Lessons from the Lukewarm
Revelation 3:16
Intro: We’ve heard so many messages on this passage. I just preached on it May of last year.
But God has shown me a few new things that I hope we will glean from tonight.
By the way – I never want to get lukewarm. I hope you don’t either.
I am not going to try and exhaust this passage.
I just want to point out a few things God has been speaking to me about.
I. The Nature of the Lukewarm – vs. 15, 16
- 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
- 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
The nature is lukewarm is simple.
It is lazy. It is inactive. It is stale, stagnant, in need of refreshing and revival.
A lukewarm person doesn’t care.
A lukewarm person doesn’t do anything. They just exist.
They have no purpose, no objective, no goals, no fire in their belly.
They just coast. They just float. They just sit.
They are unresponsive. They are indifferent.
Lukewarm is the epitome of COMFORT ZONE.
- Parents become lukewarm when they zone out and never take any action as a parent.
- Young people become lukewarm when they try to be invisible and hide all the time.
- Church members become lukewarm when they just come sit on the pew.
- Staff members become lukewarm when the ministry becomes a job.
- Pastors become lukewarm when they stop studying and steal other men’s outlines.
- Missionaries become lukewarm when they do as little as possible to keep getting support.
- Evangelist become lukewarm when they sleep in, eat out and preach the same messages.
The city of Laodicea’s one weakness was the water supply. Water had to be piped in to Laodicea. Cold water could come from the abundant supply at Colossae, but by the time it traveled the ten or so miles from the cold springs, it was lukewarm. About six miles away in Hierapolis were hot springs, but that water, too, was lukewarm when it reached Laodicea. Whether they piped in the cold or the hot water, it arrived at Laodicea lukewarm.
Jesus said I would that thou wert cold or hot. – vs. 15
- Hot water has healing powers. They help people with hurting, sore muscles.
- Hot water is used to cook and prepare food.
- Hot water is used to clean and disinfect.
- You can make hot tea or coffee with hot water.
- You can bathe in hot water. (I hate cold showers!) Tell story of missions trip to Dominican…
Cold water on the other hand is the greatest refreshment on the planet.
- Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
- Proverbs 25:25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
Bottom line is – if you are cold water, you can be a blessing. If you are hot water, you can be a blessing.
But lukewarm water is useless!
II. The Numbness of the Lukewarm – vs. 17
- 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
One of the things that has really caught my eye in this verse is that little phrase in verse 17.
…AND KNOWEST NOT…
Notice the list that follows that statement: “…thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.”
Imagine!!
- Being wretched and not knowing it!!
- Being miserable and not knowing it!!
- Being poor and not knowing it!!
- Being blind and not knowing it!!
- Being naked and not knowing it!!
To me, the one thing that is worse than this is seeing others in this condition, and not knowing it!
If you are this numb to your own condition, how can you see others?
III. The Nemesis of the Lukewarm – vs. 18-20
- 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
- 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
- 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The nemesis, or the opponent, or adversary of the lukewarm, is outside forces.
Water left to itself becomes room temperature.
But if you put it in the freezer, it gets cold.
If you put in on the stove, it gets hot.
The secret to not getting lukewarm, is allow God to influence you and make you usable.
Some OUTSIDE INFLUENCES that will make you cold or hot/or both!
- Prayer – nothing will keep you fervent like prayer.
- Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
- People of God
- Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
- Preaching
- Acts 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
- Printed Page – read books to inspire, motivate, stir your heart, bring to remembrance
- 2 Timothy 4:13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.