Lukewarm? Revelation 3

May the mumbling commence!

Many people who read the book of Revelation forget that it was originally a letter to a group of churches.  The letter was intended to both convict the churches to action and to comfort them in a time of great trial during the reign of Domitian.  Chapters two and three of Revelation are written to and addressed to specific churches of that time.  Most of the churches are convicted in the ways they fall short in following Christ Jesus, although some of the churches are only encouraged for their faith in Christ.  All of the churches are given a reason to hope.  The Lord has not given up hope for any of them.

As I read these letters this morning, I couldn’t help being drawn to the letter to the church in Laodicea because I believe that it reflects many of the church bodies here in the United States.  Read it below:

            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.  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  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.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.  So be earnest, and repent.  Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (3:14-22)

I believe that we can learn a lot from how the Lord is described to each church.  The specific description is a reminder of who God is for each individual church.  In the case of Laodicea (and I would argue for a vast majority of churches in the United States), God is described as the Amen.  

Amen is originally Hebrew and means truly and also means so be it.  Our God and His will for all of us is true.  How well have we accepted His will for us?  How often have we said, “So be it,” to His will, meant it, and followed through by our attitudes and thoughts and words and actions?  

God is also described as the faithful and true witness.  Do we in our actions and words and thoughts and attitudes relate to others as faithful and true witness to the power of our living Lord?  This is the God that Laodicea needed to be reminded of.  God is the only One that we can depend upon.

Laodicea (and many churches in the US today) is neither hot nor cold.  In no way does the church send a message to the world around them that could be seen as true.  We may proclaim God’s wonders with our lips, but our actions show that we are dependent upon something else.  We are rich.  We do not need a thing.  We are well within our comfort zones, and we would like to stay there – thank you very much.  As the classic rock song “Signs” states to God, “Thank you Lord for caring about me, I’m alive and doing fine.”

But the Lord sees us differently.  We are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  We need to learn to extend ourselves and depend upon the Lord’s grace.  Depending on the grace of the Lord alone will give us the only currency that can buy the gold of heaven and the white clothes of righteousness and the salve so that we might see ourselves and others with the eyes of Jesus.

Yes, God is rebuking us and disciplining us because He loves us.  Repent, answer the door, and be in full fellowship with the Lord.  Then we will be worthy to sit down in the Lord’s presence forever and ever.  Let us listen to the words that the Lord speaks to us.  Let’s also listen to the words that the Lord speaks to other churches.  These words are warnings and encouragements for growth in our walk with Jesus.  Let none of these words fall by the wayside in our lives.

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out