Guys: Church Stuff Can’t Take the Place of Jesus

For a moment, can I have a candid conversation with Christian men?  (Women, you’re welcome to participate too, but I’d like to discuss something with the Christian guys).

Today’s Christian guy: “I’m doing pretty good.  I….

• Get to church pretty regularly
• Give/tithe
• Try to make sure my kids are in church programs
• Help out here and there.”

Men, these are not bad things!  However, these good things can be deceptive, giving men the impression that this is all God wants.  It’s not. He wants a man’s heart to be passionate for Him, where He is first in all things, and out of that passion for Jesus men are driven to serve him. Check out what Jesus said about priorities here:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Mt. 23:23).

It’s About First Things First

Jesus is telling the religious leaders of his day what their priorities were, and what they were not.  Their priorities were doing and showing their religion to others, whereas the characteristics of justice, mercy, and faithfulness were neglected. Jesus tells them “These you ought to have done (justice, mercy, faithfulness), without neglecting the others (tithing).”

Guys, don’t be duped into thinking that doing church stuff alone is where it’s at.  It’s not.  Growing and cultivating your love and understanding of Jesus is where it’s at (Phil. 3:8).

Doing ‘church stuff’, but not focusing on the more important matter of cultivating your love for Jesus is not a good place to be in, spiritually. Guys, church stuff can’t take the place of Jesus.

It’s similar to the illustration Jesus gave in Luke 18:9-14, where both a Pharisee and tax collector went to pray.  The Pharisee praised himself because he wasn’t like others: extortioners, unjust, adulterers, and tax collectors. And he was doing some pretty good religious things: “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” Yet this man was denounced by Christ. The tax collector, in his humility, couldn’t even look up to heaven when he uttered “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” This man was esteemed by the Lord.  Jesus’ synopsis of this situation: “..everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Guys, if doing church stuff (minus cultivating your walk with him) is what lets you sleep at night, you are exalting yourself and your religious activities.  You are the Pharisee Jesus speaks of. The humble man recognizes my activities can only be an overflow of my humble position driven by my love for Jesus.

Sports Fan? What About Jesus Fan? (not a Jesus juke)

Can I give you an idea of a practical next step?

What if your passion for Jesus looked like your passion for your sports team?  What would that passion for Jesus look like? Imagine you took all the elements of ‘sports-ology’ and did similar things in your passion for Jesus:

• You’d not only wear your sports jersey, but you’d also put on Christ.
• You’d not only talk about your team, but you’d also talk openly about Jesus.
• You’d not only read up on team news, but you’d also be deep in Bible Study.
• You’d not only get excited about game day, but you’d look forward to stuff at the church.
• You’d not only invest in team seats, but you’d also invest in Kingdom work.
• You’d not only encourage the fan base, but you’d also encourage fellow believers.

Passion for Jesus must come first men!  We can do lots of good things but inside we’re starving spiritually. Dethrone your self-worth and cling to the worth that only comes through Christ.  Stop patting yourself on the back for all your religious activity and humbly cry out to Jesus for personal revival.

Guys, church stuff can’t take the place of Jesus. Get help in this process.  Grab another man from your church who is excelling in these areas and talk about some accountability and growth plan.