We continue our series of escape by looking at another area of ourselves that keeps us from experiencing the freedom Jesus’ coming and rising offer us. The last couple of weeks we spoke about escaping bad decisions and the shame/guilt that accompanies them, this week I’d like to explore how to escape the trap of a transactional relationship with God
Before I begin, I want to ask a couple of questions.
How many of those in the room know that Jesus' life, death and rising opens an opportunity for everyone to have a special relationship with God?
How many of us believe our relationship affords us the ability to go directly to God for issues?
How many of us question our relationship with God because doesn’t respond to our prayers?
<STORY of God not doing what I thought was best>
Thankfully, we have the scriptures to look through to find solutions. This morning I’d like to open to 1 Sam 4:4 to look for the clues to escape a transactional relationship with God. The background is the philistines and the Israelites' are enemies. There is a lot of history we don’t need to review at this moment but know they have squared off in a valley. On the first day, the Philistines killed over 4000 Israeli men in hand to hand combat. It's a brutal scene as both armies leave the battleground. Dead bodies, blood and scavengers. The Israeli soldiers are wondering how this could have happened. They thought “We have God on our side. We prayed. We asked for his favor. We know this is what he wants. Why?” Then someone mentions that we need help so let’s get the God in a box. The ark of covenant with its special powers. We never lose when the God box is with us. This is where we pick up the story…
4 So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. 6 Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”
When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, the Philistines were afraid. “A god has come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. 8 We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”
10 So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
At this moment, the scripture seems to be leading up to a great underdog story like the movie “300” or “Braveheart” but the reality is something even worse. News reaches back home from the front. Dad upon receiving the news of his son's death and the ark taken, keels over and dies. One his son's wife goes into labor early, has a son she named him “Icabad” which means “the glory of God left us.” It’s a sad story which many readers are left wondering, Why?
Have you ever been there, seemingly you did everything religion tells you to do in situations like this: you've
Admit you need God’s help
Call on the name of God and give him your problem
Have faith
The Israelites did this. They admitted their need in God. They brought the box as evidence of their call in the name of God and gave Him the problem. They even brought the two assistant high priests to call on God on their behalf. So what gives?
Herein lies the truth. The result of good religion will always be frustration, disappointment and upset with God. Religion alway leads to the same place: an empty santa claus theology with great coffee mug quotes but no relationship.
God does not always shield you from all distresses and dangers, but it is in the loneliness, in the betrayal, in the loss He comes to you. He goes before you. He walks with you. He comforts you. He encourages.
So let’s escape religion by resetting the key in the lock of the prison cell of our own making.
Let’s set the record straight. A right understanding of God is ineffective if you don’t put your faith into practice. There is a great example a few pages back. God is reprimanding Eli because his kids were taking advantage of the people of church and dating women coming to God. Take a listen to 1 Sam 2: 30. God tells Eli:
“Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
God is clear if your lifestyle is not in line with God’s commands, you haven’t surrendered. You do not know his will nor his ways so your words are just selfish ramblings. Isaiah 59:1-2 says: Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
To reset the key to escape the prison of religion, we must let go of our wants and pray to get in touch with the God of all. You can’t put God in the box and say some incantations and have him pop out like an Aladdin in a Disney movie. God will not be mocked. He is not your personal slave. Pray for a relationship. God said to Solemn:
14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15 )
Or
Jeremiah 29:13 - You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
The third way to escape the prison of religion is to let go of your anger when you don’t get what you want. If you only believe in God for what he gives you as repayment for your life, your faith will be shaken. If we are angry with God it is often because we didn’t get what we wanted. In many ways our expectations of who we are in relation to him are skewed. He is God. He is the creator of the universe. James warns us in James 4:3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
God does not exist for you. You exist for God. He knows life can be hard at times. It can be baffling. It can be frustrating. It can be exhausting. He knows how you feel if you're here today wondering how you are going to continue on in this life. Let me remind you of Jesus in the garden, praying so hard beads of blood and sweat were showing on his face. Remember his words as recorded in the gospels (Mark 14:28):
“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
He went anyway. He prayed. Jesus will become subjected to the Father so that a bigger picture could be fulfilled. It’s an example for all of us. When we don’t know. When we are struggling. When the exhaustion is overwhelming, We must remember a promise Jesus made to us. In Matt 11:28-30, He said,
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
God says, I’m not taking your problem, I'm walking with you. He is letting is know that we can make it through together. Let’s escape religion today and grab a hold of God so big, He is worthy of our worship. Our love. Our trust. Our whole heart. Let us surrender to win the race of this life and the next.
Let’s escape the Religion that imprisons so many and take a hold of the Jesus who frees us through our willingness to surrender all to Him.
Creative: Prison Uniform
References:
Unstuck By Larry Osborne, Quest Bible commentary p38-382, Bible Gateway, Blue Letter Bible Commentaries
