHAT THE AMPLIFIED SAYS...
Amplified Bible
holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.
A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT WITHOUT POWER
I’M TALKING TO SOMEONE....
A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT...
APPEARING ON THE OUTSIDE TO BE GODLY
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO STORMS IN YOUR LIFE
YOU ARE UNABLE TO STAND ON HIS WORD
INSTEAD YOU TURN TO OTHER THINGS FOR COMFORT
NOT BELIEVING THAN GOD CAN OR WILL
A FORM OF GODLINESS
OH COME ON....
THIS IS A WARNING CHURCH...
BE CAREFUL BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE MAY FEEL GOOD...
IF THAT EXPERIENCE DOESN'T BRING LASTING CHANGE...
IF WE FIND OURSELVES
GOING THROUGH RELIGIOUS MOTIONS JUST BECAUSE ....
ITS WHAT WERE SUPPOSED TO DO
THEN THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR HEART
Matthew 15:8
8 These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
YEAH BUT I MEAN I GIVE IN TITHES AND OFFERING
I VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH WHATEVER IS NEEDED
I HELP CLEAN AND STRAIGHTEN CHAIRS
I ATTEND A SMALL GROUP
I DO ALL THESE THINGS,
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT MY HEART IS FAR FROM GOD......
THAT'S EXACTLY MY POINT.....
IT'S NOT RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS AND HABITS THAT...
CREATE RELATIONSHIP AND INTIMACY WITH THE FATHER
IT'S A HEART THAT IS CLOSE TO GOD AND
AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER THAT
CREATES A DESIRE TO DO THESE THINGS
WHEN WE SEEK GOD FIRST AND PURSUE HIM....
THEN OUR DESIRES BEGIN TO ALIGN WITH HIS WILL
PSALMS 37:4
DELIGHT YOURSELF IN HIM AND HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART
A LOT OF TIME WE GET HUNG UP ON
"HE WILL GIVES US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART"
WE THINK THAT GOD WILL GIVE US THE THINGS THAT WE WANT
AND IT'S TRUE BUT,
WHEN WE DELIGHT OURSELVES IN HIM
OUR DESIRES BEGIN TO CHANGE.
WHEN WE ALLOW GOD TO CHANGE US
OUR DESIRES ARE CHANGED AS WELL
OUR DESIRES ARE NO LONGER...
LORD BLESS MY FINANCES SO THAT I CAN
RETIRE WELL AND
BUY A NEW HOUSE FOR MY FAMILY AND
A NEW CAR FOR MY WIFE
INSTEAD OUR DESIRES BECOME.....
LORD BLESS MY FINANCES SO THAT I CAN
GIVE MORE
BLESS OTHER PEOPLE
BE USED BY YOU TO CHANGE LIVES
YOU SEE CHURCH....
WHEN OUR DESIRES ALIGN WITH HIS WILL
NOT ONLY DOES HE GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART BUT....
HE BLESSES US IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL
HE GIVES OVERFLOWING BLESSINGS
—————————————————
HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT WITH OUT POWER......
UNDERSTAND THIS...
WHEN GOD SHOWS UP,
HIS POWER SHOWS UP
SO...
IF YOU AREN'T CHANGING
AND GOD'S POWER IS NOT WORKING AND BEING MANIFESTED....
YOU MAY BE RELIGIOUS BUT
YOUR PROBABLY DEMON INFECTED
WHY???
BECAUSE RELIGION WILL NOT ACCOMPLISH
WHAT IS MEANT TO BE ACCOMPLISHED ONLY THROUGH RELATIONSHIP
PAUL IS WARNING THEM NOT TO BE HANGING OUT WITH DEMONS
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO JUMP HIGH ON SUNDAY
DON'T KNOW HOW TO WALK RIGHT ON MONDAY
IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAD A RELIGIOUS INJECTION
FOR THE TIME THEY WERE IN THE CHURCH SERVICE, BUT....
IT DIDN'T STICK BECAUSE
THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THE RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY
MY GOAL THIS MORNING HAS BEEN TO MAKE YOU DISSATISFIED WITH RELIGION AS WE HAVE DEFINED IT, WHERE...
YOU COME BECAUSE YOUR SUPPOSED TO
WHERE YOU WORSHIP BECAUSE IT'S SUNDAY
WHERE YOU SAY GRACE BECAUSE...
YOU WERE TAUGHT TO
UNDERSTAND THIS.....
ALL OF THIS RELIGIOUS ROUTINE WILL NOT GET YOU TO THE ONE TRUE GOD.
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
PAUL IS WRITING TO A PASTOR AND TELLING HIM TO....
WARN OTHER CHRISTIANS ABOUT DEMONIC TEACHINGS
TEACHINGS THAT WILL TAKE YOU FROM GOD BUT...
WILL BE RELIGIOUS SOUNDING.
OH COME ON......
LET ME TELL YOU THIS MORNING ABOUT "ISMS"
ISMS - TEACHINGS THAT ARE DEMONICALLY INSPIRED BUT RELIGIOUSLY CAMOUFLAGED SO THAT YOU THINK IT'S GOD BUT ITS REALLY NOT GOD
THESE ISMS CAN BE DESCRIBED AS...
TRADITIONALISM
EXTERNAL ISM
RITUALISM
NARCISSISM
LEGALISM
THESE ARE ISMS THAT THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THAT....
DEMONS USE TO STEER PEOPLE FROM THE FAITH.....
SO THAT THE DEMONIC REALM CAN TAKE OVER
BUT, HERE IS THE THING.....
THEY CAN ALL BE RELIGIOUSLY CAMOUFLAGED....
SO THAT YOU THINK YOUR OK WHEN...
ACTUALLY YOUR BEING DRAWN FROM GOD....
BY THE IDOL OF RELIGION THAT HAS BEEN TAUGHT BY DEMONS
OH COME ON.....
I’M TALKING ABOUT BEING
BRAINWASHED
LOOK AT THIS....
13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
THE RELIGIOUS PHARISEES WOULD THINK THAT THEIR DOING GOOD BY UPHOLDING THE LAW
BUT PASTOR CHRIS IT'S GOOD TO UPHOLD THE LAW (10 COMMANDMENTS)....
YES IT IS.... BUT
WHEN UPHOLDING THE LAW BECOMES YOUR LIFE, YOUR FOCUS, YOUR PRIORITY
YOUR MISSING THE POINT AS TO WHY THE LAW WAS CREATED
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS WERENT CREATED FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS
THE LAW WAS CREATED TO SHOW US HOW...
APART FROM HIM WE ARE INCAPABLE OF KEEPING THE LAW
IT WAS CREATED TO SHOW US THAT WE NEED A SAVIOR
OH COME ON SOMEBODY....
ULTIMATELY.....
The 10 Commandments were created as a tool to drive us to Christ
WHAT THEY (THE PHARISEES) DID WAS TRY TO RELIGIOUSLY FOLLOW THE LAW....
WHEN GOD WAS SAYING ...
"IM NOT LOOKING FOR RELIGIOUS PEOPLE,
IM LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO PURSUE ME"
IM LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO FOLLOW ME
IM LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT SETTLE FOR RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES AND RITUALS BUT
INSTEAD ARE SO HUNGRY FOR MY PRESENCE,
AND WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO GET IT
CHURCH...
RELIGION IS IMPORTANT
BUT ONLY IF ITS RELIGION ACCORDING TO JAMES 1:27
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.
PURE AND FAULTLESS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD
TO SERVE THOSE WHO CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES
TO KEEP YOURSELF FROM BEING POLLUTED BY THE WORLD
ANYTHING ELSE IS FALSE RELIGION
ANYTHING ELSE PULLS YOU AWAY FORM GOD
......WORSHIP TEAM COME.......
CHURCH...
BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE FEEL GOOD OF FELLOWSHIP AND WORSHIP...
DON'T GET ME WRONG I LOVE THE FEELING I GET WHEN IM WORSHIPPING GOD....
I LOVE TO WATCH PEOPLE WORSHIP, BUT
I DON'T EVER WANT IT TO BE FOR SELFISH REASONS
I WANT IT TO BE IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH
I WANT IT TO BE LIFE CHANGING AND REAL
BE CAREFUL THAT THE REASONS YOU DO IT OR GET INVOLVED DOESN'T BECOME SELFISH REASONS
WE SAW THIS HAPPEN WITH SAUL (EXPLAIN)
SAUL WAS TORMENTED BY DEMONS
HE WOULD HAVE DAVID COME IN AND PLAY HIS HARP
THEN BIBLE SAYS.....
THE EVIL SPIRITS WOULD LEAVE AND SAUL WOULD FEEL RELIEVED AND BEGIN TO FEEL BETTER
WE KNOW THAT DAVID WAS A WORSHIP LEADER
HE WROTE AND SANG SONGS OF THE LORD
SOUND FAMILIAR?
THIS IS WHAT WE DO HERE, RIGHT?
——_——————————————
ALL IM SAYING IS TO BE AWARE OF WHY YOU WORSHIP
WHY YOU COME TO CHURCH...
WHY YOU VOLUNTEER TO HELP...(WE WILL ALWAYS TAKE YOUR HELP)
DO YOU DO THESE THINGS FOR...
RELIGIOUS REASONS..
BECAUSE IT'S WHAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO DO
BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER AND RELIEVED? OR
IS IT BECAUSE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS
IS IT BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS TO SERVE HIM IN ANYWAY YOU CAN
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR RELIGION IS TRUE AND PURE?
RELIGION SHOULD CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIP
IS WHAT YOUR DOING CAUSING CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE?
IF NOT THEN....BE AWARE
IT MAY JUST BE A "FORM OF GODLINESS" DENYING IT'S POWER
...........STAND TO YOUR FEET.......
IF YOUR HERE THIS MORNING.......
WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME...
GOD, I DONT WANT TO BE JUST RELIGIOUS
I WANT A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU
A RELATIONSHIP THAT BRINGS CHANGE
FATHER, I WANT YOU BRING ME TO A PLACE OF...
DESIRE FOR YOUR PRESENCE
A PLACE OF HUNGER FOR MORE OF YOU
LORD HELP ME TO RID MYSELF OF ANY DEMONIC INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE AND IN MY FAMILIES LIFE
FATHER HELP ME TO BE PURE & FAULTLESS IN MY MOTIVES WHEN I WORSHIP YOU....
OH COME ON CHURCH...
IF THATS YOU THIS MORNING?
WOULD YOU COME TO THE ALTAR AND SEEK GODS FACE THIS MORNING.....
IF YOU WANT MORE OF HIM AND LESS OF YOU THIS MORNING
WOULD YOU COME AND SHOW HIM THIS MORNING?