Hurting Your Faith by Trying to be Self-Sufficient

Dear Church, #8: “Lukewarm”

As many of you know, Julee and I had a chance to go to Ireland recently with my wife, our choir, and Dr. Magyar. And we sang in some beautiful, amazing churches. A few of these churches were built 7 or 800 years ago. They were incredible structures with incredible art work, and as you can imagine, some of the most vivid, bright, and beautiful stained glass.

The stained glass in many of these cathedrals is incredible. What a sight to behold!

Now, let me show you another stained glass. This one comes straight from the text we are studying today.

This one is located in the heart of the 4th largest city in the United States.

It is on the front of the building looking out onto the main road running right through the center of the city. Maybe you have seen it before.

This is a photo taken by our own Jud Haggard. Jud is a professional photographer, specializing in architecture. This photo was taken very early one morning as the sun was coming up over the city.

This is the stained glass in the front of the church at our West University Campus.
Again, it comes right out of the text today, the seventh of seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor.

Let’s read it together. Revelation 3:14-22.

Revelation 3:14-22
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

I don’t know the story behind how that particular stained glass was designed, or even when it was installed. But I do know that as I dug into this passage in my studies this week that there were a number of similarities between the city of Laodecia and the city of Houston, Texas.

Let’s break this passage of scripture down a bit at a time. And we will use an easy framework to follow. And here is a question I want us to ask: What does it look like when Jesus is outside of His church?

Because that is the picture we see here in the stain glass, as well as what the passage says.

Now, what would Jesus ever be outside of His church?

Let’s begin our inquiry by looking at:
Jesus Outside of His Church

I.The City of Laodecia
Ironically, this message, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” follows the message to the church in Philadelphia, where Jesus talks about holding the key and opening doors no one can shut, and shutting doors no one can open.

This very next message is to this church where he says, “I’d love it if you would open the door to me.”

Why is the door closed to Jesus? Why is he on the outside of his church, looking in? What is it about Laodecia that will help us understand?

Let’s look again at Revelation 3:15-17.

Revelation 3:15-17
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

The first thing I want to note has to do with water. Now, traditionally, we view this passage with the view that Jesus is saying, “I either want you on fire for me, or I want you to not care about me at all…”

But that is not what the people in Laodecia or the surrounding areas would have understood upon the reading of this letter.

Here is a map of the region of Laodecia.

“Laodicea lay in Phrygia’s Lycus Valley, ten miles west of Colosse (Col. 2:1; 4:15–16) and six miles south of Hierapolis (Col. 4:13).”

Jesus condemns the Laodiceans for being neither hot nor cold. Because they are lukewarm, Jesus says he will spit them out of his mouth. Here is where Laodicea’s location is critical to understanding Jesus’ critique of them. All three cities––Colosse, Hierapolis, and Laodicea––were known for their water but for different reasons.

“The hot waters of Hierapolis had a medicinal effect and the cold waters of Colossae were pure, drinkable, and had life-giving effect. However, there is evidence that Laodicea had access only to warm water, which was not very palatable and caused nausea.”  Keener describes the situation at Laodicea this way: “Ancient sources are explicit that, though it was more drinkable than that of Hierapolis, it was full of sediment. Excavation of the city’s terra cotta pipes reveal thick lime deposits, which suggest heavy contamination in the water supply. . . . [Laodicea] had to pipe in its water. . . . This water had grown lukewarm by the time of its arrival.”

Of course, both hot water and cold water have a purpose, but lukewarm water does not.
So, the call from Jesus is to be useful…hot, useful for medicinal purposes, or cold, quenching thirst.

So, the natural question is what is it that made these Christians lukewarm?

Jesus Outside of His Church
1.The City of Laodecia
2.The Accusation

Let’s look at this Accusation from Jesus.

II.The Accusation

Look again at verses 15-17.

Revelation 3:15-17
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

What makes one lukewarm?

Verse 17a gives us the information we need.

Revelation 3:17a
17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing…

The core issue that made these believers lukewarm and not useful was their Self-Sufficiency.

Self-Sufficiency says:
•I am rich
•I have prospered
•I need nothing

You see, it wasn’t just the water that made Jesus levy these charges. Laodicea was a very prosperous town. They had a medical school and were famous for eye care. They had a special eye salve that was very useful and provided many people healing.

They were the banking center. They knew finance backwards and forwards. They could have had a couple floors at Greenway Plaza.

They were the home of tremendous textile industry. They were known for a black wool.

They were so wealthy, that in 16 A.D. after an earthquake had flattened the town, they rejected Federal Disaster Relief monies from Rome. They didn’t need any help from anyone!

The Laodiceans are a lot like Houstonians with our energy capital of the world and the leading medical center in the world.

Application: How easy it is for us to move to a place where we feel like we have all we need and don’t really need God!

Here is a true confession – It is so easy to become a Laodicean. It is so easy to get some success, get a bit puffed up in the chest, and believe that we have all we need. We say…

•I am rich
•I have prospered
•I need nothing

But the reality is that without the grace of Jesus…
•without the capacity to earn wealth…
•without the opportunities that being born or immigrating to the United States has brought…
•without someone looking upon us with favor…
•without the educational system…
•without parents sacrificing like they have so that we might have a better opportunity for ourselves…
•we wouldn’t be where we are.

My friends, here is what is true. It is so easy to push Jesus to the outskirts of our hearts, our lives, and our church.

Which leads me to this question…Are we willing to deal with reality – what is really true?

That’s the third thing I want to show you today. Look at the reality.

Jesus Outside of His Church
1.The City of Laodecia
2.The Accusation
3.The Reality

III.The Reality

Revelation 3:17b says…

Revelation 3:17b
…not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Now, you may say, “That’s not very nice of Jesus.”

But let’s be honest. If someone kicked you out of your home and decided that they didn’t need you anymore, but continued to live there, you would be sort of honest with them too, wouldn’t you?

And notice what Jesus says of himself once again in the introduction of this letter. He says in verse 14…

Revelation 3:14
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.”

What does Jesus call himself: He calls himself the faithful and true witness.

He is faithful…he keeps the covenant even when we don’t.

But He is also true. He isn’t going to lie to us. He deals in truth.

It isn’t always fun, and sometimes it hurts, but He leads us in truth.

Look at what Jesus says of them. Look at verse 17b again.

Slide: Revelation 3:17b
…not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Look at each of these:
•Wretched – pathetic
•Pitiable – Miserable/to be pitied
•Poor – Beggarly
•Blind – Made to See/Understand/Comprehend
•Naked – Poorly Clothed

Consider this contrast between what they saw of themselves and what the Lord saw of them.

IT’S AS IF HE IS SAYING,
“In your eyes and the world’s eyes, you think you are all that and a bag of chips. And that is your problem. You don’t think you need me, so in my own church, I’m on the outside looking in. That’s pathetic!”

Are you self-sufficient? The enemy wants you to think you have done all of that you have accomplished in your strength and power. He wants you to think that you don’t need Jesus. He wants you to believe that all of your resources belong to yourself.

Your pride wants you to believe that you have exerted dominion and have conquered and have won, and that you don’t need anyone telling you what to do with your stuff.

And Jesus is willing to speak a hard word to you, because of what He really wants for you.

What does He want for you? Let’s consider The Invitation.

Jesus Outside of His Church
1.The City of Laodecia
2.The Accusation
3.The Reality
4.The Invitation

IV.The Invitation

Look at verses 18-22.

Revelation 3:18-22
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

WHAT IS JESUS OFFERING TO THEM?

1.Heaven’s riches – His gold refined by fire…his garments that cover shame…his healing that they might truly see.

WHAT ELSE IS JESUS OFFERING THEM?

2.Himself

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

This is intimacy with Jesus, the creator of the universe. He is their creator, and He was offering them an ongoing communion, not a one time connection.

WHAT ELSE IS JESUS OFFERING THEM?

3.True Dominion

Revelation 3:21
The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

AS WE WILL SEE IN THE DAYS AHEAD IN OUR STUDY OF REVELATION, WE WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST IN HIS KINGDOM. AND AS MATTHEW 25 SHOWS US, WE WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR THIS LIFE, AND WE WILL BE REWARDED WITH DOMINION WITH CHRIST IN HIS KINGDOM.

WE THINK DOMINION NOW IS ALL THAT THERE IS.

IN 1941, C. S. LEWIS DELIVERED A SERMON AT OXFORD CALLED THE WEIGHT OF GLORY. IN IT, HE SAID: “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Jesus offers to us true dominion, to sit with him on his throne and to participate in His rule and reign.

His invitation is amazing.

Jesus’ heart is that we not be lukewarm, self-sufficient. His heart is that we not be captured by this world and what it offers…these things are just mudpies.

No, his heart it to:
•Dine with you on a regular basis
•Share His kingdom with you
•And Have you share his dominion with Him.

So, the natural question is, “How do we conquer or overcome?”

The answer to that first requires understanding what wars against us.

The Bible teaches that we have three enemies:
1.Satan
2.The World’s System set against Christ
3.Our Flesh

And for each of these, there is a solution.

For Satan, we are called to be dressed for battle with the Armor of God upon our lives. See Ephesians 6 for more on the Armor of God.

For the World and its system, we are told by Jesus that we are to not be lovers of the world. So, we have to agree with Jesus and turn from a love of the world.

For the flesh, we are told to make no provision for the flesh, and to crucify the flesh.

And we can resist Satan, the world, and the flesh, if we do one thing: ABIDE WITH CHRIST.

In John 15, Jesus calls His disciples to abide or remain in Him, and He will remain in them.
In essence, he is saying, “Be intimate with me and you will abide.”

So, the core invitation here, to listen for His voice, and open the door unto him that we might dine with him is the solution that will keep us from becoming self-sufficient, lukewarm Christians.

My friend, are you under conviction that you are living a self-sufficient life?

Are you under the conviction that your heart has grown lukewarm?

Are you convicted that Jesus is outside the door of your life?

If so, Repent.

Revelation 3:19 says…

Revelation 3:19
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

His brining conviction upon you is evidence of His life for you…be quick and urgent to repent.

This recap is from the message shared by Senior Pastor Dr. Roger Patterson on Sunday, August 4, 2024.