“The Church that Made God Sick”
February 11. 2007
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
GardenviewBaptistChurch
Jacksonville, FL
“The Church that Made God Sick”
Revelation 3: 14-22
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
February 11. 2007
Sermon Outline
1. The Problem Jesus Had with this Church!
A) He is Disgusted with their Condition
B) He is Disappointed with their Complacency
2. The Place Jesus Had in this Church!
A) The Position He Desires
B) The Preeminence He Deserves
C) The Promise He Declares
3. The Prescription Jesus Had for this Church!
A) Renew their Spiritual Values
B) Renew their Spiritual Vision
D) Renew their Spiritual Vigor
I read an interesting piece the other day called, “YOUR CHURCH MIGHT BE A REDNECK CHURCH IF . . .”
- People ask when Jesus fed 5000, whether the two fish were bass or catfish, and what bait was used to catch 'em.
- The pastor says, "I'd like to ask Bubba to help take up the offering," Then, five guys and two women stand up.
- Opening day of deer season is recognized as an official church holiday.
- A member of the church requests to be buried in his 4-wheel-drive truck
because "It ain't never been in a hole it couldn't get out of."
- With a congregation of 500 members, there are only seven last names in the church directory.
- Baptism is referred to as "branding."
- People think "Rapture" is what you get when you lift something too heavy.
As you look at the 7 churches of Revelation you discover that some of the churches were Glad churches, and others were Bad churches. However, the church of Laodicea wasn’t a glad or a bad church, it was a SAD church. It was a church that made God sick.
From an outward observation, it was a church that would be attended by many people today. They had everything money could buy. They had the finest of buildings, the flashiest of budgets and the formalities of business.
In Revelation 2-3 we find a stack of letters, 7 in all, that were dictated by Jesus and delivered by John to 7 churches of Asia Minor. You can view these churches historically, prophetically or typically.
IN other words, historically these were 7 literal churches that hold an important place in history. Prophetically, Revelation 2-3 reveals the condition of the church from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture, which takes places before chapter 4. Typically, as one writer said, “Any condition of any church in any place can be found here.”
IN verse 22, Jesus says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” IN other words, in each one of these historical, prophetic and typical churches we find a message for today’s church.
In the case of Laodicea, we find what kind of church it is which makes God sick. Notice:
1. The PROBLEM Jesus Had with this Church!
Jesus offered some very stern comments to the church of Laodicea. This was not a letter of commendation, but a letter of condemnation. He had a very serious problem with this church for 2 reasons.
A) He is DISGUSTED over their CONDITION!
Their disgusting condition is described in verses 15-16. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. [16] so then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
The word “cold” literally means, “frozen.” The word “hot” speaks of that which is at the boiling point. Thus, Jesus’ disgust over their condition was because they were neither frozen nor fiery.
They were a little too hot to be cold, and a little too cold to be hot. They were not in a spiritual fever, or a spiritual freeze. They were simply in the middle of the two extremes. Jesus said that they were “lukewarm.” The word literally means, “Tepid.”
The Laodicean congregation knew exactly what Jesus was saying. There were 2 main outside water sources for Laodicea, Hierapolis and Colossae.
An aqueduct brought water 6-7 miles from Colossae. This water was ice cold and excellent drinking waters. Hierapolis, on the other hand, was famous for its hot mineral springs. In fact, many came from around the world to use their hot springs for therapy.
By the time the hot water from Hierapolis arrived in Laodicea, it had cooled off along the way. It was neither boiling hot, nor ice cold, but lukewarm. As well, by the time the cold water from Colossae arrived at Laodicea, it had warmed up. Thus, it was no longer ice cold, nor was it boiling hot, it was simply lukewarm.
That is the condition that disgusted Jesus about this church. They were not like the ice cold water of Colossae, or the boiling hot water of Hierapolis. They were the Lukewarm Laodiceans, and their condition disgusted the Lord Jesus.
They were once on fire for God, but now they were neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. And, the tragedy was that no one seemed to care.
Many believe, dispensationally, that today’s church is in the Laodicean church age. Personally, I don’t believe that to be the case; however, I do definitely see similarities between the Laodicean church and today’s church.
The mentality of most churches today is that if they have enough programs, plans, possessions and property, everything is all-right. They measure their success by spiritual programs, rather than spiritual power.
G. Campbell Morgan said, “Lukewarmness is the worst form of blasphemy. It is a yawn in the face of God. IT is saying to God, ‘I believe in you, but you really don’t excite me.’” Billy Sunday said it best, “God has more respect for an infidel, than He has for a lukewarm Christian.”
I submit unto you that if God is who we say He is, and believe He is, then He is worth knowing, loving, adoring, praising, preaching, sharing and serving with every fiber of our being.
However, the church at Laodicea, much like today’s church, just didn’t care anymore. They sang “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” but no one came to prayer meeting. They sang “Rescue the Perishing,” but it really didn’t bother them if no one got saved.
I’m sure had they been given a choice between getting out at high noon, or seeing God show up, show out and show off, they would have much rather gotten out on time so they get their seat at Sonny’s.
As a result, Jesus was disgusted over their condition; however, notice that:
B) He isDISAPPOINTED with their COMPLACENCY!
Matters simply got worse for the Laodicean church. They not only had a condition that disgusted Jesus, but a complacency that disappointed Jesus.
We read in verse 17, “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.”
This church thought that everything was all-right, when, in reality, everything was all-wrong. They thought they had plenty, but Jesus said they were poor. They thought they were mighty, but Jesus said they were miserable.
They thought they were needless, but Jesus said they were needy. They thought they were physically blessed, but Jesus said they were spiritually blind. They were spiritually complacent, and they disappointed the Lord Jesus.
Ladies and gentlemen, God doesn’t measure a church’s success by their budgets, their buildings, or their business; God measures success by the BODY!
It matters not how well a church may be doing financially, physically, or materially; if that church is not doing ministering to people spiritually, then it is a church that makes God sick.
However, the greatest tragedy of a lukewarm Christian, or a lukewarm church is found in the words of verse 17, “knowest not.” The word implies a lack of spiritual knowledge or understanding.
In other words, Jesus was saying that they were not only arrogant, they were ignorant. They thought they had everything when, in reality, they had nothing; and, they didn’t even know it.
You may be here tonight and you think that I am preaching to someone else, or my preaching doesn’t apply to our church. But, let me give you a simple test. If you go home and think that I WASN’T preaching to you, then, I WAS!!
If that be the case, then you are a lukewarm Christian who doesn’t even know that you are lukewarm. That is the problem Jesus had with this church. Secondly, notice:
2. The PLACE Jesus Had in this Church!
Much, if not all, of the problem Jesus had with this church stemmed from the place Jesus had in this church. Notice:
A) The POSITION He DESIRES!
Verse 20 is one of the most familiar verses of scripture. “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.”
This verse has been taken out of its context for many years. It has been used as an appeal to sinners, when in reality it is an appeal to saints. Jesus is speaking to His church. There is a position that He desires in His church.
Rather than Jesus being on the inside of this church, He was on the outside. He wasn’t on the inside looking out, but on the outside looking in. He is portrayed as knocking on the outside desiring the position on the inside.
I never read Revelation 3:20 when I do not think of Holman Hunt’s painting called, “The Light of the World.” In the painting, Christ is seen standing at a door hanging on rusty hinges, and the door is covered with the enthralling growth of the years. Christ stands there clad, in keen garments and robes. In one hand, He holds a lantern, with the other hand; He is knocking on the door.
I think of a little girl, and her father, who were viewing the Holman Hunt painting in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. They stood there for the longest time looking at the picture of Christ knocking on the door, when finally the little girl asked her father, “Daddy, did He ever get in?”
I ask the same question. Jesus is standing and knocking on the door of Laodicea, but did He ever get in?
The reason there was no healing on the inside of the church was because the Healer was on the outside of the church. The reason there was no life on the inside of the church was because the Life-Giver was on the outside of the church.
The reason there was no power on the inside of the church was because the One who is all-Power was on the outside of the church. There was no glory on the inside, because God was on the outside.
They had everything money could buy, but they didn’t have the one thing money cannot buy, and that is the person, presence and power of Almighty God.
I care not what else may go on here, be it plans, programs or possessions. The most important thing at GardenviewBaptistChurch is not plans, programs, or possession, but the person, presence and power of the Spirit of God as He glorifies, magnifies and satisfies the Son of God.
The position Jesus desires was due to:
B) The PREEMINENCE He DESERVES!
Someone might ask, “Who does Jesus think He is? What gives Him the right to be in charge of the church?” If you are asking that question, I’m glad you asked.
We read in verse 14, “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.”
Notice the phrase, “the beginning of the creation of God.” The phrase does not suggest that Jesus was the first thing God created. It suggests that Jesus is the beginning of all creation. It means that Jesus is the Creator of all things.
It’s another way of saying what John said in John 1:3, “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” Jesus is the Creator of all things, Jesus is the Controller of all things, and Jesus is the Conductor of all things.
Thus, it is that same God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who created all things who was on the outside knocking on the door of the church at Laodicea.
I believe you would agree with me that if there’s anyone who should have been on the inside of the church, it should be the One who is the Head of the church.
This is His house, and He ought to be the Head of His own house. He desires, He demands, and may I say, He deserves the preeminence in everything that church, this church, or any church sets out to do.
Finally, notice:
C) The PROMISE He DECLARES!
Notice the last part of verse 20, “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.”
Jesus is saying to this spiritually sick congregation, “If you will open the door, I will come in and bring my person, presence and power. If you realize how spiritually sick you are, and let me in, I will heal your spiritual sickness.”
Where Jesus is the Center, He will also be the Controller. Where He is in the Midst, He will also be the Master. Where He is exalted as God, He will also bring the Glory. Where He is Praised, He will also be Present. Where He is First, He will also bring the Fire.
Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest advertisement for this church is not to put an ad in the paper, rent a billboard, or secure a TV spot. The greatest advertisement for this church is the POWER, and PRESENCE of God!
In fact, when God shows up, shows out and shows off, there will be no need to run an ad, rent a billboard, or buy a TV spot. He will be the magnet that draws people to Himself.
If we “open the door,” He will “come in,” and assume His rightful place in His church. Finally, notice:
3. The PRESCRIPTION Jesus Had for this Church!
This was a church that made God sick. However, Jesus offers them a prescription that will take a bad church and made it a glad church. They were to:
A) Renew their Spiritual VALUES!
We read in verse 18, “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.”
The city of Laodicea was a healthy city. It was the center of banking in Asia Minor. As a result, they were a self-sufficient people. They refused any financial assistance when the city was ravaged by the devastating earthquake of A.D. 17.
Jesus tells them to “buy of me gold.” Gold, in the Bible, speaks of righteousness. Thus, Jesus was saying that there needed to be a return to the Gold standard of the Word of God. They needed to forsake their own riches, and follow His righteousness.
He was saying that their spiritual values were not found in gold, or greed; but, in God. They needed to renew their spiritual values, and they needed to:
B) Renew their Spiritual VISION!
In the last part of verse 18, Jesus instructs them to “anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
One of the ancient gods of Laodicea was the god Men. Men was the god of healing. Thus, Laodicea was famous for medicine, but particularly an eye powder called, “the tephra Phrygia.”
It was exported in tablet form, and the tablets were ground into powder and applied to the eyes as salve. The Phrygian powder was believed to be a sacred remedy for weak, and ailing eyes.
That is interesting because while Laodicea could cure physical sight, they couldn’t cure spiritual sight. They were spiritually blind.
Thus, Jesus tells them to “anoint thine eyes with the eyesalve” of the Balm of Gilead “that thou mayest see.”
C) Renew their Spiritual VIGOR!
Jesus says in verse 19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
The word “zealous” means, “to be on fire.” It speaks of that which reaches the boiling point. In other words, they were neither cold nor hot; but, Jesus says that if they wanted to correct their spiritual malady, then they were to renew their spiritual vigor and get back on fire for God.
I think of William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. He withdrew from the Christian Mission to start the Salvation Army because of their lack of enthusiasm for souls.
He testified that the thing which caused him to be enthused over salvation was an infidel lecturer. One day, the infidel said to William Booth, “If I believed what you Christians say you believe, I would never rest of telling men about it.”
That is exactly the message of Jesus to Laodicea. They had gotten over what it meant to be saved. They had lost the wonder of it all. They had forgotten what it meant to be a child of God. As a result, they were no longer “zealous,” hot, on fire for God; nor were they cold, icy, or frozen on God. They were just lukewarm.