THE SIN OF LUKEWARMNESS
Revelation 3:14
I want to preach a message this morning on the sin of LUKEWARMNESS. Lets look at God’s word together from chapter 3 verse 14 and begin reading. There is a sin figuratively speaking that nauseates God. There is a sin that Christians may commit that makes God want to regurgitate. This passage of spew you out literally means vomit thee out. There is a sin that Christians may commit that makes God sick on His stomach. It is the sin of lukewarmness.
First of all three things I want us to see in this passage to help us better understand the ugliness of this sin of lukewarmness.
Notice how Jesus introduced Himself to this church. He is the confirming Christ. He is the Amen. Did you know that Amen is one of the names of Jesus? Amen means so let it be. Jesus is the confirming proof that that God will keep all His promises. God will dot every I and cross every t of His promises.
He introduces Himself as the convicting Christ. He is not only the confirming Christ but also the convicting Christ. He will either testify for us or He will testify against us. He is the convicting Christ who convicts us of our sins.
He also introduces Himself as the controlling Christ. He is the beginning of the creation of God the Bible tells us. Never think for one moment that God created Jesus. There was never a time when Jesus wasn’t. It means that all things have their beginning in Him. Not a piece of dust will move in your house unless it has His permission. Not a blade of grass will grow unless it has His permission. That tells me He is the controlling Christ.
So listen to what we have learned so far. Jesus is the confirming Christ. He confirms to this church and our church that every thing God says will happen. He is the convicting Christ. He convicts us of our sins and the need of a Savior. He is the controlling Christ. Nothing moves or stays still unless it has His permission. You and I will not get our next breath unless permitted by Jesus. He is the controlling Christ. That is important for us to know because He is the one who will be speaking to each of us through His Word.
I want you to notice three things about this sin of lukewarmness with me. The curse of it, the cause of it and the cure for it. All three of these points are mentioned in our text.
Now what is the curse of lukewarmness? What do we mean by lukewarmness? Lukewarmness means that something is to cold to be hot and to hot to be cold. It speaks of indifference. Now I know you have read this passage many times and think God has something bad in store for the lost. You are right but God is not speaking necessarily to the lost in our text. He is not talking to the out and out sinner. God one day will show His anger to the man or woman who shakes their puny fist toward heaven. But this is not what we read in this text.
He is not talking about the going, growing and glowing Christian here. He is talking to that Christian who is a child of God. He is talking to that one who is a good God and a good devil. To someone who is halfhearted, self satisfied, fence straddling Christian. Jesus says that kind of Christian makes me sick. You say boy I am glad He isn’t talking to me. Well lets just take a little check and see.
Do you know people who are lukewarm about their sanctification? The Bible teaches us we are to be different that the world. I know so called Christians today it is difficult to tell difference between them and the lost sinner. They go to the same places. They dress alike and watch the same old dirty movies. They drank the same things. They still say I am a Christian. They are not all that bad they are just not all that good. Sort of like the little girl prayed, God let me be good today. Not too good but good enough not to get a spanking. They are lukewarm about their sanctification.
I know some who are lukewarm about their service. How many of you Sunday School teachers pray for your class during the week? How many of you teachers know weather a person is saved or lost that attend your class? How many of you visit by phone or by person during the week? How many of you really study your lesson for the week? Listen you may can fool some of the people but you don’t all of them. They know weather their has been prayer and study spent on the lesson. Lukewarm about our service.
Listen, we have many with a great talent to sing here at the church. But listen if you sing to edify self and for amusement you ought not to sing. When you stand to sing it should bless the saved and warn the lost. That will only happen when you sing with hearts filled with the spirit of God. We aren’t in the entertainment business.
I know some who are lukewarm about their service, and I know some who are lukewarm about the Scriptures. How many of you believe everything you read in the news paper? Not a hand went up. How many of you believe this Bible to be the true Word of God. All of you do. Then do some of you spend more time reading something you don’t even believe than you do the Bible you say you believe? Many are lukewarm about the scriptures.
Some are lukewarm about the matter of sacrifice. We sing about sacrifice don’t we? How much sacrifice do I know? How much sacrifice do you know? You see many don’t even love the Lord ten cents worth. What do you mean preacher? I mean you don’t give God ten cents out of the dollar, some don’t tithe. We stand and sing take my silver and my gold not a might will I withhold and we hold on to it with all out might. If that is you then religion is a plaything. That type of religion makes God sick at His stomach.
How many are lukewarm about their soul-winning? It isn’t that we don’t want the lost to get saved. It is we believe the preacher or someone else ought to do all of it. Listen, deacons you ought to have a heart for soul-winning. Teachers you ought to have a heart for soul-winning. Preachers ought to have a heart for soul-winning.
We have talked about the curse of lukewarmness now lets consider the cause of lukewarmness. Look in verse 17 there you have it. Their biggest need was to see their need. I will preach this sermon this morning and some of you will say man he is letting them have it. That is good preaching. You are preaching to some I know who need it pastor. Then you are missing the message. There is not a one that has been missed this morning. I am sure if you think real hard you can see areas in your life that needs changing.
It is real simple. The cause of lukewarmness is to simply recognize the need to change and not do it. Listen to recognize the need to change and not do it will lead to other sins you never expect to commit. The best way to keep from running around on your wife and husband is to really be in love with him or her. If you aren’t in love with Jesus then one step from backsliding and a great fall.
We have looked at the curse of lukewarmness and the cause of lukewarmness. Now lets look at the cure for lukewarmness. Look at verse 19. Lukewarmness is not a weakness but wickedness. Most of you would not get drunk. Most of you would not steal but if you are lukewarm then get ready for the judgment of God. Not that God doesn’t love you but He is to loving of a God to let you continue in lukewarmness. God has not, God will never, and God can not let a Christian continue in his lukewarmness condition. There is only one way to deal with lukewarmness and that is to repent of it. Confess it to God and repent of it. Repent means to turn from the sin of lukewarmness. Recognize it and repent of it. Every head bowed.
