Reconciliation and Today's Sermon

Around 3 years ago, one of my neighbors got angry at me. Not only would she not speak to me, she wouldn't even look at me.
This morning, I was walking Sam the same time she was out walking. Her and I walked together and talked, and even laughed. It felt like such a burden had been lifted, and now we can have an amicable relationship without any contention. Praise God!
I can love because God first loved me ( 1John 4:19).

Today's sermon was from Revelation 3:14-22.
The letter was addressed to the church in Laodicea. This church had massive spiritual problems and called forth the most stringent and stinging rebuke yet issued by the Lord.
The Lord's diagnosis of the problem in Laodicea is two-fold. First, there moral and religious tepidity in the church, and second, there is prideful self-sufficiency.
The Lord uses the words cold, hot and lukewarm. People typically believe that by "hot" Jesus is referring to zealous, lively, hard working Christians, and that by "cold" He is referring to lifeless pagans devoid of any spiritual life.
However, in all likelihood, "hot"refers to the medicinal waters of Hierapolis ( 6 miles north of Laodicea), whose "hot springs" reached 95 degrees. The word "cold" points to the refreshing waters of Colossae ( 12 miles east).

The church was not being rebuked for its spiritual temperature but for the barrenness of its works. The church was providing neither refreshment for the spiritually weary( portrayed through the imagery of the "cold" water from Colossae), nor healing for the spiritually sick ( portrayed through the imagery of "hot" water from Hierapolis). The church was simply ineffective. That is why Jesus says He would prefer the church to be "cold" rather than "lukewarm".

But there is still hope. Jesus says, " 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" ( Revelation 3:18).
It is precisely because Jesus loves His people that He refuses to tolerate their lukewarm indifference towards spiritual matters.
Revelation 3:19 confirms this, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent".
Lastly, Revelation 3:21 says, " To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne".
I am enthroned with Christ because He died for me and poured out the love of God into my heart through the Spirit who was given to me ( Romans 5:5). Thank you Lord!!