What religion are you?

(Joh 5:8-18) Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured,

It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then

asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a

multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had

done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his

Father, making himself equal with God.

A set of beliefs or creeds that govern a persons life concerning spirituality and the hereafter.

I. Is your religion based on rules?

(Joh 5:8) Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

(Joh 5:9) And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day

was the sabbath.

(Joh 5:10) The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for

thee to carry thy bed.

A. Focused on the rules

instead of the

principles

(Mar 2:24-27) And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never

read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and

they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also

to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for

the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

B. The rules are

man’s way of

regulating spirituality

(Luk 18:9-14) And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that

they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray;

the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with

himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,

adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I

possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that

exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

(Isa 29:13) Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me

is taught by the precept of men:

(Col 2:20-22) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the

world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste

not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments

and doctrines of men?

II. Is your religion based on receiving?

(Joh 5:11-15) He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto

me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which

said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not

who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that

place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou

art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was

Jesus, which had made him whole.

A. The Christian life can’t be based

on what we receive

(Gen 15:1) After these things the word of the

LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not,

Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding

great reward.

(Joh 6:60-66) Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus

knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of

man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth

nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus

knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were

given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked

no more with him.

(Rom 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by

faith.

(Rom 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by

faith.

III. Is your religion based on

a relationship?

(Joh 5:16-18) And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and

sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the

sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh

hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had

broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father,

making himself equal with God.

A. The Christian

life is based on who he is.

(1Co 1:9) God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our

Lord.

(1Jn 1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the

light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his

Son cleanseth us from all sin.

(Mat 7:22-23) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have

cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful

works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew

you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

(Joh 10:4-5) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his

voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him:

for they know not the voice of strangers.

(Joh 10:26-27) But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My

sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: