True Religion

Introduction

Illustration

Cut my ankle…Put a sock on it…Go on with your day

Days later I went to take my shoes off and my ankle had begun to swell to the point where it was difficult to stand.

what had begun as a simple scratch had led to a great painful infection

This is what the prophet Isaiah saw in the nation of Israel. He saw a people that have allowed an infection that seemed to still remain hidden..

Though they were living in a time of peace and prosperity under the rule of king Uzziah they had refused to acknowledge the Lord in their lives.

Transition

Isn’t it true that peace and prosperity oftentimes leads to a time where we focus so much on ourselves, where we lose focus of the maker, of the king?

I can remember

It was 5 years ago

In consideration of taking the role as the lead pastor here I walked the streets here in the harbor in prayer. I remember looking at this one home that had a porsche sports car parked in the street, a pair of jet ski’s at the top of his driveway and a porsche suv at the top. I could only imagine what was in the large garage behind all this.

But my heart was heavy and I thought for a moment…

How do you tell someone who seems to have everything....that they have a need.

Well…here’s a thought…

We are not competing with the excitement of a jet ski, or the thrill of driving a sports car…

Because we know our greatest need is not to go faster, to have more stuff, AND we know those things CAN NEVER satisfy our greatest need…

To Know God and to Enjoy life as His people

To Know God and to Enjoy life as His people

Transition back to the nation of Israel

But instead the people of Israel had taken their eyes off of Jesus. They had removed their acknowledgement and focus on Him!

They were raised and cared for as children but there were worse than an oxe that would at least acknowledge their master

This is why Isaiah describes the nation as

Isaiah 1:5b–6 NIV

Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil.

Isaiah 1:5b-6

Isn’t it

1-10: There state of judgment and rebellion.

Isaiah began his ministry during the reign of Uzziah, a period of peace and prosperity...

Isn’t it true that it is during the peace and the prosperity that we tend to take our eyes of Jesus?

I wonder if it began with a desire to gain more, to desire to grab more during this time or prosperity...

It was about 5 years ago in preparation of taking on this roll as the pastor here I can remember walking the streets in prayer with God about how I might be able to be used in this community. I can remember that feeling over being overwhelmed by the

Small scrape

We are not in competition with the prosperity,

But then it begins to become infected...

As the rich began to exploit the poor

Justice was bought and sold to the highest bidder

gaps in society widened more and more

and bloodshed was common...

Yet…Outwardly they followed what they thought made them the people of God…The ceremonies, the feasts, the celebrations, the animal sacrifices....

All these were done to try to keep their place as the blessed people of God

So let’s turn together quickly to Isaiah chapter 1 starting in verse 11

Turn with me to :11-31 Page 467

Isaiah began his ministry during the reign of Uzziah, a period of peace and prosperity...

Isn’t it true that it is during the peace and the prosperity that we tend to take our eyes of Jesus?

It was about 5 years ago in preparation of taking on this roll as the pastor here I can remember walking the streets in prayer with God about how I might be able to be used in this community. I can remember that feeling over being overwhelmed by the

We are not in competition with the prosperity,

vs. 11-15

They seemed to be doing what set them apart as the people of God right?

They followed the right ceremonies

They avoided the right kinds of foods

The sacrificed the right kinds of animals

But God detested this?

True Religion Is Not Only Exterior

They seemed to be doing what set them apart as the people of God right?

They followed the right ceremonies

They avoided the right kinds of foods

The sacrificed the right kinds of animals

But God detested this?

Isn’t this what religion can so quickly become? An empty following of rules...

Notice how the external stuff are the things that were given to them to celebrate and to enjoy together rather than something that actually makes the relationship. It was supposed to be an outpouring of the actual relationship

Isn’t this what religion can so quickly become? An empty following of rules...

Where we focus so much on the way we take communion rather than the way we search our hearts together in remembrance of it

Notice how the external stuff are the things that were given to them to celebrate and to enjoy together rather than something that actually makes the relationship. It was supposed to be an outpouring of the actual relationship

Application

I believe this is one of the ways we need to examine our adult our faith has become. Because it is valuable and necessary to learn the right steps and actions as a child.

But as adults we learn that there is so much more to our faith than just the motions of faith

Side note: I believe this is one of the ways we need to examine our adult our faith has become. Because it is valuable and necessary to learn the right steps and actions as a child. But as adults we learn that there is so much more there

Raising children…we need to show them the motions as they progress through the stages of development we can introduce new levels of dynamics

But as adults we learn that there is so much more to our faith than just the motions of faith

We see that we all learn how to take communion so we can do it together at the same time

We see that we learn to go to church on Sundays not as a “we have to do this” to “we get to do this together!”

* This is different than what Jesus said about having faith like a child…Not childish faith…

Example:

Example:

Leading Atheists

Have rejected faith, but not one of adults, but one of children

Many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time still had this childish faith, this kind of faith that was all about the exteriors, all about the ceremonies, all about the external religious activities.

Listen to what jesus said about them

Matthew 25:

Matthew 23:25–26 NIV

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

We cannot leave the internal unattended…We must not forget the heart in what we do and why we do it...

Transition

We can tend to be reactionary as a people.

Either religion or faith

Either external or internal

Either child like faith or thoughtful adult faith

Let me remind you this morning. True Religion does not just external but it is not only internal either

True Religion Is Not Only Internal

Look with me at what is external about our faith:

vs. 16-17

They are to “learn to do right”

Seek Justice

Defend the oppressed

t

Take up the cause of the fatherless

Plead the case of the widow

Micah 6:8 NIV

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Do it!

Take up the burden of those who are oppressed in our society.

Take a moment to consider who are the oppressed around you…how might you serve and lift them up?

Go walk with the broken hearted

Go stand with the weak

Go fight for injustice in our world

Either religion or faith

We tend to relegate government to do these things don’t we?

Either external or internal

What if we took up the

Either child like faith or thoughtful adult faith

Let me remind you this morning. True Religion does not

James, the brother of Jesus, reminds us many years later in the letter we find in the New Testament with His name attached....

James, the brother of jesus, gives us glimpse into what true religion is in his letter in the New Testament...

James 1:26–27 NIV

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 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.

Fight for the oppressed!

That is the tool of the heart to communicate

Look after orphans and widows in their distress

Keep oneself holy (not polluted by the world)

It is not about external only, it is not about external only but it is...

True Religion, is not about the ceremonies, it is not about the feasts, it is not about the parties…

It’s about our hearts motivated toward change as the people of God!

True Religion is about our hearts motivated toward change as the people of God

18-20

Transition

True Religion Is An Invitation

An invitation to reason with God...

one of reasoning rather than Demand

The church that is described as lukewarm

Revelation 3:15 NIV

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

Yet Jesus reasons with them…Knocking on the door…offering an opportunity...

Revelation 3:20 NIV

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

He knocks at the doors of the lukewarm believer and invites him together with him.

True Religion is About Grace

Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

This is why we see God’s response to their