Laodicea - Family Service GB/BB Rededication Service

(me) Rededication Service for:

1st Sudbury Hill Company of the Girls Brigade &

5th Ealing Company of the Boys Brigade

Minister to Congregation:

Today the officers and members of our two companies – the 1st Sudbury Hill Company of the Girls Brigade and the 5th Ealing company of the Boys Brigade – have come together for their rededication service.

This also gives us, as a church family, the opportunity to join with them in praying for God’s blessings on their work.

First, I invite all the Leaders, Helpers and Young leaders from the Girls Brigade to stand: (Officers, etc. stand up)

“The aim of the Girls Brigade is to help girls to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ and through self-control, reverence and a sense of responsibility to find true enrichment of life”.

“Recognising the responsibility involved in your leadership, do you renew your commitment to serve the Lord through your work with the Girls Brigade”.

Officers, Helpers and Young leaders respond: “I DO”

PRAYER: “We pray that God will give you strength to be faithful in your work at all times, and to know His blessing in your lives” (Officers etc sit down)

“Now I have a question for all the members of the Girls Brigade. Please would you stand. (All the girls stand).

As members of the Girls Brigade company of 1st Sudbury Hill Company, do you promise to be regular in attendance, keen in all aspects of the Brigade work, helpful to the other members of the company and supportive of the staff?”

Members of the 1st Sudbury Hill company : “I DO”

Minister:

PRAYER: “We pray that God will help you to do your best in the company and that you will begin to follow Jesus, Our Saviour and friend” (all sit)

Minister:

“Will the Officers and Helpers of the Boys Brigade please stand (Officers etc stand).

The object of the Boys Brigade is the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among boys and the promotion of habits of obedience, reverence, discipline and self-respect, and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness”.

Recognising the responsibility involved in your leadership do you renew your commitment to serve the Lord through your work with the Boys Brigade”

Officers and Helpers respond “I DO”

PRAYER: “We pray that God will give you the strength to be faithful in your work at all times and to know His blessing in your lives”. (Officers etc sit down)

“Now I have a question for all the members of the Boys Brigade. Please would you stand. (All the boys stand)

As members of the 5th Ealing Boys Brigade Company do you promise to be regular in attendance, keen in all aspects of brigade work, helpful to the other members of the Company and supportive of the staff?”

Members of the 5th Ealing Company “I DO”

PRAYER: “We pray that God will help you to do your best in the Company and that you will begin to follow Jesus, our Saviour and Friend”. (all sit)

Round of applause please for both companies.

My hope is that all of us here at the Church will support and pray for all involved in these two companies.

And now there are some badges to give out and so I invite Ruth to come forward...

Reading/Sermon - Laodicea

Revelation 3:14–22 CSB

14 “Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. 20 See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Tacitus (c.55-117AD), a Roman historian who lived at the same time as John who wrote the words of Revelation, says of Laodicea that it was a trade centre based on medicine, tourism and development. This was the place people came to get rich. It is very much like the migrants out of Syria and Afghanistan a few years ago – off to Germany, the so-called Promised Land where everything will be fine…except it has not turned out as they expected and are now rather lukewarm about their prospects. Or about London as Dick Whittington thought before he arrived - that the streets were paved with gold…except they weren’t, though he did become Mayor of London in the 14th Century such was his ambition.

Now the Church of Laodicea was being watched, as are all churches including ours; Who is watching the Church? Jesus. The answer every Sunday School child knows. Yes, the church is being watched by the One who sees and understands all things. He is a Faithful and True Witness and the Source and Sustainer of Creation. His witness cannot be discounted for He sees things as they really are.

Many think that the Church described is the last Church of the Church Age before Jesus comes. Careful not to be lukewarm on my return, some say Jesus is saying. Well, I don’t really know about that – it may be or it may not – it is not true of the whole Church of God in the world at this time but, perhaps, the Churches are getting more and more lukewarm, but it is clearly so here in the UK, Europe and the US. Jesus’ judgement of the church in Laodicea is that it is lukewarm. The question really is - are we lukewarm?

So, what do we know about Laodicea?

The City had many interesting features such as:

(15, 16) Springs of hot water. HOT water.

The hot water was full of minerals and nutrients which was good for both drinking your mineral tea and it was good for bathing. I was going to go to the baths in Macedonia where there are hot springs but avoided it because it was too hot but even so, it is supposed to be good for someone like me who has arthritis in my hips. It is the famous Katlanovska Spa which was used by one of the last Roman Emperors when he was unwell, and today is used by many others to get better. Instead we went off to Ohrid and a spa there where the water was a comfortable heat - either way I was not going to drink from either spa. Well, the spring in Laodicea was a benefit to you had if you drank it hot. It was very expensive to use as the land owner had to be paid for its use. And since it was famous for its healing powers people came from all around.

But as always there are cheapskates who want everything for free and so they would go downstream about 60 yards and drink from there – HOWEVER it was lukewarm – and they would have to spew it out. In Macedonia, until recently, they used the old method in clearing out stomachs when someone was poisoned or in drug overdose – they give a glass of lukewarm water which causes the patient to eject the contents of their stomach – now, of course, they use stomach pumps! But LUKEWARM is not good for you!!

Now a further 100 yards downstream and the water is cold – good you say – you love cold water – Irena, especially loves a glass of cold water – nothing better she says but whilst this might feel good this particular cold water no longer has useful nutrients and has no minerals of value to us left.

WE are that water, that stream – up the top – close to Jesus, in the presence of God, we receive all that we need for life and health and godliness.

60 yards away – LUKEWARM – in the middle – a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Of no use to God – makes Him to have done with such a man. This is where many people of God are today. More concentrated in this world rather than working for God’s Kingdom but still trying to have both feet either side. They are self-satisied.

160 yards away – COLD – No nutrients or worth. Remember this was written to Christians. Would God rather have someone who never knew Him or someone who lives their so called Christian life without God. It seems God would rather you be an atheist than be part committed.

All these Christians are somewhere in the stream BUT where? Where are we? The distance can be deceiving – oh – I’m only 60 yards away – even one inch away is too far. Just one sin, not all that bad but not all that good either. So, where are we? We wouldn’t commit adultery but quite happy to watch and laugh at it on TV. We wouldn’t think of being hateful but we have no problem with jokes told my others at another’s expense. Turn to God. We are not under the law but Jesus showed us that morality is much more strict that we think. Are we lukewarm in our hate of sin? Remember it is God’s will for us to be holy, good, perfect. How far down the stream are we? Well, what was is behind us, but what about now? All it takes is for us to Draw near to God and He WILL draw near to you.

(17, 18) Their dependence seems to have been on the things they owned which at the end came to nothing. And why? Well, Laodicea was also known for its gold. It WAS the best. And everyone knew it – they came from all around to buy Laodicean gold, absolutely no doubt, so nothing could go wrong, whoops! A problem arose – it began to run out! So the tradesmen thought up a plan – let’s mix the gold with copper. No one will know the difference, we can still take the money from the people and unless they are a metal smith they will never know the difference. But in reality what the people bought and received was no longer worth its weight in gold!! So those who WERE rich began to lose money – paying say £1000 for about £100’s worth of gold. They were becoming poor without knowing it. BUY Gold refined in the fire (no impurities or copper here!) from God to have in our everlasting habitation. A reward which never decays or rots or is stolen is kept in Heaven for us.

The Christians were getting poorer without realising it – they were putting their efforts into things which were not eternal; the things that last, the things that have true value. They were mixing it too much with the world, diluting their commitment, taking it easy when there was work to do. The gold, pure gold, was getting contaminated, the gospel was mixed because no one believed in the power of God anymore to bring people in with the preaching of just the gospel, now we tell people how much life will get better if they come to Jesus, how much more money and health and possessions will increase in this life. We can even command God and speak the right words positively and God has to give to us. Instead of telling people that Jesus died for their sins, was buried and resurrected so they (and we) could be reconciled to God, and allowing this gospel to work by the power of God so people could have eternal life where our citizenship is in Heaven not earth. Have we contaminated the message so much that we lose our reward and we are giving people a false gospel that is only partly pure?

(18) Laodicea was also the fashion Capital; they were famous for their black wool– but all clothes wear out in time and parts of our bodies get exposed - but God says come and get white clothes they do not wear out, clothed in His righteousness. This is a bit like the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve sewed together fig leaves to cover themselves because of their shame, the first religious act but it did nothing for the heart or guilt, and God clothed them with skins of animals, the first sacrifice, it cost the animal’s blood and life. And the only way to be right with God is through trusting the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross - paid for in blood and life. Now we can put on the garments of salvation which in God’s sight make us pure white.

(17, 18) Laodicea was also known for its medicine – besides the spring they had something else which was famous – their eye cream/salve. It was known to take away pain in the eyes – but it was not able to restore sight – Come to God and get eye salve so that you can SEE – this eye salve heals you too – I was blind but now I see. But even as Christians we can be blind. Temptation can come in and look so appealing, we look with our eyes when we should be averting them, and then we give in and sin. Look to the Cross and SEE what He has done – He has turned away wrath from us and paid the penalty for our sins. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us and heal us. Confess your sin to God, agree how black it is, and receive God’s forgiveness. And you will begin to see clearly again.

Otherwise we will be on the end of God’s discipline and this is only so that we would turn back to Him. We are told in

Ps 32 1-5 1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Repent we are told in verse (19). Draw near to God – see here… Be zealous to turn back. It takes real effort and will to break with the old.

(20) He’s already standing at the door knocking – are you going to let Him come in? If the Queen came and knocked on the door would you not let her in? Christians, too, can have hard hearts – He brings everything with Him – even the meal – what can we set before Him? We can only bring ourselves – open up your heart – He won’t force you. He who understands opens the door.

He wants us to gain a reward with Him. And that reward will be what it says in verse 21.

(21) If we overcome we will sit with Him on His throne – we are overcomers the moment we simply say ‘Yes’ to Him. Trust Him for everything and take our trust off ourselves and off others and first put our faith in God who has saved us through Jesus Christ. It is time to be those Christians who are sold out for Him –to not give up doing good, to endure to the end, to wait upon and spend time with God and in His Word.

Of course, opening the door to Jesus in our lives is just the first step. The Gospel is simple. However, the gospel is about Jesus Christ…and we can never fully know Him in our lifetimes but we can certainly use our lifetimes to know Him who is all in all, the best Person to know.

Let me add a quote:

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (F. Your Soul Winning) edited by me

G. Campbell Morgan, the great expositor, said: “Lukewarmness is the worst form of blasphemy.”

Adrian Rogers asks: Why would he say that? Lukewarmness says, “God, I know you exist, and I believe in you, but you just don’t excite me.” Think about it. That’s a terrible thing. What an indictment! It says, “God, that your love, your sacrifice, all of your worth—it just doesn’t move me.” We yawn in the face of God. No wonder Jesus said, “I would that you were hot, or I would that you’re cold. But, you’re neither cold nor hot, but you’re lukewarm. Therefore, you make me sick; you make me nauseous.”

Is this something true of you?

Finally, Jesus says

(22)He that have ears – let him hear! Have you heard? Will you listen? Will you be on fire for God? I, for one, want to renew my passion. We are being watched by the True and Faithful witness.

What is His testimony about us now? What will His testimony be about us in the future?

Benediction

Song: You shall go out with joy

Bibliography

Rogers, A. (2017). Eternity Is a Trumpet Sound Away. In Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive. Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust.