The sun was warm on the hillside as Jesus sat down among the people. They gathered close as children sat resting at their mothers’ feet, fishermen still smelling of the sea, and travelers dusty from the road. His voice was calm, yet full of strength. He spoke about love, kindness, and forgiveness. He taught that even the smallest act of mercy mattered in the eyes of God. The crowd grew silent, hanging on every word. When He finished, there was no applause, only peace. Hearts that had arrived burdened felt lighter, and as the people walked away, they carried His words with them. Jesus had just spoken truths that would echo long after the day was done.

Years later, I sat in a church pew on a Sunday morning, listening to a preacher speak with fire in his voice about Jesus the Conqueror, the warrior king who would return to crush His enemies. The pastor seemed almost enthralled by the image, his words soaked in victory and vengeance. To him, Jesus was not the gentle teacher from the hillside but a commander coming to destroy all who dared to disagree or fall short. The message was clear: believe as he believed, or be counted among the conquered. By the end, hearts were racing, not comforted. When I stepped outside into the sunlight, I thought of Jesus on that hillside long ago, where He spoke about the meek inheriting the earth, the merciful being shown mercy, the peacemakers being called children of God. Jesus taught about grace, He was gentle and love was enough. Somewhere along the way, the message of Jesus had changed…

I was always taught that religion was about rules, appearances, and obedience to authority. The underlying message was that God was always watching, ready to punish the slightest mistake. Only later did I begin to notice that this version of religion often clashed with the words and actions of Jesus Himself. When we look at the Gospels, it becomes clear that Jesus consistently reframed religion away from fear and control, and instead pointed toward love, mercy, and relationship.

When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus didn’t give a list of rules. Instead, He said that everything hangs on two simple but profound truths: love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37–40)For Jesus, love was not just one command among many, it was the foundation of the entire faith. This stands in sharp contrast to the endless restrictions and expectations imposed in high-control religious environments. It can be challenging to find the message of loving your neighbor in sermons that focus heavily on judgment or exclusion.

Jesus also challenged the idea that religious rituals or sacrifices were what pleased God. Quoting the prophet Hosea, He declared, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13). In saying this, He revealed that what God values most is compassion, kindness, and mercy toward others, not outward displays of piety.

Far from burdening people with more rules, Jesus offered freedom and rest. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28–30). While the Pharisees loaded people down with guilt and impossible standards, Jesus offered a lighter yoke. His way was about relief and grace, not fear or exhaustion.

He also condemned religious hypocrisy. In Matthew 23, He confronted the Pharisees, saying they cleaned the outside of the cup while leaving the inside filthy. This metaphor highlighted His insistence on authenticity. Religion, according to Jesus, was not about appearances but about genuine transformation of the heart.

Even more radically, Jesus welcomed those the religious elite despised: tax collectors, women, Samaritans, and sinners. By sitting at their tables and treating them with dignity, He demonstrated that God’s kingdom is wide open to the marginalized, not reserved for those who appear righteous.If He were hear today He would be welcoming those the religious elite despised: the immigrants and those in the LGBTQ+.

Finally, Jesus framed faith as relationship, not servitude. In John 15:15, He told His disciples, “I no longer call you servants… instead, I have called you friends.” That shift from master-servant language to friendship reveals the heart of His teaching: God does not demand fearful obedience but desires loving relationship.

Taken together, these teachings show that Jesus did not create a religion of rules, guilt, and control. Instead, He invited people into a life marked by love, mercy, peace, and freedom. True religion, as Jesus taught it, is not about endlessly striving to prove ourselves worthy, it is about living in relationship with God and extending compassion to others.

For someone raised in an environment where control was called obedience and shame was disguised as holiness, this realization is both freeing and healing. The Jesus of the Gospels does not bind people in fear; He sets them free in love.

So if you find yourself sitting in a pew today, listening to a sermon heavy with hellfire and fear, maybe take a moment to remember that hillside, to the Jesus who chose compassion over conquest, and peace over power. Faith was never meant to sound like a battle cry, but like the quiet voice that says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”