In chapters two and three of his Revelation, John shares thoughts on what the Spirit of Christ is saying to certain specific churches across the province of Asia: seven churches - seven messages.
What sort of things was Christ saying to His church at that time, and what might He be saying to us as churches in 21st century Scalby?
I looked at all seven passages, and in every case the Spirit was offering words of encouragement, alongside words of challenge, and sometimes words of criticism. John was sharing the Spirit's perception of how those seven churches were working. He knew the times they were living in: times of great persecution and opposition; times of challenge on every side, to be God's church, in a society that had no time for God and that offered all sorts of distractions to worship. They were times very different from now, but with so many similarities perhaps not so different.
And I ask the question - what is the Spirit saying to the churches now? I'm not going to answer that question. I simply want to say, are we asking that question? Are we spending time inviting the Spirit's leading? Are we listening to what God is saying to his churches? Are we ready to respond to it?
Maybe the answer is, yes, we are listening and discerning and preparing to act. Maybe we're just a little bit afraid to listen too closely, in case we might not like to hear what He is saying. Perhaps the Spirit has already spoken, through someone's comments in a meeting, or through words from the pulpit. Perhaps He has spoken into various people's hearts, but they haven't shared their sense of what God is saying; haven't yet had the courage or the opportunity.
Do we in his church make time to listen to God's still small voice? When we thank God for his guidance, or ask him to direct us, do we do so in the hope and expectation of God's words of wisdom being our source of guidance and direction? Perhaps we think it's enough that God spoke to and guided those who built our church buildings perhaps long ago, or those who set agenda for mission and activity in time past. Perhaps we are comfortable in the familiar things we know and experience in our lives as churches. Are we comfortable with the way things are?
I don't know how comfortable you feel in this building right now. I know that at the Methodist church we are revelling in the comfort of new chairs, which whilst providing us with physical comfort , are a real break with tradition, as we relinquished the old pews. But I'm not talking about being physical comfortable!
Let's think about words we heard from Book of Revelation for moment: words the Spirit was speaking to one of seven Asian churches, the church in Laodicea. Laodicea was in what is now Turkey, about 100 miles inland from Ephesus, and a stone's throw from Collissae, at an important crossroads for communication and trade across region - a very prosperous, well-known and successful city. But it had one big disadvantage: its water supply, which was piped into city from some distance, from hot springs. And when it arrived it was lukewarm, and made bitter by the minerals it accrued along its way. Archeology has testified to this. Eventually the city was abandoned and a new city built in area, much closer to water source. The letter to Laodicea's church in Revelation makes clear reference to the circumstances of the city and of the church. The church had become wealthy and complacent, half-hearted and inward looking. It was neither one thing nor the other. Neighbouring Hierapolis was using its hot water supply for medicinal and healing purposes. Neighbouring Collissae used its cold water for refreshment. But Laodicea's water was good for nothing, and the church was heading in same direction.
I know we live in a Spa town, which built its reputation on minerals in its water, but have you ever tasted neat mineral water? You may have seen the spot near the Spa Complex, where water still trickles, leaving a lurid stain on the sea wall. The actual well is buried under the traffic island in front of Spa Complex, and health and safety today forbids human consumption of this local delicacy. That doesn't bother me - I'm pretty sure it's putrid and bitter, as was water in Laodicea. And Spirit says to that church: because you are so luke warm and bitter, I will spit you out! This wasn't condemnation of that church: it was a wake-up call, a challenge. Because God never gives up on people and his Spirit is about encouraging people to action. So the Spirit says, "This is how you are now. Wake up and take note and listen to me!"
I was wondering - what is a cold church? I'm sure we've all been in cold buildings - one of coldest I know is St. Hilda's at Ravenscar, when the heating's not been on long enough. But that is anything but a cold place to be in terms of its worship and love and witness and care. My image of a cold church is perhaps like in the song, Eleanor Rigby, a church where nobody came. I don't think I know any churches around here that fit that description.
What is a hot church? "Hot" is a word often using in terms of places where the action is, where's there's lots of life and excitement and novelty, where people want to be and choose to be. I asked a teenager what "hot" meant and they said, "where it's cool - where cool people go!" What is a hot church? Where the action is, a church full of life and excitement, buzzing with things happening, where God's purposes are put first and where love and encouragement flow in abundance. Where there are new ideas, new initiatives, new energy and new vision.
So what is luke warm about? Think about your bath water, after it's started to cool down, or a cup of tea you forgot about while you were doing something else It still has value : you can still bath in it: you can still drink it! (Don't get confused between bath water and cup of tea there!) But it lacks everything that makes it worthwhile. That was the church at Laodicea! I'm not making any judgements here on any church. We would all, I'm sure, like our church to be hot - on fire for God! I also know that to be that we need to cooperate fully with God's Spirit.
Which leads me to that second passage we heard. I love that image of the tree of life from the book of Revelation, standing alongside the river of God, bearing fruit in abundance and in full leaf. And there's something magnificent about the statement that the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. It sounds beautiful and powerful. There is no doubt that the nations of this world need healing, from the warring and the greed, from the injustice and mistrust, from the abuse of power and from the neglect of the needs of their children. This whole world needs healing so much, not just in distant parts, but right here. Healing is needed in our own community and the wide community of which we are a part.
Whatever your views on herbal medicine, and I'm sure there are a few represented here. I imagine most of us have experienced the soothing effect of a dock leaf after a nettle sting, very simple and very effective relief for the symptoms. Remarkably, they often grow near each other. The remedy for the problem is close at hand. I wonder if the remedy for this world's ills is close at hand, in Christ, as he is known and experienced by the individual people who are his church. Christ's church is part of the life of his Spirit in this world of today. As each leaf on the tree of life has a role to play, so each person in the church of Christ has a role to play too. Maybe what can make the church hot for God in this world today is for each person to see that they have a role in this, in offering the dock leaf of the life of Christ to those around us in their need and in showing how Christ can take the sting out of this world's pain.
So I want to encourage us all to listen for the Spirit's leading and be ready to act. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me." God's Spirit is a living force in this world: the greatest living force,with unbounded energy; ready to inspire and encourage and challenge the churches. And we as churches here can be hot spots of God's love and God's activity, God's healing and God's transformation in this world. We need to celebrate what we do well, and look to ways of doing it better. We need to invite God's Spirit to speak to us. We need to be ready to listen to what He is saying, and ready to act upon it.
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
