Now read these next words carefully.
Revelation 3:14-22 (NKJV)
14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore 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 dine with him, and he with Me.
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame 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." ' "
Jesus called out the Laodiceans harder than any of the other six churches mentioned in Revelation. Most theologians agree we live in the Laodicean church age. Apathy abounds. The chill of coldness in the hearts of church members freezes out the fire of God. People are ho hum in their zeal. Tepid. Lukewarm. Half hearted.
Jesus even says He would prefer we be cold, chilly, or hot, boiling, than we live lukewarm in our hearts for Him. Yet lukewarmers are lulled to sleep with lukewarm worship and lukewarm sermons all around. If they show up once in awhile, if they throw a little cash in the offering plate from time to time, if they do anything remotely related to serving they are content. They convince themselves they have done a good job and fulfilled their Jesus obligations.
Verse 16 is tough. Such lukewarm people make Jesus want to vomit. When I look back over the years at all the churches I've served and all the people I met and all our gatherings I wonder how much of it made Jesus nauseated. I wonder how much of our religious pretense made Him vomit as He revulsed over our mediocre and meandering worship. How many times has he rejected my preaching and teaching because I did so with a tepid heart not on fire for Him.
When Jesus looks at us do we make Him sick because we are lukewarm? Half in the world and half in following Him. It is not that we do not understand commitment. Just look how committed American families are to their children's sports endeavors. They will rearrange schedules, spend endless amounts of money, sit in cold, heat, rain all for the love of sports. Jesus does not get near that devotion.
How many songs have been sung in worship that sickened Jesus to the point of throwing up? How many Bible studies so nauseated Jesus He vomited in response to them? How many sermons so sickened Jesus He could not keep them down before upchucking dead lifeless dry apathetic religious talks?
People work hard to keep up the sham. They focus on the exterior things like showing up, dressing up, making up and talking up their walk with Jesus. Jesus looks past the exterior stuff. He goes to the interior and what He finds among many repulses Him to the point of vomiting.
Jesus expects devoted followers. This was true in the Old Testament.
1 Kings 18:21 (NKJV)
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.
It was true in the New Testament.
Luke 9:23 (NKJV)
23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
Philippians 3:7-8 (NKJV)
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
We have not even scratched the surface of what Jesus expects of His followers. Sadly what He sees today sickens Him. Think about it. All the effort, planning, and money spent on religious events that do not please Him in the least run by lukewarm people and attended by lukewarm people. He vomits repulsed by the lack of zeal.
What about you? How would you classify your relationship with Jesus at this point? Are you chilled? Are you boiling in zeal? Are you lukewarm?
Be zealous and repent. Be earnest and turn from your sinful offensive ways. Do not fool yourself into thinking you are pleasing Him with half hearted commitment. Wake up to reality and let this Laodicean truth sink in. Do not waste your days and all your lukewarm living nauseate Jesus instead of pleasing Him. We may fool others but Jesus knows the truth. We will all give account of our walks and works one day before Him.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (NKJV)
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
May Jesus produce zeal in our hearts as He revives us. May He ignite boiling hot passion for Him and His kingdom that boils over impacting those around us. May we NEVER EVER be content with lukewarm living that nauseates our Lord.
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