Does your church have lively problems, but no life?

Pete Alwinson:
Does your church have lively problems, but no life? Let’s talk about it on, Key Life.

Matthew Porter:
This is Key Life. We’re here to let you know that because of what Jesus has done, God will never be angry at you again. Steve invited our friend Pete Alwinson to do the teaching this week. Pete is a former pastor, founder of ForgeTruth.com and the author of Like Father Like Son.

Pete Alwinson:
Thank you Matthew. Welcome to day four of The Graced Church. We’re looking at the seven churches in Revelation, and you might have seen your church here. We’ve talked a lot about a lot of different churches. And these seven churches are great, great studies in what the church of Jesus Christ became 60 years after the resurrection of Christ. This is Pete Alwinson, one of the voices of Key Life. And by the way, I lead a ministry called Forge, which is a ministry to men. And we are teaching through the entire book of Revelation right now. And if you want to be a part of that study, just go to ForgeTruth.com check it out and join us in the study. A lot of churches in America these days, several in just the greater Orlando area, are teaching through the book of Revelation right now. Because our culture is just going through such difficult, crazy, transitional times. And since COVID, I think so many churches have just changed their focus and look so differently. And people wonder, are we in the last times? And the answer to this is, yes, we are in the last times. The big question is, are we at the very end of the end times? And we don’t know the answer to that. I’m in a group of pastors right now. I’m praying for revival in the greater Orlando area. We’re praying that the Holy Spirit just pours out his blessing like he’s done so many times in American history, so we can have a major revival and in our area, in the country, and yet the church of Jesus Christ needs to be revived itself. So, that’s why Jesus was writing to his churches because each church is a lampstand, is a light in the community. And even though back in the first century, there was only one church per city, the power of each church and the witness of each church is more than we think. So, let’s jump into the Church of Sardis, Revelation 3: verse 1. The apostle John, by Jesus’ own words, says this.

“‘I know your works. You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief and you’ll not know what hour I come against you. Yet you still have a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they’re worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot out his name out of the book of life.'”

Wow. Here’s a church, a church of Sardis who had a reputation. And reputations are difficult things. My friend Walton James told me this, he said, you know, I’ve been married three times, only once as an adult and once in a church, I finally got it right. And I love his story. He’s so powerful about how the gospel has changed him from a man who didn’t know what he’s doing to a man has been put on the right path. And he’s got a stellar reputation now in the Christian community of our city. But this church Sardis had a reputation that things were really alive. There’s a lot going on. There might’ve been supernatural activity. There might’ve been a lot of programs. There might’ve been a lot of good things going on in Sardis, but really at the core, they were dead. There wasn’t much going on. And so, what he calls us to do is to listen to the Spirit and to ask for him to bring revival into our hearts. What’s your church like? Is there a lot going on? Are you so busy that your heart is getting hard and your heart is not enjoying being the deeply beloved redeemed son or daughter of the Most High God. Ah, a busy church is not always an alive church, but a praying church is. And so, this is a time of reevaluation in American culture where a lot of churches are looking inward and they’re saying, who are we and what do we want to be? And then there’s the church in Philadelphia that had a big view of Jesus Christ. Now, Philadelphia, again this is the church of brotherly love, not in Pennsylvania, but in Asia Minor, one of the seven churches. And it was a solid church. Jesus says.

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I’ll make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.'”

Ah, now the Church of Philadelphia, he says, I know a lot of you feel like you’re minorities, like you’re downtrodden, that not a lot of good is happening, but you’re faithful. You’re faithful. You’re true. You hear my word, you come and worship, you partake of the Lord’s supper, you speak about Jesus whenever you can. I love you. And a lot of times we are looking for our churches to become maybe megachurches or the standard church. But Jesus is looking for the faithful church. I’m looking for that with a lot of the pastor friends that I have today, just praying with them and for them that their churches and that each of us would be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And then the last church in the Book of Revelation that he’s talking to is the church in Laodicea.

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you’re lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I’m rich, I have prospered, I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy for me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.'”

Well, this sounds so harsh, but I want you to note something that’s really important to me. And that is that Jesus has the right to speak harsh words to his own church. After all, it is his church.

I will build my church.

He says. And so, the church of Laodicea didn’t belong to the pastor or the elders or the city, it belonged to Jesus. And so, we as God’s people are graced people. And here in Laodicea, it was right near the confluence of two interesting bodies of water. There were hot springs nearby, and there was also some really good, cool, refreshing drinking water nearby. And, but neither one of those were in the city of Laodicea proper. And so, Jesus uses that analogy to say, you’re not hot nor cold. Now, he’s not saying, I wish you were really for me or really stridently against me. No. Can you imagine Jesus saying that? What he’s saying is I wish you were useful, but you’re not. You’re just existing. You’re not playing to win. You’re just living as though tomorrow doesn’t matter. And so, we do need to know ourselves as churches and to know where we are useful. And so, there is a time to repent, a time to play, to win as a church, to get ourselves in alignment with Jesus Christ as the head of the church. And so, we do need to identify with a local church. Hey, I might be speaking to somebody who has no church now and kind of happy about that because being a part of a body of Christians, man, I know I was a pastor since the time of the apostle Paul, it’s rough. And a church is like a hospital filled with many people who are sick and in various stages of healing and recovery. And so, we need to know ourselves. And we need to know what our church is like. But we need to repent. And so, I really challenge you to pray for your church. And wonder, does your church need to be a church that’s a repentant church? Or maybe that’s you, to be a repentant Christian and ask for God to do an amazing work in your life. I heard the story one time of an evangelist who was asked, how does God bring revival? And he said.

Go into a room and draw in chalk, a circle around yourself and ask for God to make everything in that circle to come alive with the grace of God.

Ah, so true, so true. You know, somebody said recently.

That we, the church, have got to get off the lukewarm bus.

That is so true. I love it. If we get off a lukewarm bus and focus upon the grace of God and a colossal Christ, then grace will continue to motivate the church until Jesus Christ comes again. You take it to heart. Amen.

Matthew Porter:
Thank you Pete Alwinson. And that wraps up this week’s special teaching series, something that we have called The Graced Church. To re-listen to any episode or maybe share it with a friend, be sure to drop by keylife.org and do join us tomorrow when Steve and Pete answer the fascinating questions that you’ve sent in, including this one. What would have happened if Jesus had not died? Be sure to tune in. Speaking of questions, here’s one we recently discussed on Steve Brown Etc. Are we weak by God’s design? And if so, what does that mean for us? Well, we chatted about that with author Eric Schumacher. His latest book is called The Good Gift of Weakness. We put that entire conversation on CD, and we would love to send it to you today for free. Just call us right now at 1-800-KEY-LIFE that’s 1-800-539-5433. You can also e-mail [email protected] to ask for that CD. Or to mail your request, go to keylife.org/contact to find our mailing addresses. Just ask for the free CD featuring Eric Schumacher. And finally, if you value the work of Key Life, would you join us in that work through your financial support? Giving could not be easier. Just charge a gift on your credit card or include a gift in your envelope. Or just pick up your phone and text Key Life to 28950 that’s Key Life, one word or two. It doesn’t matter. Text that to 28950. Key Life is a member of ECFA in the States and CCCC in Canada. And Key Life is a listener supported production of Key Life Network.