The Middle Ground is Vanishing (Ted Boatsman)

Wednesday                                                                                                 July 11, 2007

The Middle Ground Is Vanishing

Ted Boatsman – The Alaskan Missionary

Revelation 3:14-22

Please stand for the reading of the Lord’s Word – Revelation 3:14-22

Opening Prayer

Brother Boatsman wrote this article in the Alaskan Missionary this quarter.

Read article.

Jesus gives the message in Revelation 3 to John – turn to Revelation 1:1-3 (read)

          Christ’s words describe the spiritual condition of the church in Lay-o-de-ci-a. (vv 15-16)

1.     A lukewarm church is one that compromises with the world and resembles its

          surrounding area. (vv.17-18)

          It professes Christ, yet in reality does not know Him and is in a miserable state.

2.     Christ severely warns the church about His judgment against spiritual luke

          warmness. (vv 15-17)

3.     Christ sincerely invites the church to repent and be restored to a place of faith,

          righteousness, revelation and fellowship. (vv 18-19)

4.     In the midst of a lukewarm church,

          Christ knocks at the door desiring to “come in and eat with them.” (v 20)

          A picture of His desire to have a close friendship and intimacy with His

                    people.

          To believers who persevere in faith and are overcomers in the midst of a

                    spiritually lukewarm church.

            Christ promises that they will share in the authority of His throne. (v 21)

          In its self-sufficient wealth and worldliness,

                    the church in Laodicea had excluded the Lord Jesus Christ from is

                             congregation. (vv 15-18)

          Christ’s invitation, spoken from outside the door,

                   is a request for intimate fellowship with any who will repent of and

                             overcome the spiritual luke warmness of the church.  (v 21)

The relationship between the church and the Holy Spirit must be continually

          declared.

The church is subordinate not only to Christ as the Lord and Head,

          but also to the Spirit of God.

We must listen, hear and respond to the voice of the Spirit and to His words.

          (II Timothy 3:15-16; I Peter 1:24-25: II Peter 1:20-21)

The difference between the Spirit and the church

          can be expressed by the following Biblical truths.

1.     The Spirit is not the possession of the church or any human organization.

          He is the Spirit of God and of Christ, not the Spirit of the church. (v 1)

          The Spirit remains free to come and leave according to God’s righteous

                   standards.

                   Those are found in John 1:33; John 7:39 and John 14:17.

2.     The Holy Spirit represents Christ’s present Lordship over His church.

          The Spirit and His Word are the ultimate authority of Christ.

          Congregations must constantly judge their beliefs and actions by the

                   Spirit and the Word.

          The Spirit and the Word united together is what releases the life,

                   authority and creative power of God in and through the church.

                             (Genesis 1:2-3)

          When the church fails to hear and respond to the Spirit and the Word,

                   it loses its life, purpose and mission as Christ’s church.

3.     The Holy Spirit will remain with any church only as long as the church

          listens and responds to what He says. 

                        (Revelation 2:5, 16, 22-23; Revelation 3:3, 15-16)

Bill Welch – Assistant Superintendent wrote this (read)

Closing Prayer