What Does Religion Mean To You? - Frank Brancato 8/7/05

We're certainly very grateful for the presence of each and

every one that's come to be with us this morning as we've

endeavored to come here at this place, one more time and have a

wonderful privilege. And that is worshiping God in

spirit. And in truth, appreciate very

much especially our visitors. We have a number of visitors

Among Us from the community and we want you to feel as you are

and that is as our honored guest today, Certainly hope pray and

trust that what we have to consider in.

This morning's lesson will be helpful to you in some way as we

Endeavor to try to do those things that are right.

According to God's word, I want to invite your attention.

Now to the Book of John, the 9th chapter and we want to begin

reading there in verse number 24, John chapter 9 beginning in

John 9 · chapter mention

verse 24. Then again, called they the man

that was blind and said unto him.

Give God the praise. We know that this man is a

sinner he answered and said, whether he be a sinner or.

No, I know not one thing I know that whereas, I was blind.

Now, I see then said they to him again.

What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes?

And, and he answered them, I told you Already.

And you did not hear where for would you hear it again?

Would you also be his disciples then they reviled him and said,

Thou Art his disciple. But we are Moses's disciples.

We know that God spoke unto Moses.

As for this fellow, we know not from whence.

He is the man answered and said unto them.

Why here in is a marvelous thing that, you know, not from whence

he is and yet he hath, He opened my knives now we know that.

God heareth not Sinners. But if any man be a worshiper of

God and doeth His will him he heareth since the world began

was it not heard that. Any man opened the eyes of one

that was born. Blind.

If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

They answered and said unto him thou Wast altogether born in

sins and Dost thou teach us and they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found

him he said unto him Dost thou believe on the Son of God he

answered and said who is he? Lord that I might believe on him

and Jesus said unto him thou Hast both seen him and it is he

that talketh with thee and he said, Lord I believe and he

worshiped him barring any mistakes on my part reads that

passage of scripture as Found in the Book of John, the ninth

chapter very interesting verses of scripture, as we find and we

want to discuss as the basis for our sermon this morning.

As Jesus would heal a man, that was born blind and he did so on

the Sabbath day, I want to ask you a question though, because

this is something that happened in this man's life.

I want you to know, and I want us all to recognize as we study

this little story as found in these Verses of scripture that

this man's life was changed completely by Jesus.

So, I ask you one question and this will be the topic that will

consider and that is, simply what does religion mean to you?

I think that's a very timely question.

I think it's one that if we went out into the world and ask folks

on the street corners, if we would ask all those Christian

professing folks in the world, if we would go out and talk to

people that are in the world and ask them the Ian.

What does religion mean to you? I would imagine we have all

manner of answers but what does the bible?

Teach on the subject, it is the profession or practice of

religious beliefs, it is also the service or practice that

stems from conviction in something.

Now, religion as we examine that topic today, we must understand

that religion may be, right? Or it may be Maybe wrong, it can

be sincere and it can be insincere.

It can be true or it can be false.

It can be full and rewarding or it can be vain.

But, you know, as we discussed the this topic and we discussed

the things that Jesus had done with this blind, man.

We also discussed that often times.

Jesus had to speak against the religious Elite of the day.

You remember that there were many, that would try to

discredit the things that Jesus had done.

Especially those living under the Old Law of Moses, those

Jews. You remember those Pharisees?

Those scribes those Individuals that were considered.

Like, I mentioned just a moment ago, the very religious Elite of

the day. But what did Jesus say?

You remember, in the 15th chapter of the Book of Matthew

and beginning. In verse number 7, we have to

understand. Jesus was speaking to religious

people and he said this, he said you Hypocrites.

Well did Isaiah prophesy of you saying this people draweth nigh

unto me with their mouth? Mouth and honoureth me with

their lips but their heart is far from me.

But, in vain, they do worship me teaching for doctrines, the

Commandments of men. You also remember in the Book of

James, the first chapter and beginning there in verse number

26, which says, if any man among you seem to be religious and

bridle, if not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this

man's religion is vain Vane pure religion and undefiled before

God, and the father is this to visit the fatherless and the

widows in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from

the world. And so, the real test of a man's

Religion. Today is ask yourself the

question. What difference does it make?

You know, I think your folks would answer the question of

what religion means to them, by way of the context.

Asking the question to themself, what difference has it made in

my life? I would say that that person

could have a pretty good understanding if the religion

that they are a part of is adequate or not.

I'll just say this that if a person decides that they're

going to follow Jesus, if a person makes the determination

in their life, that they're going to obey, what the Lord has

instructed in his word and be a Christian and be a disciple,

which is simply a follower of Jesus, if a person will do that,

there are great blessings, that that person has, that is far

different from all of the things that are offered in the world.

I want to notice some examples with you now though of some

people that were truly Changed by their religion.

You remember, just a moment ago, we read in the ninth chapter of

the Book of John, that this was a man that was born, blind.

And as he was born blind, we find that on a particular

occasion. Jesus Christ is going to heal

this man, but Jesus chose to do so, on the Sabbath day, now we

know that Jesus. Living as a Jew under the law of

Moses at that time. And we understand that those

that lived under the law of Moses were commanded to keep the

Sabbath and keep it. Holy, we also understand that

they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that there would be no

servile work. That there be nothing that they

would do. That would exceed, what was

given them to do or permitted for them to do on that day of

rest? But Jesus chose this occasion to

heal a man. That was born blind.

You know, Jesus did this on a number of occasions, you

remember, and the reasons for that is Jesus teach a lesson for

all of those Pharisees, by pointing out there very

hypocrisy because of their heart.

You remember on one occasion that there was one of these

Chief Pharisees invited Jesus over to have a meal on the

Sabbath day. Now we understand by way of the

context of that story that these people there, that day, those

Pharisees, those Jews on the Sabbath day were not extending

an invitation to Jesus because they liked him or they respected

him greatly. In fact, we find that by the

time Jesus gets to that house to have that meal on the Sabbath

day. There was a visitor present.

There was a man that was afflicted with the dropsy.

You know what they wanted to do? They wanted to find out what

Jesus would do if Jesus says absolutely nothing on that

occasion and goes in and heels this man.

They could say he's a sinner because he healed the man on the

Sabbath day. If Jesus goes to the very same

location and says nothing and does nothing for this man, they

can discredit him for whom he was saying that he was not a

loving or a cat. Caring person at all.

If he had the ability to truly heal this man on many occasions,

there were those Jews that were trying to discredit Jesus

Christ. But on this occasion, he heals

this man. And these individuals say this

about Jesus they said he is a sinner because he had done this

on the Sabbath day and you remember that they got this

fella aside. However old he was all we Eno is

because of what his parents said, he was old enough to stand

on his own two feet, and he was old enough to speak exactly.

And give the testimony of what happened where Jesus healed him.

And so here come the Jews, here come all the religious Elite and

they stand before this man, that was born blind.

And they said, what did Jesus do to you?

In fact, they said this. He's a sinner.

I think it's very interesting though.

How this man responds to the accusation that Jesus was a

sinner. He says this whether he's a

sinner or whether he is not, I did not know this man prior to

this occurrence, but whether he's a sinner or whether he is

not, I don't know. But all I know is I was born

blind. And now I see and then they said

well, tell us again. Tell us again, just exactly what

Jesus did. How did he heal you?

And he said I've already told you But then he asked him this

question. If I tell you again, will you be

his disciple to do this infuriated those Jews that day?

They were infuriated and they said No.

In fact if you want to be his disciple if you want to follow

Jesus. That's up to you.

That's your business. We follow after Moses, we are

the Disciples of Moses and then he says this he's they said to

this man that was born blind, that no longer is they said we

follow Moses. Because we know that God truly

spoke to him. This other man called Jesus, we

don't know where he came from and we don't know that God has

ever spoke to him, but notice what this man says in response.

He says, have you ever known a man that was born blind and had

anyone in the entire world have a record or an account?

Where any individual was able to do what Jesus did to me?

Me. A man that was born blind. and

could now see, You know in response to those things that

this man said I would imagine as they were searching for answers

and as they were getting madder by the moment they said you know

you are a man that was born a sinner, very interesting that

phraseology because that phrase right there is not found in

God's word. He said you were a man that was

born a sinner and now you are sitting in Over us very

interesting because as we examine God's word, we find that

a person is not born a sinner. They said this man was born a

sinner because he was blind, but I'll just say this as we know

today that people are born into this world.

They are born innocent. They are born pure as we noticed

last weekend in our gospel meeting.

We discussed this very briefly one time.

In Matthew chapter 18, the way that Jesus looks at or Views,

Matthew 18 · chapter mention

Little Children, and G, and Jesus would say, you remember,

he said, permit little children to come to me and forbid them.

Not for of such is the kingdom of God.

If we look around our audience this morning, we see these

little kids, we see these little children, I want you to know

something, these little children are precious in the eyes of

Jesus. In fact, Jesus said for one to

be saved, he must become as the innocent child, he is Born Again

by water and the spirit, when he rises from the watery grave of

baptism, he is a new creature and therefore he is a Christian.

He is a babe in Christ. Jesus Said, little children have

no sin. Well, this man was told that he

was a sinner and they cast him out.

And Jesus went and found this man and he says, as he found

him. He says, do you believe on the

Son of God, he answered and said, who is he?

Lord that I should believe. And Jesus said it is the one

that made. You see.

And the one that you now talk to and the man answered and said,

Lord, I believe and he He worshipped him.

The entire point that I want to make about that story.

Is this man was never the same ever again.

His entire life was different, his sense of values had now

changed. This was a man that was going to

follow diligently and search after and follow Jesus, the

Christ, the one who healed him. I want to notice a couple

examples also is found in some of the conversions stories in

the in the New Testament where individuals were actually

religious, but there was something wrong or inadequate

with their religion and so they came to the crossroads of

understanding that a change needed to be made.

And so they did. Let me just say this just being

religious is not enough religion.

Must be adequate. It must be able to change us.

It must be able to off alter us. It gives us a new Direction and

sense of direction as we live our life.

Everything is changed. I won't go into all of the

details of these conversion stories, but I'll mention them

rather briefly as we know a very familiar, one as found in Acts

the eighth chapter, you remember this?

And I say that I've used this as an example because there was a

man that was I was traveling a very, very long and far distance

from Jerusalem from worshipping under the Old Law.

Also understand this, this Ethiopian eunuch was writing in

The Chariot and before him was God's word.

So he was reading from God's word and we find later he was

reading from the prophet Isaiah. This was a man that was

diligently searching after something that was better.

Something that was Meaningful. Something that was different.

He was searching after exactly what it would be.

That God would have him to do. But the only thing he knew was

that which was under the Old Law, He's traveling in this

Chariot reading from the prophet Isaiah.

And what he's reading is a very simple basic passage of

scripture that speaks of the prophecy, the prophetic account

of Jesus, and how he would suffer for the world.

He didn't know what he was reading and we find that there

was a preacher that joined him there that day, there was an

evangelist in his name was Philip and Philip joins him

there. He hears this man reading from

the prophet Isaiah and he asks him the question Do you

understand what you're reading? You remember that?

He said and response to that. He says how can I unless some

man should guide me and the Bible says that he asks a

question, he said of whom speak at the Prophet this of himself

or of some other man. The Bible says that Philip began

to that same scripture and he preached unto him, Jesus.

And then he preached unto him all the things.

That a person needs to know in order to obey the Lord and have

their sins washed away as they came to a body of water.

He said, see, here is water, what doth hinder me to be

baptized. He said, if thou believest with

all thine heart, thou mayest, he said, I believe that Jesus

Christ is the Son of God and Philip commanded the Chariot to

stand still. And they went down into the

water, both Philip, and the eunuch, and he baptized him

saying all that. He was a religious man.

He just got through worshiping in Jerusalem.

He went to Great pains to do. So, he traveled a very long

distance. He was diligently seeking after

what was found in God's word, though.

He did not understand. He was reading it diligently.

He was reading it aloud for the world to hear.

This was a man that was not concerned if somebody looked at

him and realized he was a religious man.

Oh, he was not ashamed. But the religion that he

practiced was inadequate and Phillip preaches unto him.

Jesus, he takes him into the body of water.

That was there that they passed by, and they took him down in

there and baptized him for the remission of his sins.

And then he went on his way rejoicing, his life was changed.

We can look at all of those that were converted on the acts.

The second chapter on the day of Pentecost, when the church was

established. I'll just say this though.

We're religious man. How do I know that in the

beginning part of Acts chapter 2?

Acts 2 · chapter mention

It says that there were Jews devout men.

Jews devout men, out of every nation under Heaven, were

present there that day. They were coming together on a

religious holiday. If you will, the day of

Pentecost, they were observing a religious day devout men out of

every nation under heaven. But, you know, on that day they

found that the religion that they were practicing at one time

was adequate. But now it, It no longer is and

for the very first time, they were able to hear sermon about

repentance and remission of sins.

They were going to hear something that they could

finally for the very first time in their life, have all of their

sins washed away. And that gospel sermon was

preached there on that day. So long ago, the very first one

and it convicted their hearts It convicted them and it convinced

them that they needed to make a change.

They recognize their religion was inadequate.

And they said in verse number, 36 you remember, as the sermon

was being preached, it said let all the house of Israel, know,

assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have

crucified both Lord and Christ. How must have been on that day

to hear such words like that, you want to talk about direct

preaching and being very direct. How about a sermon that was such

that those Jews that rejected, Jesus had to stand there and

hear this sermon and hear that the one that you rejected, the

one that you turned your back on the one that you wanted

crucified. He was the Messiah and God made

him Lord and Christ in verse number, 37 of Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

It says, when they I heard this, they were pricked in their heart

and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and

Brethren. What shall we do?

They needed an answer for their souls inquiry, for they.

Now knew their religion of the past was not adequate.

Here's the answer. Then Peter said unto them.

In verse 38 repent and be baptized every one of you.

In the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye

shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

We know that the Bible says that on that day, 3,000 were baptized

3000 prior to this time, devout Jews were baptized into Jesus

Christ. For the remission of sins and

notice verse, 47 praising God, God and having favor with all

the people, they praise God and they rejoiced that now they are

a part of something that is Meaningful and adequate.

Oh many examples we can look at we can look at the life of the

Apostle Paul and find out. He how he was changed in his

life. He was changed to the point that

he was willing to die for his faith in Acts chapter 21 and

Acts 21 · chapter mention

verse 13. Paul said what mean ye to weep

and to break Mine Heart for I am ready not to be bound only but

also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord.

Jesus. A man who gave up everything to

follow. Jesus.

Let me ask you two questions. Now, number one, what does

religion mean to you? And number two, has it made a

difference in your life? Being in a religion needs to be

able to be something that changes Us.

Number one. It ought to mean purity of Life.

The Christians life must be pure in Titus Chapter 2.

Titus 2 · chapter mention

Beginning in verse 11, the Bible says for the grace of God that

bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that

denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.

We should live soberly righteously and godly in This

present world looking for that blessed, hope and the Glorious

appearing of the great God. And our Savior Jesus Christ who

gave himself for us. That he might redeem us from all

iniquity and purify unto himself, a peculiar people

zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort

and rebuke with all authority. Let no man, despise thee, but

purity of Life Begins. With purity of heart.

I know we spend a lot of time talking about the heart.

Jesus. Did that very thing if a man's

heart is not right? There's nothing that's going to

be right? If a man's heart is, right?

If a man's heart is what it ought to be.

Then God's word is the Catalyst. God's word is the seed and God's

word is able to change us. Direct us and guide us all the

days of our life. If it is God's word that has

that power for us today but it begins with the heart.

You remember what? Jesus said in Matthew 5 and

verse 8, he said, blessed are the pure in heart for they shall

see God? You know, the question is then

how are our hearts purified? What did Jesus mean?

Did Jesus mean as long as somebody means well in their

life did somebody did Jesus mean that as long as somebody has a

good heart and is meaning? Well and has all the greatest

intentions in the world that they're going to have a pure

heart. According to God's word.

What did Jesus mean? Jesus meant that if a person has

a pure heart he is now a Candidate for following and

obeying. What's found in God's word?

Notice how our hearts purified in the 15th chapter of the book

of Acts, Peter in defending Gentile, Christians to the

Jewish Christians said that God hath put no difference between

the Jews and the Gentiles because they have their hearts

purified by faith. Peter said in First Peter

chapter ER one and verse 22 that the Christian has a purified

Soul when he obeys the truth. You know, that was the same as

the Ethiopian eunuch that we talked about.

This was a man that had a good heart, it was purified by his

faith in obedience to the gospel.

Those in Acts chapter 2, their hearts were good.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Their hearts, were honest, their hearts were right and at least

for those 3000 that were saved, it was those that were purified.

I'd buy their faith that day, those in Acts the 10th chapter,

when the Gentiles were converted for the very first time when

they were saved in the household of Cornelius.

It was because they had a good heart that was purified after

obedience. Oh, many cases, we could.

Look at the Apostle Paul's life. He was a man that lived in all

good conscience. And yet, he persecuted the

church in wasted it from his very lips that he said, Of his

own testimony of his life and yet he was in all good

conscience, meaning he meant well, he thought he was doing

that which was right. His heart was not pure until he

obeyed the gospel. His heart must have been that,

which was right before he was a candidate in the parable of the

sower. We find that all is based on the

heart, we also understand that it is the responsibility of

those of God's people to take the word of God and continue to

soften often the heart of the sinner.

I'll just say this, I believe this with all my heart, I

believe this is exactly what Jesus meant.

Then if a person is searching after the truth, they will find

it. If a person is looking for the

truth and they have a pure heart, they have a good and

honest heart, they will find the truth, Jesus promised that will

happen. I understand.

Also that it is the responsibility of God's people

to take the gospel to the lost because there are people out

there that are At least seeking after and looking for the truth,

if a person wants the truth they will find it but it is up to

Christians. It is up to God's people to take

the gospel to the lost in order that they might be saved.

Secondly religion, ought to give us a sense of direction.

You know, if we look at our life I would imagine we would say

that as we make plans from day to day, we make plans from what

we want to do in a year from now, we make plans or what we

want to do, even way long-term past that sometimes we sit down

as we're young people and we're getting out of high school.

What do we do? Sometimes we meet with a

guidance counselor and we sit there in their office and they

ask us questions about what our interests are and where we want

want to go someday. Why is that?

Because the only way that we're going to achieve our goals in

life is to plot out a course of action that we might plan for

and follow to get there. But if I were to ask, folks

today, what are your plans? Some might say, well, I want to

have good health. I want to have a nice home.

I want to have children. I want to have healthy children.

I want to have a good job. I want to have a great career.

I want Financial Security for my family.

Let me just say this. So, nobody misunderstands.

These are all wonderful things. These are all good things,

they're certainly not anything wrong with anything that I've

just mentioned. My point though, is this when we

sit down And when we examine what we want to make in life,

sometimes we sit down from a financial aspect and we plot out

the course of what we want to make in life.

And we fail to ask ourselves the question.

What do we want to make of our life?

What difference do we want to make?

Do we want to be a Christian? Do we want to be a good example

to those that are in the world? As Jesus said that we should be,

that we aspire to be the salt of the earth, the light of the

world. This is the most important

question now as we examine our life, let me ask you this.

Do you really with all your heart want to go to heaven?

There is no other question. That means anything, if the

answer to that question is wrong, You know, I know that it

is sad but there is a place called hell one day we know that

but we need to Aspire to work toward getting to heaven and

that's where you want to be. And so in all of the plans that

you make for your family, for your children, for yourself in

all of the priorities that you set in your life, ask yourself

the question. Do I want to go to heaven and

then ask am I headed in the wrong direction?

Yes, indeed, it is possible to head in the wrong direction.

In first John, chapter 2, beginning in verse 15, the Bible

1 John 2 · chapter mention

says, love not the world, neither the things that are in

the world. If any man love the world, the

love of the father is not in him for all that's in the world.

The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of

life, it is not of the father, but is of the world and the

world passeth away. And the lusts thereof but he

that doeth the will of God abideth forever, the very best

things in life. Come by following Jesus Christ

with conviction and with purpose, changing us in our life

changing who we are, ask yourself the question.

When we try to decide all that, we want to do what difference

do, I aspire to make In my life. You know, I'll tell you this,

there will come a day. There will come a day.

When people will not remember the money you made, that will

come a day. When people will forget, all of

the things that you did from day to day, in terms of going to

your job, going to work all of your aspirations along those

lines. There will come a day when folks

will not remember that. But they will always remember

what difference that you made in your life if you're a Christian

that's the difference that is greater than any other

difference that you can make in your life.

Thirdly religion ought to make us take away fear and defeat and

give a spirit of Victory. I'll just say this that it is a

common thing and it is A emotion of the flesh.

It is a god-given emotion in that is fear.

We talked about a couple weeks ago about courage, how

Christians need to stand fast and have courage and so on,

that's all true, but courage doesn't happen.

Unless there's fear if I'm not afraid to do anything and I go

down and do those things, it took nothing from me to do so it

didn't take any courage because I wasn't afraid.

What about standing fast and standing firm and standing in my

faith? In the midst of opposition when

I'm afraid, fear is normal fear as found in God's word from

God's people. But I'm going to tell you this

right now though you need not to fear this very important fact

that contrary to all of the old folks down and days gone by as

found, in the Old Testament of all of the Customs where they

believed and they feared that the god that they served, the

god that they Quitely served would sleep every once in a

while, remember that? Remember, when Isaiah, Remember

when Isaiah was standing before those prophets of Baal?

And they couldn't make the rain. They could not make that fire

rain down from there. God, they're inadequate.

God on the altar. They worked himself up into a

frenzy and you remember what Isaiah said?

Elijah said, Elijah says, Talk louder.

Maybe he's asleep. Elijah says, maybe he's on a

journey. Maybe he's talking to somebody.

Remember that? Oh no.

The god that we serve does not sleep, the god that we serve is

our refuge, the god that we serve as a Christian is always

there for us. You know, this sounds like a

paradox, I know. But to become Victorious.

We do so by surrendering. We find in God's word that we

win by giving up. We find also that we live by

dying. And finally, we lose our life

that we might find it. Living the Christian Life,

involves giving up personal Prejudice, self-motivate selfish

motives and so on, and it involves surrendering to the

Lord with all of our heart. All Of our soul, and all of our

body. Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse

Jeremiah 10 · chapter mention

23. The Bible says, oh Lord.

I know that the way of man is not in himself.

It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

You remember, also, in the Book of Proverbs the third chapter in

the fifth verse, which says, trust in the Lord, with all

thine heart and lean not on thine, own understanding, Jesus

would say, on the great Sermon on the Mount.

In Matthew, the sixth chapter Her in the 33rd verse he would

say. But seek, ye first, the kingdom

of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be

added unto you. Let me tell you what, the

greatest victory in all the world will be.

I know, that's kind of what we want.

We want to be Victorious and sports whether it's in business,

whether it's in all things that we are able to compete in in

this life, the I object is and the idea is we want to be Prius.

I'm going to tell you there's a victory one day, that's greater

than all the victories in this world combined.

And that is a victory over death.

There's going to come a day when you will no longer stand at the

grave at a newly made grave of a loved one.

There's going to come a day when they'll be no, tears.

They'll be no sickness. They'll be no sorrow.

They'll be no crying. The Bible says, that God shall

wipe away all tears from their eyes.

One day that is a wonderful blessing but we must live the

Christian Life here. In order that we might have

those conditional blessings that are found that God gives us

First Corinthians chapter 15 beginning in verse, 55 hear the

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

words of the Apostle Paul who said this, O Death, where is thy

sting o, grave. Where is thy Victory?

The Sting of death is sin and the strength of Of sin is the

law, but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through

our Lord. Jesus Christ, and because of

that, promise, the Apostle Paul said in verse 58.

Now he said, therefore, my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast

unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch,

as you know, that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, I'll

tell you something. Sometimes we're not protected by

the things. In this work.

You know, sometimes mean folks do mean things to good people.

People can come and take. What is rightfully yours to

have? They can come in at midnight,

into your home and break in and steal the things that you've

worked hard for in your life. You can have folks that will lie

about you and tell stories about you that aren't true behind your

back. We can have all of those

ramifications that come from that, losing your job, losing

all manner of things, but I'm going to tell you right now.

If you're Christian and you seek after that which is right.

Remember remember what the book of Hebrews says that there's a

rest waiting for whom to conditions?

Number one, the people of God that do what that labor to enter

in to that risk. If you would do that.

There is something coming for you.

That is the greatest blessing of all that.

No man in this life could ever take away.

No one could ever destroy that and that's our final Point

religion needs to mean refuge and security to be in Christ is

to be in that place, you know, in Romans chapter 10.

Romans 10 · chapter mention

And verse number 17, the Bible says, so then Faith cometh by

hearing and hearing by the word of God.

That's how a person is going to come to know exactly.

Ali. What God wants him to know?

God does not have a specific will for you, where he's going

to whisper into your ear, what he wants you to do.

And then over here, he's going to do the same thing for me,

because he has a different will or a different work for me.

Oh, no. God wants the same from me that

he wants from you and that's found in God's word.

And that is to come to Jesus Christ, to be in Jesus, Christ,

and to serve him all the days of our life.

Some of us have different abilities.

Use different strengths, different talents and so on the

point is this it matters, not what your strength is, God wants

you to use that strength and use that talent for his cause?

How do we know what we could do in order that we might be saved

in Christ and have the Refuge and security that I just

mentioned faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

That's how it begins. When one hears, the word of God,

It causes him to do something or to feel something with

relationship to what he has heard.

The Bible says in Romans chapter 10 and verse 10 for with the

Romans 10 · chapter mention

heart, man, believeth unto righteousness, and with the

mouth confession is made unto or up to Salvation.

Jesus said in Luke 13 and 3, I tell you nay.

But except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

These are steps that lead up to Christ.

That's what unto means, but there's only security.

In Christ. There's no security outside of

the body of Christ. Jesus said so long ago and that

great invitation he says, come unto me All ye that labor and

are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for.

I am meek and lowly at heart and you shall find rest unto your

souls. For my yoke is easy.

And my burden is light Galatians 3:27.

Galatians 3:27

Now tells us just exactly how we get into Christ.

He says, for as many of you, as have been baptized into Christ,

have put on Christ. That's how you get in there.

That's how you get into Christ. Where there is security where

there is refuge in the storms of life to be in Christ means to be

in that place. You know, in Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8:1

verses 1 and 2. I don't know why it is.

But a lot of folks, quote, the first part, but fail to quote,

the second part of that verse Paul said there, there's now

there is therefore now no condemnation to them, which are

in Christ. Notice the condition that's

listed right after that. Who walk not after the flesh.

But after the spirit for the law of the spirit of life in Christ

Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Yes, indeed. There are conditions.

There are conditions that one must surrender to Jesus one must

surrender to the gospel. One must obey, the gospel.

One must come to Jesus in the form or fashion that the Bible

pictures that he must do. So that is when one follows

East. Steps and is baptized into the

body of Jesus Christ. In conclusion.

Let me just say this. If Christianity does not change

us, then something is wrong. If Christian professing

religions don't change and make a difference in our life.

Something is wrong. If our religion hasn't pricked

our conscience, our heart, our convictions and changed us.

Then something is wrong. So, I simply asked you.

What does religion mean to you? You know, there's people today

that are very sadly living in a Godless Society.

You know, I thought this was rather interesting.

There was a poem written in 1936.

And what it was doing is it was predicting a sign of the times

and it was predicting, what it was going to be like in the

future. And notice and see how close

this fellow was. He said, first Dentistry was

painless, then bicycles were chainless carriages were

Horseless and many laws enforced lists.

Next cookery was fireless. The telephone was Wireless.

Soon oranges were seedless. The putting green was weedless?

The college boy was hatless, and the proper diet fatless now

motor. Oh, roads are dustless.

The latest steel is restless, our tennis courts are Solace and

very sadly. Our new religions are Godless We

thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the Church of

Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

would like any additional information, or you would like

to receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.

Please email us at info at her Church of Christ

Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays

at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our

honored guest.