(Part 1)
“As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom.”-Luke 11:37-38
Everybody thinks that Jesus makes sinners uncomfortable, but in reality He makes religious people uncomfortable. In fact, throughout the gospels Jesus regularly speaks to sinners with kindness but speaks to religious folks with sternness.
Take for instance the woman caught in adultery. He didn’t deride her or chastise her because of her sinful condition, but asked, “ Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you? Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” How about when He was passing by a sycamore tree and called out to a tax collector by the name of Zaccheaus. Instead of rebuking him for his less than scrupulous practices, Jesus invited himself over to his house for lunch. Better yet, how about the thief on the cross next to Jesus, who was being crucified because of his criminal activity. Instead of saying to him, “You are getting what you deserve” Jesus promised him that, “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”
Although He worked hard to demonstrate kindness towards sinners, He seemingly went out of His way to disrupt the religious leaders of His day; pointing out their hypocrisy and usurping their traditions and practices.
Ultimately it wouldn’t be the sinners that would spearhead His crucifixion, but the religious. The lost, hurting, broken and oppressed flocked to Him. They were disenchanted with religion, but hungry for a relationship with Christ. Religion has a tendency of replacing a genuine relationship with Christ with works and traditions. In fact, if we fail to develop our relationship with Christ, we can easily drift into a religious mindset, that ultimately draws us farther from Him.
Consider our passage in Luke 11. Jesus chooses to grace this man’s home. Unfortunately the presence of God in His home was overshadowed by his concerns over Jesus not washing His hands. This man let Jesus into his home and immediately Jesus began to mess up his religion. Truth is, you let Jesus into your life; He will challenge every religious stronghold in your mind.
So, how do I know if I am drifting towards being religious?
"Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.”-Luke 11:39-41
First, religion may be grabbing hold of your heart if appearance is more important than holiness. An authentic relationship with Christ is going to change the way you live.
Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
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