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Is Your Church Lukewarm?
Laodicea.
Just the word evokes many images and words in our minds. Indifference. Apathy. Boredom. Unenthusiastic. In short, we are reminded of lukewarmness.
Jesus famously says of the Laodicean church, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)
What made this church lukewarm?
Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. (Revelation 3:17-18)
The church in Laodicea felt self-sufficient. They didn’t really understand their spiritual poverty and desperate need for Jesus to take care of them. Although those in Laodicea perceived otherwise, Jesus says the reality was that they were poor, naked, and blind.
Does your church have a self-sufficient attitude? Is there a culture of self-reliance rather than one of God-dependence? Here are a few ways that you can begin to determine if the church you are a part of (and you personally) are lukewarm. Is more time spent making plans and taking action than praying and seeking counsel from God? Is more effort put into the appearances of the church than into the holiness of the church? Does your church fail to take a stand on issues Jesus stood for or against? If you answered yes to any of these, you and your church may very well be lukewarm.
Being lukewarm is a scary thing! If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is very possible that if Jesus were to write a letter to your church He would write, “I will spit you out of My mouth” just as He did Laodicea. So, if we are in this most dangerous position, how do we get out of it?
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:19-20)
Jesus describes Himself as being on the outside of a door of which the Laodiceans are inside and He is knocking, waiting for someone to let Him in. Why does Jesus have to be let into the church that He died to create and of which He is head? Because He is not a part of the church that is lukewarm. By their’ lukewarmness, the Laodiceans shut the door on Jesus and He is knocking, calling for them to let Him back in.
So who opens the door? The one who hears His voice! How do they open that door to let Jesus in? With the keys of zeal and repentance!
Because Jesus loves you and your church He wants to discipline by teaching you zeal and repentance. Love Him in return by hearing His voice and letting Him in. Drive out the apathy in your church, drive out the self-sufficiency, and begin anew in love of Jesus. Recognize that you need Him desperately and constantly. That’s the only way that we can avoid being lukewarm like Laodicea and keep ourselves from shutting Jesus out of our own church.
Once we let Jesus in through zeal and repentance, we can be sure of our outcome.
He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:21)
