Living In Laodicea

INTRODUCTION

-Hot water is useful for a drink

-Add finely ground coffee beans or tea leaves

-Cold water is a wonderful drink

-Especially on a 90+ degree day

-Warm, room temperature water is not a very

desirable drink

-Unless we are extremely thirsty

-My question to you today is, what type of drink are

you?

-<Revelation 3:14-22>

-This letter was written to a church

-People who professed to love God

-The Lord looks at all of our lives

-What does He see in our relationship to Him

-He sees us living in one of three ways: hot, cold

or lukewarm

I. Hot Living

-This is the person who loves God with everything

they have

-You do some crazy things when you’re in love

-People in love look and act weird

A. Their concern is not in their own interests

-They love to say, “Yes Dear.”

1. My time is yours

2. My money is yours

B. Their concern is not in their own reputation

1. They don’t care what others think about

them or their actions

2. They care deeply what others think about

the one they love

C. Their concern is only in the one they love

1. Speaking their love

-How much do you talk about the ones you

love?

a. To them

b. To others

2. Showing their love

-How much do you show them you love them?

-Eating the food you don’t like

-Going out to do the activity they

really like

-Listening to them intently

-Surprising them with unexpected gifts

-We’re talking here about people who are

passionate about God

-God is their consuming passion

-Their #1 interest in life

A. More than their desires

B. More than their comfort

C. More than anything

II. Cold Living

-This is the person who claims no relationship to

God

-Everyone knows where they stand, without a doubt

-They could care less about coming to know Him

-They do not love the Lord at all

-Rather, they love their sins

-They may come to church on occasions

-Out of a sense of duty

-To ease their conscience

-To put an end to nagging

A. Atheists

-Those who don’t believe God exists

-They will one day, though

-Every knee shall bow

B. Agnostics

-Those who don’t believe we can know anything

about god

-Let alone know Him personally

C. Apostates

-Those who know the truth, but refuse to

accept it

-These people are passionate about themselves

III. Lukewarm Living

-These are people who claim to have a relationship

with God

-You may see them in church quite often

-Sometimes they even hold positions of leadership

within the church

A. They are fence sitters

-They are the hypocrites

-The Pharisees of the day

-They want the best of both worlds

-Or at least a little of each

-They accept the parts of the gospel that

don’t challenge them too much

-They don’t want to offend anybody

-Around believers they act Christian

-They know the words to say

-They know the things to do

-Around unbelievers they act less

Christian

-Talk about God very little

-Participate in “minor” sins

-But, we are to be in the world, but not of it

B. They are sickening to God

-He can’t stand their actions

-Although He still loves them

-He loves everybody

-It doesn’t sit well with Him

-He doesn’t want to be impressed, He wants

our love

C. They are blinded to their situation

-Often, they think God is pleased with them

D. They are offered a change of status

-God is a God of second chances

-God is a God of hope

-These people are passionate about their

reputation before others

CONCLUSION

-God is a consuming fire

-<Hebrews 12:29>

-The closer we get to God, the hotter we will be

-Today, I want you to let God speak to your hearts

-Let Him tell you the truth about your situation with

Him

-Are you hot in your relationship to Him?

-That is exactly what He desires of you

-That is exactly what he deserves from you

-He loves you so much and has done everything

possible for you to come to know Him

-Are you cold in your relationship to Him?

-Have you refused to believe in Him?

-Have you refused to accept the truth and accept

Him into your life?

-Are you lukewarm, in your relationship to Him?

-You’ve seem better days spiritually than you are

having right now

-You’ve allowed yourself to become enthralled by

certain elements of the world

-You’ve become more concerned about your

reputation than about God

-Today, if you come back to His love, He will once

again set His fire within you and make your love

for Him grow hot