Relationship Over Religion
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There is a statement that gets tossed around a lot in Christianity. Someone might say, “Following Christ is about relationship, not religion.” And there is some truth in that statement.
But, true religion is actually a natural part of our walk with Christ.
James describes religion like this… He says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
In other words, if you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, then helping those who are hurting, and keeping yourself from engaging in the sinful behaviors of the lost world, should naturally follow.
In many people’s eyes, all you’d have to do to be classified or categorized as “religious” is to be openly associated with God, Jesus, Prayer, or a church.
In some cases they may view certain good, moral behaviors as indicating the level of religiosity.
If you are a “goody-two-shoes” AND affiliated with a church, you are probably “very religious” in some people’s eyes.
Add to that, “praying over your meals,” and you may even be considered a “religious fanatic” in the eyes of an outspoken sinner.
But the good deeds and so called “religious” behaviors that often flow through our lives are not the basis or starting point of our faith as a Christian.
It is our relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and King, that we are going to explore this morning, because it is your relationship with Him that makes the true religion flow through you.
It all begins with establishing a relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
From that moment on, your goal is to deepen and strengthen that relationship to the point that you are literally indistinguishable from your Lord.
You speak and act in ways that are so similar to your Lord’s that it is easy to conclude that you are not just vaguely religious, but you are an actual disciple of Christ.
The importance of intensifying our closeness with the Lord is emphasized by the teachings of our Lord. In fact, using the shepherd and sheep analogy, Jesus stressed that we should not only be able to recognize Him and His voice, but He will know US on a very personal level as well.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
In order for the Shepherd to call you by name, He must know you personally. That’s why Christians often state that you must establish a “personal relationship with Jesus” in order to be saved.
As a rancher with a small herd we got to know our cows pretty well. We had many of them named. There was “Spirit” who was as wild as could be. You never knew what she was thinking or what she was going to do.
There was “Old Mama” who was very docile and sort of moped along.
And there was one named “Bossy Boots” who was a lead cow, and was known for pushing the other cows around, and sort of kept everyone else in line. When we were loading her into a trailer one time, it was a very tight fit, with a lot of cows being loaded at one time, and she was the last one in. There was 3 of us behind her, literally up against her backside, pushing and swatting her rump, and hollering “Come on Bossy Boots, get in there, you can do it!”
Whether or not calling her by name helped her get in that trailer I don’t really know, but I do know it is critical for Jesus to know you personally.
If He doesn’t know you, He cannot call you by name, and lead you to where you need to be.
The scriptures and passages implying a deep, necessary relationship between you and Jesus are many.
See, He has to know you. But you also need to know Him.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
You cannot know His voice if you do not spend time with Him.
Think about it. Someone that you know very well could call you on the phone and just start talking and you would instantly recognize their voice. When I call Marji, I don’t have to announce who I am. I just start the conversation.
We are very close, and it comes through in our communication with one another.
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
The implication is that He knows us and we know Him. It is not meant to be a lopsided relationship.
I heard a conversation the other day between some Catholics and they were talking about communicating with God. They were making fun of someone who had said they “heard from God.”
One of them said, “I communicate with God, but it’s really just me talking to Him. I’ve never heard Him talk back to me.”
That’s pretty sad. I hear from God all the time. It may not be an audible voice, but He speaks very clearly through His written word, through people, through impressions in the heart, and even through circumstances.
Imagine if your relationship with someone was entirely one sided. They talked and talked to you, gave you great and wise instructions, encouraged and uplifted you, but you never acknowledged them. You never followed their advice or thanked them, but just kept on doing whatever YOU wanted to do, regardless of your supposed relationship with that person.
That one sided relationship is exactly what Jesus warns about.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
He said He never knew them. Getting to know someone takes more than just observing. It takes deep conversations.
Imagine Jesus giving you advice. He is trying to teach you and attempting to lead you in the very best direction for your life. He is speaking to you about how you can serve Him and help others.
He has repeatedly given you specific instructions, but you refuse to accept them, or even acknowledge them.
Time after time, He has speaks to you, but your heart is so filled with self-righteousness and self-centeredness that you completely ignore him.
That describes the people in this passage. They had a form of religion. They said they were doing things in Jesus Name. But their motives were on serving and glorifying self, not their Lord. They were doing what THEY wanted to be doing.
There was no surrender. They were not saying, “Not my will, but thine be done.” They were saying, “God, I’m going to do THIS now, and I want your support.”
These people Jesus described had refused to change their ways. They would do some good things and tag Jesus Name to it, but when He said, “Hey, you need to forgive so and so.” Or, “Stop abusing your body with that stuff.” Or, “Start loving others as much as you love yourself.” They just blew Him off.
Here’s a reality check. When you get to heaven you are not going to be able to tell Jesus what you’re going to do every day. It’s His Kingdom, His rules, His way.
So it is to be on this earth as well.
When you gave your life to Him and made Him the Lord of your life, you turned all authority over yourself to Him. He became your Master. You need to pay attention to what He is telling you to accomplish, quit or start.
Let’s be real. God has been speaking some things to each and every one of us that we should change. That attitude. That false humility. That gossiping tongue. That doubt.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t ever want to be told by Jesus to “depart from me,” because I refused to listen to Him, get to know Him and allow Him to truly get to know me.
He said He didn’t know them because they continued to work “iniquity.” Iniquity simply means “lawlessness” or “wickedness.”
God’s grace is sufficient for some of the things we are unsure of, but there are many behaviors that we KNOW are not godly, that some Christians seem to think God is just winking at you, and looking the other way.
He’s been trying to get you to deal with it for months, or even years, but you keep playing a game with Him, like “Yeah, Yeah, I’ll get to it later.”
Over the last few years, I have been watching the body of Christ shrinking. There are fewer and fewer people who will truly surrender to Jesus. They want Christianity on THEIR terms, and not His.
I don’t like to see anyone walk away from Jesus, but it is happening to those who are not serious about deepening their relationship with Him.
At one point, Jesus was trying to convert the Jews to the new covenant of Grace, and some of His own disciples got offended by the strong words He used.
Listen to how this conversation went...
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
That’s why a lot of people refuse to listen to the Lord. It’s because they don’t like what He is saying to them. It’s offensive to them.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
We need to ask ourselves that same question, ‘Will ye also go away?’ Are you going to keep refusing to listen to the Lord because you don’t like what He is saying?
You need to make up your mind right here and now that you are going to go on with Jesus, no matter what.
Don’t put off getting serious about seeking to know Jesus, and opening yourself up to Him so that you can hear and do that which He asks of you.
No more refusing to obey. Just surrender to Him and His will for your life!
