Laodicea

Today we're going to conclude a series I began going through the seven churches of Revelation, Revelation 2 and 3. We have been looking at different attitudes that Jesus Christ has wanted each church to study and to think about, to put into practice in their lives. And not only just each church for that particular attitude or way of thinking, but for all Christians at all times, for us to look at all seven of these messages and make sure that we've got a handle on all seven of these points. It's very important. So today we're going to look at the very last church, the church in Laodicea. But just as a little bit of a review, a tiny review, the attitude or the theme for the church in Ephesus was that godly zeal must be reinforced with godly love. For Smyrna, remain faithful to true values despite opposition.

For Pergamos, be uncompromising in loyalty to God. And Thyatira, don't go along to get along. For Sardis, repent or perish. With Philadelphia, persevere. Persevere. So that brings us to the material I want to cover with you today. I'm going to do a little more reading at the outset here than I normally do. There's material here that I think is very helpful in terms of understanding the situation in Laodicea. You know, the people there in Laodicea, much like today, you know, a number of you were born into the church. Some of us weren't. But we all live in society. And to some degree, society can rub off on us, whether we like that or not.

And certainly that's the case for the people in Laodicea. They had a society they lived in. We're going to look at their society. We're going to look at the city of Laodicea, what it was famous for. And then we're going to read the words of Jesus Christ in my Bible here, all in red. And Jesus Christ is going to key in on various facets of what was taking place in that city. The city had, you know, various things that were important to it from a physical point of view. Christ wants to make very important spiritual connections. And we're going to take a look at that. To begin the reading, the commentary I've just become acquainted with, the Christ-centered exposition commentary, says this. Laodicea was located in the Laocas Valley, along with the cities of Hierapolis and Colossae. It was approximately 300 miles east of Athens and 600 miles northwest of Jerusalem.

Two important trade routes converged there. The city was a wealthy commercial city, the richest in Phrygia. Now, the fact of there being a wealthy city is going to come into play as we look at the words of Jesus Christ. Now, quoting from the Seven Epistles of Christ by Taylor Bunch, the city of Laodicea was founded by Antiochus II between 261 and 246 BC. It was named in honor of his wife, I don't know how to pronounce this, Laodiceas or something like that, who afterward poisoned him. So, not a very pleasant thing for Antiochus. Laodicea was mostly populated with Syrians and Jews transported from Babylon. Laodicea was located in midst of a rich farming country and was famed for its wealth. Its extensive banking operations were carried on, and Cicero proposed to cash his treasury bills of exchange in Laodicea because of these facilities. He said he had large markets controlled mostly by the Jews, of whom there were 7,500 besides women and children at the time the epistle was written. So wealthy were the citizens that when the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 60 AD, they refused help from the imperial Roman government and built at their own expense. Let me pause there for a moment and just make mention of the fact. It shows something about the citizens of Laodicea that they were very self-sufficient. And in many ways that can be a good thing. But when we take a look at that spiritually, we're going to see something else. The Roman historian Tacitus said of Laodicea, the Laodicea arose from the ruins by the strength of her own resources with no help from us.

By the strength of her own resources. Again, brother, that's going to come into play when we're looking at the church from a spiritual perspective. Continuing on with the writing here. He says, this example of self-sufficiency was so rare that it made the city famous. Because of their situation, Christ's statement regarding the pride of spiritual wealth on the part of the church members is full of meaning. He spoke to the rich merchants and bankers of this wealthy mercantile city in their own dialect. The city was also noted for black cloth manufactured there. From wool produced in the valley. The wool was glossy black and had a soft texture almost like silk and became famous throughout the whole region. Black garments were almost universally worn by the Laodiceans. And of them, they were very proud. Christ advised the Christians of the city to buy off him white raiment, which represented a beautiful robe of his own righteousness. The people of Laodicea were familiar with the white toga, worn by Roman citizens and officials. To be privileged to wear this white garment was esteemed to be a high honor.

To the Romans, it was a symbolic of victory. And to the Christians, it represented purity of character.

Also now it says, in connection with the temple of Kaeru was a renowned school of medicine. The temple was one of 200 throughout the Greek and Roman world dedicated to Asculapius. We saw we talked about Asculapius when we looked at the church in Pergamos. This was the false god that was called the Great Physician, was called the Messiah, and was celebrated by the pole with the two snakes wrapping around it. A symbol we see today when you're seeing things like ambulances and so forth. In the city of Laodicea, with all their medicine, they had a very famous isaf called Corillium, which was sold in all parts of the then known world. Isaf.

You remember you've read enough about the church in Laodicea to understand the connection there.

Also near the city were a number of hot, cold, and lukewarm springs, and especially the latter. Most of these waters contained minerals with supposed healing properties. Thousands of sick people journeyed to Laodicea to be physically benefited by the isaf, the mineral water, and the hot and lukewarm baths. Although the water was pleasing to the body for bathing, most of it was nauseous to those who drank. Makes very appropriate the language used by Christ and his epistle about vomiting them out. Again, quoting now from the Christ-centered exposition commentary, and I quote, Despite its prosperity, the city did have one major weakness, an abundance of adequate and convenient source of good drinking water. By means of aqueducts, it got its water either from the hot springs in Hierapolis that cooled to lukewarm, or from the cooler source in Colossae that warmed to lukewarm. For all of its wealth, the city had very poor drinking water. The water was so distasteful that visitors, not prepared for its tepid flavor, would often vomit after drinking it. Again, we're reading something about a physical city, but Jesus Christ is going to talk about this in terms of spirituality, where they were more concerned about being on the trade route. They were more concerned about materialism than they were with a proper water supply. And of course, you understand from Scripture that water does represent God's Holy Spirit. And this is a church. These were individuals that had some real need. Lastly, it says here, the boast I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, has in it not only a ring of independence, but also a spirit of insolence and arrogance.

The citizens wanted the world to know that their mercantile city was at the peak meeting place of three important highways. They were no pauper. The inhabitants were noted for their skill in manufacturing and dying garments. They were a famous pleasure resort. They had a very famous stadium. They had three major theaters. So again, when you take a look at their society, had a wrong attitude. They were very insolent. They were arrogant. They were very much into pleasure, sports, arts. Not that those things of them by themselves are bad, but that was their main focus. So after looking at all of that, let's take a look at Revelation chapter 3. Revelation chapter 3 verses 14 through 22 is the message to Laodicea.

Let me just read this, and then we're going to go through this bit by bit, and part by part, and examine it. Revelation chapter 3 verse 14, And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things say the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that you are neither hot nor cold. I could wish that you were hot or cold. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say I am rich and have become wealthy and of need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined into fire, that you may be rich, and white garments that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with eyesave that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chase, and therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him, and dine with him, and he with me.

To him overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. He was in ear, let him hear what the Spirit says, to the churches. The attitude here, brethren, that we want to make sure that we are dialing into is that we need to depend upon Christ for everything. We need to depend upon Christ for everything. These folks are very independent, smug, indifferent in so many ways, but you and I, we can't live like this. Not if you and I want to prosper spiritually. We need to depend upon Christ for everything. Brethren, some overarching thoughts. As I was putting my thoughts together for the message, after I had finished, I was taking a look at what I had sat down on paper here, thinking about what Christ is saying to the church here in Laodicea. Any church, any church organization, local church, any individual that loses sight of our dependence on Jesus Christ, if we lose sight of that, we are going to be deceived. We are going to be powerless, because real power only comes from God the Father and Jesus Christ. Now, here we've got a church, Laodicea. Not one thing is said in terms of commendation.

They had two churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, where nothing was said that was negative. Now, they weren't perfect people, but for this church, nothing of commendation is said. Now, does that mean that there weren't people there that were growing and overcoming and great Christians? Well, of course there were people like that, but the overwhelming thought here from Jesus Christ is this church had a lot of issues. A lot of issues. And despite the fact that you have no commendation here, it ends on a really positive note, as we're going to get into as we work our way through the material. Brethren, none of us, either us as a congregation or us as individuals or us as an organization, we should never be satisfied with where we are at. We should always be like little children, asking God to show us our secret faults, our secret sins, things that need to change. Now, I don't mean that we just go through life with our head hung down and that sort of thing, but we don't want to be spiritually smug. We don't want to think that we have arrived. We want to make sure we are just like those little children. We're going to look at that a little bit later in the sermon, and that we're always in need of guidance. We always need to take note of where we're at and where we need to be. So even though the situation in Laodicea was critical, it wasn't terminal.

Critical, but not terminal. So let's take a look at this. Let's break this down part by part.

Revelation 3, verse 14. And to the angel of the church of Laodiceans write, these things says, the Amen, the faithful and true witness.

Let's pause there. It says, the Amen, the faithful and the true witness. Christ here is identifying Himself to this group of brethren, to his brothers and sisters in the faith.

He's identifying Himself, He's identifying His testimony as being sure, as being valid, as being true, trustworthy, faithful. So many of the things that they were not.

You know, they weren't hot, they weren't cold, they didn't have a proper view of themselves. They thought they were someplace where they really weren't. Well, Christ, you know, appreciate the fact that Jesus Christ loved each and every one of these people. Jesus Christ came to die for each and every one. Tremendous love here. But sometimes love has got to be tough.

And in this message to Laodicea, love is being tough.

Straight from the shoulder discussion. Eye to eye. Communication here. So Christ, we want to make sure that they get the point that what He is saying is meaningful.

Put a marker here. Let's go over to Isaiah 65.

Isaiah 65, verse 16. Isaiah 65, 16. So that he who blesses himself on the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth, the God of truth. And he who squares in the earth shall square by the God of truth, because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hidden from my eyes, the God of truth. Laodiceans were not living in the light of truth. They were living in the light of self-deception. They were living in a way that was not truthful in terms of their walk with the great God. Let's go back now to Revelation chapter 3, verse 14. Revelation 3, 14. The angel of the church of the Laodiceans writes these things, says, the Amen, the faithful and true witness. The beginning of the creation of God.

The New International takes that last phrase and quotes it this way, the ruler of God's creation.

The ruler of God's creation. Now, why is Jesus Christ honing in on that? Why is Jesus Christ honing in on that? Because the Laodiceans didn't allow God's sovereignty to fully rule over them. They weren't faithful to God, as they should have been. They weren't true as they should have been. And because of this, God the Father and Jesus Christ were not being formed in them because they were insulating themselves from God, from the ruler of creation. Again, put a marker here. Let's go to Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. Starting here in verse 15.

Colossians 1 verse 15 through verse 18.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. He rules all the physical realm. For by Him all things are created there in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things are created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church. So not only is Jesus Christ ruler over all things physical and even invisible that maybe our eyes can't see, but also Jesus Christ is ruler over His church. And He wants the Laodiceans to understand and appreciate that. He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence. So Jesus Christ here is emphasizing His authority.

He's emphasizing the true witness, His faithfulness, where He wants them to be, because they're not there. Go back to Revelation chapter 3 again, moving down to verse 15.

Revelation 3, 15. I know your works. I want to emphasize those first two words. Christ says, I know. Now, they didn't know. They didn't understand. They thought they were someplace else. They thought they were really well down the road, and they weren't. So Christ says, I know your works.

Brethren, God knows your works. He knows my works. He knows right where we are on the time continuum, where we are. We heard in the sermon today about having a map and a compass and looking at a key to a map and knowing where we are in a map. Well, that's also true spiritually. Christ says, I know your works. The Laodiceans were self-deceived. They had no clue as to their true spiritual condition.

Why? How does that relate to you and I? If you and I walk away from Jesus Christ to whatever degree we walk away from Jesus Christ, we lose contact with spiritual reality.

How many times have you heard people say that they saw a brother or a sister that left the church X amount of time ago and you saw them in a restaurant or something? And you walk in, maybe with a group of church people, and they say, hey, long time no see! What are you guys doing here? Well, it's the days of Unleavened Bread. Oh! See, they walked away from spiritual reality, and now their minds are unaware. The Laodiceans were just like that. Brethren, as your pastor, I don't want to see any of us. I don't want to be that way. I don't want to see that for you.

You know, we can talk about historical church eras. I believe in them. I'll go on record. I believe in historical church eras. I'm surmising that now, at this time, we're in this Laodicean era. Now, that's my thought. You can have your thoughts. And because I believe we are here, not that we have got to have all these issues that this this bunch has, but because this is the general tone of the time frame we're living in, I'm concerned about my spiritual welfare. I'm concerned about your spiritual welfare and everybody I know in God's church, whatever the organization.

When I say that I believe we're now in the Laodicean era, I'm not just talking about United Church of God. I've got friends in various other organizations, and those friends have other friends in other organizations. I think this is a church-wide, church-culture thing.

And so you and I have to be really prepared and understand where we're at.

So Christ says, I know your works, and later on He says in the same verse, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold or hot.

You know, sometimes we think that cold is bad and hot's good. Hot's zealous. Well, there's truth to that. But, brethren, I think what was being discussed here is hot and cold under certain circumstances, they're both good. You know, when you're out working in a hot summer sun, you're out doing yard work, and you've been out there several hours, you get thirsty. What do you want? Janice, are you want something cold to drink?

Ice cold, water, whatever, you know, it is that does it for you. Soft drink, beer, whatever. You want something cold. On the other hand, when you and I are fighting the Chicagoland winners, and we've got icicles hanging off our nose and our ears, and we've been out there for several hours shoveling snow or doing the snowblower or fighting with the snowblower, whatever the case may be. You want something hot!

You know, you want to go in the house every once in a while, have some hot chocolate, you want to have some hot coffee. So whether we're talking hot or cold, either one can be good.

These folks were neither. They were not hot, they were not cold. They were indifferent, they were not zealous. Put a marker here. Let's go to Deuteronomy chapter 6. Deuteronomy chapter 6. Deuteronomy chapter 6. Deuteronomy chapter 6. Here is an example of zeal. Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 4. Here, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your strength. Be all of your soul. Be all of your soul. Be all in, as Moses wrote. Be all in. Let's not be indifferent. Let's not be ignorant of our spiritual condition.

Let's take an inventory, not just at Passover time. I'm not going to turn there for time's sake, but Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 28. 1 Corinthians 11, 28. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. Let a man, let a woman, let us examine ourselves. In 2 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 5, again, I'll read this for you. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.

Did the Laodiceans do that? Were they successful at doing it? No, they weren't. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Ask yourselves, do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you are disqualified? I've discussed with you Ezekiel chapter 14. I'm not going to turn there. I've discussed that with you on a number of occasions. In Ezekiel chapter 14, several times in that chapter, it talks about Noah, Daniel, and Job. Apart from Jesus Christ who was perfect, God and flesh, Noah, Daniel, and Job are recorded as the three most righteous men who ever lived.

And yet in Ezekiel chapter 14 it said, even those three fellas, as righteous as they were, their wives, their kids, their grandparents, their friends, their neighbors, no one gets into the kingdom on their coattails. It has to be by their individual relationship with God. Brethren, let's understand that for each of us today. I don't get into the kingdom of God because my wife is close to God. I'm glad she's close to God. But the same thing is true for you and your mate, you and your kids, you and your grandkids, your friends, people sitting next to you, whatever.

We must have an individual relationship with God. It's not just for Passover season we examine ourselves. Brethren, if we only do it at Passover, then there's a chance we won't be at next Passover. Do we want that? I don't want that for you as your pastor, as a brother to you and to faith. I don't want to someday look at the audience. I enjoy sitting in the back.

Why does Mr. Dees enjoy sitting in the back? Well, I've always sat in the back. I'm a back row dweller. But as the shepherd of our sheep here, I enjoy looking at the crowd from the back. Who's here? Who's not here? It's one of the greatest inventories that a pastor has as to how well people are doing is their Sabbath attendance. Now, some people have illnesses, and I understand that.

And because you're ill, you're going to miss a lot. Okay, no problem. Or perhaps there may even be financial issues. You can't afford the gas or whatever. I understand that, too. But if we're just missing because we just don't want to roll out of bed or whatever, that's a danger sign. That's a danger sign. And whenever I've seen that in the past, people start missing.

And for a while, they just miss altogether, all the time. So we have to examine ourselves, and not just at Passover season. Moving on in the story, let's go back to Revelation 3, Revelation 3, verse 16. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Christ here is saying, you know, I'm simply not going to, again, straight from the shoulder speaking, tough love, I'm not going to tolerate this.

If I tolerate this, then I'm allowing you to be hurt. And I want to say some things to you. So you wake up out of your lethargy. I want to shake you up, Christ is saying to these people. And brethren, if you or I are in these situations, if we are in this frame of mind, then we need also to be shaken up.

No one gets a free pass on this. Christ basically is saying, you know, the way you're living your life, you're not representing the Father or me or the kingdom. You're not representing what you should represent. And in verse 17, Revelation 3.17 is interesting. It's all interesting, but there's something unique here in verse 17, Revelation 3.17. Because you say, of all seven churches, this is the first time that they are quoted, with their arrogance and so on and so forth, kind of standing on their legs and being proud and so forth.

Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Because you say, and notice, their city was a wealthy city. So wealthy that when their city was destroyed by an earthquake in 60 AD, they didn't ask for Rome to come in and rebuild. They did it on their own. They did it on their own. But in terms of the Christians there in the church, that self-reliance that made that city what it was, was rubbing off on the church.

A spirit of self-reliance, a spirit of pride. Because Christ Himself says here, you say you have need of nothing. Thankfully, brethren, I think I know you well enough as a congregation. I don't think anybody in this room says that. We don't want to ever say that. We have plenty of needs, each and every one of us.

But these folks were saying that they don't need anything. They are okay. They were lacking humility. Look what we've done! I made mention about an attitude to have. Let's go over to Matthew 18 here. The attitude of a little child. Here is a prescription for smugness and feelings of spiritual superiority.

Have we seen some of that in God's church culture? Smugness and feelings of spiritual superiority? I've seen it. I'm betting you have. I've discussed that with you on a number of occasions. I won't get into all that now. But you and I don't want to be that way. Here is a prescription for us to follow. Matthew 18, verse 1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Jesus called a little child to him, sent him in the midst of them. As an example, it said, You will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Unless you are converted and become as little children, be teachable.

Allow yourself to be guided. Realize we don't know everything. You will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. We must have the attitude, the heart, of a child that knows needs help. Of a child that knows needs guidance. Remember what Solomon said to please God so much? Solomon said, I'm like a little child, I don't know what to do, and you've given me the opportunity here to be king over your great people. Please give me wisdom and understanding. It was the thrust of what Solomon was asking. And God gave him that. God gave him that. The Laodiceans were blind, Christ says.

What do we do with blind people, spiritually speaking? Let's take a look at Acts 9. We're going to be here for a little bit. Acts 9. Take a look at the Apostle Paul. Here he's known as Saul. He's not converted when we're seeing him here.

Acts 9.30.1 Now, remember Saul was a fairly well-to-do individual. He was a Roman citizen. You didn't become a Roman citizen unless you or your family either purchased Roman citizenship at great cost, or you or your family did something in the service of the empire that was truly spectacular. So Paul was a Roman citizen.

He was fairly well-to-do. He was very well-educated. He was educated by Gamaliel, who by our standards would be like a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. So he was a man of letters. He was a zealous man, a very religious man. In some ways, Saul was kind of like the Laodiceans. He thought he was really down there. He was really down the road. But he wasn't. Notice what God does with him. Acts 9, verse 1. Then Saul, breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest. Not terribly good fruits, breathing threats and murder. And asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

And as he journeyed, he came near to Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. A light is shining around him because Saul is in spiritual darkness. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice from him, a voice saying to him, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, Who are you, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

It's hard for you to kick against the goads. So he trembled, trembling and astonished, and said, Lord, what do you want me to do? So it takes this kind of an intervention for him to really start to pay attention. The Lord said to him, Arise, go into the city, and you'll be told what you must do. And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no one.

Then Saul arose from the ground when his eyes were opened. So he was blind, physically blind. Of course, he was spiritually blind. He wasn't seeing properly spiritually. God had to literally knock him down with a bright light and show him where he was spiritually. Verse 8, When his eyes were opened, he saw no one, but they led him by hand and brought him to Damascus. He was there three days without sight, in either aid or drink.

In other words, a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And to him the Lord said to him, Ananias said, Here I am, Lord. So the Lord said to him, Arise, go to the street called Straight, and acquire the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying. Saul is starting to get it. He's realizing he needs help. He's got to rely upon other people to bring him to God. And in a vision, he's seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight.

Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. Paul using that marvelous ability to be all things to all people, dragging people to prison and so forth. You know, going into groups of Christians, masquerading as a Christian, and then taking names and turning people in.

And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call on your name. The Lord said to him, Go for he is a chosen vessel of mine. And here's Paul's mission statement. To bear my name before Gentiles, number one, kings, number two, and the children of Israel, number three.

Paul's mission statement. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way and entered his house, and laying his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once, and he rose and was baptized. So much like the Laodiceans, you've got a man here who just wasn't seeing things properly. And God had to show him he wasn't seeing things properly. Moving on to Revelation 3, verse 17. Because you say, I am rich, and I have become wealthy and in need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

The word wretched here means miserable. It means unfortunate. It's a word used of lands that have been ravaged, devastated, pillaged.

You know, again, they thought they were so well-off, and yet Christ says, no, spiritually, you're in this ravaged condition. Satan has ravaged you.

Miserable. The word there can be pitiful. Pityable. The object of extreme pity. And that you are poor, blind, and naked.

Now, again, remember, this was a community, Laodicea, that was famed for its banking, was famed for its wealth.

Spiritually, they thought they were rich. And yet Christ says, spiritually, you're poor.

Christ says, they were blind to a city that was famous for this carillium, this isav, that was sold all in the known world. Christ said, spiritually, you're blind.

Christ says, they were naked. Now, again, they were a city that was known for their fine black wool cloth, very fine wool garments made there in Laodicea. And yet, Christ said, you're naked. And in the Scriptures, naked is a symbol of shame.

So what we're looking at here, brethren, the Laodiceans had physical strengths.

And the church people had strengths. But those strengths were actually weaknesses to them.

Let's think about that from our perspective. The things you consider your strengths, are they strengths in God? Are they strengths of your flesh?

Do your strengths coincide with the strengths God wants to give you?

Are we seeing through our physical eyes and not the eyes of God?

You know, you're noticing what you might want to put down 1 Corinthians 2, verses 9 and 10.

The Scripture says, eye is not seen, ear is not heard.

Unless God's Holy Spirit is working with this, our eye is not going to see, our ear is not going to hear.

We don't want to be like the Laodiceans. Revelation chapter 3, verse 18.

I counsel for you to buy from me.

Notice the counsel here from Christ. I counsel you to buy from me.

Don't look to yourselves. Don't be self-sufficient.

I counsel you to buy from me, to buy from him.

Gold refined in the fire that you may be rich.

White garments that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.

And anoint your eyes with eyesab that you may see.

By gold refined in the fire. 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1.

1 Peter chapter 1, verses 6 and 7.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, that you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

We want God's riches. We want Christ's riches.

We don't want to worry about whether we've got the big fat bank accounts. We want to make sure we're rich in God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Christ says, I counsel from you to buy from me gold refined in the fire.

We've got in this congregation, all of us in this congregation, let's not just say a few, everyone in this congregation has gone through our share of trials.

I've gone through mine, you've gone through yours.

You know, you have, you and I, we've asked God on numerous occasions, when's this going to end?

There have been times we've talked to God in our prayers, I think I've learned a lesson. Why is it continuing?

How many times have you and I just thought we were going to cry to the place where we had no tears left?

And yet, brethren, we are buying gold refined in the fire.

We're physical structures. Some day, this physical structure that we call our body is going to come to an end.

But what God is developing in us will ask for all of eternity.

That's spiritual gold. That's Christ's riches. And that's what we want.

Christ says, I counsel from you to buy from me white garments. You know, you're famous for your black garments, but I want you to have white garments.

Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19 verses 7 and 8.

Revelation 19 verse 7. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.

Has made herself ready by purchasing what needed to be purchased, by growing and overcoming, by being close to God the Father and Jesus Christ, by zealously enjoying our spiritual disciplines and being very faithful to those.

Verse 8.

So we want the white garments that are Christ's righteousness.

Christ's. We want Christ's riches. We want Christ's righteousness.

Second Corinthians chapter 3.

Second Corinthians chapter 3, starting here in verse 13.

Unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing by, but their minds were blinded. Second Corinthians 3.14.

For until this day the same veil remains unlisted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts.

Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

We've got Isaiah. We've got Christ's remedy.

Christ's spirit. Spirit of God. Spirit of Christ.

So we want Christ's riches. We want Christ's righteousness. We want Christ's remedy.

Laid asians were looking to themselves.

I may mention at the outset that even though what we have here in Laodicea is in many ways tragic, it's not terminal.

We begin to see that now in Revelation 3, verse 19.

No words of commendation is given to this church, but notice verse 19.

As many as I love, Jesus Christ loved them.

Didn't love their sin. Didn't love where they were. But loved them.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent.

So Christ here is offering tough love.

In your notes, you might want to jot down Hebrews, chapter 12, verses 5 and 6.

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, my son.

Do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him, for whom the Lord loves, He chastens and scourges every son whom He receives.

Christ says, I love you too much to allow you to stay where you're at without a fight.

Christ is going to fight for these brothers and sisters.

He's going to give them the words they need to hear. It may be hard for them to hear it, but He's going to give it to them.

Again, in your notes, you might want to jot down 2 Peter, chapter 3 and verse 9.

2 Peter 3 and 9. I'll read this for you.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

That's the heart and mind of God the Father and Jesus Christ here in Revelation 3.19.

Not willing that any should perish.

Christ says, Be zealous and repent.

I'd like to read that verse 19 in the God's Word translation.

God's Word's translation from Revelation 3.19 says this.

I correct and discipline everyone I love. Take this seriously and change the way you think and act.

Take this seriously and change the way you think and act.

Revelation 3.20.

Revelation 3.20.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

I've always found that to be quite amazing.

Christ's on the outside.

He's not in there with them. He's on the outside.

He's knocking on the door. He wants to come in.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

He wants that fellowship. He wants that relationship.

He wants them to be zealous and repent.

But He can't do it for them.

Brethren, do you and I want Christ on the outside?

Or do we want Christ on the inside?

It's a question I've got to ask myself. It's a question you've got to ask yourself.

Where do we want Christ to be? Inside or outside?

The rest of verse 20 says, If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with me.

So Christ here is being gracious.

Christ here is being patient. To me, that's encouraging.

As bad off as what we see here, no words of commendation.

We see Christ being gracious. He's being patient.

He's being loving.

He wants to work with His church. He wants to work with these people He's given His life for.

The question is, for them and for us, it says, If anyone hears my voice, are you and I hearing?

Are we listening?

Are we listening?

Are we opening the door?

Or are we insulating ourselves with our sins and wrong attitudes?

Do we hear, are we opening up the door?

The Christ-centered exposition commentary says this about verse 20.

It says, In the Middle Eastern world, an invitation to share a meal was characteristic of hospitality in the occasion for intimate fellowship with family and close friends.

For believers enjoying table fellowship and communion with Jesus Christ and spiritual brothers and sisters is a foretaste of the kingdom.

That's what we want, a foretaste of the kingdom.

That's why we enjoy coming to services.

We enjoy meeting with people of like mind.

We want to be in the room.

We don't want to be out there knocking on the door.

We want to be in the room. We want to be fellowshiping with God.

Christ's brothers and sisters.

More encouragement here in verses 21 and 22.

Revelation 3, verse 21.

To Him who overcomes.

Christ's not shutting the door in these folks.

He's not giving up on these folks.

To Him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.

To grant to sit with Me on My throne.

Ending on a very encouraging note.

Even the very worst person can repent and receive a tremendous reward.

To sit on the throne with Jesus Christ.

To Him who overcomes.

Allow to sit with Me on My throne. Allow to sit with Me on My throne.

Again, you and I, a tremendous blessing.

But it only comes because we have heard and we've opened the door.

And we're fellowshiping with Jesus Christ.

Verse 22.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

So, brethren, we have concluded now, they're not quite done.

Don't close everything up yet.

We have gone through the seven messages, seven epistles that Jesus Christ has for His church.

You and I, all of us, need to listen to each and every one of those messages.

Full of food for thought.

To the church in emphasis, Christ said, Be careful not to lose your first love, which is our love for God. Which is our love for Jesus Christ.

To the church of Smyrna, trust in God as you suffer.

You're going to go through suffering, but trust in God. He knows what He's doing.

Trials may not be ending, but God is always on His own timetable. He's always on time.

Trust in Him.

To the church in Pergamos, don't compromise doctrinally.

Know what we believe. Stand firm on what we believe.

To the church in Thyatira, do not waffle morally.

Today's world, when I watch what's happening in today's world, it is so sad to see.

Just so sad to see.

To the church in Sardis, be on guard against spiritual death.

Don't allow yourself to be dying.

To the church in Philadelphia, Christ said, walk through those open doors.

We can talk about that corporately, but let's think about it also individually.

As God opens doors for you and for me, for us, let us walk through those doors.

As I was doing the research for this, I couldn't include everything that I was seeing, but I was going through some of Mr. Armstrong's autobiography. As he was moving from the Sardis era to the Philadelphia era, one of the things that caught his attention was he was seeing the truth about the United States and Britain in prophecy.

He submitted it to the church.

The church says, now, you know, that's kind of interesting, Mr. Armstrong, but we don't want to go there with this.

They weren't going to walk through that door of new understanding.

Britain, let's make it a point where we walk through every door of understanding God gives us, whether it be a doctrine or a new understanding about us and where we need to be.

And to the church in Laodicea, avoid being lukewarm.

Stand for the truth of God.

Britain, if we listen to these seven epistles and what Christ is saying, we will be there in God's kingdom.

And as your pastor, that's what I want to see. My joy is to see you in God's kingdom.

And I'm sure your joy is seeing all of us, all of your brothers and sisters in God's kingdom.

Let's make it happen.