Ritual is not reality.  Reality is experiencing the risen Christ.  Evidence of the risen Christ is new birth, becoming a new creature in Christ, actually experiencing your sin washed away by the blood of Christ.  Effective preaching is evidenced by people being born again.  Baptism doesn’t save.  Confession doesn’t save.  Communion doesn’t save unless you actually experience the Risen Christ.  He is alive.  When you know in reality he is alive you begin to live by faith because it is the gift given by grace in salvation.  It’s a life changing experience.  If there is no change then you have not received it.  The just shall live by faith.  Unless you live by faith you are not born again.

            Ritual is not reality.  Confirmation is not receiving the Holy Spirit if you do not experience the Holy Spirit.  Evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit is receiving one of his gifts.  Some believe you must speak in tongues.  Actually receiving any gift of the Holy Spirit is evidence of the risen Christ.  He told us when he went away he would send the Comforter.  Receiving the Holy Spirit is evidence that he is alive.  It could even be one of his fruit, peace, love, joy, meekness, kindness, goodness, patience, or self-control.

            People who live by faith share their faith.  They want people to know the risen Christ.  If you have gone to church all your life and never have shared your faith you probably have not experienced the risen Christ.  People who live by faith believe in healing and miracles.  They know Jesus is alive and he can do what he has done before.  People who do not believe in healing and miracles have not experienced the risen Christ.

            The sad truth is most churches that we call Christian live by ritual.  It is religion and not reality.  Religion does not save.  The Law does not save.  The risen Christ does.  He is alive and it is the work of the church to manifest not rules, ritual, or tradition but the risen Christ.

Jesus robbed the grave.  He overcame the world, sin sickness, death for you and me, and when he gave us faith in salvation we became world overcomers as well.  This is the victory that has overcome the world the gift of faith.  Unless you have faith you are not born again and you cannot please God because only through Christ do we go to heaven and that is the gift given by grace in salvation.

If you are living in ritual and not reality beware!  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Pray to God for all you’re worth that you experience the risen Christ.  He’s alive and you need to know it. 

Amen