The Message to Laodicea
Book of Revelation
Chapter 3 Verses 14 through 22
This is the last
church that is addressed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
We will see that the
Lord Jesus will not commend this Pastor at all.
This is the Age of
complacent Christians.
This is the Church
of the early 1900's through today.
The Roman Catholic
church had reached the peak of its power and the Jesuits had begun
in this Age.
The Jesuits were a
society that in title were formed to promote the Lord Jesus Christ,
but they lost their way and forgot who they were supposed to be.
It is the Jesuits
have cause many or I should say most of the problems between the
Catholic Church and all other Church denominations.
In fact it is the
Jesuits have doctored the Codex Sinaiticus so much, that it is so far
from the truth it is like a book of lies.
This is the
Scripture that is claimed to be the oldest recovered text that the
Jesuits have added so many corrections that it has more corrections
than it does original text.
Even this so-called
protestant preacher who claimed to find this so-called earliest text
was basically hired by the Pope and the Jesuits because he was a
disciple of the Jesuits.
It is the Jesuits
that have written the Catholic Doctrine used today.
It is this same
doctored Codex Sinaiticus that is used for many English translations
today including the NIV and even the NKJV and most all other
perversions of the Scriptures.
The world needs to
know the truth before it is too late!
You see the remnants
of this society who still have control of the Catholic Schools.
The remnant of this
society is in the UN.
You can find the
Jesuits and the disciples of the Jesuits in every facet of government
in almost every nation of the world today including here in America
where they are also in our Federal Reserve that was a sellout of our
own Banking Industry by Woodrow Wilson.
Methodism had begun.
The Protestant
Church had begun.
Mohammedanism has
gained in strength to be the number one religion in the world.
Religion was filling
the world because the Christians had become Luke-warm!
Even today
Christians refuse to take a stand even though we have the last of the
remaining truth.
Sure there are
Christians in every denomination, and we all need to take a stand on
the truth while we are still able!
We must all make
sure we have a copy of the true Word of God and not some doctored
text!
I would never talk
about people. I am not judging people their own works judge them. I
am referring to Doctrine!
We already know that
the Apostle Paul had a great concern for this church while he was
still alive.
Col 2:1 For I would
that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at
Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
Col 2:2 That their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all
riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement
of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Col 2:4 And this I
say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
Here we see that
already that Pastor was using enticing words to beguile this Church
and they did not listen to Paul. They rejected the truth or became
lute-warm
Now Jesus, the One
true God, adds to what Paul had already told these Pastors. They had
not changed!
This church in
Laodicea was a self-complacent church.
This church in
Laodicea was a lute warm church, the worst of all churches.
It is almost
impossible for someone who is Luke-warm to ever give there all to the
Lord.
A self-complacent
individual will never pick up their cross daily and follow the Lord!
This is why
Christians do not vote. Nothing changes for them no matter who is in
power! They do not see the error of their ways!
They are alright
with anything that seems to make the world be at peace with itself
so, they do not concern themselves about the Lord's "or else"
preaching.
Most of them do not
even believe in Hell! This a teaching of the Jesuits.
God is only an old
grandfather figure who allows just about anything. Another teaching
of the Jesuits.
Laodicea was a
banking center noted for its wealth.
Luxury was
everywhere.
The city was also a
medical center and even in that day Doctors were not cheap.
Most of these were
eye doctors because an eye salve had been formulated there.
This area of
Laodicea was also a center of the clothing industry.
It was easy to get a
job and most all jobs paid very well for that day.
What did Jesus the
Amen, say to this Pastor?
*****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;
Rev 3:15 I know thy
works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or
hot.
Amen means Jesus
Christ the faithful and true witness.
When we say Amen, we
are saying we agree with everything about the "Gospel" the
"Good-news" of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We will see that the
Lord did not have anything good to say about this church.
We could use the
word "complacent" when we talk about this church.
Complacent means
self-satisfied. This people were satisfied with themselves!
Lute-warmness is the
result of self-complacency.
It can be said that
it is impossible for self-compliant people to be anything other than
lukewarm!
The message is still
sent to the Pastor of this church and I can just imagine how tough it
was for him to preach this message because this message was aimed at
him!
He was indifferent.
He was complacent.
He was
self-satisfied.
He was half-hearted
about his relationship with Jesus Christ.
He was neutral in
his belief of the "Gospel" and it caused his church to be
the same!
The Pastor of each
church and every church leader have one job, and this is to lead
their flock to the Lord Jesus Christ!
The Pastor of this
Church could very well have been a man named Archippus.
Col 4:15 Salute the
brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is
in his house.
Col 4:16 And when
this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the
church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from
Laodicea.
Col 4:17 And say to
Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the
Lord, that thou fulfil it.
This could be the
same man who is the son of Philemon who by the writing of the Apostle
Paul was a fairly rich Christian.
Phm 1:1 Paul, a
prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our
dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,
Phm 1:2 And to our
beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in
thy house:
Phm 1:3 Grace to
you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Though these facts
are true this does not make the Pastor of this church to be
Archippus, but in reality, the son of any rich man could be this type
of person as the pastor of this church.
Whoever it was, they
were neither cold nor were they hot in their relationship with the
Lord Jesus Christ!
This is the type of
the modern-day church leader. They have a cool relationship with the
Lord Jesus Christ when we are all supposed to be "on fire"
for Him!
This is the reason
for this message to this Pastor.
*****Rev 3:16 So
then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
thee out of my mouth.
Jesus said, "you
cause me to vomit". In other words Jesus said: "you make me
sick"
If there is one
thing that I never want to hear from my Savior, it would be "depart
from me"!
Mat_7:23 And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.
Mat_25:41 Then
shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Luk_13:27 But he
shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me,
all ye workers of iniquity.
The next thing I
would never want to hear is "you make me sick to my stomach"!
Jesus said this to
keep from saying the word "hate" because Jesus was still
offering this Pastor and this church a chance to repent.
Why was this church
this way? Just let the Lord explain what He means.
*****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:
This Pastor confused
material wealth here on earth with Spiritual wealth that can only
come through a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual pride and
lute-warmness are usually produced by worldly prosperity.
It is not enough for
the wealthy Christians to just contribute his tithe and think that it
is enough.
The riches given by
our Creator are to be shared especially those who certainly have more
than they need.
Today we see the
superrich who make a big deal about giving millions of dollars to
charities who only use 10% of that money for a good cause.
Many of them do not
have a good cause at all!
We see them give
millions of dollars to things such as the false science of climate
change, that will produce no results but will just make other men
rich.
It is not humans
that cause our climate to change. It is wickedness, filthiness and
sin!
If they gave to the
missions to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they could change this
world to be a far better place.
God's true people
who are true to Jesus, will do more for this world that any of these
other charities, period
Luke-warmness causes
false professions of faith and a false reality of salvation!
You can ask people
on the streets if they are saved and a majority will say they are,
but then ask them which church they attend and most have no answer.
What we see in most
so-called Christian circles today, it is enough to make us sick to
our stomachs.
These people did not
even realize they were wretched. They were despicable.
They were miserable
for the Lord to look upon.
Even with all the
riches upon this earth, they were poor compared to the riches of
Heaven. They were missing out on God's gifts of "Grace"!
They were blind to
the truth of the "Gospel"!
They were naked, not
wearing the "armor of God"!
What is the same
truth of us all? Listen to the Apostle Paul
Rom 7:14 For we
know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that
which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I
hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I
do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then
it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know
that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to
will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find
not.
Rom 7:19 For the
good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I
do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I
do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that
dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find
then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I
delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see
another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched
man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank
God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
I dare say that
every true Christian has these same thoughts as the Apostle Paul.
The things done at
this church in Laodicea were done to be pleasing to the public but
not to Jesus Christ!
*****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.
Jesus said, "you
are shopping in the wrong places".
What was the answer
from Jesus?
Jesus said allow me
to be your counselor and quit listening to the world.
Jesus said: Let me
show you how to buy Spiritual Gold.
1) Laodicea was a
banking center but all the instruments of wealth in those banks are
temporary. Yes even gold will deteriorate and go away unless it is
stored in the proper environment. You must keep in mind that in
Heaven, gold is just paving material having very little value.
Spiritual wealth is
eternal, worth far more than anything considered valuable that is
upon this earth!
Rubies and Diamonds
and all such things are just wall decorations and even pearls are
just doors in the New Heaven.
1Ti 6:17 Charge
them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us
richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18 That they
do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19 Laying up
in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Real value is in
life and eternal life!
Ask those who have
been given over to this virus of today if their riches kept them from
catching this virus.
About the only thing
the rich can do during this virus is to get to be tested before
anyone else and there is no excuse even for this.
Ask those that have
died if it were possible, if their riches kept them alive.
The reality of
Heaven is far greater than anything upon this earth!
2) The people of
this church needed to change the place they got their clothing.
Remember this city
was a clothing center. A large textile and manufacturing center.
They lacked
Spiritual clothing! They had no shame for their Spiritual nakedness!
Sounds familiar for today's church.
They were exposed to
the wickedness of this world without the armor of God!
The white robe
represents the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Rom_13:14 But put
ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to
fulfil the lusts thereof.
Gal_3:27 For as
many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Without that white
robe you will not get into God's New Heaven nor New Jerusalem!
3) They needed some
eye salve. Remember this city was a great medical center.
There was a medical
school that concentrated on treating eyes and partial blindness, the
best in all the world.
They were famous for
their eye salve.
Jesus said that "eye
salve" was no good because it could not open eyes of those who
were blind to the truth of God.
They were
Spiritually blind!
They could not see
the "Light of the world" who is Jesus Christ.
Joh_8:12 Then spake
Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that
followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life.
Joh_9:5 As long as
I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
They were so blinded
by the world that they could not see the Lord Jesus Christ!
Joh 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God.
Joh 1:2 The same
was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things
were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made.
Joh 1:4 In him was
life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the
light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
What was the answer
to all the problems this church had?
What is the answer
to "lute-warmness"?
Repentance!
*****Rev 3:19 As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent.
There is only one
answer to anyone who has lost their first love.
There is only one
answer to for all those who have strayed from the truth.
"To Repent"
Until we get to Heaven, we all need to repent everyday but that soul
who is lost certainly must repent and call upon Jesus Christ.
This church at
Laodicea needed not only to repent but to be zealous about it.
That word zealous
meant: To be warmly engaged or ardent in the pursuit of that
repentance.
To be ardent means:
Having the appearance of quality of fire.
This my friends
means to be "On Fire for the Lord".
There is no one on
the face of this earth that the Lord Jesus does not love!
Sure He loves His
Church.
Sure He loves those
who love Him.
Sure He loves the
believer.
We can be just as
sure that He loves the lost or we would not be left here after our
salvation. It would serve no purpose.
Rom_10:11 For the
scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom_10:13 For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
2Pe_3:9 The Lord is
not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
Why? Because we are
all created in the image of our Savior!
Gen 2:7 And the
LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Gen 1:27 So God
created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him;
male and female created he them.
There is only one
difference between the saved and the lost. It’s called love!
Have you not noticed
how much hate is in our world today and the instigators of hate, seem
to be heroes to some.
To be saved is to
open up your heart to receive the love of God, through His Son Jesus!
Do not be fooled by
the United Nations or any other group, without the Lord Jesus Christ
you will never get to Heaven and Hell is a real place!
*****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.
You tell a man to
open up his heart to receive that special lady he has dreamed of
having and finally found her, and he will understand exactly what you
are talking about.
It’s like that
with Jesus Christ!
We must open up the
doors of our heart and receive the gift of love from our Holy God.
Sure this church
needed to open up the doors and allow Jesus to come back in and
fervently, on fire, to worship Him.
But it is each of us
who are to open our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ and most all of
us have allowed our fire to grow dim.
After all, we are
all in that Laodicean Church Age.
We need to turn up
the heat within us and proceed to show the Love of God to this weary
world!
There is no time
greater than today as the world hides behind closed doors from a
deadly virus.
Even Christians hide
in panic behind closed doors in fear of this virus which in the end
was not that deadly when you subtract all those who would have died
if they had contacted the flu or any other virus. Not one death
should be celebrated, Family members will still suffer.
We forget it is the
Lord Jesus Christ who holds the keys of death!
In the end God will
get the blame for this thing when we as Christians know we have
already been warned by a loving God that these things would happen
and none of us made the right preparations!
The world is not
prepared for what is coming and the world seems to never learn from
the mistakes that were made by that generation that was before this
one.
God does not do
these things to His own people, but He does have His reasons for not
bringing it to an end!
The Scriptures will
always prove to be true!
As Christians we
must take our stand before we get swept under the rug and stomped on!
The Lord is knocking
on the door of every heart, so it is we humans who have to make the
next move!
Psa 145:18 The LORD
is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him
in truth.
Joh 6:33 For the
bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life
unto the world.
Joh 6:38 For I came
down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that
sent me.
Joh 6:47 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting
life.
Joh 6:48 I am that
bread of life.
Joh 6:49 Your
fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Joh 6:50 This is
the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof,
and not die.
Joh 6:51 I am the
living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this
bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
We live in a world
that will believe anything false but will reject most the truth!
Why am I not worried
today? Because I believe!
Joh 14:1 Let not
your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my
Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And
whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Joh 14:5 Thomas
saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we
know the way?
Joh 14:6 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.
And what a wonderful
promise the Lord Jesus makes to those who believe the truth and open
the doors of their heart to receive Him.
*****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.
Rev 3:22 He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Our Savior, our God
will not beg anyone to believe but He has presented us with the truth
and He will plead with us to accept His truth and then this thing is
in our own hands as to what we do with it.
The Lord will
continue to knock until His patience runs out and it’s time to
receive His Church into Heaven.
My home is prepared
in Heaven! I hope yours is also!
Luk 19:9 And Jesus
said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as
he also is a son of Abraham.
Luk 19:10 For the
Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
The Muslim get it
all wrong.
The Jews get it all
wrong.
To be a child of
Abraham you must allow the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart!
You must allow the
Holy Spirit to come to you and live inside of you!
The Holy Spirit says
we need to listen to what the Bible says, and this is all the Bible
not just bits and pieces.
2Ti 3:16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the
man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Good works after
salvation means, being on fire for the Lord.
What are we to be
today?
1Pe_2:5 Ye also, as
lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
What is God's rule
about the altar for these sacrifices?
Lev 6:12 And the
fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out:
and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt
offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the
peace offerings.
Lev 6:13 The fire
shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
To allow our fire to
go out is negligence!
To put our fire out
is complete disobedience!
We had better heed
to the Word of God, saved for us, and preserved for us by God the
Holy Spirit!
Amen
Let's Pray!
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