The Dangers of Lukewarm Christianity in Laodicea
What Makes Jesus Sick: Lessons from Laodicea in Revelation 2-3 (PART IV)
This sermon analyzes Revelation 3:14-22, addressing Jesus' message to the church of Laodicea about being "lukewarm." Using the historical context of Laodicea's problematic water supply system, which delivered contaminated lukewarm water to its citizens, Pastor Delgado explains three attitudes that make Jesus "sick": self-sufficiency (believing we don't need God), self-righteousness (being blind to our own sinfulness), and ignorance (failing to recognize our spiritual condition). The sermon then outlines Jesus' promises to those who repent: spiritual riches (represented by refined gold), righteousness (white garments), and spiritual insight (eye salve). It concludes by emphasizing three spiritual realities available through repentance: experiencing Christ's presence, enjoying intimacy with Jesus, and sharing in His victory over sin and death.
Sermon Transcript
“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. 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. 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. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. 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.
“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.
“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”
(Revelation 3:14–22, CSB)
All right, I’ve done it. I’ve become that guy. I am that guy—the one who goes to a coffee shop and orders tea. I took the kids to Starbucks the other day. All three of them got frappuccinos. They had their coffee, and I ordered a Starbucks refresher—white tea mixed with dragon fruit, mango, and things like that.
It was delicious. It was a hot day, and that iced tea really hit the spot. It gave me a little caffeine boost and cooled me off. I get the largest size they have, and I love it. On a hot day, it’s refreshing and rejuvenating. But I like hot tea too.
If it’s nighttime and I’m getting ready for bed, I like chamomile tea with a little stevia in it, maybe some passionflower—something calming. It helps me relax and get ready for bed. In the morning, I’ll often make Earl Grey or English breakfast tea. I like to put a little cream and sugar in it. I don’t know if that’s a British thing, but it’s how I enjoy it. That gives me a nice caffeine pick-me-up in the morning. Even on a hot day, I’ll still enjoy a hot drink first thing in the morning. I like hot teas.
But you know what I noticed when we were at Starbucks? Nobody orders lukewarm tea. In fact, it’s not even on the menu. For most people, the idea of drinking something lukewarm is just repulsive—it’s gross. And, you know, I think Jesus would agree with that.
Let’s go to our passage for today, and I’ll show you why I think Jesus would agree. He’s not into the lukewarm, right? We’re in Revelation 3, continuing our series on the letters to the seven churches. Remember, Revelation is one large letter addressed to all the churches. These specific messages, like the one to Laodicea, are for all of us in all times and places.
So, look at this. Jesus says:
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth'" (Revelation 3:14-16, ESV).
Do you see that? Jesus likes the cold, and he likes the hot. But because they are lukewarm, he’s not into it. He says, "I will spit you out of my mouth." And that idea of “spit you out” isn’t even the best translation. The Greek word here actually means “vomit you out.” Jesus is so disgusted by the lukewarm that it makes him sick to his stomach. He can’t even be part of it—he can’t touch it or drink it, so to speak.
We have to look at this passage and ask: what is it that makes Jesus sick? And as we interpret this, we need to take it to heart—not just for the church at Laodicea but for all churches in all times.
Now, I want to be careful here because what we’ve often done with this passage is bring modern cultural assumptions into it. We take our understanding of “hot” and “cold” and impose it on a text written nearly 2,000 years ago. Think about that kids’ game where they’re looking for something, like the TV remote, and someone says, “You’re getting hotter, getting colder.” In that context, “hot” is good—it means passion, zeal, eagerness. But “cold” is bad—it’s distant, unkind, unfeeling.
That’s how we often use those terms today, right? For instance, you might say, “I was talking to someone at the store, but they were so cold.” Or, “That person has a warm personality.” So, we project those meanings onto this text. And while it’s true that Scripture sometimes uses “hot” or “cold” in positive or negative senses, that doesn’t seem to help us interpret the metaphor here.
Instead, we need to look at history. That brings me to our pro tip for today: Don’t ignore the historical context of a text by assuming a modern cultural interpretation. If Scripture interprets the metaphor, we go with that. But if it doesn’t, we should take a step back and look at the historical situation behind the text.
In the case of Laodicea, this historical context is crucial. Laodicea was a trade city, strategically located at the intersection of important trade routes, but it didn’t have a reliable water source. Unlike many other cities, it wasn’t built near a river or the ocean. As the city grew, it needed water, so they sourced it from nearby springs.
Interestingly, the greater Laodicean region had both hot and cold springs. This is significant because hot springs and cold springs were considered valuable. People recognized their healing and restorative properties. Cold springs provided clean, mineral-rich drinking water—what we might call “mountain spring water.” And hot springs offered therapeutic benefits, great for bathing and soothing sore muscles. Even today, people visit hot springs for these reasons. If you look online, you’ll find several hot springs right here in Southern California where you can hike and soak in those mineral-rich baths.
We use hot and cold water in the same ways today, and this is what was happening in Laodicea. It seems like they had a bit of a tourist culture, with people coming to the region seeking healing from the springs. This kind of reminds me of Kellogg, but anyway, people would come to the area for the healing properties of the water.
The problem for Laodicea was that they didn’t have a reliable water source in the city itself, so they had to bring water in from outside. Now, here’s where ancient technology was amazing. Even 2,000 years ago, they were able to dig wells near springs, pool the water, and create piping systems to bring it into the city.
But here’s the issue. Without the materials we use today, like galvanized steel pipes, the water would pick up harmful minerals and bacteria on its journey. Their piping systems were often open-air channels, exposed to the sun and elements. By the time the water reached the city, it was lukewarm, full of minerals that weren’t good for the body, and contaminated with bacteria.
Imagine being a tourist, coming into the city, drinking a glass of this water, and immediately thinking, This is disgusting! Where’s the Starbucks? The bacteria and minerals would make people sick. They’d drink it and vomit. That’s what Jesus is talking about when he refers to Laodicea’s lukewarm state. It’s like mixing bathwater with drinking water—repulsive and unfit for use.
Jesus says there’s something about Laodicea that makes him sick. They’re neither hot nor cold. Hot water is wonderful. Cold water is refreshing. But lukewarm water? It makes Jesus want to vomit.
Now, here’s what we need to do. We’re going to dig into this passage and look at three things:
Three things that make Jesus want to vomit.
Three promises for those who repent of being lukewarm.
Three spiritual realities God opens our eyes to when we repent.
Let’s start with the first part: three things that make Jesus sick. And I want to clarify—I don’t mean random “things.” Let’s call them ideologies, ways of thinking, or ideas. These aren’t just issues with individuals; remember, this is a letter written to a church. These ideologies were present in the church at Laodicea, and they can be present in churches today. They’ve even shown up throughout church history.
If these ideologies make Jesus sick, causing him to spit us out of his mouth, then that’s a problem we need to address. So, let’s go to the passage.
Jesus says:
"For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17, ESV).
Those are harsh words. Let’s break this down and look at the first ideology that makes Jesus sick: self-sufficiency.
Jesus points it out when he says, You say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ This is a mindset of self-reliance and independence. Let’s look at it on an individual level first.
We live in a Western society where, even if you’re not wealthy by societal standards, you likely have more than most people in the world. Even those on the lower end of the income scale often have things like cell phones, TVs, or access to comforts that many in the world lack. That abundance can create the illusion of self-sufficiency.
Even if you wouldn’t say, I am rich, you might live as though you don’t need anything. You might not feel reliant on Jesus for your next meal, your next pair of shoes, or the basic needs of life. In our society, when we say we’re “poor,” we often mean we need help to meet our needs, not that we’re completely destitute.
The Bible teaches us to find our sufficiency in Jesus. That doesn’t mean we reject the good things in life, like food or material blessings. But it does mean that we acknowledge our dependence on him for everything.
Jesus calls us to recognize that we are spiritually poor without him. When we fail to see that, we fall into the trap of self-sufficiency—thinking we have it all together when, in reality, we’re wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
We need to recognize that we are not sufficient—not as individuals, not as a people, and not even as a church. We are not sufficient on our own because we need Jesus as our sufficiency. Here’s the key: Jesus does not want us to be self-sufficient. He doesn’t want us, as people or even as the human race, to feel that we are sufficient in and of ourselves.
Even on the best of days, when we’ve met the needs in our community—let’s imagine a day when everyone in the city is fed, everyone has shoes, and everyone has a roof over their head—we might feel like we’ve achieved something remarkable. And, to be fair, we could probably meet those physical needs if we worked hard enough. We might even be able to address emotional needs through psychologists, therapists, and medications that genuinely help with emotional distress.
But even if we got there—if we fed everyone, clothed everyone, housed everyone, and treated emotional distress—we could still be guilty of saying, I have prospered, and I need nothing. Jesus would look deeper and ask, What about your spiritual need?
This is where Jesus comes in. We might be able to meet physical and emotional needs through human effort, but when it comes to spiritual health, we cannot rely on ourselves. Take the rich young ruler as an example. He said to Jesus, I’ve kept all the laws, I have everything I need. What must I do to be saved? Jesus challenged him: Give up your wealth, your prosperity, and your emotional security. Give it all to the poor, and then follow me.
The rich young ruler walked away grieving because his reliance on his physical and emotional prosperity kept him from the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches us here that the kingdom of God—and our salvation—is first. Spiritual health comes first. If we find our sufficiency in ourselves, in others, or in the things of this world, we will never find sufficiency in Jesus.
This applies to us as a church too. As a church, we can’t fall into the trap of thinking, Our giving is good, we’re paying the bills, we have a staff member—we’re doing fine. Instead, we must look at what we do have and recognize that all of it comes from Jesus. Every dollar donated, every resource provided, is from him. Our posture must be one of gratitude: Thank you, Jesus, for your provision. How would you have us use this for your glory?
That’s what our elders strive to do. That’s what we as leaders work to do when making decisions about budgets, property, and ministries. We want Jesus to be central. We want him to be first over the budget, the building, and any property we have. Our goal is to keep Jesus and his people—the people he’s called us to minister to with the gospel—at the center of everything.
In this way, our sufficiency is not in what we’ve done or what we can do, but in Christ alone. We want the world, even from the outside, to see that our sufficiency is in Jesus.
The second thing Jesus addresses in this passage is self-righteousness. Let’s go back to the verse. Jesus says:
"Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17, ESV).
Their self-sufficiency had blinded them to the reality of their own sinfulness. Jesus exposes their condition—they were sinful, depraved, and spiritually bankrupt. And this isn’t just about individuals. This is about the church.
It’s easy for a church to fall into this trap. A church might have a building, a worship leader, a decent preacher, and things seem to be running smoothly. But if we rely on these external things, we can develop a false sense of sufficiency. We might feel like we’re “good enough,” but Jesus reminds us that self-righteousness is a dangerous delusion.
We can fall into self-sufficiency as individuals or as a church and think, We must be doing well. And from there, a dangerous self-righteousness can set in. It’s easy to start saying, Look how well we’re doing. We’re even morally good. We’re doing just fine.
Now, it’s one thing to say, Look how God is blessing us. Look how God is advancing his mission to reach the lost. That kind of posture gives glory to God. But when we turn inward—when we focus on ourselves and consider ourselves sufficient—we lose sight of our own unrighteousness. We lose sight of the depravity of our flesh and the spiritual battle described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 and 3, where the Spirit is at war with the flesh.
When we become self-righteous, we ignore the flesh and suppress the voice of the Holy Spirit, especially when life seems to be going well. That’s exactly what happened in Laodicea. They were wealthy, prosperous, and likely viewed themselves as blessed. Maybe they thought, This must be God’s blessing. We must be doing everything right. They weren’t dealing with the consequences of sin, so they stopped worrying about it.
But Jesus wasn’t at the center anymore. Instead of addressing their spiritual deficit brought about by sin, they focused on their material wealth, comfort, and status. They lost sight of the human condition—the sinfulness of humankind.
As a church, what happens if we lose sight of the human condition? What if we stop preaching about sin because things seem to be going well? What if we start thinking, We’re doing great, so why bother going there? The truth is, when we lose sight of sin, we lose sight of our mission.
God’s purpose for the church is lost when we forget that, without Christ, we are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Spiritual poverty. Blindness to the truth. Nakedness that brings shame. When we lose sight of these realities, we also lose sight of the gospel.
The world needs to be reminded of the human condition—that they, too, are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked—so they can recognize their need for Jesus. People need to know they need a Savior to rescue them from the wrath of God that will come on the day of the Lord.
We need to remember this for our own sake, so we can grow in righteousness and Christlikeness. But we also need to proclaim this truth to the world around us. Think about it: how is Jesus good news to someone who doesn’t believe they’re a sinner? If they don’t think they need saving, then what is the gospel to them?
Jesus is good news because he forgives sin. He rescues us from it. He breaks the chains of addiction and sinful behavior, delivering us into eternal life with glorified bodies in the kingdom of God. That’s the gospel. The foundation of the gospel is the sinfulness of humankind. If we lose sight of that, we lose our mission as a church.
The third thing that makes Jesus “sick” is ignorance.
Now, let me clarify: ignorance doesn’t mean stupidity. Stupidity is the inability to know something. Ignorance, on the other hand, is simply not knowing. Or, as the text says, not realizing.
Jesus says the Laodiceans were not realizing their spiritual condition. Their self-sufficiency had blinded them to their unrighteousness, leaving them unaware of their deep need for Jesus.
So, how do we avoid this kind of ignorance? How do we stay aware and keep our eyes fixed on Christ?
The answer is commitment—commitment to the fellowship of the body of Christ, which we call the church. Specifically, commitment to your local church. Even if you’re part of an online community, the question remains: how committed are you to your local church?
God has designed the local church as the means to communicate his word to you so that you would keep your eyes on him and not fall prey to ignorance. Without it, you might find yourself weeks or months into life’s challenges—maybe even a situation like the pandemic—and realize, I don’t even know what I believe anymore. I don’t know what’s right. I keep hearing different things, and I’m lost.
Maybe that sounds hyperbolic, but for some of you, it’s real. You’ve been there. You’ve felt overwhelmed, unsure of what to believe, lost in endless streams of Facebook threads or online debates. If that’s you, don’t lose sight of the local church. That’s where you’ll stay connected to the truth of God’s Word and its application to your life.
As a church, we are striving to stay connected—not only with each other but also with the broader conversations happening in Christianity today. We pay attention to what’s going on in the world, the controversies, the theological debates, and the cultural issues. Why? So we can lead you well. We want to know what Jesus is doing and what he’s calling us to do as his church.
But above all, we stay rooted in the Word of God. We immerse ourselves in Scripture so that we can faithfully communicate it to you. We don’t want you to fall into ignorance, and we don’t want to fall into ignorance as a church. Our mission is to carry out Christ’s work in the world, with eyes wide open to his truth.
These three things—self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, and ignorance—are ideologies that make Jesus “sick” when they characterize a church.
Three Promises for Those Who Repent
Now that we’ve talked about what makes Jesus want to vomit, let’s look at the promises he gives to those who repent. Jesus is calling the church to repentance. If there’s any self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, or ignorance in our church, we need to turn away from those things.
Repentance leads to three incredible promises. Look at what Jesus says in Revelation 3:18:
"I counsel you to buy from 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."
There’s so much imagery here. Let’s break it down.
1. Riches
The first promise is riches—gold refined by fire.
In the ancient world, refining gold was a painstaking process. You’d dig the ore out of the earth, melt it down, and skim off the impurities that floated to the surface. The result was pure gold, ready to be shaped into something beautiful and useful.
When Jesus talks about gold refined by fire, he’s not talking about literal wealth. The Laodiceans were already wealthy—they boasted about their riches. But their material wealth had blinded them to their spiritual poverty. Jesus is offering something much greater: spiritual riches.
And here’s the best part: Jesus has already done the work of purification. The gold he offers is already refined, already pure. He’s offering you the spiritual riches that come from his work, not yours.
2. White Garments
The second promise is clothing—white garments to cover the shame of their nakedness.
In Scripture, white garments often symbolize purity, righteousness, and victory. The Laodiceans were spiritually naked, exposed in their sin and shame. But Jesus offers to clothe them, to cover their shame with his righteousness.
This is a picture of redemption. Jesus takes our sin and shame and replaces it with his holiness and victory.
3. Sight
The third promise is sight—salve to anoint their eyes so they may see.
The Laodiceans were spiritually blind. They couldn’t see their true condition or their need for Jesus. But Jesus offers healing. He opens our eyes to see the truth about ourselves and the truth about him.
Spiritual sight is transformative. When Jesus opens our eyes, we see our sin for what it is, but we also see the beauty of his grace and the hope of his promises.
Jesus is addressing spiritual poverty—a spiritual deficit. As we’ve already discussed, it’s not physical or emotional status that makes you sufficient. True sufficiency comes from spiritual sufficiency in Christ, and that’s what makes us complete—not only for this life but for eternity.
Jesus calls the Laodiceans to deal with their spiritual poverty, promising, I will give you gold refined by fire. He’s already done the work of purification. This reminds me of 2 Corinthians, where the Apostle Paul addresses the church, saying, You have gone ahead and become kings without us. Paul contrasts the suffering and sacrifice of faithful apostles with the self-satisfied, wealthy mindset of some in Corinth. They were profiting from the gospel and using it for personal gain, showing spiritual poverty even in their material wealth.
Paul highlights the difference between earthly riches and spiritual wealth. Those who are faithful to Christ store up treasures in heaven, as Jesus taught. Likewise, Jesus offers spiritual riches to those who repent, removing ignorance of their wretchedness and sinfulness and refocusing them on him. When we recognize that all sufficiency—physical, emotional, and especially spiritual—comes from Jesus, we find true spiritual wealth. Every blessing, no matter how it appears to come into our lives, ultimately comes from the Creator.
This kind of repentance builds spiritual riches in us. It doesn’t guarantee physical or emotional ease, but it secures an eternal hope in Christ. Spiritual sufficiency means that no matter our earthly circumstances, we know our eternity is secure in him.
Covering Shame with White Garments
Next, Jesus speaks of a covering for shame. He says, I will give you white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen.
This imagery calls back to the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve sinned, they realized they were naked and became ashamed. They tried to cover themselves with fig leaves, but their shame remained. When God entered the garden, they hid from him because of their nakedness and shame.
In Scripture, nakedness becomes a metaphor for shame. It represents not only the shame we bring upon ourselves through sin but also the shame caused by the sins of others. Shame is complex because it is shared across humanity. It can come from our own actions, but it can also result from the actions of others. Someone else’s sin can leave us feeling ashamed.
Shame isn’t something we can easily shake off or fix on our own. It permeates relationships, families, communities, and societies. That’s why Jesus’ promise of white garments is so profound. These garments don’t just symbolize purity in a general sense; they are specific to covering our shame. Jesus says, I will clothe you so that your shame is no longer seen.
This is a promise of healing—not just forgiveness of sin but a covering for all shame, whether it stems from our own actions or the actions of others. Jesus says, You don’t have to carry the weight of shame anymore. Not your shame. Not their shame. None of it.
These white garments represent a healing that goes beyond personal repentance. They address the deep, shared shame of humanity. Whether the shame comes from decisions you’ve made, actions others have taken against you, or even traumatic experiences from your past, Jesus offers a covering. He says, You are no longer defined by that shame. I clothe you in righteousness, and your shame is no longer visible.
Why Does Repentance Lead to Healing from Shame?
Why does repentance—especially from ignorance—lead to this covering of shame? Because when we repent of ignorance, we begin to see clearly. We see our true condition, our deep need for Christ, and the sufficiency he offers. Repentance turns our eyes away from self-reliance and self-righteousness and fixes them on Jesus.
When we look to Jesus, we find not only forgiveness but also freedom from the shame of sin. Whether it’s shame from our own actions or shame inflicted upon us, Jesus removes it. He clothes us in white garments, covering our nakedness, so we no longer have to hide or carry the weight of shame.
The more we realize that our sufficiency is in Jesus, and the more we realize that our righteousness comes only from Jesus, the more we’ll run to him for both. And the more we run to him, the more he provides. Jesus gives us his righteousness when we seek him. He gives us sufficiency when we rely on him. And as he gives these things to us, we begin to sense and feel secure in him.
So, how does shame get healed? It doesn’t necessarily mean the memory or knowledge of the past goes away. If someone knows something about you, they still know it. If you know something about yourself, you still know it. But here’s the difference: in Christ, it no longer defines you. Christ defines you.
He defines you as righteous. He defines you as pure. He looks upon you and declares that you are no longer in your sin. You are no longer under the guilt and shame of what you’ve done or what’s been done to you. He has covered your shame. The more you run to him, the more you believe that promise. The more you believe it, the more you receive it. And the more you hope in the eternity where you will be perfectly and forever free of it.
So cast off that junk—all the self-sufficiency and self-righteousness. Get rid of it. There’s healing from shame on the other side of repentance.
Real Sight
The third promise of repentance is real sight. Look at what Jesus says:
"I counsel you to buy from me... salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see" (Revelation 3:18).
This is fascinating. A salve is like an ointment, and Laodicea was famous for producing a medicinal eye ointment, likely derived from their mineral-rich waters. It was said to treat weak eyesight or even cataracts. The people in Laodicea understood the concept of using a salve to restore physical sight.
But Jesus takes this familiar idea and points to something deeper. He says, What if you could see beyond the physical? What if you could see spiritually?
Jesus promises to give spiritual sight. He’s not talking about literal ointment or physical healing—though he did that often in the Gospels by healing the blind. Here, he’s offering something far greater: the ability to see spiritually.
When we repent and find our sufficiency in Christ, when we seek him for righteousness, we receive this spiritual sight. We begin to see the world, our lives, and God’s work through his perspective.
Three Spiritual Realities
Let’s briefly look at three spiritual realities that Jesus opens our eyes to when we repent. These are found in Revelation 3:19-21:
"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne."
1. Presence
The first reality is presence—the presence of Jesus.
Jesus says, If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me. This speaks to the presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.
Jesus also said, Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them (Matthew 18:20). His presence is real and tangible, even when we don’t feel it emotionally.
Sometimes we experience God’s presence through a deep emotional response during worship or prayer. But let’s not confuse emotional experiences with the entirety of God’s presence. While those moments are real, the promise of Jesus’ presence goes far beyond our feelings.
His presence means that Jesus is truly with us, even in our loneliest moments. In a world where loneliness is rampant—and even now, years after the pandemic, when many still struggle with isolation—this promise is deeply meaningful. Jesus is with you.
There are so many people who are just longing to see a human face, to be with another person. And let me be clear—this is not an excuse for us not to visit people or check in on them. God often works through his people. As the church, we are called to check in on one another. So, if you’re not sure how someone is doing, pick up the phone. That’s your work as a Christian—to be in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Call, visit, and care for each other.
But first and foremost, if we’re feeling lonely, we must remember that Jesus is with us. When we repent of self-sufficiency, when we repent of self-righteousness, and when we dig into the Scriptures to confront any ignorance we might have about who Jesus is, what he’s done, and what he’s promised for now and eternity, we come to know the presence of God with us. That, I believe, is the ultimate cure for loneliness.
Yes, we experience part of that presence through the people of the church—our brothers and sisters in Christ. But we are also promised that one day we will stand physically in the presence of Christ in eternity, in his kingdom. Even now, though, we have the assurance of his presence with us. Repentance opens our eyes to this reality: God is with you, here and now.
Many people come to Jesus longing for that sense of presence. They’ve heard others talk about it—this feeling of being close to God, of having a spiritual encounter. But here’s the thing: this sense of presence comes through a process. It requires repentance from self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, and ignorance. It takes years of sitting under sound teaching, studying the Word of God, and growing in understanding. Over time, as the light bulb comes on and you begin to grasp the plan and purpose of God, you come to know his presence more deeply.
So, I encourage you to keep seeking. Pray for it: God, would you show me your presence? Would you help me to know your presence? And if along the way you feel his presence, praise God for that. But even if you don’t always feel it, trust the promise that his presence is with you.
2. Intimacy with Jesus
The second reality is intimacy with Jesus.
If you are a Christian, you already have the presence of Jesus with you. But without repentance, you may not know his presence. The same is true for intimacy. If you follow Jesus, you already have intimacy with him. The question is: do you know it?
Jesus describes this intimacy with the language of eating: If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).
In the ancient world, sharing a meal was deeply personal and intimate. It communicated acceptance, fellowship, and a sense of belonging. It wasn’t something you did casually, especially across social or economic lines. Wealthy or noble people often ate only with others of the same status.
But here, Jesus extends an invitation: Would you sit down at the table with me? Would you share a meal with me? He invites us to an intimacy that says, I am your God who loves you beyond anything you’ve ever experienced. Would you love me with that same kind of devotion?
This intimacy isn’t romantic or sexual. It’s the kind of unbreakable bond that transcends any human relationship. And even if you don’t always sense or feel it, it is there because it’s been promised. Repentance opens your eyes to see this reality, and it is a wonderful and exciting thing.
For those of you who feel like you’re always the one giving, always the one loving, with little to no love returned—let me offer you some peace. True love flows from the love we’ve received in Christ. Repentance from self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, and ignorance opens your eyes to this greater reality: you are loved because Christ first loved you.
John writes in 1 John 4:19, We love because he first loved us. The love you pour out on others is rooted in the love Christ has poured into you. And that love, that intimacy, is unshakable and eternal.
If you’re in the position of feeling like you’re always giving love and not receiving it in return, let me remind you of something foundational: none of us is capable of perfectly loving another human being. I can say this about myself—I love deeply. I love my family, my friends, our church, and people in general. But my love is imperfect because I am human. I have not yet been fully conformed to the image of Christ.
When I love others, I’m offering them an imperfect love. But here’s the key: if your eyes are open to the reality of Jesus’ love for you, you’ll realize that you’re not looking for a return on the love you give. The love we show others is simply a response to the perfect love we’ve already received from Jesus.
If you understand the infinite and perfect love of Jesus, then you’re loving others out of the overflow of his love. And the truth is, you don’t need others to return that love. Your loving of them is already an act of returning the love Jesus has given to you.
Here’s where humility comes in. Even when we love others faithfully, our love pales in comparison to Jesus’ perfect love. That reality humbles us and calls us to keep loving, even when we feel it’s not reciprocated. If Jesus calls you to love someone—especially someone who responds with bitterness or apathy—you’re called to continue loving them. You don’t get to say, Well, they didn’t return my love, so I’m done.
Why? Because any love we give is an imperfect return of the perfect love Jesus has given us. That kind of love is unstoppable. It flows out of intimacy with God, and it’s already been made possible by his love for us.
Would you repent so that you can fully experience and know this love? That’s the call.
3. Victory
The third spiritual reality is victory.
In Revelation 3:21, Jesus says:
"The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne."
This idea of conquering came up recently in a small group discussion: What does it mean to conquer? Jesus speaks specifically to individuals here—the person who conquers will sit with him on his throne.
Notice this: we do not conquer through self-sufficiency or self-righteousness. We don’t earn righteousness or sufficiency on our own. Jesus has already conquered, and he offers us his righteousness and sufficiency. We are called to take what he has given us, embrace it wholeheartedly, and live it out in repentance.
But what does it mean to conquer?
Some people expect repentance to be instantaneous or effortless—like the Holy Spirit will magically make them better, as if they’re a puppet. But that’s not how it works. Repentance is not passive; it requires action. Jesus has already defined righteousness, given us his sufficiency, and conquered sin, death, and the devil. Our role is to take up what he has given and actively repent—to live out the victory he has already secured.
What do we conquer?
We conquer sin.
Over time, as we walk with Jesus, we see sin fading from our lives. The person we used to be becomes unrecognizable. Conquering means the removal of sin and the increasing desire for the righteousness of Jesus.We conquer death.
Jesus has already conquered death through his resurrection. But we, too, will conquer death when we rise on the day of the Lord, glorified, and enter into his eternal kingdom.We conquer the devil and evil.
In the book of Revelation, when the beast appears, calling people to follow him with lies and blasphemies, believers are called to stand firm. By holding to the truth of Christ and resisting the temptations of this world, we conquer the devil and evil.
The Final Call
Jesus ends with this:
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 3:22).
What is Jesus saying? He’s asking: Did you hear what I just said?
If we fail to find our sufficiency in Christ—if we continue pursuing self-sufficiency through the things of this world, if we fail to recognize that everything we receive comes from Jesus—we risk being lukewarm. And Jesus has made it clear: lukewarmness makes him sick.
The call is unmistakable: repent of self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, and ignorance. Run to Jesus. Embrace his righteousness, his sufficiency, and his victory. When you do, you’ll find intimacy with him, the promise of his presence, and the joy of conquering through him.
Unless we find our righteousness in Jesus, stop comparing ourselves to others, and instead compare ourselves to Christ—praising God for forgiving every spiritual deficit, sinful motive, and behavior—we cannot stand. He has died not only to forgive us of sin but to heal us from our sinful nature.
Unless we constantly acknowledge the parts of us that are wretched, spiritually poor, or blind to God’s reality, and unless we always run to Jesus for forgiveness, we risk being cast away. If we remain ignorant of God’s plan and purpose, we fail to live in the sufficiency he offers.
It is your responsibility, Christian, to be in the Word—to sit under sound teaching, to absorb the Scriptures, to make use of the tools available today. Watch videos like those from The Bible Project. Listen to Bible podcasts. Read the Word of God everywhere and in every way that’s available to you. Don’t allow yourself to remain ignorant, thinking you can stand before the throne on the day of the Lord, only to find that Jesus is sickened by self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, and ignorance.
We cannot claim to be Christians in this life and then be refused entry into the eternal kingdom. Jesus’ words are clear: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Let this weigh heavy on you, and let it lead you to repentance.
Prayer
Let’s pray:
Lord, we come before you asking for strength. There’s not much more to say than to come to the all-sufficient One and beg for the sufficiency of Jesus in our lives.
Lord, would you build in us a deep understanding of your magnificence, your omniscience, your omnipotence, and your sovereignty over all things? Help us to recognize your reign and control over every detail of our lives, so that we never look at anything in this world as something we earned, deserved, built, or made for ourselves. Let us find our sufficiency in you alone and give you praise for every way you provide for us.
Lord, we also pray regarding our righteousness. Keep us from ever reaching a point where we compare ourselves to others, believing the lie that we have become righteous by our own works. Protect us from the sin of self-righteousness, which will eat away at our hearts. Let us never lose sight of our depravity and sinfulness, so that we might not find ourselves spiritually poor and blind.
Help us, Lord, to keep our eyes on Christ—the one who forgives, rescues, and has already conquered—so that we, too, might follow in likeness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us pursue a righteousness that is not for ourselves but is wrought in our hearts by your Spirit and through Jesus.
Finally, Lord, give us eyes to see. Open our spiritual eyes so we might never fall prey to ignorance. Give us a passion for your Word, for your truth, and for understanding your plan, purpose, and will. Let us know you deeply through your Scriptures and theology, so that one day we might stand before you and fall to our knees in worship and thankfulness.
Lord, let not one of us—whether here at Sonrise Church or listening elsewhere—try to stand before you with self-sufficiency or self-righteousness. Keep us from being spit out of your mouth, cast into outer darkness, or refused entry into your eternal kingdom.
Instead, let us know that we are yours. Let us experience and know your presence. Let us know intimacy with you and the love you have for us. Let us know you, Lord.
We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
