Why Does It Matter?

Does LUKEWARM matter in today’s world?  

There is so much to be said about being authentic as a Christian. More than I can wrap my mind around. It is important to take a good hard look at our personal relationship with God. He asks that of us.

But…this warning is addressed to the Church. It’s speaking to us as Christians who make up His Church in our world today.  

When I first wrote this post in 2011, the word ‘Christian’ was not yet on the world’s blacklist. What a reversal!  Should we worry about what the world thinks of us? Aren’t they being unfair in their judgment of who we really are? Does LUKEWARM have anything to do with it?

A lot!! It’s frustrating to witness how this has impacted the Church, and as a result how its witness.  The Church’s image might be seen as lazy, or arrogant, or selfish. High and mighty. Un-authentic. What does this say about the message the Un-Athentic Church is sending to those we long to seek? No wonder Christ wants to spit them (us) out!

When others look at how we judge, value, and try to control their behaviors, are we are being arrogant?

When we have lost the hunger to love people where they are so that they can see Jesus in us, are we being lazy?

When we want our church to be filled with people who are just like us–who like our way of doing church, are we being selfish?

When we have lost the heart of what being Christian is all about, are we being LUKEWARM?

“You see, you can be lukewarm and not know you’re lukewarm. This is what Jesus is telling them, and they think they’re fine. They show up every week. Their names are on the list and yet He’s saying, “You’re not getting it.” He wants them to be authentic…Not one foot in, not one foot out, lukewarm…don’t be a phony hypocrite because I’ve been there done that. Is that a double meaning, phony hypocrite? …Don’t try to change Christ’s Church. Don’t try to bring that culture into us, and make us accept what you feel about this or that or whatever. Don’t do that. Be authentic…Christ wanted them to be useful, and He wanted to do His work within them…they were useless to Christ because of their complacency. They were self-satisfied, indifferent to the real issues of faith in Him and being a disciple of Jesus. Therefore, He could not work within them. That’s His point. That’s why at the end of the message, He says, “I’m standing at the door knocking. Let Me in and dine with you.”  Sermon, Beyond Today Bible Study

“We Christians act and live as though Christ were dead. This kind of Christ will never make an impact on the world. This is not the Christ of the Bible. He is too weak and small; he is irrelevant. The weak, emaciated, impotent Christ of the church of today bears little resemblance to the Christ that Isaiah the prophet talked about. He bears little resemblance to the Christ who is found in the early church, who dared to challenge the world and turn it upside down. When Christ was on earth, He would go to the temple, but He did not stay there. He went into the streets where the sick, the needy and the dying were. His love and compassion broke the bounds of class, race and creed.”  Billy Graham

“A lukewarm church has taken measures to make certain that spiritual comfort is more important than spiritual growth. This isn’t simply a matter of bad teaching, rather it’s systemic; the events, programs, doctrine, worship, children’s ministry, and leadership all have dulled the Word of God and the mission of the church to the extent that the church is the end product instead of the people whom Jesus came to save. This manifests in a vast array of scenarios, (big churches, small churches, charismatic, baptist, etc) however each scenario is obvious in that you will notice that Jesus is not the head of this church,. Instead the pastor, a family, a movement, a program, or singular ideology has taken the throne of this church.” What Is the Meaning of a Lukewarm Church?

When today’s teens, the media, the naysayers and doubters, or those who have not found the Amazing Grace of God view the Christian Church as a group of people, what do they see?

People who…

• never consider the gift of forgiveness at the beginning of a conversation?
• view people who don’t live our way are lost forever?
• speak the talk and don’t walk the walk?
• aren’t willing to give up their private sins, their secret lifestyles?
• manipulate God’s Word to prove a point?
• talk about sin as if they are sinless?
• say they are Christian, but then live with an I-don’t-really-care attitude?
• are wishy-washy and can’t tell why they are Christian?
• talk about rules, and living right, but never talk about grace, compassion, forgiveness, or joy?
• walk away from what is difficult–in a conversation, in a decision, in a relationship?

Or do they see people who know they need God–His strength, His courage, His forgiveness? Do they see our faith as authentic? Do they see the Light?

Why are we so afraid to admit that we aren’t perfect?  that we mess up?

Why do we forget that we are wonderfully forgiven? And then live that way.

It matters!

We were meant to be so much more.

This video clip is from the end of the movie War Room. Listen to Miss Clara speak of LUKEWARM.
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