What Is True Religion?
Good Morning Friends,
In yesterday’s scripture, we saw some men take the roof off a home in Capernaum for a paralytic to meet Jesus and in the Old Testament reading, the clamoring of the Israelites for an earthly king. And today we follow these plotlines as Jesus takes off the roof of religion by associating with sinners and Saul, in a surprising turn of events, is anointed king. So, we see that not everyone forgives sin and not everyone becomes king but that everyone needs a relationship to make their lives whole. And it is here that good religion is not really a solemn and joyless affair. It is not a bunch of rules to follow, as the Pharisees would suggest, but something very different. To experience what Jesus had in mind for us is illustrated in the scripture from Samuel as well as from the Gospel reading. The journey of religion takes a relationship where God meets us where we are. Jesus did not have a long list of things for us to do. He did not say we must become slaves of the law or to some earthly king. He simply says, “Follow me.” Now the competition seems fierce for our attention here as religious leaders argue their case. So, we ask. What Is True Religion?
Scripture: There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else. Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had strayed. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the boys with you; go and look for the donkeys.” He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them. When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. He it is who shall rule over my people.” Then Saul approached Samuel inside the gate, and said, “Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?” Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer; go up before me to the shrine, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him; he said, “The Lord has anointed you ruler over his people Israel. You shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their enemies all around. Now this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his heritage:
1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1a (NRSV)
Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
Mark 2:13-17 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s scripture selection gives us a perspective as to what true religion is all about.
It is a shout out to see if there is a doctor in the house to help heal our sin sick ways. You see, the world defines religion as: “a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects.” And all the world religions I am familiar with have two things in common. First, they recognize that humanity is separated from God and second that humanity needs to be reconciled with God. The differences come in how that reconciliation is acquired. Most religions focus on rules and rituals. When those rules are followed or those rituals are performed, the person is attempting to be made right with God or gain favor. After those rituals are performed, it is taught that God will accept the person who performed them. Christianity presents a very different view of finding the acceptance of God. While the other religions attempt to reach God, Christianity is about God reaching down to us. Friends, true religion is a relationship. Most world religions try to balance the scales of their good and bad deeds, hoping to have more good deeds on the day they die. Christianity is about doing good deeds too, but teaches a very different message as to the motivation for the positive actions. Christianity, until Jesus returns, is about following a heavenly King not an earthly one. Our rules and rituals are done out of a thankfulness to God and a desire to live a clean and holy life. Those rules and rituals are not done to obtain reconciliation with God or to earn God’s favor. A relationship with God is a gift we can never earn.
Pray we realize that often we do not know what is best for ourselves. Pray seek God’s direction instead of our own. Pray because God loved us first, through Jesus a man, that we decide to follow Jesus who is completely reconciled to the Father and also divine. Pray we realize the resurrection power of a relationship with Christ as our King. Pray our religion is based on following Jesus so we might be reconciled to God not just for a time but for eternity. Pray our motivations stem from our thankfulness for the salvation found in that relationship. Pray we love in the Spirit. Pray we are Enlighted to the True Religion Jesus had in mind.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 