Good morning, friends.

Today I want to talk about something that people have wrestled with for centuries: what’s the real difference between having faith in Jesus and just practicing a religion?

It’s a question that cuts right to the heart of what it means to follow Christ. Because let’s be honest—sometimes the rules, the rituals, the traditions of religion can feel like the main thing. But Jesus wasn’t about building a religion. He was about inviting us into a relationship—something alive, honest, and personal.

Let’s break it down.

Religion, at its best, gives us structure. It gives us community, shared stories, rituals that mark the seasons of our lives. There’s value in that. But religion can also become… well, routine. A checklist. A way of fitting in. Sometimes even a mask we wear to look good for others. We go through the motions—say the prayers, stand and sit at the right times, keep up appearances—without ever letting it sink in, without ever really meeting God in the middle of it all.

But faith? Faith is something deeper. Faith is what happens when the story of Jesus moves from our heads to our hearts. It’s trusting that Jesus is who He says He is—and that He loves us, personally and unconditionally. It’s about letting His words and His life shape the way we live, not just on Sundays, but every single day.

Think about the people Jesus spent time with. It wasn’t the “religious professionals” who got it first. In fact, some of the most religious people of His day—the Pharisees, the teachers of the law—were the ones who missed the point. They knew all the rules, but they didn’t recognize God standing right in front of them. They were so busy guarding their traditions that they couldn’t see the new thing God was doing.

Meanwhile, it was the outsiders, the doubters, the seekers—the ones with messy lives—who were drawn to Jesus. Why? Because He offered something more than just another set of rules. He offered grace. He offered friendship. He offered hope.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Notice He doesn’t say, “I’ll show you the rules to follow,” or “Here’s the religion you must practice.” He says, “Come to me.” It’s about a person, not a system.

Now, I’m not saying religion is bad. Far from it. The church—the body of Christ—is a gift. Traditions can anchor us. Community can strengthen us. But if we confuse the structure for the substance, we miss the point. It’s like mistaking the map for the journey, or the recipe for the meal.

There’s a story in Mark’s Gospel about a woman who had been suffering for years—twelve years, in fact—with an illness that left her isolated and desperate. She’d tried everything, gone to every doctor, followed all the rituals, but nothing worked. Then she heard about Jesus. And in a crowded street, she quietly reached out and touched the hem of His robe.

Immediately, she was healed. Jesus noticed. He turned, and asked, “Who touched me?” In that moment, it wasn’t about rules. It wasn’t about religion. It was about faith—a personal, risky, hopeful act. Jesus looked at her and said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

That’s what Jesus is looking for. Not perfect attendance, not flawless theology, not a spotless religious record. He’s looking for people who are willing to reach out, honestly and imperfectly, and say, “I need you.”

Religion often says, “Earn your way to God.” Faith says, “Jesus came to meet you where you are.”

Religion can become about appearances—about having it all together, looking holy, checking every box. Faith is about authenticity—it’s about coming to God with your doubts, your fears, your failures, and trusting that He loves you still.

Sometimes people ask, “Do I have to do all the right things to be close to God?” The answer is: You can’t work your way into God’s heart. You’re already there. Jesus broke down every barrier, tore the curtain in two, so that nothing could separate us from His love.

So, how do we live this out? How do we move from religion to real faith?

It starts with honesty. Be real with God. Tell Him what you’re feeling—your questions, your doubts, your hopes. Read the stories of Jesus, not as distant history, but as an invitation to relationship. Pray, not just with fancy words, but with your whole heart. And let your faith show up in the way you love people around you.

James writes, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” In other words, real faith always spills over into love, into action, into compassion.

Friends, Jesus didn’t come to start another religion. He came to offer us life—life to the full. He invites us to know Him, to trust Him, to walk with Him, every single day.

If you’ve been burned by religion, or if you feel like you don’t measure up, hear this: Jesus isn’t asking you to jump through hoops. He’s asking you to come, just as you are.

So let’s not settle for surface-level faith. Let’s reach out, like that woman in the crowd. Let’s trust that Jesus is enough.

Let’s pray.

God, thank you for loving us beyond our routines and rituals. Help us to know you, not just know about you. Give us honest faith—faith that trusts, that risks, that loves. Lead us deeper into relationship with you, and let that relationship change everything. Amen.