Ep354: Lukewarm.
Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
We’ve been looking at the Book of Revelation, at messages Jesus sent to seven churches in Asia.
Here’s what he said to the church in Laodicea.
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were one or the other.
So, because you are lukewarm, I’ll spit you out of my mouth.
(Rev 3:15-16)
Interpreters find it simple and tempting to divide people in three categories:
- You’re cold if you ignore God, and aren’t interested in what he wants.
- You’re hot if you’re gung ho for God, attending church, praying, and telling people about your faith.
- You’re lukewarm if you’re moderately interested in God, but only when he doesn’t mess with your comfortable lifestyle.
Our pastors tell us, “If you don’t want Jesus to spit you out like chewing gum, light a fire under your lukewarmness!”
This approach to spiritual temperature has a weakness. It disregards the solution Jesus gave.
To lukewarm Christians who say,
“I am rich; I don’t need anything”,
Jesus says:
Not so. You are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
You need to buy my gold refined in the fire to make you rich,
You need to buy my white clothes to cover your nakedness.
You need to buy my salve to heal your eyes so you can see (Rev 3:17-18).
Jesus doesn’t recommend a program of busyness and good works to make you a hot Christian. His idea is to go shopping for his gold, clothes, and eye medicine.
What currency do you think Jesus will accept for these purchases? US dollars? Pounds? Bitcoin? Jesus says,
I stand at your door and knock.
If you hear my voice and open the door,
I will come in and share your supper (Rev 3:20).
That’s Jesus’ solution lukewarmness. But how do you find money for the next step, to purchase his gold, and clothes, and medicine?
Perhaps Jesus is saying, “Start again at the beginning. Listen to me knock, invite me in, share your tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwich with me.”
Let’s pray.
O Jesus, it seems you are less interested in measuring spiritual temperature than in growing a relationship with us.
We feel your sharp criticism of our lukewarmness and complacency and self-interest. We feel your disgust that wants to spit us out.
But we hear you knocking at our door. Come in. Share our meal. Teach us how to acquire the rich gold of godly relationships, the white clothes of purity, the medicine that will open our eyes to the truth.
Amen
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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