Lukewarm Christianity

Bro Vive Supramaniam

This message has been in my heart for quite some time. I hope you understand that this is not a message of rebuke but a message of hope in the risen Lord.

Zakir Naik has been using scriptures wrongly and we Christians are not defending ourselves using scriptures. It's not the fault of Zakir Naik but rather Christians not giving an answer.

I saw this piece of note in my jacket and I realised it's a note given to me at a religious dialogue. I can say that these people knows our word of God and often quote them, though wrongly.

I think the church needs to be ready as the times are getting more evil and if we are not ready we cannot give an answer to the world's problems.

I want to speak of Revelations chapter 3. But chapter 2 and 3 talked about actual churches during AD96.

These letters were written to those churches to address issues at that time but we also believe that it's a prophetic message to the churches down the ages.

1. Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) - the church that had forsaken its first love
2. Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) - the church that would suffer persecution
3. Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17) - the church that needed to repent of allowing false teachers
4. Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) - the church that had a false prophetess
5. Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) - the church that had fallen asleep and yet called itself awake
6. Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) - the church that had endured patiently
7. Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) - the church that was lukewarm and insipid (to God)

This morning we want to look at the church of Laodicea the lukewarm church.

Revelation 3:14-21

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

To give you a little bit of background to the Laodicea church, it's a wealthy industrial city. Along the trade route. It's wealth is grown from a textile industry and also famous for a medical facility to cure ear and eye diseases. Because it's famous for these, it's also known as a centre of banking trading in gold. It's a wealthy church. It was destroyed by an earthquake and they restored the city by itself. Laodicea arose from its ruins from its own wealth of resources.

But it had one problem. They have a lack of natural water supply. So they get it from 2 nearby town.  So they built ducts to get water. One from hot springs and cold water from the other town. But by the time the water came, they became lukewarm and had sediments in the water. With the minerals it became hard water.

Jesus was using the day to day metaphor to teach the Laodiceans.

Let's look at the opening of the scripture.

Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

The opening greetings often address the churches' need. Jesus identified himself as the beginning, the present and the future. And God knows them exactly. He's an all knowing God.

Revelation 3:15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

Psalm 139: 1 You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

God knows all our deeds individually and as a church.

Jesus then began to address the issues. In Laodicea there was nothing good to say about this church unlike the other churches.

Revelation 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Jesus said they were not hot or cold. To understand this we have to understand the significance of hot springs and cold springs. Hot spring water brings healing. We know it's impact in terms of healing.

Cold water brings refreshments.  Especially during this hot spell. Hot water brings therapeutic healing. So the Laodiceans understands these metaphor.

The problem why it became lukewarm is because of the distance from the source and the recipient. Distance makes us lukewarm. Distance from the source makes us lukewarm. Makes us ineffective. Distance from God will make us lukewarm. That's why we need to be close to God always.

We cannot stay at a distance. If we do we will become lukewarm and become ineffective.

Webster dictionary have a word Laodiceans that means being indifferent. A state of complacency or apathy. Maybe because we are so self satisfied and have everything. They're rich.

So how do we describe a lukewarm church today?

We come every week to church, shake people's hand, go for lunch and go home unchanged. We just go through the motions. Not concerned about the gospel or to pray for the sick. The church is supposed to bring refreshment and healing to the people. So are we lukewarm today?

Jesus said what he'll do. He'll spit you out of the mouth. That does not mean you'll lose your salvation but that word spit means to vomit you out.

So if the church of Christ become so indifferent and of no benefit to the kingdom the Bible said he'll vomit us out. Everybody looks so serious.

The second thing is in verse 17.

Revelation 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

You think or say, who was that? The Laodiceans. There's a big difference between how we view ourselves and how Jesus view us. They were so caught up with their wealth that they were not aware of their spiritual state. They didn't know how bad their spiritual conditions was.

They may think they have the best of everything. All the wealth. But Jesus said they were poor, wretched and naked.

Wretched was a word Jesus use. They were miserable. Jesus said they are pitiful. Their bodies are full but their souls are starving. A materialistic world view makes us blind to spiritual values.

That's why God's estimation of us is different from our estimation of ourselves. God is expecting more of our lives. If a letter goes to you for a board member position, don't reject. We waste a letterhead, and an envelope. But more than that we waste our potential to be of use by God.

I thank God for TOP because it gave us a place to serve. I remember the first day in church, 2006, and Kuna and Cheng took us out for lunch. Maple Gold. I remember. My pulpit ministry improved because of TOP. It was a very difficult decision for us when I got the letter to go to Bangkok. This house is a house where God has moulded me. God has a potential for all of us. Don't say no when someone reach out to you to serve. Don't say cannot because God is the one that enables. Don't say you have no time, because all of us have no time.

We cannot just remain where we are.

When Jesus addressed the issue of the church he also provided the solution. A solution to a church who felt they are so self sufficient. It leads to self reliance and often a selfish attitude.

Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Jesus say I advise you. If Jesus gives an advise, isn't it wisdom to follow? Jesus says he gives refined gold, speaking about faith. And white clothes, fine linen that God will give to us to hide our nakedness. Including salves for our eyes to remove our spiritual blindness.

Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

Jesus reproves and disciplines us.

Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Jesus is knocking at the door of the believers heart. Often misquoted verse for salvation. An artists who painted this was asked why is there no doorknob in the painting and he said it's because Jesus never intrude into your life. You need to open your heart.

God is knocking at the believers' heart. Will you open? Jesus wants to come into our lives and to have fellowship with us. He don't like the distance. Will you allow him to come in? Are you shutting him our because of the business in your life? Or you're so self sufficient?

If you do he may ask you to do things you don't like. How long will you keep your door shut from Jesus?

Revelation 3:21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Jesus will honour our faithfulness. Ministry leaders, if you feel tired, don't give up or be dismayed. Continue to serve and press in and be an overcomer. He is with you.

A response is needed. Because he is knocking at the door of our heart.

Revelation 3:22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Be fully committed to Christ and stand firm for him. Be passionate about his cause.

This is not a message of hopelessness but a message of hope. God wants us to response to him as he knocks at the heart of our life.