Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's daily dose in the Word of God. It's Monday, April 29, this is Jeff Klein with your weekly reminder to take your faith in Jesus and move it Beyond Sundays.
Jeff Klein 0:20
In the Message version of the Bible, Matthew 11: 28 reads like this. "Are you tired, worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me, get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest."
Jeff Klein 0:36
That sounds great, doesn't it? I was with someone the other day who told me that they aren't very religious. I responded with, "Neither am I!" The person was super surprised by my response. How can you be a pastor and not be religious? I told them because religion literally means return to slavery. Religion is a man-made bunch of practices and rules that often bind people up and don't necessarily help people get in touch with Jesus. I am a follower of Jesus, trying to live guided by him and in a way that reflects his way of life.
Jeff Klein 1:09
Jesus didn't like religion, either. He often has biggest problems with the religious leaders, just like this verse in Matthew describes. I can get worn out and tired, burned out on religion - how about you? What would it look like? How would it feel to live the other half of the verse? The verse part that says, "take a real rest with Jesus." Jesus is basically saying, "let's just hang out!" Hanging out with Jesus provides the energy to walk.
Jeff Klein 1:36
When it comes to our mission in the world to living our life beyond what happens on Sunday, it seems to me that one of our key messages (don't be religious, get to know, follow and hang out with Jesus) ought to be kind of the front and center. What does it look like for us to live in a way that puts Jesus easy, restful way of living on display? How can our lives and the way we live them point people towards Jesus? Think about it. Why would someone be attracted to a life of religion with rules that hold us to stuff that we have to do or can't do? Isn't Jesus way more enticing and more attractive? Maybe it's time that we get away with Jesus and recover our own lives, so that we can put that on display to the world.
Jeff Klein 2:24
Let's pray. Jesus, we confess it's much easier for us to follow religious rules and to give ourselves a checklist of things to do, and then make ourselves feel good that we're really getting it done. But Jesus, you offered us a way bigger, deeper, more restful way of life by following you and being in connection (deep connection) with you. Help us this week, Jesus, to connect with you in such a way that when people meet us, they'll be so enticed because they'll realize something's going on with this person that I can't put into words. In your name Jesus we pray, Amen.