REVELATION – chapters 2-3 (CONT):
THE LUKEWARM CHURCH – Part 1
7 CHURCH AGES
7 PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamum
Thyatira
Sardis
Philadelphia
Laodicea
30 – 100
100 – 300
300 – 600
600 – 1500
1500 – 1700
1700 – 1900
1900 –
Apostolic Church
Persecuted Church
State Church
Papal Church
Reformation Church
Missionary Church
Lukewarm Church
Sower
Wheat and Tares
Mustard
Seed
Leaven
Hidden Treasure
Pearl of Great Price
Dragnet
1
The Sower
The kingdom is sown.
2
The Wheat and Weeds
The enemy sows a counterfeit seed.
3
The Mustard Seed
Exponential growth of the kingdom.
4
The Leaven
Widespread corruption throughout the kingdom.
5
The Hidden Treasure
A treasure is found.
6
The Pearl of Great Price
The treasure is acquired.
7
The Dragnet
The harvest and separation of the good and bad elements of the kingdom.
Matt 13:47 (NIV) “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
Matt 13: 48 “When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
Jesus explains the parable:
Matt 13: 49-50 “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Good fish
The righteous
Matt 13:48 …Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous.
50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Bad fish
The wicked
Fishermen
Angels
‘threw the bad away’
‘throw them into the fiery furnace’
Some points on this parable representing a church age:
This will be the church that sees the “end of the age”.
There will be both wicked and righteous at the end of the age; in other words the whole world will not be converted as per Post-Millennial and Dominionist theology.
The age will end with the removal of the wicked by the angels and their subsequent punishment.
The 7 parables refer to 7 church ages.
Like the other kingdom parables, the “Dragnet” parable also represents a period in Church history from 20th to the 21st century.
No
PARABLE
PERIOD
CHURCH AGE
1
The Sower
AD 30-100
Apostolic Church
2
The Wheat and Weeds
AD 100-300
Persecuted Church
3
The Mustard Seed
AD 300-600
State Church (Constantine)
4
The Leaven
AD 600-1500
Papal Church (Roman Catholic)
5
The Hidden Treasure
AD 1500-1700
Reformation Church (Protestant)
6
The Pearl of Great Price
AD 1700-1900
Missionary Church
7
Dragnet
AD 1900-present
Lukewarm Church
The Church of the Laodiceans presents to us the 7th and last Church age. It is characterized by:
Materialism
Lukewarmness
Self-sufficiency
Lack of introspection
Laodicea was extremely prosperous due in part to 3 things:
It was associated with the production of a world-famous eye salve known as “tephra Phrygia,” reputed to cure certain kinds of eye diseases.
According to Strabo, “The country around Laodicea breeds excellent sheep, remarkable not only for the softness of their wool, in which they surpass the Milesian sheep, but for their dark or raven colour. The Laodiceans derive a large revenue from them…” (Geography 12:8:16)
According to Cicero, Laodicea was a regional banking centre. (Letter to Appius Claudius Pulcher)
Like the Laodicean church, the modern Western church is often seen as affluent, prioritizing material wealth over spiritual depth.
Concerning the last days, Paul writes, “People will be… lovers of money” (2 Tim 3:1-2).
He warns of a false doctrine of those who “think that godliness is a means to financial gain” i.e. the prosperity doctrine (1 Tim 6:3-5).
Yet the pastor of the largest American Megachurch (Joel Osteen) says “God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny he has laid out for us” and “It’s God’s will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty.”
One prosperity teacher (Kenneth Hagin) said, “He [also] wants his children to eat the best, he wants them to wear the best clothing, he wants them to drive the best cars, and he wants them to have the best of everything.”
Clearly the apostle Paul never got the memo, for in stark contrast he writes,
“To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless …” (1 Cor 4:11-12)
Peter and John never got the memo either. Peter said to the lame man, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6)
Many Western churches today cannot say, “Silver or gold I do not have”.
Sadly neither can they say, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Jesus warned us, “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Luke 16:13).
He also told the rich young ruler, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Luke 18:21).
Luke 18:22-23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
Jesus then added, “Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:25)
While the rich ruler in Luke 18 turns away when Jesus tells him to “Sell everything you have and give to the poor” in Luke 19 the wealthy, but sinful Zacchaeus says to Jesus, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Jesus took this as evidence of his repentance and responded, “Today salvation has come to this house…”
Listen to what Jesus had to say to a man who had what may seem like a reasonable request to us – his brother had refused to give him his share in the inheritance and he wanted Jesus to intervene.
Luke 12:13-15 (NIV) Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:16-20 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.
“He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
‘And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.
‘Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ”
Matt 16:26 “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?
Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
RICH, YET SPIRITUALLY POOR
The Laodicean church say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But despite their material wealth and sense of self-sufficiency, Jesus says that they “are wretched, pitiful, poor…” (Rev 3:17)
POOR, YET SPIRITUALLY RICH
One cannot help but contrast Laodicea with the persecuted church at Smyrna - who were materially poor, but spiritually rich, “I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich!” (Rev 2:9)
Wealth and hedonism (the
love of pleasure) can cause
you to be spiritually immature:
Luke 8:14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
The pursuit of wealth can make you spiritually barren.
Matt 13:22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
The love of money can cause you to wander from the faith.
Paul cautioned that “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” (1 Tim 6:9)
He adds that “some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (6:10).
1 Tim 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
1 Tim 6:10 (NIV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil…
Wealth in its own right isn’t bad. It’s not money that is the root of all kinds of evil, but “the love of money.”
If money is regarded as a gift from the
Lord – of which we are merely stewards - it can
be used for good, like supporting a family,
or meeting the needs of others.
If God has blessed you with earthly
wealth, maintain a proper vision and use
for wealth, so that it serves God’s kingdom.
THE CORRECT PERSPECTIVE ON WEALTH
Paul instructs Timothy to do the following with rich Christians.
1 Tim 6:17-19 (NIV) Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matt 6:19-21)
Paul writes, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1 Tim 6:7)
Rev 3:15 (NIV) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
Jesus used this metaphor to describe the spiritual state of the church in the Laodicean age.
He says they are "neither hot nor cold," meaning they were complacent and lacked zeal in their faith.
An aqueduct carried water from hot mineral
springs some 8 kilometers south of Laodicea. So by the time the water reached the city it had cooled to a lukewarm temperature and the water was unpleasant to drink.
Similarly, the modern Western church can be spiritually apathetic, with a lack of fervent faith and commitment.
Lukewarm is a term which can describe the state of a drink or food that should be hot but is slightly warm.
The church in Laodicea was neither fervent nor frigid. It was simply content to maintain a status quo position. It was neither emotionally excited about Christian matters nor coldhearted about them. *
* https:// bibleref.com/ Revelation/ 3/ Revelation-3-15.html
HALF-HEARTEDNESS
Merriam Webster defines lukewarm as “moderately warm or tepid; lacking conviction or half-hearted.”
Some synonyms are: indifferent, apathetic, unmoved, unenthusiastic, uninterested, emotionless, limp, passionless, non-committal, couldn’t-care-less.
INDIFFERENCE
“The Screwtape Letters” is a book by C.S. Lewis containing a series of letters in which a devil briefs his demon nephew on the techniques of successfully tempting people.
The devil states in his correspondence that the object is not to make people wicked but to make them indifferent.
He gives this piece of advice to his nephew Wormwood: “I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with people who do not care.”
Those who are spiritually "hot" are engaged in their faith. They are deeply involved and committed. The Greek word zealous comes from the same word as hot in Revelation 3:16.
Those who are cold, however, are at least in a position where they can be deeply impacted by faith—they can be changed. *
But those who are "lukewarm" are actually in a worse condition that those who are "cold." *
* https:// bibleref.com/ Revelation/3/ Revelation-3-15.html
Those who are "lukewarm" have just enough knowledge of Christ that they're not resistant, but lack enough real faith to be fully engaged. *
They're somewhat calloused to the sound of his voice.
That condition, in truth, is harder to change than to convert a fully-cold non-believer! *
* https:// bibleref.com/ Revelation/ 3/ Revelation-3-15.html
A survey done on US Protestant Christians, indicates that 90% of professing Christians do not possess a Biblical world view as the basis for their decision-making or behaviour. *
Based on interviews with 601 Senior Pastors nationwide, representing a random cross section of Protestant churches, Barna reports that only half of the country’s pastors – 51% - have a Biblical world view.
Defining such a world view as believing that absolute moral truth exists, that it is based upon the Bible, and having a biblical view on six core beliefs (the accuracy of biblical teaching, the sinless nature of Jesus, the literal existence of Satan, the omnipotence and omniscience of God, salvation by grace alone, and the personal responsibility to evangelize). *
* www.kicksforchrist.com
According to some studies 80% of Christians do not consistently witness for Christ.
Only about 5% of Christians have led someone to Christ.
In 2018, Christian researcher George Barna posed the following question to a nationally represented sample: "Have you heard of the Great Commission?"
Here's how people responded:
51% answered “No”
6% answered “I'm not sure”
25% “Yes, but I can't recall the exact meaning”
17% answered “Yes, and it means...” *
* One group that did do well in the survey were evangelicals. 60% of them had
heard of the Great Commission.
COMPROMISE
The lukewarm water in Laodicea had taken on the temperature of its surroundings and thus in the spiritual sense, also speaks of compromise.
You try to walk in the middle of the road or to sit on the fence. You attempt to be neither too hot or too cold. But in trying to be both, you end up being nothing.
Many who call themselves Christians in the West are basically indistinguishable from their non-Christian neighbours.
They live, walk, act, and talk just like everyone else does.
Except for perhaps heading off to church for an hour each Sunday, there would be little reason at all to suspect they were Christians.
And likely most of them have never even shared their faith with others. They live entirely comfortable, materialistic, and self-centred lives. They only seem interested in having their best life now. *
* https:// billmuehlenberg.com/ 2020/02/13/ where-there-are-no-lukewarm-christians
I also lie, cheat, steal, gossip, and live in a totally selfish way!
Of course I am a Christian!
In our modern world, it is still much more comfortable to attend a church where nobody takes doctrinal issues too seriously, and where discussions about holiness, sin, or God’s judgement are avoided.
In a comfortable church you can attend for years and it may be very pleasurable. You never feel threatened or challenged.
You are never rebuked, or corrected, but only encouraged and reassured.
Stop quoting Bible verses I’ve never heard in my church.
IF THE SHOE FITS
Few want to identify themselves with the church of Laodicea. We would much rather identify ourselves with the church at Philadelphia. (Guzik)
But as the saying goes, “If the shoe fits, wear it.”
ARE YOU LUKEWARM?
Just as he called the Laodiceans, Jesus is calling us away from half-hearted complacency to total allegiance.
He’s calling us away from being a lukewarm “just coasting along” type of church - to being a church that is zealous for his kingdom, that fervently bears witness to Christ.
Jesus’ promise to the overcomer, even at Laodicea, showed that we don’t have to be Christians who are compromising and lukewarm. If we are, we can change and become one of Jesus’ overcomers. (Guzik)
SIGNS OF A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN
You have become a lukewarm Christian when one or more of the following are evident in your life:
You have lost your desire to spend time in prayer, in worship, in the Bible, or to serve God and trying to glorify him in everything you do.
When you do pray, it feels stale and routine.
You don’t feel eager or look forward to fellowship with your church family.
You have become distant and apathetic towards other believers – especially those who are ‘on fire for the Lord’.
You look for reasons why you do not have to go to church and avoid getting too involved.
You sometimes attend church and worship God as a religious activity, but your actions do not show the fruits of a transformed life. You are content with your current lifestyle and rarely apply what you learn from teaching and preaching.
You like to worship mostly for the music, the atmosphere and the musicians leading it, rather than engaging with God and focusing on him.
Isaiah 29:13 These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
2 Tim 3:4-5 (NIV) … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power…
You don’t have much time for the things of God and your love of God has started to fade.
You have lost your passion for obeying God. God is only a source to escape from the penalty of sin, but you still love living in your sin.
For the most part, you are no longer experiencing the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your heart about areas in your life that are not in line with the Word.
You do not hear the voice of the Holy Spirit any longer.
You feel largely disconnected from God but you are unperturbed by this.
You don’t share your faith. No one knows that you are a Christian.
Your eyes are set on the things of this world. You have lost your eternal perspective.
You claim to be a follower of Jesus, but you live as though you are able to help yourself and do not need God.
You have become increasingly fascinated by the teachings of secular philosophers and psychologists.
You are so caught up in their opinions so much that you do not even consider or study what the Bible says anymore.
These ideologies have become the foundations of your life choices, which are no longer Biblical.
You like to see how much of the world you can still have, while still remaining a Christian.
Don’t compromise with the flesh:
Romans 13:14 (NIV) But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Do a “spiritual inventory,” to see if your faith has cooled down. Ask yourself:
Is God first in my life?
Am I trying to please God or people?
How often do I read and study the Bible?
Do I accept all of the Bible, or just the parts I like?
Do I talk about Jesus to others during the week?
Am I stuck in any habitual sins?
While cold and hot water have many uses, what does lukewarm water do?
Christ’s complaint is that it is good for nothing! In terms of God’s work, a lukewarm Christian is useless.
LUKEWARM WATER: USELESS
What does Christ think of a
lukewarm church?
It is repulsive! Disgusting! Nauseating! Lukewarm water makes one vomit.
A VERDICT FROM JESUS
v16 (NIV) So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot
nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Some try to explain away this verse because it doesn’t
fit their theology.
Those who believe in Eternal Security insist
that Jesus spitting Christians out of his mouth
cannot possibly mean losing your salvation.
Those who believe in hyper-grace (sin as much as
you please and God is still okay with that) –
don’t like the stern tone of Christ, who
they insist will always tolerate the
habitual sinning of carnal Christians.
They say spitting out of the mouth just
indicates disgust, not rejection.
So - is Jesus just disgusted by the lukewarm
Christian or is he about to reject them?
You might be disgusted with the
taste of some medicine but you
don’t spit it out of your mouth
because you know it will heal you.
You may be disgusted with the taste
of some vegetables but wouldn’t spit
them out of your mouth because you
know they are good for you.
In both cases, you are disgusted by
something but have not rejected it.
But the metaphorical language of “spit
out of my mouth” implies a rejection.
The phrase conveys a strong negative
reaction toward something.
It goes beyond disgust –
it is outright rejection.
But the sentence is not irrevocable; there is still hope of averting it: … "I am about to spue thee," i.e. if a timely repentance does not avert the impending doom. (Pulpit Commentary)
Christ … is sick of the lukewarm: as the purpose of rejection does not exclude the possibility of a change upon the part of the church which shall render the execution of the purpose needless, advice to repent immediately follows upon the threat. (Expositor's Greek Testament)
Those who overcome the battle
against materialism, indifference
and compromise receive a
special reward. They enjoy a place
with the enthroned Jesus (“as I also
overcame and sat down with
My Father on His throne”).
“This is the worst of the seven
churches, and yet the most eminent of
all the promises are made to it, showing
that the worst may repent, finally conquer,
and attain even to the highest state of
glory.” (Clarke)
CONCLUSION
AUTHOR: Gavin Paynter
For more sermon downloads: https:// agfbrakpan.com
For more sermon downloads by Gavin Paynter: https:// agfbrakpan.com/ free-sermon-downloads-by-speaker/ Gavin%20Paynter
THE WORLD A FRIEND
Steve Camp sings in “Living in Laodicea”:
Oh Lord, take your plough to my fallow ground
Let your blade dig down to the soil of my soul
For I’ve become dry and dusty, Lord I know there must be
Richer earth lying below
For I’ve been living in Laodicea
And the fire that once burned bright, I’ve let it grow dim
And the very one I swore that I would die for
Oh has been forgotten as the world’s become a friend
We have turned from your law to try to find a better way
Each man does today what is right in his own eyes
We will pay the price for our sinning
We can never know true living
We’ve exchanged his truth for lies
C G/B Am F2 C/E G
1) Oh Lord, take Your plow to my fallow ground, Let Your blade dig down to the soil of my soul
2) We have turned from Your Law to try to find a better way, Each man does today what is right in his own eyes
C G/B Am F2 C/E G
1) For I've be-come dry and dusty, Lord I know there must be richer earth lying be-low
2) We will pay the price for our sinning, We can never know true living, we’ve ex-changed His truth for lies
Am Am7/G F2 C G
For I've been living in Laodi-cea, And the fire that once burned bright, I've let it grow dim
F Am G F2
And the very One I swore that I would die for, oh has been for-gotten, As the world's become a friend
Bb F C Bb F C
It’s no small of a thing that He's done for you, By shutting the gates of hell upon the cross
Am Ab Eb F G
We were sentenced once but now we are pardoned, And He chooses to use us though we fall
Am Am7/G F2 C G C G
So while we're living in Laodi-cea, And the fire that once burned bright, we've let it grow dim
F Am G F2
And the very One we swore that we would die for, oh has been for-gotten, As the world's become a friend
F Am G F2 C
For the very One we swore that we would die for, must not be forgotten, Fear the world become a friend
D A G D
There are days when I wake up - And my faith is cold and tired - The light feels so dim
A G D
It’s not like me just to give up - So I’m bringing you my dry bones - Breathe in me again
Em
Need that wind to start blowing, Need these eyes to be opened
Bm G
Need my heart to keep hoping, So I’m calling out
D A Bm A G
I need a revival, feel you moving in my soul - Give me that fire I haven’t felt in far too long
D A Bm A G
Holy Ghost come awaken, bring me back to the days when - Wonder working power, was alive in me
D A Bm A G
I need a revival, revival, revival
D A G D
I remember the first time - When the words in the Bible - Jumped right off the page
A G D
New beginning and a new life, Felt the joy of my salvation - Oh won’t you take me, take me there today
I need a revival …
Need that wind to start blowing … [REPEAT 3x]
I need a revival …
Oh Lord, take your plough to my fallow ground
Let your blade dig down
to the soil of my soul
For I’ve become
dry and dusty
Lord I know
there must be
richer earth lying below
For I’ve been living
in Laodicea
And the fire that once burned bright,
I’ve let it grow dim
And the very one I swore that I would die for
Oh has been forgotten
As the world’s
become a friend
We have turned from your law to try to find a better way
Each man does today what is right in his own eyes
We will pay the price
for our sinning
We can never know true living
We’ve exchanged
his truth for lies
For I’ve been living
in Laodicea
And the fire that once burned bright,
I’ve let it grow dim
And the very one I swore that I would die for
Oh has been forgotten
As the world’s
become a friend
It’s no small of a thing that He's done for you
By shutting the gates of hell upon the cross
We were sentenced once but now we are pardoned
And He chooses to use us though we fall
So while we’re living
in Laodicea and the fire that once burned bright,
we’ve let it grow dim
And the very one we swore that we would die for, oh has been forgotten as the world’s
become a friend
And the very one we swore that we would die for must not be forgotten, fear the world become a friend
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