Awakening from Lukewarmness: A Call to Authentic Faith

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, 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 not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. [00:26:59] (21 seconds)


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 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. [00:27:20] (0 seconds)


What's the condemnation from Jesus? What image does he use to point out their issues? Listen, you say you are rich. You're prosperous. You don't think you need anything, but in fact, you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Look at that. The very things that they took pride in and were puffed up by became the indictment spoken over them by Jesus. [00:34:54] (24 seconds)


Jesus is telling the Laodicea and all of us your spiritual health can't be assessed by how big your bank account is or how many nice things you own or what your clothes is like or what your status or fame happens to be your social media likes or your number of Facebook friends in essence Jesus says to them and us you're so well off you don't need anything huh really really it's made you lukewarm you can't even see the problem you don't even realize your issues you don't see the deeper need that you have for a savior you see having issues having issues is never the biggest problem in someone's life not knowing that you have them or having them but denying the fact that you have them that's the deeper problem amen so when we know we're broken we understand our need for a savior and that's the beginning of spiritual health [00:36:20] (60 seconds)


Do we have a passion to know Jesus do we feel a sense of urgency to share the gospel with others our nation is so well off that in many ways it's caused us to distance ourselves from God and that attitude has permeated the people of the nation and thus it's bled into the churches on a personal level think about it is it harder to have a prayer life and to open the word of God and to worship when things are good or when things are bad huh most people wander away during what the good times the prosperity when it feels like God's present isn't all that important and then running back when something goes wrong you see the church in Laodicea was in prosperity and it caused them to slide to lose sight of the truth to lose sight of the passion and the urgency they went from hot to lukewarm from urgent and passionate to me I [00:39:17] (64 seconds)


There are churches that have made the word of God into a bunch of just suggestions about life and tossed out the truth that can make us uncomfortable me too that challenge us me too that call us beyond ourselves churches where Jesus is merely a friend someone to hang with maybe chat with from time to time or just ask for more comfort from something to make us feel better but we will not allow Jesus to be the king of kings and the lord of lords the one who is coming in in power to judge the living and the dead [00:41:09] (36 seconds)


Now before we fall into a deep depression Jesus isn't done speaking and the indictment isn't all he's got to say it's true that Jesus doesn't candy coat the issues with the problems but he doesn't leave the church in Laodicea or us in the brokenness instead he offers to us an invitation second part that will lead them and us out of the mire and the muck out of the brokenness and lukewarmness and into his grace and his love chapter three revelation verses eighteen and nineteen I counsel you to buy for me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich and white garments so that you may clothe yourself in the shame of your nakedness and not be not be seen and sad to anoint your eyes so that you may see you hear him again talking about who they are and where they come from that you may see those whom I love I were a proven discipline so be zealous and repent behold I stand in the name of the lord at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I'll come in to him and eat with him and he with me. This is a letter to the church. [00:43:31] (68 seconds)


True love wants the best for someone else, and we'll point out our faults and our lies even within the church itself. We're not a perfect church. We say it all the time. But Jesus points out the ways and the places and the things that stand in the way of God truly using us in full power and strength for his glory and his good. [00:46:31] (23 seconds)


Jesus tells us the truth about ourselves, our condition, not to beat us down, but in love to build us up so that we can have our eyes open and open the door and live forgiven and freed and filled and saved. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens his door, I will come into him. [00:46:50] (18 seconds)


Behold, I stand in the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I'll 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. There is victory and life when we open in him. Eternal life that Jesus offers. [00:53:12] (28 seconds)


Wait, isn't he the one who conquers sin, death, and the devil? What do we conquer? Well, in faith, by listening to his voice and opening the door to his forgiveness and love, we conquer indifference, arrogance, and comfort that tempts us away from the promise and the urgency and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [00:56:40] (25 seconds)