RELATIONSHIP OVER RELIGION

Formed out of LOVE, built on TRUST and strengthened by COMMUNICATION

↔Connection↔
Communication is key for any relationship to exist, but in order to communicate, a
foundation of love an trust has to be established.

Story
● Indonesia trip, giving leaders training to the youth leaders
● Was asked by the youth leaders there how to deal with youth problems such as
commitment and discipline issues
● They could not communicate
● It all starts with relationship because if they do not trust you, they wont listen to you
● It won’t work if you create rules for them without relationship (how to dress, who
you can and cannot talk to, even how to do devotion, lead and pray)
● It is the same with us and God

↔Connection↔
Before we look at communication, we must first establish a relationship. Relationship is
important in Christianity that without there, there is no purpose for the Religion

Last Sunday
● Man and God had reconciliation because man broke the relationship with God
● That is why religious laws had to be implemented but God never stopped loving man
● He sent Christ
● The closer you get to God, the more you begin to love what he loves
● This is because you can understand His heart

↔Connection↔
Sometimes, we forget about the relationship and focus on the religion (just like parents and
children, following household rules to the point of forgetting the relationship)

Religion sometimes gets in between God and us if we allow it

● Christianity is a religion but as believers we treat it as a relationship
● Religion in itself is not a bad thing; it is a belief system that we have in GOD
● We can become too focused on rules and traditions without understanding “why”
● It becomes illogical
● We hear but we don’t think. Sounds good but it brings contradictions to our
lives
● Being a Christian does not mean we have to be illogical
● Logic takes given presuppositions, analyzes relationships, compares them
with other known factors, and arrives at a sound conclusion
● Tit 2:6-8 ~ be of sound mind and integrity in the doctrine
● Isa 1:18 ~ Lets reason with God
 ● Christianese, its all about speaking a diff language and people tend to stay
away from those who are too christianese
● The devil is behind all my problems
● God is the solution to everything

● It is unhealthy because you are not dealing with the problem or issue but just using
scriptures as a band aid and in church u smile but inside you are hurt
● Religion can deny reality and causes us not to be honest with ourselves. Guilt shame
prevents us from being ourselves. It become a religious Spirit
● Fear of disappointing other Christians
● Our humanity doesn’t go away just because we become Christians
● This causes a communication breakdown and inevitably a relationship breakdown

Religious Spirit Relationship

Born out of FEAR Born out of LOVE
Rigid with Rules Based on Trust
Control Freedom

↔Connection↔
Jesus’ focus was all about relationship with Him and the Father. His actions throughout the
gospels shows that he would value relationship over religious practices

Jesus
● Built relationship with His disciples before calling them
● His communication skills were such that even now we are still talking about it
● (Matt 4:18-22. / Lk 5:1-11 / Jn 1:35-42)

Jn 1:35-42 Mt 4:18-22 Lk 5:1-11

Joh 1:35 Again, the next day,
John stood with two of his
disciples.
Joh 1:36 And looking at Jesus
as He walked, he said, "Behold
the Lamb of God!"
Joh 1:37 The two disciples
heard him speak, and they
followed Jesus.
Joh 1:38 Then Jesus turned,
and seeing them following, said
to them, "What do you
seek?" They said to Him,
"Rabbi" (which is to say, when
translated, Teacher), "where
are You staying?"
Joh 1:39 He said to
Mat 4:18 And Luk 5:1 So it was, as the multitude pressed
Jesus, walking by about Him to hear the word of God, that He
the Sea of Galilee, stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,
saw two brothers, Luk 5:2 and saw two boats standing by the
Simon called lake; but the fishermen had gone from them
Peter, and and were washing their nets.
Andrew his Luk 5:3 Then He got into one of the boats,
brother, casting a which was Simon's, and asked him to put out
net into the sea; a little from the land. And He sat down and
for they were taught the multitudes from the boat.
fishermen. Luk 5:4 When He had stopped speaking, He
Mat 4:19 Then said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and
He said to let down your nets for a catch."
them, "Follow Me, Luk 5:5 But Simon answered and said to Him,
and I will make "Master, we have toiled all night and caught
you fishers of nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let
men." down the net."
 them, "Come and see." They Mat 4:20 They Luk 5:6 And when they had done this, they
came and saw where He was immediately caught a great number of fish, and their net
staying, and remained with Him left their nets and was breaking.
that day (now it was about the followed Him. Luk 5:7 So they signaled to their partners in
tenth hour). Mat 4:21 Going the other boat to come and help them. And
Joh 1:40 One of the two who on from there, He they came and filled both the boats, so that
heard John speak, and followed saw two other they began to sink.
Him, was Andrew, Simon brothers, Luk 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell
Peter's brother. James the son of down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from
Joh 1:41 He first found his own Zebedee, and me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"
brother Simon, and said to him, John his brother, Luk 5:9 For he and all who were with him
"We have found the Messiah" in the boat with were astonished at the catch of fish which
(which is translated, the Christ). Zebedee their they had taken;
Joh 1:42 And he brought him father, mending Luk 5:10 and so also were James and John,
to Jesus. Now when Jesus their nets. He the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with
looked at him, He said, "You called them, Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be
are Simon the son of Jonah. Mat 4:22 and afraid. From now on you will catch men."
You shall be called immediately they Luk 5:11 So when they had brought their
Cephas" (which is translated, A left the boat and boats to land, they forsook all and followed
Stone). their father, and Him.
followed Him.

Connection
Relationship with God is just like relationship with men because we were made in His image. It
takes Love, Trust and Communication to work out.

How do we build this relationship with God?

RELATIONSHIP is formed out of LOVE, built on TRUST and strengthened by

COMMUNICATION

2 Cor 3:1-6, 14-17

● Paul writes that he does not have to prove himself to the religious leaders
● Paul’s commendation is written in the hearts of the followers that he has been
ministering to
● The religious leaders focused on rites and ceremonies of religion without
understanding their true nature and design.
● We are letters of communication to others
● Written by the spirit in the heart which is relational (v.3)
● As long as we understand but we do not keep in our heart, we would never be true
ambassadors
● The veil is referring to religious spirit (v 14)
● How to identify relationship over religion?
 ● "Love does not claim possession but gives freedom". -Rabindranath Tagore (2 Cor
3:17)

“Religion is a guy in church thinking about fishing. Relationship is a guy

out fishing thinking about God.”

Summary and Conclusion

● God first loves us by sending His Son to die for our sins (John 3:16)
● He established that He trust us with the power of the Spirit and that we should trust
him in all things (Isa 41:10 / Jer 17:7-8)
● He is waiting for us to communicate with Him in order to strengthen our relationship
● What does this have to do with communication? What we do to others equals to
what we do for Christ (Mat 25:40-45)

Challenge
● Is your relationship with God where it should be? Or have you been focusing too
much on the religion. God’s Grace Covers all