Lukewarm Christians

LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS

(Revelation 3.14-22)

Lukewarm Christians. They are a pain in the church's neck. They are neither one thing nor the other. At best they are a nuisance, since they

want to enjoy the:privileges without the responsibilities, and at worst they are a hindrance, since they confuse the proclamation of the true Gospel.

Who then are these so called "Lukewarm Christians", of whom we read in Revelation 3.14-22 and am I one of them?

Wealth of Laodicea

Let me take you back to the church of Laodicea at the turn of the first century, which was the background of the above reading.

The city was founded in 250BC by Antiochus the Second and named after his wife.

It was a city of extreme wealth due to a variety of factors.

Firstly, it occupied a commanding geographical position at the narrow glen of the River Lycus before it broadens out into the River Meander. As such, it controlled the trading routes which flowed from the river valley to the sea. These included the route from Attaleia and Phrygia in the South East; from Philadelphia and Sardis in the North West and from Dorylaeum and Phrygia, again, into the North East. With all these major trading routes converging upon Laodicea, it is hardly surprising that it developed into a major commercial centre.

Secondly, it had a significant wool and cloth making industry. It was noted for black sheep which produced good quality wool and its manufactured cloth was exported throughout the world.

Thirdly, the city boasted a fine medical school, producing ointment of nard for curing sore ears and a special eye powder, both of which were also exported worldwide.

Its geographical location, its wool production and its medical school, all helped to make Laodicea one of the richest cities of the Roman Empire. No wonder that when Cicero travelled East to Asia Minor in AD51, he cashed in his letters of credit at its city banks. Later, in AD60, when an

earthquake destroyed much of this prosperous city, and the Roman Emperor offered financial help, "Laodicea rose from the ruins by the strength of her own resources, and with no help from us" to quote, Tacitus, the Roman historian.

Hence, the author of Revelation remarks: "I know what you have done" and acknowledges that they have boasted and said: "l am rich and well off; I have no need". Nevertheless the angel says to the so-called Christians living there: "But you do not know how miserable and pitiful you are! You are poor, naked and blind" (Rev. 3.17) with clear reference to their wealth derived from geographical location, their clothing industry and their medical school.

Materialistically, they had arrived. They had everything. They needed nothing. They were able to stand on their own two feet. They believed

that money could buy them whatever they wanted. Here was the self-made "Essex man" of 2000 years ago. Margaret Thatcher would have been very proud of the Laodiceans. They were dependent upon no one.

Whilst from a materialistic point of view, their lives were complete, from a spiritual point of view, their lives were empty. Sadly, their outward

materialism blinded them to their inward spiritual poverty. So the angel says: "l know what you have done". He knew that they were self-made men and women. But he also goes on to say: "You are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other. But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth" (Rev. 15-16).

As regards their spiritual lives, they were only lukewarm - concerned only about their own personal prosperity.

Public School Religion

We often call this 'public school religion' today, because it is more concerned about keeping up outward appearances rather than an inward

commitment.

We have our children baptised because it is the right thing to do. We get confirmed in our early teens because it is part of the overall educational process. We get married in church because we want a 'proper wedding'. We go to church occasionally because that is the sort of thing that is expected of people like us. We make our modest financial contribution to the church because membership fees are always involved in belonging to a club. And so I could go on.

At the end of the day, one cannot say that such people do not support the church, nor can you say they are fully committed. They remain on the

ecclesiastical fence, keeping religion at arms length. They share the outlook of Viscount Melbourne, who was heard to remark in the 19th century: "Things have come to a pretty pass when religion is allowed to invade the sphere of private life", after listening to a rather evangelical sermon.

It seems as if the challenge of the Christian Gospel merely washes over them, leaving them untouched. Their material prosperity blinds them to

their deeper spiritual needs. Whatever happens, they must keep a stiff upper lip and never acknowledge the inward cries from the heart.

Yes, there are many lukewarm Christians today. In fact, it is possibly the biggest challenge facing the church of today. It seems so often that

Christianity speaks only to the hearts and minds of those in material need and fails to speak to those who are affluent by this world's standards.

Offer of Hope

But there is always hope. God does not abandon us, even if we abandon him in our self-sufficiency. As the author of Revelation goes on to say: "God stands at the door and knocks; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and eat with him, and he will eat with me".

Those of you who have seen Holman Hunt's picture of Christ, knocking at the door of the human heart, in St Paul's Cathedral, will have noticed that the handle of the door is on the inside. In other words, God never forces himself upon us. He knocks, yes. He wants to come into our lives, yes. He is persistent, yes. But he never overrides our free will and imposes himself upon us. He waits patiently outside until we are prepared to

acknowledge our need of him, and place our hand on the handle to let him in.

Are you prepared to let God into your comfortable life, or are you going to keep him waiting outside in the cold? Are you prepared to allow religion to invade your private life, or are you, like Viscount Melbourne, going to keep religion out? Are you prepared to become committed about your spiritual life, or are you content to remain lukewarm?

A Concluding Story

Let me finish with a story of a very wealthy Roman, who had more than her fair share of this world's goods, and who went to heaven. She was greeted by St Peter who said: "Follow me, we have a house prepared for you". As she followed him through the Holy City, she passed some beautiful mansions and saw people she had known and despised in her life on earth until she came across a rather small, undistinguished house. When she complained, St Peter replied: "I'm afraid, that is all we could do for you with the materials you sent up".

"l stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and eat with him, and he will eat with me" (Rev. 3.20).