God Must Have Something To Work With

God Must Have Something to Work With

By Joe Mack Cherry

I. Introduction

A. Read Text: Rev. 3:14-16

1. Everyone is very familiar with this passage.

2. We have been taught since childhood that “lukewarm” is not

acceptable and the real emphasis is on being “hot”.

3. I believe there is another important concept in this passage that gets overlooked and that is the fact that those who are overly zealous in the wrong direction are not necessarily counted out.

a. God never stops pursuing sinners.

b. Even though He tells the Laodiceans He will spit them out, He also tells them how they can avoid a separation from His graces.

c. We have to give God something to work with. I believe a compassionate heart and a deep need to serve others are essential if we want to work for Christ. More later!

B. There are Two Trains of Thought as to why this analogy is used

to describe the Christians at Laodicea.

1. John uses a “geographical” referencing to drive a point home.

2. There were medicinal springs in and around the city that

seemed to possess some healing powers.

3. This was a big banking area as well as wool trading, so it was a rich town.

a. Most rich people depend on themselves, not God.

b. Perceiving that we need nothing tends to cause us to distance ourselves from God.

c. They were still going through the motions but to no avail.

• “You honor me with your lips but your hearts are far from me.” Isa. 29:13 & Mt. 15:7-9.

4. The Laodiceans could identify with the analogy that John uses in re: to “hot” water.

C. Three states in which a congregation can exist.

1. For a minute let’s think about a piece of meat and three of the stages it can exist.

a. When it is frozen, it is of no immediate nutritional value,

but it does have potential.

b. When it is fully cooked and hot it has nutritional value.

c. What happens if a piece of meat sits at room temperature (cooked or uncooked) for an extended period of time?

* It spoils

* It makes you sick if you eat it.

* It’s good for nothing but to be thrown away.

2. What were the characteristics of the lukewarmness? Rev 3:17

a. I believe lukewarmness stems from complacency.

* Plenty of money

* Plenty of prestige

* Easy to forget we need God.

b. Wretched –They were poor quality Christians. This put them in a very misfortunate state because it made them very annoying, therefore invoking Christ’s anger.

c. Miserable - Gr. “to be pitied” and they didn’t realize it.

d. Poor – Gr. “Destitute of everything they thought they possessed”.

e. Blind – Gr. “Figuratively unable to see” themselves falling away.

f. Naked – Gr. “open or bare”

3. Does this describe us? This verse gives us guidelines for self-reflection which is very important in order to grow as a child of God.

a. When we are forgiven, we can look back at past mistakes without guilt and fear. This allows us to assess our current state of “Godly well-being.”

b. Honest, healthy self-reflection can keep us on the right path.

4. Those who find themselves in the same state as the Laodiceans

are of no use to God/Christ when it comes to working in the fields.

II. Body – “God Must Have Something to Work With”

A. Those on fire for Christ

1. It’s easy to understand that God wants us on fire for His cause.

a. God doesn’t require sinlessness or vast knowledge for service.

b. He will equip us for discipleship.

c. He doesn’t call the qualified; he qualifies the called.

2. We often recite verses like:

a. “Do not grow weary in well doing…” Gal. 6:9 … for in due season you will reap your reward if you do not faint.”

b. “Don’t put your hand to the plough and look back.

3. God truly wants all or nothing.

4. He has given us each talent(s) that will help further the kingdom but if we don’t use them, we will lose them!

B. God will help us utilize our talent(s) if we work at them.

1. Remember: The Great Commission was not a “go if you want to” command. Mk 16:15 The great commission was given to us all.

2. We have a promise that God rewards those who diligently

seek. Heb. 11:6

3. We must remain malleable so that God continues to use us.

4. The zealous must remember that God gives the increase, their job is to plant and water. We must give God His time to work in others. Forcing confessions and baptisms is not our job.

B. What about the polar opposites?