By Rev. John Jackson
I have pointed out that the biblical book of Revelation is not about the end of the world but about God’s displeasure with the empire of Rome and how it’s horrible treatment of ordinary people it colonized displeased him.
In the second and third chapters of Revelation the resurrected spirit of Jesus spoke to seven churches in Asia Minor based on their deeds. Two of those churches received only commendation from Jesus because of their faithfulness. Those were Smyrna and Philadelphia. Three of those churches received both commendation and rebuke; Ephesus, Pergamum and Thyatira. Two churches received only rebuke, Sardis and the church we will spotlight Laodicea.
“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. 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.”
This church is described by Jesus as a monetarily wealthy church who saw their wealth as a badge of honor yet they would not take a stand against injustice. They chose to sit on the fence, to not choose sides, to not participate in the struggle but to try to wait things out.
Jesus says “you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were either one or the other,” in other words take a stand on something.
From the founding of this nation most immigrants from Europe were neither hot nor cold to the slaughter of indigenous people and the theft of land from them. For two hundred and forty-six years most, Americans were neither hot nor cold to legal chattel slavery of Africans stolen from their homeland and forced to labor to make plantation owners wealthy. And for another one hundred years of Jim and Jane Crow, second class citizenship and separate but unequal most European descended people in this nation were neither hot nor cold to the disinheriting of Black, Brown and poor White people in this nation.
Dr. King said it like this, “I agree with Dante, that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in a period of moral crisis maintain their neutrality. There comes a time when silence becomes betrayal.”
On November 5th 2024 around ninety million people who chose not to vote were neither hot nor cold to the painful realities of Project 2025, R.A.G.E. (Retire All Government Employee), and the Oligarchs from Silicon Valley who intended to increase their wealth by raiding the public treasury and abolishing every office that tried to hold them in restraint.
Jesus rebuked Laodicea and the other churches for the deeds or lack of deeds in times of crisis. There were many who did not vote because they thought that their one or two issues were more important than the impending existential threat to demolish necessary government agencies that enabled people to receive life sustaining resources. Perhaps this is a lesson that no candidate will perfectly fit your expectations but it is important sometimes when facing the damage that will be done to the masses of poor and working-class people to vote for the candidate who at least represents harm reduction. It also is a cautionary tale to not throw away a vote to third party candidates who only enter into Presidential elections and never build from the ground up but who siphon votes from the candidate who actually has a chance to win a Presidential election.
If the lesson is not learned remember Jesus’ final words to the church at Laodicea “…because you are neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
Jesus gave the churches a chance however to straighten up and stand for justice for all people, to take care of the poor and to create a community of equity and wholeness. Therefore, it is imperative that people of goodwill make it a priority to become a part of some group, institution, organization or church that is about the business of educating people on their civic responsibility and how their participation in the electoral process is mandatory for “justice to roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Remember as Dr. Greg Carr says “Individuals don’t beat institutions, only institutions beat institutions.” Jesus said to the church at Laodicea and to lukewarm churches, organizations and people today who are trying to stay safe and sit on the fence, “I know your deeds, that you are neither hot nor cold. 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.”
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