Religion is Meaningless without Jesus

INTRO

Good Morning CrossPointe - Thank you for worshipping with us this morning, on Memorial day weekend.

I’m thankful for AD who preached last week while our family was out of town on a short vacation before our son leaves for Navy bootcamp next Sunday.

HOOK

We got back from vacation on Sunday and that began - one of those weeks

Have you ever had one of those week’s where it seems to be moving so fast and in so many directions that you are barely holding on? Or those week’s when everything seems to go wrong? (This describes the past few days for our family).

It started Sunday Sunday with my wife having chest pains and an ER visit - everything is OK.

Then our car died - it didn’t just breakdown - but died

While trying to have a mechanic confirm it was flatlined - I locked the keys in the car.

Now down to one automobile - Kirsten became a taxi driver as we had three graduates in our home who needed transportation to and from multiple graduation practices and then graduations.

Meanwhile, I was test-driving and researching new cars.

My oldest daughter turned 21 yesterday

COMING WEEK

The pace doesn’t slow down

Then

Graduation parties,

Moree practices,

Another graduation

Son leaves for bootcamp

Wife leaves for Kyrgyzstan

And on and on the list goes....

TRANSITION

We’ve all had weeks like this.

In some ways, every week is full of its own unique challenges and stresses

DANGER - the pace of life begins to control us, we try to run faster, accomplish more and more - lest we become overrun by the unending momentum. (Think about the chaos of running down a steep hill).

TODAY’S PASSAGE - Is an invitation and an admonition/correction for us to slow down, calm our racing thoughts and behold God.

Imagine we are on the highway on a bus together. The speed limit is 70 but we are going close to 80 just to keep up with the traffick around us.

We’re making great time - for those like me - gas mileage, time, etc

Then someone suggests getting off the highway and taking the slower scenic route.

This is my invitation this morning in today’s passage

In all honesty - I also believe this is God’s providence in my own life and hopefully in yours as well.

I want to encourage us to the exit off the speeding pace of this week - let’s pause - and behold something/someone beautiful.

LISTEN what is beautiful

SAY what is true

PRAY

READ

LISTEN WHAT IS BEAUTIFUL

“GAURD YOUR STEPS WHEN YOU GO TO THE HOUSE OF GOD...”

I want you to imagine this is the voice of your GPS saying, “warning traffic ahead” - exit in 2 miles

The voice cuts through the song your were just listening to or pulls you out of the day dream to get your attention

You begin listening for the cues - making sure you’re in the right lane, etc.

“Guard you steps” - pay attention… change of direction is needed

“DRAW NEAR....”

Comes the next instruction

This way - out of the congestion, slowing from the busy pace - new speed sign telling you to slow down

Draw near to me - BUT HOW

Word pictures are fine but how do I slow down in my relationship with God

“TO LISTEN...” ** LONG PAUSE **

Silence can be awkward - there is this feeling that empty spaces must be filled - with something

Often times the sounds we make or play in the background are meant to distract, not focus - to maintain a pace and momentum.

My kids:

Watching youtube while playing video games

Looking at instagram while watching netflix

Playing music or youtube videos while in the shower

Noise is constant, almost comforting for some - can’t go to sleep without the TV on or an audiobook in the background.

BUT

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone in a noisy restaurant or car - I can be extremely frustrating for everyone.

Often times we come to God with the same rushed feelings.

Crazy week and next week is more of the same

Hurry up kids, find yor shoes, we’re going to be late - grab your coffee - find your seat

Go to church, sing, pray the preacher doesn’t get long-winded

Sing some more, Yay God!

You get the kids, I’ll get the car - we need to pick up lunch then head on to the next thing...

LISTEN

When the people of Israel were camped on the edge of the Promised Land, Moses preached to them saying,

“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

“You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” ()

“HEAR” = Listen

You want to draw near to God - listen

“LORD IS ONE” =

David Gibson writes, ‘There is one undivided God - “the Lord our God, the Lord is one” - and because God is like that, then he must be approached and worshipped by an undivided person: “all your heart, all your soul, all your strength.”

God is not pulled and fragmented in different directions.

God doesn’t want our sacrifice and service while our greatest loves and deepest desires are directed elsewhere.

TO LISTEN IS TO BEHOLD GOD

“Not be rash to speak”

“Heart Hasty” - These are rushed, quick worship

Slow down, Listen, behold, few words - v.3 illustration (much business and many words.

Things abundance, over-production is the root problem in both cases.

Iain Provan “over-production is the root problem in both cases. “A heart attentive to God multiplies neither toil nor words.”

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BACK LANAI

I was sitting outside on our lanai reading this passage and commentaries - busy with “work” and I realized I had to pause

I put down my books and sat in the quiet watching the breeze blow through the jasmine growing up our pergola.

Trying to quiet the anxiety of a crazy week to listen.

It isn’t easy

Invitation and a correction that we need to exit the pace of life to listen and see God clearly as we listen to his voice

And then we are encouraged to speak what is true.

SAY WHAT IS TRUE

VOW A VOW TO GOD

Here’s what can happen - in the midst of worship or a challenging situation, people make promises to God to perform some specific sacrifice

In the Old Testament, people would promise to offer a sacrifice in the temple if God granted them some particular wish but then realize that sacrifice would cost more money then they thought so they would ignore the promise.

Today, we say things like...

God, if you give me this raise - I’ll never cuss again

God, if you make this girl or boy like me I’ll read my Bible everyday.

I swear I’ll never or I’ll always… if you just....

GOD ISN”T IMPRESSED OR PLEASED

“He has no pleasure in fools...”

Pay what you vow...”

Don’t let your mouth lead you into sin...”

Really we are

JESUS

““Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5)

Vow in the Old testament were not commanded but they were permitted

It was always expected that you would do what you said you would do - whether you promised it to God or Others.

SAY WHAT IS TRUE

David Gibson

So the principle here is very helpful: when you speak to God, or when you speak to others, simplicity safeguards your sincerity. Believers who are simply honest do not need to resort to vows or oaths of any kind. And unadorned yes or no protects the sincerity of your speaking. We become people without flowery pretense, without angles, and edges that need to be negotiates by others. What you see is what you get.”

To One Another

This includes both how we talk to God but also how we talk to others.

Have you ever said, “I swear to God...” to try and make your point. To emphasize your honesty by invoking the name of God.

This passage is telling us:

Don’t swear to God to prove your honesty and don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep

Do what you say you will do. If you say yes to something then do it. If you say no then don’t do it.

Vows

In Marriage

In Child Dedication

Worship

The heart of this passage challenges us to be truthful with our words but this is given in the context of worship...”when you go to the house of God.”

Here are some of the things you’ve said this morning:

Forever Reign

I’m running to your arms

Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it

Tune my heart to sing your grace

THERE IS HOPE

Because of who Jesus is and what he has done and continue to do...

“The word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”

FOR EVERYONE

There’s hope for the person who feels overwhelmed by the noise

There’s hope for the person who desperately tries to quiet their spirit to hear God speak - but feel the disappointing weight of silence.

There is hope for the person has broken more promises than they can count

There is hope for the person who religiously keeps their word trying be a good person

There is Hope… Because of who Jesus is and what he has done and continue to do...

“The word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”

GOD SPOKE & HE STILL SPEAKS

In , 700 years before Jesus - God promised a redeemer

A vow to those who rejected him.

A vow to carry our sins against God

A vow to be pierced for our transgressions

A vow to be crushed for our sin

SO THAT by faith in this redeemer we would be forgiven and discover peace in him.

He has given us his word so that we might truly know him.

Not who I think God is

And not so everyone can create a form of God in their own minds

Rather, God has shown us who he truly is through his creation, Jesus, and his word.

Because God has spoken and because God still speaks - we should be quick to listen and slow to speak.

GOD FULFILLED & WILL FULFILL HIS VOW

"If we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself.” ()

Not only does God speak but he is true to his word, even when we are not.

We fail - so often in so many ways.

If being a Christian was about getting it right then we would all be crushed by condemnation.

Jesus is faith - even when we are faithless

Promises

Jesus also promised to always be with you (, )

Jesus won’t leave us as orphans ()

Jesus comforts us in times of trouble ()

God gives us the Holy Spirit to help remind us of truths we forget at the times we need to be reminded (John 14:26)

CONCLUSION

THOUGHT

Exit the hectic highway of life as you approach God. Take the scenic route, turn off the distractions and listen. Behold the beauty of God in all the ways he has revealed himself in creation and in his word.

Go for a walk and don’t listen to music as you walk

Leave the radio off as you drive

Sit in silence for a moment

In the silence...

Look at God’s creation and discern “the invisible attributes of God, namely his eternal power and divine nature” ()

Read these 7 verses we looked at today and think on them.

QUESTIONS

1. How is God inviting me to slow down and listen?

2. Have I made vows to God that I have not kept? (walk in faithfulness and repentance)

3. Am I truthful before God and others?