Awakening from Lukewarmness: A Call to Intimacy

 

Summary

In the letter to the Church of Laodicea, we find a profound message that speaks directly to the condition of the Christian church today. This letter, the last of the seven letters in the Book of Revelation, is a poignant critique of a church that has become lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. This state of lukewarmness is not just a historical condition but a present reality for many believers and churches. It is a condition marked by a lack of true emotion and enthusiasm for the Lord, a complacency that leads to self-satisfaction and a false sense of security.

The Laodicean church was proud of its balanced approach, avoiding extremes, and prided itself on being respectable and controlled. However, this very attitude is what our Lord reprobates. The greatest insult to God is to be in control of our relationship with Him, to decide how much of Him we will allow into our lives. This lukewarm state is a result of ignorance—ignorance of our true spiritual condition and ignorance of the riches and possibilities of God's grace.

The call to the church is to examine itself in the light of Scripture and the history of the church. We are to be zealous and repent, to recognize our need for a deeper, more intimate fellowship with Christ. He stands at the door and knocks, offering us the unsearchable riches of His grace, the peace that passes all understanding, and a joy unspeakable and full of glory. Our response should be to open the door, to allow Him to come in and transform our lives with His presence.

Key Takeaways:

- Lukewarmness as a Spiritual Condition: The state of being lukewarm is characterized by a lack of true emotion and enthusiasm for God. It is a condition where believers are neither cold nor hot, leading to a complacency that is spiritually dangerous. This condition is a result of being in control of our relationship with God, rather than being led by Him. [06:44]

- The Danger of Self-Satisfaction: The Laodicean church was self-satisfied, believing they were rich and in need of nothing. This self-satisfaction is a result of ignorance of one's true spiritual condition and the riches of God's grace. It is a call to examine ourselves and recognize our need for a deeper relationship with Christ. [14:48]

- Ignorance of Spiritual Riches: The ignorance of the Laodicean church was not in doctrine or morality but in their understanding of the riches and possibilities of God's grace. They failed to see the depth of what God offers in Christ, leading to a shallow and lifeless faith. [23:34]

- The Call to Repentance and Zeal: The message to the Laodicean church is a call to be zealous and repent. It is a call to recognize our spiritual poverty and to seek the intimate fellowship with Christ that He offers. This requires a willingness to be honest about our condition and to open the door to His transforming presence. [25:22]

- The Promise of Intimate Fellowship: Christ stands at the door and knocks, offering us the opportunity for intimate fellowship with Him. This fellowship is characterized by a deep, personal relationship where we experience His love, peace, and joy. It is an invitation to experience the unsearchable riches of His grace. [39:56]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to the Letter to Laodicea
- [01:36] - The State of the Church Today
- [02:37] - The Sadness of Lukewarmness
- [04:00] - The Faithful and True Witness
- [06:14] - Description of Lukewarmness
- [08:24] - Sentimentality vs. True Emotion
- [11:29] - The Insult of Lukewarmness
- [14:21] - Complacency and Self-Satisfaction
- [17:33] - The Danger of Ignorance
- [23:34] - Ignorance of Spiritual Riches
- [29:42] - The Riches of Grace in Scripture
- [35:50] - The Call to Examine Ourselves
- [39:08] - The Promise of Intimate Fellowship
- [50:04] - Christ's Concern and Invitation
- [53:05] - The Call to Open the Door

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Revelation 3:14-22

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#### Observation Questions

1. What is the spiritual condition of the Laodicean church as described in Revelation 3:14-22? How does this relate to the concept of being "lukewarm"? [06:44]

2. According to the sermon, what was the attitude of the Laodicean church towards their spiritual state, and how did this reflect their self-satisfaction? [14:48]

3. How does the sermon describe the ignorance of the Laodicean church regarding the riches and possibilities of God's grace? [23:34]

4. What does Christ offer to those who open the door to Him, according to Revelation 3:20? How is this promise of intimate fellowship described in the sermon? [39:56]

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#### Interpretation Questions

1. Why does the sermon suggest that being "lukewarm" is a greater insult to God than being cold? How does this relate to the control we exert over our relationship with God? [11:29]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that self-satisfaction can lead to spiritual complacency? How does this prevent believers from recognizing their true spiritual condition? [14:48]

3. How does the sermon interpret the call to be zealous and repent in Revelation 3:19? What does this mean for believers today in terms of their relationship with Christ? [25:22]

4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of examining oneself in light of Scripture and church history? How can this help believers avoid the pitfalls of the Laodicean church? [33:56]

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#### Application Questions

1. Reflect on your own spiritual condition. Do you identify with the lukewarm state described in the sermon? What steps can you take to rekindle your enthusiasm for God? [06:44]

2. The sermon highlights the danger of self-satisfaction. Are there areas in your spiritual life where you feel complacent? How can you address this complacency and seek a deeper relationship with Christ? [14:48]

3. Consider the riches and possibilities of God's grace that you might be ignoring. How can you become more aware of these spiritual riches and incorporate them into your daily life? [23:34]

4. The sermon calls for repentance and zeal. What specific actions can you take to demonstrate zeal for your faith and repent from any spiritual complacency? [25:22]

5. Christ offers intimate fellowship to those who open the door to Him. How can you make space in your life to experience this fellowship more fully? What practical changes can you implement to prioritize this relationship? [39:56]

6. How can you use the insights from Scripture and church history to examine your spiritual life more effectively? What resources or practices can you incorporate to deepen your understanding and application of these insights? [33:56]

7. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. What contributed to that distance, and how did you overcome it? How can you apply those lessons to your current spiritual journey? [51:52]

Devotional

Day 1: Lukewarmness as a Spiritual Condition
The state of being lukewarm is a spiritual condition that reflects a lack of genuine passion and enthusiasm for God. This condition is not merely a historical issue but a present reality for many believers and churches today. It is characterized by a complacency that leads to self-satisfaction and a false sense of security. When believers are neither hot nor cold, they are in control of their relationship with God, deciding how much of Him they will allow into their lives. This lukewarmness is dangerous because it stems from ignorance of one's true spiritual condition and the riches of God's grace. The call is to recognize this state and seek a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ. [06:44]

Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: Identify an area in your spiritual life where you feel lukewarm. What steps can you take today to rekindle your passion and enthusiasm for God in that area?


Day 2: The Danger of Self-Satisfaction
The Laodicean church was self-satisfied, believing they were rich and in need of nothing. This self-satisfaction is a result of ignorance of one's true spiritual condition and the riches of God's grace. It is a dangerous state because it blinds believers to their need for a deeper relationship with Christ. The call is to examine ourselves and recognize our spiritual poverty, acknowledging that we are in need of the unsearchable riches of His grace. By doing so, we open ourselves to the transformative power of Christ's presence in our lives. [14:48]

Proverbs 30:8-9 (ESV): "Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."

Reflection: In what ways have you become self-satisfied in your spiritual journey? How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of your need for God's grace today?


Day 3: Ignorance of Spiritual Riches
The ignorance of the Laodicean church was not in doctrine or morality but in their understanding of the riches and possibilities of God's grace. They failed to see the depth of what God offers in Christ, leading to a shallow and lifeless faith. This ignorance is a call to delve deeper into the Scriptures and the history of the church to uncover the vastness of God's grace. By doing so, believers can move beyond a superficial faith and experience the fullness of life that Christ offers. [23:34]

Ephesians 3:8-9 (ESV): "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to deepen your understanding of God's grace? Consider setting aside time this week to study a passage of Scripture that speaks to the riches of Christ.


Day 4: The Call to Repentance and Zeal
The message to the Laodicean church is a call to be zealous and repent. It is a call to recognize our spiritual poverty and to seek the intimate fellowship with Christ that He offers. This requires a willingness to be honest about our condition and to open the door to His transforming presence. Repentance is not just about turning away from sin but also about turning towards a vibrant and passionate relationship with Christ. By doing so, believers can experience the peace and joy that comes from walking closely with Him. [25:22]

2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV): "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you need to repent and seek God's forgiveness. How can you cultivate a renewed zeal for your relationship with Christ today?


Day 5: The Promise of Intimate Fellowship
Christ stands at the door and knocks, offering us the opportunity for intimate fellowship with Him. This fellowship is characterized by a deep, personal relationship where we experience His love, peace, and joy. It is an invitation to experience the unsearchable riches of His grace and to allow His presence to transform our lives. By opening the door to Christ, believers can move beyond a superficial faith and experience the fullness of life that He offers. [39:56]

John 14:23 (ESV): "Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'"

Reflection: How can you open the door to a deeper fellowship with Christ today? Consider setting aside time for prayer and reflection, inviting Him to transform your heart and life.

Quotes

I should like to call your attention this morning to that portion of scripture that we have read in the Book of Revelation in the third chapter from verse 14 to the end of the chapter which is of course the letter of the Risen Lord to the Church of the leoan I don't read any one verse again because obviously this is a letter that contains one big message and it is right therefore that we should look at it as a whole it's the last of these seven letters that are recorded in these two chapters chapters 2 and three of The Book of Revelation letters from the Risen Lord to churches on earth now there is no doubt that originally these words were addressed to particular churches in the actual condition that they were in at the time but as has generally been agreed throughout the Cent is these letters are also addressed to the church in general passing through different conditions and phases throughout the centuries so that these letters are always of value and always of application between them they do indeed include most of the conditions through which the church has passed and they even include in their message the varing conditions in actual ual churches at the present time so that here we have messages that are always of vital importance to us and for us now we've been trying the last two Sunday mornings and again this morning to look at the state and the condition of the Christian church at the present time and when I say the church I mean once more not only the church in general but also each one of us as a particular and individual member of the Christian church it's obvious from the state of the world and from the state of the church herself that there is something wrong the church is not functioning as she has done and as she should do and therefore our business is to discover what it is exactly that is wrong with us and we've been already considering two explanations of this state and of this condition and here this morning we come to yet another and I take this particular letter not because it's the last but because it does seem to me to be the one that speaks most directly to the condition of the Christian church at the present time and as I understand it and as I hope to show you to the condition of the Evangelical Church at the present time I think that that is the peculiar characteristic of this letter and uh I want to open it out before you it's one of the saddest of the seven letters indeed probably the saddest of all our Lord has nothing to commend in connection with this church it is a series of criticisms it spoken I think in sadness as he looks upon the state and the condition of this church well now the great question for us is this is this true of us or isn't it is this particular message one that applies to us this morning well the only thing we can do is to heed our Lord's injunction at the end he said say he that ha an ear let him hear what the spirit say unto the churches have we this sensitive ear can we here let us pray that we may have our ears circumcised as it were in order that we may hear truly now as we come to consider the message let us recall the one who is addressing us and to the angel of the Church of the leoan right these things say the amen the perfect one the complete one the one who is in and of himself everything but he also the faithful and true witness there is nothing false in him he said himself that he was the light he is the truth and he is truth and he is light and nothing wrong therefore or nothing that is sham or nothing that partakes of any kind of pretense is to be found in him as we read his letter let us remember who he is and that he desires truth in our inward Parts let us remember that nothing is hidden from him but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do there is no possibility of any benefit in the Christian Life no improvement unless we are honest and open and realize that we are indeed in the presence of this one who can describe himself accurately as the AR in the first and the last the beginning the end the sum of all truth and one who is a faithful and a true witness now thank God that he is he tells us the truth about ourselves doesn't conceal anything but just tells us exactly what the position is but he demands the same kind of thing as we shall see of us and he is the beginning of the creation of God which means that everything has been to him the universe and especially the church he is the head of all things to the church in particular who is the fullness of him and filth all and in all well now it's very essential that we should realize all this that we're not dealing with something therefore which is but human or dealing with a human criticism or a human analysis this is the wonderful thing about the church that she's in such a relationship to the Lord that he deals directly with her she's the bride of Christ these are some of the pictures that are used and he dains to deal with us and to speak with us in this direct and immediate manner well now what does he say to this church of the leodan and as I'm asking that question I I ask you to carry in your minds the other question is this I wonder a true description of the church today is it true of us now what what does he describe as the state and the condition of this church of the Leo Des that's the best starting FS what was its condition well he makes it perfectly clear he says it luk warm I Know Thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot I would that thou were cold or hot so then because Thou Art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I am about to SPO thee out of my mouth now it's very important we should understand this state that he describes here what is this state of lukewarmness well as he defines it and as we are familiar with the term we know that it means this you you couldn't say that this church or its people were curled they were not without interest they were not all together without feeling you can't describe them as being like ice or Cur icebergs that's not true there was an element of Warth there was something there he says they're not Cur and of course this was true of them and it is true of all who are in this lean condition and this is what makes this condition such a sad one and such a terrible one and makes him speak as he does about his relationship to a church that continues in that state and condition and remember it's all equally applicable to any individual that is amongst us well then this is the first thing there you can't say they're cold you can't say they're lifeless you can't say that there's nothing there there is something there but then you see the trouble is that they're not hot either you can't describe it as real war while it isn't cold it isn't hot there's just enough to say that it isn't cold but there isn't enough to say that it's warm or that it's hot what does this mean well what it means is this that there was no true emotion there there was no true feeling there was no true enthusiasm for the Lord and for his cause now these people could be enthusiastic about other things but they there was none of that enthusiasm where the Lord was concerned or where his work or where his kingdom was concerned they're not cold but they're not hot what is this condition then as put in more modern terms well it is I would say something like this it is to be in a kind of sentimental condition and that is the whole trouble with sentimentality you can't say that the sentimental person is divide of feeling but you can say that the sentimental person knows nothing about true emotion that is the difference between sentimentality and immotion at on the surface it looks as if there is immotion there true feeling but the moment you begin to analyze it and especially put it up in contrast with up true inertia you realize that it is not emotion at all in other words the condition of these people was that uh they were rather proud of the fact that they never went to extremes they rather like this and this is a mentality with which we are very familiar are we not this has been a very popular idea as to how a men should be the natural men should be there are those who are always contesting themselves with people who are emotional and they feel they always strike the happy medium these people who are balanced who never go to extremes they're always polite they're always controlled they're always respectable and they think that this indeed is almost the whole Mark of perfection but you see it's a condition which our Lord reprobates uh but it's very essential that we should be clear as to what he means by this definition and I can't think of any better way of putting it than to say that it is just typic what is called sentimentality the sentimental person is anxious that we should realize that he's not divide a feeling but on the other hand he's equally anxious that we should know that he is not carried away by emotion he's got it all as it were in this balanced condition which he regards as being ideal now our Lord reprobates this as I say and he says if you continue in this condition I'll SP the out of my mouth why does he say this well the answer is of course that in the end I suppose this is the greatest insult that we can ever offer to God there is an implicit insult in this controlled sentimental condition which is neither hot nor cold for you see it means this that we are in control of the situation and that we have decided that Even in our relationship to God we are still in charge I've often heard people putting this unconsciously in words they say it's very right of course to be religious but you mustn't take it too seriously you mustn't become an extremist they say it's all right and we believe in doing this but you know there's a limit after all I remember a men once misquoting that statement of Paul in Philippians or let all your things be with moderation and he was applying that to the Christian Life and the idea that these people have is this that even in their very relationship to God they're still always in control they know nothing about being lost in Wonder Love and praise now they can get very excited about other things they can be very moved by other things they can be moved to Tears by a play or by a drama they can get excited and thrilled by football matches and other forms of sport but they're never like that in connection with their religion and they would almost feel ashamed if they ever did experience something like that their great phras is that everything be done decently and in order now that's scriptural but it doesn't refer to this the fact that we do not believe in excesses does not mean that we are advocating lukewarmness but this is the very great danger that so constantly afflicts a certain certain type of individual a certain type of Christian person in our horror and Dread of excesses we get into this state described here of the leum and so we are neither hot nor cold you can't say that we are divide of feeling and yet there is no true emotion there is none of this idea of being moved to the depth of our being and as I say being lost in Wonder Love and praise in know other words it is respectability sentimentality a kind of mild feeling that does Duty for True warmth true richness and true ersion that's the statement which our Lord makes about the Church of the Le de that has been the condition of the Christian Church many a time since is it not the state and the condition of the Christian church today and I say especially perhaps those of us who are Evangelical this will become still more CLE when I come to the second thing he says about them which is that they were complacent and that they're self-satisfied because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and of need of nothing that's what they said about themselves and they believed that this was true now this generally accompanies this lukewarm Condition it's a part of it it's a further expression of that you see the moment you are in charge of your Christianity this follows this is the Fatal thing that it that we are in charge of it instead of it being in charge of us that's the very essence of our Lord's diagnosis of this church even their relationship to God and the Lord Jesus Christ was in their hand and the result was they were very pleased with themselves they were very satisfied they were not conscious of any lack they were not conscious of any need they felt that they' got everything in the realm of mind and understanding in the realm of Art and in the realm of their Wills their conduct their practice and their behavior what am I talking about well I'm talking about this kind of person there are some people who are completely satisfied because they're Orthodox you see they can say that they're not curled they are not like the liberal the modernists the men who denies the faith and they're always is denouncing them there they are they how terrible they contrast themselves with that and they they've got the truth they're Orthodox they believe the right thing so they're very pleased with themselves and there they are always guarding this and doubting the eyes and crossing the tear so they're not cold like those unbelievers they know the truth and they've got it and they understand it and they possess it and they're very pleased with themselves as God Guardians and custodians of the faith but then you see on the other hand they're very pleased with themselves because they're not wild also look at those wild people those enthusiasts look at those people who were always getting so excited they're not like that no no they're always controlled now all this as you realize is extremely difficult to put into words because all along one sounds as if one is advocating a wildness but I'm not all I'm saying is that these people fall into error because in their pride in themselves because they're not wild they're not hot they're not cold but they're not hot either and not to be cold and not to be hot is Thoroughly bad but I'm trying to describe this condition of self-satisfaction and of complacency which feels therefore that in general it is in this right position it's orthod it's controlled it's decent it's respectable it has a kind of sentimental feeling but there's never any loss of oneself in this Grand inmersion no no we don't like that sort of thing everything must be done decently and in order let me perhaps tell you a story which will illustrate what I'm saying perfectly it's the story that you'll find in the biography of that great missionary Dr Jonathan go who was used of God in Revival in Korea and in Manchuria in the early part of this present Century 194 5 and six and he was coming home going home to Canada on fur and had to pass through this country and certain authorities who hold great meetings every year in this country heard that he was coming through this country and wondered what they should do with him they were in trouble for this reason they had read the reports of the revivals in manua Korea and they had read that sometimes the meetings there would go on all night having started in the evening they'd go on all night and that sometimes there was little display of excess that people were carried away and the physical frame seemed almost incapable of receiving this great benefit from the spirit there was sometimes a kind of disorder in the meeting what someone once described as an orderly disorderliness the kind of thing you get in Revival now these people were very troubled about this what could they do so they decided to ask this men to speak but they reminded him that he must remember that he was no longer in Korea no longer in manua that in their meetings well they'd got a timetable and a program and everything was done decently and in order now that's the kind of condition that I'm describing not cold but certainly not hot having an abhorrence of true emotion even as they have an abhorrence of looseness and laxity in Doctrine on the other hand and at the same time of course they're moral and they're decent they don't do the things that other people do they've got their curve they've got their set ideas about how to live and they never deviate from it at all why then they bring up their family they teach them the Bible take their children to Sunday school they've done all these things there's nothing in a sense that they're not doing not only that they're busy they're active they're workers they're prepared to do anything they can to help and they take great interest in these matters but there they are they are self-contained they are self-satisfied they say um I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing now the question we ask ourselves is this are you conscious of any need this morning are you conscious of any dissatisfaction or do you really think you're doing remarkably well indeed that well there's nothing more to be desired what more could when desire One Believes the right things one attends a place of worship one's concerned about speaking to others everything's going well I have need of nothing this is the question these people rarely believe that that was true they were perfectly satisfied and they said quite honestly I really don't need anymore now here is the most important question we can ever face do we feel like that what's your real feeling about yourself as a Christian have you got it all and how do you view the future do you feel that if you can just go on as you are now that all will be well nothing more is desired is that your feeling if so you're a Le decision so you analyze yourself in terms of your intellect and understanding of truth and in your feeling and in the realm of your conduct and of your practice now you see what our Lord says to such people as this if you continue like this I am about to Spill the out of my mouth it's one of the most terrible things he ever said this I say is something that he reprobates more than anything else why well I repeat it is because it is the greatest possible insulted God he says I would that you were either C or hot you know there's more hope for a man who's right outside them for this kind of person he makes no pretense he doesn't claim to have anything either in belief or conduct or practice or behavior or anything else this is worse than to be C indeed the history of the church throughout the centuries I think demonstrates this quite clearly the people who have generally been the most bitter opponents of ref formation and Revival have been this kind of Christian believer in the Christian church now there are Christians remember they are Christians you can't say they're cold they do believe they're in the church but these are the people who have always hindered Revival true Reawakening why well because they're so pleased they say what are you talking about Revival there are people are saying this today they say you some of you are always talking about Revival what you talking about Revival for look at the campaign look at the Bible College is all full what more do you need everything seems to be perfect and this is true of groups of people it is true of individual Christian people they really can't see that there's anything wrong at the present time they feel things are going remarkably well and they have need of nothing all we need to do is to keep on they say as we are lukew neither gold nor hot very well once the cause of this condition our Lord makes it quite clear it can be put in one word it is ignorance because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and of need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked now my dear friends I do hope we've got this picture clearly in our minds he doesn't say that this church was guilty of wrong belief he doesn't say that this church was guilty of immorality other churches were and he's had to deal with it doesn't say that looked at you see superficially and externally there's no criticism of this church what was rarely wrong with this church was its whole Spirit its whole attitude towards the Lord and towards itself this is the appalling and the terrible thing you see when people are respectable you can't criticize them for being guilty of particular sin because they're not guilty of them the trouble with them is it's the she smallness of the thing the sheer lifelessness this absence of heat this is the terrifying thing about this so we've got to analyze it and see what he means you don't know he says you're ignorant you're ignorant and this I maintain is always the trouble with people who are in this condition What were what the what were these leod Deans ignorant of well he tells them quite plainly they're ignorant of themselves and of their own State congratulating themselves saying I am full I am rich increased with Goods have need of nothing how could she possibly have said that about herself well the answer is you see that she'd not been examining herself that's why he exalts this church and these people to be zealous therefore and repent the difficulty with these people was that they didn't stop to think and they didn't stop to examine themselves they assumed that everything was all right it's what we're often told about the children of Israel into the Old Testament there's a terrifying word with respect to them in the book of The Prophet Hosea Israel has gray hairs upon him and he knowth it not that's that's the terrible danger he so simple you can understand this can't you now this was a Christian Church this consisted of people who were Christian they believed the truth they' accepted the message they had joined the church they had left the world they were no longer guilty of certain things and here they are in this Fellowship but now they've so arranged it that it's entirely in their control you don't go too far one way or the other you just keep it as you want it it's very nice it's well when you think of death you say oh yes I'm a Christian the blood of Christ has covered my sins any question that arises you've always got the appropriate answer and you say well of course at a time like this the fact that I'm a Christian at all is a very wonderful thing so many are not so you spend a lot of your time in looking at those who are cold those who are right outside and you always say well I'm not cold but then you don't uh go much further you tend to stop at that you see certain people who seem to have lost their heads you say well thank God I'm not like that and here you are you see you you're whichever way you look you're all right that's because you are never looking very deeply you just examine the position on the surface and contrast yourselves with others who are obviously wrong in some shape or form indeed you see the picture here is the picture that our Lord gives at the end of The Sermon on the Mount again one of these terrifying things ought to be terrifying to every preacher and to everybody else not everyone that sayth unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works it's all true they were by genuine they were perfectly sincere there's no lie but he then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity you see this terrible POS ability of self deception you get into a certain mold you get into a certain Groove if you like and you feel well we've arrived this is it what more can there be necessary as I say we're not in the world we've left all that we are not guilty of these terrible things that are happening in the world round and about us these horrifying things that we read of in the press and we read of and see and hear on the television and the radio we are not all we are all right we we we are free from all these things we are respectable we are decent we're good we are moral we believe what more now then I say the trouble with these people was due to ignorance and the ignorance arises from the fact that they haven't examined themselves as they should have done there is a kind of examination but as it's always negative and always contrasting themselves with extremes they've never really face themselves so I put it like this what are they ignorant of well they're ignorant of their own condition because ultimately they are ignorant of the riches and the possibilities of Grace now here is the whole trouble you see it's possible for us to be Orthodox possible for us to be very moral and decent and ethical possible for us to be very busy in the work of the church organizing singing going to conference after conference and it seems marvelous isn't it wonderful they say look at the crowds everything it's Perfection what's the matter with these people well what's really the matter with them is that they're ignorant of the riches and the possibilities of the grace of God what does that mean well it means in the first place that they've never seen it in the New Testament itself you see it is possible to read the scriptures and yet not consider them it is possible for us all to be read reading these great descriptions of the Christian and of the Christian church as you have them in the New Testament and never really to face it take the things that we are told here about the church what the church really is what the church should be look at the descriptions of the early church as you have it in the New Testament I've called your attention a great deal to these things during the last year or so you remember that lyrical description at the end of Acts 2 here it is and they continuing daily with one Accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God and having favor with all the people we've already been told to them that they continued steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and in prays but it's a lyrical picture the church was thrilled with joy there was this Vitality this life this aband you read of them later with the whole place being shaken the Very Room in which they met and here you get these marvelous descriptions then you get these analyses of the state and the condition of the church as she should be in the various Epistles and all these great Promises of God the church is the bride of Christ the church is the household of God the church is a great state a great kingdom in which he reigns and all these thrilling things which exhaust the very superlative of the great Apostles all this is here before us but somewh or another we just Glide over these statements as if to say well yes that's all right that's very beautiful that's very wonderful as if they've got nothing to say to us we don't stop and say but am I like that is the church like that now is this a true description of the church as I know her at the present time is this a description of me as a Christian at this present time there is this teaching not only that we get the experience es of different persons described to us in this new testament take the things that the Apostle Paul says about himself so often take what John says he writes these things to us that our joy might be full that we may have fellowship with them and that our joy might be full that we might be rejoicing with great assurance and knowing these things having lost the fear of death in the grave seeing Beyond it all that's the picture now we we've got this in the language of we can understand and we're all of course we read our daily portion don't we we're following a scheme and we read the notes we've got it all I've done my portion I've got it I understand I can answer questions my dear friend what I'm asking is this have you ever examined yourself in the light of these descriptions here's the question the great danger is to be content with a kind of head knowledge we even may have passed examinations on our scriptural knowledge and we did dead and lifeless no nothing about this very thing about which we can answer questions so correctly we never stop to say now is this true of me is this true of the Christian church as I know her that was the cause of the failure of these people it wasn't that they had heard they got the message and they believed it and they had accepted it but they never applied it they never tested themselves by it they never looked at themselves in the light of its teaching thou knowest not and there's only one way whereby we can know and that is to take the truth as it is given us but then fortunately we can even add to that but it makes our failure still more glaring it makes our ignorance still more inexcusable not only do we failed to learn from the scriptures we have also failed to learn from the history of the church because we've got it and as I'm never tired of saying next to the scriptures there is nothing more profitable than to be reading the history of the Christian church but you see the modern man doesn't like doing that he hasn't got time to read he tells me our forefathers had time to read and to read big books we out we said we haven't got the time we want everything in Snippets we want a little tabloid report and we're interested in reports and we're interested in experiences something that interests and excites us but my dear friend go back and look at the great history of the church now look at it as I say in general I've mentioned the question of Revival I mentioned this question once more read the accounts of the church with the spirit of God coming down upon her and the church being lifted up and transformed and transfigured filled with power and with Glory filled with singing and rejoicing and a great abandon none of your polite respectable controlled organized meetings but everything bursting over the the very edges as it were bursting the banks and the whole Countryside being flooded and mighty things happening under the power of the spirit of God do we know about things like this have we taken the trouble to examine the history of the church not only what we have in the Bible but what has happened since you see the danger is always to sort of idealize the New Testament and say that was all right then but of course the apostles were alive then and ever since the time of the Apostles have gone Everything Has Changed as if we are to live on a lower level it's an absolute lie there is no word to that effect in the whole of the New Testament what we read here is applicable to all of us now it's meant to be true at all times these letters are contemporary letters what our lord said to the Church of the leod Deans in the first century is saying to the church today and what proves that is these great upheavals as it were these great movements ties of the spirit which you can read of in the long story of the Christian church but we seem to be ignorant of all that as if evangelicalism had only started with fin or moody or somebody still more recent perhaps my dear friends it is our ignorance that accounts for our state and condition is the Christian church today as you find the church described in the New Testament is she as she's been in periods of Revival that's the question and about us as individuals or take it again in the history of individuals I commend to you once more the reading of biographies and of autobiographies have you ever done that and what have you done when you finished when You' read the journals of Whitfield or Wesley or somebody like that what have you done as you've read it have you just said this is marvelous this is wonderful as if you were reading a fairy tale and you put down the book or have you said to yourself well am I like this and if I'm not why am I not like this this is meant to be true of me these were men of like passions with myself they were exceptional in certain respects so am I but am I like this now it is the failure to do that that accounts for this L Dean condition this is the question I I'm asking as you've read of such men have you felt at times that perhaps you're not even a Christian at all if it doesn't have that effect upon you you haven't read it truly can you read the New Testament without being disturbed if you can there's something seriously wrong with you if the New Testament doesn't condemn you every time you read it and make you feel well why am I not like this well then there's something wrong with your reading it's not examining you it's not searching you you haven't got a to hear he that have any ear let him hear what the spirit says to the judges the spirit is speaking the word is speaking but we don't seem to hear now that's the whole essence of the trouble because you see what you find here and what you find exemplified so constantly in the long history of the church is something like this what are we meant to enjoy well we are meant to enjoy the unsearchable riches of Christ that's what we to enjoy the unsearchable riches of Christ are you enjoying them that's what you have as a Believer you've entered into this and there they are for you the exceeding Riches of his grace the love of Christ which passes knowledge bread length depth height there it is in all its eternity of Wonder are you enjoying this have you entered into the possession of this this is what we are offered in the New Testament come let me be more particular the Christian is a men who is meant to know the Lord Jesus Christ that I might know him these things write I unto use as John in that first epistle he's writing to those who already believe as I've reminded you he writes that their Joy might be full this then is the message that we have heard of him and so on these things write we unto you that your joy may be full he says that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ now we are meant to enter into that fellowship or as our Lord puts it here here it is we I stand at the door and knock If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and will sh with him and he with me no he means that that's what we are meant to be enjoying what does this mean well this is a term in which he describes the intimacy of Fellowship that should be possible it is merely that we believe the truth about him of course we do but he offers more he says I will come in and I will s with him and he with me this is a very wonderful and glorious description of an intimate personal Fellowship you see he's saying you are very busy you are doing many things but I'm what I'm asking you is this are you enjoying fellowship with me it's an intimate meeting together there's the table he is one side and you are the other and he wants to talk to you he wants to tell you about his love to you he wants to know if you love him that's the picture a tate a tate you're meeting together in this intimate Fellowship you and he and he and you and you're en enjoying his fellowship and you're enjoying him now you're not merely enjoying things about him you're not merely when you have happen to think about it or when you're taken ill or are facing death oh yes my sins are forgiven when you sto with your busy round of activities no no this is the biggest thing in your life this is the thing that you value and prize above everything else I am my Lord and He is mine I know him whom I have believed these are the things my dear friend forget the people who are cold but these you see are the experiences of those who knows something about warmth and about love you are familiar with these terms as we find them constantly in the New Testament he will speak to you and he will tell you of his love to you he will give you intimations of this I've so often reminded you of these things I've read extracts out of people's Diaries how the love of Christ Came Upon them in wave after wave so that they could scarcely stand it ravishing their hearts carrying them away in transports of delight some of them testifying to being almost unconscious for hours in the enjoyment of this forgetting the world and everything else now here is the way to test ourselves what do we know about that kind of thing do we know anything about his consolation are you able to sing the hyms truly and in an experimental manner I need thee every hour stay thou nearby Temptations lose their power when thou art nigh is that true now these you see are the ways in which we should examine ourselves the people at L this air hadn't been doing this they they didn't it all was well and they don't realize how poor they are yes it's right to be Orthodox it's right to be moral and decent and better than the people who are in the world but my dear friend that's not the test for us the test for us is this these experiences that were given to these Ordinary People in the first century that have been repeated to the Saints throughout the centuries what do we know of these you look at the poor beggar in the street and and you think you're rich but then you look at a millionaire and you feel you're a poer that's the thing to do are you enjoying his peace he said before he left my peace I give unto you my peace peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither Let It Be Afraid are you enjoy in that peace of this that's what you're meant to enjoy the peace of God that passes all understanding now it doesn't matter what your circumstances are that's the teaching everywhere Paul in prison knows the peace of God that passes all understanding all things are going against him all round doesn't matter he's enjoying a peace that is absolutely perfect nothing can shake it nothing can disturb it nothing can make him lose it not as the world but as I give unto you my dear friend are you enjoying the peace of God that passes all understanding whatever may be happening to you whatever you may see coming in the future are you eny you're meant to enjoy it you think you're rich you think you've arrived you think you've got all things but have you got this people like ourselves have enjoyed this in this world this is very practical this is true to life this is is not some ideal description this is the very thing that was literally enjoyed by the early Christians it has been enjoyed by the most Ordinary People In Christ ever since throughout the running centuries and then this joy and rejoicing my joy gave I unto you I read the description of the early Church in Acts 2 gladness of heart pray praising God rejoicing is there any praise in your life how much when you get on your knees how much praise of God is there is it only petitions well I know you've got your prayer list haven't you you're praying for certain people but are you praising him are you expressing your love to him is your heart moved are you carried away by all this this is the test is is isn't it terrible that we can be so mechanical and pride ourselves on it I do pray every day I read a portion of scripture and I pray I allocate this to it this is marvelous and look at the work I'm doing and you're you're rich you need nothing but oh is your heart moved is your heart drawn out are you carried away by love to him or let me give you it in the words of Peter again this is what Peter says about ordinary Christians whom having not seen he love in whom though now we see him not yet believing you rejoice with a Jo High unspeakable and full of Glory to ordinary Christians do you still feel you're rich do you still feel that you need nothing do you still feel that you've got everything are you pleased with yourself are you proud of yourself oh if you are it just means that you're about as ignorant as a Christian can possibly be you don't even know how to read your scriptures you know we're not called just to read a certain number of verses every every day we are called upon to understand what we read and appropriate it and allow it to search us and examine us and then give us of the riches The unsearchable Riches of Christ that's the object of it all and this is what is possible to us and then he offers us power he offers us ability he offers us something of his own Zeal and of his own power let me sum it up by putting it like this can we honestly say with Charles Wesley at this moment and is this your experience thou oh Christ are all I want more than all in thee I find is that true or as another put it sight healing Riches of the Mind y all I need in thee to find oh Lamb of God I come or can you say with another object of my first desire Jesus crucified for me test yourself in the light of it all to happiness Aspire only to be found in thee thee to please and thee to know constitute my Bliss below thee to see and thee to love constitute my life above my Bliss above then he goes on Lord it is not Life to Live If thy presence th deny Lord if thou thy presence give is no longer Death To Die s some Giver of repose only from thy smile it flows peace and happiness are thine mine they are if Thou Art mine whilst I feel thy love to me every object teams with joy have you ever felt his love to you that's the question love is to be felt love's not something abstract love's not something theoretical love is between persons whilst I feel thy love to me every object teams with joy may I ever walk with thee for his Bliss without a lie let me but thyself possess total Son Of Happiness real Bliss I then shall prove Heaven below and Heaven above my friend is that true of you that's the question forget everything else and just examine yourself in the light of that possibility that's what you're meant to have and to enjoy as a Christian have you got it are you rich or are you miserable and poor and blind and naked is there any cure of for us if we're like the ls well it's all you I need stay with us it's so plain it's simple it's explicit do you know there's only one hope for us and that is his concern for us if you're in this L Dean condition don't try to work up a feeling many are trying to do that they'll work it up with music they'll even Jazz the music to do it they'll clap their hands they'll introduce false fire tragic that's not it we can't do it it is he alone who can do it and he is ready to do it he says so even to these low descends he shows his concern for us this is what he says as many as I love I rebuke and chion have you been rebuked this morning if you have thank God it means you're a Christian have you felt chasen have you felt humbled in this service if you have I tell you you're a Christian but if you felt nothing you're not if you're annoyed you're not this is the whole question as many as I love I rebuke and chasen he does it for our good and he does it in many ways I had a letter last week from a man in a given part of this country wanting my advice and wanting to come to see me and this is what the poor man said I understand it so well he says I've been most active and busy in Christian work for 20 years he now has to have an operation and he suddenly finds he can't pray as he'd like to after 20 years of exceptionally busy Christian work he finds it rather difficult to pray what I said to that man was that it is his loving Lord who sent him this illness calling for an operation to save him from something worse to make him see that in all his business and activity he'd forgotten the most important and vital thing of all his relationship to his blessed Lord he chastises because he loves and we rebukes and chases not only that behold I stand at the door and knock If any man hear my voice and open the door I will come into him and will s with him and he with me I wonder whether he's been knocking at the door of your life this morning even as I've been speaking feebly he uses even this kind of thing he's got other ways of doing it he stands at the door he knocks he even Whispers he speaks do you hear his voice what a wonderful thing that he should do that for us we've been so s self- satisfied and pleased that we've even forgotten him and not only does he stand at the door and knock he's got everything we need he's got this gold Tri it in the fire he's got the perfect clothing he's got the ey s what's the gold I believe it's it's faith that opens to us the riches of his grace the clothing the Garment of Praise the eyel oh with spiritual understanding and that's the thing that's so lacking today spiritual understanding people are so pleased with activities that they have the spiritual understanding to see their poverty or even to grasp The Riches of his grace I never have we needed it more than at this present time that our eyes may see the possibilities of the grace of God all that is treasured to us in the son of his love and all you and I need to do is to listen to him give yourself a chance to hear him silence the rockus voices of the world for a while and even the shouting in the church be still listen listen to him in the silences be still and know that I am God and you'll hear the knock you'll hear the whisper of his voice and all you've got to do is to open the door see this is a text for Christians it should never be used evangelistically this is a text for Christians only we've got the power to open the door and we have got to open the door and he will come in have you felt chastised and rebuked have you repented of your Foolish Pride your foolish self-satisfaction have you seen your nakedness your emptiness your utter poverty open the door and he'll come in and in a moment he'll give you to feel something that you've never felt in the whole of your life your heart will be warm it will begin to burn and you'll go on your way rejoicing and will be a blessing to others in a way that you can scarcely imagine God have mercy upon us oh that we may give him time that we may silence everything and listen to The Voice Divine though in rebuke it is full of love and he has to give us all the unsearchable riches of the grace of God [00:00:02]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?