We live in a culture that is fascinated with renewal. Consider how many “skin renewal” products are on the market and the number of new skin renewal innovations that come out regularly. For a manlier example, consider the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auctions that bring older renewed vehicles to sell. Many of which sell for a pretty high price. If you need another example, consider the number of home remodel programs that have gained great interest. Married couples, brothers, and a whole host of people remodeling (or renewing) homes for sale. We are fascinated by renewal.
Renewal is simply the process of something being made new, fresh, or alive. In these previous examples, you will note that the renewal is an external reality. The focus is on renewing something externally or make it look fresh and free from decay. The renewal that Jesus offers is a renewal that starts internally. It is a renewal of the heart because the Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of the Heart.
Samuel even had a hard time understanding this when it came time to pick a new king for the people. He followed the Lord’s command to go to Bethlehem and find a man named Jesse. He was to anoint one of his sons there. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the people wanted to know if he came in peace or came to bring a word of discipline and rebuke. “When Samuel saw David’s older brother, Eliab, he thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:6-7).
Have you ever made this mistake? To assume God’s will? To assume what He wants? To allow your five senses to be the judge of what God would want or not? Samuel, God’s chosen prophet that has been in conversation since he was a young boy was looking at external circumstances and attributes. The Lord looks at the heart. How is your relationship with the Lord at a heart level? Are you passionately in love with Him? He is passionately in love with you. Do you know Him better than other people in your life? He wants to be known by you and have intimate fellowship with you. Are you in need of renewal?
In the book of Revelation, John the Beloved receives revelation from the Lord on the island of Patmos. In chapters 2-3, there are letters written to the seven churches. These letters are written also to the church today. The letter written to the church in Laodicea shows an important reason many in our western culture need renewal. Laodicea was the wealthiest of the seven churches and did not receive any encouragement.
Revelation 3:14–20 (ESV)
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 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. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
This is the wide road that is seeking us always. It is the road of the lukewarm. It is the road of an indifferent heart that leads to idleness. It is a wide road of self-satisfaction that leads to a hardened heart. It is the road of the half-hearted nominal Christian that is self-satisfied. Jesus says that if you are lukewarm and casual He will spit you out of His mouth. He is saying because you are not on fire and passionate about Him, discipline will come. When we compare Him to our stuff, false security, and idols, the Lord will allow things to bring us back to Him.
The Church in Laodicea was laid back about God. They were not needy. They had everything they needed and stopped seeing their need for God. They started to live with a false sense of security. “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing” (:17). This is a trap that many have fallen into and don’t even know it. Consider, do you live your life needing God? Are you on fire or are you lukewarm?
If you get it, you won’t be lukewarm. Wretched, pitiable poor, blind, and naked does not describe someone that knows they are a child of God. If you have a relationship with Jesus, you will have joy and life even in bad circumstances. Matthew 13 contains one of my favorite parables, the Parable of the Hidden Treasure. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44). The Kingdom of Heaven is more valuable than anything else we can have, and a person must be willing to give up everything to obtain it. Nothing is more precious than the Kingdom of Heaven. Notice in his joy he went. He was overcome with excitement and happiness that he would be given such a valuable gift that he gave everything else for it.
Does this describe your life? You shouldn’t do anything until you come before God asking Him to set you on fire. If you are lukewarm, what else is there to do? What is more important? Be zealous and repent. Repent of the self-satisfaction that is robbing you from intimacy. Confess to Him the hardness of you heart and watch Him come and create in you a new heart. Call upon the Lord and lay your lukewarm living at the feet of the cross and turn from it. “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus” (Acts 3:19–20).