The Lukewarm Church

Have you ever had a moment where you're so deeply enthralled with a task, you forget to drink your tea? And then when you remember, you have a happy moment of 'I've got tea', only to take a sip and spit it out or cough because it's lukewarm - not quite hot and not quite cold, but now tastes disgusting and not at all hitting that 'tea' spot for you? 

If you always remember to drink your tea, good on you! If you're like me and forget when you're in the zone, you'll know what this feels like! 

And this is exactly what I think of when Jesus says to the church in Laodicea, 'because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth' - literally vomit them out. What a warning!
This is a church prone to the idolatry of wealth and self-reliance. A church potentially similar to many in our context today when it's so easy to think of ourselves as independent and self-sufficient, having everything we need at the tip of our fingers. 

Jesus wants them to open their eyes to their own spiritual state: You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Revelation 3:17

It's an easy step to think that because we have all we need, we're saved. But Jesus' words remind us that no material or monetary thing or idol of success will save our souls. Only Jesus can do that. 

For a people who pride ourselves on our independence in the western world, how are you going at depending on God in your personal & spiritual life? 

And how are we going as a church I wonder? 

Over the last few weeks as we've been going through these letters together, I wonder what has stood out to you? What have you been thinking and praying about? What have you been challenged by? What have you been convicted to do personally? What are you excited by? What do you think God might be saying to us as a church community? 

To recap the letters, Jesus challenges them and calls them to action:

• In Ephesus, they'd forsaken their first love and needed reminding to put Jesus first.
• In Smyrna, they were warned about upcoming persecution & encouraged to remain faithful.
• In Pergamum, they were challenged to stop compromising their faith and remain loyal to Jesus.
• In Thyatira, they'd grown tolerant of sin & false teachings and Jesus called them to repent and hold tightly to the truth of the gospel.
• In Sardis, they'd grown spiritually dead from complacency in faith and Jesus called them to 'wake up'!
• In Philadelphia, they kept God's word and Jesus encouraged them to keep enduring and remain faithful to the end. 
• Finally, this week, we see the Laodicea were lukewarm, becoming useless from their idolatry of wealth and independence from God. Jesus calls them to be earnest in the faith and depend on the Lord for salvation. 

Which one of these rebukes and encouragements speak to you/us? Or is there something different you think Jesus wants us to hear? 

I encourage you to pray over these things in the next few days and ask God to reveal what he wants to say to our church. 

On Sunday, we'll have a time of testimony and sharing and we'd love you to be brave and share how God has been working in your life and what he might be calling us as a church community into. 
May we be a church who hears what the Spirit wants to say to us. 

Amy