Pastor Matt kicked off a new sermon series this week called “Losing My Religion.” Over the next few weeks, we'll look at how many of us can get caught up in the trappings of man-made religion, and we confuse that with real faith. It’s easier to focus on our religious practices, traditions and relics than on what God has done for us. Pastor Matt talked about the box marked “Losing My Religion,” where there were various religious relics, such as candle holders, offering plates, pastor stoles, crosses, eternal flame candle, hymn books and clerical collars. Pastor Matt challenged us to lay down those things that get in the way of having a deep, true, authentic relationship with Jesus Christ.
Did you look at your heart condition this week? What did you find? What is your faith based on? Did you, like Paul in Philippians 3, discard all the trappings of religion and keep your focus solely on Jesus Christ this week or did you find that to be difficult? Share your thoughts on the blog – see the instructions on the right.
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
(Philippians 3:7-9, NLT)
Sometimes the best thing we can do is lose our religion and get rid of the trappings of religion – the garbage, as Paul puts it – in order to gain a deeper relationship with God.
Pax,
Pastor Carol
No comments:
Post a Comment