SEVEN CHURCHES #8/9

#1 · March 15, 2007, 4:43 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on March 15, 2007, 4:43 pm
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
SEVEN CHURCHES #8/9

DANGEROUS APATHY

March 11, 2007

TEXT: Revelation 3:14-22

Those who are paying attention will notice something odd about this mornings sermon. I am preaching from the lessons that Jesus has for his Church as revealed to the seven Churches specified in the revelation given to John. I am up to number six, but I have just read the Scriptures that were written for the Church in Laodicea, the seventh Church.

I have a reason for this. After spending nine Sundays on Jesus messages to his Church, I did not want to end the series with his harshest letter. I like the idea of ending on a more positive message than the one that the Church in Laodicea faced. So I am saving the message written for the Church in Philadelphia for last so that we can celebrate the enduring love that Christ has for his Church.

I assure you that I can do this. Revelation 22:18-19 tells us, I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book of prophecy. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. I am not adding anything to these words, and I am certainly not taking any words away. I am just changing the order.

I want you to try a little experiment. The next time you are at a restaurant, pay attention to others around you and see if you can find how many people order a lukewarm drink. Not a hot beverage; not a cold beverage. A lukewarm beverage. Or, try this. Prepare yourself a lukewarm beverage. No hot coffee or tea on cold days; no iced tea or soft drink on hot days. Just tepid, lukewarm drinks. Sound enticing?

This is exactly the image that Christ uses to describe his Church in Laodicea. I know your deeds - well, we have heard that written to Christs Church before. It should be a familiar refrain to us: our Master knows our deeds. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Give this some serious thought. Jesus sits down to compose a letter to his Church. His beloved Church. His bride. The very people he paid such a high price to save from the bondage of sin and death. He sits down to write this letter to the very organism he prizes the most, and this is his first line: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Is this the letter we would like to receive from our Good Shepherd?

I certainly hope that this is a rhetorical question; that is, one that answers itself in an obvious way. Of course this is not the letter we would like to receive from our Lord! But this is the letter that the Laodicean Church received. Search diligently through these verses, Revelation 3:14-22. To all of the other six Churches before, Christ had at least one positive measure to commend them on. They might have had problems, and Jesus expected them to address those problems the Godly way, but there was always at least one thing to commend the Church on.

Except for Laodicea. There is nothing for which Christ can give them any praise. No commendation. That is not good. Instead, they are told, You say, I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Herein describes the reason for this Churchs lack of enthusiasm and fire. They sought to protect what they had. They were blessed by God in these things, but their thanks was not to God. Their prayers were not for God to give them the ministries they needed to use the gifts God gave them. Instead, they took the avenue of self-preservation.

They must have missed one of the Masters parables. It has to do with using talents, and Jesus tells it in Matthew 25:14-30. Three servants are given talents of money by their master before he leaves on a journey. They are given five, two, and one talent, each according to his ability. The servants receiving five and two talents doubled their money. The one receiving the one talent went and buried his. Upon their masters return, he demanded an accounting from them. After learning of the action and result of the two servants, he replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your masters happiness. Then comes the one talent servant. Master, he said. I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. You wicked, lazy servant! Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

Christs Church in Laodicea missed that story. They needed to hear it again, for what they had was going to be taken from them if no change occurred. Christ wrote them, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. After it is mined, gold ore is put into the furnace. This procedure is not for destruction; that would make no sense. It is for purification. Impurities are drawn off, and the residue that is left is pure gold. Gods furnace of instruction is not to destroy our faith; it is to refine and purify our faith. Christs gold, refined in the fire, draws off our confessed sin. The residue is a purified, faithful, improved Christian.

The Church in Laodicea regarded their wealth, given them by Gods blessings, as their own. So they began doing what was necessary to hang on to it. It meant that they did not step out with ministries of faith. It meant that they did not grow disciples. It meant that they did not risk having it taken from them by an anti-Christian world. So they compromised. They worked to keep troubled waters calm. They buried their talent.

The result? A dangerous apathy. Everyone knows what apathy is, right? It is a lack of interest, a listless condition, indifference. I suggested an experiment earlier: see how many people order a lukewarm drink at a restaurant. You can try this experiment as well: see how many apathetic people you enjoy being with. What do you want to do? I dont know. Well, where do you want to eat. I dont care. Where do you want to go? Doesnt matter. Drives you nuts, doesnt it? It drives Jesus nuts. Every lukewarm church - every apathetic church - drives Jesus to spit it out of his mouth.

The Church in Laodicea tried to hang on to its wealth, so it laid low; it did not witness; it said whatever to any threatening doctrine or teacher; it said whatever to Jesus sacrifice, love, and instruction. And Jesus found nothing upon which to make a positive comment.

But there still remained one bit of positive news in this revelation. Listen again to the words of Jesus: I am about to spit you out of my mouth Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

The good news? I hope that it is obvious: the Church could still repent! Jesus said that he was about to spit them out, not that he had spit them out. Jesus still loved them. He was still there knocking at the door of their heart. Jesus did not abandon them; there remained hope. Unlike the wicked servant of the parable, the Laodicean Church was not thrown out into the darkness. They were offered discipline and repentance.

Did they accept their second chance? Or their third chance? Or whatever chance it was for them? I do not know. What I do know is that since it was offered by the Lord, they had the opportunity to accept. Revelation 4:20 inspired a painting that has become rather well known. The inspired artist, Holman Hunt, asked friends to come by and critique it. One friend told him that he left out something very important: the door handle. Hunt replied, This door is a picture of the human heart.. The handle is on the inside. This, indeed, is an inspirational representation of Jesus invitation, If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Each individual person and each individual church has the opportunity to do just what Jesus invites us to do. The Creator of the entire universe, the Lord and Master of all that is and ever will be, allows himself to be shut out of our hearts if we refuse to open the door. Oh, make no mistake about it: Jesus continues to give the reasons why we should let him in. But he does not enter where he is not invited. Some people call that good news, but it is never good news when the obvious consequence for this action is made known. It is never good news when Jesus says, with frightening finality, I spit you out of my mouth. May no one here this morning get to such a point of no return, and, certainly, may this church never get to such a point of no return. Such is the danger of apathy.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana
-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org   

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

SEVEN CHURCHES #8/9

DANGEROUS APATHY

March 11, 2007

TEXT: Revelation 3:14-22

Those who are paying attention will notice something odd about this mornings sermon. I am preaching from the lessons that Jesus has for his Church as revealed to the seven Churches specified in the revelation given to John. I am up to number six, but I have just read the Scriptures that were written for the Church in Laodicea, the seventh Church.

I have a reason for this. After spending nine Sundays on Jesus messages to his Church, I did not want to end the series with his harshest letter. I like the idea of ending on a more positive message than the one that the Church in Laodicea faced. So I am saving the message written for the Church in Philadelphia for last so that we can celebrate the enduring love that Christ has for his Church.

I assure you that I can do this. Revelation 22:18-19 tells us, I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book of prophecy. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. I am not adding anything to these words, and I am certainly not taking any words away. I am just changing the order.

I want you to try a little experiment. The next time you are at a restaurant, pay attention to others around you and see if you can find how many people order a lukewarm drink. Not a hot beverage; not a cold beverage. A lukewarm beverage. Or, try this. Prepare yourself a lukewarm beverage. No hot coffee or tea on cold days; no iced tea or soft drink on hot days. Just tepid, lukewarm drinks. Sound enticing?

This is exactly the image that Christ uses to describe his Church in Laodicea. I know your deeds - well, we have heard that written to Christs Church before. It should be a familiar refrain to us: our Master knows our deeds. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Give this some serious thought. Jesus sits down to compose a letter to his Church. His beloved Church. His bride. The very people he paid such a high price to save from the bondage of sin and death. He sits down to write this letter to the very organism he prizes the most, and this is his first line: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Is this the letter we would like to receive from our Good Shepherd?

I certainly hope that this is a rhetorical question; that is, one that answers itself in an obvious way. Of course this is not the letter we would like to receive from our Lord! But this is the letter that the Laodicean Church received. Search diligently through these verses, Revelation 3:14-22. To all of the other six Churches before, Christ had at least one positive measure to commend them on. They might have had problems, and Jesus expected them to address those problems the Godly way, but there was always at least one thing to commend the Church on.

Except for Laodicea. There is nothing for which Christ can give them any praise. No commendation. That is not good. Instead, they are told, You say, I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Herein describes the reason for this Churchs lack of enthusiasm and fire. They sought to protect what they had. They were blessed by God in these things, but their thanks was not to God. Their prayers were not for God to give them the ministries they needed to use the gifts God gave them. Instead, they took the avenue of self-preservation.

They must have missed one of the Masters parables. It has to do with using talents, and Jesus tells it in Matthew 25:14-30. Three servants are given talents of money by their master before he leaves on a journey. They are given five, two, and one talent, each according to his ability. The servants receiving five and two talents doubled their money. The one receiving the one talent went and buried his. Upon their masters return, he demanded an accounting from them. After learning of the action and result of the two servants, he replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your masters happiness. Then comes the one talent servant. Master, he said. I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. You wicked, lazy servant! Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

Christs Church in Laodicea missed that story. They needed to hear it again, for what they had was going to be taken from them if no change occurred. Christ wrote them, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. After it is mined, gold ore is put into the furnace. This procedure is not for destruction; that would make no sense. It is for purification. Impurities are drawn off, and the residue that is left is pure gold. Gods furnace of instruction is not to destroy our faith; it is to refine and purify our faith. Christs gold, refined in the fire, draws off our confessed sin. The residue is a purified, faithful, improved Christian.

The Church in Laodicea regarded their wealth, given them by Gods blessings, as their own. So they began doing what was necessary to hang on to it. It meant that they did not step out with ministries of faith. It meant that they did not grow disciples. It meant that they did not risk having it taken from them by an anti-Christian world. So they compromised. They worked to keep troubled waters calm. They buried their talent.

The result? A dangerous apathy. Everyone knows what apathy is, right? It is a lack of interest, a listless condition, indifference. I suggested an experiment earlier: see how many people order a lukewarm drink at a restaurant. You can try this experiment as well: see how many apathetic people you enjoy being with. What do you want to do? I dont know. Well, where do you want to eat. I dont care. Where do you want to go? Doesnt matter. Drives you nuts, doesnt it? It drives Jesus nuts. Every lukewarm church - every apathetic church - drives Jesus to spit it out of his mouth.

The Church in Laodicea tried to hang on to its wealth, so it laid low; it did not witness; it said whatever to any threatening doctrine or teacher; it said whatever to Jesus sacrifice, love, and instruction. And Jesus found nothing upon which to make a positive comment.

But there still remained one bit of positive news in this revelation. Listen again to the words of Jesus: I am about to spit you out of my mouth Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

The good news? I hope that it is obvious: the Church could still repent! Jesus said that he was about to spit them out, not that he had spit them out. Jesus still loved them. He was still there knocking at the door of their heart. Jesus did not abandon them; there remained hope. Unlike the wicked servant of the parable, the Laodicean Church was not thrown out into the darkness. They were offered discipline and repentance.

Did they accept their second chance? Or their third chance? Or whatever chance it was for them? I do not know. What I do know is that since it was offered by the Lord, they had the opportunity to accept. Revelation 4:20 inspired a painting that has become rather well known. The inspired artist, Holman Hunt, asked friends to come by and critique it. One friend told him that he left out something very important: the door handle. Hunt replied, This door is a picture of the human heart.. The handle is on the inside. This, indeed, is an inspirational representation of Jesus invitation, If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Each individual person and each individual church has the opportunity to do just what Jesus invites us to do. The Creator of the entire universe, the Lord and Master of all that is and ever will be, allows himself to be shut out of our hearts if we refuse to open the door. Oh, make no mistake about it: Jesus continues to give the reasons why we should let him in. But he does not enter where he is not invited. Some people call that good news, but it is never good news when the obvious consequence for this action is made known. It is never good news when Jesus says, with frightening finality, I spit you out of my mouth. May no one here this morning get to such a point of no return, and, certainly, may this church never get to such a point of no return. Such is the danger of apathy.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Rev. Charles A. Layne
First Baptist Church
Bunker Hill, Indiana

-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org