Attending Church Doesn’t Make One a Christian Anymore Than Going to the Bathroom Makes One a 💩

Rather than coming up with a specific topic to write about, I thought I would share my notes I took this past week when listening to Pastor Robert Furrow’s sermon on John 2:13-25. 

Just a warning, the way I take notes is pretty straightforward without many bells and whistles but it works for me so I tend to just stick with it since it seems like the easiest option.

Overall, this sermon highlights the importance of worshiping God with sincerity and treating others with kindness and love, rather than focusing on material gain or personal agendas.

In this passage, we learn that God hates those who hinder others from worshiping Him. Every so often, people would try to go to the Temple to sacrifice an animal to atone for their sins, and Passover was a particularly popular time to do so. 

God wants the best from our lives and wants us to give with a cheerful heart. Everyone is capable of giving their own personal best – eg. for sacrifices, some could afford a lamb but some could only afford a dove. However, religious leaders would often refuse the sacrifices people brought by saying “they weren’t good enough” and would force people to buy animals they couldn't really afford to sacrifice in the temple instead. Similarly, religious leaders would force people to exchange their Roman money for Shekels which would cost a fee. Religious leaders should be primarily concerned with ministering to God’s people versus getting money and manipulating others to get it.

As a result, Jesus was upset with those who sold doves and turned the Father's house into a market. What makes Jesus upset is the same thing that makes the Father upset. God gets angry when people are mistreated, and we should pray to treat others the way we want God to treat us and love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

If you love God, you should love His people including being compassionate and merciful towards them. It is possible to have different levels of belief in God. For instance, you can believe God exists, but it's another level of belief to turn over your life to God. We need to stop living our lives for ourselves and live for God. 

In other words, going to church doesn’t make you a Christian just like going to the bathroom doesn’t make you a poop. We also need to stop living our lives for ourselves but for God. 

Who are some of your favorite pastors to listen to and what are some of your favorite ways to take notes? Feel free to reply back and share your thoughts!

In the meantime, to help with taking notes, I am offering a FREE sermon note printable!