Sep9
Matthew 12:8…………Working
12:8 For the Son of Man (Expresses a Messianic title signifying the Messiah’s deity and humanity. [Dan. 7:13] See website) is Lord of the Sabbath.”(Since Jesus created the Sabbath He has authority in how the Sabbath should be observed.)
Continued From Book
“Teaches instead of looking to religion, look to Jesus’ teachings and example.” ⇒ Read the Gospels. Study the parables. Listen to what Jesus is telling us, and strive to have the mind that He had. If we have the heart of Jesus we will do what Jesus would do, we will spend time in prayer. We will read the Bible to learn of His tender mercies. We will tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. We will give to the homeless, charitable organizations, and to missions. Not in order to be religious; because it would be what Jesus would do, and would want us to do.
“Teaches it’s not about how we worship, but who we worship.” ⇒ We get so wrapped in the what and how, we forget the why. The value of the “Why” helps us with the “What” and the “How”. Knowing the mercy and grace of God will be less legalistic and less dependant on externals. That’s it’s not anything on the outside in what we do that makes God love us more.
“Invites believers in finding in Jesus a place of genuine renewal and rest from a bunch of silly rules and regulations.” ⇒ Will you operate from a place of assurance in knowing who God is and how much He loves you. Will you operate from a place that cuts all the religious hoop jumping and noise, and just rest in the mercy and forgiveness of God?
“Even today, it’s not about worshiping a certain way, or looking a certain way. It’s not about observing certain rituals, or following certain rules. But a faith that is resting in a Saving relationship with Jesus and following Him.” ⇒ If your following Jesus everything else will fall into place. If your following the Holy Spirit He will tell what to do. So how do we follow Jesus and what does it look like? This is where many people go astray. They start thinking that they are entering a relationship with God by answering a Alter call, being baptized, and joining a church. As result in many people are coming to God through religion instead of Jesus. Who is the way, the truth, and to the life. We may think that an abundance of religious activities and the like have meaning to God. They pale in comparison to having a personal and intimate relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. God wants a relationship with you. In many cases, churches do not present God in this way. God is typically presented as someone who has passed down a list of rules that we must follow to be pleasing to Him. The focus then becomes on ourselves and what we can do instead of Jesus and what He has already done. We keep trying to earn what God has already given us. Jesus did not start a religion. He did not come so that we would have organized religious activities to perform. Christianity is not a religion. The big difference between Christianity and religion is that, religions focus on what you have to do to be pleasing to God and earn a place in heaven. Christianity is focused on what Jesus has already done for us so that we would be in right relations with God. Our focus should always be on Jesus, not religion. We should be careful that we are in a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ and not through a religion of rules, rituals, and regulations. Some people, for example, base their relationship with God on their church attendance, their tithing, or their charity work for the church. These people are highly deceived and don’t realize that they are in a religion of works, not necessarily a relationship with God the Father. The goal of the Christian should not be how to become more religious, but to become more Christ-like.
More Notes & Applications
It’s not about religion or rules its about a Savior. It’s not about you pulling yourself up by your own bootlaces, you cannot do that! That’s why the law is useless, the law is only showing you your need of a Savior, and Jesus comes into this world to be your Savoir. He bleeds, He dies, He suffers, He takes the wrath of God for all that you’ve ever done in truly breaking God’s laws, the Ten Commandments. He pays the penalty for it all, and then He rises again so that you might have life – that’s what it’s all about! It’s not about dotting the i’s, it’s not about crossing the t’s, it’s not about the name on the building that you go into, or what boxes you tick on some basis of belief – it’s not about that! It’s not about how you ‘do church’ – and I don’t like that expression, but a lot of people talk about how we ‘do church’. We are the church if we are born again, and that’s the great issue: do you recognize Him as Lord of the Sabbath, Lord of everything, Lord of your life? For if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. What rest comes when you enter into this!
- Posted by David Costa/
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