To the Church in Laodicea

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

The Lukewarm Church

What is a Lukewarm Church

Neither hot nor cold

The waters of Colossae and Hierapolis - Cold and refreshing, Hot springs, healing

Lukewarm, brackish, nauseating - spit, in the Greek it is vomit

Other churches have had severe rebukes - but this is the worst - to be vomited from the mouth of the Lord

What went wrong in Laodicea

By the world’s standards a prosperous church

Revelation 3:17 ESV

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

The wealth of Laodicea - gold, wool, when destroyed by an earthquake in 60 AD - did not ask for govn’t aid, rebuilt themselves, stood on their own

By Jesus’ standards they were Lukewarm

While they thought they were prosperous, they were wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked - the very opposite

They had measured themselves by the worlds standards, but not by Christ’s. They were neither a cold, refreshing, life giving drink - nor were they a place of healing and rest. Their witness to Christ was a tepid, passionless, stagnant message that did not bring life to the lost

They were a satisfied Church - satisfied in themselves - they had just the right amount of Jesus and everything else

The danger of being a lukewarm church

Jesus would spit the church out, loss of fellowship with him, loss of witness, loss of being the church at all

Question: What is the spiritual temperature of your heart, of the church

Becoming lukewarm - indifferent - milquetoast

Becoming more like the world than like Christ

Getting watered down

giving up fellowship with other believers

Signs of stagnant, lukewarm, faith

Illustration - You might be a lukewarm Christian

If you’re more concerned about what you get out of worship than what you gave in worship.

If the only time you open your bible is when you’re in church

What is your prayer life like? Anemic - perfunctory, routine,

Jesus’ Counsel

Come to Me

Isaiah 55:1–3 (ESV)

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Buying refined gold - salvation

Buying salve for the eyes - spiritual insight - knowing our absolute need for Christ.

Buying clothing - garments of white, righteousness

Be zealous and repent

His discipline and rebuke are His love for us

How does Jesus show His love

In coming to be our savior, living and dying in our place

In reigning over the church, even in discipline

Zealous - to burn with intensity - no indifference, but a passionate pursuit of Christ and a desire to live as a witness for him

Repent -

Illustration - The Pastor and The Chinese Christians

The Gracious Invitation

Behold I stand at the door and knock

Not only an evangelical passage -

If you have not known Christ as your savior, and you hear his voice calling you today - repent and believe - salvation is at hand

This is said primarily to his church

He comes to have fellowship with the church

The dinner meal

Question: Will you open your heart to Him?

The Promise of Christ

To reign with Him

The faithful witness

The beginning of the new creation, firstborn from the dead

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