Revelation 3:20. A verse quite often used out of context. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard preachers say this is Jesus knocking on the door of the hearts of lost sinners in a salvation message. If we read the rest of the chapter, though, we find it isn’t that at all. Not at all.

Jesus spoke these words for John to record in what we know as the letters to the seven churches. This particular sentence was spoken to the church at Laodicea, the church Jesus said was lukewarm and He would spit from His mouth! He chastized them harshly, telling them to turn from their indifference and complacency. These words were added as a hope so the people would not think He did not love them.

Instead of these words being spoken to the lost, THEY WERE SPOKEN TO BELIEVERS.

See, Jesus used this picture for Laodicea because they didn’t have their own water source. Their water was piped in from the hot springs at Hierapolis and the cold springs at Colossae. By the time it reached Laodicea, the water was lukewarm, and those unused to it would spew it right back out. ICK! Though the believers were wealthy, had a miracle cure for eye problems, and were traders of fine woolen fabric, they called themselves believers, but didn’t live it.

This is also a warning to Christians today who are floating along on the currents of cultural relevance, who refuse to take a stand for or against Christ. We who follow Jesus don’t get the pleasure of riding along happily going with this crowd or that. We’re called to a higher plane. We’re called as followers to stand up for the Gospel, to be seen and recognized as Christ-followers all the time. We’re expected to be hot or cold, not in between. We’re either for Christ or against Him. There is no middle ground.

What do we do with this? We must make a choice. If we choose to continue in our complacency, we’re choosing to be against Jesus. While we may not actively mean to choose that, our reticence to be known as fully His is that choice.

Coffee, Bible, Journal.