Last Sunday, we considered Jesus’ statement in Luke 12:48 and its implications for the American people. Jesus proclaimed: “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return.” (NLT2) Here, when Jesus speaks of what has been given, He is referring to God’s Holy Word—the Bible. It is available to everyone in this country. So, the vast majority of people in America have no excuse and cannot pretend they have never heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. If they desire to know God, every means of doing so is at their command. But, last week, I provided you with only the first part of Luke 12:48. The second part of this verse is equally important. So, let’s briefly review the first part of this verse and what it means for people, then spend a little more time examining the second part that points to those who have already become followers of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus said that “much” is “required” of those who have God’s Word available to them, what did He mean? More specifically, what is required of those who have the Good News of Christ within their grasp, but have not yet come to believe in Him? Well, the first thing required of them is to give a positive response to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him. They must decide whether or not to accept the truth of God’s Word and surrender their lives to Christ.
Some people will scoff when you confront them with that choice. They will sneer and say that you have to be an uneducated, superstitious, closed-minded idiot to believe in the God of the Bible. But, that assertion crumbles in light of the brilliant minds of the past who have held a strong faith in God. During the Enlightenment period of the 17th century, people like Isaac Newton, Blaise Pascall, Johannes Kepler, Sir Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes were all devout believers—and yet, they had the most brilliant minds of any human beings who have ever lived.[1] The same holds true today. Some of the greatest minds of our time are believers in Jesus Christ. The late John Polkinghorne, who passed away back in 2021, was not only a theoretical physicist and professor of mathematical physics at the University of Cambridge, but he was also a Christian theologian and priest in the Anglican Church. Irishman, John Lennox, is respected as one of the top mathematicians in the world. He is also a noted Christian author who has written extensively on the positive relationship between science and Christianity. Francis Collins is an American scientist and doctor who is one of the world’s experts in human gene research and has served as director of the National Institutes of Health. He is a devout Christian thinker, writer and speaker. Or, consider astrophysicist, Deborah Haarsma, who puts it this way: “Science and faith fit together. . . For me, Christian faith is not some political ideology, but a daily choice to follow Jesus Christ. The God who hears my prayers and heals my soul is the same God who created the Universe.”[2] Galileo, the great scientist of the 17th century, rightly said: “I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.”[3] In other words, you don’t have to surrender your intellect in order to believe in Jesus. God does not require you to stop thinking and to shut down your brain once you become a Christian.
But, He does require that you make a faith-based decision. That decision is simply this: You must decide to repent and have faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and then follow the Light He provides. It’s what I spoke of last Sunday as being “born again.” Former President, Jimmy Carter, turned 100 years old last week. He explained it this way: “The first time we’re born, as children, human life is given to us; and when we accept Jesus as our Savior, it’s a new life. That’s what ‘born again’ means.”[4] From a spiritual standpoint, it means exactly that. It’s like “starting your life over” with a “clean slate” to write upon a new story. Only this time, Jesus’ hand will be guiding your pen as you write that story. Paul says: “Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in NEWNESS OF LIFE.” Romans 6:4 (ESV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2nd Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
But, those who fail to make a decision for Christ that leads to such a new life take a completely different course. They reject Him and continue living in darkness. Some of those who decide not to follow Jesus are quite often vocal in denying Him. They reject the words of John’s Gospel that inform us: “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:3 (NIV) They either refuse to believe in a God who created the universe; or, they simply ignore coming to any position on the matter whatsoever. Others reject Jesus by opting for some other religion or they dabble in some vague sense of New Age spirituality.
And, then there are many who are just plain old “fence-sitters.” They say they believe in God, but never make any commitment to Him. Some of them sit in church pews every Sunday. But, all these fence-sitters need to know something. They need to understand that Jesus has nothing but disdain for fence-sitters. During the time of the early church, the congregation in Laodicea was filled with fence-sitters who considered themselves to be Christians. The problem was they showed no evidence through the way they were living that provided any indication they were truly followers of Jesus Christ. Speaking of such so-called “Christian” fence-sitters, Jesus said: 15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV) Some Bible translations put it more graphically and translate the Greek literally by quoting Jesus’ exact words, which were this: “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth!” Revelation 3:16 (NET1)[5]
So, what is this sickening condition that Jesus refers to here as being “lukewarm”? Last week, in his podcast, pastor and Christian writer, John Piper, addressed this question. Piper explained that born-again Christians can never be lukewarm. He said:
“The transformed mind … really wants to do the will of God. It’s all in, 100%. . . It’s not a half-hearted doing of the will of God. If God’s will for you is to contribute, do it generously. If God’s will for you is to lead, lead zealously. If God’s will for you is to do mercy, show mercy, do it cheerfully, not begrudgingly. . . We [cannot] be lethargic or slothful or lazy or half-hearted or sluggish or LUKEWARM. If you were born passive, as a couch-potato-type person, you don’t get a pass. This is not a comment on your personality. This is a command for all Christians. . .” Piper continued by urging us to turn to the LORD and say: ‘O God, don’t let me waste my life with LUKEWARM, half-hearted efforts to do anything. . . The booster rocket that sends zeal for good works. . . into orbit [is this]: Christ. . . gave Himself on the Cross to create a people with zeal—zeal for good works, zeal for the glory of the Lord.”[6]
Again, the words of Jesus ring out: “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return.” Luke 12:48b (NLT2) Being merely “lukewarm” isn’t going to cut it in meeting this requirement of Jesus!
I mentioned earlier that we need to also read the last portion of Luke 12:48. So, let’s do that right now. Verse 48 concludes by saying: “When someone has been ENTRUSTED with much, EVEN MORE will be required.” Luke 12:48b (NLT2) Who is Jesus speaking to here? Well, His earlier declaration that “when someone has been GIVEN much, much will be required” is directed to unbelievers who have the Gospel available to them, but have failed to pursue or accept it. But, now Jesus is addressing a different group of people. Here, he is addressing those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior. They have been born-again. And, in accepting Jesus, they have taken up their crosses and have followed Him.[7] But, sometimes those crosses we bear can become extremely heavy. And so, Jesus reminds us of something to encourage us and give us strength. Jesus is telling us that we have been ENTRUSTED with the His GOOD NEWS! It is the amazingly wonderful news that, no matter what may happen, we will have VICTORY IN CHRIST. We have victory over sickness, pain, suffering and even death! We have the promise of God’s love, mercy and grace that affords us eternal life. In this life, despite whatever challenges we may face, we can cling to Jesus as our sure hope and join with Paul in saying: “I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.” Philippians 4:13 (TLB) That is the promise Jesus has given us. He has ENTRUSTED THAT GOOD NEWS WITH US.
So, if Jesus has entrusted us with that “much,” what is the “EVEN MORE” that He requires of us as His followers? Well, it gets back to avoiding, at all costs, that lazy condition of being “lukewarm.” Christian writer, Kyle Blevins, explains it this way: “[The] heart of the Gospel is evident through the FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. To be ‘LUKEWARM’ can manifest [itself] as performing deeds without enthusiasm, or altogether losing sight of our need for God.”[8] In other words, too many Christians fall prey to the tendency to become spiritual couch-potatoes (to use John Piper’s analogy). Christians become lukewarm when they fail to eagerly pursue God and His Word. And, because of this, they fail to allow Him to develop the Fruit of the Spirit within their lives. This “fruit” is something truly wonderful. The Apostle Paul describes it this way: 22 “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of FRUIT in us: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:21-23 (TLB) You see, when you have that kind of “fruit” growing and maturing collectively within your heart, you can’t help but be on fire for Christ. And, when you are on fire for Him, you feel like bursting until you share His GOOD NEWS that He has ENTRUSTED to you with everyone you meet.
Jesus told His disciples, as He tells us today: “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for Me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (TEV) When you take that command seriously, you will no longer be timid when it comes to sharing the message of Jesus Christ with others. You will do it with confidence and courage. That will make all the difference in your sharing of the Gospel Message with others.
I am reminded of a story about the famous British actor, William Macready, who was a contemporary of Charles Dickens. After one of his performances on the stage, a prominent preacher approached him and said: “I wish you would explain to me something.” Macready responded, “I don’t know that I can explain anything to a preacher—but what is it?” The preacher then asked him: “What is the reason for the difference between you and me? You are appearing before huge crowds, night after night with fiction, and these crowds come wherever you go. I am preaching the essential and unchangeable truth, and I am not getting any crowds at all.” Macready’s answer got right to the heart of the matter when he told the preacher: “This is quite simple. I can tell you the difference between us. I present my fiction as though it were truth; YOU PRESENT YOUR TRUTH AS THOUGH IT WERE FICTION.”[9]
Do you know what this actor, William Macready, was describing? He was giving the perfect picture of what it looks like to give a “lukewarm witness.” It will never convince anyone if you present the Word of God in a half-hearted manner as if you are not sure if it’s fiction or not. You are either all in for Christ and the truthfulness of His word, or nothing at all. Now, that does not mean you have to be obnoxious in your presentation of the Gospel. You don’t want to come across as a condemning, judgmental jerk. The Holy Spirit will guard you against witnessing in a way that turns people off. He will show you how to do it with gentleness and respect[10] while remaining firm in sound doctrine and bold in your proclamation.
In this regard, Jesus used an analogy to salt to describe our manner of witnessing in a winsome way to others. In Matthew’s Gospel, He tells us: “You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.” Matthew 5:13 (TEV) You see, in ancient Palestine, salt had two primary uses. It served as a means of preserving food—especially fish and meat. As followers of Christ, we can be salt to all those around us by preserving and spreading His teachings, His love and the hope He gives to a world that is rotting at its very core. Secondly, salt was (and remains today) as something to add flavor to our lives. In the same way, we, as Christians, need to enhance the flavor of life in this world. If we allow the Holy Spirit to grow His fruit within us, then we can make a positive difference in the world. As one commentator put it: “Where there is strife, we are to be peacemakers; where there is sorrow, we are to be the ministers of Christ, binding up wounds, and where there is hatred, we are to exemplify the love of God in Christ—returning good for evil. . . It is when we depart from the Spirit-led lifestyle of genuine discipleship that the distinctions between ourselves and the rest of the world become blurred and our testimony is hindered. Only by remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him can we expect to remain salt and light in the world.” [11]
You have been given “much” in the form of God’s Word. So, when Jesus says “to whom much is given, much is required”—where do you stand? Will you read God’s Word? Will you study it? Will you meditate upon it? Will you take it to heart? And, most importantly, will you live your life according to its dictates? And, as members of God’s church, Jesus has entrusted you with the task of spreading the Good News to those who have yet to hear it. Will you do that? Or, will you shirk the task and be a lukewarm, “spiritual-couch potato” that will eventually be spit from the mouth of Jesus? I hope not. For the basic principle of God’s Kingdom is that the more opportunity God gives you, the more He requires of you as well.[12] You have been given much. You have been entrusted with much. Now is the time to come to Christ in faith and do much in the service of the Lord and His Kingdom. Remaining lukewarm is simply not an option.
Let us pray.
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
October 6, 2024
©2024 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] “Famous Scientists That Believe In God,” Beliefnet.com, ttps://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/galleries/famous-scientists-that-believe-in-god.aspx [accessed October 2, 2024].
[2] Deborah Haarsma, “I am an astrophysicist. I am also a Christian,” Bigthink.com, https://bigthink.com/the-well/astrophysics-christian/ (July 8, 2022).
[3] AZ Quotes, “Galileo,” https://www.azquotes.com/author/5284Galileo_Galilei#: ~:text=I%20do%20not%20feel%20obliged%20to%20believe%20that [accessed October 2, 2024].
[4] Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 49.
[5] NET Bible, First ed. (Richardson, TX: Biblical Studies Press, 1996), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Chapter 3," states: “This is the literal meaning of the Greek verb ἐμέω (emeō). It is usually translated with a much weaker term like ‘spit out’ due to the unpleasant connotations of the English verb ‘vomit’. . . The situation confronting the Laodicean church [was] a dire one, however, and such a term is necessary if the modern reader is to understand the gravity of the situation.”
[6] Michael Gryboski, “John Piper shares how he battles ‘spiritual laziness,’” Christianpost.com
https://www.christianpost.com/news/john-piper-shares-how-he-battles-spiritual-laziness.html (October 2, 2024).
[7] Matthew 16:24-25 24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.’” (NLT2)
[8] Kyle Blevins, “What Does it Mean to Be a Lukewarm Christian?” Crosswalk, https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-lukewarm-christian.html (April 18, 2019).
[9] G. Campbell Morgan, Preaching, p. 36, cited in Studylight.org, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb.html [accessed October 2, 2024].
[10] 1st Peter 3:15 “Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.” (TLB)
[11] “What does it mean that believers are to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16)?” Gotquestions.org, https://www.gotquestions.org/salt-and-light.html#:~:text=Jesus%20used%20the%20concepts%20of%20salt%20and [accessed October 3, 2024].
[12] Trent Butler, Luke, ed. Max Anders, Holman New Testament Commentary. (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2000), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “Luke 12 - Dedicated and Dependent.”
