130505 AM Rising Above Lukeworm Christianity

Rising Above Lukewarm Christianity — A. When Peter came face-to-face with the power of Jesus, it prompted self-examination (Luke 5:1-11).  B. “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Cor 13:5).  C. In Revelation 2:14-22, Jesus diagnosed Christians in Laodicea as “lukewarm.” D. Our question is a practical one:  What does lukewarm Christianity look like? Why is it dangerous?  A Snapshot of a Lukewarm Christian. • Lukewarm Christians love God, but not (Matt 6:24, 33; 22:37-38). • Lukewarm Christians believe religion is a good and important thing to have in life, but think it shouldnot them (2 Tim 3:1-5; John 2:17). • Lukewarm Christians settle into a one-sided (2 Tim 4:3-5; Phil 1:9-10; Eph 1:18-23). • Lukewarm Christians “go to church,” but they don’t live as people who are “of ” (Matt 15:8). • Lukewarm Christians bring their kids up “in church” but not in (Deut 6:4-9). • Lukewarm Christians are most often silent about their (Rom 1:16). • Lukewarm Christians love others in , but in practice do very little for strangers, outcasts,or even their own brethren (Luke 14:12-14; Matt 22:39-40). • Lukewarm Christians enjoy hearing stories about people who live zealously for God, but the storiesnever inspire real and greater zeal in their own lives (James 1:21-27; Heb 12:1-6).• Lukewarm Christians have good intentions to participate in good deeds someday, but they don’tmake the best use of their time or resources and take (Eph 5: 15-16; Tit 3: 14).• Lukewarm Christians lean on their own strength instead of putting their full in God(Prov 3:5-12; James 2:14-26; Luke 12:16-21).