7 Sermon Illustrations on Lukewarm

Aesop's fables contain many helpful moral lessons for us. One of them is about a man and a satyr who, having struck up an acquaintance, sat down together to eat. The day being wintry and cold, the man put his fingers to his mouth and blew upon them. "What's that for, my friend?" asked the satyr. "My hands are so cold," said the man, "I do it to warm them." In a little while some hot food was placed before them, and the man, raising the dish to his mouth, again blew upon it. "And what's the meaning of that, now?" asked the satyr. "Oh," replied the man, "my porridge is so hot, I do it to cool it." "Then," said the satyr, "from this moment I renounce your friendship, for I will have nothing to do with one who blows hot and cold with the same mouth."

A gentleman, who for many years has been insulted in the cares of trade, and in a measure yielded to its temptations, remarked, "I have tried for twenty years to be a half-way Christian, and find it is impossible: we must be at one or the other extreme. And as for myself, I am determined hereafter to do my whole duty, and be a complete Christian." Christian Treasury.

Gait of. In respect to religion, hardly any thing can be more culpable than this spirit. If there be a God, possessed of unspeakable rectitude in his own nature, and unbounded goodness towards his creatures, what can be more inconsistent and unbecoming than to be frigid and indifferent in our devotions to him? Atheism, in some respects, cannot be worse than lukewarmness. The atheist disbelieves the existence of God, and therefore cannot worship him at all; the lukewarm owns the existence, sovereignty, and goodness of the Supreme Being, but denies him that fervor of affection, that devotedness of heart, and activity of service, which the excellency of his nature demands, and the authority of his word requires. Such a character is therefore represented as absolutely loathsome to God, and obnoxious to his wrath (Rev. iii. 15, 16). C. Buck.

Testimonies of. A Christian never falls asleep in the fire or in the water, but grows drowsy in the sunshine. — Berridge. — A Christian need not row himself down the stream: if he but rest upon his oars, the ebbing tide and rapid current will be enough. — Howe. — God is a living God, and loves not dull and drowsy saints: we must not only serve him in this life, but we must have life in the service. — Calamy. — The cold water of persecution is often thrown into the Church's face to fetch her back again when she is in a swoon.

— Arrowsmith