How We Can Be A Dynamic Church For Our Generation: Stay Hot Introduction: Dr. Brad Jurkovich First Baptist Church Bossier City, LA [Show video called Hot and Cold ] The spiritual temperature of our church matters. The spiritual temperature of your life matters to God. If we are hot for Christ then we will be a dynamic church for our generation. We come to the seventh church that Jesus addressed prior to unveiling to the apostle John the incredible events of what will happen to this world. This church is in the city of Laodicea. Quote: Edward Myers writes this about the city of Laodicea: It was a popular place for wealthy people to retire making the city a famous banking center. The wealth of the city caused her to be proud and self-sufficient. Pride, self-sufficiency and dependence upon material wealth were big factors in the Lord s denunciation of the Laodicean church. The issues of Laodicea are ones that every church in America faces. We need to learn from all of these churches, but this message is very acute to the condition many contemporary churches face today. Please stand in honor of the Word of God. Key Text: Revelation 3:14-22
If we are going to be a church that is dynamic in its impact and evangelism then we must stay hot for Jesus Christ in every way. Question: How can we stay hot for Jesus as a church amidst a cold generation? How can you personally stay hot for Jesus amidst your family, friends, and co-workers? There are three ways that we can learn from in this powerful letter to the believers in Laodicea. We can stay hot for Jesus 1.) By constantly taking our spiritual temperature: Verse s 14-17 Note: The Amen means affirmation or certainty. Jesus is the Amen because He confirmed all of the promises of God. The testimony of Jesus is always truthful. Jesus Himself is the source of all creation. Through His power everything was created. Note: Jesus said, I know your works Our works do not save us from our sins. But a changed life will give evidence to all around in their speech, attitude, work, that they are either hot or cold for Christ. The believers in Laodicea were neither. They were lukewarm. Note: Jesus uses a picture to describe the spiritual condition of these believers. It was a picture that they were very familiar with. Note: Nearby Laodicea were these hot springs of Hierapolis and the cold waters of the city of Colossae. Laodicea was lukewarm.
Point: Being lukewarm is something God will not put up with. We don t like lukewarm things either! [Show video for Lukewarm coffee in Hollywood ] There are a lot of Lukewarm people in our churches today. They may be those who are not born again, but they listen and listen, but never make their commitment to Christ. This may be you today? Have you truly surrendered your life to Jesus Christ? I read about the time Billy Graham was preaching in Beverly Hills. There was a very well-known gangster named Mickey Cohen who attended. He expressed some interest in the message Billy brought. After Billy Graham and others talked with Mickey about putting his faith in Christ, Mickey said he wanted to do that. But in later months there seemed to be no change in his life. He told one of his friends who confronted him about their being no evidence of a changed life and Mickey replied, You did not tell me that I would have to give up my work or my friends! But the reality was for Mickey his friends were gangsters and his work was hurting people and illegal. Point: When you put your faith in Jesus Christ it means that you are focused upon pleasing Jesus and following Him, no matter the cost! They may be those who are born-again, but have gotten complacent in their fervor for Christ. Their commitment to Christ, their works for Christ, their fervor for Christ was meaningless and ineffective. And they didn t even know it! Note: Verse 17
They settled for material wealth and yet spiritually they were empty and didn t even know it! Spiritually they had become poor and naked. No power for Christ! They had become a shell of what they once were. This past week I was looking for a warmer shirt to wear. I saw a fleece pullover I had just brought in from the garage. It had been with all my other winter clothes. As I am getting ready to put it on, I jumped and through it on the ground. There, on the edge of my pullover, was a good-sized spider. Thing could have killed me. But I noticed that the spider wasn t moving. As I took a closer look, I saw that it was dead. It was brittle. It was just a shell of what it used to be when it was alive. Point: This is the spiritual condition of many in the church today. They are a shell of what they used to be for God. They are not cold to Christ, in that they reject Christ, but they are not hot either. They are lukewarm. You and I need to take our spiritual temperature all the time! Are we fervent for Christ? Are we growing in the Word of God? Are we sharing our faith? Are we influencing our family for Jesus? Or are we content with hearing about Jesus, but ultimately rejecting Him? Are you content with all the outside things of this world, but not growing spiritually in Christ? If we want to stay hot for Jesus then we must constantly take our spiritual temperature! We can stay hot for Jesus 2.) By seeking from Christ what only Christ can give: Verse s 18-19
Note: These believers were well aware of what it meant to buy something. So, Jesus says, what you really need to be getting for yourselves is spiritual in nature, not material. I like what Dr. Ed Hindson notes about what Jesus says they should be buying: Buy gold: This is the spiritual truth of Christ! The good news of Jesus. This is something the world can never compete with! Put on white clothes: This is symbolic of the righteousness of Christ. Get real ointment for your eyes: There was an eye salve that Laodicea would sell and was famous for. If you go to Tontitown, Arkansas you will want to go there for their famous pasta. It s what they are famous for. Laodicea was famous for this eye ointment. Jesus says they need to get the ointment of truth on their eyes so they can see things the way God sees things. Point: If you want to stay hot for Jesus then you need to seek after only those things that Christ can provide. Only the gospel of Jesus gives you hope and eternal life. Only Christ can give you righteousness that will enable you to stand right before Holy God. Only Jesus can cause you to see spiritual truth. I d Rather Have Jesus is a song written by Rhea F. Miller with the tune written by George Beverly Shea. This poem, written in 1922, was left on a piano in the Shea home by Bev Shea who wanted her son to find it and change the course of his life. The words, I d rather have Jesus, moved George so much and spoke to him about his own aims and ambitions in life. He sat down at the piano and began singing them with a tune that seemed to fit the words. Shea s mom heard him singing it and asked him to sing it at church the next day. George s life direction did change. He was offered a popular music career with NBC, but a few years later chose to become
associated with evangelist Billy Graham and sang this hymn around the world. I d rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I d rather be His than have riches untold; I d rather have Jesus than houses or lands, I d rather be led by His nail pierced hand. Than to be a king of a vast domain Or be held in sin s dread sway, I d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today. I d rather have Jesus than men s applause; I d rather be faithful to His dear cause; I d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame, I d rather be true to His holy name. He s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom; He s sweeter than honey from out of the comb; He s all that my hungering spirit needs, I d rather have Jesus and let Him lead. George Beverly Shea was not lukewarm. He has been used all over this world for Christ! We can stay hot for Jesus 3.) By opening the door of your life to Jesus: Verse s 20-22 Note: Jesus is on the outside of this church, knocking. He says to this church that they needed to open the doors of their lives in order to have fellowship and be strong with Him again. Wow! How lukewarm does a church have to be to have Jesus knocking on their door and not wanting to hear Him or go to the door.
I have seen my four children get mad at me from time to time. What I am realizing is that my kids and I don t always agree on things. Sometimes one of my kids will even get mad at me. And they will go in their room, shut the door, and even lock the door. I don t like this response. I go to the door and I knock. I knock and knock. Finally, they come to the door. And in that moment there is conversation. There is forgiveness and a restoration of fellowship. Point: If you want to have a right relationship with God, then you must open the door of your life! If you want eternal life and forgiveness of sins, then you must open the door of your life. If you are a Christian, have you put Jesus on the outside of your life? You are probably lukewarm. But Christ loves you and wants you to be fired up for Him! Conclusion: Unbeliever, do you want to be victorious over this life? Do you want to be with Christ in heaven for eternity? Then open the door of your life today! Believer, what is your spiritual temperature? Christ is knocking. Are you embarrassed to open the door of your life? Are you mad at God? Christ wants to lead you, use you, and minister grace and hope to you.