July 16, 2018 - - Revelation 3:15-16; 19-20 When Jesus vomits

I know your works are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth...Those whom I love I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 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.

Revelation 3:15-16; 19-20

There are seven letters to seven New Testament churches in the Book of Revelation. Jesus is writing them and warning them sternly so that they do no fall away.

Complacency is the sin of this church, Laodicea. They gather in church, but their lives are not transformed by their proximity to Jesus.

Next two paragraphs from Rev. Stephen Richardson sermon on Revelation 3:14-22:

"[The people in the church of] Laodicea must astonish the hosts of heaven! Jesus did not die for angels but only for fallen sinful humankind, and yet these creatures before His throne must be saying 'He never died for me yet such a God can not have too much of my love!'"

"Look at His mercy--Jesus stands at the door and knocks. He will come in--if the people will be zealous and repent of their complacency and He will sup with them--even Laodicea is not without hope. I suppose all of us are infected by this [complacency] to one degree or another. The danger is we will see this as something small and we will not see the urgency of it. Some of us, for sure, need to go to prayer closet and act on this immediately and repent and weep and cry to God. He will come in!"

Spirit of God, we confess we will give hours to Facebook but only minutes to Jesus; we confess we will watch endless sports recaps but neglect to re-read the Scripture on which the recent sermon was based. We confess, Spirit of God, as those who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, that like Laodicea, we are often very tepid in our faith, ho-hum in our commitment and dull in our speaking of Jesus--if we ever summon the will to speak publicly of Him at all. Spirit of God, re-awaken in us a zeal for Jesus, an awe for all He has done and is doing within us. Spirit of God, help us to hear Jesus' persistent knocking at the door of the hearts of those of us who only appear to be believers. Jesus, thank You for Your mercy. Thank You that as long as we draw breath, there is an invitation to turn away from sin and complacency and turn fully to You. Bring many sons and daughters to the glorious joy of knowing You and living out loud for You! Amen