The Three Chairs - Bruce Wilkinson

The sermon presents a powerful reflection on generational faith, using the metaphor of three spiritual chairs to illustrate the trajectory from committed faith in one generation to lukewarm compromise in the next and eventual spiritual ignorance in the following. Centered on Joshua 24 and Judges 2, it contrasts the first chair—marked by personal, unwavering devotion to God—with the second chair, characterized by cultural Christianity, outward religiosity, and inward compromise, which fails to pass on genuine spiritual conviction. The third chair represents spiritual ignorance and unbelief, not due to lack of exposure, but because the second generation failed to live out the transformative works of God they inherited. The preacher emphasizes that true faith is not inherited but must be personally embraced, warning that lukewarmness—neither hot nor cold—is abhorrent to Christ, who calls the second chair to repentance, zealous renewal, and intimate communion. The message culminates in a call to radical commitment, urging believers to repent, kneel in humility, and move from mere religious performance to a life of daily, Spirit-led devotion.