Scripture:
Revelation 3:15-22 NKJV
[15] “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. [16] So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. [17] Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— [18] I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. [19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. [21] To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. [22] “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
Observation:
As I have studied the bible over the last several years. I have noticed that many believers say they are scared of the book of Revelation. They tell me it’s hard to understand, and honestly, it can be, if you are looking at the surface level of it. But if you take the time to look just underneath the surface there is a world of information waiting to be poured out. First and foremost, it’s the only book in the entire bible that has a blessing tied to just reading it. So, honestly, that in and of itself should prompt us to dive in. It’s not a book to be feared. In the first few chapters, we find some letters to 7 churches, and pretty much every letter has some warnings for the church it’s written to. Each letter gets progressively more intense as the church is being corrected. Until we find ourselves at the final letter. The church of Laodicea. A church that’s known to most of us as the lukewarm church. But let’s look at what that means and the warning that comes with it. The first thing I want to bring out is the reason that the letters get progressively worse as they go along. You might think they are letters to 7 different churches but I think that not the case. I believe they are letters to the church one church that gets progressively worse as time goes by. Until they find themselves at the point this Laodicean church is at. These letters are a timeline starting at the church that was built in the book of Acts and running through to the church you may find yourself sitting in today. A church Jesus calls lukewarm. As HE takes a look at the works that are done. Now that being said, what does that mean? “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold or hot, so then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Now I want to make this point really clear. It may, however, be somewhat graphic. The word vomit in these verses. It’s used specifically because of its meaning. Think about the involuntary reaction that happens when someone vomits. It’s not something you want to do. But it’s not something you day stop either. It happens whether you want it to or not. So what Jesus is saying is I don’t have a choice. I can’t stop it. You are projected out with force involuntarily. But why does this happen? As we continue to read we find out. Verse 17 says it all, “Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” This church thought that they had it all under control, that they had everything they needed. BUT they were blinded. They couldn’t see that the one thing that they needed was outside the church. They might have had all the financial issues taken care of. BUT the one thing they needed the most was missing and they didn’t even see it. They were rich financially but poor spiritually. In fact, they were described as wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; they were in sad shape. As Jesus continues to counsel them. What HE says under the surface is. I have the things you need come to ME, but He says it differently. ” I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. HIS correction is sharp, and to the point. HE is saying the things you have obtained by your own power are worthless but what I have is valuable. Get rid of what you have and take what I want you to have. I’m correcting you because I love you and do not want to vomit you out of my mouth. In a sense what we see in this letter is a church that is trusting in what they are doing and pushing Jesus out the door. It’s a church that is full of the world. Building their kingdom here on earth and forgetting about the work that really needs to be done. HE is saying…. I want in, can’t you hear me knocking? Open the door. You can overcome the power of sin through the grace I died to give you.
Application:
Man, I could just go on and on here this morning. I don’t want to be found lukewarm. I want to be on fire for the LORD. With every action of obedience being more and more proof that HE is the LORD of my life. My desire is to hear those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, now enter into MY rest.” You see there will be time to rest when we go home. But right now there is a harvest to bring in. People who need to see Jesus in us. They need to see that HE is not outside the door knocking but inside alive and well. Moving and operating through the gifts and calling HE has given us. It’s our job to fan those gifts into flames. If we are lukewarm, it’s our fault, and we need to do something about it. We can’t relax on what has been done, we have to press on to win the prize of the upward call of God. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s going to take some endurance, but it’s not time to let your lamp burn out. Or burn down. We need to be asking HIM daily to fill our cups. To fill them to overflowing. HE will give us more than enough. But we have to ask. I never want to be found with Jesus on the outside of my life. I never want to be found trusting in the things I have and paying no attention to the one thing I need. I don’t want to do things in my power, but to be driven by the Holy Spirit’s power. You might just take a quick look at your life right now. Ask yourself, am I trusting JESUS or am I looking at the things I’m doing? In our own power, we are wretched, blind, naked, and poor. Ask HIM to light that fire in you that can not be put out. A fire that burns so bright that it can be seen like a city on a hill. Ask HIM to give you the gold that HE has refined. The gold that reflects HIS image, and doesn’t leave HIM on the outside of your life, but places HIM in the very center of it.
Prayer:
Father, you are so wonderful and amazing. We want to thank you for your word and praise you for the way you have provided everything we need to live the life you have called us to. A life that is on fire for you. We pray this morning that the fire you have placed deep within us will ignite not only our lives but the lives of those around us as well. We pray that you would help us to see the areas in our lives where we have started to fizzle out and fan them into flames. We do not want to be found with the talents you gave us buried in the ground. We want them to be put to use for you. To build your kingdom. Help us to be Red Hot coals tucked up close to the deepest part of the fire. We want the fire that you placed inside of us to ignite fires everywhere the heel of our foot is placed. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen.