JESUS INSPECTS HIS CHURCH
REV. 2-3
WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT THE FUTURE 4
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: FORGET THE EYE EXAM
1. It had been many years since my last eye exam and my wife was pestering me to make an appointment. The more she nagged, the more I procrastinated. Finally she made an appointment for me.
2. The day before I was to see the doctor, I was in an affectionate mood. After kissing and hugging her, I told her she really looked good to me.
3. “That does it,” she said. “I’m cancelling your appointment!”
B. TEXTS
2:1-5; “2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people...3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”
3:1-2; “3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.”
3:14-18; “14 “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. 15 I know your deeds, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 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. 18 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.” NIV 1984
C. THEME
1. THE TRUE DANGER OF CHRISTIANITY, NOT WITHOUT, BUT WITHIN
a. If Christianity could have been overthrown, it would have been long ago. The Caesars attempted to destroy it by swords, wild animals, burning gibbets, and crosses. The atheists and destructive critics attempted to destroy it by denouncing the Bible and the historicity of Christ. The Communists tried to grind it out by their totalitarian regimes and thought police. The scientists even lend a hand with their propaganda of evolutionary theory and unified denials of Intelligent Design.
b. But the Lord Jesus said, "The Gates of hell shall not prevail against" His church. The enemy may assail, but they shall never prevail.
c. Our danger is not from enemies without, but from compromise, ease, pleasure, & selfishness -- all within!
2. SUPERNATURAL GAZE OF JESUS searches our hearts and tests our motives. He inspected the churches and He's inspecting this church today. Yes, we’ll stand before the judgment seat of Christ someday, but we DO stand before it now!
3. Jesus saw 3 major problems in His church, and that’s our focus this morning. First of all, He saw...
I. FALSE REPUTATIONS/PERCEPTIONS OF OURSELVES
In Rev. 3:1 He said, “You have a REPUTATION of being alive, but you are dead.”
A. REPUTATION VS. REALITY
1. Many Christians used to be alive for God. WE USED TO BE: a. On fire, b. Hungry for God, c. Diligent in the things of God, d. So in love with God…But are you now?
2. For many Christians, there’s a big difference between what they USED TO BE and what they are right now. The Lord says, “Others are fooled; I’m not. I know exactly what your life looks like.”
3. Yes, you USED TO teach Sunday school, usher, visit the sick, serve in the church, to witness, etc., BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THE LORD NOW?
4. Jesus says to us, “I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.” He says, “Wake up! Strengthen what remains...” (3:2).
B. ILLUSTRATION
1. Alexander the Great had a soldier under him who also was named Alexander. The problem was, the soldier was cowardly.
2. After the younger was caught being running from battle, the great General summoned him and asked, “What’s your name?” (He asked him 3X and the younger answered.)
3. The great General said, “That’s MY name! Either live up to it or change your name!” That’s what the Lord Jesus says to us; “Either live up to My name of don’t call yourself a Christian!”
4. It’s time for all of us to start living up to the name of Jesus, as Christians! If we won’t change our way of living, Jesus hints we’ll face judgment for ignoring His warning.
5. The 2nd problem Jesus saw was...
II. LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS (3:14-18)
A. MEANING OF THE TERM “LUKEWARM”
1. The reference to temperature has to do with our love, our devotion, our fervor, our passion and excitement /enthusiasm for Jesus.
2. We all have things we’re passionate about: our jobs, sports, spouses, hobbies -- but Jesus wants us passionate about Him!
3. It's amazing that Jesus says, "I wish you were COLD or hot." I can understand why God would rather have us hot, than lukewarm. But why would He rather have us COLD -- godless -- than lukewarm?
4. JESUS DECLARES THAT BEING A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN IS MORE OFFENSIVE TO HIM THAN BEING COMPLETELY COLD or ATHEISTIC! WHY?
B. DANGERS OF A LUKEWARM FAITH
1. Why is a Lukewarm Christian such a problem? Because they do what Jesus told the Pharisees (Lk. 11:52); they not only don’t enter the door of fervent Christianity themselves but also hinder others, by their cold attitude. How do they do this?
2. A Lukewarm Christian MISREPRESENTS a. who Jesus is, b. that He’s worthy of all our devotion, and c. what it means to serve Him.
3. They present a Jesus who’s a minor deity in their lives. Their Jesus is not worthy of sacrificing their whole life to. He’s not master of their life, king of the universe, or creator.
4. LUKEWARMNESS ROBS THE CROSS OF ITS POWER
1 Cor. 1:17 GNT, lest “the cross...[be] robbed of its power.”
a. A gospel you only partially surrender to will never save and deliver. Only when you die to sins and trespasses does the full power of Christ's resurrection take hold.
b. A cheap imitation gospel makes people walk away saying, "It doesn't work;" "It's all a farce! Just pretense!"
C. THE BOILING POINT
1. We normally think of the desired temperature of a person is 98.6°, but spiritually, God’s required temperature is 212°. The “boiling point,” spiritually, is when:
a. The believer sells out, or is completely bought out by Christ. They keep back no areas, they’re willing to make any sacrifices, they live not for themselves, but solely to please and serve Jesus, their living Lord. They’ve crossed over the line of total commitment.
b. This is the level of commitment Jesus described when He said, “If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” For the new life to exist, the old life must be destroyed and displaced. Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” Gal. 2:20.
2. ILLUS. But sometimes we fight against full surrender. A lady recently told me she was going through a trial and was complaining to the Lord, wanting deliverance. The Lord answered, “Why do you always pull your hand away from the nail?” The Lord was trying to put to death part of her old nature, but she didn’t want to give it up!
3. But full surrender causes burning hearts, like the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus who talked to Jesus;
4. It’s no surprise there were flames on the heads of the disciples on the Day of Pentecost -- their hearts were NOT cold or lukewarm, but hot for God. Paul said, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you” 2 Tim. 1:6.
D. BOILING WATER PRODUCES POWER
1. 150° water is of no use in producing power in boilers. Only when water reaches 212° does it began to expand and create enormous pressure that has powered locomotives, riverboats, ships, and factories for over 150 years.
2. It is when water reaches the magic boiling point that it has the power to create force that has brought change to virtually all areas of life. The same is true of the spiritual boiling point -- it creates the force to bring change to people's lives.
3. It is only when the power of Jesus Christ is allowed to reach the fever pitch in our lives that the power of the Gospel is released to overwhelm and drive out all the idols in our hearts, our love of pleasures, our ego centrism (selfishness), and all our other addictions, to place Christ, unchallengeable, on the throne of our hearts! The 3rd problem Jesus saw...
III. LOVELESS CHRISTIANS
This one is the most painful to Christ. “Yet I hold this against you: You have left your FIRST LOVE! Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” Rev. 2:4-5.
A. WHAT IS OUR FIRST LOVE?
1. If you’re a Christian, it’s the wonderful day you got saved; you can never forget it! Oh, what love we felt for our Savior the first time He forgave our sins. You remember it – the happy hour when Jesus appeared to you, bleeding on His cross— and said in your heart, “I am your salvation. I’ve blotted out your iniquities like a thick cloud; your sins are all forgiven!” Oh, how you loved Him! At that moment, there was nothing you wouldn’t give up for Him; nothing you wouldn’t do for Him; nothing you wouldn’t endure for Him! He loved YOU and you loved Him!
2. But now, the blazing bonfire of your first love may have burned down to mere embers. Hopefully there’s still burning in your heart. But Jesus isn’t satisfied. Shall our love for Him be so little while His love for us is so great? Will a wife be content to never see passionate love in her husband’s eyes, but only cold indifference?
B. ILLUSTRATION: The Only Thing Left Was The Sign
1. Jonathan Spurlock drove by a shopping center in a midwest city. It had signs for everything from a bookstore to a pet shop to—my favorite—a hobby shop! He was dreaming of model trains and aircraft. So he circled and parked and walked into the mall.
2. Imagine his surprise when he couldn’t find that hobby shop anywhere! Puzzled, he went into an antique shop. He asked a clerks about the hobby shop. The clerk laughed a little, and said, “That shop closed up about two or three years ago. I guess they never got around to takin’ down that sign.” (Jonathan Spurlock)
3. There was nothing left but the sign. Is that all that’s left of Jesus in your life?
C. JESUS’ DEMAND: RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE
1. Jesus will not be second place. “You shall love the Lord your God with ALL you heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind, and ALL your strength!” Jesus demands that we recover our first love and do as we did at first!
2. ILLUSTRATION: “Taste Them Again For The First Time”
a. There have been some pretty memorable commercial catch phrases for cereals over the years. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes released one in the 1990’s: “Kellogg’s Corn Flakes – Taste them again for the first time.”
b. It’s genius, really–a call to go back to relive the pleasure, the delight, the satisfaction of a product which may have lost its luster in your mind, and its place in your pantry.
c. Application: Spiritually, have you lost the pleasure, the delight, & the satisfaction you once found in the Savior? Has walking with Him lost its luster? Has He lost His place in your heart?
d. Jesus calls you to return to your first love – to “taste and see that the Lord is good!”... as though for the first time. (MITCHELL DILLON)
3. BEWARE IGNORING THIS MESSAGE!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. In the 1988 Summer Olympics, the 100 meter race, Canada's Ben Johnson ran an unbelievable race. He rocketed to the front to beat the greatest runners on the planet.
2. He had broken the Olympic record; the crowd went wild! The players all congratulated him. He was the fastest human alive!
3. He looked good from the outside, but the judges looked on the inside. God will do that too!
4. The judges tested his blood and found steroids. Ben Johnson was called before the judges and forced to give up his gold medal, which went to another.
5. He was disqualified from any medal and sent back to Canada in disgrace! On the Day of Judgment, many will have their motives checked; our works will be judged. Will they stand in the fiery light of that judgment?
B. THE CALL
1. How long will you waver between God and the world? God is calling you to make a choice today!
2. Many are convicted but not converted. Being convicted isn’t enough; God requires us to take action!
3. Jesus said, "If any person will come after Me, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow after Me."
4. Peter said there’s no other name under heaven by which we must be saved – Jesus! Are you willing to surrender your old life?
5. How many would be honest and say, "I've been lukewarm?" “If Jesus were to look into my life, He wouldn’t like what He found?”
6. How many would say, "I want Christ to open my spiritual eyes, give me saving faith, and cloth me with His righteousness?” ARE YOU PLAYING GAMES WITH GOD?
7. Stand and come forward. Prayer.
