Laodicea: The Disgusting Church

And we're going to look beginning and verse 14. Now, if you remember we've studied six churches so far Ephesus lost their first love and other words, they serve the Lord. They did a lot of good things but they were doing it with the wrong motivation. So the Bible says they lost their first love which is their love for Christ and then we had Smyrna which was the persecuted church. Now let me say something again. And I've mentioned this and I want to say it one more time. These seven churches, these letters were written to were written in the first century. but, These we can apply the messages to these churches. It has three different applications. Number one, it has a practical application. We can look at these seven churches in the sea, if we are failing or doing well, in the areas that they are, so it has an applicant, a practical application for us today, but it also has a perennial application. And what that means is is throughout church history for over two thousand years, you going to see churches, just like the 7 throughout everywhere in every age. But it also has a prophetic application in that. Each Church represent a certain error in church history and that's why it's so important that we study the Church of laodicea because the Church of laodicea Is the church that I believe is in the last age before. Christ comes back, if you want to date, I'm going to give you one from 1900. Until the rapture. You say well that hadn't happened yet, right? So what I'm telling you is this that every single one of us here were born and raised and we live in the church age of laodicea you say. Well, give me one word that describes the church age that I live in apathy. Don't care. Just whatever I can go to church, where I don't have to go to church. The people who go to church, many are apathetic in their Christian walk and in their Devotion to the Lord. I don't need a devotion, I just go to church and I'll hear a preacher preach or I'll go to Sunday school class and then I won't open my bible again until next Sunday. How you serve thing to think that what I'm doing in my way, just say special about that because they had for Eye Centers there. For people would go to from everywhere that were almost going blind and they would help them, they have medicinal medicines or whatever that would help them. There's a reason that he saying this, just like he does all the city. He picks out what the people in the city will understand and I'll explain that as we go through the first 19, many as I love remember he said, he says, I want to spew you out of my mouth. I want to vomit your miserable, poor blind and naked, and then he says, as many as I love, He's telling them, but I love you and because I love you, I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent verse 20. 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 who overcomes, I will grant to sit with me on my Throne, as I also, overcame death and resurrection, and sit down with my father, on his throne, he who has a ear. Let him hear what the spirit says, to the churches. Well, the title of my message is laodicea. The disgusting church. I hate to talk about a church that's disgusting, but this one was to the Lord. The apathy of the 21st century Church. Remember, this is the error. This is the age in which we all live an age of apathy toward spiritual things. Well, let's just jump right to it. And we going to use the same points of views for the other churches. And number one, what I want to say, Talk about is the destination of the letter. Now, the letter was written to laodicea and this is going to be very important. This cultural and this background information is located in what was called, the lycus valley. It had two cities near it. Within 5, Mi of it. One was colossi. Remember Paul wrote a letter to the Colossians. The other city was hierapolis. About 300 miles east of Athens. It was about six hundred miles, Northwest of Jerusalem, two important trade routes converge there. The city was a very wealthy commercial center. It was one of the richest cities in the region, it was known for banking. It was known for manufacturing of clothing, especially black wolf and it had a famous medical school with ointments for ears and eyes. So wealthy, was that City that in a D16, a tremendous earthquake there that destroyed the city and laodicea rebuilt itself without any help from Rome. I think about that. You know that we're all looking for government handouts. Are we when something happens, a tornado comes or hurricane. We want to get, you know, we want our money, we have homeowners insurance and things like that. We want our money. They rebuilt the entire city and ass ROM for nothing. Absolutely nothing. This is what the Roman historian tacitus said laodicea. A rose from the ruins by the throne Resources with no help from us. That's what the Roman historian said you see the city and the church were alike, they saw themselves as self-sufficient. They didn't need help from anyone including God, they were just fine by themselves and the Church, of course was badly deceived now fight all this wealth and riches laodicea had one major weakness.

They had an absence of good drinking water. You say what? What what does that matter? Well what did the Lord tell them? You are not hot or cold your what lukewarm Who likes lukewarm water. I can't imagine anyone would like anyting lukewarm for all the wealth that this city had, they had poor drinking water, and tacitus even said, he said, the water was so distasteful that when visitors came to the city and they would drink it, many of them ended up vomiting. What did the Lord say to the church? I'll do what you want out of my mouth wife because you are lukewarm, you're just like the water of your city. You see how this is is, is playing in here. And so we see the destination info from a prophetic perspective and that's how we're going to look at it. This church represent the church at the end of the age before Christ returns to the Earth and it's a sobering wake-up call. I think for us and churches, who realize that we made the living in an age represented by this church, it means that when Christ comes back and he can come at any moment with when he comes back, he's going to have very little to commend to the church in general. And I'm not saying all churches are like this. There's many good churches out there. Just like I said, you going to have certain types of churches in every age but the predominant attitude is going to be one of apathy when Christ comes back info. The church in laodicea just like the modern church today. Failed to point people to Christ as the way of Salvation it because it had become a social lukewarm organization instead of a lighthouse pointing people to Christ. And what is it that you hear all over TV today in the internet and everything we want. All this social justice issue, we want to do this, and it's a pro abortion or not abortion and we want to look at the Supreme Court. We want to look at Congress, we want to look at Senate, we want to look at our elected officials as if they're going to be the savior of the world friends, our hope is not in Congress. It is in Christ, Our Hope is not in Capitol Hill. It is on calvary's Hill. That is our hope in the church has to get back to doing the main thing that matters and that is spreading the gospel getting out here, trying to find people who is lost and bringing them the guy. Couple of Salvation, not any type of. So all this social stuff is fine, it has its place, but I'm afraid that too many Christians want to go to Washington and walk with a sign. Instead of going out here and reaching people for Christ, it will not be found. Salvation will not be found in social justice is only found in Christ and if we're going to turn our nation around, is not going to be through politics is going to be through the gospel. Can I get a Amen to that? That's exactly what it's going to be. So the destination of the letter it is laodicea. Number two, As always, we see the description of Christ Christ identifies himself, not look how he does that here in verse second part of verse 14. He says, in verse 14, bee sting says the amen. The faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God identifying Jesus as the amen the faithful and true witness it recognizes in our Lord. What is sure what is valid? What is true? And what is trustworthy? He is the faithful and true witness. This looks back to Revelation 1:5 in this description. Now stands in contrast to the actual condition of the laodicean church Christ. Why? Cuz Christ is reliable. This church was not Christ is fateful. This church was not. The Bible says Christ is the true witness this church didn't even have a witness He says, I know you works and he said, you need a hot or cold, they didn't even have a witness outside to the lost world. You know, you may not trust the dependability words, in witness of the laodicean Christians. But friends, let me tell you something. You can count, and you can trust what Jesus says, you can trust. What the Lord says this is what the first part of this is talking about. It didn't look. It says the beginning of the creation of God. Not only, can you trust what he says? You can trust what he starts. Now, Jesus is the originator of God's creation. You can read about that Colossians, 1:15 and 18. Which if the price is not only Chief, but he's ruler originator of both creation. And the church. He is Lord over both the material realm and the spiritual realm. Now, Lassie was kind of infected with a heresy about Denying the full deity of Jesus and since they Odyssey it was close to classy. I'm sure the same teaching had gone on there, it's the same teaching of the Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons who say there was a time when the sun was not, and God was not always the father, That's their teaching. And so, our Lord, corrects this devilish teaching here and asserts, I'm not part of the creation. I'm not a creature. That was made. I'm the beginning. I'm the Creator. I'm the originator of everything. So whether he thought about the creation of the church, he is, Lord, he's ruler. He's chief his first in time and position, and I think somebody preached hear a sermon one time and title, a name above all names, that's who he is. He's first and foremost, and this is what he's telling laodicea you can trust what I say and you can trust what I start. So, that's the destination. That's the description of Of Christ. Number 3, let's look at the diagnosis. Of the church. Now, this is what was wrong with the church. I broke it down into three things the let's go over each one number one. The layout of stay in church was a compromising Church. Look at it and verses 15 and 16. I know your works that you are neither cold nor hot. I would wish you were cold or hot so then because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot. I will vomit you out of my mouth. That's the only time in the New Testament that this word lukewarm is used. And what it means is tepid.

Now if you're like me and you like a good hot batch of chocolate chip cookies, what do you like to drink with that milk? You like your milk cold or lukewarm with your hot cookies. You won't it cold. You know what he wants? Lukewarm room temperature. Milk least. I hope you don't anyway, I know you want it cold. The Lord says here, you're not cold. You're not hot. You're just lukewarm. So, what, what is he saying here? Well, here's the deal with laodicea Laodicea lay right here.

Hierapolis was right here. Hierapolis had a bunch of hot Mineral Springs. That they use for medicines and things like that. But remember, they oughta? See, it didn't have good drinking water, so they had the pipe. Their water from heropoulos to laodicea, but not only that, they piped water from colossi to lay on to see you. But here's the problem cuz she had a bunch of fresh cold water Springs. And that water had the come down, those pipes to lay out of see it and that cold water by the time it reaches laodicea. It was what lukewarm the hot springs in heropoulos was bubbly hot, but by the time, it reached laodicea it was what lukewarm That's why the Lord is using this analogy here. He says, you're just like the water that you pipe in from hierapolis and and Hierapolis and colossal, he said, you just, you just like a lukewarm, you see? He was using an analogy that they would understand. It didn't matter if it started hot, or started cold by the time, it reaches laodicea. It was nasty. And the people would drink and visit there and say, they were just spit it out and get sick on the people drink this water lower saying, that's exactly how the church yet if it is tepid. And he says, I wish you were cold or hot, at least they would know. What they did or didn't believe you see, to be lukewarm, is to go along to get along. And there's too many churches today who just goes along just to get along and they stand for nothing. And friends. Let me tell you something. When your relationship to the Lord is lukewarm as an individual or as a church, you are a prime candidate for compromise because you don't want to stand for anything. I'm not going to stand for any. I'm not going to speak up against this though. The media, the culture. They do not, don't jump all over, you know, I'm going to stay. I'm just going to hide. I'm going to be a closet. Christian is what I'm going to be friends with this is not the time to be a close at Christian in this world. We can't stand to be tempted. We can't stand to be lukewarm. The Lord's. Going to say, I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth. If you don't check, it starts standing for something the church needs to stand for righteousness. But too many people have a willingness to blend in with whatever crowd that there with. And sometimes we start off hot in our relationship to the Lord but over time, it becomes lukewarm. And when it does that friends, we are a candidate for compromise. What was wrong with this truck? They were neither hot nor cold. They straddle the fence on everything. They would not stand for anything. They were a compromising Church number 2. Not only were they compromised, they were a conceited church. Now look at it in verse 17. Do you say? This is their self of self evaluation. I'm rich have become wealthy and have need of nothing. You know, there's many churches, that think that they have a lot of money, they have all the programs you want. They got ministers here, they got associate pastors, they got choir directors, they have everything. And as long as they have all the money and do all the things that they want to do and stand up for all these social justice causes. But yet they'll never preach the gospel from the pulpit, they think that everything is right. We don't need any help, especially from God. We got everything we need and God said, you know what? You're you're so miserable, you're so blind, you're so naked. You are so wretched. You are so poor that I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth. It's not an awful thing to have to say. This is what dr. John Walford. I said about the church at laodicea listen to what he said. The church at laodicea with her unconscious need were lulled into a false. Contentment by their temporary sufficiency spiritually. They were in a wretched state but did not realize it without the real joy of the Lord they were miserable in spite of their temporal wealth. They were poor because they were out real, an eternal possessions and we're lacking the eye of faith that could ascertain. The true riches, which endure forever. They were blind to things, which could be seen, only by spiritual sight. They were naked of the spiritual closing, the righteousness which comes from God, even though they were closed closed with Rich, garments of silk, and wool. Remember the city who was known for its manufacturing of clothes, The laodiceans are typical of the modern world which Revels in that with the natural, I can see but is Untouched by the gospel and does not see beyond the veil of the material to the Unseen and real Eternal spiritual riches. And that's the state of many churches today, all we have to do is travel to Europe. The gospel came to Europe first, they brought it over here to America, at one time, Europe was on fire for the Lord, you go to Europe today you'll be hard-pressed to find a church. Oh, you'll find a lot of churches but I'll Lumber close down. That's the way you are. And we are about 20 to 25 years behind Europe and everything. Whatever happens in Europe, eventually happens in America just about 20 to 25 years later, go to Europe today and you will hardly find a church that is open. You say, well, can that happen in America shortcut? If we could deceive ourselves into thinking that we are wealthy and have need of nothing? This was a conceited church and we try to attract people to our churches for the wrong reasons. They will never grow strong in the Lord. That will never mature in the Lord. If we just want to have a big crowd. So we can have money friends. We can't use the world's method and the world's measuring stick to gauge the health and success of the modern church, if we do the price will say to us what he said to me, they oughta, see it. They were just using the world standard for what wealthy. We rich. We got a big church, building. We got to campus. We got satellite churches. Pay our ministers. Over $100,000 a piece, I mean, what else could we need?

And that's what this is what Christ said to them. Well, actually your wretched miserable, poor blind and naked. That's what I see. See, let her see, they were compromised and they were conceited and this is the worst one. They were chryslus. You say, how can a church be chryslus? Look at it twenty

Behold. This is Christ. Talkin, I stand at the door and knock. He stands at the door, the church door and knocking. If anyone hears, my voice and opens the door, I will come in the dime with him and, and he with me, But he's on the outside. Looking to cut, he is standing on the outside of the laodicean church, trying to gain interest. He is knocking, and no one will open the door. Why? Because they didn't need Christ, they had it all. They had. Well, they had riches, they had medical schools. We had everything but good drinking water but you probably put up a bad drinking water if you had all that. Play. They had, they had it all by the world's standards. I think about this verse in the last days, Christ is trying to gain access. To his own church in which he is Lord over. It reminds me of what he said in Luke 18 8. He said nevertheless when the son of man comes will he really find faith on the Earth? And the answer is probably not much. When he comes by what a terrible characterization of the church in the last days that Christ stands on the outside knocking, and no one will open the door. Number 4, And he's going to give us the declaration to the church. He's going to tell this church. What you need to do to make things, right? And first of all, we look at Poverty. What can they do about their poverty crisis? You need my riches. I look how he says it in the first part of Verse 18. He says I counsel you to buy for me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich. Look at the irony there. Gold as refining fire so that you may be rich and they're sitting on here saying, we are rich, we have everything, we need. We're, well, what are you talkin about gold? Refined in fire, so that will be riched. You're already rich, they consider themselves rich and they were but their riches were worldly. Not spiritual. Their money was useless trans. You can't buy God's love. I don't care how much money you have. You can't buy his forgiveness. If you give him your whole 401K you can't buy forgiveness from him. Don't matter how much money that you have. The money was useless for what it was really needed for which was spiritual healing and maturity, they needed spiritual wealth and that only comes through Christ. And the way he says it here by from me, gold refined in the fire, what is he staying there? Our gold is refined in the fire. When we humble humbly, Suffer for Christ and Obey him even when it's hard. that's when we have his riches, when he brings suffering in your life and remember when we did the series on suffering, Suffering is not a roadblock that hinders God's plan for your life. Suffering is God's plan for your life. Thank you, hear Joel Osteen. Say that this morning tell 40,000 people you're going to suffer Yeah, you going to suffer because that's God's plan for your life to suffer and the way we suffer the way we handle it, that is when we turn to Gold that has been found in the fire of suffering, that's what he said. He said this is what you need here. Not your own. You don't need material wealth. You need spiritual wealth be Not only poverty, he addresses their nakedness. What do they need their? He says, you need my Christ's righteousness. He said, I look at how he says, he says, and white garments that you may be closed that the shame of your neck. In this may not be revealed. They were not close in anything except their own self-righteousness. Remember this was a conceited Church. They pretended to be clothed in righteousness, but it was all self-righteous and Christ says, I can see through that and you're really naked and nobody had the nerve to say. So until Christ writes, this letter always remember this, when you read about nakedness in Scripture,

It's always in the context, a metaphor for defeat and humiliation. When Adam and Eve sinned. They were naked. And what did they do? They hid from the Lord. Why did they hide from the Lord? Because they were in defeat, and they were in humiliation. That's why it's a metaphor for that. And that was the condition of the laodicean church. In crisis, you need white, garments is what you need. You need that with what is the white garments in Scripture? It is Christ's righteousness. We must be clothed in his righteousness. When we accept Christ, he takes our dirty garments for himself, and he gives us his white clean, garments his righteousness that we are to wear. So we see here, That this church was lukewarm to obedient generosity service and it just the Lord look down said, you just naked you don't have anything. Nothing to come in. You're just a naked church when Christians are on fire for the Lord hot. In other words, the natural result will be good works when we are hot for the Lord, we will be doing good works. But instead of being hot step, it approach to True spirituality produce no fruit what so ever. So they were in poverty poverty. They were there. They also was in neck and is he said, you need my righteousness and you need my riches. Let's go to number 3 or letter c. He gives the prescription for their blindness. Look at it. Here in verse 18. He says, anoint your eyes with I say, I hope that you may see another irony. They had the medical school there. They had opthamologist everywhere there they can take care of you. He says, no, you're not. You may think you have 20/20 vision, your blind. You can't see spiritually speaking. You can't see what so ever. And so, they had this mixture here and they put with water and it created a high South and help people to see better. But while they knew I problems, they were completely behind when it came to spiritual things in France. Don't think that spiritual blindness is something that just went on back then. People are spiritually blind today. I know phds people with degrees 6810 in behind their name.

That they are spiritually, blind and spiritually ignorant, but they can tell you anything you want to know about genetics and all this and biology and all their smart as a whip. They they are brilliant. But spiritually speaking, they are blind. So what does that call for? Well, it cost for submission because see we all need God's wisdom and discernment. And when we submit ourselves to the Lord, the Bible says, he gives grace to the humble, but he resists the proud. So, we need to be, we need to surrender and have submission to the Lord. And let me say this just this is one of the issues. That I want to bring up people talk about. Well, we need to vote for the right, people in office where we do we need to every time I vote for someone, I look to see which one which person holds biblical standards, that's closest to the Lord, and I'll vote for that person.

Befriend, Chris, I'm talking about Christian people out. Christian people, need wisdom and discernment. Did you know? That about 65%, they say a Christian men and women. Are pro-choice.

Can you tell me how a Christian? Could vote for a person who is pro-abortion, if you understand. What God Says About Life about death and what's important to him? But these Christian people will go out, they say the Christian, so I believe them and they will vote, pro-abortion. They'll go with the rallies and hold up. Sign a woman's Choice. She should be up. This is her body just shows an absolute Just no knowledge, whatsoever. Of any Theology of anything that God thinks about life and children the doctrine of death, the Theology of why it shows. No, understanding of that to be able to do that. We need discernment and wisdom to know the right choices to make and it doesn't come automatically. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally and upbraideth, not. We all need to ask God every day for wisdom, especially when it comes to these social issues and we call ourselves Christians. And yet we stand with the world on issues like that, that's just unconscionable to me. That we don't understand that. Thank you for letting me rant for about 3 minutes and now I'll get back. We'll finish up. What is the so we had poverty, making this blindness What's the remedy for compromise? Look at it in verse 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Only one word to repent. What does that mean to make 180 degree turn? Does taurine go to opposite direction? Go to go to go the opposite direction. He says, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Jesus love this church. He loves the church around the world, but he don't want us to show signs of being, like, lay off this year. And if we think repent is a harsh message, Thank you for you. Don't repent what the message is. If Jesus didn't call his people to repentance, he would be sending them this message. Do what you want to do and just go to hell. That's what he would do. If he didn't call us to repent, he would just say what do what you want to do? And you'll go to hell. Now, you may be reading and thinking about these words and realizing and what might, you know, maybe Jesus, instead of talk in the layout and see you, maybe I looked I need to look at my own self. Maybe I'm not real hot after the lower maybe my relationship is lukewarm. What do you do if that describes you spiritually, what is the prescription for compromising? Christian not only a compromise in church. One word repent. Just repent and turn, and go the other direction. And then, lastly, what's the prescription for their priceless? Is humility. Look at it in verse 20, 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. This is one of the most simplest and eloquent, invitations of Fellowship, found in the Bible. It says it's a picture of Christ seek an interest to his church. Which is only gained when we invite him into our heart and friend to invite Christ into your heart. You know what you got to do? You have to Humble yourselves. You have to bow your knee to Jesus and humble yourself. And say I am wretched, poor blind, naked and miserable without Christ. What a Sad picture standing outside of his own church. That's close to him and others who might want to enter because they're so self-sufficient and self-absorbed friends. This is the church that's going to be on earth. When Christ returns to set up his kingdom, all churches are not going to be like this. I hope we're not all churches, won't be like, but the predominant attitude is going to be one of apathy. It's a church too busy with plans and programs and priorities, to even notice that Christ has been crowded out. He's been moved to the margin, he's moved to the periphery. And finally, he's outside the church altogether knocking, trying to get in braniff. The church is to become passionate instead of lukewarm. It will only happen when we become rich in him and closed with his righteousness. Amen. Let's pray. Father, we praise you and love you today. Lord, for your word. Lourdes was a difficult sermon to preach simply because of the type of church. It was the disgusting Church. Or we don't want to be that church. We know that that will be the the prevailing Trend when you come back but we don't want to be that church. Help us to be the Church of Philadelphia. Help us to be the Great Commission. Faithful Church in never crowd. You out, always making what we do here at this church about Jesus. Lord, I Thank you for each one that's here today. And I pray for those who may examine their own heart this morning, and they might say, you know, something my relationship toward the lord is lukewarm It's just happened. I'm not hot. I'm not cold, I just too busy. I do this, I work. I raised my family. I pay my bills. I pay my taxes. I'm just trying to get by, but when you look at yourself spiritually, you have to say, while I'm just lukewarm, I don't stand for anything, I'm a fence traveler. Lord, that's not what we need to be in these times in these days. For all those who are here who are Christian. I pray that they will make a commitment this morning that they're going to be hot for you that they will stand for you and Lord that they will speak the truth in love force. In Christ name, I do pray. Amen.

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