religion sucketh

Come all you weary, with your heavy loads,
Lay down your burdens find rest for your souls.
Cause my yoke is easy and my burden is kind,
I’ll take yours upon me and you can take mine.

Come all you weary, move through the earth,
You’ve been spurned at fine restaurants and kicked out of church.
I’ve got a couple of loaves, so sit down at my feet,
Lend me your ears and we’ll break bread and eat.

Come all you weary
Come gather ’round near me
Find rest for your souls

Come all you weary, crippled you lay,
I’ll help you along, you can lay down your canes.
We’ve got a long way to go but we’ll travel as friends,
The lights growing bright further up, further in.

Come all you weary
Come gather ’round near me
Find rest for your souls

Rest for your souls

Come all you weary
Come gather ’round near me
Come all you weary
Come gather ’round near me
Find rest for your souls
Rest for your souls
Rest for your souls
Rest for your souls

Come All You Weary
Thrice
The Alchemy Index, Vol. 3 & 4: Air & Earth

We must rediscover our faith as a way of life, not simply a system of beliefs.

- Brian McLaren

For many, the system of beliefs has become, in itself, a way of life. Many of us become so consumed with the rituals and practices of the Christian faith we forget the reasons behind those practices. An example from my own life: lately, instead of reading my Bible to learn more about Jesus and how to become more like Him and to grow closer to Him, it becomes a chore to complete to be a good Christian. So yeah, I read my Bible, but I don’t really read my Bible. Or how about when I ask God to give me opportunities to love and serve people who are hurting, and then I completely ignore all the suffering I see on a daily basis. Sure, I’m doing and saying the right things to make others think I’m a Christian, but in reality I’m putting Jesus on the backburner. Kind of a shitty way to treat the creator of the universe, huh?

Kind of like the pharisees. They did all the right things and said all the right things, but when God revealed Himself to them in the form of Jesus what happened?

I wonder how many times Christ has revealed Himself to me and I ignored or even shunned Him?

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

Matthew 25:41-45

A few years ago Mike Foster and Jud Wilhite (Deadly Viper Character Assassins, Junky Car Club) birthed an idea that revolved around radical grace. That idea was People of the Second Chance (POTSC for short). What started as a sidenote to their other ministries has developed into a movement of it’s own. As Mike and Jud wrote on the front page of POTSC,

People of the Second Chance is no longer just a nice concept with some stickers and tee shirts, but the very story we are living out right now.

So take a few minutes to visit the new website and blog.

Become a fan at Facebook.

Follow POTSC on Twitter.

Follow Mike and Jud on Twitter.

In Acts chapter fifteen we see the first recorded conflict in the Christian church. A group of Jewish Christians were telling Gentiles (non-Jews) that if they wanted to be saved, in addition to accepting Christ they must also be circumcised. So Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to bring the matter before the apostles. After the various parties made their arguments here is what James (the brother of Jesus) had to say in verse nineteen:

Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God. (ESV)

It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. (NIV)

And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. (NLT)

So here is my decision: We’re not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master. (The Message)

There is so much one can unpack from this verse, which is why I presented it in various translations. They all say the same thing, but to varying degrees of bluntness.

Have you added anything to the message of Christ that could make it difficult for your unchurched friends to come to know Him?

Is your church or ministry doing anything that could make it difficult for unchurched people to know Christ?

It’s okay if people choose to reject the cross, but let’s don’t put a whole lot of other things in their way that cause them to get confused before they get to the issue, which is the cross.
- Andy Stanley

Now I know some of you reading this will find it hard to stomach the first part of that quote;

It’s okay if people choose to reject the cross…

Because if what the Bible says is correct, then the only alternative to the cross is Hell. But the fact is that many people will reject the cross (Matthew 7:13). So what Andy is saying in this quote, and in the video below, is let’s not make it easy for them to reject the cross by putting obstacles in front of them before they even get to make a decision to follow or reject Jesus. Instead, let’s make it as easy as possible for people to come to God – that way, if they still choose to reject Jesus it isn’t because of traditions or a musical style or dress code or a language only known to the churched.

Anyways, here’s the video. It’s about ten minutes long.
To watch the full sermon click here.

18 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: They hated me without a cause.

John 15:18-20 (ESV)

When most people read this passage they think of all the religious persecution Christians have faced over the years. From ancient Rome up through modern day China, Christians have always faced persecution in some form, whether it be governments or other religions.

Not to discount those persecutions – I can’t begin to describe the level of respect and admiration I have for those who, in the face of death still cling to their faith in God. But this morning when I woke up, there was one question on my mind: What group, more than any other, persecuted Jesus?

What if Jesus, seeing as He is God and knows the future, were trying to tell us not that the world (as in unbelievers), but the world (as in all those around us) would hate and persecute us?

Think about it – if you’re a Christian in a Muslim nation, of course your persecutors will be Muslim; you’re surrounded by them!

But if you’re a Christian in a Christian nation…… a nation where, especially in certain areas, everyone is a Christian…… who will be your persecutors?

14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

Luke 11:15-18 (ESV)