A lot of us are disenchanted with religion. There’s so much hypocrisy and abuse and scandal. Our front pages are full of the failings of religious leaders. No wonder so many people are checking out of organized religion even if they still find Jesus compelling.
I think sometimes we forget that Jesus’ harshest words were reserved for the religious elites of His day. In fact, Jesus Himself coined the term “hypocrite” as we now use it to speak of religious disintegration. Prior to Jesus, the term “hypocrite” referred to the mask-wearing actors of the Greek theatre. It was Jesus who applied this term to the religious leaders of His day, calling out those who were play-acting religion and hiding behind their moralistic masks. In fact, Jesus railed against the dangers of religion. He didn’t pull His punches when it came to calling out religious leaders for their abusive leadership. Jesus despised much of what we also disdain in organized religion.
In Luke 11 and 12, Jesus goes after dangerous religion. He takes off the gloves. He holds nothing back. And in doing so, Jesus reveals to us what God desires most. It turns out that God isn’t actually interested in religion after all. He’s always been after a relationship with His children. Jesus is bringing us back home to what it’s all about. If you’re disenchanted with religion, you need to hear what Jesus has to say. I think you’ll find that Jesus is even more upset than you are, and that His call is far more compelling than you imagine.
Remember, you are loved, more than you know!
