The Uninvited King
Notes
Transcript
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 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—18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the 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 eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
Laodicea, One of the seven churches to which the Lord Jesus sent letters in the Book of Revelation. Laodicea is now modern-day Denizli, Turkey. Known for being a major seaport, a wealthy city that manufactured a special eye salve or ointment, as well as a glossy black wool cloth..
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
This is romanticized
Was used for personal evangelism. door of your heart.
Picture of Jesus knocking at the door.
Uninvited in many of the churches today. Irony is that they sing about Jesus and they talk about Jesus
Lessons from the Laodicean church:
I. The Reality of the church today.
II. The Root Issues of the Church.
III. The Remedy of Jesus.
I. The Reality of the Church Today.
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Lukewarmness.
Map of water flow from Hierapolis and Colossae to Laodicea here. Explain.
The pure, unadulterated Word of God has been mixed with worldly knowledge and man-made religion. As a result they are going through the motions, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.
The church of our world is in maintenance mode.
The unpleasantness of lukewarmness to the taste.. “because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth”.
Warm days - we demand cold water. Cold days - we want something warm. We do not want something lukewarm.
Lukewarmness - lack of zeal for the things of God. (common interpretation).. rather the church embracing the world and its riches.
17 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—
II. The Root Issues of Today’s Church.
Reasons for the Church’s Lukewarmness.
Wretched, miserable, Poor, Blind, Naked - church is oblivious to this.
Against:
The Three deadly C’s!
Complacency - Poor
Callousness - Blind
Compromise - Naked, shame
Complacency - because of self-sufficiency, we are not in need of anything. Comfortable.
Callousness - Unaware of the real things happening in the world. What God is doing. What is God’s mission?
Compromise - there is a cover up of faults.. nakedness denotes shamefulness.. covering sins.. may the Lord preserve you blameless at the day of the Lord Jesus!
III. The Lord’s Remedy.
To our poverty, blindness, and nakedness.
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the 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 eye salve, that you may see.
How can we buy something precious if we are poor? Biblical metaphor.
1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
“Buy”- following Jesus will cost us something, and that is most important in the heart of God our entire lives. Are we willing to live for Jesus even if it will cost us our very lives?
Seek true spiritual riches.
Eye salve - That the Lord may drop the scales from our eyes, and that we see the world the way God does.
White garments — Righteousness, purity
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Anyone - it has to be a personal decision - to be an integral part of the Church of the Great Commission.
There are two doors in this chapter in the book of Revelation :
A door that the church needs to open. The door knob is inside..
A door that only Jesus can open - The church in Philadelphia
Let us open the door in this church for Jesus
Overcoming with Jesus. Welcome the Lord Jesus, so He will open the door of effectual ministry.
Hard message but it is also reassuring.
When the Lord reminds us to repent, he does so out of His great love.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
This message is very much for us as it was for the church of Laodicea.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”