Zealous Christian Living...

14 "“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation: 15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. 17 "For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 "I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 "As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. 20 "See! 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.” 21 "“To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 "“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”” ()

Jesus does not commend Laodicea at all but sternly rebukes them for being spiritually complacent (like Sardis),

satisfied with their wealth and material comfort

but blind to their true state before God.

I want us to drill down and look close at "As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent.” ()

Christ encourages the Laodicean Christians to understand that the preceding indictments are

not yet indications of his judicial wrath toward them but

marks of his “love” for them as children.

Therefore, his message to them is still one of “reproof and discipline” and not the punishing judgment of rejection (cf. ).

Therefore, they are to “repent”—change their mind about their present sinful course of action.

Likewise, they are to “be zealous” as uncompromising witnesses before the onlooking pagan world.

It’s a two fold command which helps us to see how we can experience renewal. Does a church ever need a renewal? (YES)

Does your family ever need renewal?

Renewal takes place when the recipients of this letter obediently follow the twofold command: “be zealous” and “repent.”

Logically, the act of repenting precedes that of being zealous.

The Greek shows a play on words: the adjective zestos (hot, vv. 15–16, from which we have the derivative “zest”) and

the verb zēleuo (be zealous!) have the same root.

Jesus tells them to begin being zealous for him with a passion that generates spiritual fervor.

Zeal is a necessary component of love for God.

Let’s think about a couple of thoughts tonight for our church and us being zealous.

Let’s ask God that He would give us a purposeful stirring and inflaming of our affections.

Think of what a magnifying glass does as it concentrates the sun’s rays into a single point of life.

It’s a holy passion. A Passion that captures the believer’s affections and drives them towards a specific biblical goal.

Let’s stop and have someone pray at our tables tonight for God to make us zealous for biblical discipleship!

True Christian zeal is ignited by fire from heaven like Elijah’s offering on Mount Carmel (), and therefore directs all affections to a holy and God-honoring end, the greater glory of God, and the good of His church.

Let’s study and pray towards a couple of specific goals.

Let’s be zealous against sin. Whatever act of zeal you express toward others, double it first upon yourselves!

Many people have been zealous towards others in calling out the sin of others but haven’t sought to slay the sin in their own hearts:

Look up . Before helping others, what do we first have to do? _________________________________________________________________

My sin should be to me as a beam not a splinter.

Here’s a barometer on your zeal for God. A good way to gauge your level of zeal is to just compare your reaction to when you are disrespected VS your reaction when God is disrespected.

Compare ; and , .

When it’s Moses cause, he seems to be at ease. But when the glory of God is concerned we find Moses in a whole other realm of zeal!

Compare when Paul speaks about them turning away from the gospel that he preached to them.

Compare that to on how Elymas would hinder the gospel. What does Paul do?

To the one it’s like, “Hey, the wrong that you have done, I count as nothing!

But to the other, he’s a child of Satan and an enemy of all that is right.

2. Be zealous for your Christian duties. In every single duty that you set to do, do it above your strength! Not just to your uttermost strength but above it.

a. Loving God & others.

36 "“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” 37 "He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 "This is the greatest and most important command. 39 "The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 "All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”” ()

We express our love for God by:

Delighting in worship and God’s house. ; ; ; ; ; ,.

Look up . What were the first Christians doing? ___________________________________________________________________

Look up . What were the first Christians doing? ________________________________________________________________

Delighting in God’s Word.; ,; ,,,;

Look up . What does Jeremiah describe bringing him joy and delight? ________________________________________________________

Self-sacrifice. See also ; ;

Obeying God. ; ,;

In and . How is love described? _______________________________________________________________

b. Giving.

b. Giving.

Loving others. ; .

In and 21 If we love God, what will follow? _______________________________________________________________

b. Giving.

In Paul talks about the generosity of the Macedonians. Tactfully, Paul begins with an example, not a plea. Although the Macedonian churches (such as those at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea) were at that time facing “a very severe trial” (v. 2) involving persecution (cf. ; ), they had contributed extremely generously.

When you read vv2-4 what words from those verses can be used to describe how they gave and thus, “shared in the ministry to the saints” in Jerusalem? ____________________________________________________________________

May God’s Spirit kindle a holy fire in our hearts! That that fire might spread and inflame others to the utmost for God’s glory and for His Church’s good!

Beale, G. K. (1999). The book of Revelation: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 307). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.