So here we are seven letters to seven churches, seven periods of church history, seven real churches, seven churches that teach us so much about the characteristics of churches.
Today, we come to the seventh letter, and it’s to the church in Asia Minor, in the city of Laodicea. And here’s what the Lord says to this church in Revelation chapter three, verses 15 and 16. I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
These are well-known verses to many people, but they are very challenging, aren’t they? lukewarmness I guess when you think about it, that probably is about the easiest temperature to be if you just leave something alone. If you don’t put it in the refrigerator. If you don’t put the heat on it, it just stays lukewarm. Now some things are all right. But there are many things that we drink and eat that when they’re lukewarm. We just don’t want them in our mouth. And that’s what Jesus said about the Christians there in Laodicea, about the church there. They were characterized by this lukewarmness.
Now, as I told you because this represents periods of church history, I really believe this represents the period that we’re living in. We live in a time of lukewarmness. Christianity is very much affected by its culture. And because of the fact that Christianity is no longer considered to be the main force behind our cultural thinking, we have become lukewarm we become kind of marginalized and so Christians don’t really take their faith seriously.
We need to realize the tendency of lukewarmness in this age and do something about it. And so as individuals, it begins with us.
Let’s not be lukewarm. Let’s be committed, surrendered, zealous to do the work of God. And then as a church, let’s work together. Let’s be different. Let’s buck the trend. Let’s be a church of people who are on fire for the Lord so that when people see our zeal, they will give glory to the Lord.
Thank you so much for listening to these letters to the seven churches. Now I want to challenge you. Let’s put what we’ve learned into practice.