Written ~ 09-29-2023
Revelation 3:15-22
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So, I advise you to buy gold from Me – gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be ashamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My Voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat with My Father on His throne. Anyone who has ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.”
Let’s start with verses 3:15-16,
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth!
When you read these verses, what comes to your mind? Do you become defensive and say you would never be lukewarm when it comes to the Lord? Or does it bring some conviction to your heart, you realize your heart has become a bit lukewarm or cold towards the Lord? Or can you say with confidence you are on fire for the Lord? It is very clear what the Lord feels about the lukewarm believer. “I know all the things you do…” We need to remember that the Lord God knows our hearts, He knows the deepest caverns of our very souls, He knows everything we are contemplating. If you think you can be cold to Him, ignore who He is and get off “scot-free,” you are sorely mistaken. But the Lord says, what’s even worse than being cold, is to be lukewarm, to be indifferent to who He is. So, what does it mean to be a lukewarm believer? Another description for lukewarm is half-hearted. Nothing you do for the Lord is done with much meaning, you haven’t put in much effort to know the Word of God, to explore the Scriptures and find out who Jesus is and who your Heavenly Father is. You don’t have a passion for getting the message of Salvation out to those who need to hear it. It’s like you’ve made the decision to believe, to become born again and that’s it. Anymore effort is too much trouble. If your attitude towards the Lord continues in a lukewarm manner, what does it say in verse 3:16b?
“… I will spit you out of My mouth!”
I don’t know about you… but I do not want the Lord my God to be disgusted with me!!!
Take a look at the next two verses, 3:17-18…
“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So, I advise you to buy gold from Me – gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be ashamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.”
A lot of people in the world today don’t see their need for a Savior, they don’t want to understand how lost they are without the saving grace of a merciful Father in Heaven. He has given us a way to have eternal life in Heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And yes, it is a choice each of us need to make, all on our own. Verses 3:17-18 show us the attitude some can have when they think they can get to Heaven by their own merit. “…I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!” Whether you think that or not, an attitude like that will cause you to miss the most wonderful thing that can happen to a person. Many will continue to think they are doing well, but just like verse 3:17 continues to say,
“… you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked…”
What we must realize, these are not physical attributes the Lord is talking about here. Because if we judge ourselves by our outward appearance, sure, we are clothed, we have enough money in the bank, we can see just fine and we may even think we’re happy go lucky, there’s no misery in our lifestyle at all. But let’s look inward, let’s consider our spiritual health. Apart from the Lord we are as dry bones, our spirit is dead within us, with Christ’s absence we do not have the hope of eternal life in Heaven. Our lives are considered “wretched and miserable,” without the Lord’s presence. You can say, “I am rich, I don’t need anything,” but without the Spirit of the Living God residing within your heart, you might as well be a poor, blind, naked beggar, desolate, and without hope for the future. There is hope though!! The Lord says in verse 3:18,
“I advise you to buy gold from Me – gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be ashamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.”
Do you realize the wonderful symbolism of this verse! God is known as a refining fire, the Holy Spirit comes to purify with fire, when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are cleansed of sin and the penalty of death, we are washed white as snow. We will be clothed in Salvation, with the hope of Heaven as our eternal home. The ointment for our eyes will be the cleansing blood of Jesus which He shed on the cross for our sins. If we put our faith and hope in what He did for us our eyes will be opened to the Truth of God’s Word. The Scriptures will become alive and in the fullness of wonder we will see the Power of an Almighty God; our eyes will be opened to see His Majesty.
So, where do you stand? Hot? Lukewarm? Cold? God will require a choice. What is that choice? To be a follower of Jesus Christ His Son, or not. God loves us so much, He wants our choice to be one that honors His Son, but He knows that even when we decide to follow Christ, we may not take this new life with Jesus as Lord and Savior seriously… that’s where verse 3:19 comes into play,
“I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”
I don’t believe any one of us enjoys discipline. But to get us back on track, God must use some sort of correction to get our attention back on the Lord. It’s because He loves us so dearly that He wants us to live in the abundance of joy and walk in the presence of the Holy Spirit, with every step! In The Message Translation (MSG) verse 3:19 says this…
“The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!”
If you are living a lukewarm lifestyle, your walk with the Lord has become tepid, well, then… “About Face!” Get your heart, mind, and soul back in tune with the Holy Spirit, dig into your Bible and get the excitement of being born again back in line!!
Verse 3:20…
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My Voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
For those of you who have not yet invited Jesus, the Messiah, as your Lord and Savior… He is standing at the door of your heart. He’s knocking… He’s waiting for you to open the door. You can keep yourself locked away inside, but if you trust what you have heard and learned, the time is right, the time is now… to open the door. The Lord Jesus is asking… “Do you hear My voice? If you do, open the door and I will come in.” You’ll be invited to sit at His table and share a meal. He’s coming to you as a friend, someone who will share life with you, and will always be by your side.
Those of us who have already answered His call and opened the door to our hearts when He was knocking, we are considered victorious! Verse 3:21,
“Those who are victorious will sit with me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat with My Father on His throne.”
When our lives here on earth come to an end, with our last breath we are in the presence of our Almighty God and our precious Lord and Savior. Because we honored the truth of God’s Word and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are victorious! We have a place already set at the Lord’s Table. The Message Translation (MSG) says verse 3:21 this way,
“Conquerors (the victorious) will sit alongside Me at the head table, just as I, having conquered (been victorious), took the place of honor at the side of My Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors (the victorious)!”
In conclusion, verse 3:22 says,
“Anyone who has ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.”
My prayer would be for everyone, whichever category you find yourself in today, whether hot, whether lukewarm, whether cold. That you would readily turn and listen to the voice of the Lord, hear the calling from the Holy Spirit. Increase the fire! Ignite your spirit! Only you know what it will take for you to open your heart, open your eyes, open your ears to the Lord’s Voice. I pray you will hear and see that He is Good.
~AMEN~