Religion vs. Relationship

READ

When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, there was a group of elite religious leaders who were really good at practicing the law and outward religion, but who were consistently baffled or angered by Jesus' teaching. These leaders were called Pharisees, and they excelled at performing religious rituals — yet they lacked a real relationship with the one true God.

Much of what we've read in the Sermon on the Mount stands in direct opposition to what the Pharisees taught, and today's passage continues that pattern.

Take a moment to read Matthew 6:1–8:

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

REFLECT

One thing I love about this passage is that it assumes God's people — or even those merely pretending to be religious — are already engaged in specific practices that set them apart from the world. It doesn't say, "If you give to the poor..." or "If you pray..." No — doing good, living righteously, and practicing spiritual disciplines like prayer are assumed for anyone following Jesus.

What isn't as obvious, though, is our motive.

This passage reveals the difference between people who use religion as a performance and people who practice it in order to have a relationship with the one true God. You and I may not always be able to spot someone's motive, but our heavenly Father can.

So in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount — while Jesus is describing what His kingdom looks like and what His people should look like — He pauses to make a powerful point: religion is empty without a relationship with Christ.

That's just as true for us today.

The Pharisees — and much of our world — practice righteousness and good deeds so that others will notice and think highly of them. Followers of Jesus, by contrast, practice righteousness so that others will see Jesus and think highly of Him.

The Pharisees prayed loudly and eloquently because they loved the sound of their own voice and wanted to impress others. Followers of Jesus pray in secret, trusting that their words connect them to a good Father who already knows their needs.

The world tells us to build a platform, become an influencer, and chase fame at every opportunity. Followers of Christ, instead, don't chase influence — they prioritize making Christ and His kingdom known rather than building their own small kingdoms.

This is what Jesus is telling us in these verses: the world is full of people striving to appear good and religious, but God isn't interested in the appearance of obedience. He wants the real thing, and He requires full surrender, because He's after our hearts. He isn't interested in performative religious rituals — He desires a true and meaningful relationship with us.

Empty religion makes us feel good temporarily while we chase others' approval. But a relationship with almighty God transforms those same religious practices into something that furthers His kingdom. And when we finally come to the end of ourselves and choose to walk with Jesus instead of the world's ways, we find freedom in Him — freedom from chasing approval, freedom from constantly proving our worth, and freedom to rest in Him.

Later, in Matthew 11, Scripture tells us that Jesus invites the exhausted, the weary, and the burdened to come to Him. In Him alone, they'll find freedom and rest, because His "yoke is easy and his burden is light" (11:30). The ways of the world leave us exhausted, always chasing an ever-moving target of approval. But the ways of Jesus and His kingdom transform our hearts, leading to freedom, rest, and abundant life.

RESPOND

Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you've read.

• In what ways do you find your worth in others' approval?

• Do any of your religious practices or disciplines feel performative? How can you reorient them to focus more on your relationship with Jesus?

REST

Take a moment to rest in God's presence, and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading. Then close your devotional experience with this prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for coming to this earth, living a perfect life, and showing us exactly what it looks like to be children of God. Thank You for telling us how Your kingdom is different from the world's. God, help me be more concerned with having a relationship with You than with performing and doing things for You. God, help me find rest in You, and You alone. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Port City writer Brittany Salmon wrote today’s devotional.