Revelation 2012: #3 - Be Hot Or Be Cold! Series

REVELATION 2012: #3 – BE HOT OR BE COLD!

REVIEW: Over the past couple of weeks, we have been studying the Book of Revelation.

• In chapter one, we saw John in exile on Patmos receive a vision of Jesus.

• In chapters 2-3, we saw the first six letters that Jesus wrote to seven churches in Asia.

• Themes we have discovered in Revelation: Jesus, His second coming, and worship.

THE BIG IDEA: In Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus challenges the Laodicean Church to be hot or be cold, not lukewarm. He speaks those same words to us today.

A REVELATION OF JESUS:

“14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

• The first thing Jesus wants to reveal to Him is about His nature – Faithful & True!

• Jesus the “Amen!” Can I get a witness here today? How about a hearty amen?

• DISCUSS: Liza watching Whitney Houston’s funeral yesterday in a black church!

• Preach it: Jesus is faithful and true, the first-born from the dead, resurrection and the life.

• The Beginning = Originator or Ruler of God’s creation – the Lord God Almighty!

• Of the first six churches, some were good, some stink, some were in-between.

• This is the worst church yet. Jesus had nothing good to say about them.

BE HOT OR BE COLD:

15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

• Lukewarm: having or showing little zeal or enthusiasm; indifferent

• Some people say that when Jesus said be hot or be cold, both of those are useful: Hot and cold water are both refreshing. But I want to look at it from a different perspective:

• God wants us to be hot for Him – on-fire Christians. Like the planet Mercury, that is closest in its revolution around the sun, we need to be close to Jesus to be hot for him.

• The planet Pluto (actually lost its planet status!) is far away from the sun and is cold.

• Jesus said, “He he who is filthy, let him be filthy still… he who is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me…” (Rev. 22:11-12).

• So you have a choice – be hot or be cold for Jesus – just don’t be lukewarm!

• Lukewarm water is good for nothing. Toilet water is lukewarm. This is the vomit zone!

• There’s nothing worse than a lukewarm cup of coffee. Disgusting!

A LOOK AT THE THREE SEATS – WHICH ONE ARE YOU IN?

• The Cold Seat: Worldly and Rebellious

• The Lukewarm Seat: Religious and Compromising

• The Hot Seat: Radical and Committed

• Cold = Worldly: Those who are sinners, they don’t know God or care about God.

• Lukewarm = Religious: Those who go to church, read their Bibles and pray (sometimes).

• Hot = Radically saved: These are the overcomers who are on-fire for Jesus.

• Cold = Rebellious: They lie, cheat, steal, get drunk, do drugs, sleep around, etc.

• Cold are frozen – you can’t move or do anything or go anywhere! Going to hell.

• Lukewarm = Compromising: Don’t walk in love, don’t serve, don’t give, lie and gossip.

• These are the people who hang onto offenses and don’t forgive. Makes Jesus sick!

• Hot = Committed: Willing to lay down their lives for Jesus and His church.

• There’s no lukewarm Christian. Either you’re hot for God, or you’re sinning.

• If you’re lukewarm, Jesus is going to vomit you out of His mouth. So get hot!

A REALITY CHECK AND DIVINE COUNSEL:

17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

• They were so caught up in materialism they didn’t know that they were spiritually dead:

o Wretched - enduring toils and troubles; afflicted

o Miserable - to be pitied; unhappy. Lukewarm people don’t have any joy.

o Poor - lacking wealth, influence and honour

o Blind - spiritually blind (no vision for their lives)

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Prov. 29:18).

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.” (NKJ)