Title: State of the Church, 2008
Text: Revelation 2 & 3
Date: 2/3/08
Location: Sulphur Spring Baptist Church
Introduction: President Bush gave his 7th and final “State of the Union” address on Monday night before a joint session of Congress. He discussed the war on Terrorism and talked specifically about the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also encouraged congress to quickly ratify the economic stimulus package which he has proposed. Generally Presidents have used the State of the Union address to update the American people about how things are going in various areas like the war, or the economy and to promote the issues and policies that they feel are important and need to be dealt with in the coming year.
As your pastor I have delivered a few ‘State of the church’ addresses. A couple of years ago I preached a sermon entitle ‘Good to Great’ and outlined seven or eight things that we as a church needed to do in order to move from being a good church to being a great church. We haven’t achieved all of them, but we are making progress.
I want to review those with you again, and then I want to share some scripture with you and a message that I believe the Lord has for all of us here at Sulphur Spring.
1. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be a Church that puts Jesus first.
2. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be a Church that truly Loves one another.
3. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be a Church that truly cares about the needs of people, and does everything we can to help meet those needs.
4. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be A Church that takes its responsibility to share the gospel seriously.
5. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be A Church that is willing to do whatever it takes to reach people for Jesus Christ.
6. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be A Church that truly worships the Lord in Spirit and Truth
7. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be A Church that provides opportunities for men, women, boys and girls to grow in their faith.
8. God Wants Sulphur Spring Baptist church to be A Church that has the reputation for being a “House of Prayer.”
In the 2nd and 3rd Chapters of the Book of Revelation the Apostle John records a personal message from Jesus to each one of the 7 churches of Asia Minor.
These messages were very personal and very direct in nature. The Bible tells us that God doesn’t look at the outward appearance of a man but looks at the condition of his heart. In the same way, Jesus didn’t look at the outward appearance of these 7 churches. He peeled back a few layers and examined their overall spiritual health. With the exception of the church at Smyrna, what He discovered was very troubling.
The church at Ephesus had forsaken their First Love. They had replaced their personal love relationship with Jesus Christ with a bunch of spiritual activities. Jesus warned them to repent of their sins and return to Him or face the consequences.
The church at Pergamum was condemned for allowing False Prophets and False Teachers to join the church and influence them to commit all kinds of sinful acts; including eating food that had been sacrificed to idols and committing sexually immoral acts. Jesus told them to repent or be ready to face the consequences!
The Lord also condemned the Church at Thyatira for tolerating a False Teacher who happened to be a woman just as wicked at Queen Jezebel. Like the members of the Church at Pergamum, the members of the church at Thyatira had been led to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols, and commit sexually immoral acts. As He had done with the other churches he told them to repent of their sins, and return to Him or be prepared to suffer the consequences.
Jesus condemned the Church at Sardis for being spiritually dead. He told them that even though they had the reputation of being alive that they were actually spiritually dead. He told them that unless they woke up and repented of their sins that He would come like a thief in the night and would judge them for their sins.
Jesus scolded the church at Philadelphia for their lack of strength. Just as He had scolded his own disciples for their lack of faith, He condemned the church at Philadelphia because they were spiritually weak. In other words their faith was so weak that He couldn’t accomplish anything through them.
Perhaps the Lord’s harshest rebuke was given to the Church at Laodicea. Follow along as I read Revelation 3:
REV 3:14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
REV 3:15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
REV 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
REV 3:17 You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
This church thought they had arrived, they thought they had it all together and didn’t need anyone or anything. But Jesus told them that their apathetic attitude made him sick to his stomach. That like lukewarm water they left a bad taste in His mouth, and that He was ready to just spit them out of his mouth.
If we received a letter from the Lord, what do you think it would say? What would He Praise us for? This morning, I want us to think for a few minutes about what the Lord would say about Sulphur Spring Baptist Church. You see in reality it doesn’t matter what you and I think or believe. What really matters is what the Lord knows to be true. So I want to share the following letter with you. No it didn’t come through the mail. It came to me through the Holy Spirit, and it is with great love and concern that I share it with you this morning.
“To the angel of Sulphur Spring Baptist Church write:
“These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
“I know all the things you have done for me through the years as well as what you are now doing.”
“How you have remained faithful to the proclamation of My Word and have refused to compromise or water it down as some have been guilty of doing.”
“I know how you have ministered to many people, in many ways.”
“You have provided meals for many grieving families following the death of their loved ones.”
“You have provided the homeless and those in need of shelter a place to stay.”
“You have given Christmas presents to many poor and underprivileged children in Franklin and around the world who might not have received any otherwise.”
“You have visited the sick and helped provide meals for their families during their recovery.”
“You have given groceries to those who were hungry, and provided a cold bottle of water to those who were thirsty.”
“I also know you have the reputation for being a very Mission Minded Church.”
“I am aware of the generous offerings you have given to support My Missionaries here in America and to the Uttermost parts of the earth.”
“I am proud of the fact that you have opened your doors and your hearts to many children and young people whose parents have refused to teach them about me, or about what I did for them on that Old Rugged Cross.”
“I know how you have provided some of these same children and young people opportunities to go to Summer Camp and how some of them have given their lives to Me as a result.”
“I know how you have given children and young people alike opportunities to minister to My people and share the gospel message in so many creative ways.”
“Nevertheless, I do have a few things against you.”
“Like the Church at Ephesus, many of you have forsaken your first Love, and have settled for religious activities rather than an intimate personal love relationship with me.”
“You continue to neglect My Word despite the fact that you have better access to it than any other Generation.
You spend more time reading the newspaper, watching t.v., talking on the phone, texting your friends, updating “My Space” or surfing the internet than you do reading and studying The Word of God.”
“Not only this, but you continue to refuse to take just a few minutes out of your busy day to spend time praying and seeking my face.
The only time I hear from some of you is when you are sick or have some kind of problem.
Don’t you know how much I yearn to hear about what is going on in your life?
Don’t you understand that one of the ways I reveal more of myself and my will for your life is through prayer?
Have I not promised to give you whatever you pray for in My Name.”
“Not only has your love for Me grown cold, but your love for one another has also suffered in recent years.
You have allowed anger, bitterness, strife and jealousy to creep into your fellowship, and it has resulted in Division, and Disunity.”
“I plead with you just as my servant Paul pled with the Church at Ephesus to get rid of such things and be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as My Father in Heaven has forgiven you.”
“Like my people Israel, you too have fallen into the trap of simply ‘going through he motions of worship. Week after week you come into this sanctuary without taking the necessary time to prepare your hearts and your minds to be in my presence.”
You stay up late on Saturday night, and then you wonder why you have trouble staying awake.”
“Sunday after Sunday, you come and sing the words of the beautiful hymns and choruses, without even thinking about what you’re saying. You might as well not even sing, if you don’t allow those inspired words to move you and transport you into my throne room.”
“To make matters worse you are more concerned about what you get or don’t get out of the service than you are about worshipping me in Spirit and in Truth. As long as you have that kind of attitude you might as well just stay home!”
“Just as I told the Church at Sardis, I’m telling you to Wake up and strengthen what is left of your fellowship. Repent of your sins and turn back to me. If you don’t I will come upon you like a thief in the night and will judge you for your rebellion.”
“I Love You and I want to bless you more than you can possibly know. But if you do not repent, I will deal with your disobedience!”
“For those of you who remain faithful to me and to the purpose I have given you I will give you the honor of one day hearing me say, “well done my good and faithful servant.”
