Jesus' call to the church

Good morning, church. Today we'll be reading from Revelation chapter 3, verse 14 to 22.

Revelation 3:14–22

! If you're reading from our church Bible, it's on page 967.

To the church in Laodicea, and to the angel of the church in Laodicea, write,

The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

I know your works. You are neither cold nor hot. With that, you are either cold or hot.

So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched,

pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be

rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and the shame of your nakedness may not

be seen, and soft to anoint your eyes so that you may see. To 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. The one who conquers,

I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, so as I also conquered and sat down with my

father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

This is the word of the Lord.

Thank you, Lydia. Good morning, everyone. Hi. If you don't know me, my name is Oscar.

I am one of the... What am I? I am one of the non-staff elders here at Watermark.

Please join me. Let's pray as we look into God's word.

Father God, Lord Jesus, gracious Holy Spirit, as we consider your word and come under your word today,

please open up our hearts to receive what you want to tell us today. Help us to be sensitive to your word

and to be open to what you want to tell us. Help me, God, as I share and speak. May my words be yours.

Help me to have the conviction and the gentleness and humility that you desire. We give this time to you.

May you be praised, glorified, and honored now and always. In Jesus' name, amen.

So if you didn't know, at Watermark, usually we speak through...we preach through one book of the Bible,

one passage at a time. We just finished 18 weeks, 10 chapters in the book of John, and today and next Sunday,

we will have two stand-alone sermons. Maybe you're wondering, why are we preaching on Laodicea today?

Well, here's some background. It's been three or so months since we moved here to Viva, our new venue,

and the resounding feedback from all of you and from the venue team has been positive. Everyone is very excited

about this new venue. It's new. It's nicely renovated. Thank you, Colin Co., wherever you are.

It has great classrooms. Finally, we have an MTR and parking. We have the mall that we can hang out at

Viva. It's a great place. It's a great place. It's a great place. It's a great place.

It really has been such a wonderful gift, this venue here at Viva. Everything that we were hoping

and praying for 18 months ago has come to pass. All praise to Jesus. And so as I was asking God for a

message for today, this passage came to me because we are at this interesting and unique season here at

Watermark. And looking ahead, I can envision two different paths for Watermark, specifically relating

to this venue. The first is that we can use this venue for good, for us to go deeper in the gospel

and to love Jesus more through meeting here, understanding his word, and praying with each

other. Our children can love and trust Jesus and grow in their faith here in this venue. We can invite

our friends who don't know Jesus yet to come, hear the gospel, and believe in Jesus and have life in his

name. But there's also another path. We can think of this venue as convenient and comfortable, and we

can sit back and be consumers. We can take it and enjoy this gift, but forget the creator and the giver of

this gift. It's like when you give your child a toy for their birthday. When you open up that toy and start

playing with it, you open up your arms to expect a big hug, but your child just ignores you because

they're playing with that toy. We can accept gifts, but forget the creator and the giver of the gift.

And so it was with this in my mind and heart that I share from this passage today. Because as I hope you'll see in this passage,

on the outside, this church in Laodicea, they were materially very successful. They were very blessed.

They loved their gifts, but they abandoned the giver, Jesus Christ. So as we dive into this passage,

we'll examine it in two parts. The danger of lukewarmness and the antidote to lukewarmness.

Let's get in there. The danger of lukewarmness. Now in today's passage that lady just read, Jesus,

he offers quite a stern rebuke to this church in Laodicea. In Revelation chapters two and three,

Jesus writes seven letters to churches in Asia Minor. In the first six letters, Jesus offers words

of encouragement alongside some rebukes. But in this last letter to Laodicea, Jesus does nothing good

to say about them at all. In verse 15, Jesus starts off saying, I know your works. You're neither cold

nor hot. Would that you are either cold or hot. Verse 16, so because you're lukewarm and neither cold

nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth. Can I just say ouch? That is a punch in the gut on a Sunday

morning. But Jesus is saying, because you're lukewarm, I'm going to reject you. Now what did Jesus mean

with all these symbols, cold, hot, lukewarm? Well here, Jesus references the geology of the land.

Laodicea was set between two cities. If you can see the map there, Heropolis was in the north,

Colossae to the east. Heropolis was famous for its hot springs. Colossae's water was cold and pure.

But Laodicea did not have its own water supply. And so they had to pipe water in from many miles

away through these stone pipes. But the problem was that water that started off pure and clean,

by the time it got piped through those stone pipes many miles away, it picked up all these impurities.

And so when it got to Laodicea, the water was undrinkable. It was disgusting. If you drank it

right from the source pipe, you'd be so sick, you'd vomit. And Jesus compares the impure, repulsive water

with the Laodicean church. You make me want to vomit. You nauseate me. Your lukewarmness towards me

makes me sick. Again, the language Jesus uses is very strong. And so now let's ask the question,

why is Jesus calling this church lukewarm? When we hear the word lukewarm, what's the first thing we

think about? We think about luensoi, lukewarm water, which isn't that bad, actually. It's quite drinkable.

Or maybe we think that it's Christians who are maybe a bit apathetic or indifferent towards Jesus.

Is it that we think that there are Christians or people over here who are hot for Jesus and

passionate for Jesus? And then there are other people over here who don't know him at all and

are cold. And then in the middle, we have these lukewarm Christians who maybe profess faith in Jesus,

but are unaffected or apathetic towards him, which, you know, maybe isn't that bad.

Is that what we think lukewarm means? Well, actually, if we continue on in this passage,

although apathy or indifference may be symptoms of lukewarmness, the root cause or disease is

something much deeper and insidious. Let's consider Laodicea. This city was known for three things.

First, it was famous for its textiles. Native to Laodicea was black wool, which would be made into

rugs and clothing. The city was also known for its medicine, particularly this eye salve or ointment,

which was famous across the region. And third, they were a wealthy banking hub.

Laodicea was so wealthy that in AD 60, when the city was destroyed by an earthquake,

when Rome offered to help rebuild the city, Laodiceans said,

Ah, we don't need your help, Rome. We're good. The Roman historian Taxetus wrote this,

Laodicea arose from the ruins by the strength of her own reserves, with no help from us.

The broader Laodicean people, and by extension, the church, were quite successful in a worldly sense.

Do you see where I'm going with this, right? Do you see any similarities between Laodicea and Hong Kong today?

Perhaps as a city, we're not as textile savvy as we used to be, other than Henry, our resident fashion expert over there.

But Hong Kong is still a solid banking and finance hub. We have fantastic medical institutions

and many fantastic doctors here at Watermark. We also have top universities.

Many Watermarkers have come from abroad to study and to work in our great city.

So how does a church that has so much material wealth and success engage with Jesus?

See, on the surface, the Laodicean church probably said and did all the right things.

They probably went to church service. They probably lived in community.

They probably gave money to the church.

But Jesus looks past the surface and knows the condition of their hearts.

In verse 17, Jesus says this about the Laodicean church.

For you say, I am rich. I have prospered. I need nothing.

I need nothing.

I don't have a prayer request because I already have everything I need.

And Jesus says to them, because of all your wealth and success,

you think you have everything you need.

Money, resources, influence, good looks, comfort.

You're self-sufficient and self-reliant.

You're too comfortable and you don't think you need me.

But then, Jesus looks at all the resources, talents, and money,

and he flips it upside down.

In the second half of verse 17, Jesus says,

You say, I'm rich. I have prospered. I need nothing.

Not realizing that you're wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

On the outside, you're a wealthy banking hub.

But because you so highly value money,

you're actually spiritually bankrupt.

You may have experts in medicine,

but because you think that your eye ointment is so supreme,

you're actually spiritually blind.

You think you're so well-dressed because you wear these black wool garments.

The reality is you're spiritually naked.

Jesus is saying you lean on all your resources, talents, and money.

You think you're rich.

You're actually spiritually bankrupt.

And this is not just a theme in Revelation.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is constantly imploring us to flee from self-sufficiency and run to him.

Recall the story of the rich young ruler.

A wealthy young man, he goes to Jesus and he asks him,

What must I do to inherit eternal life?

And Jesus responds and says,

Well, you know the law.

You know the commandments.

Do not murder.

Do not commit adultery.

Do not steal.

Do not steal.

Do not steal.

Do not steal.

And the man's all excited.

He says,

Great, I have kept all of these.

But the last words of Jesus hit him hard.

Jesus says,

You lack one thing.

Give away all your money to the poor.

And then you'll have treasures in heaven.

And then come follow me.

but the young man couldn't do it

for he had great possessions

and he loved his stuff above Jesus

well look at Matthew 5

Jesus said

blessed are the poor in spirit

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

to be poor in spirit

is to acknowledge that

without Jesus

we have nothing

if we're liars on in him

if we're not abiding in him

we have nothing

to be poor in spirit

to be dependent

not on ourselves

but fully in him

and so

for us

if we examine our own lives

to what extent

do we also desire

to be self-sufficient

and self-reliant

we Hong Kongers

we're known to study hard

to work hard

to build up our careers

and our bank accounts

so that in the future

if a rainy day happens

we'll be okay

we send our kids

to tough schools

and give them extra classes

to set them up

so that they're in control

of their destiny

but in the process

how many of us

actually don't need

to exercise faith

or trust

in God

we think we're already

in control of everything

maybe that's why

our prayer life

is so stagnant

maybe it's why

we feel God

is so distant

Jesus' charge

against the lay of the sea

in church

was that their lukewarmness

was due to their

self-sufficiency

and yet

they were still part

of a church

maybe they even

served in church

on Monday morning

in the office

when the topic

of religion came up

they probably said

yeah I'm a Christian

and this is

the scary part

for this letter

was not written

to people

who rejected Jesus

or don't know him

at all

Jesus pours out

his heart

in this letter

to people

who profess

that they're Christians

but Jesus says

to them

because of your

lukewarmness

I will reject you

and then down

in verse 20

Jesus says

behold I stand

at the door

and knock

think about this picture

Jesus is saying

you guys are gathering

you're in community

I'm not even

present with you

it's like a picture

of a wedding

where

as the bride

is giving her vows

the groom is

outside the chapel

knocking on the door

trying to come in

the ladies see

in lukewarm

Christians

or actually

not Christians

at all

and this is why

I believe

if we go back

to verse 15

Jesus says this

I know your works

you're neither cold

nor hot

I'd rather that

you were cold

or hot

I'd rather you

be cold

or hot

this is quite

a mysterious sentence

let's think about it

to be hot

seems quite clear

if you take

a quick glance

down to verse 19

in your Bibles

Jesus says

be zealous

and repent

being zealous

means to have

passion

to adore

to have an intense

love for

it's not simply

raw emotion

it means being

wholeheartedly devoted

to Jesus

such that we respond

to him

in worship

and surrender

but then why

would Jesus

rather someone

be cold

towards him

versus being

lukewarm

someone who is

cold towards

Jesus

has explicitly

rejected him

at least if you're

lukewarm

and maybe you come

to church a little

bit

maybe you know

a little bit

about the Bible

but consider this

comparison

between two people

the first is

my friend

my friend

who has never

been to church

in his entire

life

according to this

passage

that he will be

cold towards

Jesus

well we met up

one day

and when my friend

asked me to explain

the gospel

I said to him

that all of us

all human beings

have this

secret and darkness

in our hearts

and we're all in need

of a savior

and I saw that

something in him

clicked

and then he shared

that he struggled

with sin

he didn't call it sin

as he doesn't know

what sin is

but he knew

of this darkness

in his heart

that needed fixing

my friend is not

yet a believer

in Jesus

but I really

believe he's close

but then

think about person

two

a lukewarm

Christian

a lukewarm

Christian

has one foot

in church

and one foot

out

we think

we're a lot

better than

we really are

many years ago

when I played

college tennis

we had three

kinds of teammates

the first

kind of teammate

came into school

really talented

and just

was excellent

did really well

the second kind of player

came into the school

first year

was kind of weak

but knew they needed

to improve

listened to good coaching

got better

and added value

to the team

the third

that was kind of like me

actually

the third kind of player

came in weak

but thought they were

Roger Federer

the problem with that

is that when the coach

said hey

your serve needs work

or your forehand's

a bit shaky

the third kind of player

would say no coach

you're wrong

I'm good

put me in

but then

they never took

good coaching

they never improved

they thought they were

better than they really are

and they never added

value to the team

if this is the danger

of being a lukewarm Christian

we think we're a lot better

than we really are

perhaps this

is you

maybe you're a cultural Christian

through your family

maybe you think you're a Christian

because you come to church

on Sunday

but if you're really honest

with yourself

you don't really think

you need Jesus at all

or maybe you used to have

zeal for Jesus

but because of the busyness

and the struggles of life

Jesus is now somewhere

on the back burner

does the gospel bounce off

your heart

like the words of my old

tennis coach

and if this is you

please know this

no one here at Watermark

can nor will

judge you

only God knows

the true condition

of your heart

but if somehow

God is speaking to you today

prompting you

respond to him

come back to him

come back to Jesus

surrender your life to him

and for the rest of us

do you wrestle with

the tension between

being self-sufficient

on one hand

and being desperate

for Jesus on the other

is it just me

only me here in this room

okay

yeah

four people

over there

on this side

I admit all my life

I've been privileged

ever since I graduated

university

I've been

financially independent

I never admit it publicly

but I've been

dependent on my

work ethic

my education

and my career

for most of my adult life

but I'm learning

that self-sufficiency

is a lie

I'm not in control

I'm in control

of very little

and the more

I rely on my

own abilities

actually the heavier

my burdens

become

and as God

has stripped away

stuff

that I've been

depending on

I've been realizing

that trusting

and relying on Jesus

is so much better

how about you

we at Watermark

I think for the most part

are educated

talented

and fairly well off

I don't think

many people here

are worried

about our next meal

how desperate

are you

for Jesus

and now more recently

we have this new venue

which is wonderful

even my children

are more excited

to come to church

these days

I feel

it's a wonderful gift

but we can also get

complacent

and comfortable

thinking that church

is great

because we have

a wonderful new building

but across the world

there are beautiful

church buildings

with no worshippers

inside

so as I was

preparing this message

this is what my heart

longs for

this is what I've been

praying for

that for myself

that for Celeste

my wife

for our three children

and for all

of Watermark Community Church

may we run away

from self-sufficiency

throw it out the window

drop it

and run to Jesus

and to be dependent

on him

may we not just

hear about Jesus

may we know Jesus

may we not just

experience Christianity

may we

may we experience

Christ

our Savior

himself

that's been my prayer

for Jesus warns us

against lukewarmness

because

he so desires

to shower us

with something

which is infinitely superior

to all this

earthy stuff

that we adore

all this stuff

that makes us

so self-reliant

we'll never

ever feel

the deep ache

and longing

in our hearts

for purpose

and meaning

and acceptance

but Jesus

wants to offer us

the antidote

to lukewarmness

and it's beautiful

so what is

the solution

to this problem

of lukewarmness

maybe you think

Jesus is calling you

to put in a ton

of effort

and to experience

a lot of stress

to throw away

your self-sufficiency

well it's just

the opposite

in fact

he's calling you

to throw away

self-sufficiency

and to collapse

into his arms

to find all your

sufficiency

in him

and look what

Jesus offers

in verses 18 to 21

of our passage

Jesus urges

the lady to see

in church

to repent

and come back

to him

and Jesus offers

to heal

the lukewarmness

in verse 18

Jesus says

I counsel you

to buy from me

gold refined

by fire

that you may be rich

white garments

that you may

clothe yourself

and the shame

of your nakedness

may not be seen

and salve

to anoint your eyes

so that you

may see

what did Jesus offer

when we repent

and run back

to him

when we go back

to Jesus

in repentance

he may allow us

to go through

some trials

and difficult times

so that our faith

in him

is like gold

refined by fire

we then come

to a place

of such strong

faith

and trust

in Jesus

such that

whatever happens

in life

and life

will go up

and down

but good

bad and ugly

we're still good

the peace

of Christ

is in us

this

is true

spiritual gold

and infinitely

better than

physical gold

money

or bitcoin

he offers us

white garments

this is a symbol

many of us

carry shame

and guilt

from our past

these white garments

are a symbol

to tell us

when we come

to Jesus

he covers us

with his purity

and his righteousness

because that's

who he is

and he removes

all of our shame

ointment for our eyes

Laodicea was blinded

by her own

self-sufficiency

and often times

we're the same

our Lord says

come to me

I'll open up

the eyes of your heart

to see your own sin

and to see my beauty

and Jesus

gives all of these

gifts to us

out of love

verse 19

those whom I love

I'll reprove

and discipline

so be zealous

and repent

despite

this church

this Laodicean church

being so self-sufficient

and actually

repulsive

repulsive to Jesus

Jesus loves

them so much

and the word love

here is

the translation

is not the fatherly

commanding kind of love

it's the brotherly love

I love you so much

as my friend

and brother

that I'm urging you

I'm begging you

to repent

and come back to me

and look at verse 20 now

Jesus offers such a

a close

and personal relationship

with those who come to him

he's saying to the church

I'm outside the doors

of your sanctuary

I'm knocking

will you let me in

will you let me into your life

and if you do

I will dine with you

and you with me

in those days

and in our day

when you eat

and dine with someone

and commune with someone

it's someone that you care about

Jesus desires

intimacy

and relationship with us

and finally

Jesus offers honor

I love this verse

verse 21

to the one who conquers

I will grant him

to sit with me

on my throne

as I also conquered

and sat down

with my father

on his throne

when we throw off

self-sufficiency

and self-reliance

we go from being

wretched

pitiable

poor

blind

and naked

to conquering

alongside Jesus

and how do we conquer?

do we do it ourselves?

no

because we can't

but if you love

and trust Jesus

if we bank

our lives on him

we conquer

because he conquered

for you see

Jesus

on the cross

he defeated

that which we could

never overcome

sin

and death

by ourselves

we can never

rid ourselves

of the deep darkness

inside here

and we can never

prevent death

from coming

to our doorstep

one day

but Jesus

conquered both

and because of his death

and resurrection

he conquered the grave

and deserves

all glory

and honor

and praise

and if we continue

reading on Revelation

we will see

where he is today

he is seated

on the throne

in heaven

with his father

and if we love

and trust him

we will sit with him

one day

on that same throne

we conquer

because

he conquered

so

how can we

respond

to this today

how can we respond

to the call of Jesus

today

well here's three

ways we can respond

take stock

of your own heart

and life

many of us

do health checks

to examine

the inner workings

of our physical bodies

I think some of us here

many many of us here

check our bank accounts

or our stock

and crypto portfolios

to check the

financial health

of ourselves

but how often

do we actually

stop

and reflect

on the health

of our heart

our control center

our inner compass

the source

of all our desires

what am I putting

all my hope

and trust in

is it my work

and career

is it

all my

is it my grit

and my hard work

is it my health

is it my relationships

or my children's education

and when I don't

have them

it causes so much

stress

and fear

which indicates

I'm putting way

too much hope

in them

or if I do have them

and I depend

so much on them

if I think about it

actually I don't need God

and I put God

way over there

into a box

take stock

of your own heart

and life

number two

repent

one of the first

and crucial steps

to throwing out

self-sufficiency

is to confess it

to God

and to own it

see God isn't

asking us

to solve it

but he is asking us

to confess

and repent of it

and if something

today has convicted

you to go back

to God

to repent

take that step

perhaps approach

one of our prayer

team members

afterwards

and ask them

to pray with you

because you can't

repent passively

and you can't

repent by osmosis

maybe you think

repentance is

something shameful

or embarrassing

oh no

just the opposite

it is one of the

most wonderful

experiences

of being a Christian

and I know this

from experience

I'm a serial repenter

I've always been

and will be

all my life

see we can repent

of our self-reliance

we can throw it out

and receive what

Jesus offers

such relief

in knowing that

we don't have to

be perfect

such assurance

in knowing that

he forgives

and loves us

we must repent

and third and final

live out gospel

community

many of us here

are part of

a community group

we spend time

and hang out

with our church

family

that's wonderful

but that may or may

not be gospel

community

who knows

the real you

who knows

what's going on

inside of your heart

living out gospel

community means

we're vulnerable

we are open

with someone

in our church

family

actively

confessing

and repenting

with each other

of the stuff

that makes us

self-reliant

and self-sufficient

and then

reminding each other

of the riches

of Christ

and helping each other

to run back to him

live out gospel

community

now let me close

with this quote

from

Charles Spurgeon

this is one of

Kevin's

favorite quotes

I think

I have a great

need for Christ

and I have a

and I have a

great Christ

for my need

it is in our

nature

to try to

figure things

out

ourselves

to rely

on our own

abilities

on our own

resources

our own

skills

and talents

but that's

not freedom

that's a life

of heavy burden

but when the

penny drops

when we realize

that self-sufficiency

is a lie

we run back

to Jesus

bank our lives

on him

and become

desperate for him

that is a life

of freedom

unspeakable peace

and joy

in all seasons

and this is what

the apostle John

meant

we studied this

for 18 weeks

this is what

the apostle John

meant when he said

when you believe

in Jesus

you have life

in his name

when we realize

we have a great

need for Christ

and we realize

we have a great

Christ

for our need

so may

Watermark Church

be a church

that lays down

our self-sufficiency

and self-reliance

runs back to Jesus

to receive

the riches of God

let's pray together

Father God

Lord Jesus

Holy Spirit

you are

you are great

and greatly

to be praised

and honored

we are humbled

by your word

God

pray that as we

digest

and

meditate

and contemplate

your word

open up our hearts

to respond to you

right now

Lord

help us God

to see the self-sufficient

aspects of our lives

whatever it is

not just money

but other aspects

or hard work

or work ethic

what I've been putting

too much hope into

Lord

help us to

give it to you

God

lay at your feet

and may we receive

such wonderful

assurance

and goodness

from you

even now

may we experience

you now God

be with us

for the rest of our

service

as we

continue to worship

you

for you are the only

one worthy

to be worshipped

in Jesus name

we pray

Amen