ARE YOU A LUKE-WARM CHRISTIAN?
REVELATION 4:14-16
The reason I am bringing this message this evening and asking these questions is because I am concerned about this church; I am concerned about our youth.
I am concerned because as a person that is involved in the lives of some of these youth, I see a pattern of behavior that is showing that they are listening to worldly wisdom rather than godly wisdom.
It concerns me because I see some of our youth; make that the teens, getting involved with pot smoking and improper sexual behaviors. It concerns me because according to Peter Heck; a High School teacher, a prolific writer, a former talk-show host, a pulpit supplier, and a speaker in many churches, after extensive research, reports that 3 out of 4 teens will abandon the church and the Lord after graduating from High School.
They are turning to these things because their home is so dysfunctional that they crave some relief. They crave the attention that they are not getting at home. They really want someone to stop them. They really do want someone to give them some assurance that the Lord loves them. Plus, they want someone to show that they are loved.
Everyone knows who Henrietta is. She has a wonderful testimony and shows that she loves the Lord. But how many know what she wants to do with her life after High School? She wants to go to a Christian College, major in accounting and eventually become a pastor’s wife. Do you know who Katie is? Do you know what sport she plays in school? How about John? Jaylen? Destin? Destiny or Da’Vianna?
How many remember James, or his sister Casandra? Or Miranda or Austin, or Tyler, or Jared? All with the exception of Katie and Henrietta and Destin are now gone and out of our church.
It concerns me because I see so little spiritual growth among our church. I am going to ask these questions because I have asked them of myself, and I do not like the answers my own conscience gives me.
I am asking these questions of you this evening because for the most part, you are the faithful people. You are the ones that are here on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday nights for prayer service. You that are here on this Wednesday night are the backbone of the church.
But I must add that if anyone believes that their long- time salvation experience and devoted service is the same as spiritual growth, they would be wrong. The word of God tells us that there are three stages or kinds of Christians: The babe in Christ, the carnal Christian, and the spiritual or maturing Christian.
We understand the babe in Christ. He or she is one that usually is a new-born Christian. They have not had time to grow much. They need a lot of attention, care and encouragement along with the proper discipline. It is amazing how many Christians or at least professing Christians can be Christians so long and not grow into adulthood.
We also know what a carnal Christian is. He or she, is the one that will not give up their hold on habits, haunts, and hang-ups for the new exciting life of Christ. These are those that are content to make decisions that are destructive.
But it is to the rest of us that I want to talk to this evening. These are the Christians that are supposed to be maturing into adulthood. Christian maturity is not a goal attained but it is a goal continuously sought.
My concern for them and myself as well is that we are growing into a Laodicean Church. We are becoming lukewarm.
Here is what the Lord Jesus Christ tells us bout a lukewarm church in Revelations 3:14-22:
“And unto the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold not hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 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: 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 eye-salve, that thou mayest see. And as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
I want every person to read with me again the last verse: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” The word churches are plural. It is not only saying these things to the Laodicean Church but to all churches. This means not only those churches during that time period, but to all churches of all times. It is written to Temple Baptist Church in Muncie, Indiana.
“He that hath an ear.” Can anyone say they do not have an ear or ears? This is speaking to us.
This is speaking to you and to me. Who is speaking? The Holy Spirit. The Spirit saith. The Holy Spirit, equal to God Almighty.
Now let’s read again verses 15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold not hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
From all indications that have been presented in the Bible on the condition of the world and church in the last days, we are truly living in the days of the Laodicean Church period.
Are we a Laodicean Church? Are you a lukewarm Christian? Jeff Foxworthy has made a name and fame for his “You could be a red-neck if” jokes. But this is not funny business.
The questions I am going to ask this evening are very important. We will either ask them of ourselves and come to an honest answer, or I feel that Jesus will ask them of us at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
My first question is this: Are we a lukewarm church? Are you and I a lukewarm Christian? To be able to properly and honestly answer those questions, we must have some guide-lines of reference.
Our first point of reference and my first question this evening is this: Are you satisfied with your Spiritual growth? Are you happy with your present stage of Spiritual growth? Perhaps we should be asking ourselves is Jesus happy, is He pleased with our spiritual growth?
The reason I am asking the question are we satisfied with our spiritual growth and is Jesus pleased with it is this; According to our text on the Laodicean Church, Jesus sees those people quite differently than they saw themselves. “Because thou sayest “I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing,” (this is how they saw themselves), and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable , and poor, and blind, and naked (This is how Jesus saw them). Jesus was looking at something quite different than they were.
These people in the Laodicean Church needed to ask themselves what Jesus thought of their Spiritual condition, they, like many of us would have received a much different answer from Him.
So, what do I mean, are you satisfied with your with your Spiritual growth? I am not asking you are you satisfied with your present area of work for the Lord. We may well be very active in church and be lukewarm. They, this Laodicean church, were just going through the motions, performing their duties, showing up when expected.
How many times have we seen that when the Pastor is gone, people do not show up? How many times have we let some outside activity hinder us from being in our place in church?
I do not believe that there is anything wrong with missing a service now and again. I am not one of those that believe that according to Hebrews 10:25 that it is a sin to miss any church service or program. But I am saying that there are people in this church that uses any excuse available, or even some that are not, to miss a church service. Can it be said by Jesus that these Christians are hot, cold, or lukewarm?
Are you a babe in Christ? Are you a carnal Christian? Are you reaching for adulthood? Do you want to be fed with milk and baby Pablum, or meat? Do we that come faithfully and consistently, come out of duty, habit, reluctantly or do we come joyfully? Do we come expecting to hear from our Lord? What are your most important priorities? Do we leave pretty much as we came? Has the message affected us at all?
If you answer those questions honestly, it will be an indication of your Spiritual growth.
Are you pleased with your devotional time? Do you spend time reading, studying, meditating on the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16)?
Are you pleased with the time you spend in prayer? Are you, like David, asking the Lord to search your heart to see if there be any wicked way in you?
Are you still desiring the milk? Do you really want the meat of the word that convicts, admonishes, and warns?
Do you really see that the word of God is profitable for: Doctrine (sound teaching and preaching which will help discern false teachers); Are we reading and studying, meditating for sound teaching? Do you read the word of God for reproof? The Greek word used in the Bible for reproof is “el-eng -khos This means conviction by the Holy Spirit. Do we really want to be rebuked by the Lord when necessary? This rebuke or conviction is a mild form of chastisement. We should welcome it when it is administered (Hebrews 12:5-11). The Psalmist David asked the Lord to search his heart and see if there be any wicked way in him (Psalms 139: 23-24).
This conviction by the Holy Spirit by using the word of God.to let us know before hand when we are tempted to do something wrong. This is to give us a choice to either refrain or repent. Are we reading our Bibles to keep from sinning as David did as reported in Psalms 119:11?
Correction: The Greek word for correction is “ep-an-ar-tho-sis.” It means a restoration to an upright position, or are you satisfied and happy with the way you are and the life you are living?
This would indicate an improvement of life or character. Do you want to be restored to an upright position?
Instruction in righteousness; (pa-hee-di-ah) and this Greek word means chastening, nurturing and education. It is like the training up of children. We usually see this as relevant to others and not ourselves.
Are you satisfied with your own comfort zone? Have you been resisting doing something for the Lord that requires you to do something that you are not comfortable with? Getting out of your comfort zone requires a step of faith. We are supposed to be children of faith and we are supposed to be living by faith. Growing in faith and spirituality requires us to exercise our faith. We need to stretch beyond what we think we can do and do what God says we can do.
Growing spiritually like growing physically requires the proper food, discipline and exercise.
As we know a child growing up into adulthood goes through many changes (voice, puberty, outlooks, values and etc.). How has the Lord changed your life in the past week? The past month? The past year? I’m not asking how you were changed when you first were saved.
If you are not being changed then you are not growing as a Christian. How has the Lord changed your thoughts on the world view of events? Do you see politics as our savior? Do you see who is president as our only hope? How has the Lord changed your mind about sin? How has the Lord changed your mind concerning your values?
Are you satisfied with your commitment to the Great Commission? How committed are you to the Great Commission? Does it concern you that people are dying and going to hell every day?
Luke 16:19-31 tells us the account of the rich man and Lazarus. Do you ever wonder what the name of the rich man is? Let me answer the question for you. His name could be Legion, for they are many. It could be that the Lord wants us to put the name on him or her. It could be the name of your lost brother, sister or any family member. It could be the name of a co-worker or neighbor. It could be the name of a close friend. You put the name on this lost person. It could be your cousin Betty or whoever that is being tormented in this flame. It could be your uncle Tom or John or whoever that is begging for a cool drip of water and being denied. It may be your neighbor Sam or whoever that is begging for someone to go tell his or her family about Christ.
You provide the name. Any time or any person that we come into contact with might just have that name.
Are you satisfied with your growth in the fruit of the Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-26). Is Jesus satisfied with it? Are you satisfied with your level of love? Do you see the young people as antagonists? Do you see them as a problem? I would like to challenge you women to meet the bus as it comes in and offer a hug to these children, it may be the only one they will get that day.
Do you see the time of Christian fellowship as a time of joy? Do you enjoy the different personalities that are a part of the family of God? Do you serve out of joy instead of duty? Do you look forward to the times of Christian fellowship with joy or dread?
Do you look for ways to promote peace in your homes? Is there a certain level of peace or contention?
Longsuffering: this word means patience. How are you doing on patience? Do you find yourself getting agitated over seemingly small things? Do you have more patience with outsiders and strangers than with your own family?
Gentleness: do we rebuke others with gentleness or sharpness? Are we gentler with others than our family? Do we want to be known as a gentle person? Some people want to be known as tough, stern, and so forth. What does the Word of God tells tell us?
Goodness: This could be characterized by being selfless. It is having that quality of giving rather than taking. It is sacrificial way of life. Jesus said that it is better to give than to receive. Do we really believe that? Our giving goes far beyond our tithes and offerings. It is a way of life that puts the needs of others, and it means more than in a monetary way.
Meekness: is it not strange that we count rudeness, boorishness and arrogance and pride as good attributes in our politicians but not with those we have to deal with on a daily basis?
Temperance: this simply means self-control. The one that practices temperance is the one that masters his or her desires and passions; especially their sensual appetites.
Here is the usual argument given by a single person or parent; “I have my needs!” Usually referring to their sex life. But the truth is they do not have needs, but rather urges. Needs should be met, urges contained. This is a lack of control. All the fruits of the Spirit will carry over from our personal lives into our ministry.
There are many other questions that could be asked but I do not have the time to go into all of them. But we need to ask ourselves these questions. Our answers will give us an indication of where we are in our Spiritual growth. Our answers will give us an indication of whether we are a luke-warm church or not.
If you can honestly answer that you are satisfied then we are indeed a back-slidden, luke-warm church. We are not seeing ourselves as Jesus sees us. If we were truly what we are supposed to be then why is our church struggling so much?
Why is the Lord not blessing it like He wants to?
Why are so many of our youth abandoning the church for the world? Why are there not more people coming to times of prayer for this church and each other? Why are we not experiencing revival in our own souls?
Why are so many more content to stay home when we could attend a church service?
Why are parents of children bringing them to church once a month or less?
What are they teaching their children about Sunday School and church? What is this teaching their children about the importance of Jesus in their young lives, in their own lives?
Yes, I am concerned and so should you be. We should be so concerned that we will do something about it before Jesus spews us out of His mouth.