Where Religion Finally Dies

Speaker Ron Dunn shared about a time he took his son and six of his classmates to a carnival for his son’s birthday. Once there he bought a roll of tickets, and each time the group arrived at a new line he would pull off seven tickets and hand them to the kids. When they arrived at the Ferris wheel all of a sudden there was an eighth kid in the group holding out his hand.

Ron said, “Who are you?”

The kid said, “I’m Johnny.”

Ron questioned, “Who are you, Johnny?”

Johnny replied, “I’m your son’s new friend. And he said you would give me a ticket.”

Ron then said, “Do you think I gave him one? Absolutely.” Why would Ron give a ticket to a kid he never met before? The simple reason, because of his son.

In the song “Fields of Grace” Darrel Evans sings, “There’s a place where religion finally dies.” The word “religion” means “to bind.” In its proper sense it can mean to bind us to God; in a negative sense it means to leave people feeling bound to impossible rules, demands and guilt, something Jesus never taught.

Lent and Easter is about the death of religion and the revelation of life. It is about the elimination of religious lists of “do’s” and “don’ts” being replaced by the love and grace of God.

With so many religions, countless people have been left feeling confused and bound, rather than finding freedom to live what the New Testament calls the “life that is really life”.

And while some of the Apostle Paul’s words have been abused in the making of religions, it was Paul who prayed that people would be able to “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:18–19).

Even more incredible is how the Bible describes the scope and broadness of the love of God. Though many people are used to trying to earn approval and acceptance, the love of God is something that is beyond our attempts because it flows from the very nature of God. It is neither earned nor bought, it is simply given.

In fact, the same Paul who is often accused of being legalistic shared the love that we receive from God is, “not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (1 Timothy 6:19).

Stunning isn’t it? Don’t miss the weight of his words. Before time began, before we took our first breath, God’s grace was already given to us. Grace simply means being given something that was not deserved or earned.

The wonder, the awesome picture, the magnificent promise is that Easter is about God’s love, grace and so much more for one simple reason; because we are friends of the Son.