James O. Davis is the founder and president of Second Billion (TM). You are invited to learn more about Second Billion by visiting www.billion.tv.
TEXT: Rev. 3:14-22
TOPIC: Ho-Hum Christianity
THEME: How To Keep Your Spiritual Fire Burning
HOW TO KEEP YOUR SPIRITUAL FIRE BURNING
INTRO:
1. I wish to address one of the greatest tragedies in the American Church. It is what I call the tragedy of “Ho-Hum Christianity.” The tragedy is a dry-eyed, half-hearted Church in a hell-bent nation.
2. There were seven churches in Asia-Minor, what we would call Turkey today. The Lord gave a message to these seven churches then and He is giving a message to our church today.
3. These seven churches speak to us prophetically. They show to us collectively the past and the future. These messages also speak to us practically. In my opinion, there is not a problem in the local church that is not somewhere addressed in these seven churches.
4. They also speak to us powerfully. This is the Word of God for us. God is asking, “Are you listening? He says, “He has ears let him ear.” This is not a message for your neighbor but to you.
5. These seven churches speak to us personally. God is going to hear us responsible for the truth we have heard or we would have heard if we had listened.
6. In chapter 1, Jesus is shown standing in the midst of seven candlesticks. In Mathew 18, Jesus taught “where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” Jesus is closer to you than the neighbors who are seating next to you. Would you act differently or pay attention more if Jesus Christ was literally sitting next to you?
I. WE NEED REALIZE THE CURSE OF LUKEWARM CHRISTIANITY (vv.15-16)
It is the Greek Term that means to “vomit you” out of God’s mouth. There is sin that makes God sick. It is the sin of lukewarmness that makes God sick to his stomach.
What is lukewarmness? It is a little too cold to be hot and a little too hot to be cold; too hot to freeze and too cold to boil. God is not speaking to the atheist, the God-hater, or the agnostic. He is not speaking to those who have holy fire and holy zeal. He is speaking to the lukewarm Christian.
God is speaking to the warm dishwater Christian.
I do not want to hurt your feelings, but most of the members of this church fall into the lukewarm category.
How is lukewarmness manifested? There are at least 7 ways a Christian can have ho-hum Christianity.
A. Salvation (Hebrew 2:1)
B. Sanctification
Do you long to be holy? Do you have a burning desire to be as holy as a save sinner can be? In Mark 7:6, Jesus said that their hearts were far from him.
Is your heart far from God? You may not commit adultery but do you surf in wrong places on the Internet? You may not steal but do you pay your debts? Are you cold about holiness?
You may not commit adultery but do you watch programs that entertain adultery.
C. Service
How many teachers are truly burdened over their classes? Do you treat your responsibility with great dignity because your presentation is heard by God himself?
Are you self-centered? Do you think the world should revolve around you?
D. Singing
We are to enter into worship during the service. Do you go through the worship services without a true passion for Christ? We are to sing with urgency and passion before Christ. The most important thing is the not the pitch but the priority of one’s heart.
E. Scriptures
Do you have a hunger for the Word of God? Did you read the Bible through last year? We believe the Bible in general but not with specificity. Have you ever read the Bible through since you became a Christian? Do you love the Scriptures? The average Christian does not have a quiet time. The average Christian does not know the books of the Bible.
The entire Bible can be read in 10 months by reading 4 chapters per day.
Illustration: Bible Vs. Newspaper
F. Supplication
The average Christian does not spend ten moments per day in intercession. When was the last time you fasted and prayed? When was the last night you prayed throughout the evening?
The devil does not really care about our buildings and budgets. Most times, the devil laughs at the modern Church. He does not care about how much we have as long as we do not turn to prayer.
G. Sacrifice
We do not know what sacrifice means anymore. We gave too little but not very much. Most of our giving does not change our lifestyles. We pray without with fasting; we give without sacrifice, we witness without tears, and sow without reaping.
We are lukewarm about soul winning. Most of us do not have a burden for the lost. We are indifferent about the lost going to hell.
God would rather have us out and out against him than to act like we love him when we are simply pretending before others. The lukewarm Christian has done more to harm the cause of Christ than anything else in the world. The lukewarm Christian is the alibi for sinners. The lukewarm Christian double crosses Christ. God would rather have you on the wrong side of the fence than sitting on the fence.
We can reach the goal in evangelism because we keep stumbling over our own men.
G. Campbell Morgan said, “Lukewarmness is the worst kind of blasphemy.” Lukewarmness says, “Jesus I believe in you but you do not excite me.
Why is lukewarmness so bad? Lukewarmness is so bad because it sets us up for other sins? This sin causes us to be sitting duck for the devil.
II. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE CAUSE OF LUKEWARM CHRISTIANITY (vv. 17-18)
Please note the mentality and the materialism. We need to note two phrases, “You say and know not.” Their indifference was caused by their ignorance. They did not know what their need was. Their greatest need was to see their need. The lukewarm Christian is usually the last one to know that he/she is lukewarm.
Illustration: Pastor And One Particular Person
God, the Holy Spirit, is saying despite all the things you have, you do not realize what you really need in this life.
How does lukewarmness begin? How does a person reach this place in his/her life? A person cools down by degrees. The seven churches show us how a person or a people cool down by one degree at a time.
There are seven churches. The first church was located in Ephesus and the last church was located in Laodicea.
Has there ever been a time when you loved Jesus Christ more than you now? If so, to that degree you are backslidden. If you do not repent you will eventually retain room temperature. And, when you reach this temperature you will begin to say, I must be normal because I am like everyone else.
Illustration: Bill Bright and Meeting God
III. WE NEED TO RECOMMIT TO THE CURE OF LUKEWARM CHRISTIANITY (v. 18)
We need the gold of God’s glory. They needed gold that had been through the fire. Are you rich today? Add up everything you have that money cannot buy and death cannot take away and you will find your true wealth.
We need the garments of God’s righteousness. They thought they were clothed but they came to the worship naked. The white raiment speaks of righteousness.
We need the grace to see what God sees in our lives. We need to pray that God will open our eyes.
God has summed it up when he says, “As a many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous for the Lord.”
The greatest commandment is to love God with all of our hearts. Therefore, the greatest sin is to NOT to love God with all of our hearts.
What do we do with our sin of lukewarmness? We repent of it and recommit our hearts toward God and the things of God.
Conclusion:
