Jump Start # 4078
Revelation 3:21 “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I have also overcame, and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Our verse today is what was said to the indifferent brethren at Laodicea. They were identified as being lukewarm. They claimed that they needed nothing. They didn’t see themselves as the Lord saw them. Pride and wealth had gotten the best of them.
It would be hard to be a member at Laodicea. You want to turn the temperature up on their faith and activity and they are very content to remain right where they were. You want more, and they don’t. You want depth, and they are happy with the way things are. Lukewarm, just enough faith to make one feel good and not enough faith to make a difference. Big toe in the water is what Laodicea was.
However, within these words we find hope. God had not given up on them. God did not walk away from them. Overcome, one of the key words in Revelation, is used twice in our verse. The Lord overcame. You overcome and there will be blessings.
The idea of overcome is not the same as ignoring, avoiding or getting around something. To overcome means you have gone through something. Most times it is something not pleasant. Rather than being defeated, you overcame. You became the victor.
Jesus overcame. Have you thought about what that involves?
· Jesus overcame temptation. It’s one thing to say He was never tempted. But, that’s not the case. He was tempted. He saw the sweet appeal of thinking only of Himself. He saw how for the moment, what temptation offers seems very appealing. But, Christ overcame. He saw through those things and remained sinless.
· Jesus overcame the desire to walk away from His mission. “Let this cup pass,” was a plea to find another way. Not the cross. Not the torture. Not the pain. Yet, He corralled His will by saying, “Thy will be done.” When the radicals begged Jesus to come off the cross, how appealing those words must have sounded. Jesus overcame. He stuck with the plan and became the sacrifice for the world.
· Jesus overcame death. Satan’s greatest power is the darkness of death. Death could not hold Jesus. Up from the grave He arose. Death could not hold Him. He overcame.
That was the Lord. How about us?
First, contextually, the Laodiceans needed to overcome their spiritual apathy and indifference. It could be done. One doesn’t have to be like everyone else in the congregation. Do what you know is right and honor the Lord through your faith and actions.
Lifeless worship services does not have to be your prison. Find ways to honor the Lord and be engaged with the Lord in worship. Get there early. Bring your Bible. Think deeply. Pray earnestly. Overcome the dry, dull, meaningless worship that lukewarm Christians are content with. You paise the Lord from a heart that loves the Lord. Overcome.
Second, we must overcome the pull to be like everyone else. Be yourself. Be a disciple of the Lord. Let the Lord be your strength and your guide. Overcome the image that our culture paints. You don’t have to fall asleep with the TV on or looking at your phone only to walk up and that’s the first thing you do in the morning. That’s the way most live. You are living differently. You are living for the Lord.
Third, overcome the attitudes of complaining, bitterness and negativity. That’s our times. We complain about the weather, the food, the prices, the traffic, work and even worship. Don’t get caught up in that. Overcome. This is the day that the Lord has made, Rejoice. The complaining heart is not very thankful. It sees problems and not blessings. You overcome. You be the reason that someone smiles today. You find wonderful ways to thank the Lord.
Overcome. If we continued, we could make a long list. Those that overcome are the victors. They have walked by faith and used that courage that comes from the Cross.
The door wasn’t shut and locked on Laodicea. There was a light shinning through a window. Overcome. Rise to the occasion and do what you know the Lord wants. You can do it, because the Lord said so.
Overcome.
Roger