The Evolution of Religion

Well, we are in week two of a series that I have entitled Losing My Religion. Can you turn to your neighbor and say that phrase? Losing my religion. And yes, that’s an REM reference. Although I’m sure none of y’all got that because you’re so spiritual, you would never listen to secular music. But for those of you who did get the reference, God loves you anyway. And just to catch you up, last week we talked about the origin of religion, where religion came from, and how it’s not from where most people think. Religion didn’t start because God asks for it, religion didn’t start because God demands it. It starts because we buy the lie of the enemy that God is far away. And so we panic and we try to bridge the gap between us and God, even though it’s not really there.

And this week, what I’m wanting to do is I’m wanting to answer the question, what happens next? What does God do when we as humanity insist on building religious systems to try to get close to him? I’m just gonna tell you, I’ve got lots of scripture this morning. Pastor Cindy told me, don’t apologize for having lots of scripture. So I’m not apologizing for it, but I am warning you. And I hope y’all brought your thinking brains ready to learn and ready to grow together.

Growth is a process

So we have been having a bit of an adventure at the Eifert household over the last few weeks. Is that we have in our backyard, and I’ll ask for the pictures here in a minute, we’ve got lights, Christmas lights that we’ve strung on our back patio. And so we were back there and we saw that there was like this little build, this little something that was building up on top of one of the little Christmas lights. And we thought, what is that? And we thought, maybe is that a wasp’s nest? We weren’t sure what it was. Well it turns out it wasn’t a wasp’s nest, but it was a nest, it was a hummingbird nest. And so we were very excited about that, and so we went and we asked Chat GBT, like, what should we do? Is there anything we can do to help? Do they need building materials? What is it? And there was a hummingbird there that would come and we named her honey. My daughter named her honey, and so we would always watch out for honey. We bought a hummingbird feeder for honey.

And we asked Chat GBT what we should do, and it said, Well, there might be eggs in that little nest. And like the nest is like the size of a gumball. It’s tiny. But we get the ladder and we peek, we know we’re not supposed to touch, we don’t touch. But we know and we look, we look in there, and sure enough, there’s two tiny little eggs. They’re like, they’re like jelly beans, they’re nothing. So and so we’re very excited about this. Well, eventually, a little time goes on, and we just keep checking on honey, and we make sure there’s no one messing with the eggs and no praying mantises or anything. We looked up all of the natural predators and all of that. Eventually there was just a mess on the ground, and so they thought the eggs had hatched, and there was two tiny little beaks that poked their head out. I’ve got a picture for you. See the tiny little beaks. This is so much smaller than you’re imagining. This is tiny.

So we’re very happy. We keep checking on honey every day. Well, a couple days go by after a little bit, and we haven’t seen honey in a couple days, and so I’m starting to get a little concerned for these little baby hummingbirds. And so I peek up and these I look in there, and these hummingbirds are not moving. So I’m like, so I’m like, they died. You know, maybe honey got a tag, or she decided to leave, or we got too close and we messed it up or something. Well, luckily that didn’t happen, and honey came back a day or two later, and the hummingbirds were doing okay, and we watched the hummingbirds continue to grow, grow, grow, grow, grow, and eventually they looked like this. Is that cool? That’s like five feet from our back door. And so we’ve been monitoring them. And then as of last week, the first one flew off on Wednesday, and the next one flew off on Thursday. So now it’s an empty nest. We were hoping they’re gonna come back. ChatGPT says that’s not gonna happen, that the nest is just trash now, unfortunately.

But yeah, but I just think there’s something incredible about how God has designed creation to instinctively understand that growth is a process. Right? And just like it takes time for things to grow, it takes time for animals to grow, and you know what? It takes time for people to grow too. And so it got me thinking, you know, like what does God do when his people are still in the process of growing?

The first religious sacrifice in human history

That brings us to Genesis chapter four, if you’ve found it, just to catch you up from last week. Adam and Eve have been kicked out of the garden. They’re and they’re working the land, they’re dealing with the consequences of eating from the wrong tree. And so, like life is just happening. Look at this verse one.

Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.

She, Eve said, With the help of the Lord, I have brought forth a man. I love this verse because there’s just so many jokes. You know, I’ve got to choose. Number one, I love that she says, With the help of the Lord, I just think Adam’s there. He’s like, No, no, I didn’t. You know what I mean? Like, I know my part wasn’t significant, but it was such, but she says, with the help of the Lord, I brought forth a little man. And I love that she doesn’t even recognize it as like a baby, you know, because it’s like the first baby. So she says, like, it’s like a little, he’s like a little man. He’s like a little like a tiny little man. This is the first childbirth ever. And so, like, I’m just imagine the surprise. You know, she comes to God saying, like, I seem to have produced a little man. But it’s a big deal.

So next, then he has a brother, as you probably know, Abel. Abel gets one little mention. Later, she gave birth to his son Abel. That’s funny. All parents know this. That, like the first kid, big deal. Second kid, not as big. You know what I mean? Like first kid, 8,000 photos. Second kid, seven photos. Genesis chapter 4, verse 2. It says this.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.

So it’s two different jobs. Abel was in charge of the animals, and Cain was in charge of the farm. There’s no judgment here, it’s just different roles that they had. And then something really interesting right away happens. Look at this, verse 3.

In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.

So this word offering here, it just means a standard religious sacrifice. Verse 4.

And Abel also brought an offering, fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.

So this is amazing. Is that what we have here is we have the first ever in history religious sacrifice? Right? Where they’re sacrificing something to offer it to God. And isn’t it interesting to think why? You know, like because God didn’t come and ask for fruit and meat. You know, it’s not, he’s not up there saying, like, ma’am, I’m so hungry. I’ll shirk you some fruit. I gave you guys a lot of fruit. You gotta bring me like he doesn’t say anything, they just do it. There’s just there’s just something in the human condition where we just have this religious impulse to try to do something for the sake of God. Verse four, the last part says this,

and the Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering, he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

So both brothers bring an offering, they both bring a sacrifice, and God accepts Abel’s sacrifice, but he does not accept Cain’s. And theologians have debated for centuries on why this is. Why did God accept Abel’s but not accept Cain’s? So some people think it’s because God wanted meat and he didn’t want fruit. I think that’s the worst explanation, but some people will think that they’ll the they they believe that that Abel brought his best and Cain didn’t, right? Other people think it was the heart behind the gift, that it wasn’t about the gift itself, but it was the heart. But I’ll just say this as to why God accepted one and didn’t accept. It’s all speculation because the text doesn’t say.

But what I want to point out here, and I hope you brought your thinking caps, is this, and you can write this down or take a picture. This is the first religious sacrifice in recorded human history, and God didn’t ask for it. This is the first religious sacrifice in human history, and God didn’t ask for it.

The principle of accommodation

Well, so what’s happening? What’s happening? Well, theologians have a big fancy name for this thing that happens over and over in the Old Testament, and it’s called this the principle of accommodation. Principle of accommodation. I know y’all think you’re like nerd alert. Right? But but it’s like actually a really simple idea. Here’s the formal definition, and then I’ve got a David easier definition after this one. The principle of accommodation is this. God reveals himself in ways that are understandable to humans, even if those ways are not a perfect literal representation of his true nature. Well, what? God reveals himself in ways that are understandable to humans, even if those ways are not a perfect literal representation of his true nature.

Here’s the David translation that’s easier. God accommodates where we’re at because he’s committed to working with us. And every parent in the room probably understands this. You know, my daughter Grace, I think I talk about her every week. I probably shouldn’t, but she’s just it’s where all the stories come from now for me. On the weekends, sometimes we as a family we like to make breakfast. And so Grace, she’s eight, she likes to help make breakfast with me. So it’s me and her, and we make breakfast. And when I say help, I mean it takes three times as long. You know, it makes five times the mess, and it’s probably like half as good as if I would just make it. Right? So she’s cracking the egg, her job is to crack the eggs, my job is to get the eggshell out of the eggs. You know, and so it’s like, but and it’s it’s not like I’m hoping that she’s going to crack eggshells in her eggs her entire life, but the point is that I work with her where she’s at. I go and I enter. You know, the goal for us cooking together is to teach her and to help her grow. I meet her where she’s at and I work with what she brings.

And that’s exactly what you see God doing over and over and over in scripture. Let me show you what God says to Cain after he doesn’t accept his offering. Cain is hurt about it. He says, I can’t believe that God would accept my brother’s sacrifice. He doesn’t accept mine, he’s hurt. God says to Cain, verse six,

then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?

Right? And God’s basically saying, like, just live well, man, and you’ll be accepted. Like, you don’t need to bring me fruit. Like, we cool. Like, like all of this is not necessary. And you see this all throughout the Bible, in particular the Old Testament, where mankind insists on religious systems, and we see God accommodating us along the way. And you might be thinking, that sounds weird. I’m gonna need some examples. No problem. Three examples for you, just really quick in the theology portion of the sermon.

Number one is this kings. Kings. So there was a time where Israel was led by prophets. There’s like God’s spokespeople, and it was God’s way of leading his people directly. That’s how he wanted to work. But the Israelites, they got in their heads that they wanted to be like the other nations, and they wanted a king. And so they say, Hey, we want a king. And God says, No, I’m your king. You don’t need a king, I’m your king. And the people say, We want a king. And God says, Y’all don’t need a king, I’m your king. And they say, We want a king. And they insisted on it. So Samuel, who was the prophet, right? He was God’s preferred way of leading the Israelites, he comes to God and he says, This, hey, the fact that they want a king, God, they’re rejecting me. He took it personal. He says, They’re rejecting me. But look at what God says. First Samuel verses eight, chapter eight, verse seven.

And the Lord told him, Listen to all the people, listen to all that the people are saying to you. It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.

So he’s saying, Hey, look, the fact that these people want a king, they’re not rejecting you, Sam, they’re rejecting me. Right? And then God goes on and says, Give them a king. He says, I’ll even show you who to anoint. And God accommodates their human desire for human leadership, even though it was a personal rejection of him. Right? But he and look, he works through kings, he blesses kings, he gives specific instructions on kings and kingship, but kings were never his heart. He’s really clear on that. But it was something that we had in our heart, and God patiently works with us where we’re at.

Another example, number two is this, the temple. Did y’all know that God didn’t originally want the temple? Right? God told his people to make a tent for him. It’s called the tabernacle, and he gives specific instructions on how to make this portable tent. And he really likes it. But then King David, he comes to God and he says, Like, God, I live in a palace, and you live in a tent. That’s not right. I’m gonna make you the most amazing temple you’ve ever seen. And God’s like, I don’t, I don’t, I don’t need that. I like the tent. I’m really more of an outdoorsy deity, you know. Like the tent is perfect, it’s portable, it’s simple, like great symbolism. I’m with you wherever you go, it’s perfect. And he says that. Watch, I’ll read it. 2 Samuel chapter 7, verse 5. This is God to David.

Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place where the tent is my dwelling. Whenever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, why have you not built me a house of cedar?

So God says, like, man, I didn’t, I didn’t ask you for this. I’ve never asked. I’m good for the tent. I’ll let’s roll with the tent. And David says, like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You need a mansion. And so God says, All right, all right, all right, all right, fine. You’ll build me a temple. He says, Well, technically, you won’t. You’ll die. But your son, he’ll build me a tent. And when the temple is finally finished, God shows up. He blesses the temple. He uses the temple. He even says, My heart and my eyes are in it always. Even though what he initially said when they presented the temple was this. No, thank you. But he accommodates us.

Lastly, point number three is this, and it’s a big one. Animal sacrifice. It’s a big one. Started with Cain and Abel, right? So just remember this: that God didn’t originally ask for it. And there’s, don’t get me wrong, there are huge sections of scripture where God goes into great detail about how to do sacrifices correctly. If you’ve ever made the courageous journey through Leviticus and Deuteronomy, like you know that he goes into exceptional detail on how to render the fat and how to all those really specific things. So I’m not contesting any of that. I just want to make a simple point, and it’s this that God didn’t originally ask for that. Nor, and he shows us is that it was never his heart. And you might be thinking, Are you sure, Pastor? Are you sure, P D? Like positive. Right? God makes it exceptionally clear to us that the sacrificial system is not what he wanted. In fact, he bookends the book of Isaiah, straight up telling us this. These are some verses maybe some of y’all have never read. Get ready. Isaiah chapter 1, beginning in verse eleven, it says this.

God, the multitude of your sacrifices, what are they to me? says the Lord. I have more than enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened animals. I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings. Your incense is detestable to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations, I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

This is all religious practice.

Your new moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.

Again, these are systems that God worked with and in for thousands of years. But then at a certain point, he eventually comes and he says, Enough of that. And then he ends the book, Isaiah chapter 66, it’s the end of the book. It says this,

this is what the Lord says. Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things? And so they came into being, declares the Lord. These are the ones I look on with favor, those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at my word.

Then listen to this, verse three.

But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person. And whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck. Whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood. And whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations.

It’s like, so look, God tolerated and has used religious systems, but then he comes and clarifies that that was never his heart. And God has worked with it, worked with the sacrificial system for centuries. He gave huge instructions to do it correctly. Not because he loved it, but because he loved us. Right? And he’s committed to meeting people where they’re at, but all the while he’s always pointing. If the if you know about the Old Testament, he’s always pointing to something better. Always pointing to something better. And in this particular case, it’s one sacrifice to end all sacrifices. And it’s a sacrifice we’re gonna talk about next week. If you come back next week, we’re gonna see there is a radical showdown between Jesus who comes and the sacrificial systems that he’s come to abolish. Okay, theology over. Are you all right? Did you survive? Are you like, what is this school?

You will always be a work in progress

Okay, so what does it mean for us today? Okay, so like how does understanding the principle of accommodation, how does that affect how we live today? Well, I’m so glad you asked. I’ve got three things for you to write down if you’re taking notes, three practical points. Number one is this you will always be a work in progress. Anyone? Y’all are quiet in here. You will always be a work in progress, right? And like I don’t mean that to just like condemn you. That’s just reality. You will always be a work in progress, right? You will never be finished growing.

And just like God accommodates in the Old Testament, he worked with imperfect kings for centuries. He worked with King David, an adulterer and a murderer. He worked with Solomon, who had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Like you think, you think that was God’s heart? Like you like, you think that’s what God wanted? No. No. But he accommodates where we’re at so that he can pull us out of it and help us to grow. He worked through the temple and priest system, even though it wasn’t his idea. He works through animal sacrifices for centuries, even though he says, I’ve never wanted that, is what he says. Right? And all the while pointing towards Jesus, which is like the perfect and ultimate and final revelation of his heart.

And so if you’re thinking, like, well, then how do we find out what he really wants? How do we find out what is the actual thing that God wants? The answer is this, Jesus. I’ve said this a hundred times. Jesus is perfect theology. If you want to know the heart of the Father, you look to Jesus. Right? In fact, in fact, when when the Father comes, he makes his grand appearance in the old in the New Testament when Jesus is there, you know what he says? He says, This is my son in whom I am pleased. Listen to him. Right? And what I want to say is that’s good news because you’re not perfect either. That’s right. Right? Like, like your worship, beautiful, but it’s not perfect. Right? Like your prayers, beautiful, but not perfect. Your discipleship to Jesus, beautiful, but not perfect. In fact, you could write this down if you’re taking notes. God meets you where you’re at, uses you where you’re at, is patient with where you’re at, and helps you become even better. God meets you where you’re at, uses you where you’re at, is patient with where you’re at, and helps you become even better.

Look at what Paul says to the Philippians. He says this, Philippians 1 6.

Being confident in this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

So God began a good work in you. Past tense. But he will carry it on into completion until the day of Jesus Christ. That’s when we finally meet with him in eternity. Did you know that God’s not finished with you yet? Did you know that? Right? Like young, old, it doesn’t. God’s not finished with you yet. You’re still a work in progress. Second Corinthians, Paul says this, chapter 3, verse 18.

And we all who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory.

He doesn’t say you have been transformed past tense. He says you are being transformed. Present tense. It’s it’s happening right now progressively, and it says with ever increasing glory.

And so here’s what that means for you practically. God’s not shocked. Someone needs to hear this. God’s not shocked that you’re still growing. He’s not mad at you. Because you’re still growing. He’s not disappointed with you because you’re still growing. God delights in incremental progress. Right? Like parents, again, we know this. Like you have a toddler, and the toddler takes his first step. You know what I mean? And they’re like a total disaster. Their legs are wobbling, they fall down, they take two steps, and then they fall over. And like a loving parent’s not thinking, like, what a loser. You know what I mean? Like this kid should be running marathons by now. You know what I mean? No, no, no, a loving parent celebrates every step of your growth, every step of your development. And God’s the same way. That’s how God is with you. He celebrates when you learn to walk. He celebrates what how when you learn how to talk, he celebrates when you learn how to pray. But he understands that that’s going to be incremental progress. You don’t say the sinner’s prayer and come out perfect. Your spirit does, but you don’t. I wish that was the case, but learning is great. You know what I mean?

And so, like, let’s say, let’s say it’s a dumb example. Let’s say you’re trying to quit smoking, and I’m not saying smoking, but for example, okay, let’s say you want to quit smoking and you smoke 300 cigarettes a day. That’d be a lot. I’m amazed you’re still here. Incredible. Well, and then, like, let’s say you say, Yeah, but the last two weeks I’ve only smoked 200 cigarettes a day. Like, well, well, what do you think? What do you think God’s saying, does who cares? You’re still a disgusting chain spoke. No, no, no, no, no. No. He celebrates incremental progress. He understands this that we start, we start as Paul talks about how we’re spiritual babies, and he wants us to mature, but that’s a process that go and he’s just patient with you. That’s what I wanted to communicate. He’s patient with you where you’re at. Like you can see this throughout scripture is that God works with people, and he’s still committed to working with you where you’re at on your own personal journey as you take your next step forward.

Remember, probably I don’t know, 10 years ago I was in ministry. I would probably we were probably nearing the end of our youth ministry time at the church, and I was just kind of thinking, like, I’m just not sure I want to do this anymore. Like, just ministry, you know, I thought it was gonna be a lot of Starbucks and golf and stuff. It’s like actually not that fun sometimes. You know what I mean? It’s kind of sad and it’s kind of lonely and it’s kind of frustrating, you know what I mean? And it’s like you just like you spend all this time and meet with these people just so that they can make the ignore what you say and make the same stupid decision. You know what I mean? And it’s like ministry can be hard. And so I was talking to God and I said, like, God, I’m just not super sure that I want to still do this anymore. And I I believe at that moment God knew what he had planned for me. Right that I would be one of the people that helps lead this church, but I didn’t know that. Right? But he knew that. And so I was telling God, like, I don’t know, I’m just I’m just feeling like I might be kind of done. And God told me in that moment, he said this. He said, I’m with you wherever you go. That’s it. I’m with you where you know what I mean. He you know what he didn’t say? He didn’t say, You pathetic little crybait, like, do you know how much is riding on you? You know, no, no, he was patient. He worked with me where I was, told me what I needed to know in that moment. And like that’s the principle of accommodation in action. God working with me in the middle of my doubt, in the middle of my uncertainty. It’s just like he worked with imperfect kings, he worked with imperfect priests for centuries.

And like, I hope that’s an encouragement to you, is that you’ll always be a work in progress. You’ll always be, right? And God’s able to work with you where you’re at in a way you can understand as he works to make you better. And that’s of course the tension, right? Because what I don’t want you to leave is like thinking like David says it doesn’t matter that I’m a baby forever. Like God, God works with us where we’re at, but he loves us too much to let us stay the same. Just like a parent. John says it like this in 1 John chapter 3, verse 2.

Dear friends, now we are children of God. But what will be has not yet been made known.

So you’re a you’re God’s child now. God loves you now, but there’s still stuff on the inside of you that you ain’t even seen yet. Right? He knows about it, but you don’t know about it. God’s not done with you yet.

And so the challenge that I have for you this week for point number one is this instead of saying, like, God, I can’t believe I’m so far behind all these other Christians. I can’t believe I’m still like struggling with this stuff. It’s been so I can’t believe I’m so just instead of saying that, say something like, God, I thank you that you work with me where I am. Thank you that you’re working with me where I help me to take my next step. My next step in my journey, and it will almost always be incremental change. Number one, you will always be a work in progress.

The blood of Jesus washes away my sins

Number two, if you’re taking notes, the blood of Jesus washes away my sins. The blood of Jesus washes away my sins. So for centuries, God worked within this animal sacrifice system, right? And if you think thousands of bulls and goats and lambs and doves, right? Always pointing to something better. But there was even within the sacrificial system, there was a problem. And the writer of Hebrews tells us that. Listen to this. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 4.

It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Ain’t that crazy? It didn’t even do that. It’s impossible. And all those centuries, all that blood, all the religious ceremonies, never actually dealt with the sin problem. It goes on, verse 5.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said, sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me. With burnt offerings and sin offerings, you were not pleased. Then I said, Here I am. It is written about me in the scroll. I have come to do your will, my God.

So it’s like the sacrificial system was like a it was like a band-aid on a tumor. You know, like maybe it like covered the problem temporarily, right? But it never fixed it. But then Jesus comes and he actually deals with the sin problem and the separation that it creates. Look at what the writer of Hebrews says about what Jesus accomplished. Hebrews 9, verse 12.

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the most holy place once and for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Once for all, one sacrifice. Not it’s not yearly, it’s not monthly, it’s not every time you mess up. Once for all, one sacrifice for all of the sin. And in you, past, present, and future, and you might be thinking, I don’t know about future. Well, when the price was paid, right? All your sin was future sin. Right? One sacrifice, once and for all, we have been made holy. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 10.

We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

We have been made holy. We’re past tense, we’re still growing, but we have been made holy. The blood of Jesus doesn’t just cover our sins. I know that’s like language, that’s fine. The blood of Jesus, but it doesn’t just cover your sin, it washes your sin away. Right? And so that’s so that’s super different. That’s super different than what people had before Jesus, right? And that’s good news for you. And you know what? That’s good news for me too.

I was like, even now as a pastor, I still have sin. Does that make you uncomfortable? It shouldn’t. Right? Like, I’m not talking about some deep dark secret. I do not have that. Be clear. I do not have that. But man, but I still have pride. You know, like I still struggle with unforgiveness. I can still be selfish. I say I still say things I shouldn’t say. There’s still times where my heart isn’t where it should be. Right? And let me tell you, let me tell you what I don’t do when I mess up. I don’t pray harder to try to earn God’s forgiveness. Like I don’t do that. Right? I don’t try to read my Bible more so that God would like me. I don’t try to serve more to get back on God’s good side. Because the blood of Jesus washes away my sins. Present tense, right now, today, right? Like this morning when I was impatient with my daughter. That’s a true story, right? The blood of Jesus washes away my sin. This afternoon, when I have a prideful thought, like tonight when I’ll probably do something else I shouldn’t do. The blood of Jesus washes away my sins.

And so look, I don’t I don’t know, I don’t know who I’m talking to, but I don’t have to whip myself. Right? I don’t have to like build a cross and carry it down the highway, right? To try to like get him to like me, right? I don’t have to say 200 Hail Marys to get God to be okay with me. And like, look, I believe in confessing of sin. But I don’t have to go to confession to receive forgiveness. The blood of Jesus washes away my sins. I’m already clean.

Pastor Marshall, he used to, and maybe he still does, but he used to talk about living from the finished place. Living for what in the world is it? So we live in the from the finished place. We pray from the finished place. We worship from the finished place. What does that mean? It means it means that we don’t live for forgiveness, we live from forgiveness. Right? We don’t pray to try to get God to love us. We pray because He already loves us. We don’t try to earn God’s acceptance through serving. We serve because we’ve already been accepted. Right? And so we live from the finished place, from the finished work of Jesus Christ.

And so we see all that humanity, I mean, all that we have endured, all that we have suffered, a lot of it from ourselves. Like we see all of this, and we see, but man, we have got such a better deal. And it says that I can live in a state of intimacy with the Father. And not just when I’m perfect, right? Because I’ll never be perfect. But I have access to the Father through one sacrifice, and that’s Jesus. Like I told you last week. You know what you can’t do? You know what you can’t improve on? It is finished. You can’t improve on that. Right? So all you have to do is just say yes, just like we talked about last week. Everything we do in the Christian life, we do for celebration, not salvation. John says it like this, 1 John chapter 1, verse 7.

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.

Not will purify you, might not might purify you. It purifies you. Present tense. The blood of Jesus actively right now, it’s purifying you from sin. Not because you’re perfect, but because you’ve put your faith in Jesus Christ and accepted his free gift. Romans chapter 5, verse 8 says this.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Verse 9.

Since we have now been justified, by His blood. We have been justified by His blood. How much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him?

Number one, you will always be a work in progress. Number two, the blood of Jesus washes away my sins.

God’s favorite offering is a grateful heart

Number three, and I’m done. God’s favorite offering is a grateful heart. God’s favorite offering is a grateful heart. Notice I said God’s favorite offering. My favorite offering is a large check. But God’s favorite offering is a grateful heart. Look at this, Hosea chapter 6, verse 6.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice. And acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings. God say I just think He’s coming to somebody here to say, like, I don’t need you to burn something. I just I just want you to acknowledge me. I just want you to acknowledge me, acknowledge what I done, what I did, acknowledge what I’m doing for you. Right? That it’s like I you know, like when I sin, you know what ramps up for me quick? Gratitude. Because I remember every time I sin that I’m aware of, every time that I sin, I I go back to this place of gratitude. Like, God, thank you that thank you that you don’t relate to me based on me being able to live perfectly. Like thank you for that. Thank you that you paid the price so that we could have relationships. And so, like when I come when it when it’s time for when I sinned, when I messed up, and it’s time for me to bring an offering, what I bring is a grateful heart. Gratitude for what he has done for me.

And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. So what’s God really looking for? He’s looking for justice, he’s looking for mercy, he’s looking for humility. It’s relationship stuff. Heart stuff. Isaiah chapter 66, verse 2. I just want to read it one more time.

These are the ones I look on with favor, those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at my work.

Humble and contrite in spirit. It’s a heart posture, not religious performance. I’m not impressing him with all the things I do. It’s my heart posture towards him. And like even King Saul, he learned this the hard way. King Saul, he disobeyed God and he tried to make up for it with religious sacrifice, and the Prophet Samuel, he comes and he tells him this 1 Samuel chapter 15, verse 22.

Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

So what’s he talking about? He’s talking about the heart posture, right? To do what he says with a grateful heart.

And I want you to picture this. This is what I was thinking about. I was praying about y’all yesterday, and I kind of had this picture of like two people sitting next to each other in the room this morning, right? And doing like the exact same things. Right? We’re both worshiping, both praying, both like reading your Bibles, both giving your money, both serving on teams. But the one person is doing it because they feel like they have to. And they feel like they’ll feel guilty if they don’t. Like they’re trying to earn something from God, his approval, his blessing, his forgiveness. And then the person right next to them is doing the exact same thing. But he’s doing just from a just from a grateful heart. Just expressing love. Just responding to what God has already done, not trying to get God to do something. Right? Same chairs, singing the same songs, the same activities, but completely different hearts. Not only is that different for you, but God sees the difference. Right? Because man, we understand what we can see on the outside, right? But God, He looks at the heart. Whenever you’re doing whatever you do for the Christian, but when you’re raising your hands and praising, like what He’s looking at is not how high you raise your hands, He’s looking at the heart. And that’s why everything that we do in the Christian faith comes from a place of gratitude.

And so what I’d love for you to do this week, if you could, is try to make the switch from I have to, or even like maybe I ought to, to I get to. I have to go to church. No. No, I get to. I get to come in fellowship and be in God’s presence with like-minded belief. It’s such a such a gift that I get to come to church. I don’t have to read my Bible. I get to. I get to hear from God. It’s awesome. There’s zero percent of me that thinks I have to do this. I don’t have to do this. I get to do this. It’s because of my relationship with it. I don’t have to give my money or like Pastor Marshall notice anyone. Like I don’t, I don’t have to give my I get to. I get to participate in what God is doing. I get to participate in the gospel going forward into the city and into the world. I don’t have to do anything. I get to. It’s just a response, but it’s always from that finished place. I don’t have to serve, I get to serve. I don’t have to do, I get to, I get to, I get to contribute and use my talents and my gifts to make the world more like heaven, right? What a privilege. Same activities, but when the heart shifts from like obligation to gratitude, it changes everything. And that simple shift from I have to to I get to is the difference between religion and relationship.

Here’s my closing statement. Throughout history, God has accommodated systems that were never his heart, all the while pointing to something better. One, you will always be a work in progress. God meets you where you’re at, uses you where you’re at, is patient with where you’re at, and helps you become even better. Two, the blood of Jesus washes away my sins. We don’t live for forgiveness, we live from forgiveness. Three, God’s favorite offering is a grateful heart. Make the shift from I have to to I get to, and you’ve crossed over from religion to relationship. Amen.