This letter gives us another secret to growth and change to those of us who are feeling a little bit complacent. Maybe we feel a little more bored than blessed when we connect with church … Perhaps we feel a lot more attached to this world than we’d like - (who doesn’t struggle with that?) and looking us straight in the eye Jesus says - “I want you to see your need as you never have before. Then I’d be able to meet your need as I never have before.”
John writes this way to the church in Laodicea - “To the angel of the church of Laodicea write, ‘These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds that you’re neither cold nor hot … I wish that you were one or the other … But you don’t realise you’re wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you get from me gold refined in the fire so you can become rich and white clothes to wear so you can cover your shameful nakedness salve to put on your eyes so you can see.” (Revelation 3:14 ff)
Not easy words from Jesus but they end with his remarkable promise - “Look! I am standing at the door and I’m constantly knocking. If anyone opens the door I will come in and I’ll fellowship with him; I’ll relate to him, I’ll dine with him and he’ll fellowship with me.” (Revelation 3:20 – Message)
So, we drift along through life, really not thinking all that much about it.
One foot in front of the other, the next day, the next … and the next. Pretty soon a year’s gone by and pretty soon … a decade’s gone by. Plod, plod, plod.
So in the middle of your plod, plod, plod, can I ask you … how serious are you about your faith? How serious are you about impacting this world with the love of Christ? How serious are you about making sure that your life weighs in, for Jesus?
The reason I ask, is that it’s a question that Jesus is asking. My fear is that a lot of people who call themselves Christians will get a rude shock on the day that they stand before the Lord.
Jesus: Not everyone who calls me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who …
Who what?
Well that’s what we’re going to be chatting about in this message.
The question that each one of us needs to answer is this: are you serious?