3:16: A Call To Passionate Faith

 

Series Summary

In this series, called 3:16, we will be exploring several significant passages in the Bible that are located at the 3:16 chapter and verse marker in their respective books. These passages cover a wide range of variety, from a variety of authors, covering a variety of topics, through a variety of time periods of Israel’s and the church’s history. The only common denominator in this series is where each of those passages is located in the Bible, at a 3:16 mile marker. You likely already know that all Scripture is inspired by God. That fact is stated in 2 Timothy 3:16, which is one of the 3:16’s we’ll look at in this series. But while all Scripture is inspired, the chapter and verse designators are not. Those came later – the Old Testament around the 13th century, and the New Testament a little later. They were added to help make it easier to find a particular passage, especially when someone was trying to manipulate a bulky, awkward scroll instead of a book. But, even though the verse numbers aren’t inspired, it’s curious that so many weighty passages are found at the 3:16 mile marker. Maybe God knew that we needed some things to be easy to remember. In this series, we will be looking at several different passages that are found at 3:16, in different books of the Bible. In some cases, we may only look at the verse, or maybe two or three. For others, we may need a good portion of the chapter in order to understand it completely. But all of them are found at the 3:16 point. Among the 3:16's we'll examine are John, Genesis,  Proverbs, Colossians, Daniel, Ephesians, 1 Peter, 2 Timothy, and more. It'll be unique. It’ll be enlightening. And we hope you’ll join us as we examine the 3:16’s of the Bible!

Sermon Summary

In our final installment of this series, we turn our attention to Revelation 3, and the letter from Jesus to the church at Laodicea. This is not a particularly encouraging letter, because the church there had become lukewarm. And in it, Jesus asks that he be allowed back into the church and into his rightful place as their Lord. He offers them some suggestions on how to rekindle a passionate faith. He knows where they live, and how. Laodicea was a city known for its wealth, its wool, and its eye medications. Jesus points out that they are spiritually poor, spiritually naked, and spiritually blind without him. He offers an opportunity for restoration if they will only be zealous and repent. As we consider Jesus' words in our own context and culture, we can see some parallels. And we, too, can respond with zeal and repentance, rekindling a passionate faith.