I'm tired of trying to fellowship with people who only view church as a two-hour a week dumping ground for guilt while they live the rest of the week with the same priorities as the world. I'm tired of those who depend on their own works of righteousness but who have no compassion for the people of the world. I'm tired of insecure people using the Body of Christ as an extension of their own ego and will manipulate it to satisfy their own needs. I'm tired of sermons more filled with the bondage of religion than the freedom of God's love and where relationships take a back seat to the demands of an efficient institution.Someone was complaining recently about their "church" not having a Sunday night service that week. I suggested the idea that it wasn't commanded in the Bible that there be a Sunday night service (or any service for that matter, but I didn't dare go there) and the reply was that it says not to forsake the assembling of the saints which meant they must have a Sunday night service.
HUH?
Sometimes it's just easier to walk away.
Isaiah 1
"When you come before Me,
who every gave you the idea of acting like this,
Running here and there, doing this and that --
all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship?
Quit your worship charades.
I can't stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings --
meetings, meetings, meetings, -- I can't stand one more!
Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
You've worn Me out!
I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion,
while you go right on sinning."
and skipping to the end of the chapter:
"Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless."
The Message//Remix - Eugene H. Peterson
Please note the "while you go right on sinning." It's probably there for a reason.
1 comment:
This was an amazing post! Thanks for sharing. Loved that quote from Isaiah in the message.
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