Are You Lukewarm?

Introduction

Welcome to worship. And good morning. Hope you’ll open in your Bibles Revelation chapter 3, which is where we will begin this morning. Revelation chapter 3, beginning in verse 14. Revelation chapter 3 and verse 14. And so the angel of the church in Laodicea write, the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot? So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing. Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments, so that you may clothe yourself, and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and sow to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Those whom I love I reprove in discipline. So be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

But often it doesn’t come across that way. But I would challenge even the most cheerful person here this morning to find something complimentary or cheerful about the church at Laodicea in this account in Revelation chapter 3. And here’s a hint on that quest. There is none. Out of all the churches that are written to here in the book of Revelation, we just read the text about the church at Laodicea, the one church that had not a single word of commendation. You want to know something else that’s pretty scary this morning? This is the church that perhaps existed in a society that is most like ours in terms of the city itself. So before we get going this morning, let’s look a little bit about the history of Laodicea.

It was named after perhaps the king’s wife Laodice. And they were known for many things, but most importantly, they were known as a rich community. They were known as a community where people could go and retire. There were a lot of Jewish people living there. It was very wealthy. And it was a very easy and affluent lifestyle that you could live in Laodicea. In fact, the city there was so wealthy that when there was a great earthquake around the time of AD 60, the city actually refused financial aid from Rome. Now, can you imagine a city or a state today, even in America as wealthy as we are, refusing federal aid? Tagadus the Roman historian writes that it would have been extraordinarily rare. In fact, didn’t happen, that any city would be able to repair itself, let alone refuse any help in doing so if they could.

And so the most important part of this is to look at what Jesus was saying in verse 18, corresponds directly to the sources of Laodicea as well. Laodicea as a city was wealthy for three main reasons. First of all, they were the center for Asia Miners’ gold. So they had much gold in their banks there. Secondly, they were known for their material. They had this type of glossy material that was worldwide known. The type of fabric and the sheen of it was something that they exported everywhere. And finally, they even had a medical school there known for its Phrygian powder, which is probably in reference to what Jesus says about the eye salve to anoint your eyes. It was exported worldwide to help people anoint their weak and ailing eyes.

And while all that is good and important, and we certainly understand that that was the center of their wealth, and those are three strong reasons for why the city was so wealthy. We don’t know them for that, do we? We know them as their distinction in verse 16, as the lukewarm church. Now, historically, perhaps this is also another allusion to their history. That city there, despite all of its greatness, despite all of its wealth and all of the important, affluent people that lived there, the city could not produce its own adequate water source. Historians have found mineral deposits on a piping system that suggests they were piping in water from the hot springs. But it certainly would have cooled by the time it reached Laodicea, creating lukewarm water.

Laodicea is referenced in the book of Colossians. If you look with me in Colossians chapter 4.

An interesting note is made in verse 16. And when this letter has been read among you, you have all have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans. And see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

This is perhaps because the city of Laodicea was about eleven miles west of Colossae. Colossae. Colossae was known for its refreshingly cold water. So here you have Laodicea between some hot springs, just about six miles, and about eleven miles west is cool, refreshingly cold water. And yet they had lukewarm water. And while that sets the basis for our study, the first note I’d like to make is back in Revelation. And look with me in ver in chapter 2 in verse 9. Understanding the background of this city and this church helps us understand some good things about it. But also, as I already made note of, the plain bad that’s made. In Revelation chapter 2 and verse 9, to the church at Smyrna, he says, I know your tribulation and your poverty, but you are rich.

And the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. So the angel of the church writes to these people, and he says, I know your tribulation and your poverty. These are poor people, but you are rich. Now contrast that with verse 17 of Revelation chapter 3. When the angel to the church of Laodicea writes, For you say, I am rich. I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. So we have one church here that is poor physically, but they are told that they are rich, and Laodicea finds itself to be very wealthy, and in fact, historically they were. And yet, they are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

1. God Knows Our Works

The point to be made here. And the point of this whole lesson this morning is that God knows our works. Both as a collective church here at South Bumbi and as individuals worshiping here and claiming to serve God, God knows who we are. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, it doesn’t matter how anyone feels. It matters how we are. And that’s a scary thought. It’s a scary thought when you read Revelation chapter 3, verses 14 through 22, and you note that there is not a condemning of their doctrine. The church at Laodicea is not noted for teaching wrong things, for being incorrect in their understanding of God’s word. They are condemned, though, for how they acted, for their mindset, for what they were or were not doing.

Verse 15, I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Now perhaps the best way I can illustrate this lukewarm concept is going into Starbucks. And I am one of the least and the last people to go into Starbucks and understand what’s going on there, so bear with me. I do know this, though, that when I do go into Starbucks and I’m sitting there and studying or reading or meeting someone, I hear, I want a hot, I I want a cold. No one ever says, hey, I want a lukewarm uh apple cider. We don’t say that. Because it’s gross.

Now, if you don’t, if you’re also not a coffee person, let me ask you about this. Growing up in the state of Florida, I would come out after church, and no matter how refreshingly cold my soda was before I came into the church building, when I got back into the car at 12 o’clock, no matter how thirsty I was, no matter how somewhat hot it was outside, that drink would be gross. Lukewarm drinks are disgusting. They are physically repulsive. And no matter how thirsty I was, if I went out into the parking lot after church on a Sunday morning, no matter how many ice cubes were in my drink to begin with before I got to church for Bible class, the drink would be gross. And in fact, my stomach almost couldn’t take it sometimes.

2. Hot, Cold and Lukewarm

So allow me to ask this foreshadowing question. If lukewarm drinks are that repulsive to us, why would anyone offer lukewarm service to God? And the first quick reaction that we’d have to that is, we don’t. That’s why that’s exactly why we don’t do that. We don’t offer lukewarm service because it’s gross, because God doesn’t like it. Well, let’s examine whether or not we truly do. So let’s define the terms from verses 15 and 16. Someone hot would be someone on fire for the Lord. That’s someone who takes every opportunity, isn’t excited to do the will of God, to preach his word, to talk about him, to live like Christ. Perhaps someone cold is someone who knows that there are churches. Perhaps even knows that there is a God and chooses, I want to live my life this way.

Certainly we all know people like that. They say, it’s not worth it. I want to live it up now. I want to enjoy this life. After all, there might not even be an eternity in the balance. So you have two types of people here on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. And then that leaves the lukewarm person who is someone who might know who God is. Perhaps they even are well equipped in knowing about God’s commandments, like the church at Laodicea. They know what they’re supposed to do. They know that he is God. In fact, they even know that he doesn’t like lukewarm service. And yet, they are in desperate need of an intervention. Perhaps a lukewarm individual is the type of person who comes to church on Sunday and Wednesday and acts like the world on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

3. Not Realizing: Lukewarm Service Creeps Into Us

Perhaps the lukewarm individual is the person who is very well read in the theory and the concepts of the Bible, but is not as good at the practicality and the practicing of God’s commandments. And what’s most frightening of all that can be said in Revelation chapter 3 is in verse 17. Did you catch it? For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing. And before he calls them wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked, what does he say? Not realizing. They didn’t realize that they were wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, or naked. How did they not know that? Please see with me this morning that offering lukewarm service is not something that seems obvious because Satan designed it the exact opposite. Lukewarm service to God is something that creeps into us.

It takes someone hot who is cooled off. Or perhaps someone who was once cold and is slowly warming up. But either way, the end result is that we will be spit out of the mouth of God. God has not called us to mediocrity. In Matthew chapter 5 and verse 48, Jesus says, you therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. That certainly is not a call to mediocrity. That is not a call to sitting in pews and moving on with our life in the week after. There is no good enough. There is no middle path. There is the broad way and there is the narrow way. There is no in between. So the argument can be made and has been made even to me that being lukewarm after all, Greg, is better than being cold.

Because at least I’m trying, at least I’m doing something. At least I go to church, right?

4. I Will Spit You Out of My Mouth

Verse 16. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. So that should be the point in case there. That if lukewarm service causes us to be spewed from the mouth of God, that’s probably not a good decision. But let’s take it a step further. What type of heart do you wish to study the Bible with? What type of heart did you have before you studied the Word? Perhaps if you were cold, you realize, okay, I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do. At least I’m choosing that. You can talk to those people. You can present truth to someone who is being reasonable, who is making the decisions with actual purpose. But have you ever tried to convince someone in this church building?

How to be a better Christian? Even if you had the opportunity, wouldn’t it be pretty difficult? Why? Because we know the Bible. As Christians, we know what we’re supposed to do. But the church at Laodicea did too. That didn’t make them hot. That didn’t even allow them to be cold. They weren’t accused of that. They were accused of being lukewarm. In Revelation chapter 3 and verse 4. To the church at Sardis, this is sad. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. So the church there might not have been completely doing the will of God right, and Jesus certainly had some fixes for them, but there are still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments.

Where do you read about that in Revelation chapter 3 to the church at Laodicea? Where do we read about a few who have not bowed their knee? Who have not soiled their garments? And further in verse 16, I will spit you out of my mouth because you are lukewarm. This is a stirring call. We have got to see the importance of this message. And of all the emotions expressed of God in the Bible, this is perhaps the strongest. He says, I will spew them from my mouth, depending on which translation you’re reading from. Let’s understand the seriousness of the situation. As a kid, there are times when you know your parents are mad. And then there are times you know your parents are really mad. And that’s the times you want to leave the room.

And then run away and then get even further. But note, that’s this is God’s reaction to how they lived. This is God’s reaction to lukewarm service. This is the same God who is grieved by sin in Genesis chapter 6 and verse 6. This is the jealous God from Exodus chapter 20 and verse 5. And this is a God who has fierce anger in Jeremiah chapter 4 and verse 8. So to spit out of my mouth shows how repulsive something has to become to God. And again, the question is, why is this so horrible? Why is it that someone who offers lukewarm service, why is it not good enough to be a good person? Why is it not good enough to God? Why does he feel so strongly about this?

Look with me in 2 Peter chapter 2. Our scripture reading this morning. 2 Peter chapter 2, beginning in verse 20. For if after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome. The last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them to have never known the way of righteousness, then after knowing it to turn back from the Holy Commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them. The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire. We are God’s salt. And if we fall, if we are offering lukewarm service, if we are not constant, diligent servants for God, we have lost our flavor.

Perhaps put more strongly. If we worship God, if we claim to accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion on the cross on our behalf, and we choose to live this way most of the time, we are disrespecting and not realizing the magnitude of the sacrifice of Christ. In fact, we’re spitting in the face of Jesus and his life that he gave up for us. Back in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 17 and 18. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing. Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich in white garments, so that you may clothe yourself, and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen in salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

5. The Safest Path to Hell Is Slow and Gradual

Those whom I love, I reprove in discipline. So be zealous and repent. I’d like to look at the five words described of the people here in verse 17. Wretched. These people are despicable and contemptible, pitiable. It’ll be translated miserable here in verse 17. Poor, which certainly would have been a drastic shock to the wealthy citizens at Laodicea. Blind to their flaws in the true meaning of Christian discipleship. And naked, meaning that their corrupt nature was exposed to the world around them. Going back to a previous thought, of something I’ve always wondered is if they were so awful, so wretched, how did they not know? I think C. S. Lewis elucidates this thought for us in a very clear and direct way in the screw tape letters, a book that examines about a demon and his apprentice showing how to tempt the world and steal Christians from God.

And the senior demon teaches the junior demon, he says, the safest path to hell is the slow and gradual one. Because the junior demon wanted to hit him with all he got. He said, Lord, Lord, he called the senior demon, let’s take them down, let’s give them everything we got. And the senior demon said, No, that’s not how we get Christians. That won’t work. Yeah, I might toss apart a few. The easiest path to hell is the slow and gradual one. That’s a series of choices. The church at Laodicea slowly came to have faith in themselves rather than faith in God. They trusted in their own ability to have money, to be self-supported, to have need of nothing. And I said at the beginning that this most reflects perhaps our society.

It’s hard to say we need things unless we’re down. It’s hard to say I need God unless a tragedy has happened. Because we look in our bank accounts, and even if we don’t have enough to get through the month, we probably will. And we sit on our couch tonight as we’re watching our big screen TV, and we say, I just need to save a little bit more so I can get this bigger house, better car, larger screen. We have pantries stocked with food, refrigerators full of drinks. We have dishwashers, laundry. We have everything. We have more than everything. We are wealthier than probably the Laodiceans ever could have imagined. We must be on guard against the lukewarm service that overtook this church. Because in their eyes, they were fervent believers.

They were good Christians. They were good people. False doctrine wasn’t their problem. They had the truth. They probably patted themselves on the back for the truth. They said, This is a church that knows the will of God. So how did it fall? It fell because they slowly focused on what they did have instead of focusing on working for God. We forget our faith like the Laodiceans clearly did when we come to church and we hear about evangelism and we go out and we teach no one. We forget about our faith when we hear lessons about serving one another. And we go through our week and we don’t serve anyone. We forget our faith. When we read the commands of God, when we worship him on Sunday, we pray to him every night, and we say, God, please help me with this.

God, please help me with that. And then we move on. Because we got what we needed. Or perhaps we asked for more from God. Christianity is a process. It is hard work. It is labor. It is an intensive. To be an on-fire Christian, you have to be doing something. You have to not only read the Word of God and know it, which is clearly important, but there’s also more to it than that. The church at Laodicea wasn’t commended for teaching. They weren’t commended for serving. Individuals weren’t commended for anything. And again, I suggest and point out, this church wasn’t once condemned for false doctrine. Because they weren’t laboring. That’s what this entire lesson to the church is about. Their problem was simply in being too caught up in thinking that because they had a nice building, because they had things, because they weren’t in desperate need, even a great earthquake couldn’t shake their need.

6. Look at the Mirror of His Word

It couldn’t make them need someone else, that they were okay. Jesus says that the sun rises on the just and the unjust alike. May we never get caught up in thinking that the ease of our life or the balance of our bank account translates to our faith in God. May we never suggest that how simple our life is suggests that we are good, practicing Christians. If you want to be a good servant of God, if you want to know that you are on fire for the Lord, take a look every morning at the mirror. Look at the mirror of his word. Look at passages like pure, like James, where he says, pure and undefiled religion is this: caring for orphans and widows. Well, John chapter 13, as we studied last Sunday morning in verse 35.

We should love our neighbors as ourselves. Are we doing those things? That’s how we know. In John chapter 14 and verse 15, Jesus says, if you love me, you will keep our commandments. Meet my commandments. If we make Jesus our all, if we make him our focus, then we will serve him. We won’t just worship him and talk about him. We will do what he did. We will love others. We will teach others. That’s what being a Christian is about. It’s not about abstaining from evil. It’s about clinging to what is good. Being a lukewarm Christian is the worst thing we could do. In verse 18, Christ provides the answer to them to their wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked ways. In verse 18, Revelation 3, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, in white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen.

And salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. We see here the idea of buying the gold and white clothing is in contrast to the full banks of gold they had. Their raven color clothing. They were blind despite their phry and eye powder. The fact is that most people in this building this morning, just like there, aren’t hot or cold. We choose every day to be hot or lukewarm. We don’t face the option of hot or cold. We face the option of hot or lukewarm because we know the Bible story. I heard a story about a man in a church building who was updating the directory. And he took it upon himself to note to the members next to every name. He put an H, an L, or a C.

Conclusion

Obviously, that quasi caught quite the commotion at the church. But I ask you, if God put that letter, because He will, if God put the letter next to your name based on your service this past week, would it be an H, an L, or a C. Being a Christian disciple means always being zealous, buying back from Christ. And the bottom line is in verse 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant to him to sit with me on my throne, as I also have conquered and sat down with my Father on His throne.

God is at the door. Christ is knocking. Will we hear his voice? Will we allow him to come in? Will we sit on the throne as conquerors? Let’s be Christians devoted to serving him. Let’s be Christians that act on the faith and make sure that we don’t ever become like the church that was spewed out of the mouth of Christ. Let us pray. Our dear God and most gracious and loving Heavenly Father, we praise you for revealing your word through the test of time. We praise you for your greatness in creating the very world that we live in. We thank you, O God, for choosing to make us principal among your creation and the ability to choose right from wrong and to choose to love and serve you.

Please forgive us when we stumble in this pursuit. Help us to recognize that we need to always be on fire for you, living for you, crucifying ourselves in your name. Forgive us when we stumble, God. Give us strength to stand up for you. May we never be caught sitting when the time of judgment comes. May we be watching and may we be ready. In your Son’s name we do pray. Amen.

We are now dismissed to Bible class.