Dakota Community Church
August 10, 2008
Living in Laodicea
Last week in my sermon on baptism I mentioned that for a while I described myself as emergent on my Facebook profile but that I had removed it.
I like the idea of having a discussion about how we do things, how we treat sin and sinners, how we become more socially engaged and less self-centered.
The reason I removed the label is because of where this discussion is going in many instances. I don’t think everything is open for discussion and I certainly don’t think “everything must change.”
What about this Sunday morning service? Is it worth our while to keep going with it? Is it worth your while to be committed to it? Is God in it?
Is God still calling pastors and teachers to feed the flock?
Luke 12:42-43
"Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.
Is there still a stricter judgment for those who teach?
James 3:1
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
If so - is God placing any requirement on believers to show up and hear those teachings?
I want to be culturally relevant, to be aware of the issues and concerns of the society I live in. I want to be able to speak their language and compassionately respond to their needs; however, I do not want to be culturally led. I am a Christian, I am a believer!
This generation may not like to be “preached at”; but God is the one who calls preachers.
Our culture may not like to acknowledge sin; but Jesus Christ died to save sinners.
Society may be totally convinced that all religions are paths to finding God; but Jesus himself said “I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father accept through me.
Do you disagree with that? If you do then you may no longer be a Christian, you’re spiritual, you have a form of godliness; but deny the power thereof. The message of the cross is the power of God!
1 Corinthians 1:18-24
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
What then do we believe? Is there revealed truth?
The Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.
I think many are dropping out of Church commitment to follow a more relevant path without seeking out the new path first.
Instead of fresh passionate zeal for Christ there is just this kind of “against everything mentality” that doesn’t seem to be “for” anything.
On that note I want to look at the possibility that some of the hot new ideas are just old timey lukewarm living.
Revelation 3:14-22
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ’I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Far be it from me to define what God says is lukewarm and spew worthy; however I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that you may be drifting into lukewarm territory if you consistently choose:
1. Independence over community.
Our suburban lifestyles have created a desire to retreat into isolation and comfort that goes against the reality of life as a member of the “Body of Christ”.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-27
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Why do you think these admonitions to community are included in scripture?
It’s because the eye is not going to feel like getting together with the feet. The eyes like the other eyes, they have nothing in common with the feet.
Take a look around, this is community. Every age group is represented, we could use some more racial diversity, but we are all over the board income wise.
A group of artsy twenty-something’s meeting for wine or lattes is not community; community is messy, it requires obedience to partake of.
In community there are seniors who think everything is too loud and teens who think everything is too quiet, there are parents who can’t control their kids and parents who are destroying their children’s little creative spirits, in community their are wealthy folks who appear to some to be greedy and low income folks who appear to some to be lazy, in community there are aggressive control freaks who insist on their own way and there are spineless peacemakers who avoid conflict to everyone’s peril.
In community we learn patience, we practice forgiveness, we experience being on both sides of grace, we serve people we don’t feel like serving and we love people we don’t feel like loving and we keep on seeing them week after week because we are committed to the same head!
This brings me to the next point; you may be drifting into lukewarm territory if you are consistently choosing:
2. Ideology over action.
1 John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
You may feel that you need to escape from the suffocating confines of the local church in order to do real ministry… you are kidding yourself!
When you separate ministry from relationship you drift into ideology rather than action.
What have you done for the widows in our congregation?
Have you been to the prison with Dave?
Have you helped one of the moving families who couldn’t afford movers?
Have you opened your home to someone who needed a place to stay?
If your idea of ministry is to clean the toilets at the homeless shelter once a year I have news for you… we have toilets that need to be cleaned every week… and once a year ministry is just a romantic ideology not an action.
1 John 4:20
If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
Finally; you may be drifting into lukewarm territory if you consistently choose:
3. Image over unbridled worship.
Psalm 113:2-3
Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Luke 19:37-40
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Revelation 7:9-11
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God
Are you a worshiper this morning?
If you have let that go for whatever reason I beg you today to stop and turn from the path you are on to reignite that heart on fire, to fall on your face and repent of lukewarm living, to leave Laodicea once and for all.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
