Praise the Lord this morning, cherished family of faith! It's such a joy to stand before you today, not as a stranger, but as a fellow traveler on this road of faith, a road that is often winding, often challenging, a lot of times hilly leading to valleys of trials, but always leading us closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We gather here today, not as perfect beings, but as those who are in constant need of the grace and mercy of our God. Amen! We come with hearts that are sometimes lukewarm, with faith that sometimes wavers, but with a God who never changes.
[Title: Sitting on the Fence of Salvation]
As we close out our series on the seven churches, we find ourselves again in the book of Revelation today, looking at the Lukewarm church in Laodicea, and in cities of our current day. So, let's read it together what Jesus has to say about this church and there, also our attitudes:
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also 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.” ’ ”
Revelation 3:14-22
A powerful passage, is it not? Amen. It is powerful in the sense, that it calls us to the task of examining our hearts, to look at our faith, and to ask ourselves if we are hot, cold, or lukewarm in our love for God.
Let’s understand what lukewarm faith means. People have said to me that they are Christian because their parents are Christian. That is a lukewarm faith, because it was never cultivated by the individual, and nor is it nurtured by the individual. Because they are not hot, meaning that they have a passion for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; also, they are not cold, meaning they have not flat out rejected Jesus Christ, they are just sitting on the fence of salvation, neither having it nor outright rejecting it. Which Jesus says is a state that is worse them loving Him or hating Him.
So, let's look at the dangers of spiritual complacency, the deceptive comfort of lukewarm faith, and the demand for genuine commitment.
Dangers of Spiritual Complacency
The passage we read from Revelation paints a vivid picture of the state of the church in Laodicea, and yes, some churches of today. They were neither hot nor cold in their faith, but lukewarm. This lukewarmness is a clear indication of spiritual complacency. It's a state where we're content with just going through the motions of faith without a real, passionate commitment to God.
The first danger of spiritual complacency is that it blinds us to our true spiritual condition. The Laodiceans thought they were rich and in need of nothing. They were self-satisfied, self-sufficient, and self-deceived. They didn't realize that they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. This is the danger of complacency. It makes us think we're okay when we're not. It makes us think we're spiritually rich when we're spiritually poor.
Complacency also makes us insensitive to the things of God. When we're complacent, we lose our spiritual sensitivity. We become numb to the things that should stir our hearts and move us to action. We become indifferent to sin, indifferent to the needs of others, and indifferent to the call of God on our lives. Folks, this is a dangerous place to be.
Another danger of complacency is that it hinders our spiritual growth. When we're complacent, we stop growing. We stop seeking God. We stop striving to be more like Christ. We become stagnant in our faith. And when we're stagnant, we're not moving forward. We're not growing. We're not maturing. We're just stuck.
Finally, complacency can lead to spiritual death. So that we can make this clear, let’s look back to verse 16.
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Revelation 3:16
This is a strong warning, so strong that Jesus equates it with projectile vomiting. It's a warning that complacency can lead to rejection by God. It's a warning that complacency can lead to spiritual death. Understand that spiritual death means that you have a home for eternity in the lake of fire.
So, what's the solution? How do we avoid these dangers? The answer is found in Revelation 3:18-19. We need to buy gold refined in the fire, white clothes to wear, and salve to put on our eyes. In other words, we need to seek true spiritual riches, true righteousness, and true spiritual insight. We need to seek these things from God, not from the world, and not base your salvation from our parent beliefs.
We also need to be earnest and repent. We need to be serious about our faith. Remember that your faith is personal, just as your relationship with Jesus is personal. We need to turn away from our complacency and turn back to God. We need to open the door of our hearts and let Jesus in. We need to get off the fence and run to Jesus.
Remember, complacency is a dangerous place to be. It blinds us to our true spiritual condition. It makes us insensitive to the things of God. It hinders our spiritual growth. And it can lead to spiritual death. But there's hope. There's always hope with God. We can overcome complacency. We can be hot, not lukewarm. We can be rich, not poor. We can be clothed, not naked. We can see, and not be blind. We can be alive, not dead. We just need to be earnest and repent. We just need to get off the fence, open the door and let Jesus in.
Deceptive Comfort of Lukewarm Faith
As we navigate through the complexities of our faith, we are often prone to stay within our comfort-zone, sticking to those things that are familiar to us, to stick to the ease of the known. This is where we encounter the deceptive comfort of lukewarm faith. Sitting on the fence of salvation is where we are, not doing anything to make us lose friends and family, not causing any issues with others, not putting any effort to step toward or away from Jesus.
The church in Laodicea was rich, prosperous, and self-sufficient. They believed they had everything they needed, and this led them to a state of lukewarm faith. They were not on fire for God, nor were they completely cold towards Him. They were in the middle, comfortable, and complacent. This lukewarm faith is deceptive because it gives the illusion of safety, of being in a good place with God, when it really is a dangerous place to be.
The first aspect we need to understand about having a lukewarm faith is that it is self-deceptive. The Laodiceans believed they were rich and had everything they needed. They were self-satisfied and self-reliant. But their self-perception was far from the truth. Jesus tells them that they are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. They were spiritually poor, blind to their true condition, and naked, exposed before God. They were deceived by their own self-sufficiency and did not realize their desperate need for God.
Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
1 Thessalonians 5:6-8
The second aspect of lukewarm faith is its indifference. The Laodiceans were neither hot nor cold. They were indifferent, unresponsive, and uncommitted. They were not passionate about their faith, nor were they completely rejecting it. They were in the middle, comfortable, and complacent. This indifference is a dangerous state to be in because it prevents us from fully experiencing the love, grace, and power of God. It keeps us from fully committing to God and living out our faith with passion and conviction.
The third aspect of lukewarm faith is its resistance to correction. Jesus rebukes and disciplines those He loves. But the Laodiceans, in their lukewarm state, were resistant to His correction. They did not see their need for repentance and change. They were comfortable in their state and did not want to be disturbed. This resistance to correction is a dangerous state to be in because it prevents us from growing in our faith and becoming more like Christ.
The term "lukewarm" is used only once in the New Testament, in this passage of Revelation that we started with. It is a term that is so important to Jesus that He didn’t want it to get confused with its meaning in other books and chapters. The term is used to describe the spiritual condition of the Laodicean church. They were not hot, fervent in their faith, nor were they cold, completely rejecting God. They were lukewarm, indifferent, and complacent. This term gives us a vivid picture of the spiritual state of the Laodicean church and serves as a warning to us not to fall into the same state of lukewarm faith.
The fourth aspect of lukewarm faith is its impact on our relationship with God. In their lukewarm state, the Laodiceans were not in a close relationship with God. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, wanting to come in and have fellowship with them. But they were indifferent and unresponsive. Their lukewarm faith kept them from experiencing the intimacy and fellowship that God desires to have with us. When we sit on a fence, eventually we get pushed to one side. Typically, this is done by the world; friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers…and that side you get pushed to is never good for you. In the case of lukewarmness, Jesus does the pushing, and in the wording of how the lost are placed into the lake of fire…they are not placed there gently, the word says they are thrown into it. So, there is no gentle nudge, but a violent toss.
The fifth aspect of lukewarm faith is its impact on our witness. The Laodiceans, in their lukewarm state, were not effective witnesses for Christ. They were not living out their faith in a way that would draw others to Christ. Their lukewarm faith was not attractive or compelling. It did not reflect the power, love, and grace of God. This lack of witness is a dangerous state to be in because it prevents us from fulfilling our calling to be witnesses for Christ and to make disciples of all nations. When I think of this, I think of someplace in the bible where most of us never thought to look…back to the book of Genesis, where God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. As Christians, we are to be fruitful and multiply, not only in having physical babies, but to give spiritual birth to an unbeliever. So, get off the fence and be fruitful.
In conclusion, the lukewarm faith is deceptive and dangerous. It gives the illusion of safety and comfort, but it is a state of self-deception, indifference, resistance to correction, lack of intimacy with God, and ineffective witness. It is a state that we must avoid at all costs. Let us heed the warning of the Laodicean church and strive to be hot, fervent in our faith, and not lukewarm. Stop sitting on the fence of salvation.
Demand for Genuine Commitment
As we move forward, we find ourselves standing at the threshold of a demand for genuine commitment. This is not a demand that comes from a place of coercion or manipulation, but rather from a place of love and desire for our ultimate good. It's a call to move from being lukewarm to being on fire for Jesus Christ.
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "I know of nothing which I would choose to have as the subject of my ambition for life than to be kept faithful to my God till death." In our day and age, this is a profound statement! It reminds us of the importance of not just starting well in our faith but finishing well. It reminds us of the dangers of spiritual complacency and the deceptive comfort of lukewarm faith.
Being lukewarm to Jesus Christ is akin to being in a relationship where there's no passion, no excitement, no desire to grow and deepen the bond. It's a state of being content with mediocrity, of settling for less than what we're capable of, and less than what God desires for us.
Now, let's consider the first aspect of this demand for genuine commitment: the call to personal transformation. This is not about mere external changes or superficial adjustments. It's about a deep, internal transformation that affects every aspect of our lives. It's about allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us, to mold us and shape us into the image of Christ. It's about surrendering our will to God's will, our plans to His plans, our desires to His desires. It's about dying to self and living for Christ.
In the words of the respected Christian writer A.W. Tozer, "The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One." This quote beautifully encapsulates the essence of genuine commitment. When we have God as our treasure, when we value Him above all else, when our commitment to Him is genuine and not lukewarm, we have everything we need. We have peace, joy, love, purpose, and fulfillment.
The second aspect of this demand for genuine commitment is the call to active participation in the body of Christ. This is not about being a passive spectator, but an active participant. It's about using our gifts and talents for the edification of the church and the advancement of God's kingdom. It's about serving others with love and humility, about bearing one another's burdens, about encouraging and building each other up.
The third aspect of this demand for genuine commitment is the call to bear witness to Christ in the world. This is not about keeping our faith private, but about sharing it with others. It's about being a light in the darkness, a city on a hill, a beacon of hope in a world that desperately needs it. It's about living out our faith in such a way that others are drawn to Christ through us.
Finally, the fourth aspect of this demand for genuine commitment is the call to persevere in faith. This is not about a fleeting commitment that wanes with time, but about a steadfast faith that endures through trials and tribulations. It's about holding on to God's promises, about trusting in His faithfulness, about standing firm in the face of adversity.
So, let's respond to this demand for genuine commitment. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out. Let's actively participate in the body of Christ, bear witness to Him in the world, and persevere in our faith. Let's move from being lukewarm to being on fire for Jesus Christ. Let's not settle for mediocrity when God is calling us to greatness. Let's not be content with less when God is offering us so much more. Let's respond to His call with a resounding yes, with a genuine commitment that is reflected in every aspect of our lives.
If you’re sitting on the fence of salvation, here is a question I want you to ask yourselves:
How can I soar with eagles when I’m walking around with turkeys?
Conclusion
As we close today, let's remember that our Savior is not One of half measures. He's not Christ of lukewarm faith. He's our Lord and Savior of all or nothing, a Savior of complete commitment, a Savior who gave His all for us on the cross. And He asks us to give our all for Him in return.
But let's also remember that He doesn't ask us to do this on our own. He doesn't leave us to struggle with our lukewarm faith alone. No, He stands at the door and knocks, ready to come in and dine with us, ready to strengthen us, ready to help us move from lukewarm to on fire for Him. But we must allow Him in.
And that's the beauty of our God. He doesn't just demand our commitment. He equips us to handle the task. He doesn't just call us to faithfulness. He empowers us for it. He doesn't just rebuke us for our lukewarm faith. He provides the way for us to be hot for Him.
So, as we leave here today, let's remember that our God is a God of love, a God of grace, a God of mercy, and a God of empowerment. He stands ready to help us move from lukewarm to on fire, from complacent to committed, from wavering to faithful. And all we must do is open the door and let Him in.
