It Is All About A Relationship

Steven White

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We live in a world of chaos, death, manipulation, fear, and struggles for preservation of life.

At the same time more people are tuned into social justice, calls for morality, and a desire for upward mobility.

We have gone from the war to end all wars to humiliating people on social media for using certain adverbs and adjectives. And we have done all of this for the sake of a better world.

And yet, none of it has worked.

At the same time, we see hypocrisy as leaders calling for greater morality continually fall and fail.

I believe that most humans desire life, goodness, and hope but no matter how moral we may be, we seem powerless to conquer our own chaos, destructive habits, and fear, much less to save the world from injustice.

¾ of Americans claim to be Christian. Yet Christian impact in society, culture, social issues is at an all time low.

How can this be?

At the same time several high-profile Christian leaders in the recent months have publicly renounced their faith on social media. Joshua Harris the author of “Kissing Dating Good Bye”, the founder of the purity movement of the 90’s as well as the former pastor of Covenant Life Church recently denounced the faith.

Popular worship leader and song writer Marty Sampson, who wrote popular songs like, Shout to the Lord, Mighty to save, Oceans, What a beautiful name, Worthy is the lamb, Lead me to the cross and over 80 other songs has recently stated he is losing his faith.

Both Harris and Sampson claim they want to hold on to the Christian ethic of love but no longer believe in God or Jesus as Lord or the way to God.

So, what is going on in America?

How can there be more Christians in America today than at any other time in our history, yet we have the lowest measurable impact on society in our history, and super star leaders are leaving the faith?

As John Cooper, lead singer for Skillet said, “They want the Kingdom, but without the King.”

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I can relate to this:

My story – Raised in church/ new the language/ had emotional experiences/ Believed in a bobble head Jesus/ no power to control my destructive urges.

I did not live in relationship to God! I tried to earn the Kingdom through being moral and found I was powerless.

I was not a follower of Jesus; I was a cultural Christian.

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What is a Cultural Christian?

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1. Not an atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, must be a Christian

2. Relative moralism – I’m a better person than Ethel (Wrong comparison)

3. End goal – Go to Heaven and not Hell. (Jesus is fire insurance.)

4. God is a buffet – Take a little of this and this but not that or that.

5. Deism – God is far off and not on your mind, He does not figure into life decisions like relationships, money, time, family or any real decisions at all.

6. Therapeutic God – I only need God when I am in trouble. God is all about building my self esteem and making me feel powerful. God always agrees with me and is against anyone who would say I am wrong.

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Who Are You? Are you a Cultural Christian or a Biblical follower of Jesus?

A lot depends on your honesty here.

1. Eternity

2. Purpose and mission in life

3. The difference between a life of chaos and Life, Joy, and Beauty.

4. The difference in spreading chaos or Life, Joy, and Beauty.

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Jesus Himself speaks to this very topic in a vivid and graphic way.

So, let’s allow the founder of the Christian faith and His Apostles to define what a Biblical follower is.

Matthew 7:15–23 NLT

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

It sounds like Jesus is teaching us to be better, to obey better-

But if we take a deeper dive, we will see some surprising concepts Jesus is giving us.

· Fruit – A follower of Jesus will produce real life-giving fruit.

Galatians 5:22–23 NLT

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

· Those who do the will of the Father

John 6:40 NLT

For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

· Works and morality are not the issue Jesus is trying to address.

o Didn’t we go to church, help in children’s ministry, give to missionaries, vote Republican?

· Intimate relationship is the concern of Jesus. Entrance in the Kingdom of God is about being in an intimate relationship with Jesus.

o Lordship for Jesus is about relationship.

o I never knew you – You do not have an intimate relationship.

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Application:

An intimate relationship with Jesus is what produces the change we need and the change the world needs to see in us.

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” Brennan Manning

John 15:5 NLT

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Philippians 2:12–13 NLT

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

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Cultural Christians

Morality/ethics = Good terms with God = Get to go to Heaven

Biblical Christianity

John 17:3 NLT

And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

Intimate relationship w/God = Empowered by the Holy Spirit = God’s righteousness being lived out in and through us = We are changed into the image of Jesus and we begin to turn chaos into peace.

You cannot change the world or yourself without first giving yourself over fully to Jesus.

You cannot love your enemy without God’s love pouring out through you.

Inspiration:

God earnestly desires a relationship with you. He longs for you like a father longs to be in relationship with his estranged children.

The question you must ask is this:

Do you desire to know the King and to be known by the King or do you desire to be your own king?

Are you tired of running your own life into the ground?

What would your neighbor’s, friend’s, relative’s life look like if their lives were empowered by a relationship with Jesus?

Are you tired of all the chaos you create?

What would your life look like if you lived from an intimate relationship with Jesus?

Are you tired of wanting to be a change agent in the world but never able to change yourself?

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Examine your heart and motives.

Are you seeking a relationship with Jesus or are you trying to be a better person in your own power?

If you are a cultural Christian and you want a real relationship with Jesus, then meet

If you are in relationship with Jesus but you know and have friends that are cultural Christians;