THE LUKEWARM CHURCH
REVELATION 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 nor 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. 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 eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 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. THEIR LUKEWARM CONDITION
A. THE THOUGHTS THEY HAD
“I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;”
1. We do not need anything.
2. We do not need anybody.
B. THE TRUTH HE KNEW
“I know thy works.”
1. They were spiritually blind.
2. They were spiritually barren.
II. THE LORD’S COUNSEL
A. HE ASKS THEM TO REPENT
1. It’s not too late.
2. Turn from your lukewarmness.
B. HE ASK THEM TO RECEIVE
1. His plea
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,
and open the door”
2. His purpose
“I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
a. Joint friendship
b. Joint fellowship
III. THE LAST CHALLENGE
“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.”
A. HERE IS A PROMISE THAT I CAN TRUST.
1. Conflicts are a certainty.
2. Conquest is assured.
B. HERE IS THE POSITION I MUST TAKE
1. I must hear the Word of God.
2. I must heed the Word of God.
