Message to Laodicea
Revelation 3: 14-22
In our study of the Book of Revelation we have made it to the church at Laodicea. Christ our Lord has been in the midst of all His church until this one. I'm sure when this church began it was centered on Jesus Christ but we now see He is outside standing at the door. We know that there are lost souls in every church but we now see a church that does not have one saved soul in it's congregation.
Laodicea was the wealthiest of all these seven cities. Banking was the predominate source of it's wealth but there was also a clothing based on it's black wool products and the manufacture and sale of medicines also helped in the riches of this city.
There was plenty of money, high fashion and drugs! A combination that led to self-righteousness. In fact the word Laodicea means (Lao) people and (dicea) to justify. Meaning people who justified themselves. We live in a worldwide society right now in 2011 that simply believe they can justify anything they do. Not only the terrorist but also the do-gooders. The government use to say "by the people and for the people" but not now. They are all on their own agenda, justifying the work they do themselves.
We also see the same thing in our spiritual climate. After all even the true church is filled with sinners saved by the grace of God. The whole world is filled with self righteous people.
God says:
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and [all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags]; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Not many realize that the term "filthy rags" used here was the rags that were used to wrap the sores of the leper. Leprosy was very contagious and the disease could be caught from those filthy rags. Our own self righteousness is a disease that is contagious to all our family and anyone else we get around.
It seems every one in the world including preachers and other clergy have written "self-help" books. Some even to help you in your Christian walk. We already have that book. It's called the Bible, the Word of God. If we will not adhere to God's word, no other book will help at all unless of course you are just looking for a way to justify yourself.
God says:
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
If we are not justified by our faith in Jesus Christ then we cannot be justified!
In AD 1870 the Roman Catholic Church "declared" the Pope to be infallible when he speaks in his official capacity. There is only one infallible word that that is God's word. Now, we have people rewriting God's word at a faster pace than ever, changing the truth of God's word to suit themselves.
Laodicea did not receive a single commendation from the Lord Jesus Christ. They were rich in material things but poor in "spiritual wealth". They knew the term "lukewarm" because they had a pipeline, an underground aqueduct to bring water from some hot springs close by but by the time the water reached the city it had lost most all it's heat and it's healing properties. It was too cool to be relaxing and too warm to be refreshing. If you drank it it would make you vomit.
Our Text:
*****Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
(amen)
The word "Amen" basically means the same in every language. "it is so" or "so be it" or "so let it be". Jesus Christ will be the center of the true church, those that disagree are of the church of Satan.
Jesus says "it is so" and "so be it" "so let it be". This the only place in the Bible where Jesus is called the Amen and He said it Himself!
Gal 1:10 says For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Joshua said:
Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
The words of God will come true just as He has written them because it is He that is the Author of this Book we call the Bible!
Joh 14:6 says Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
He writes to the unbeliever:
Isa 65:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:
Isa 65:14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
Isa 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
(faithful witness)
A faithful witness tells the truth of what he has seen. Jesus Christ sees all that goes on in every church and in every place on this Earth.
Pilate ask Jesus a question one day and Christ answered in this fashion:
Joh 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. [To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice].
Pilate heard the truth that day and he did not know how to respond than to just say "I find No Fault In Him".
There are no faults in our True and Faithful Witness.
Jesus ask this question:
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, [shall he find faith on the earth?]
The faith of the Laodicean church will not be enough to get you into Heaven!
This final stage of the church is full of "Apostasy".
This city was rich and "most" of the time riches produce rotten living!
1Ti 6:10 [For the love of money is the root of all evil]: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
God would not say this if it were not true!
Joh 17:17 says Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
(beginning of creation)
This church was led to believe that this world we live in, the physical world, is more important than the spiritual world of God and the world that is to come. Jesus Christ was not the first one created of God, it was by Jesus that everything else was created.
Joh 1:3 says All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Col 1:16 says For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Christ is the beginning of the spiritual order. Our new birth happens when we accept Him as our Savior. We then become a new creature. "This the beginning of creation mentioned in this verse".
2Co 5:17 says Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
*****Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
That word "cold" can be interpreted as icy cold as ice water.
That word "hot" can be interpreted as boiling hot or fervent heat.
Cold could be also said "dead" and hot could be said "on fire for God". We all fit somewhere in between these two extremes. Jesus has already said what He thinks of lukewarm!
What were the works of this church? They were indifferent to the faith. This church was lost(Jesus on the outside). They had no spirit inside them. They had never been born again. They made our Lord sick.
I know I am not always as fervent serving the Lord As I should be. Could I be giving My Lord the upset stomach. It will make you think or it does me.
This church knew Christ and even some believed, but so does Satan.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: [but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it].
This is the most dangerous stage of all states of the person because many believe that they are truly saved and will not seek to be sure. They will continue in works trying to prove themselves but they will never invite the Lord Jesus into their hearts and He will not force His way in. They will never take a stand either way.
We see this every day in our world when so called Christians will not take a stand against abortion, against evil, against the gays, and against corruption.
This type of church is sending more people to hell than any of the vices of this world ever did.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
Joh 3:18 says He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The church at Philadelphia will be called out!
The church at Laodicea will be spewed out!
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The church age will end under a dark cloud. The days of Noah and Lot are repeated, darker and darker until the "Morning Star" appears.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
You know every message that was preached at this church probably made everyone happy. There was no Holy Ghost conviction. The music was worldly. The word "blood" was not in the song book. Nothing about the "cross". Just the occasional name of Jesus mentioned "as a real good man".
These members did not need the Gospel, they already knew it all.
God does bless with physical things some times, thank goodness, but this not to be compared to spiritual blessings. These people were not free but bound by their own ways. They had decided it could not get any better than what they had. They thought they had the light but they were so blind they were in total darkness to the truth.
*****Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
1.) Not rich, but Poor.
2.) Not increased with goods, but Wretched and Miserable.
3.) Not having need of nothing, but Blind and Naked.
Notice they (thou Sayest) bragged on themselves. They would tell everyone of their perfect church.
God says:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And:
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Wealth at the expense of Spirituality is a tragedy and a curse. The church at Laodicea and this church age will fulfill the prophesy of Matt 24.
Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
These were well educated people with plenty of book smarts but were ignorant to the word of God.
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
God said in His own words: "thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked"
*****Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
What was the Lord's counsel?
Buy of Me!
Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and [he that hath no money]; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isa 55:2 [Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread]? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isa 55:3 [Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live]; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
"Buy of me", the things that can only come from Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
(white clothing)
This church was dressed in the fashion of the day even in the spirituality of this last church age but in their own righteousness.
The Bible says:
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
You know when the Bible mentions these filthy rags it is talking about the old rags that were wrapped around the body of the leper. These rags were not only filthy but carried the disease. Our sins and our own righteousness carry the disease of sin. We have no righteousness on our own.
until:
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
To the church:
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
(eyesalve)
Eye salve first burns, then blinds and then it heals. Spiritual eyesalve (The Holy Ghost) opens up the eyes of the lost and makes the sinner see. We can see the Salvation of the cross and the blood through His eyes if He is within us.
Spiritual eyeglasses:
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Unless the Lord Jesus opens the eyes of our understanding we will never know the truth that makes us free of the sin of this world and break the bonds of Satan's yoke.
*****Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Any person who can live in sin, prosper in sin, be happy in sin and continue in sin, without the chastening of The Lord has never been saved.
Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
God does these things for Himself! He will not have a people that will not honor Him!
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness [for his name's sake].
These people of Laodicea changed the truth of God into a lie. They may not have been against God but they were not for Him. They were lost in the middle of the highway going no where.
*****Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
These are the saddest of any group of people. Jesus on the outside means He had already removed the candlestick from this church. Glory be He is still knocking to get back inside. Jesus will knock on the door of every heart where His word is heard. That's why we as Christians are to deliver the Word of God to all we can.
You see these people would not go to the door because they knew who was outside that door. They would open the door to a stranger but not to Jesus. Our world is so full of these people today trying to find their own way to Heaven when there is only one way.
How many churches of today have pushed the Lord Jesus Christ out the door but in His Grace, He still stands at the door and knocks to see if we will let Him in.
God came to this Earth in the flesh of Jesus to seek and save all that would believe on Him:
Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
There is a down side to those that ignore the word of God:
Luk 19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Christ is at the door asking, are there not any in this church that hear my word?
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
1.) We must invite the Lord into our heart.
2.) We must believe the word He gives to us.
3.) We must receive Him as Lord and Savior
Joh 10:9 [I am the door]: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Can you imagine sitting in the church at Smyrna and hearing this message written to the Laodicean church. They could not have understood such people. The saints of Smyrna were willing to give their life for the Lord and these of Laodicea would not even open the door to Christ Jesus.
The lost of this world know when Jesus is not in their heart. It's the false doctrine that is taught in the church that tells them that they are OK. To not be secure of your salvation is most likely to be lost. These people of this church were not asked if they were saved, they were told by the church leaders that they were saved. They removed that one on one relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He will stand at that door as long as there is one that might listen to Him. There is no door handle on the outside, it must opened from the inside.
*****Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
We are to walk with Jesus. It is Jesus that chose the path. It will not always be an easy path but He goes down this path before us and it is He that knows the way.
Jesus still sits at the throne as our Great High Priest:
Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Stephen saw Him there before he joined Him in Heaven:
Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
It is Christ that paved our way:
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
This time of Grace is fast coming to an end and Jesus will return as King of the world:
Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
And Jesus says:
Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Who can deny the work of the Living God?
Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Act 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Act 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
*****Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The Holy Spirit who will never leave us says please listen to what I am telling you!
Every church on this Earth will fall into the category of one of these seven churches. Every church is made up of people and there are some of these same type people in every church. Many move around from place to place seeking a place they fit in but there is a reason why God chose our place of worship.
A church is not buildings but it is people. No church is more spiritual than the people inside that church. That's why we cannot have a government rule over the church. Governments have no Spirit. That's why you cannot have a Pope or a Cleric or any one that would rule and not teach because they will not have the Spirit. You see we cannot truthfully judge our own church until "we truthfully judged our own selves". James writes:
Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But if we will look to the Lord:
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We have a lot of responsibility in our service to God's house as Christians and we have very little time to be that good servant that "Steward" of God's word.
Jesus Christ had nothing good to say to the Laodiceans. What would He say about the church that you attend.
Let's pray!
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