Beyond Religious Performance: Jesus's Heart for the Religious
Have you ever found yourself going through the motions of faith? Reading your Bible, attending church, checking off spiritual tasks—yet feeling distant from God? If so, you're not alone. This struggle between religion and relationship is as old as humanity itself.
In a powerful message at Courageous Church, Miranda Coode vulnerably shared her own journey from religious routine to authentic relationship with Jesus. Despite growing up in church and knowing all the right answers, she discovered she had replaced a life-changing relationship with God with a checklist of things to do for Him.
The Nicodemus Moment
The story of Nicodemus in John 3 perfectly illustrates this struggle. Here was a man who had it all together religiously—a respected Pharisee, a teacher of the law, someone who should have known God intimately. Yet he came to Jesus under cover of darkness, asking questions that revealed a hunger for something more.
"Rabbi," Nicodemus said, "we know that God has sent you to teach us." But when Jesus spoke of being "born again," this religious expert was confused. Despite all his knowledge, he was missing the heart of the matter.
Jesus responded not with condemnation but with patience and grace. He explained that entering God's kingdom requires spiritual rebirth—a transformation that goes beyond external religious practices to internal heart change.
Signs of Religious Thinking
How do we recognize when religion has crept into our hearts? Miranda identified several warning signs:
Caring more about appearances than heart motives - We focus on looking spiritual rather than being authentic.
Knowing scripture without living it - We can quote verses but struggle to apply them in daily life.
Minimizing our sin while maximizing others' - We become judgmental rather than humble.
People-pleasing over God-pleasing - We care more about human approval than God's opinion.
These patterns reveal when we've drifted from relationship into performance-based faith.
The Heart of Jesus
What's remarkable about Jesus's interaction with Nicodemus is His approach. While Jesus often confronted religious leaders harshly, with Nicodemus He showed understanding and patience. This reveals Jesus's heart—He came not to condemn but to save.
The conversation with Nicodemus leads directly into John 3:16, one of the most beloved verses in Scripture: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Transformation Is Possible
Nicodemus's story doesn't end with confusion. Later, we see him bringing expensive spices to anoint Jesus's body after the crucifixion—a costly act of devotion that suggests genuine transformation had occurred.
Moving Forward
If you recognize religious patterns in your own life, take heart. Jesus's invitation is the same today: come to Him honestly, admit your need, and allow Him to transform your heart. He wants relationship, not just religious activity.
The goal isn't perfection but authenticity—a genuine encounter with the living God who desires to do life with you, not just receive service from you.