THE KIND OF CHURCH THAT MAKES JESUS SICK
REV. 3:14-16
1. INTRODUCTION. THERE ARE MANY CHURCHES TODAY THAT THRIVE ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THEY HAVE A PACKED HOUSE, BUT THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY EMPTY. THEY HAVE MONEY IN THE BANK, BUT THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT. THEY ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR SINGING, BUT THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY SILENT. THEY ARE CLOTHED IN FINE CLOTHING, BUT THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY NAKED. THERE MIGHT BE PREACHING IN THE PULPIT BUT IT IS AS SOUNDING BRASS AND TINGLING SYMBOL. THEY MAY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF MINISTRIES, BUT IT’S NOTHING MORE THAN A COLLECTION OF CLIQUES. THEY MIGHT HAVE THEIR NAME ON THE MARQUEE, BUT THEIR NAMES ARE NOT IN THE LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE. ALL OF THIS, MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, IS THE KIND OF CHURCH THAT MAKES JESUS SICK.
2. THE TEXT. JESUS TELLS THIS CHURCH THAT HE KNOWS THEIR WORKS.
a) JESUS IS AWARE OF THE WORKS OF EVERY CHURCH. WHETHER THEY ARE GENUINE OR NOT.
b) HE TELLS THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA THAT THEY ARE NEITHER COLD NOR HOT.
c) TO BE COLD WOULD IMPLY THAT THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD.
d) TO BE HOT IMPLIES THAT THEY ARE ON FIRE FOR HIM.
e) BUT, THIS CHURCH WAS LUKEWARM, MEANING THAT THEY WERE STRADDLING THE FENCE.
f) HE USES THE TERM LUKEWARM BECAUSE THE WATER THEY DRANK WAS LUKEWARM.
g) LUKEWARM WATER IS GOOD FOR NOTHING.
h) JESUS SAYS THAT HE WISHED THEM TO BE COLD OR HOT. COLD WATER REFRESHES, WHILE HOT WATER IS MEDICINAL.
i) BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE LUKEWARM, THEY MADE HIM SICK TO THE POINT OF SPEWING THEM, VOMITING THEM OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
3. WHAT WAS THIS CHURCHES PROBLEM? THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CHURCH IS THAT IT WAS INDIFFERENT TOWARDS HIM, AND THEY WERE TRAPPED IN THEIR OWN SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
a) A CHURCH THAT IS INDIFFERENT TOWARD JESUS WILL BE INDIFFERENT TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.
b) THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INDIFFERENT CHURCH IS EVIDENCED BY THEIR LACK OF LOVE FOR JESUS, MINISTRY, MISSIONS, PRAYER, EVANGELISM, AND BY THEIR REFUSAL TO SEE THE CONDITION THAT THE Y ARE IN.
c) THIS CHURCH WAS SATISFIED WITH BEING COMPLACENT.
d) THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
e) THIS CHURCH WAS PHYSICALLY WEALTHY BUT SPIRITUALLY POOR.
f) THEY WERE CLOTHED IN FINE GARMENTS, BUT NAKED IN THE EYES OF JESUS.
g) THEY WERE ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT THEMSELVES.
h) THEY WERE WRETCHED AND MISERABLE AND DIDN’T KNOW IT.
i) THESE SAME CHARACTERISTICS CAN ALSO APPLY TO MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO PERMEATE THE PEWS SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY.
4. WHAT KIND OF CHURCH MAKES JESUS SICK IN THE 21ST CENTURY?
a) EMPTY PRAISE MAKES HIM SICK.
b) EMPTY PEWS MAKES HIM SICK.
c) WOEFUL AND UNENERGIZED WORSHIP MAKES HIM SICK.
d) SINGING THAT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT DOES NOT INVOLVE THE HEART MAKES HIM SICK.
e) LACK OF COMMITMENT MAKES HIM SICK.
f) PREACHING THAT PLEASES THE POPULACE, AS OPPOSED TO GLORIFYING GOD, AND EDIFYING THE SAINTS, AND PERSUADING SINNERS TO CHANGE, MAKES HIM SICK.
g) A CHURCH THAT IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT STUFF THAN THEY ARE ABOUT SALVATION MAKES HIM SICK.
h) CHURCHES THAT PREY ON THE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE, MAKES HIM SICK.
i) A CHURCH THAT LOOKS LIKE THE WORLD, INSTEAD OF MAKING THE WORLD LOOK LIKE THE CHURCH, MAKES HIM SICK.
j) THEREFORE, WE MUST ASK OURSELVES AS A CHURCH AND AS INDIVIDUAL, DO I MAKE JESUS SICK?
5. JESUS GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE.
a) THE CURE FOR THEIR CONDITION IS REPENTANCE.
b) REPENTANCE IS NOT MERELY SAYING THAT WE ARE SORRY, BUT MAKING A CHANGE IN OUR LIVES UNDER THE CONVICTION OF THOSE THINGS THAT DISPLEASES THE MASTER.
c) THE WORD REPENT, CARRIES THE CONNOTATION OF TURNING FROM SIN, AND TO GO IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
d) THE REASON THAT JESUS CHASTISE US IS BECAUSE HE LOVES US ENOUGH AND WANTS THE BEST FOR US; WHICH CAN ONLY OCCUR IF WE ARE WILLING TO REPENT.
e) JESUS SAYS, “BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK.”INDICATING THAT HE HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON THIS CHURCH; AND HE HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON US.
f) THE QUESTION IS WILL WE OPEN THE DOOR OF OUR HEARTS TO HIM?
6. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION. IF WE ENDEAVOR TO PLEASE JESUS, WE MUST DO THE FOLLOWING:
a) ONE, BE AWARE OF OUR CONDITION AS A CHURCH AND AS INDIVIDUALS. ARE WE LUKEWARM, COLD, OR HOT FOR THE LORD. WE CANNOT STRADDLE THE FENCE.
b) TWO, IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT PREVENTS US FROM GIVING HIM THE BEST THAT WE HAVE, WE MUST REPENT!
c) THREE, WE MUST FUNCTION AS A CHURCH AND AS CHRISTIANS IN THE MANNER THAT THE BIBLE PRESCRIBES. IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST SERVE HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH!
d) SO, MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, JESUS IS LOOKING FOR A CHURCH THAT WILL…
• BE ON FIRE FOR HIM
• LEND A HAND TO THOSE WHO ARE HURTING
• REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED AND DISCONNECTED FROM SOCIETY
• GO INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES, COMPELLING THE LOST TO COME TO CHRIST
• WORSHIP AND PRAISE HIM WITH THEIR WHOLE HEART
• IS NOT CLIQUISH, BUT IS CONSUMED BY MINISTRY
• LOVE THE UNLOVABLE
• REACH THE UNREACHABLE
• NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
• DENY THEMSELVES DAILY AND FOLLOW AFTER HIM
• PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL.
