Central Assembly
Encounters with Jesus - Part 4, Breaking the Religious Mold
Pastor Jim Bradford | February 13-14, 2021 | Encounters with Jesus - Part 4, Breaking the Religious Mold
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http://www.centralassembly.org/connectBreaking the Religious Mold
Eugene Peterson, The Jesus Way...
"I love Jesus but I hate the church" is a theme that keeps reappearing with variations in many settings. So it is interesting to note that Jesus, who in abridged form is quite popular with the non-church crowd, was not anti-institutional. Jesus said "Follow me," and then regularly led his followers into the two primary religious institutional structures of his day: the synagogue and the temple. Neither institution was without its inadequacies, faults, and failures. The temple especially was shot through with corruption, venality, injustice, discrimination...All the same, he didn't boycott the place.
...A spirituality that has no institutional structure or support very soon becomes self-indulgent and subjective and one-generational.
"I love Jesus but I hate the church" is a theme that keeps reappearing with variations in many settings. So it is interesting to note that Jesus, who in abridged form is quite popular with the non-church crowd, was not anti-institutional. Jesus said "Follow me," and then regularly led his followers into the two primary religious institutional structures of his day: the synagogue and the temple. Neither institution was without its inadequacies, faults, and failures. The temple especially was shot through with corruption, venality, injustice, discrimination...All the same, he didn't boycott the place.
...A spirituality that has no institutional structure or support very soon becomes self-indulgent and subjective and one-generational.
Three things to love about Jesus:
1. Jesus broke the stereotype of a religious leader
1. Jesus broke the stereotype of a religious leader
James Steward, The Life and Teaching of Jesus Christ...
Pharisees had externalized religion
Scribes had professionalized religion
Sadducees had secularized religion
Zealots had nationalized religion
Pharisees had externalized religion
Scribes had professionalized religion
Sadducees had secularized religion
Zealots had nationalized religion
Two kinds of Old Testament Laws: CEREMONIAL and MORAL
One unfortunate addition: “The traditions of men”
One unfortunate addition: “The traditions of men”
Three things to love about Jesus:
1. Jesus broke the stereotype of a religious leader
2. Jesus replaced religious rigidity with a heart for people
1. Jesus broke the stereotype of a religious leader
2. Jesus replaced religious rigidity with a heart for people
The religious spirit:
* Rules without relationship
* Laws without love
* Conviction without compassion
* Holiness without heart
* Tradition without transformation
* Judgmentalism without Jesus
* Rules without relationship
* Laws without love
* Conviction without compassion
* Holiness without heart
* Tradition without transformation
* Judgmentalism without Jesus
Three things to love about Jesus:
1. Jesus broke the stereotype of a religious leader
2. Jesus replaced religious rigidity with a heart for people
3. Jesus confronted religious hypocrisy with shocking courage
1. Jesus broke the stereotype of a religious leader
2. Jesus replaced religious rigidity with a heart for people
3. Jesus confronted religious hypocrisy with shocking courage
But here is the Jesus we love . . .
* He broke the stereotype of a religious leader
* He replaced religious rigidity with a heart for people
* He confronted religious hypocrisy with shocking courage
* He broke the stereotype of a religious leader
* He replaced religious rigidity with a heart for people
* He confronted religious hypocrisy with shocking courage
In other words, Jesus broke the religious molds and gave us hope!
* Hope that we can look past our religious hurt
* Hope that our spiritual deadness can be revived
* Hope that we can look past our religious hurt
* Hope that our spiritual deadness can be revived