Episode 106

I Kinda Believe

Sunday, September 28, 202548 min

Join Pastor Greg as he begins his series titled "I'm Kinda Christian".

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Devotionals from This Message

Five short reflections drawn from this message — Monday through Friday.

Daily devotion

Covenant, Not Contract

Tuesday

"I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity." - Jonah 4:2

Contracts and covenants might seem similar, but they operate on fundamentally different principles. A contract is conditional—I'll do this if you do that. It's built on mistrust and enforced by law. We often approach God with this mindset, believing if we're good enough, He'll bless us accordingly.

But God doesn't offer us a contract. He offers a covenant—an agreement built on relationship, sustained by love, and established by Him before we ever agreed to it. In the story of Jonah, we see someone who understood God's character but struggled with His covenant nature. Jonah knew God was "gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love," yet he wanted God to operate on contractual terms with the Ninevites—punishing them for their sins rather than extending mercy.

In our own lives, we might find ourselves thinking like Jonah. We want God's grace for ourselves but justice for others. Or we expect God to bless us because we've been faithful, forgetting that His blessings flow from His character, not our performance.

Today, consider the difference between approaching God through a contract versus a covenant. One is about what you can get; the other is about who you can know. One is conditional; the other is committed. One is transactional; the other is transformational.

Where a contract is built on mistrust, a covenant is built on relationship. A contract gets enforced by law. A covenant gets sustained by love.

Reflect: How might your relationship with God change if you fully embraced the covenant nature of faith rather than viewing it as a contractual arrangement?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for establishing a covenant with me based on Your love, not my performance. Help me to understand the depth of this relationship and to stop trying to earn what You freely give. May I love You for who You are, not just what You do. Amen.

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Episode 108Sep 21, 202544 min

I'm Kinda Prioritized

Message summary

Many Christians today practice a transactional faith, treating God like a vending machine where they expect specific returns for their religious activities. This mindset distorts our relationship with God, making us feel entitled to His blessings. True faith is based on covenant, not contract - sustained by love rather than obligation. Like King David, we should seek God for who He is, not what He can do for us. As we mature in faith, we move from merely wanting God's blessings to desiring God Himself, allowing our hearts to align with His will.

From Transactional to Relational Faith: Moving Beyond "Kind of Christian"

Many of us identify as Christians without truly following Jesus. There's a significant difference between simply believing in Jesus and actively following Him. This "kind of Christian" mentality often leads to a distorted belief in God that affects many in the modern church.

Do We Treat God Like a Vending Machine?

Think about how we react when a vending machine takes our money but doesn't deliver our snack. We shake it, hit it, and feel robbed and justified in our anger. Similarly, many of us treat God like a vending machine in our faith journey. We put in our "coins" - church attendance, prayers, Bible reading, tithing - and expect God to deliver exactly what we want in return. When He doesn't answer the way we want or respond how we expect, we become upset: "God, I did what I was supposed to do. Now you're supposed to do what I want you to do." This is transactional faith, and it's not what God intended. God wants us to have a relational faith with Him, not a transactional one.

Why Do We Feel God Owes Us Something?

This transactional mindset is one of the enemy's worst lies, causing many to fall away from church. When people think they've done their part but God hasn't kept His end of the deal, they turn their backs on Him. The Bible shows us we're not alone in these feelings: - The Israelites in the wilderness complained they were better off in Egypt (Exodus 16:3) - Jonah complained when God showed mercy to Nineveh (Jonah 4:2) - Martha told Jesus if He had been there, her brother wouldn't have died (John 11) - The older brother in the prodigal son story felt it wasn't fair his wayward brother got a celebration (Luke 15:28) Most of us have been there. We think the more we serve God, the more we should receive preferential treatment. We compare ourselves to others: "They don't serve you like I serve you, God. I'm here three times a month; they only come once. My prayers should be answered first."

Contract vs. Covenant: Understanding the Difference

The danger in this thinking is subtle - it almost feels like real faith. But at its core is the belief that God owes us something. The truth is, God doesn't owe us anything. He paid it all. If anything, we owe Him. True faith isn't based on a contract but on a covenant:

Contract:

- Built around mistrust - Enforced by law - Transactional in nature - Has conditions and time limits - Only works when both parties fulfill obligations

Covenant:

- Built on relationship - Sustained by love - Established by God before we agreed to it - Based on His goodness and love for us - Eternal, not temporary

Marriage: Our Best Example of Covenant

Marriage provides our best earthly example of covenant relationship. Many divorces happen because people treat marriage as a contract (50/50) rather than a covenant. In marriage vows, we promise "for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health" - these aren't contract terms. Contracts are just for the "better" times; when worse happens, contracts end. Covenants endure through all circumstances. A covenant means loving someone for who they are, not what they can do for you. Similarly, our covenant with God means loving Him for who He is, not what He does for us.

David's Example of Covenant Relationship

King David demonstrated this covenant relationship beautifully. In Psalm 63, he writes: "O Lord, you are my God. I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you. My whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water... Your unfailing love is better than life itself... I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night." This reveals an intimate relationship far beyond transactions. David loved God for who He was, not just what He could provide.

How Can I Know If My Faith Is Transactional?

Ask yourself these questions: 1. Do I follow God because of what He does for me or because of who He is? 2. Do I still trust God when He doesn't answer my prayer the way I want, or do I feel betrayed? 3. Do I serve God because I love Him or because I'm hoping for something in return? Many of us came to God initially because we wanted something - we were in a bad situation and needed help. But mature faith moves beyond this starting point.

Life Application

Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). Notice the order: seek Him first, then the other things follow. When we truly seek God, something amazing happens - our wants and desires begin to change. The things we thought we needed often don't matter anymore. As we draw closer to Him, our hearts align with His will. This week, challenge yourself to: 1. Examine your prayers - are they primarily requests for things, or expressions of love and desire for God Himself? 2. When you feel disappointed with God, ask yourself if you're viewing Him as a vending machine or as a loving Father. 3. Spend time each day simply seeking God's presence without asking for anything. 4. Reflect on this question daily: "Am I seeking God before anything else today?" Remember, true faith means seeking God earnestly - longing for Him above all else, making Him the object of your affection, and loving Him for who He is, not just what He does.

Summary

Pastor addresses the concept of being 'kind of Christian' - those who claim Christianity without truly following Jesus. This sermon focuses on the danger of having a 'transactional faith' where people treat God like a vending machine, expecting Him to deliver specific outcomes in exchange for prayers, church attendance, or tithing. The pastor contrasts this with 'relational faith,' explaining that we have a covenant with God based on love, not a contract based on transactions.

Using examples from scripture including the Israelites in the wilderness, Jonah, Martha, and the prodigal son's brother, the pastor illustrates how people throughout the Bible struggled with this same mentality of feeling God owed them something. He emphasizes that true faith is about loving God for who He is, not what He does for us, comparing our covenant with God to marriage - built on relationship rather than transaction. The sermon concludes with a call to 'seek first the kingdom of God' rather than seeking what we can get from Him.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, as we gather today to discuss our relationship with You, open our hearts to examine the nature of our faith. Help us recognize if we've been treating our relationship with You as a transaction rather than the loving covenant You intended. Guide our conversation today, Lord, and reveal to each of us the areas where we might be holding back from fully trusting You. May Your Spirit lead us to a deeper, more authentic relationship with You that goes beyond what You can do for us to truly loving who You are. In Jesus' name, amen.

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I Kinda Believe

Transcript

Devotionals from This Message

Covenant, Not Contract

Continue listening

Who He Is

I'm Kinda Prioritized

Message summary

From Transactional to Relational Faith: Moving Beyond "Kind of Christian"

Do We Treat God Like a Vending Machine?

Why Do We Feel God Owes Us Something?

Contract vs. Covenant: Understanding the Difference

Contract:

Covenant:

Marriage: Our Best Example of Covenant

David's Example of Covenant Relationship

How Can I Know If My Faith Is Transactional?

Life Application

Group Discussion Guide

Summary

Intro Prayer

Ice Breaker

Key Verses

Questions

Life Application

Key Takeaways

Ending Prayer