The church that made Jesus want to barf …
The leaders of this church must have had compelling, attractive stories about God because outwardly they were quite successful. But when Jesus evaluated the church, he said something like this. “Since you are the way you are and like the way you are, I think I’ll throw up.”
Jesus addressed a church in Laodicea in the book of Revelation which was blinded by its own pretense. If you read their brochures or asked the members about their church, you would hear something like this: “We are rich, wealthy and in need of nothing.” But if you asked Jesus about the same church, you would hear this: “They are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
- You say, “I’m rich. I’m wealthy. I don’t need anything.” Yet, you do not realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17 GW).
Comparing notes with Jesus …
We really need to give this the attention it deserves because from the many examples Christ could have chosen to give us, this was one of the few he included in his anecdotal accounts of “how not to do church.”
So track with me for a moment and let’s first notice that everything Christ said about them was the opposite of what they thought of themselves. This church must have had something going for it, at least some externals for the members to presume this image of success. Maybe they were “the friendliest church in town.” Or maybe it was their reputation in the community for their food pantry, the generous amount of money they sent to missions, the exciting programs, their stand on abortion, etc.
Can you imagine if the leaders of this church could have arranged a weekend retreat with Christ to evaluate their ministry? So as they are sitting around the large conference table with coffee and doughnuts, basking in their success, anticipating the superlatives, they instead hear – “Okay, so here is my evaluation of your ministry. You are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
They didn’t see that one coming. Shocked, blindsided, they think that surely he made a mistake, surely he had the wrong church. “Did you pick up the wrong file, Jesus?” “Maybe your secretary loaded the wrong PowerPoint presentation on your laptop?” But Christ had the right church. It was they who had made the mistake. The fatal error of the church at Laodicea was listening to each other instead of listening to God.
Put yourself there. If you are familiar with the dynamics of church operations, I believe that you will come to the conclusion that the leaders of this church must have been convinced that they were on target and on-board with the vision, purpose and mission of the church and of God. Could they have presented the positive attitude and the polished front otherwise?
Bad storytellers …
Their storytellers, the leaders of their church, had kept them from God. But we aren’t surprised, are we? If we can pretend to worship, surely we can pretend to do anything. They pretended to listen to Jesus but firmly held to their own opinions, writing stories about God as they saw fit, contriving a safe, lukewarm religion. And Jesus was ready to puke. Keeping their hearts at a distance, they demonstrated a dreadful unwillingness to relinquish what they had for what God offered.
Maybe not feeling the love …
Now maybe you are not feeling the love in all this, but do you remember our first question? “Where am I?” Jesus was a first question type of guy while on this earth. He wanted people to discover where they were now rather than later. Some were saved but many turned away, but he kept asking his questions.
- After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68 ESV).
So I am not being mean. I want to help you ask the question before God. Where are you? I want to give you the best opportunity possible. Maybe your storytellers are like those in the church we just discussed. Maybe you want it to be like that. Some of us may need to ask, “Is my church keeping me from following Christ?” I don’t know those things, but if Jesus were to write a brief story of your life, and you were to sit down and write your account, how would your stories compare? Where are you? That is why I am writing the book. So, you are sitting across the table from Jesus. What does he say about your life at this moment?
(Excerpt from Beyond Pretend: A Sheep’s Guide to the Universe! ! by David Lee Scott, pp. 64-66. Copyright Notices © 2010 by David Lee Scott. All rights reserved. )
