The Comfortable Church
Sermon Manuscript
Based on Revelation 3:14–22 (KJV)
Incorporating excerpts from *The Narrow Road* by Thomas Andrufski
and selected quotes from Charlie Kirk
Idea based on the “Day’s of Praise” devotional by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D. | Sep. 20, 2025
The sermon addresses the spiritual dangers of a comfortable, complacent church exemplified by the Laodicean church in Revelation. It warns against lukewarm faith, false security in material wealth, and neglecting Christ’s presence, urging repentance and renewed zeal for true spiritual riches.
Introduction: The Danger of Comfort
Laodicea was a wealthy city, famous for its banking, its black wool, and its medical school that produced eye salve. The church reflected its culture—prosperous, influential, respected. Yet Christ calls it “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).
This is the tragedy of the comfortable church—people who confuse prosperity with God’s blessing, who mistake activity for spirituality, and who mistake numbers for fruitfulness.
As I wrote in The Narrow Road: “The broad way promises peace, security, and plenty, but it is a false calm before the storm of judgment. The narrow way is harder, yet it leads to life everlasting. The church that chooses comfort over conviction has already stepped onto the wide road.” (The Narrow Road, Thomas Andrufski, Chapter 3: Peace and Safety).
Chapter 1: Lukewarm Christianity
Revelation 3:15–16: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
Christ does not merely issue a gentle correction here—He delivers a sobering condemnation. Lukewarmness is not harmless; it is deadly. To be lukewarm is to live in a state of spiritual neutrality, complacency, and compromise. Neutrality may feel safe, but in reality it is the most unsafe place a soul can be.
The Danger of Lukewarmness: When Christ says, “I will spue thee out of my mouth,” He is using imagery of rejection and disgust. This is not indifference on His part—it is judgment. A lukewarm Christian may think they are safe, but in truth they are in danger of missing God altogether.
Matthew 7:22–23 reminds us: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many who thought themselves secure will discover too late that a lukewarm profession was never enough.
Hebrews 10:31 warns: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” To live half-heartedly for Christ is to play games with eternity.
Neutrality Is Unsafe: There is no middle ground in the gospel. Jesus declared in Matthew 12:30: “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” To remain neutral about Christ is to side with His enemies. Neutrality is rebellion disguised as safety. The most dangerous lie the devil tells is that we can straddle the fence—that we can be “Christian enough” without surrendering all.
Middle-of-the-Road Thinking: Middle of the road thinking gets you killed spiritually. Picture a man standing on the dividing line of a busy highway. He is not in the left lane nor the right—he is in the middle, where danger is greatest. So it is with the lukewarm Christian: not fully in the world, not fully in Christ, but right where destruction comes swiftly.
Illustration: The aqueducts of Laodicea carried lukewarm, tepid water from hot springs nearby. Unlike the refreshing cold water from Colossae or the healing hot waters of Hierapolis, Laodicea’s water was nauseating. Christ uses that image—He is sickened by their half-hearted faith.
Application: Many churches today avoid strong preaching about sin, judgment, and hell in order to remain comfortable. But the result is a lukewarm gospel that saves no one. Christ warns: better to be hot with zeal, or even cold in outright rejection, than to settle into a complacent middle ground that damns the soul.
Chapter 2: Rich Yet Poor
Revelation 3:17: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
Laodicea was known in the ancient world as one of the wealthiest cities in Asia Minor. Situated on major trade routes, it became a center of commerce and banking. Its citizens prided themselves on financial strength—so much so that after an earthquake destroyed the city in A.D. 60, Laodicea refused help from Rome and rebuilt entirely with its own resources. They didn’t need outside help; or so they thought.
The city also prospered in textiles, producing a glossy black wool sought across the empire. And they were known for their medical school, which manufactured an eye salve exported throughout the region. Wealth, fashion, and medicine—the Laodiceans had it all. But spiritually, they were destitute.
The Deceit of Prosperity: Wealth often creates an illusion of security. Jesus warned in Luke 12:15: “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
Prosperity can blind us to our true condition. The Laodiceans measured success by their gold, their garments, and their medicine—but Christ declared them poor, naked, and blind. Their prosperity became a veil covering their spiritual bankruptcy.
Application Today: Many modern churches fall into the same trap. We build impressive buildings, accumulate resources, run polished programs, and think this is evidence of God’s blessing. Yet wealth can become a narcotic—numbing us to our dependence on Christ. A church can be materially wealthy but spiritually bankrupt.
From The Narrow Road: “When the church finds itself applauded by the world and comfortable in its surroundings, it must pause and ask—have we traded conviction for convenience? True riches are not in the abundance of possessions, but in the presence of Christ.” (The Narrow Road, Thomas Andrufski, Chapter 4).
Illustration: Consider the city of Pompeii, buried under the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Archaeologists discovered villas filled with treasures, fine art, and lavish banquets frozen in time—yet none of that wealth could save the people when destruction came suddenly. In the same way, the Laodiceans trusted in wealth that could not deliver them from spiritual ruin.
Chapter 3: Christ Outside the Door
Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
The tragedy of Laodicea is not merely that they were lukewarm or complacent, but that Christ is pictured outside His own church. Imagine it—this is the church He purchased with His own blood, the people He died to redeem, the very ones He calls His bride. Yet in Laodicea, the Bridegroom is left standing at the door.
The Heart of Christ: Think of the grief in this picture. Christ is not indifferent—He is knocking, longing, pleading to be let in. He desires fellowship: “I will sup with him, and he with me.” Supper in the ancient world was the intimate meal, a time of closeness and friendship. But here, Christ is denied entry. Programs continued. Worship services were held. Offerings were collected. The church calendar was full. And yet—the Lord of the church was outside.
This is a picture not of rejection by the world, but of neglect by His own people. How devastated Christ must feel when the very ones who bear His name will not hear His voice.
John 1:11 declares: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Luke 13:34 echoes this sorrow: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” These words reveal the heartbreak of a Savior longing to gather His people, but finding the door shut.
Illustration: Picture a husband returning home after a long journey, only to find his family inside, lights on, laughter filling the house—yet the door bolted against him. This is the Lord’s grief when His church becomes so preoccupied with itself that it forgets Him entirely.
Application: We must ask ourselves—have our ministries become so polished, so professional, that Christ is no longer necessary? Do we run programs, sing songs, and preach sermons, but fail to invite the very Presence that makes the church alive? If Christ is not welcome, we may succeed in the eyes of men, but we fail in the eyes of God.
What a tragedy that Christ, who gave His life for the church, must stand outside, knocking for entrance! And yet—even in this rebuke—we see His mercy. He has not abandoned His people. He is still knocking, still calling, still willing to enter if we will open the door.
Chapter 4: The Remedy for Comfort
Christ does not leave His church without hope. Though He rebukes Laodicea for being lukewarm and self-satisfied, He also lovingly counsels them to find true riches, true covering, and true sight.
1. Gold Tried in the Fire — Genuine Faith
Revelation 3:18: “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich…”
The Laodiceans boasted of their wealth, but Christ calls them to pursue a different kind of treasure—faith refined through suffering.
1 Peter 1:7: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
Just as gold is purified by heat, so faith is purified by testing. A comfortable church avoids hardship, but a faithful church embraces trials, knowing that in them Christ proves and strengthens our trust in Him.
Application: When churches measure blessing by budgets and buildings, they deceive themselves. True spiritual wealth is produced when the people of God remain faithful under trial, clinging to Christ when the fire is hottest.
2. White Raiment — Holiness that Covers Our Shame
Revelation 3:18: “…and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear…”
Laodicea was famous for its black wool, a symbol of luxury and status. Christ contrasts this with the white raiment of His righteousness.
Isaiah 61:10: “He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness…”
Our self-made garments, however impressive, cannot cover our spiritual nakedness. Only the righteousness of Christ can do that.
The “shame of nakedness” recalls Adam and Eve, who tried to cover themselves with fig leaves but needed God to provide coats of skins. In the same way, the comfortable church relies on its own image, but only Christ can clothe us with garments that endure.
Application: A church may look good on the outside—fashionable, polished, and professional—but without holiness, it stands exposed before God. Christ offers the pure white covering of His righteousness to all who repent.
3. Eyesalve — Spiritual Discernment to Truly See
Revelation 3:18: “…and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
Laodicea’s medical school produced an ointment for eye diseases. They prided themselves on vision, yet Christ calls them blind.
Psalm 119:18: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
Without spiritual sight, even the most intelligent and successful people stumble in darkness. The church that depends on human wisdom but ignores God’s Word is blind.
The eyesalve Christ offers is the illumination of the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures. With it, we see sin as it is, the world as it is, and Christ as He is.
Application: Many today are blinded by cultural trends, political power, or worldly philosophies. The church must return to God’s Word, asking the Spirit to open our eyes. Otherwise, we may have perfect vision in earthly matters but be blind to eternal truth.
Summary: Christ’s remedies strike at the heart of Laodicea’s false security:
- They trusted in gold ? Christ offers faith refined by fire.
- They prided in garments ? Christ offers robes of righteousness.
- They produced eye salve ? Christ offers true spiritual sight.
Only when the church turns from self-sufficiency to Christ’s sufficiency will it recover its power, purity, and vision.
Chapter 5: Christ the Amen, the True Witness
Revelation 3:14: “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.”
Christ begins His message to Laodicea by reminding them who He is. Before He corrects them, He reveals His authority. Each title here confronts a particular weakness in the comfortable church.
1. Christ the Amen — The Final Word
“Amen” is not just a closing to a prayer; it means “so be it,” or “truly.” Christ is the embodiment of God’s final and unchanging truth.
2 Corinthians 1:20: “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”
The comfortable church often treats truth as flexible—bending doctrine to fit culture. But Christ is the Amen, the unchanging confirmation of all God’s promises.
Application: A church that drifts into compromise must return to the Christ who is unmovable truth. Middle-ground religion will not stand before the Amen of God.
2. Christ the Faithful and True Witness
Laodicea had become a false witness. Their lukewarm testimony misrepresented Christ to the world. But Christ alone is the faithful and true witness.
John 18:37: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.”
While the church falters in its witness, Christ never fails. He stands as the perfect testimony of God’s character, holiness, and love.
Application: When the church becomes neutral, its witness turns false. The world sees a diluted gospel. Only by clinging to Christ—the true witness—can the church regain integrity and power in its testimony.
3. Christ the Beginning of the Creation of God
This does not mean Christ was created; it means He is the source, the origin, the ruler of creation.
Colossians 1:16–17: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible… and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
The Laodiceans lived in a culture that prized human achievement, wealth, and medical advancement. Christ reminds them that He alone is Creator, and all their accomplishments exist only by His sustaining power.
Application: Many churches today compromise with worldly philosophies—accepting evolution, denying the authority of Genesis, or diminishing God’s power in creation. But a church that abandons its Creator cannot know true life.
Why This Matters for the Comfortable Church
The comfortable church neglects three vital doctrines:
- The sufficiency of Christ — and so it chases after programs and methods.
- The inerrancy of Scripture — and so it compromises with cultural trends.
- The reality of creation — and so it bows to the wisdom of men instead of the power of God.
Christ reveals Himself as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, and the beginning of the creation of God precisely because these truths guard the church against compromise.
Closing Challenge: If the church will once again confess Christ as the unchanging Amen, follow Him as the faithful witness, and worship Him as the Creator of all, then it will escape the trap of comfort and stand as a true lampstand in a dark world.
Conclusion: The Call to Repentance
Revelation 3:19: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
The comfortable church is not beyond hope. If we repent of complacency, rekindle zeal, and open the door to Christ, He promises fellowship: “I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Charlie Kirk declared: “Jesus Christ was God in human flesh… if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior then we can have eternal life.” (EPM, 2025).
The Narrow Road: “The church that walks the narrow way will never be the comfortable church. It will be the persecuted church, the praying church, the pure church. Yet it will also be the victorious church, for it walks hand in hand with the Lord of glory.” (The Narrow Road, Thomas Andrufski, Conclusion).
Where have we mistaken comfort for Christ?
Where have we replaced zeal with neutrality?
