Setting Sail on a Quest(ion) about Heaven and Hell – “Stuck in the Middle” (Part VII)

Sermon Title: Setting Sail on a Quest(ion) – “Stuck in the Middle”

Good News Statement: Jesus invites us to think about tomorrow

Preached: Sunday, July 13^th, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSVUE): Revelation 3:14-22 Heaven and Hell: two words that have captured the curiosity, imagination, and wonder of millions of people across several centuries. One of those words brings forth comfort and peace, an image of green pastures and still waters, and hope and eternal salvation. The other word subjugates fear, darkness, and a feeling of being at the lowest point. Today, we are given a choice. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.

 

The Message to Laodicea

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin^[a] of God’s creation:

¹⁵ “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ Therefore I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white robes to clothe yourself and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹ I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. ²⁰ Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you with me. ²¹ To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

 

The following Sermon Series will be drawn from the words of Biblical Scholar, Alan W. Gomes, who explores 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell in his book 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell.

Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018.

 

 

Introduction:

In the ethereal[1] expanse of the cosmos, there exists a realm beyond mortal comprehension: it’s known as heaven. It is not a place dictated by religious dogma or mythical tales but rather a destination for all souls after their mortal journey concludes. In this celestial sanctuary, souls find themselves liberated from the constraints of physical existence: those who were tired, weak, and carrying heavy burdens have found rest (Matthew 11:28). They are met with an abundance of peace, harmony, and boundless opportunities for growth and fulfillment. Yet, amidst this infinite splendor, a conflict simmers—one not of divine decree, but of existential choice. Among the myriad of souls that populate Heaven, there exists a divergence in belief regarding its nature. Some perceive Heaven as a utopia, a paradise where individual desires reign supreme, and personal satisfaction is paramount. Others hold a different perspective. They believe that Heaven’s true essence lies in collective goodwill, in the shared bonds of love, empathy, and compassion. Is that really what Heaven is like?

For some, the opposite of this heavenly celestial sanctuary is Hell: the abode of the “unredeemed dead.”[2] In its archaic sense, the term Hell refers to the underworld, a deep pit or distant land of shadows where the dead are gathered. From the underworld its most terrible precincts sinners pay—some say eternally—the penalty for their crimes. The underworld is often imagined as a place of punishment rather than merely of darkness and decomposition because of the widespread belief that a moral universe requires judgment and retribution—crime must pay. More broadly, Hell figures in religious cosmologies as the opposite of heaven, “the nadir[3] of the cosmos,”[4] and the land where God is not. Hell itself is the preeminent symbol of evil, alienation, and despair. Is that really what Hell is like?

Heaven and Hell: two words that have captured the curiosity, imagination, and wonder of millions of people across several centuries. One of those words brings forth comfort and peace, an image of green pastures and still waters, hope and renewal, grace and eternal salvation, empathy and compassion. The other word subjugates fear, worry, devastation, darkness, despair, and a feeling of being at the lowest point—walking in the shadows of the valley of death. These two words have caught the attention of both religious and non-religious persons throughout the ages: asking what is heaven like and what is hell like? Even those who have chosen to believe in the words of Jesus Christ wonder about heaven and hell: asking what do I need to do to be in heaven and what do I need to do to avoid hell?

For the next few weeks, with the help of Alan W. Gomes, a professor of theology at Talbot School of Theology, we will be taking time to examine both Heaven and Hell from a biblical perspective. In his book, 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell, Gomes asks questions such as: “What should we conclude about those who claim to have seen heaven or hell?, What will the resurrected body be like?, What is hell like?, What is heaven like?, and How can a God of love send people to an eternal hell?” Most of us are familiar with the concepts of Heaven and Hell, but yet we still have questions. The time has come to examine a few of those questions as we explore the celestial sanctuary and dive into the abode of the unredeemed.

 

Body:

In 2001, Chips Ahoy![5] an American chocolate chip cookie brand, baked and marketed by Nabisco which debuted in 1963, introduced to the world a cookie sandwich known has “Cremewiches.” Cremewiches was a cookie sandwich that was composed of two chocolate chip cookies with crème in the middle. (Sort of like an Oreo, but larger in size and with chocolate chips.) Before Cremewiches was discontinued in 2009, it famously offered the world a popular commercial that certainly got stuck in your head.

This iconic commercial, which took place on a public bus, featured three main “characters.” The crème filling was sitting in a seat, then at one of the stops two chocolate chip cookies get on the bus and sat on either side of the crème filling, creating a “sandwich.” Then comes the catchy jingle: “I’m squeezed in the middle, smack dab in the middle.” By the end of the commercial, everyone on the bus is singing and dancing as Chips Ahoy! introduced the world to their very first ever “Cremewiches.”

Have any of you ever had these cookies before? I can remember not only seeing a package of these cookies in the pantry while growing up, but I distinctly remember opening my lunchbox and seeing a few tucked under my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It was a good day when Cremewhiches were the main dessert! And then it became an even better day when Chips Ahoy! released their peanut butter version: peanut butter smack dab in the middle of two chocolate chip cookies! Is there anything better?!

I was thinking about these cookies this week as I was preparing our sermon topic for today. Sometimes, we get stuck in the middle. We find ourselves “smack dab in the middle” of a situation, argument, circumstance, which we don’t know how to get out of or which side to choose. Unfortunately, as much as we try to avoid situations like that, we continually find ourselves in them because life changes, things happen, new opportunities arise, disagreements take place, setbacks fall into our lap, or the unexpected happens. And sometimes, we find ourselves “smack dab in the middle” because we don’t want to make a decision, especially if that decision involves disappointing someone while making someone else happy. Have you ever been stuck in the middle?

Now, in our Christian literature many, specifically Catholics, call the “middle”—the state after death and before going to heaven—“purgatory.” As non-Catholics, we don’t necessarily believe in purgatory as a place for the dead waiting to be received into heaven. However, “purgatory” has sparked some interest and does provide us with the opportunity to consider what kind or what type of disciple and church we are. Needless to say, the question we look at today related to heaven and hell is “Is there such a place as purgatory?” A place “smack dab in the middle” between death and heaven? If so, what can it teach us today?

 

Movement One: What is “Purgatory?” A Catholic Perspective…

The Bible presents a multifaceted view of what happens after death, emphasizing both the immediate state of believers and a future resurrection. For believers, death is described as a transition to be “with the Lord,” while non-believers face judgment. The Bible also speaks of a future resurrection where the dead will be raised, both the righteous and the unrighteous, for final judgment.

The Bible suggests that for believers, death is a transition to be “with the Lord”. Second Corinthians 5:8 states, “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord”. Philippians 1:23 also expresses a desire to depart and be with Christ. It seems for the believer there is a moment after death in which they leave the body and are welcomed home to be with the Lord in a new resurrected body. At Christ’s return, believers will be resurrected with imperishable bodies and will be with the Lord forever. First Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes this event, stating, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” Now for those who have not accepted Jesus Christ, death is a separation from God, and the Bible speaks of a future judgment. Following the resurrection, there will be a final judgment where the righteous will inherit eternal life and the unrighteous will face eternal punishment.

From scripture we read phrases such as “sleep of death,” “absent from the body, present with the Lord,” “eternal life,” and “eternal punishment.” The Bible uses the imagery of sleep to describe the state of the dead, suggesting a temporary unconsciousness before resurrection. The phrase “absent from the body” found in 2 Corinthians 5:8 emphasizes the immediate presence with Christ for believers upon death. For those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Bible promises eternal life in God’s presence (John 3:16). Lastly the Bible also describes a state of eternal punishment for those who reject God’s offer of salvation. Based upon these few biblical phrases, it is clear that something happens from when we take our last breath to when we, hopefully, end up in heaven. And Catholics call this intermediate state “purgatory.” But what is purgatory? And what does it teach us, who aren’t Catholic?

The doctrine of purgatory is most commonly associated with Roman Catholic theology, though there are a very small number of Protestants who affirm the concept as well. The Catechism of the Catholic Church—a reference work that summarizes the Catholic Church’s doctrine—defines purgatory as follows: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. Purgatory is [the] final purification of the elect…”[6]

As the name implies, purgatory is a place or state of purification, taking place during the intermediate state, in which a Christian who is not yet ready for entrance into heaven is purged of their sins. According to Alan Gomes, “This purgation occurs through intense suffering, which Catholic theologians call a ‘cleansing fire’… whereby the fire attaches uniquely to the soul freed from the body.”[7] In addition, purgatory is also a place where one works off the remaining debt owed for sin and makes compensation for it. The amount of time that one must spend in purgatory will depend upon how much purification the person needs to experience to become morally fit for heaven. Some will die with no outstanding debt and no need for additional purification. Others, however, will spend varying amounts of time there because they didn’t take the time while on this earth to properly seek repentance for their sins.[8]

Now what I find interesting regarding purgatory is what Alan Gomes highlights in his book. He shares, “The Catholic Church has authoritatively defined that the souls detained [in purgatory] can be helped by the prayers and other good works of the faithful on earth.”[9] Simply put, the Catholic Church may remit, at its discretion, all or part of the time that the sinner would otherwise spend in purgatory by using what is called “treasury of merit.” Those living on earth as well as the Church can pray and offer merits to remove the debts—the sins—of someone in purgatory. Keep in mind, both God and Christ have the final say, but people on earth are given the authority to pray for the removal of sins from those who have passed away. Essentially, purgatory is the place, the state, upon which one is given a final chance to seek forgiveness of their sins, to be made clean, while receiving help from those on earth. Furthermore, purgatory is believed to be a place where the souls of the faithful dead endure a period of purification and cleansing, aided by the prayers of the living, prior to the resurrection, final judgment, and new creation. Until they are truly forgiven of their sins, they rest in the middle between heaven and hell.

As Protestants, we don’t necessarily believe in purgatory. Rather, we understand that there is some sort of intermediate state upon which the dead are “asleep” until the final judgment at which time they are either resurrected to life or punishment at Christ’s final judgment. Instead of trying to understand the belief behind purgatory, as Protestants we are called simply to trust God that we are in Christ’s care and keeping.  It is that faith that calls us to trust that God holds answers that humanity cannot yet understand. We find in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Thomas G. Long, professor at Candler School of Theology, in his book What Happens When We Die?, explains, “There are two images in the New Testament about what happens. First, the Resurrection Day, when the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised up incorruptible. If you only had that image, what we would imagine is that when people die, they lie in some intermediate state awaiting the great Resurrection Day.”

“The other image, however, is that death contains no victory over us at all. As soon as we die, we are with God. We get this in the Book of Revelation where John looks up and already the saints who have died are praising God around the throne. In terms of linear time, we can’t work this out. We’ve got these two competing images: You either wait until the general resurrection or you go immediately to be with God.”

While the Protestant tradition teaches us certain aspects of the afterlife (as Thomas Long has highlighted, there is still much that remains held in the mystery of God that requires simple faith.[10]) Although we don’t’ believe in the doctrine of purgatory, what it teaches can still be valuable to us today. The doctrine of purgatory teaches us: First, that we must do what we can to seek forgiveness today and be made clean before it is too late; and Second, we must, as Christians and as a church, learn to not always find ourselves in the middle but doing what Christ needs us to do as often as we can.

 

Movement Two: Being Made Clean…

First, we are called to be made clean. The Bible emphasizes both physical and spiritual cleanliness. While the phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness” isn’t explicitly found in the Bible, the scriptures do highlight the importance of both physical hygiene and inner purity, as both have the potential to getting us closer to God. On the one hand, the Old Testament includes numerous laws and rituals related to physical cleanliness, such as washing clothes, bathing, and handling dead bodies. These practices were not just about hygiene but also about maintaining a state of ritual purity for temple worship. On the other hand, while the New Testament places more emphasis on inner purity, it still acknowledges the importance of physical cleanliness. For example, Jesus’s washing of the disciples’ feet in John 13:10 can be interpreted as a symbolic act of both physical cleansing and spiritual purification. Therefore, we are to present ourselves as beings seeking physical cleanliness in our life when possible.

Additionally, the Bible emphasizes that true cleanliness comes from within. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for focusing on outward cleanliness while neglecting the inner state of their hearts in Matthew 23:25-26. In 1 John 1:9, the Bible teaches that through faith in Jesus Christ and confession of sins, believers can be cleansed from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Then within the words of Paul to the people of Corinth we are reminded that the goal of the Christian life is to be holy and blameless, which includes both physical and spiritual purity (2 Corinthians 7:1). Drawing from the Old Testament, the Prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil…” (Isaiah 1:15-16).

In essence, the Bible presents cleanliness as a multi-faceted concept that encompasses both physical hygiene and inner transformation through faith and obedience to God’s word. We are called to be made clean: to be purified before the Lord, seeking repentance from our sins. Isaiah shares that when we allow ourselves to be made clean, we not only allow ourselves to “learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17), but we “shall eat the good of the land.” Isaiah notes, “…though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:18-19). Essentially, you shall live a life worthy of heaven: living as if heaven is in your heart.

[11]As the Psalmist notes, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). Our repentance (or “penance”) is simply asking God to search our heart and to make us new, to remove our wrongdoings and sins.

Purgatory is our reminder to consider what is needed to be purified, to be made clean, to remove the evil doings from before our eyes, and to cease to do evil, to allow God to search our heart. Although we don’t believe in the doctrine of purgatory, what purgatory offers is something that we should strive to do each and every day of our life; and that is to seek repentance from the sins that we have committed. We shouldn’t wait until we die to ask for forgiveness: we should be willing to do that while we are still living. It’s no wonder why Elisha A. Hoffman wrote the following words in his hymn: “Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?”[12] These are questions that we should be asking ourselves as we strive each and every day to live like Christ. What is it today that you need to seek forgiveness for? Why do you feel the need to be washed by the blood of the Lamb? What is on your heart that you need to give to God? How will you let God purify you so that you can be lead “in the way everlasting”?

Don’t be like the criminal on the cross who waited until the last minute to seek forgiveness (Luke 23:39-43) or the centurion soldier at the foot of the cross who realized, after Jesus breathed his last breath, that Jesus “was the Son of God” (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), or like Judas, filled with remorse, who went back to the chief priests to return the thirty pieces of silver only after his betrayal of Jesus had already taken place (Matthew 27:3-11); instead, start seeking forgiveness today. Don’t yet until tomorrow; and don’t put the burden on others to ask for the forgiveness of your sins.

 

Movement Three: The Church of Laodicea is stuck in the middle…

The second lesson we can take away from the doctrine of purgatory is the idea of being “stuck in the middle.” As noted earlier, purgatory is believed to be a place where the souls of the faithful dead endure a period of purification and cleansing before the final judgment. It is sort of like an intermediate state that places one between heaven and hell. (However, per Catholic belief, those in purgatory are more than likely the ones going to heaven. Those who do not end up in purgatory are immediately sent to hell.) This is where our text for today comes into play.

When writing letters to the Seven Churches, located in the Roman province of Asia[13] in the Book of Revelation, Christ diagnosis one church in particular which seems to be in the middle. Or as noted in our text, it seems to be “lukewarm.” When Christ addresses the Church of Laodicea, he says, “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. For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, [pitiful], poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15-17).

First of all, notice how Jesus describes this church. He says, because of their material richness, which was gained from producing wool and selling eye medicine, the church has become prosperous and needs nothing, as in they don’t need Christ because they have their physical wealth: they have everything figured out. Then Jesus bluntly tells the church that they are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. Needless to say, they have nothing figured out.

In verse 17, Jesus speaks to their self-assessment. This is where they put themselves in danger. They evaluate themselves in terms of believing, “That we are fine.” The Church of Laodicea is not fine. As a matter of fact it is lost, self-centered, has put Christ below financial wealth, and is beyond “tasteful” to Christ which is why he states, “I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” The Church of Laodicea is not the church Christ needs them to be: they are lukewarm, stuck in the middle not wanting to fully commit to Christ.[14]

What does it mean to be “lukewarm”?[15] The water in Laodicea likely would have been tepid, foul-smelling, cloudy, and repulsive, neither hot nor cold. Jesus uses the water of Laodicea to describe its people: neither good nor refreshing. The Church of Laodicea was on the fence: they didn’t know what to do—continue in their wicked ways or follow Christ? They needed to make a decision, but Christ was getting impatient. Christ needed the Church of Laodicea to make a decision: a decision that could change their life.

To help the Church of Laodicea make their decision, Christ begins to counsel them by giving them advice. What is this advice? Revelation 3:18 asserts, “Therefore I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white robes to clothe yourself and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.” First, Jesus advises them to buy from him gold “refined by fire.” This is like the treasure hidden in the field, worth selling everything to obtain. This is the genuine spiritual wealth of salvation in Christ, the wealth of heavenly joy, the Kingdom of Heaven, the ability to seek forgiveness. Second, Jesus counseled them to bring their nothingness, their nakedness, to Him. In return, He promised to clothe them with “…white robes to clothe yourself and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen….” Jesus is inviting the people to be made clean, to be purified, in such a way that they can get out of living a life in the middle and begin living a life in and with him. Third, Jesus counseled them to buy “…salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.” He is speaking of the gift of the eyesight of the soul, spiritual sight, which is genuine faith—the ability to see the spiritual world as it really is, things in the spiritual realm that they had never seen before.

Christ wants the Church of Laodicea to make the decision to invest in him. He doesn’t want the Church and the people to remain “lukewarm” but to make the decision to completely follow him. Consider the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. In Luke 24:32, Jesus opened the Scriptures up to their hearts and minds. After He left, “They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” Jesus says of John the Baptist in John 5:35, “He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.”[16] To be on fire for the Lord or to experience the Lord’s passion and love, is to be doing his works, his deeds, living out his teachings, mission, and lessons on earth. It’s not to be stuck in the middle wondering if what Jesus is calling us to do is what we want to do.

I’m sure at some point in your life you have felt “stuck in the middle.” You have been caught in a situation where you didn’t know what to say, how to feel, how to respond, what to think, or even what to believe. Maybe you found yourself in a situation where you felt as if staying in the middle was the best decision because your response could potentially lift up the feelings of one person while at the same time down playing the feelings of another. Maybe you found yourself in the middle of a life-change: a new opportunity has been presented but at the same time you aren’t ready to give up what you have been doing because it has become a part of who you are. Maybe you remain in the middle because you can see the pros and cons of the situation and can’t fully commit to either side of the fence. I bet if you take a few minutes right now to think about all those times you remained in the middle, you would also ask yourself “Why did I make that decision or why did I do that?” or you could also think about all those times that the decision you may made may not have been what you wanted to make but it was what needed to be made.

Finding ourselves in the middle is part of life. However, as followers of Christ, we are encouraged to not stay in the middle but to choose a side: follow Christ or not, believe in Christ or not, pursue what Christ needs us to do or not, accept the challenge before us as a church and trust in God or not, seek forgiveness today or not, say “yes” to Christ or say “no” to Christ, or commit to Christ or not. Christ does not want us to live a life where we are “lukewarm”, smack dab in the middle. Rather he wants us to live a life that is on fire for him.

As I have preached several times before, it is not easy to be on the side of Christ. Christ will make you work; he will make you do things you don’t want to do but need to do; he will challenge you; he will upset you; he will frustrate you; he will stress you out; he will get you out of your comfort zone; he will search your heart constantly; he will put ideas in your head that seem absurd and crazy but that can change your life; and as a church, he will make us consider and do things today that help us be a better church tomorrow. Christ doesn’t want us to be in the middle. He wants us to be willing to serve him and his people and his church today. But are you willing to get out of the middle? Are you willing to no longer be “lukewarm”? Are you willing to get off the fence?

The doctrine of purgatory reminds us that at some point in our walk with Christ, we will find ourselves in the middle of something: not fully committed but thinking about it. However, it also encourages us to live a life today in which we don’t remain in the middle but choose to follow Christ: doing what he would do. Wouldn’t it be nice if when we die, we didn’t die wondering if we were going to heaven or hell, stuck in limbo, but knew that because of how we lived our life on earth that receiving the reward of heaven was not just an idea but a promise and fulfillment? Church, friends, we are not “stuck in the middle” kind of people. We are people who want to live like Christ and do what Christ would do today.

If you are struggling today with something that has caused you to find yourself in the middle, don’t lose hope, don’t give up, and don’t choose a side that you are going to regret later— like the Rich Man in the Gospel of Luke (16) who ended up in hell but could see the glory of heaven. Let God help you make this decision. Lean on others for support and guidance. Life is too short to constantly being stuck in the middle. Maybe today you begin to really listen to what God is calling you to do, what God is laying on your heart, and instead of saying “No way. I’m fine.” You say, “Let’s do this. How can I make this happen?”

Purgatory is about what is to come. I’m inviting you today to not wait for what is to come, but to do what you can today so that when God calls you home he looks at you and says “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

 

Conclusion:

To bring this message to a close, although we, us Protestants, don’t believe or partake in the doctrine of purgatory, it is still something that can help us live a more faithful life in Christ. The doctrine of purgatory teaches us two things: First, it teaches us that we need to take the responsibility every day of our life to seek forgiveness of our sins, to allow God to search our heart, to pray to have our wrongdoings removed from our ways, so that we can be made clean and washed in the Blood of the Lamb. The act of repentance starts today, not when we take our last breath.

Second, it teaches us that God doesn’t want us as followers or as a church to be “lukewarm”, to be stuck in the middle. God wants us to be on the side of Christ: doing his works, fulfilling his teachings, continuing his mission, being his hands and feet on this earth, answering his call, pursuing the dreams, ideas, and ministries of those within his church, and doing what we can every day to allow him to help us become unstuck from living in the middle. We are going to find ourselves in the middle from time to time—it’s inevitable—but we must do what we can to not stay there. Just think about what the ministry of Jesus would be like if his disciples stayed in the middle instead of committing their life to him. Purgatory reminds us that we must live a life today that chooses Christ.

Even though those delicious Chips Ahoy! Cremewiches are no longer being made and sold, and even though back in the day I simply saw them as a delicious dessert, today those cookies remind me that life is too short to constantly be “smack dab in the middle.” That’s not who Christ has called me to be. And that’s not what Christ has called you to be or what this church to be. Don’t live your life seeking “purgatory” thinking that there is still time after you die to make amends with Christ for your sins. Rather live your life choosing Christ today: seeking forgiveness and doing what he is calling you to do. Just imagine what your life could look like if you trusted him more each day! 

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us Pray… Dear God, we seek forgiveness of our wrongdoings today so that we are better prepared for the life yet to come. And as we seek forgiveness, may we be gifted the will to not remain in the middle, but to choose a life that follows you. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

This week make a promise to yourself that you will seek forgiveness and to offer forgiveness to someone in your life. Also, if you find yourself stuck in the middle of a situation or life change, invite Christ to help you make the right decision. He is there to guide you to new life, new opportunities, new beginnings, and new ways to share his message, so trust him and follow him. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth living a heavenly life today for tomorrow. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[1] Ethereal: extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.

[2] Carol Zaleski, “Hell,” Britannica Online, updated 16 May 2025 and accessed 28 May 2025: https://www.britannica.com/topic/hell/Greece-and-Rome

[3] Nadir: the lowest point in the fortunes of a person or organization

[4] Carol Zaleski, “Hell,” Britannica Online, updated 16 May 2025 and accessed 28 May 2025: https://www.britannica.com/topic/hell/Greece-and-Rome

[5] The name is a reference to the nautical term, “Ships Ahoy!” Chapter 15 of The Uncommercial Traveller, by Charles Dickens: Dickens relays a childhood tale of a shipwright, named Chips, who is taunted by a diabolical talking rat who predicts the sinking of Chips’s ship: “Chips ahoy! Old boy! We’ve pretty well eat them too, and we’ll drown the crew, and will eat them too!” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chips_Ahoy!)

[6] Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997), par. 1030-1031. Referenced in Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018, pg. 119.

[7] Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018, pg. 120.

[8] The Catholics use 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, Matthew 12:32, and Matthew 25:26 to justify their argument for the existence of purgatory.

[9] Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018, pg. 122.

[10] https://www.umc.org/en/content/ask-the-umc-what-happens-after-a-person-dies

[11] When it comes to seeking a worthy life in heaven, the Catholics partake in what is called “the sacrament of penance” meaning the act of showing sorrow or regret for wrongdoing. Through this sacrament, one can receive forgiveness for the guilt and punishment of (mortal) sin. The sacrament requires contrition (the act of showing sorrow for your sins) and confession (the verbal expression of your sin to a priest), followed by priestly absolution (the act of forgiving someone, a freeing from blame, guilt, or the consequences of wrongdoing). The sacrament of penance removes one’s liability to eternal punishment.^[11] Essentially, the sacrament of penance is the act of being purified, the removing of your wrongdoings—your sins, while living on this earth. We don’t practice the sacrament of penance, but we do seek to partake in the practice of repentance.

[12] Elisha A. Hoffman, “Are You Washed in the Blood?”, The New Church Hymnal, #468.

[13] Revelation 2-3: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos (or Pergamum), Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

[14] The Church is on the verge of becoming cold, turning away from Christ: wretched—miserable and broken; pitiful—pathetic and sad; poor—absent of Christ’s rich love and life; blind—only seeing what they want to see instead of seeing what Christ needs them to see; and naked—vulnerable and open to deceit and destruction, absent of their atonement in Christ. Ultimately, it has committed sin upon sin upon sin and has not repented. The Church of Laodicea is not fine which is why Christ defines them as being lukewarm. Think of the church’s situation through the lens of Peter. In 2 Peter 2:21, Peter talks about people who employ in self-indulgence. They are feasting and reveling and getting drunk and acting sexually immoral, and Peter admonishes them that such way is not the Gospel. Peter states, “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: ‘A dog returns to its vomit,’ and ‘A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.’”

[15] Some scholars and preachers interpret this in the context of the experience that all Laodiceans would have had with their water coming from miles away. Some nearby towns had hot steam baths, and others might have had cold, refreshing, water as from a mountain stream. The water in Laodicea was not good for refreshment or bathing.

[16] It is said of Jesus in Psalm 69:9, “…zeal for your house consumes me [has burned Me up].” Romans 12:11, urges us: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”