Keep the light of faith burning

Revelation 3:14-22 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. ²¹ To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

The son of an English ship’s captain in the 1800s had been confirmed on Palm Sunday morning. That evening, the father and son sat in the captain’s quarters and reviewed the events of the day. Wishing to underscore and deepen the conviction of his son’s confirmation vows, the father said, “Son, light this candle. Then go out onto the deck for an hour, and return to me with the candle still burning.”

“But, Father,” the boy replied, “If I go up on the deck, the wind will surely blow out the flame.” At the continued urging of the father, the son did as he was told. The boy had to work hard to protect the candle from the wind. With much care and shielding and maneuvering, the lad succeeded in keeping the flame burning. With a sense of accomplishment he returned the burning candle to his father.

Then the father explained, “My son, your faith is like this candle. You were confirmed today. Your faith is small and frail right now. It is fragile and delicate. From here on out, you will be going into a big, tempting world. That world has dedicated itself to snuffing out the flame of your faith. It will most certainly succeed … if you don’t take pains to properly shield it.”

The father gave good advice that day of his son’s confirmation. I believe it is good advice for all of our confirmands – the ones being confirmed today and the ones who were confirmed decades ago. Your faith is small and frail. It is fragile and delicate. The devil and the world are working overtime to try to snuff out your faith. We live in a world that celebrates Jason Collins for being open about his homosexuality but derides Tim Tebow for being open about his Christianity. It is a world where many of your friends changed their profile picture to a red box with two horizontal lines promoting equality for homosexual marriage. A world where the FDA approved the sale of an emergency abortion pill for purchase as an over-the-counter drug by minors as young as 15. These are just some examples from the past few weeks of how your faith will be constantly bombarded by the world around you.

But the greatest threat to your faith is … yourself. You will be tempted daily to become complacent in your faith, indifferent to God’s Word, lackadaisical toward worship of the Triune God, lukewarm in your passion for Jesus. You will be tempted to walk out into the world carrying your lit candle, and if it stays lit … great. If it is snuffed out … no big deal.

Jesus Christ gave His revelation to seven specific churches in Asia Minor. Laodicea was the seventh church. Jesus saved His harshest criticism for the church in Laodicea.

The city of Laodicea was famous for its great wealth. There was a government mint located within the city. They manufactured fine cloth from black wool. They were famous for their medical school that produced a special eye salve to help people with weak eyes. The city was thriving, situated at the intersection of several major trade routes. If you could choose a place to live in Asia Minor, Laodicea was the place.  

The church in Laodicea also seemed the place to be. There were no false teachings to battle against, like in the other churches. They weren’t being persecuted by the Jews or put in prison by the Romans like in other churches in Asia Minor. They were just getting along. They seemed to be just fine. They weren’t a thriving church, but they weren’t dying, either. They didn’t want to be zealots about their faith – those people just got themselves in trouble. They were just a nice group of believers who were content to cocoon together with other believers for an hour a week.

They didn’t see their problem. But Jesus did!

They weren’t passionate about Jesus. Are you? This is what Jesus had to say to the Christians in Laodicea: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Jesus was nauseated by their condition. Jesus was disgusted that they were so indifferent. They were not passionate about His gospel. They were content to let the fire of their faith slowly burn out.

Jesus wished they were hot – on fire for the Lord, burning with dedication towards Him. If they weren’t going to be hot, then Jesus wished they were cold and openly hostile towards Him, because then they at least showed emotion. Then Jesus would send His Holy Spirit to work through His Word to turn that emotion against Him into an emotion that is for Him. He would warm that person up to God and light a fire in His heart.

However, the Christians in Laodicea had become lukewarm. Jesus was saying, “You’re all the wrong temperature. You’re passionless and indifferent. You’re uncaring and unemotional. You don’t take a stand for anything. You’re not doing anything for the Lord. You are a group of half-hearted, nominal Christians – and you’re disgusting. I’m going to spit you out and get rid of you completely. You make me sick.”

Confirmands, young and old, does this sound like you? Have you become or will you become lukewarm in your faith? Are you indifferent, satisfied, and secure in your faith? I have both heard people say these things or witnessed them in their actions … or inaction: “It doesn’t matter which church I go to, as long as I enjoy the service.” That is indifference to the doctrines of God’s Word. “It’s O.K. if I miss Bible class or Sunday School or my family devotions. I know enough to get me into heaven.” That is remaining complacent in your faith. “It’s O.K. if I don’t help out in the church or school or neighborhood. Let somebody else do it.” That is apathy. “I’ll just bring God the leftovers for my offerings instead of my firstfruits.” Indifference.

I spoke to the confirmands and their parents last week about the importance of their confirmation. I told them that the vows they make today are right up there with the most important promises they can make in their lifetime – right up there with the promises made for them by their parents and godparents at their baptism, the promises they will make to their spouse and God at their marriage, and the promises they will make to at their children’s births and baptisms. I told them that when I walk through the basement hallway, I am filled with both godly pride and a deep sadness. So many of those confirmands did take their confirmation vows seriously. And they and their children are here today. But so many of their classmates have become dispassionate and indifferent toward Jesus and have fallen away from the Lord and His Church.

I don’t want that to happen to you. Your parents and others in our congregation don’t want that to happen to you. But most importantly, Jesus doesn’t want that to happen to you. That’s why the Gospel words He spoke to the Laodicean Christians are still applicable to you today.

We can so easily become lazy, indifferent and self-satisfied as Christians. We may be tempted to say like the Laodicean Christians: “I’m rich; I have acquired wealth and don’t need a thing.” But Jesus warns that “you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” He speaks such harsh language because He rebukes and disciplines the ones He loves.

He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” This is one of the great paintings of 19^th century of Jesus standing outside and knocking on the door. By all rights, lukewarm Christians like us should be standing at Christ’s door, begging for forgiveness for our half-heartedness and our apathy. But look at the picture Jesus paints here. No other love is like Christ’s love! The nail-scarred hands of Jesus are knocking on the door of a calloused Christian, whose heart should be warm with worship and Word night and day … but it’s not. So a searching Jesus patiently knocks on the door of the lukewarm Christian, calling, “I’m seeking you out. I’m taking the initiative. I’m the offended and wronged party, but I’m extending myself and my gifts to you.”

And what gifts does Jesus have for you? Jesus, the Amen, Jesus, the faithful and true witness, Jesus, the ruler of God’s creation, has come to meet your needs with real treasure. We have gotten our white baptismal gowns filthy with our sin, but Jesus offers us the white clothes purchased for us through His blood spilled at Calvary, so we may cover our shameful nakedness. He places the salve of His healing Gospel on our eyes, taking away the blindness of our soul, enabling us to see His glory, glory that makes all else pale in comparison. Through His victory over Satan, Jesus has won for you the golden streets of heaven. He promises to allow us to sit with Him on His throne at His heavenly Father’s right hand. Because He has overcome sin, death and the devil, He promises that we will overcome this unholy trinity as well.

That is what you call amazing grace. Jesus, what a friend for sinners. What a Savior! What a picture of hope for us lukewarm Christians. This is a call for you to leave the ranks of the half-hearted and become fully devoted. It is an invitation to keep the light of your faith burning. Lukewarm Christians, you know who you are. This promise is for you. The Christ you claim to love is standing at your heart’s door and He’s patiently knocking. He’s patiently offering you the hope of forgiveness, renewal, and passion.

Confirmands, this morning I am giving you a special gift. It’s a small gift – a lit candle. I am giving you the same challenge today that the ship’s captain gave to his son on his confirmation so many years ago. Keep this candle lit. Protect it. Shield it. Care for it. It is fragile and delicate – just like your faith. When you go out into the world, the winds of moral poverty, the rains of public opinion, the squalls of sexuality and the storms of a culture that is set against Christianity, will threaten to snuff out your faith.

But your greatest danger will be your own spiritual apathy, your neglect of worship, your lethargy toward the sacraments, your absence at the altar for prayer, your indifference toward keeping the faith light burning.

It will be a daily struggle to keep the candle of your faith lit outside in the world, but notice how easily the candle remains lit here inside the protection provided you in the ark of the Christian Church. Here Christ provides you with everything you need to feed your faith and keep it burning brightly – God’s Word read from the lectern, His Law and Gospel applied to you from the pulpit, His baptismal waters washing over you at the font, Christ’s body and blood fed to you at the communion rail, God’s presence at His altar where He hears your confessions, your creeds and your hymns of praise and He responds with His voice of absolution, peace and blessing.

Truly, such blessings are worth cherishing, using and pursuing. For they will help you to protect and shield your faith-light every week as you go out into the winds and rains of the world.

Confirmands of all ages, as Christ lives in you and you live in Christ, life will not be easy. It will often be difficult and dangerous, tiring and terrifying. And you will have to let go of a lot of things – your old sins, self-adoration, fence-straddling and lukewarm discipleship. But all the hard work will be worth it. Christ’s passion for you will be reflected in your passion for Him. Your faith light will still be burning – for years, for decades, and for an eternity. Amen.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen. (Revelation 22:21)