Running
Anyone here able to run on a treadmill for, let's say, 50 years straight? No? What if I stood there alongside you and just kept shouting, "You're doing it wrong! Try harder!" - Would that make any difference in your physical performance?
How's your 'spiritual performance' doing right about now? I've searched through scripture and nowhere did I find the 'spiritual suggestion' that in order to earn God's love - you just have to 'try harder'. But do we continue to try and live like it is? Do we stay on the 'treadmill of spirituality' hoping to gain God's love or approval as we continue doing more and more so somehow we just might become acceptable to God...?
The problem is - just when we finish doing one good thing, there's always more good things that we 'need' to do. Then just when we get used to the speed, here comes the incline, we falter or sin and then feel we have to do even more to make up for our mistakes. No matter how much we do, we feel we're never quite good enough to deserve God's love. You can't live your life on a treadmill. That's the problem with what's been called…
I. Treadmill Religion
God never intended that following Jesus would simply be exhausting or drudgery, but that's exactly how many seem to live. You can kind of see that look of 'spiritual exhaustion' in some people's eyes. If I asked you today - do you believe that you are going to Heaven when you die – would you go over the list of things you've done or haven't done before you could give me an answer? Do you feel like some weeks the answer might be 'yes' and others you might have to answer "no"?
Do you beat yourself up over a sporadic prayer life? Do you cringe every time the preacher reminds you, 'you should read your Bible very regularly'? Do you continually worry that you're not good enough for God? Do you have a hard time forgiving yourself when you know that you've sinned? Is that just how life is for a Christian?
Does that sound like living the victorious, abundant Christian life? I want to look at Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)...
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Does that sound at all like your Christian walk? Do you find rest in your relationship with Jesus - or - do feel like you're always running? It 'sounds' like Jesus is suggesting that we stop running...? But we all know what happens when you stop running on a treadmill - right? But Jesus was teaching something completely new in this passage. Up to this point - following God meant you had to follow a specific set of laws and religious regulations or you couldn't possibly please God. Jesus was teaching that He was a new way - The way!
How is it that even though we can intellectually accept that our sins have been forgiven and that we have the gift of God's Holy Spirit – but we can still sometimes live these tired, worn out lives on the 'treadmill of religion'? Why can't we just stop running?
We read about God's grace - we need to fully accept God's grace. We see in scripture that God loves us and that Jesus died for our sins – why can't we always feel free from the bondage, the guilt of sin? I think there are some barriers that keep us 'running'. The first one I'd like to look at is perhaps our…
A. Theology
A clear understanding of God and His Word is vitally important - but good theology alone won't get you into Heaven. But many times, our mistaken ideas about God can get in the way of living out our relationship with God the way He intended. The key word there is "relationship". That's the 'new thing' that Jesus was teaching under this 'New Covenant'.
There's a difference between religion and a relationship with God. 'Religion' is my attempt at doing the right things, in the right way, in order to reach up to God. 'Religion' is a man made system and since it is of man – it will fail you and leave you empty. That's what Jesus was talking about when He said, 'Come to me and I will give you rest'. Let's pick up right after our first passage and continue on in Matthew 12:1-8 (NIV)...
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. (2) When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." (3) He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? (4) He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread - which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.
(5) Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? (6) I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. (7) If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent. (8) For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
Right after Jesus taught 'my yoke is easy and my burden is light', here's an example of what He was talking about. The Pharisees sought to judge Jesus by a set of religious rules He, Himself had helped craft. They quoted temple regulations and He told them, "I tell you that one greater than the temple is here." The Pharisees were practicing religion, not so that they could get closer to God - who was right in front of them in the flesh... But they were following rules without a thought for the One who made them.
God is not as interested in our 'religion', as He is in a relationship, one that He initiated. We can't do enough good things to be able to reach up to Him, which is exactly why He came down to us.
What's more important in a marriage – doing things religiously or the relationship? Husbands, you could 'religiously' be the best provider, do all the yard work, bring home flowers every week, never raise your voice, never track mud across the living room floor and still have an unhappy wife. Focusing on doing all the right things and avoiding all the wrong things is good, but it doesn't ensure a perfect relationship.
A relationship is about sharing your life; it's not about perfection – but love despite that imperfection. God wants you - as you are, not because of what you can or can't do for Him. God isn't sitting in Heaven grading everything you do – He's waiting for you to share everything in your life with Him – the good and the bad. I think another barrier that can keep us 'running' is our…
B. Cultural attitudes
In our society - as a general rule - those who work hard succeed and earn their pay, they earn respect, and they earn that promotion. We're all about self reliance. We respect the ones who pull themselves up from nothing and carve out a successful life. And that is something of which to be proud. However, when that thinking bleeds into our spiritual life - it leads us to believe that we have to earn God's love... I want to continue on in our passage from Matthew 12:9-14 (NIV)...
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, (10) and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (11) He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? (12) How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
(13) Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. (14) But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
So right after Jesus taught, "I will give you rest" - He's judged by the Pharisees for picking grain on the Sabbath, and now judged again for healing on the Sabbath. Looking at the attitudes of the Pharisees - they wanted to stay on the 'religious treadmill' where everyone could see their righteous actions. But in this story - did Jesus heal this man because of anything the man did? - Or was it simply out of love and compassion?
On our own, we are not righteous. On our own, compared to God, we are not even close to being good. We have to let go of our self reliance when it comes to our relationship with God. And one more thing that can keep us running can be our…
C. Personal experience
We talk about God as our Father, but we know that not everyone has had the perfect example of unconditional love modeled for them in their earthly father that we see in God - our Heavenly Father. If we've ever felt we had to earn our parents love or approval, we may transfer those feelings over to our relationship with God.
We need to understand that parents are human and even the most well intentioned people can make some pretty big mistakes. I know I have, as a parent. We also need to understand that God is not human, He's perfect! Now, I'm not trying to minimize people's mistakes or say "just get over it" – many people live with some pretty big scars from their childhood.
But what I am saying is this – God loves you! When Jesus came to earth, His main priority was not to criticize people or to judge them, but to save them; to make a way for us to spend eternity in Heaven with our loving Heavenly Father! I suppose if we really want to stop 'running' - rather than simply 'trying harder' we need to talk about finding...
II. A new focus
We see examples in the Bible of amazing followers of God. But remember King David? Even after he committed some pretty ugly sins, adultery and having the woman's husband killed - even after all that - he was still somehow called "a man after God's own heart". One of the first things we learn about Moses is that he was a murderer, but God used Him to lead His people out of slavery. We see Peter going from a man who denied even knowing Jesus to one of the greatest preachers!
All of those examples are not about perfect people and what they could do for God, but what God could do through them because of their relationship with God. In order to find help to stop running, let's look at….
A. One man's example
The Apostle Paul wasn't always the Apostle Paul. From the start, Paul was a very religious man and was all about doing the right things in order to obey the law and gain God's favor. I think he truly believed that his persecuting this upstart group called Christians was the right thing to do in regard to Jewish Law. Paul was seeking to 'work his way' to Heaven through his good deeds. But let's look at his words in Philippians 3:4b-9 (NIV)...
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: (5) circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; (6) as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. (7) But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
(8) What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Paul finally understood and 'jumped off the treadmill'. He realized that not only could he not do enough good things to earn God's favor, but that those things were actually what was keeping him from a relationship with God. His hard work to keep the letter of the law was keeping Him from knowing God's love and grace! That realization freed him! Paul was able to get rid of all those barriers and stop running and start living the life God intended for Him! And the great news is, if he can do it…
B. So can we
And I do mean 'we'. Working for the Church, as a job, it's easy for the busyness of 'work' to get in the way of being spiritual. Religion is always easier than the relationship.
I'm not saying that we need to just 'stop following the rules'. I'm not preaching against doing good things - we were created for that! But think of it this way - what's the point of regular exercise? Is it just so we can make it through our next workout - or is it to help us live our lives stronger and healthier? If exercise becomes an end in itself - it can actually take over our lives and hurt our relationships.
It's kind of like that as a Christian. Are we just doing good things because that's what 'good Christians' do? - Or are we doing good things because we follow Jesus and just can't help but do good things out of gratitude for what He's done for us?
But back to Paul - Paul changed the world for Jesus. He did miraculous things time and time again. But Paul was just a man. There was nothing superhuman about him or divine – except for the One he served. He made a choice to give himself over to God, everything about him - the good and the bad. We read his words in Romans 3:20-24 (NIV)...
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (21) But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
(22) This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Paul realized that he was powerless to get to Heaven on his own. He also discovered just how big God's love and grace really are! Paul went from trying to earn God's love to resting in that love. Even amidst the hard work and chaos that was Paul's life, he took pleasure in his relationship with God and the freedom that it brought. And he wrote this in Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)...
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. (12) It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, (13) while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, (14) who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
So What?
We are not saved by our ability to 'stay on the treadmill' but by God's grace shown through Jesus. That's why it's called 'Good News'! If I die today – I get to spend eternity with God. I am not perfect, I am probably wrong on some points of Theology and matters of opinion, I may fall far short of all the ministry goals that God has for my life – but He still loves me! AND I still get to go to Heaven! That's pretty amazing!
Now that doesn't give me a free pass to take advantage of that fact and just sit back and do nothing – I still have to respond to that kind of love and grace. However, I don't have to be constantly worried if I'm good enough for God. Let's face it, I'm not good enough and never will be in this life – but He still loves me; and that's good enough for me.
It's not a matter of trying harder – but submission and relying less on yourself and more on God. There will always be plenty of people who will tell you, 'you need to do better'. But God's grace tells us He can make us Holy! God doesn't dwell on our sin like we tend to – so relax, focus on God's power, respond to His grace and you will become more like Jesus!