The Christian Religion is Spiritual 5/4/41
Scripture: Luke 18: 18-22; Luke 22: 39-46; James 1: 17-27.
Text: (read); John 4: 24; “God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
Religion is universal. Every people, great or small; primitive or advanced; brown, red, white, yellow, or black; adheres to some form of religion. Even the Russians, atheistic though they are officially supposed to be, have a fervor concerning their communistic doctrines and practices that seems religious.
There are almost as many religious expressions as there are tribes and nations. And each major religious group has its minor differences and divisions, sects. There is no lack of religions in the world. If there is any lack in the realm of religion (and I believe that there is a great and wide-spread lack) it is in effective, intelligent, righteous religious belief and practice. We know a great deal about religion as an anchor chain, holding us in restraint and tying us up in comparative safety. What we need is religion as a sail, setting us into the wind, freeing us and moving us through living waves.
What does religion mean to people?
I. Religion is, to some people, a means of gaining advantage. Many, many are the prayers that have been said for rain, or for clear and calm weather because the individual or group wanted it, for escape from the penalties of natural or man-made laws which were being broken, for escape from unjust burdens, for ease not deserved, for advantages not earned. Some such prayers seem to be moved by greed, some by fear, some by naiveté, some by indolence. There seems to be some religion about such prayers, but I wonder if you think that it is sufficiently worth-while religion.
Through disagreements about territory, over economic advantage, or concerning national honor and prestige, two nations plunge into war against each other. The people of each nation pray fervently that their cause (always assuming that it is just) may win through the addition of divine blessing to their own efforts. It has been so from the earliest of tribal strife to the colossal World War. It will undoubtedly be true of any nations who may plunge into conflict in the future. But is it right? Is it even reasonable to suppose that a just or loving God can bless those who are in the midst of passionate, hateful combat?
When we take a dispute to a court judge we do not expect any decision of either blessing or condemnation until the case is carefully considered without heat or prejudice. How dare we expect less of God?
Again, suppose that a young man is greatly in love with a talented and lovely girl. She has several suitors. May he rightly pray that this girl’s love, her hand, and her heart, shall be given to him? Is he right in expecting his religion (his relationship to God) to gain this advantage for him? It is exceedingly bold to assume that God favors one of his children more than another.
If I recall rightly, Jesus of Nazareth is reported to have faced such temptation. The possibility of using his great spiritual resources for personal gain - for a lazy man’s dream of getting food instantly from stones, for a vain man’s dream of defying nature’s law of gravity without harm, for a greedy man’s dream of vast wealth for the mere asking - these were terrific temptations to Jesus. I distinctly remember also that it is reported that he resisted and conquered that temptation, and thereby proved himself master of his desires, rather than the slave of those desires.
I do not believe that this temptation to try and use religion for selfish personal advantage left Jesus then, once and for all. He doubtless faced it again during his ministry. He was frequently asked questions, tempting him. I am certain that he struggled with a similar temptation in the garden of Gethsemane where, knowing that he faced unjust capture and death, he actually prayed that “this cup” might pass from him. Then he immediately rose above the temptation when he prayed, “not my will, but thine be done.” I leave it to your judgment, whether or not one who genuinely desires to live in righteousness may ever attempt to use his religion for selfish personal advantage. As for me, I do not think so.
II. Turning now from regarding religion as a possible means of gaining advantage, we may find that, to a great many people, religion is a matter of laws, or rules of conduct, and of ritual. Once more, we find that people may make out a very nice case for this interpretation of religion.
Practically every religion, from the most primitive to the most advanced, has been surrounded with rules and ceremonials - “thou shalt” and especially “thou shalt not.” We may say that it is the usual thing that religious practices become so complex that specialists, or priests, are trained to interpret a particular religion’s laws and lead its ceremonials.
If religion has become a matter mainly of laws and ceremony to a man, he is apt to be like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus - intent on saving his soul from trouble by keeping all the laws - the commandments - of his religion, and by faithfully attending and taking part in its rituals.
You will remember, of course, that the Jewish religion of Jesus’ day was built largely around the Ten Commandments of Moses, and that Jesus himself said that he would not take from those Commandments even so much as the dotting of an “i” or the crossing of a “t”. You may remember also that Jesus attended the meetings of the synagogue, worshipped at the temple and observed such Jewish holy days as that of the Passover.
It might seem from all this that religion had always been a matter of law and ceremony and that Jesus gave his sanction to it as such. If so, there is a great element of compulsion in religion. A law compels certain conduct as good, forbids certain conduct as bad, and lays penalties upon those who do not keep the law. This is true of both natural and man-made laws. Ceremony requires certain procedure of the people who take part in it. The whole emphasis in such a conception of religion is upon doing, doing right, and having to do right. It is not seeking advantage, but being compelled.
Such an interpretation and practice of religion is not, however, satisfactory to me. And I believe that it is not genuinely satisfactory to any living soul. It was not satisfactory to the rich young ruler nor to hundreds of his fellow countrymen like him. One may meticulously follow all of the ritual and observe all of the law of any religion and yet still be hungry unto starvation in the soul. Do not misunderstand me. Ritual and law do have their definite place for most people in the practice of religion. But they are not religion itself. They are merely expressions of religion or tools toward its accomplishment. With nothing more, one would be in the same plight as the rich ruler to whom Jesus said, “One thing thou lackest.” And what he lacked was as important to his happiness and usefulness as electricity to a radio set, as gasoline to a motor car, or as steam to a locomotive.
III. The Christian religion is spiritual. And the only vitally important element in it or in any other religion is its spirit. It is the spirit of love, the awareness of God, the spirit of calm and controlled courage, the spirit of alertness to the needs of others who are unable adequately to help themselves, of concern for their outer and inner welfare, the impulse that prompts the generous offer of a cup of cold water to the thirsty, the word of encouragement to the downhearted, the offer of hope to the perplexed, the spirit of confidence in God, in the ultimate triumph of good and the ultimate conquest of evil - in every case it is the spirit that makes all the difference between mere existence and joyous life - between the absence or the quickening presence of real religion.
The patriot who is moved by a Christian spirit will pray, and work, that his nation may be great in goodness, great in providing proper care for its own citizens, great in friendly, helpful cooperation with the peoples of other nations.
The young man with Christian spirit who is in love will pray, and try so to conduct himself, that he may be worthy of the talented and lovely girl whether or not she decides to marry him.
The man or woman, boy or girl, who is faced by hard temptation, if motivated by a Christian spirit, will pray not that a temptation will not be met, nor that it may miraculously disappear, but that he of she may have the character to conquer the temptation and remain the master of self. This does not mean pray with the lips while letting the mind toy with the temptation. It means an effort of the whole body, mind and soul (with divine help) to be the master of one’s life.
The Christian who carries a burden that has grown too heavy will lay it before his God with the prayer “Thy will be done” and know that either the burden will be relieved, or that he will be given strength again to bear it.
The Christian will try to conquer worry as to what life holds in store for him of ease or of hardship, and will go ahead, placing his life confidently and consciously in the care of God.
The one who has truly discovered that the Christian religion is spiritual will not be concerned to seek special selfish advantages, will refuse in his soul to be compelled and driven through life, and will freely and joyously, with positive, voluntary affirmation, walk in the steps of him whom to know is life abundant.
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Dates and places delivered:
Kahului Union Church, March 24, 1935
Puunene Hawaiian Church, March 31, 1935
Huelo Hawaiian Church, April 7, 1935
Wananalua Church, Hana, May 19, 1935
Puunene Japanese Church, June 9, 1935
Makawao Union Church, August 18, 1935
Wailuku Union Church, September 22, 1935
Kahului Union Church, April 26, 1936
First M.E. Church, Huron, SD, June 7, 1936
Pilgrim Church, Honolulu, September 13, 1936 AM
Wisconsin Rapids, May 4, 1941