Jesus’ Wish For The Church” Laodicea, Revelation 3:14-22
Three girls were stranded on an island when they discover a lamp rub it and out pops a genie. They are each granted a wish. The C+ girl washed she was off the island “poof!” The “straight A” girl wished she was back home “poof!” The girl who daydreamed in class every day had a hard time thinking and said, “I just can’t think…I wish my two friends were back here to help me.” “Poof!”
Three boys were stranded on an island when they discovered a lamp, rub it, and out pops a genie. They are each granted a wish. The first boy wished he was 25% smarter and then swims out to sea. The second boy wished he was 50% smarter and then cuts down a tree, quickly carves out a boat and rows out to sea. The third boys wishes he was 100% smarter and then walks across the bridge.
Ever wish for something? What do you wish for in life? What if there really were genies and you were granted just one wish what would it be? I think it would be easier to have three wishes but I’d probably just make 3x the mess!
If you could wish anything, and I mean anything, for this church—what would it be? What do you think Jesus would wish for this church?
Jesus has a wish for the church. What is it? It is written here…
Jesus had a wish for the church—he wishes it was HOT or COLD.
Matthew 10:32-33.
The situation is much worse than it looks! And Jesus is serious here! He knows what it takes to WAKE US UP!
ILL: A nurse on the Pediatric Ward before listening to the little ones’ heart beat would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response to equal four-year old David's comment. She tucked the stethoscope gently into his ears and placed the disk over his heart. "Listen," she said..."What do you suppose that is?"
He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap-tap-tapping deep in his chest. Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked, "Is that Jesus Knocking?"
WHAT DO YOU WISH?—“Only one life t’will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”
The bread and the cup are means of grace to fulfilling another wish of Jesus. When you come to receive the bread and cup, will you be saying, “Yes Jesus, I have heard you knocking on my heart, and I once again open the door to You”? Or will you keep Him on the outside?
Will the means of grace be for you, “Yes, Jesus, I will buy my gold and clothes and medicine from YOU—I want my life to count for eternity and I repent of living it for the moment in this world—I want to live it for YOU!” Or will you continue to live a mediocre life with plenty of what the world has but nothing of God?
Will the means of grace today be your accepting Jesus on His terms and leaving a lukewarm life behind? If you need grace for that, you may come and feast today on Him and all He has for you. Isn’t it great to know that even though the Laodiceans were poor, naked and blind that Jesus still loved them enough to give them a second chance?
