Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Matthew 11:28 (AMP)
Religion is not the answer. Jesus is.
Chances are you know someone who has been turned off by religion. Ever wonder how to talk to them about Jesus?
I’ve often officiated at funerals or weddings where much of the crowd is unchurched. Because rule-based religion causes people to feel rejected and condemned, when I preach, I’m always sure to highlight two important points.
First, I tell them that God loves them so much that He accepts them where they are, exactly the way they are. He loves us all—as messed up or as wonderful, whichever we think we are.
We don’t need to clean up our lives to attend church or give our lives to Jesus. And that’s a foreign thought for many people. Many assume that Christianity is all about rule-following, so I’m sure to tell people that they can come just as they are to Jesus, because that’s the truth.
The second point I share is that because Jesus loves us so much, He helps us to live the best kind of life.
He wants to help us break any harmful habits we have and help us properly work through the issues affecting our lives. He accepts us as we are, but He loves us way too much to leave us in our struggles! He empowers us to change and grow.
Religion may bring up hurt, condemnation and pain for many—but religion was never meant to save us. I encourage you to lead people to a relationship with Jesus, because His grace is the answer they’re searching for.