Crazy Rich Asians (Revelation 3:14-22)

There is a scene from the movie Crazy Rich Asians where the girlfriend has no idea how rich her boyfriend is until they get on a plane to Singapore and the stewardess welcomes them with champagne to First Class, showing them to their comfy, leather seats.

“So, you’re rich?” Rachel says to her boyfriend.

“We’re comfortable,” Nick replies.

She snaps, “That is exactly what a super rich person would say.”

Crazy Rich Asians is the theme today from Revelation Chapter 3, looking at a church that is rich, looking at a church that’s Asian, well, Central Asian. The thing to notice is not that they are super rich but that they are super comfortable. This church is complacent. They say in verse 17, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and I do not need a thing,” and that is insane. I do not need a thing is an insane thing to say to Jesus and yet it is what a comfortable church would say to Jesus Christ. It’s what a complacent church would say to Jesus Christ.

Three points from today’s passage: (1) Crazy, (2) Rich, and (3) Asian - all from Revelation Chapter 3 beginning verse 14.

1. Crazy

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
Revelation 3:14

This is Jesus speaking. Every word is from Jesus and every word is true. The reason he says, “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,” is because he is about to kick their backsides up and down Chinatown. He is going to speak some hard words to them and he wants them to know every word is true.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15-16

For some reason, being lukewarm is really, really bad because Jesus says he is going to puuiiii-bleaggghh-qquuaaaccchhh-spuhhttt you out of his mouth. Literally, he is going to, erm, vomit them out of his mouth.

What is going on? Experts tell us Laodicea was an in-between town, between Hierapolis, famous for its hot springs and Colossae, famous for its cool springs, and in between? Lukewarm Laodicea where the hot water cooled to produce this slimy, scaly, yucky water like you get here in Cambridge after boiling water too long in your kettle then letting it cool down till it is lukewarm. You are yucky like your water is what Jesus saying. That is possible but it still does not tell us what lukewarm means.

You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Revelation 3:17

The lukewarm church is the rich enough church. Notice, it is not the rich church nor even crazy rich church where the pastors drive Rolls-Royces and wear Rolexes but rather, it is the rich enough church that says, “I do not need a thing.” What do you call that? Contentment. We have enough money, enough leaders and enough people. That is contentment, right? No, that is comfort. That is complacency, not Christ speaking.

“You do not realise, that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” A poor person who doesn’t realise they are poor. Where do you find such a person? Jesus says right here in Cambridge, right here in the Chinese Church. It is the person who says, “No, thank you, Jesus. I’m good.”

Try telling a Cambridge student, “You are poor,” and they will reply, “That’s true.” But then tell them, “You are wretched, pitiful, blind and naked,” and they will reply, “You are crazy!” Tell that to an uncle or auntie here in the Chinese Church and they will reply, “Lei Chee Sin!” But it is the right thing to tell to a lukewarm Christian. It is the loving thing to tell to a lukewarm Christian they are lukewarm.

Who is the lukewarm Christian? It is the believer who has lost their desperate need for Jesus. More to the point, what is the lukewarm church? It is a whole group of believers who have found a way to live life comfortably without Christ, who play it safe, who play it cool but have lost their passion for Christ.

The truth is: It is never our church, it is always that bigger church down the road, so we think. But all of us no matter rich or poor are headed down this road of lukewarmness because we all start out hot, we all start out a little crazy but then we cool down and we slow down and we get comfortable without Christ. When that happens, not only are we blind to our blindness, Jesus says, we are blind to his judgement. I am about to puuuiiiihhhh you out of my mouth.

So, point one: Jesus is crazy. Telling a rich church they’re poor. Telling a lukewarm Christian they are going to hell because that’s what being spit out of Jesus’ mouth means. Judgement. You don’t do that in Cambridge but there you go: Jesus is crazy. But point two, Jesus is rich.

2. Rich

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see.
Revelation 3:18

The solution is not: Try harder, notice that, but Come to me. Buy from me, Jesus says. Because lukewarmness is the cooling of a relationship. It is a cooling of a heartfelt, desperate need for Jesus.

Jesus says, “Buy from me,” three things are which are expensive, exclusive and extreme - gold, white clothes and medicine. You cannot buy them anywhere else but from Jesus Christ. He does not say, “Buy from me Char Koay Tiau,” or “Char Siu Pao,” he says, “Buy from me gold refined in fire!” Again, experts tell us Laodicea was famous for its gold, its textiles and its eye medicine. These are premium items.

But I think the thing what makes them special is that they are extreme. Super refined gold. Clothes for a naked person. Medicine for a blind person that miraculously causes them to see. These are not casual things you pick up at Sainsburys (“One gold refined by fire and two bananas please”) but the kind of things that turn your life upside down. You were poor but now you have gold. You were naked but now your shame is taken away. You were blind but now you see. In other words, your life is turned upside down.

Friends, what does it mean for us to be rich? Not worrying about money. Living the Lo Sai, Tai Tai life. In a word, it is retirement. No more work and no more worries.

But notice: What does it mean for Jesus Christ to be rich? Concern for the poor. Zealousness for the lukewarm. We want to be rich so we don’t have to worry, so we don’t have to care, so we don’t have to do anything except play golf everyday but the unimaginable wealth of the Son of God makes him zealous, makes him hot with concern, makes him speak truth in love to his people. I will not do nothing.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Revelation 3:19

Sounds like my mum. I’m scolding you because I love you. Like any good Tiger Mum. But there is a change in tone from I’m going to spit you out to I counsel you; from You are blind to I love you. The worst thing God can do is to leave you alone. To let you remain in your state of lukewarmness.

Jesus says Be zealous. The word means to boil (zeluo comes from the sound of boiling water) Be hot, in other words. How do we do that? By copying his zeal. Jesus is the ultimate Rich man who cannot sit still. For us it means getting up, turning back and saying, “I need you. I love you, Jesus, more than gold, more than comfort, more than this life.” I dare say it involves having that same dissatisfaction as Jesus when you see people taking it easy in church, taking it easy in their relationship with Christ. They will call you extreme (“Why are you making a fuss?”). They will call you crazy (“Who are you to call me lukewarm?”). But that is what zealousness looks like because that is what Jesus looks like in his zealousness. He is the ultimate Rich man who cannot sit still.

Finally, point three, Jesus is the ultimate Asian.

3. Asian

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Revelation 3:20

Right after this, we are going to do something very Asian, that is, eat ourselves silly. That is what we do here at the Chinese Church on Mid-Autumn Festival. It is an Asian thing but it is also a biblical thing. Eating together means sharing life together. Quantity time that leads to quality time together. Jesus says, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” It is not an offer of food but an offer of relationship. Quality time with Jesus but also quantity time with Jesus. You have to eat every day. Jesus says, “Eat with me.”

It is interesting how Jesus says to the other churches in Revelation, “I am coming soon.” Christians believe Jesus who came and died on the cross, rose from the dead and is now seated at God’s right hand. He is King. But one day, Jesus will return as Judge. And to all the other churches, Jesus says, “I am coming… I am coming... I will come soon” (Revelation 2:5, Revelation 2:16, Revelation 2:25 and Revelation 3:11). Except to this church, Jesus says, “I am already here.”

And the sad thing is they do not realise Jesus is here, standing outside the door, knocking. Some of us are waiting for God to do something, then we will change; for God to do that amazing thing, then we will believe. Jesus says I am here, I am speaking, I am knocking and question is not whether God will do that one thing, that amazing thing before we believe or we change but whether we are listening now, whether we are paying attention now and whether we realise that Jesus is already here now. Essentially, Jesus is saying to us, “What are you waiting for?”

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:21-22

I have been trying to figure out why people are crazy over Crazy Rich Asians and the one word I keep hearing is: Representation. It is the first movie in 25 years with an all-Asian cast in a Hollywood production since Joy Luck Club. Representation means seeing someone like me becoming someone I would like to be. When I see someone like me on the big screen - someone who looks like me, sounds like me, or eats rice everyday like me - standing upfront here in church leading songs, playing the keyboard or preaching a sermon, that can be a very powerful thing. It makes me think: If they can do it, maybe I can, too.

Except, Jesus Christ is not like us and what he offers us is something better than representation. Here is someone completely unlike us become like us so that we can be with him. What he offers us is relationship with him.

Jesus is God, we are not. He is completely holy, completely loving, completely sinless and we are not. But Jesus became a man and became like us - not in our sin but in our weakness, in our dependence, even in our temptations. And in becoming a man he humbled himself to the cross and died and our place, taking our sin, taking our judgment and becoming our substitute for us. But God raised him on the third day back to life and exalted his Son as Christ and Lord and seated him in the heavenly realms as King.

Jesus is completely unlike us, become like us and now he calls us to be with him. “I will come in and eat with him and he with me,” (verse 20). “I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,” (verse 21).

And right after this, when we eat with one another and have fellowship with one another, while that might be a good thing and an enjoyable thing and maybe that is why you came to the Chinese Church today, the question to ask is: Are we eating with Jesus? Do we have a relationship with Jesus? Maybe that is why God brought you to the Chinese Church today because Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Crazy Rich Asians. Jesus is crazy - telling them they are lukewarm and telling them to repent but he is speaking the truth and he is speaking in love. Jesus is rich - not the kind of rich who want to keep it all to themselves; Jesus is the rich man become poor, the One who became sin for us so that in him we might be rich, we might be righteous, we might be saved. But finally Jesus is the ultimate Asian, who doesn’t just want quality time with us but quantity. He wants to come in, to eat with us, to be with us and us with him.

Let’s pray.

Rich enough

Most sermons on money and God deal with either faithfulness or greed. We have to be faithful with our money: investing wisely what God has entrusted to us for his kingdom. We should be wary of greed: of making money an idol and forsaking the God who blesses us with our money, income and livelihood.

This week’s passage is unique.

In dealing with wealth, Jesus addresses neither the problem of greed nor the importance of faithfulness. Elsewhere in the bible, Jesus has much to say on these two issues, yet here in the book of Revelation he confronts Christians in the city of Laodicea with a condition he calls “lukewarmness”.

But what does it mean to be lukewarm?

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:15-16

Some say it is indecision. These Christians didn’t want to get sucked into worldliness. But they dare not commit to God either. Like a spiritual Switzerland*, the Christians in Laodicea sat on a fence, preferring not to take sides in any issue that might cause trouble in the church or conflict with their non-Christian friends.

Others say it has to do with their affections. The honeymoon is over and their relationship with Jesus has cooled. Going to church is routine. Serving God is a chore. They still turn up for the occasional bible study or Sunday service at Christmas, only to sneak out early before the closing hymn, whispering, “Traffic.”

Yet there is no need to speculate. Jesus tells us exactly what he means by lukewarmness in the very next verse.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

Revelation 3:17

I call this being ‘rich enough’. You are not greedy for more and there is nothing in the passage to suggest you are stingy with what you have. It is a form of contentment - satisfaction, even. In fact, you may look at the material wealth you have received and rightfully acknowledge God as the giver of all good things.

Yet, says Jesus, you do not realise how “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” you truly are.

Furthermore, this isn’t just about money. Laodicea was a banking centre - meaning their wealth was a result of shrewd investment and skilled entrepreneurship. Jesus refers to this when he counsels them to buy from him “gold refined in the fire”. They had a thriving textile industry - exporting wool to the neighbouring regions - yet Jesus says only he provides “white clothes” to cover their nakedness. Finally, Laodicea was famous for it’s medical school - there were lots of doctors in this church. But Jesus says they need “salve” to put on their eyes, so they can see.

Now, doesn’t the bible does teach us that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6)? So, what’s the problem? They were contented not with God but with having gain. It is like asking God for that plum job but nothing more. Asking God for your kid to get into uni and nothing more. Asking God for that boyfriend or girlfriend; the happy marriage with two kids, a cat, a dog and a house with a decent garden. And nothing more.

It is finally getting that job, the place in that uni, the happy marriage, the two kids and the swanky bachelor pad in the city - the very things you have yearned for and prayed earnestly to God for - and then saying to Jesus, “I am rich. I do not need a thing.”

“You are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!” Jesus says. They weren’t cold - as in, they weren’t entirely devoid of blessing or wealth. Yet at least if they were physically poor, they might have recognised their spiritual poverty. At the same time, they were not “hot” either. They measured wealth in terms of money and gold - the Laodiceans had lots of both - and yet Jesus could say to them, “Buy gold from me so that you can become rich.” He does want them to be wealthy, only on an entirely different scale. The question is what? What is this scale or measure of wealth that Jesus is talking about?

I think the clue lies in his closing words.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Revelation 3:21

It is all too easy to dismiss these words. Jesus tells every single one of the seven churches to “overcome” in Revelation - to overcome their sin, their temptation, their weakness, their suffering. And yet this is the only time Jesus says he also overcame. He compares their struggle in overcoming lukewarmness to his own victory on the cross. It is that serious. It is that significant.

And the reward Jesus offers is not simply salvation but true wealth. Or, true riches. He says “I will give (the overcomer) the right to sit with me on my throne.” Now why I do I say this is a picture of true wealth? Because of Ephesians 2:

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:6-7

God wants to display his wealth through us. It an “incomparable” wealth; meaning it is vast beyond comparison. That is why he saved us, raised us, and seated us with Christ - to display in our lives and in the coming ages the vast extent of his wealth and riches. Yet this is wealth that is measured not in silver nor gold, but in terms of grace, mercy and kindness shown us in Christ Jesus.

Don’t settle for anything less. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” Jesus says, “for theirs in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Hunger for this true wealth. Yearn for it. Keep begging God to fill you with his grace, mercy and kindness through Jesus Christ displayed so clearly to us on the cross.

And he will.

Hungry I come to You

For I know You satisfy

I am empty but I know

Your love does not run dry

So I wait for You

So I wait for You

I'm falling on my knees

Offering all my needs

Jesus You're all

This heart is living for

(“Hungry” by Kathryn Scott)

* An illustration I heard Sunday at StAG

Counsel for a rich church (Revelation 3:14-22)

Rich church, poor church

What is the biggest difference between a rich church and poor church?

Is it money? Does it mean they can afford bigger buildings; a nicer website; advanced equipment - iPads instead of bibles?

Or is it outreach? Programmes for both young and old; projects to help build up the local community; bible translation and church planting in distant countries? Rich churches have more money to do more mission and more ministry than poorer churches.

Today we come to the last of seven churches addressed by the Lord Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation, and it is a church that is rich, in city that is wealthy. This is the church of Laodicea. But notice that Jesus does not tell them to make sure to use their money to fund more programs. Nowhere does Jesus say, “Make sure you give me your ten per cent - before tax!” He doesn’t even warn them, “Don’t be greedy. Don’t discriminate against the poor. Be generous with the wealth that God has given you.” He doesn’t say any of that.

Instead Jesus looks straight at this church full of wealthy, influential individuals, and says, “You are wretched, pitiful, poor. I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

Try saying that to a CEO of a multinational company driving his Bugati Veyron Sport down to his villa in South France. “You’re poor. I pity you.” He will probably laugh at you and think you are mad. Or worse, he might get angry and say, “Who do you think you are talking to me that way?”

Well, who does Jesus think he is? We begin with verse 14.

The words of the Amen

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

Revelation 3:14

Where the NIV has “ruler” of God’s creation, some translations have the word “beginning” (Eg. the ESV reflecting the Greek: arche; which I take to be a more accurate reflection of the text); meaning Jesus introduces himself with three titles: (1) the Amen, (2) the faithful and true witness, (3) the beginning of God’s creation. But I hope to show you how these three titles flow from one identity of Jesus, and also how these three titles flow from Jesus’ relationship with the church. How they relate to Jesus; how they relate to us - the church.

The identity of Jesus Christ: There is a close connection between these three titles - a flow, if your like. The first two are easy: “Amen” in Hebrew, simply translates “faithful and true” in the Greek. It’s what we say at the end of our prayers, “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” That is, we are committing ourselves to what we’ve just prayed - This is true. When the whole church togther says, “Amen”, we are saying that we all agree. (That is why is it important that when we lead in prayer before the church, we say what is consistent with the truth of the bible. So that everyone can respond, ‘Amen’: It is true.)

Here Jesus is saying you can trust what he is going to say, because these words are true but also Jesus is the Amen. He is the truth.

Additionally, Jesus calls himself the beginning of God’s creation. Here, we are meant to recall John’s gospel Chapter 1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” And the next thing John writes, “Though him all things were made.”

This is the Word that is true; this is the Word that is God. Through him all things were made.

The three titles come together to reveal Jesus’ identity as the agent of God’s creation and therefore rightly, as the NIV implies at the end of verse 14, the ruler of God’s creation.

But what does this have to do with the church? Well, verse 14 isn’t just talking about the first creation; it actually points forward to the new creation. Colossians 1:18 calls Jesus “the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead”, speaking of the church.

You may also remember that over the past few weeks I have said that “witness” has this double meaning of someone who gives a reliable testimony a court-room, but also someone who witnesses through his sacrifice. It is where we get the word “martyr”. Through his witness or sacrifice on the cross, Jesus brought in the new creation. He redeemed the new creation, that is, out of the original creation stained by sin and standing under God’s judgement, Jesus paid for the church by taking our punishment of death upon himself. He redeems this new creation out of the old with his own death.

Who does Jesus think he is? He is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s (new) creation - the church. He paid for this church is Laodicea with his own blood.

Lukewarm

And now he says to the Christians in this church:

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 4:15-16

Jesus finds them disgusting! He is about to spit them out of his mouth. The word actually means to throw up. It’s a reaction when you’ve just swallowed something that has made you sick!

The reason is lukewarmness. Not hot; not cold; just somewhere in the middle. Lukewarm.

But what’s wrong with that? You know how some people like to leave the Coke bottle open until it all fizzles out? Tastes like cough mixture afterwards. Or the guy in your office who buys the expired sandwiches for lunch the next day (everything for one pound at Boots after church!). So what’s wrong with that? I happen to enjoy day-old flat Diet Coke with my stale BLT sandwiches, thank you very much.

Laodicea was situated in a region near two other cities; one was famous for hot water, the other, cold. The city of Hierapolis had hot water springs, and people would drink this like medicine. While the city of Colossae had a supply of fresh cold water (Interesting enough, if you look to Colossians Chapter 4, you will see Laodicea mentioned at the end of the letter. They were close neighbours).

The problem with Laodicea was it didn’t have its own water source, so they tried to pipe their water in. Unfortunately this resulted in horrible tasting water. It wasn’t hot or cold. It was yucky and lukewarm. It is like having take-away food delivered to your house only to have it arrive two hours late. The pizza is cold, the crispy noodles are soggy, the ice-cream has melted and the delivery guy standing there waiting for his tip.

Now you guys all know that Jesus is a using an illustration. Even the kids know that “lukewarm” is not talking about food or water, but that it is symbolic of something going on in the spiritual lives of these Christians. The question is what? What does it mean to be lukewarm?

Does it mean being indecisive? You are decide whether you like hot or cold? You can’t decide whether to go out with the hot guy or the cool dude?

Does it mean you’re uncommitted? You’re not really doing anything here in church; you’ve not pulled out either. You’re just hanging around.

What does Jesus mean by “lukewarm”? He tells us in verse 17.

Don’t need nobody

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Revelation 3:17-18

Laodicea was well-known for three things: banking, textiles and medicine. Meaning it wasn’t just rich; Laodicea was industrious: They invested they money; they built up their business from scratch. They took care of their bodies - ate well, lots of sessions at the gym, there was excellent healthcare. And they looked good: Laodicea was famous for it’s woolen industry; their clothes were exported to other countries.

We see these three things - banking, textiles and medicine - picked up by Jesus in verse 18, “Buy from me gold refined in the fire; white clothes - as in white wool - to wear; and medicine for your eyes.”

The Laodiceans were healthy, wealthy and well-dressed. But they were not wise.

Verse 17: You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ Again, there is nothing here to suggest that these Christians were greedy or oppressive towards the poor. There is nothing in today’s text that says these Christians committed any immoral sin or worshipped false gods.

The problem was: these Christians turned up in church every Sunday and thought they were doing everyone else a big favour by coming. “I don’t really need anything from this church. I’m OK.” And in their minds, they may even be thinking, “God has blessed me with my wealth, so I must be OK.”

That is the danger of the properity gospel. I want it all. I want it now. It is impatience. It is self-delusion. Jesus says, “But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Don’t get me wrong. Wealth is a blessing. You should thank God for your money; for your health; for that iPod or iWhatever. The problem is, that’s all we want from God. “Dear God, please get me into Cambridge.” And the moment you receive that degree, you stop asking for anything else.

That is lukewarmness.

Friends, you don’t tell that you are lukewarm by looking at your bank account; you tell by looking at your prayer life. Prayer is asking God. I know that people like to say that prayer is talking to God; it’s like having a conversation. I don’t think so. Jesus teaching his disciples to pray like this, “Your will be done, your kingdom come, Give us our daily bread, Lead us not into temptation, Forgive us our sins.” We presenting our requests to God. We are asking God to give us something we need; something only he can provide. That includes bread - our income, our food, our daily living. That includes forgiveness and salvation.

The main reason why we do not pray is because we think we have no need of prayer. “I do not need a thing,” that’s what the Christians were saying in Laodicea. That’s not humility talking, friends. It’s not even laziness, though it is a big factor. It is the fact that we think we’re OK, and we don’t realise that we are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked.

We need to pray. So much so, that I would define complaints as misdirected prayers. Complaints are prayers that go in the wrong direction.

We complain when something goes wrong - our computer breaks down, the traffic piles up, our boss is being unfair - and as a Christian, these are opportunities to bring our needs before God. Yet when I meet someone who is constantly complaining, always griping about something in their life - I pray for them; but I also tell them, “You talking to the wrong person. If you are Christian, you know that God is in charge of all things. Why haven’t you brought this before him?”

This is counselling, I wonder if you noticed that. Jesus says in verse 18, “I counsel you.” Counselling is not lying on a couch and talking about your feelings. Jesus counsels by exposing their need - their lukewarmness; their sin. I promise you that if you say this during a counselling session, “You are not OK. What you really need is Jesus,” people will walk out of your church. They will turn on you. They will not thank you for this kind of counselling.

And yet, exposing this church’s sin and lukewarmness is an act of love.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

Revelation 3:19

What is the biggest difference between a rich church and a poor church? I suggest to you, it’s this. A rich church needs to be very careful of lukewarmness. A rich church needs leaders who are loving enough to expose lukewarmness.

That’s very hard to do in a Chinese Church. Very hard. In the Chinese Church - hard work is good. Respect is very good. God is always good.

But this passage is saying, we’re not good. We are bad. This passage is talking to respectful, hard-working, good people and saying to them, “You need to repent. You need Jesus.” That’s hard to do in a Chinese Church.

But I hope we do this here in the Chinese Church, because Jesus says it is loving. “Those whom I love,” Jesus says, “I rebuke and discipline”. He is talking to Christians. That is very important as we consider the next verse.

I stand at the door and knock

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20

This is so often used as an evangelistic text. So at this point in the passage, the pastor will turn to the non-Christian and say, “Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. Won’t you let him in?” In fact, this verse is so popular that you if you Googled “Revelation 3:20” you will find all manner of paintings depicting Jesus standing in the cold dark night, outside a door of a brightly-lit house, waiting for someone to answer his call. In some of these paintings, the door doesn’t even have a handle, implying that unless you open the door, Jesus will stuck outside waiting in the cold - a bit like Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory who is always knocking frantically on his neighbour’s locked apartment going, (Knock!Knock!Knock!) “Penny!”,  (Knock!Knock!Knock!) “Penny!”, (Knock!Knock!Knock!) “Penny!”

I had a friend once who got so annoyed with these paintings and said, “Jesus would more likely blast his way through the door!” Kapowww!

No, this is not an evangelistic text for non-believers. Remember: Jesus is talking to Christians, “to those whom (he) loves” (verse 19). The only difference is: Jesus now speaks to the individual Christian. “I will come eat with him, and he with me.”

But it is still a strange picture, isn’t it. If Jesus isn’t talking to a non-Christian, but rather a believer who already knows Jesus and has a relationship with Jesus - why is there this new invitation for him to come in?

I would say: for the same reason we have communion again and again. For the same reason we confess our sin again and again. Repentance is an ongoing process in the life of the Christian. It is for the same reason we pray - daily, repeatedly, unceasingly.

What did Jesus say about prayer? Go for a prayer meeting? Not a bad idea; but no: Jesus said go to your room, close the door and pray to your Father in heaven (Matthew 6). Prayer is an intimate, personal and ongoing between you and God. To him who opens this door - meaning: you close the door to your room, so that you can open this door to God - Jesus promises to come into his or her life.

Try this. Don’t wait for Rock on Wednesday. Don’t wait for next Sunday. Go home, close the door and pray. Say to Jesus, “You promised. You said in Revelation 3:20, that if I listened to your voice; if I opened the door; you would come.” Why not try this today?

If you are a non-Christian, then know that this promise is for the individual who responds to Jesus personally. You don’t become a Christian by turning up in church. You respond to Jesus’ voice speaking to you. You respond by trusting that his is faithful and true: He is the Amen. That’s all. And Jesus promises that as small as your trust might be in the beginning, as serious as all those times you might have messed up in your life, his word is true and his forgiveness is real. You will be changed and Jesus will be there.

Jesus overcame

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Revelation 3:21-22

These closing words remind us how serious the problem of “lukewarmness” is. Jesus says lukewarmness is disgusting. And here he says it needs to be overcome. That word “overcome” means to conquer; to be victorious - it is a word that describes a battle in a war.

I worry that we hear these words about money and self-sufficiency, prayerlessness and lukewarmness and think it’s not a very big deal. It frankly scares me because Jesus says to the Laodicean church, “You do not realise” that you are poor. These Christians didn’t think it was a big deal.

Jesus says that dealing with lukewarmness is nothing less than an act of war. You have fight against this false sense of self-sufficiency. If you see pride, deal with it pronto!

In the previous six churches, Jesus says we need to overcome various struggles: false teaching, idolatry, forsaking the gospel, sin - pretty serious stuff. But here in verse 21 is the only time that Jesus describes how he overcame. And he seems to be saying to us as Christians, dealing with lukewarmness, “This is as serious as how I overcame and went to the cross.”

Jesus says, “I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” That’s huge! Jesus had to overcome something on the cross, and I think, he is drawing a connection to the temptation he faced to turn away from the cross. Do you remember how Satan offered him all kingdoms the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8)? Satan was offering Jesus glory. It was a way out of the cross. And Satan used an earthly reward, saying, “You don’t need to sacrifice yourself. Just worship me.” Jesus was tempted and he overcame.

And Jesus seems to be saying to these lukewarm Christians, “Don’t settle for cheap glory. It is a false glory.” It means dealing with the temptation to settle for this world is tough, friends. We often pray for our friends who leave us at the end of the year - Alan, Kinki, Kit, Molly, Richard, Shirley, Judy, Sarah, Along, Lang, Vince - we pray that God will help them to settle in a good church, to settle into their new homes, to settle into their jobs. But we do not pray for them to settle into lukewarmness. We ask God to guard their hearts and give them strength to fight against conforming to this world. And we remind them that it takes nothing less than the kind of strength Jesus had when he overcame the world and went to the cross. We pray that when they are tempted, they - like Jesus - will overcome.

The reward for those who overcome is nothing less than eternal life. Paul writes in Ephesians about being “seated with Christ”, saying:

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:6-7

The amazing thing about this verse is, it says that God means for the church to display his wealth. In fact, Paul calls it God’s “incomparable riches”. But it is riches measured not in money nor status. God raised us up and seated us with Christ so that he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

The bible says: Come to Jesus and buy from him gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Come to Jesus and live.

Weak and wounded sinner

Lost and left to die

O, raise your head, for love is passing by

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus

Come to Jesus and live!

(“Come to Jesus” by Chris Rice)