In the New Testament book of Revelation, in the third chapter, the resurrected presence of Jesus Christ had a chilling word for the believers who worshiped in the old city of Laodicea.
“I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
He goes on to say that “you think, you think you think you have prospered, and you think that you need nothing but in reality, you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
Why such a harsh and hostile assessment of the members of this first century church? The answer is in the context (please read the commentary on Revelation by Brian K. Blount).
Christ was angry with the believers in Laodicea because, with all their wealth, they were not resisting the Roman Empire through the non-violent resistance of witnessing to the Lordship of Christ. The believers in Laodicea were accommodating themselves to the Imperial cult of Rome. Caesar Domitian had declared that he alone was Lord and God and Jesus expected the believers in him to publicly resist accommodating themselves to this Caesar cult by publicly proclaiming that only Jesus is Lord and God even if it meant losing opportunities for economic advancement, losing access to the social elite of society and possibly being exiled like John was or losing their lives. Jesus says, “They are neither hot nor cold, but Lukewarm.” He would prefer that their witness at least be cold toward the empire, meaning a weak witness is better than no witness at all. And of course, he would be excited if their witness against the Imperial cult were on fire for him, regardless of the consequences. But because they were lukewarm, Jesus wanted to vomit them out of his mouth.
The book of Revelation is all about resistance to the empire of Rome and its Caesar cult, and not accommodating for self-preservation. A few years ago, I ran into a local minister who shared with me that all he was concerned with was “getting people saved.” This was during the tail end of the COVID pandemic, and all the people who needlessly died because we had an administration that told people to “drink bleach.” This was during the time when anti-Black hate groups marched through Charlottesville and caused the senseless death of Heather Heyer and the person in office said, “There are good people on both sides. This was during the time that George Floyd was killed because a Police officer pinned his knee in his neck for over nine minutes. Yet, all this minister could dedicate his efforts to was “getting people saved.” He said he did not care about anything else. All I could think of in the words of Jesus was vomiting. Too many Black and Brown churches are neither hot nor cold in their resistance to tyranny. Too many Black churches have forgotten the first Love that created the Black church in the first place and that was resisting the tyranny of anti-Black hate and subjugation. Too many Black people in churches today have forgotten that the Black church was the way station on the Underground Railroad. Too many Black people in church forget that Jesus was crucified by Rome because of his resistance to Caesar and his wicked empire. To be saved is the tip of the iceberg in this faith. The believers in Laodicea were all saved, too. They had confessed Jesus as Lord, but their salvation was not complete until they used their wealth, resources and presence to provide for the least of these as a form of non-violent resistance against Rome. When churches in this the wealthiest nation ever only focus on going to heaven while sitting in pews piously praising God but leave church and never demonstrate their love for God by proclaiming the justice of God for the abject poor and working poor then those churches are “neither hot nor cold,” and Jesus has become nauseated with them. But, in that same letter to the believers at Laodicea, Jesus offers a way out. He says, “I only reprove those that I love, therefore repent.” Meaning, get in the fight, resist through your testimony about a God who is on the side of the oppressed.
“Let those who have an ear hear what the spirit says to the churches.”
Be well, Be Authentic and Stay Woke. Uhuru Sassa!!!
Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary, 1276 W. 20th Ave. in Gary. “We are not just another church but we are a culturally conscious, Christ-centered church, committed to the community; we are unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian.” Contact the church by email at [email protected] or by phone at 219-944-0500.
Rev. Dr. John E. Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ-Gary, 1276 W. 20th Ave. in Gary. “We are not just another church but we are a culturally conscious, Christ-centered church, committed to the community; we are unashamedly Black and unapologetically Christian.”
- Rev. John E. Jackson
- Rev. John E. Jackson
- Rev. John E. Jackson
- Rev. John E. Jackson
