If there is a God that’s out there, and He’s the kind of God who wants to be reached and wants us to reach Him, it’s not going to be by our own methods.
Jesus didn’t come to start another religion. He came to breakdown the barriers between us and God. Not to make up a new way for us to work our way to God, but make the door wide open between us and Him.
Hebrews 10:19-20
Religion has failed a lot of people. Jesus never has.
The Golden Calf – Exodus 32:1-8
(The people prepared for Moses to go up the mountain in Exodus 19)
We would never make an idol to worship instead of God?
But have we?
The problem wasn’t that they made a cow. The problem was they wanted to reshape God to fit into their box.
Instead of waiting on what was real, they settled for just religion.
Are we guilty of this too?
– Wanting a god we can carry around, but when he becomes inconvenient we can leave him behind.
– A god we can visit once a week and proclaim how awesome he is, and then walk around the rest of the week like we’re the center of the universe.
– A god we can use to intimidate opponents, but can be easily ignored after the fight is over.
– A god that can speak against other people, but can be silent whenever it’s time to talk about how we fall short
– A god we can learn about and maybe even understand, but never truly know.
In a world as fast-paced, and self-centered as our own, it’s so easy to settle for religion.
We can’t formulate our faith. We must maintain that connection to heart of our
What do you have? Something that’s real or just religion?
The default mode of the human heart is religion. What’s the solution?
“Revivals and renewals are necessary because the default mode of the human heart is works-righteousness.”
Tim Keller
Moses was the only one invited up the mountain,
But Jesus’ cross changes things.
Romans 3:21-24
We’re all invited up the mountain.
We’re all invited into the cloud of God’s presence.
We’re all invited into a relationship with God.
Church 29:11 