Go! And Live What Jesus Expected
Revelation 3:15-16 (NLT): "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!"
Introduction: Setting the Tone
There are few statements that rattle the soul more than the one we’ve based today’s message on: Francis Chan once said, "Lukewarm people call 'radical' what Jesus expected of all His followers."
Think about that. What has become radical in our world today? Biblical obedience. Daily surrender. Sacrificial love. Passionate evangelism. Unashamed holiness. These are not lofty, elite-level Christian goals—they are the standard Jesus set. The normal Christian life, in Jesus’ eyes, is anything but lukewarm.
Jesus said in Luke 9:23 (NLT), "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me." That’s not a radical instruction—that’s the norm. The cross is not jewellery; it is the cost of discipleship.
Let’s walk through God’s Word together and rediscover what true discipleship looks like. This is not about guilt—it’s about grace-empowered obedience. It’s not about performance—it’s about transformed hearts.
1. The Danger of Lukewarm Faith
Revelation 3:15-16 (NLT): "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!"
Jesus is addressing the church in Laodicea, a wealthy city with a poor water supply. Their water arrived lukewarm via aqueducts. Jesus uses this to illustrate their spiritual condition: self-satisfied, complacent, passionless.
Greek Word Study: The Greek word for "lukewarm" is chliaros, meaning tepid, unenthusiastic. "Spit you out" comes from emeo, literally meaning to vomit. This is not mild displeasure—it is holy disgust.
A lukewarm faith makes Jesus nauseous. He desires people who are either hot with zeal or cold and honest—anything but half-hearted.
2 Timothy 3:5 (NLT) – "They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"
This verse is a wake-up call to the Church. It warns us of those who have a form of godliness but deny the transforming power of God. They attend the service, they might sing the songs, perhaps even quote Scripture—but their hearts remain untouched, unrepentant, unchanged. They have the appearance of faith, but they are spiritually dead inside.
The Greek word translated “power” here is d??aµ?? (dunamis)—the same root word used for the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s the miracle-working, life-transforming, sin-defeating power of God that regenerates a soul and conforms us into the image of Christ.
The Apostle Paul’s command is strong: Avoid them. Why? Because this kind of lukewarm, superficial religiosity is not harmless—it’s contagious. It lulls others into complacency, undermines the Gospel, and leads to destruction.
Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT) – Not everyone who calls out 'Lord, Lord' belongs to Him—only those who do the will of the Father.
These words of Jesus are among the most sobering in all of Scripture. They reveal that religious activity is not the same as saving faith. A person can do incredible things—even in Jesus’ name—and still be utterly lost.
Jesus doesn’t say, “You didn’t do enough.” He says, “I never knew you.” The issue is relationship, not résumé. Many will claim the right words, but their hearts are far from Christ. They never truly repented, never truly surrendered. They called Him “Lord” but lived as if they were on the throne.
This passage drives us to examine ourselves. Are we truly born again? Are we doing the will of the Father or simply seeking the applause of men? Has the Gospel transformed us, or have we merely added religion to a rebellious heart?
As A.W. Tozer once said: "The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth."
Let us not be found among the complacent. Let us be among those who live with holy fear, humble faith, and joyful obedience—those who truly know Jesus and are known by Him.
Imagine receiving a cup of tea, only to find it’s been sitting out for hours. Lukewarm. Unappealing. That’s how spiritual indifference tastes to the Lord.
John Piper said, "The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie." In other words, it’s comfort, not crisis, that lulls us to sleep.
2. The Call to Radical—Yet Normal—Obedience
Luke 14:27 (NLT): "And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple."
Jesus is not marketing Christianity. He is warning that following Him costs everything. The cross is not decorative—it is an instrument of death to self.
The word "disciple" is mathetes, meaning a learner or follower with full allegiance to the teacher.
To follow Jesus is to die to self and live to Him. There’s no halfway.
Galatians 2:20 shows us the transformation that has already occurred by faith in Christ. Galatians 2:20 (NLT): “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
This verse is the heartbeat of the Gospel-transformed life. Paul isn't speaking poetically here—he's describing the radical reality of what it means to belong to Jesus. When we place our faith in Christ, our old identity—ruled by sin and self—is nailed to the cross. And in its place, Christ lives in us. This isn't just a tweak to our behaviour; this is a total transformation of who we are. The Greek verb systauroo (s?sta????) translated "crucified with" means a complete union in death—our old self truly dies. Now, our daily life is lived by faith in Jesus, who loved us personally and gave Himself for us. That’s Gospel power!
Romans 12:1 (NLT): “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
In view of all the mercy God has shown us—His saving grace, His justification, His sanctifying power—how can we respond with anything less than total surrender? Paul urges us not to offer dead sacrifices, but living ones. Our very bodies, our time, our talents, our thoughts, our desires—everything—is to be offered up in worship. The word logiken (???????) translated “truly” or “reasonable” worship can also be rendered “logical”—meaning this is the only fitting response to such a great salvation. It’s not radical; it’s reasonable.
Romans 12:1 shows us the response we must live out because of it. You are not your own. You were bought with a price. Live for the One who gave His all for you.
Imagine a soldier enlisting, showing up to battle in pyjamas. Ridiculous, right? Yet how often do we engage in spiritual warfare without discipline or preparedness?
Tim Keller said, "Jesus doesn’t merely want your obedience. He wants your heart. He wants to be your greatest treasure."
Keller rightly reminds us that Jesus is not satisfied with outward compliance—He desires inward transformation. Our Lord does not merely command our actions; He calls for our affections. Jesus doesn’t just want us to follow rules—He wants to be the treasure of our lives, the One we love above all else. As the New Living Translation beautifully declares in Matthew 22:37, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
When Christ captures our hearts, obedience follows not as a burden, but as a joy. He becomes the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in the field worth surrendering everything to gain. To treasure Jesus is to trust Him, to love Him, and to live for Him. May we never settle for mere religion when Jesus offers relationship. He wants our hearts—fully, faithfully, and forever.
3. The Power Source for a Radical Life
John 15:5 (NLT): "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."
Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and branches. True life, power, and fruitfulness come only through abiding in Him.
The word "remain" is meno, meaning to dwell, stay, or continue permanently.
You cannot live for Jesus without living in Jesus. Obedience is not self-effort; it is Spirit-empowered.
Philippians 2:13 (NLT) – "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
Hebrews 12:2 (NLT) – "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne."
These two verses speak profoundly of the divine partnership at the heart of our faith journey. In Philippians, we are reminded that it is God Himself who plants holy desires in our hearts and empowers us to live them out. We are not left to our own strength. The Greek word for “working” is energeo—it’s the root of our English word “energy.” God energises us spiritually, stirring within us both willingness and ability to serve Him.
But how do we stay aligned with that divine power? Hebrews gives us the answer—we keep our eyes on Jesus. He is both the Author and Finisher, the Originator and Completer, the Beginning and the End of our faith. The Greek word for “champion” or “author” here is archegos, meaning pioneer or trailblazer. Jesus blazed the trail through suffering, through the cross, and through the grave—for us.
So, Christian, take heart. If you feel weak, look to the One who is strong. If you feel unworthy, remember the One who makes you worthy. You’re not striving in your own strength—you are empowered by the One who overcame all. And you’re not following a myth—you’re following the risen, reigning, returning King!
Let your life be a response to His grace—serve with joy, walk in obedience, and keep your eyes on Jesus.
A lamp is useless if unplugged. It may look polished and functional, but it’s powerless. Stay connected to Christ.
Charles Stanley said, "Obey God and leave the consequences to Him." When we walk in obedience, God handles the results.
This quote from Charles Stanley is both profound and practical. It is a beautiful summary of what it means to walk by faith and not by sight. As followers of Jesus, obedience isn’t conditional upon convenience or certainty. It's rooted in trust—trust in the character of God, trust in the sovereignty of God, and trust in the goodness of God.
When we obey God, even when the path is unclear or costly, we declare with our lives that He is trustworthy. This echoes what we read in Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
You see, brothers and sisters, obedience is our responsibility—outcomes are God’s. Whether the road leads to blessing, testing, or growth, our call is to submit, to follow, and to trust. Obedience is not about the immediate reward but about the eternal purpose God is working out in and through us.
This is not passive faith—this is active, vibrant trust in a living Saviour who is always working for the good of those who love Him. So let’s live with bold obedience, knowing that the God who calls us is the same God who carries us, provides for us, and perfects His will in us.
4. The Gospel: From Lukewarm to Burning Bright
Let me tell you plainly: Jesus came not just to save you from sin but to transform you into His likeness.
Romans 5:8 (NLT):
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (NLT):
“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.”
These two verses are the beating heart of the Gospel.
Romans 5:8 is a declaration of divine grace that utterly dismantles any notion of self-earned salvation. While we were still dead in our sin—rebellious, broken, unworthy—God acted first. Not out of obligation, but out of immeasurable love. This love was not sentimental; it was sacrificial. Christ died for us, not because we were good, but because He is good.
And then, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 takes that truth and anchors it in history and eternity. Paul doesn't mince words—this is of first importance. Not just a part of Christian faith, but the core. Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, just as God had planned and promised. The cross is the proof of God’s love. The resurrection is the power of our hope.
This is not a message for the spiritual elite. It’s not reserved for the strong or the righteous. This is the good news for sinners. For the weary. For the broken. And for the lost.
Friend, if you ever doubt your worth to God—look to the cross. If you ever wonder about the power of the Gospel—look to the empty tomb. This is the Gospel that saves us, sustains us, and sends us.
Because of Jesus, we are not who we were—we are a new creation. We are not saved to sit—we are saved to serve. And we live every day in the light of the love that bled and the power that raised Him from the grave.
That is not a story—it is a rescue. Jesus didn’t die to make lukewarm people feel better. He died to bring the dead to life. To raise up passionate worshippers who live surrendered lives.
Call to Action:
Church, this is not about perfection—it is about direction. Is your life marked by holy passion? Or are you lukewarm?
• Surrender daily.
• Read your Bible and obey it.
• Serve in your church.
• Love your neighbour.
• Share the Gospel.
You are either on fire or fading. There is no neutral.
Invitation to Salvation:
Friend, if you’ve never fully surrendered to Jesus, now is the time. Repent of sin. Trust in His finished work. Accept His forgiveness. Begin the journey—not of lukewarm belief, but of bold discipleship.
Benediction:
Go, therefore, and live what Jesus expected. Be hot with zeal. Be bold in faith. Be loud with love. May your life shout that Jesus is Lord!
To God be the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
