Standing in front of Brandenburg Gate of the Berlin Wall on June 2, 1985, President Ronald of the United States said to Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet leader of Russia:
"TEAR DOWN THIS WALL"
The Berlin wall was 28 miles long, dividing East Germany from West Germany. People in the West were free; people in the East were held captive, unable to move freely to the West.
On November 9-11, 1989, the people of free Berlin: TORE DOWN THAT WALL!
After the wall came a-tumb-a-ling down, people ran. They danced in the streets. They were free to move to and fro as West Germany and East Germany became an undivided nation. The wall was gone and no longer a physical barrier.
Today, I am asking you to do something that perhaps you have never considered before. If you are a member of a religious institution, I am asking you to TEAR DOWN THAT WALL!
Just like the people of Germany, you are being held captive, you are not free to move to and fro, and you are not free to go dancing in the streets.
The Great Wall of Religion is manufactured by engineers of deception. For if they knew God, they would not need religion. But because they do not know God, they need religion. So they build substitutes. Oleo is BUTTER. Powdered milk is COW'S milk. Coffee is DECAF. Sanctuaries are AUDITORIUMS. Unholiness looks HOLY. The Holy Bible is a GOOD BOOK. And Jesus is STILL ON THE CROSS.
See? Manufactured by engineers of deception. Just look at all of the amenities they have provided.
Come on in. Carpet floors. Padded pews. Chandiliers. Sparking vessels. Candlelights. And the uniforms of the day have been drycleaned and starched.
Take a program. Read along. Follow the script. If you enjoy the music and singing, APPLAUD. If you enjoy the jokes that tickle your funnybone, LAUGH. LAUGH OUT LOUD. But Shhh! Remember to maintain an air of dignity and not be like that other group across the street.
This: is ENTERTAINMENT. And if you have been thrilled, please leave a generous GRATUITY because tithes are now TIPS.
Ya'll come back, hear?
You are now a bird in a CAGE. A fish in a glass BOWL. A dog on a LEASH. A tiger in a ZOO. For in religion, you are treated as an ANIMAL. You are conditioned to accept the unacceptable. For creation is now EVOLUTION. Creation is now THE BIG BANG.
All of this, dear people, is nothing but stench in the nostrils of Holy God. This is a mockery of Lord God Almighty. A private demonstration of the arrogance of man behind the Great Wall of Religion.
If you are in religion, you are its PRISONER. You have been CAPTURED. You are on a LEASH.
The engineers built this great wall, and sitting atop is (though invisible to human eyes) is the Prince of Darkness. Satan reigns over religion. And all of the people inside are behind closed doors, a place of spiritual darkness. For the Light of Christ is not there, for the engineers have you believing that He is there: for even they are deceived. All of the elements are designed to appeal to your physical senses through your eyes and ears. Designed to help you FEEL good. FEEL better. FEEL relieved. And to FEEL like your sins have been forgiven. But they have not!
Today, dear people, you have two choices: you can choose to remain behind the Great Wall of Religion, or you can come out and come to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will forgive your sin. He will set you free from the enslavement of spiritual bondage. For in Christ, you will be free to walk and free to run.
Remember what happened in Germany when the fall came a-tumb-a-ling down?
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (First Timothy 2: 5-6)
Amen.
"TEAR DOWN THIS WALL"
The Berlin wall was 28 miles long, dividing East Germany from West Germany. People in the West were free; people in the East were held captive, unable to move freely to the West.
On November 9-11, 1989, the people of free Berlin: TORE DOWN THAT WALL!
After the wall came a-tumb-a-ling down, people ran. They danced in the streets. They were free to move to and fro as West Germany and East Germany became an undivided nation. The wall was gone and no longer a physical barrier.
Today, I am asking you to do something that perhaps you have never considered before. If you are a member of a religious institution, I am asking you to TEAR DOWN THAT WALL!
Just like the people of Germany, you are being held captive, you are not free to move to and fro, and you are not free to go dancing in the streets.
The Great Wall of Religion is manufactured by engineers of deception. For if they knew God, they would not need religion. But because they do not know God, they need religion. So they build substitutes. Oleo is BUTTER. Powdered milk is COW'S milk. Coffee is DECAF. Sanctuaries are AUDITORIUMS. Unholiness looks HOLY. The Holy Bible is a GOOD BOOK. And Jesus is STILL ON THE CROSS.
See? Manufactured by engineers of deception. Just look at all of the amenities they have provided.
Come on in. Carpet floors. Padded pews. Chandiliers. Sparking vessels. Candlelights. And the uniforms of the day have been drycleaned and starched.
Take a program. Read along. Follow the script. If you enjoy the music and singing, APPLAUD. If you enjoy the jokes that tickle your funnybone, LAUGH. LAUGH OUT LOUD. But Shhh! Remember to maintain an air of dignity and not be like that other group across the street.
This: is ENTERTAINMENT. And if you have been thrilled, please leave a generous GRATUITY because tithes are now TIPS.
Ya'll come back, hear?
You are now a bird in a CAGE. A fish in a glass BOWL. A dog on a LEASH. A tiger in a ZOO. For in religion, you are treated as an ANIMAL. You are conditioned to accept the unacceptable. For creation is now EVOLUTION. Creation is now THE BIG BANG.
All of this, dear people, is nothing but stench in the nostrils of Holy God. This is a mockery of Lord God Almighty. A private demonstration of the arrogance of man behind the Great Wall of Religion.
If you are in religion, you are its PRISONER. You have been CAPTURED. You are on a LEASH.
The engineers built this great wall, and sitting atop is (though invisible to human eyes) is the Prince of Darkness. Satan reigns over religion. And all of the people inside are behind closed doors, a place of spiritual darkness. For the Light of Christ is not there, for the engineers have you believing that He is there: for even they are deceived. All of the elements are designed to appeal to your physical senses through your eyes and ears. Designed to help you FEEL good. FEEL better. FEEL relieved. And to FEEL like your sins have been forgiven. But they have not!
Today, dear people, you have two choices: you can choose to remain behind the Great Wall of Religion, or you can come out and come to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will forgive your sin. He will set you free from the enslavement of spiritual bondage. For in Christ, you will be free to walk and free to run.
Remember what happened in Germany when the fall came a-tumb-a-ling down?
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (First Timothy 2: 5-6)
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments will not be published openly.