Church Get Serious Laodicea Title: Church, Get Serious! Text: Rev. 3:14-22 Tracing: Preached 7/1/90 at SDCC. Topic: Lukewarmness Theme:
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Intro.: How many have ever been in a place where your body practically screamed for cool water? illus. ÿÿHigh School football – two-a-days – August – 105o ÿin shade ÿ- ÿsprints – blocking drills – sled drills ÿ- ÿNEEDED ÿCOOL WATER! ÿÿBody ÿout ÿof ÿshape – poisoned ÿby ÿthe ÿbyproducts ÿof strenuous ÿexercise which it couldn’t remove fast enough – on ÿthe verge of nausea – LUKEWARM WOULDN’T DO! Most ÿof us know that revulsion — ÿsome drink hot ÿbeverages, some cold but few people like either warm coffee or warm pepsi. The ÿLaodiceans ÿknew that revulsion better than most ÿpeople, for reasons that I will explain later, ÿand it was this comparison that ÿJesus ÿused ÿto ÿdemonstrate his abhorrance ÿof ÿa ÿstagnant church. Read v.14-22 As ÿwith the letter to the church at Ephesus, ÿwe may ÿsuppose that ÿthis letter received its placement at the end of the series, a ÿplace ÿof ÿemphasis, ÿbecause of the great ÿimportance ÿof ÿits message! ÿFurther, those who interpret these letters as a general picture ÿof seven ages of church history believe that we ÿare ÿnow living in the time described by this letter. ÿDon’t these ÿthings characterize the modern church? ÿI would estimate that 75-90% ÿof congregations in our country today could be Laodicea! This ÿÿkind ÿof ÿself-sufficiency ÿand ÿlukewarmness ÿis ÿÿnot acceptable in the Lord’s Church! ÿWe will look at several reasons that it is not. Body: I. Lukewarmness is a loss of Effectiveness. v.15-16 Traditional ÿinterp.= ÿHot is zealous, ÿCold is ÿantagonistic, Warm ÿis apathetic. ÿWhy then prefer cold to warm? ÿMore ÿhonest position, greater chance of conversion, etc. Not fully satisfying but adequate if no other facts are available to help us interpret. However – more info is available! Laodicea was one of a triad of cities: ÿColossae, Laodicea, and Hieropolis. ÿThe water supply in Colossae was cold and pure, ÿvery refreshing. The water supply at ÿHieropolis ÿwas thermal mineral springs, ÿnoted for ÿmedicinal use. ÿÿLaodicea’s water was piped from Hieropolis and it ÿarrived warm ÿand ÿmineral-laden – about the equivalent of drinking ÿepson salts! ÿIt was neither cold and refreshing, ÿnor hot and healing. It was actually used as an emetic, to induce vomiting! Jesus ÿwas not saying “Be Good or Be Bad” ÿbut ÿ”Do ÿSomething Worthwhile!” ÿÿDon’t sit by blandly, ÿtamely remembering how much good ÿyou ÿdid when you used to be Hot or how much ÿyou ÿrefreshed people when you used to be Cool – Do Something Now! 2 I ÿhad the opportunity to visit a few weeks ago with a ÿformer member of this church who now lives in another city. ÿI ÿlistened as she reminisced about how the church used to be. ÿShe said that there was a time when you could feel the presence of God when ÿyou walked in the door and recognize His love in every person present. That ÿsounds to me a lot like a cold, ÿrefreshing drink of ÿwater. But if we dwell on that, ÿremembering how we used to be instead of concentrating on being loving today, we are lukewarm! Are People refreshed by you, ÿyour enthusiasm, your love, your devotion? Are ÿPeople healed by you, ÿyour wisdom, ÿyour concern, ÿÿyour stability? Or do you just leave a bad taste in their mouths? II. Lukewarmness comes from Self-Reliance. Read v. 17-18 Laodicea ÿlay ÿalong several trade routes, ÿwas ÿa ÿcenter ÿof banking, ÿÿwas ÿfamous ÿfor a special glossy black ÿwool ÿand ÿthe garments made from it, ÿhad a major medical school and produced an eye-salve which cured some forms of blindness. Why ÿwould ÿthey need God? ÿIsn’t this a ÿpicture ÿof ÿModern America? We have all that we think we need. But Jesus says that it isn’t enough! Despite their perceived wealth, they were wretched, poor, blind, and naked. If we are lukewarm it is because we trust in ourselves, not in God. ÿÿWe ÿdo ÿthings ÿunder ÿour ÿown ÿpower, ÿÿwithin ÿour ÿown capabilities thinking that it is enough. Sometimes ÿwe ÿneglect Bible Study and Prayer – “I’ve been ÿin Sunday School my whole life, I know enough!” UNDERSTAND THIS! ÿThe things we are “rich” ÿin, ÿthe things we have in ourselves, ARE NOT ADEQUATE!! ÿWe must get it from Christ or it is not good enough! III. Lukewarmness rejects Christ’s generosity. Read v. 19-20. Laodiceans were proud people – after a devastating earthquake, they rejected assistance from Rome in rebuilding. ÿToo wealthy ÿto need help and too proud to accept it. Understand the imagery here: trader, (late at night?), with goods to fill our needs. He wants in to trade, to fill our needs but we too often say, “I don’t need any.” If we are lukewarm, it is because we have rejected Christ’s willingness to give us what we need! Example: Witnessing to a friend: “Silent Witness” = lukewarm! Jesus wants to give you boldness. Personality conflict: “Get along” = lukewarm! Jesus wants to give you love. Conc.: Lukewarmness need not be fatal. We can repent from it. V.20 often misused – knocking at the CHURCH! There is a time for the rededication of the life of a Christian, to realize that you’ve been keeping Jesus outside of part of your life and to let Him fully in. Those who overcome share His throne! Won’t you heed him? Prepared by Scott L. Purcell Minister of Stokelan Drive Christian Church 1501 Stokelan Drive Malden, MO 63863 (314) 276-2343 Reproduce, modify, and use freely for the glory of God and the Growth of the Kingdom! If these outlines are of some benefit to you, a note, postcard, or phone-call would be most welcome!