Confronting Casual Christianity Revelation 3:14-22 (NKJV)

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Scot Shanon Davidson
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1 Message for THE LORD S DAY EVENING, October 21, 2012 Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister Confronting Casual Christianity Revelation 3:14-22 (NKJV) Please turn with me to tonight s scripture text in Revelation chapter 3. 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. P R A Y E R

2 I N T R O D U C T I O N When you look at the early New Testament Church it soon becomes obvious the greatest threat they faced was persecution from those outside the Church. The early Christians lived their lives in such a sacrificial, Christ-like manner it caused the world to despise them. They faced discrimination in the market place. They were driven from their homes. They were beaten..and stoned.and imprisoned. Many of the early Christians were burned at the stake thrown to the lions..or even crucified. But while the greatest threat to the early New Testament Church was persecution from the outside, it seems the greatest threat to the Church today is lukewarmness on the inside. -Whereas the early Church lived sacrificial lives, it seems many Christians today are living superficial lives. -Whereas the early Church was at odds with the world, today s Church seems to be in bed with the world. -Whereas the early Church endured persecution from non- Christians that caused them to unite, it seems in today s Church we are persecuting each other, causing us to divide. There is a term being used today to describe the brand of Christianity we see so much of here in America. It is called Casual Christianity. George Barna describes casual Christianity this way.. Casual Christianity is faith in moderation. It allows them to feel religious without having to prioritize their faith. Christianity is a low-risk, predictable proposition for this tribe, providing a faith perspective that is not demanding.

3 A Casual Christian can be all the things that they esteem: a nice human being, a family person, religious, an exemplary citizen, a reliable employee and never have to publicly defend or represent difficult moral or social positions or even lose much sleep over their private choices as long as they mean well and generally do their best. From their perspective, their brand of faith practice is genuine, realistic and practical. To them, Casual Christianity is the best of all worlds; it encourages them to be a better person than if they had been irreligious, yet it is not a faith into which they feel compelled to heavily invest themselves. ************************************************************************************* In our LORD S letter to the Laodicean Church here in Revelation 3, He confronts the Church about her Casual Christianity. First of all we see.. I. The Lord s Condemnation of Casual Christianity. (vs ) 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 1. When you study the Lord s letters to the Seven Churches of Asia you learn the Church at Laodicea was the only Church for which the Lord had NO COMMENDATIONS. Jesus had nothing good to say about this Church, only condemnation.

4 2. The image of the Laodiceans being neither cold nor hot has traditionally been understood to mean they lacked spiritual fervor..they were half hearted in their commitment to Christ.they were casual Christians. 3. Christ said he would rather they be COLD or HOT than lukewarm. There is something very sobering in those words. Christ is saying to be cold or hostile towards the gospel is better than being lukewarm. COLD and HOT are both positive. Take coffee for example. HOT COFFEE is good! And ICE COLD COFFEE is good. But lukewarm coffee isn t good. HOT TEA is good! And ICED TEA is good. But lukewarm tea isn t good. 4. Hot water heals.cold water refreshes. Lukewarm water does neither. 5. From the standpoint of their ministry, the Church at Laodicea offered neither HEALING or REFRESHMENT. 6. I believe the point the LORD is making is this: What good is a lukewarm Christian to Me? A lukewarm Christian is an ineffective Christian. A lukewarm Christian bears little or no spiritual fruit. A lukewarm Christian makes little or no impact in the lives of those around them. 7. How does the Lord feel about lukewarmness or casual Christianity? He tells us in VERSE 16. So then, because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Casual Christianity sickens the Lord! Casual Christianity is unacceptable to the LORD! Casual Christianity disgusts the Lord!

5 ILLUSTRATION When I was a student at Johnson Bible College, one of my classmates was Paul Gulley, from my home church in Indiana. Buck as we called him was the proverbial class clown. One day after class, Buck and I stopped by the vending machines in our dorm on our way to our rooms. I got a soda. And Buck got a carton of milk. When Buck opened up that carton of milk and took his first swig, he spewed it out of his mouth all over the floor. You see, the milk was curdled. It was unfit to drink. 8. That s the image that comes to my mind when I think of Jesus vomiting on lukewarm, casual Christianity. 9. But while lukewarmness SICKENS the Lord, lukewarmness SATISFIES the casual Christian. v. 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 10. The Laodiceans were grossly self-deceived. They truly believed the Lord was satisfied with their lukewarm, half-hearted casual Christianity. Note their threefold claim: You say, I am rich.have become wealthy.and have need of nothing. These believers were so well off materially they thought they didn t need anything from man or from God Himself. They were so self-sufficient they believe their talents and abilities and human resources could get them through any situation without any help from the Holy Spirit. 11. The Lord s evaluation is that because they were so proud and self-sufficient they couldn t even see the true nature of their spiritual condition, which He described as being, wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. WRETCHED----means to be inferior or of low quality. MISERABLE---means they were to be pitied, not admired.

6 POOR---means they were beggarly like one who was living off the crumbs of spirituality, rather than feasting on the true Bread of life. BLIND---means they were without any spiritual insight or discernment as to their spiritual condition. NAKED---means they should be ashamed and humiliated for their lack of righteous garments, instead of proud. 11. Oh brothers and sisters, we must honestly search our own souls. We must ask ourselves those hard questions we never seem to ask. Am I spiritually wretched? Am I spiritually miserable? Am I spiritually poor? Am I spiritually blind? Am I spiritually naked? 12. Have I become satisfied with a lukewarm, casual Christianity? After the LORD gave His condemnation to the Laodicean Christians for their LUKEWARM, CASUAL CHRISTIANITY, we see.

7 II. The Lord s Correction For Casual Christianity (vs. 18,19) 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. 1. Because we serve a loving, forgiving, merciful Savior, He always offers a solution, a remedy for our spiritual woes. 2. In these verses, the Lord counsels the Laodiceans to do three things to CORRECT their casual Christianity. (A) First of all, Jesus counsels them to Buy from Me GOLD refined in the FIRE, that you may be RICH. Refined gold in the scriptures is always symbolic of PURIFYING one s life by the removal of SIN. One of the characteristics of casual Christianity is that one becomes more tolerant of sin in the lives of others as well as in their own life. Jesus is telling us here that if we are going to correct our casual Christianity, if we are going to be healed of our lukewarmness, the first thing we have got to do is STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR OUR SINS and STOP RATIONALIZING OUR SINS, and confess them and walk away from them! (B) Secondly, Jesus counsels the Laodiceans to buy from Him WHITE GARMENTS that you may be clothed. The white garments represent the RIGHTEOUSNESS of CHRIST. Only a true Christian can be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Christ is sternly warning the Laodiceans that unless they clothe themselves with the white garment of His righteousness they are not prepared to stand before His judgment seat.

8 Brothers and sisters, if you are living a half-hearted, half-committed, lukewarm, casual Christianity, you need to be soberly aware you are not truly prepared to stand before the Lord. You are either FOR CHRIST or you are AGAINST HIM. There s NO NEUTRAL GROUND! You are either LOVE THE LORD AND HATE THE WORLD or YOU LOVE THE WORLD AND HATE THE LORD, there s NO MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! (C) Thirdly, Jesus counsels the Ladocians to buy EYE SALVE from Him so they could see their true condition. Since the eye salve has to do with spiritual sight and discernment, Jesus is no doubt counseling them to yield their lives completely to the control of the HOLY SPIRIT. You see, another of the characteristics of lukewarm, casual Christianity is that our faith is an exercise in self-effort. I ll go to Church.I ll do good deeds for others I ll put my money in the offering plate. I ll do this and this and this..and I ll feel all warm and fuzzy about myself. Brothers and sisters, if GOD were to ruin everything in your life that is NOT of the Holy Spirit, what would be left? If GOD were to ruin everything in our Churches that is NOT truly of Him, what would be left? Casual Christianity blinds us to the truth that without God s help, without God s power, without God s provisions we can DO NOTHING OF ANY LASTING, ETERNAL VALUE! After giving his CONDEMNATION FOR CASUAL CHRISTIANITY And His CORRECTION FOR CASUAL CHRISTIANITY, we now see..

9 III. The Lord s Call Away From Casual Christianity (vs ) 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. 1. We have always pictured this scene as the Lord knocking on the heart door of an unbeliever desiring to come in. While the Lord certainly desires to come into the heart of every one who is lost, the context of this passage paints an entirely different picture. 2. You see, the door in verse 20 actually symbolizes the heart of the lukewarm, casual Christian who has never allowed the LORD to have full control of his or her life. 3. That knock on the door and that tender voice of Christ is the LORD calling you and me away from a lukewarm, half-hearted relationship with Him, into a passionate, vibrant, life-giving, life-changing relationship with Him. 4. Do you sense the Lord is knocking on the door of your heart right now? Have you sensed the Lord has been knocking on your heart door for some time, calling you into a deeper, fuller relationship with Him? 5. Are you going to just let the LORD stand there and keep knocking or are you going to open the door of your heart and let Him come in? 6. Casual Christian, the LORD loves you, but He loves you too much to let you go on believing casual Christianity is good enough.

10 C O N C L U S I O N The Savior is waiting to enter your heart, Why don t you let Him come in? There s nothing in this world to keep you apart, What is your answer to Him? Time after time, He has waited before, And now He is waiting again, To see if you re willing to open the door, Oh how He wants to come in.

WINNING THE BATTLE OVER LUKEWARMNESS

WINNING THE BATTLE OVER LUKEWARMNESS Message for WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRAISE AND WORSHIP, March 15,2017 7:00 P.M. Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister MESSAGE 5 in WINNING LIFE'S BATTLES SERMON