The Church At Laodicea

Q: What does the Bible say about the church at Laodicea?

The church at Laodicea, mentioned in Revelation 3, was known for being lukewarm in their faith, and Jesus rebukes them for their self-sufficiency. The church at Laodicea, as addressed in Revelation 3, represents a congregation that had grown complacent and self-sufficient, claiming to be rich and in need of nothing. Jesus reveals their spiritual condition, stating that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. This letter serves as a stark reminder of the danger of relying on one's own perceived righteousness instead of the righteousness provided by Christ. The Lord’s rebuke emphasizes the importance of recognizing our true spiritual state and the necessity for genuine faith and reliance on His grace.

Q: How do we know that God's love is evident in rebuke?

God's love is demonstrated through His rebuke of His people, as He desires for them to recognize their need for grace. In Revelation 3:19, Jesus states, 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.' This conveys that God's rebuke is an act of love aimed at guiding His people back to a correct understanding of their need for Him. His corrections are rooted in His everlasting love and desire for His people to turn from their self-reliance and embrace the grace that is found in Him. This process of discipline is a reflection of His mercy, ensuring that His children do not remain in a state of spiritual blindness and self-deception.

Q: Why is recognizing our spiritual poverty important for Christians?

Recognizing our spiritual poverty is crucial for acknowledging our need for Christ's righteousness and grace. The church at Laodicea exemplified a serious misunderstanding of their spiritual state; they believed they were wealthy and self-sufficient while they were, in reality, spiritually destitute. Jesus emphasizes the importance of coming to Him to receive gold refined in the fire, symbolizing the true wealth of faith and righteousness (Revelation 3:18). By understanding our spiritual poverty, we acknowledge our need for a Savior and the imputed righteousness of Christ. This recognition leads to a genuine relationship with God, where we rely fully on His grace rather than our own works.

Q: What does it mean to be lukewarm in faith?

Being lukewarm in faith refers to a lack of genuine commitment to Christ, characterized by complacency. In Revelation 3:15-16, Jesus critiques the Laodicean church for being 'neither cold nor hot,' which signifies a dangerous complacency in their spiritual lives. Lukewarmness suggests a half-heartedness and an indifference towards the gospel and a relationship with Christ. This state is detrimental because it leads to self-deception, where one might think they are fine while being distant from the true vibrancy of faith. The call to be hot involves a zealous commitment to Christ, embracing His righteousness and proclaiming His truth, rather than settling for a nominal or cultural understanding of faith.

Q: How does God's mercy manifest in His call for repentance?

God's mercy is evident in His call for repentance, inviting His people to return to Him despite their failures. The call to repentance in Revelation 3:19 illustrates God's mercy, as He invites the Laodiceans to turn from their self-sufficiency and recognize their need for Him. His rebukes are not meant to condemn but to lead His people to true repentance—a pivotal aspect of His redemptive process. Through His gentle call, He expresses grace by providing a means for them to regain spiritual vitality. This invitation showcases His unending love and the hope of restoration, as He desires fellowship with His people and wants them to thrive in the fullness of His grace.

Paul, thank you for all those
kind words. You've been a friend to me through all things that continue. This letter that Brother Sammy read,
this was one of the letters that was written pinned by the Apostle
John, actually moved upon him by the
Spirit of God from the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the seventh letter in a
series of seven letters. that was written the seven individual
churches in Asia. Now each letter has been addressed
to the angel or the pastor of that particular assembly that
the Lord was pleased to speak to. It is a miracle of God's
grace that God would say anything to anyone in mercy. This church was located at a
place called Laodicea, and this city had, like one of the cities
that was mentioned in verse eight, it said that it was had a door,
an open door in Revelation chapter 3 of the church at Philadelphia. Had an open door set before them
that no man could shut. Now this particular church was
probably raised up by the grace of God through the apostle Paul. I want you to turn over to Colossians
chapter 2. Colossians 2. Paul writing to the church at
Colossae. Colossians chapter 2, verse 1,
he says, For I would that you knew what great conflict I have
for you and for them that lay out a seal and for as many as
have not seen my face in the flesh. And there was in this
particular church Great fellowship. Great harmony, hospitality. And
zeal that was associated with this particular church. Look
at same same book, Colossians chapter two. I mean, Colossians
chapter four, sorry, in verse twelve. He says, Paul writing
same letter, Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ,
salutes you, always laboring fervently for you in prayer.
That you may stand perfect and complete and all the will of
God for I bear him record. that he hath a great zeal for
you, and for them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician,
and Demas, Grecius, salute the brethren which are in Laodicea,
and Memphis, the church which is in his house. And when this
epistle is read among you, cause that it is to be read also in
the church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the
epistle from Laodicea. Now it's said that it is said
that the first letter that was written to Timothy from Paul
was actually penned from the church in Laodicea. So this is a church that has
heard the gospel. It was raised up by the Lord
himself and stood by the grace of God for truth and Any time
you have an assembly like this one here, I don't, whenever I
hear of Rocky Mount, Virginia, I don't think of a city. I think
of the church that's located there and the angel that pastors
this church. This is a blessed place. Laodicea was a blessed place.
The Lord was pleased to raise up a church. Now, As in all the
other letters, our Lord reveals in each individual letters, there
were seven letters that were written to seven churches. Now,
in each of those letters, and those letters are for every church,
the church, the letter that was written to the church at Ephesus,
the first letter was also written to the church in Rocky Mound,
in Philadelphia and Thyatira and All of those churches in
Laodicea, this one right here, this letter is to this church.
And I understand how sometimes someone may think, well, there
were certain periods of time, said we're in the time frame
of Laodicea. Well, I tell you this, if we
had time, we could go back and look at the letter in Ephesus,
and I'll tell you, you'd be for real to see what the Lord said
to the church at Ephesus and he says the same thing all seven
letters it was seven churches the number of completeness perfection
it was a perfect letter sent to the Lord's Church but it was
broken down into seven So the Lord's character, his attributes,
his characteristics, his qualities is permeating these letters and
he's writing these letters to these churches and speaking. In fact, the last verse that
Brother Sammy read, he that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches. And that is the final line in
every one of the letters. Let him that hath an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to all of us. Well, verse 14, unto the angel
of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things saith the
Amen, the trustworthy one, the certain one, the Amen, the so
be it. That's who's speaking here, the
God of truth. Amen. himself. In declaring himself
as the Amen, he reveals himself to the church as being the God
of all truth. And we see here that the Lord
Jesus Christ is God himself. Now, you think, well, anybody
knows that. No, they don't. No. We're speaking,
or he is speaking, as God himself. He is God himself. He reveals
himself here to be the Amen. And then there's the faithful
and true witness. Now this title describes him
who is the Christ, the faithful and true witness, the anointed
one, the Messiah, the God man, the Lamb of God himself. who
is the judge of all the earth, the faithful one, the true one
in judgment. In other words, what he says
is truth, and what he does is just. He is the amen, the faithful
and true witness. He reveals himself here as being
the true and just One, and what he pleads, what he says as the
high priest to God for his own, is true and just. What he says
to you, to me, is true and just. What he says to his father, as
the intercessor, whoever liveth, is true and just. He's right. This is who's writing. And also,
it says here, in the end of verse 14, the beginning of the creation
of God. Colossians 1, let me just read
this to you, Colossians 1, 15 to 17, says, Who is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature? For by him
were all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth,
visible, invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers. All things were created by him.
and for Him, and He is before all things, and by Him all things
consist. That is, they exist in harmony. He does all things. If we were
to stop for just a moment and realize not one thing happens
but is for His glory, His honor. I was just thinking, I didn't
even tell Glenda this, but Monday, you remember, we were out working
over at Paul's house, and just, I don't know, just in a split
second, remember that? I almost fell, and I grabbed
hold of a ladder, and I just, I didn't just, that quickly I
was going over and grabbed the ladder and held on. And then
today, you said, isn't it? wonderful how our Lord watches
over us and protects us and keeps us. Immediately my mind went
back to almost falling. That was the only time I could
get up. He is by Him all things consist,
held together, everything working for His. Well, in revealing Himself
to be the beginning of the creation of God, we see that everything
was made by Him. made for him. And in light of
writing this letter to this church at Laodicea, we know that this
church was raised up for his honor and for his glory and for
the good of his people. Well, obviously, whatever is
said in this letter, now remember, he's writing this to his church.
He's writing this to his bride. As I was going over this, I've
been going through the book of Revelation. I'm going to go ahead
and make a statement here that's not in these because I hadn't
come up through the letters to this letter. There's a few things
that I had said previously when I preached this message in Fairmont,
and I want to tell you in these letters. We learn something of
his character, of his goodness, of his mercy. In this particular
letter, the reason that I wanted to go back and show you where
this church had been raised up by Paul the Apostle, by the Lord
himself, through the Apostle Paul. In the raising up of this
church, You see where it had been there. Paul had written
letters and he had written from there to other churches. He was
complimentary of that church. And in the Lord writing to this
church at Laodicea, what we're going to see in the next few
minutes as we go through this letter right here is this. The Lord has always, you know,
this always known his people. He's known them everlastingly,
eternally. He's always loved them. Never
been a time that the Lord has not loved His own, all those
that He chose in the Lord Jesus Christ. But, as the case always
is with each one of us, there is a time that we are born into
this world, and we come through time, in time, and when it pleases
the Lord. He calls us out of darkness. Now, He knows His own, but we
don't. I don't know who the Lord's is.
I've got a good idea of it. There's some folks here that
has exhibited consistency, and it's so good. The years and years
and years that I've come, and I see, and there's the same one. What a blessing that is. to see
consistency in people. But what I see is externally. He sees everlastingly. And what
we're going to see in this letter, though when we first read these
words, you read those words and you think, hmm, man, there's
some tough statements in there. I just Kind of, I don't know,
you know, cold and hot and spew you out of my mouth. But the
Lord is writing to his church. He's writing to his people, his
church. I'm not talking about false professors. I'm not. I'm talking about his
church. So what is he saying? What we'll see in this letter
right here is how Almighty God in his indescribable mercy and
grace Knowing His own calls them out in time, His people, His
beloved. He said, I've loved you with
an everlasting love. So He says to them, this letter
in Laodicea, He says in verse 15, I know thy works, that thou
art neither cold nor hot, I would that thou wert cold or hot."
Now, it's pretty easy for us to read and to see, first of
all, that the Lord knows our works. We're not fooling Him. I may, you know, put on a facade
or something, or you may put on a facade, but the Lord knows
the heart. I know thy works. You know, it's
hard to know where the awe, looking at the indescribable
wonder of him, wondering between the Lord's compassion for his
own or the awful self-righteousness of the hearer's, which one is
more wonderful to behold or awesome or awful. to behold, he said,
I know your works. Well, obviously, based on this
statement that thou art neither cold nor hot. Whatever that means,
and we will look at that in just a few minutes, whatever that
means, obviously here, these are works that are not acceptable
to the Lord God of glory, not accepted the person of the Lord
Jesus Christ, their works of flesh, works that find themselves
within the lot of, according to Galatians, adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
barrenness, heresies. I know your works. And he said,
I know that thou art neither cold Well, in the midst of our Lord's
sharp and truthful rebuke, I want us to look at the indescribable
mercy of that statement right there. nor hot. I know your works," he said,
"'you're not cold.'" First of all, we need to realize, what
does it mean to be cold? You're neither cold nor hot. Turn over with me to the Song
of Solomon, the Song of Solomon. Chapter 4. Psalm of Solomon,
chapter 4. Just hold your... Right there,
we're going to look at verse 16. Holding your page right there.
The Lord told His people, He said, You're neither cold nor
hot. I would that thou wert cold or
hot. He said, in the realization of
being cold, what they did not know, he said,
I know your works. You don't know your works, but
I know your works. And he said, I'm telling you
that you're not cold. You are not cold in this realization. You don't know that you're naked
before me without a fit righteousness. You are uncovered, is what he's
saying. You have no covering. The word
cold there, the connotation is this, that you are naked before
me in your own self-righteousness. I know your works. You're neither
cold," meaning you don't know it. And he said, you're not hot. Or, you do not know what fits
or doesn't fit. You do not realize. I know your
works. You're neither hot or cold. You
have no realization of it. He said, I would that you were
cold or hot. Now, that's an amazing statement
when you say that, because when you first read that, our thinking
is you're not cold and you're not hot. I heard someone say
the other day, he said, the Lord would rather us be cold and indifferent
or hot and zealous, but don't be in the middle. If the Lord
was speaking to His people, And he would tell them, I would rather
you just be cold and indifferent toward me. Really? Why? Why? The Lord is speaking to
his church. He says, you're neither cold
nor hot. I would that you were cold or
hot. Realizing that cold means you
realize or you're brought to the point where you know that
you don't have a covering before God that will stand. Hot, meaning
you realize that the warmth or the cover covered with the precious,
imputed righteousness of Christ is your covering. That's the
hot. I would, he said. Now, here's
the mercy of God. I would, I would that you would
be cold or hot. That, I would, actually could
be interpreted, I would to God. I would be. Daniel 4.35 says,
he doeth as he will in the armies of heaven, army of heaven and
among the inhabitants of the earth. No man stays his hand.
No man says to him, what do I do? No one. You read this statement. Hold your finger right there
in the Song of Solomon. If the Lord says, I know thy works,
that thou art neither cold nor hot, I would thou wert cold or
hot. If God decides, well, if God
purposes, let me say it like this. If God purposes to make
a man cold or hot, Kevin, what do you think the probability
is going to be that that man won't be cold or hot? I would. So here's the question. How does
God make a man or a woman cold or hot? And it's not like an
either-or thing. It can be an and. But for our
understanding, how does God make a man cold and hot? How? Song of Solomon. Awake,
O Northland, the wind of God's Spirit, the convicting, revealing
wind of His Spirit that blows upon His people and reveals to
them. You don't have a righteousness.
That will stand before you. Come, O north wind, and come,
thou south, warm wind of the revelation of the Spirit of God. And blow upon my garden, that
the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his
garden and eat his pleasant fruits. Understand this. God's people
are brought to the point to where they realize, and the word cold
they understand is the realization that I'm naked in the morning
with no covering, with no place to stand, naked in my cellar,
naked without hope. I'm cold. God has revealed that
to me. Oh, but the warmth and the hot
of being robed in the precious righteousness But the Lord Jesus
Christ, He said, I will. I will. How does He do it? He
sends His Spirit. And He reveals to me, He says,
I will remove that heart of stone, heart of flesh. And I'll give
you, I'll remove that heart of stone and I'll give you a heart
of flesh. And I'll write my law on your heart. I'll give you
what you are before me. Remember, He is the Creator of
all this. He's raised up. this assembly,
that the sheep would hear His truth. Let me tell you, the blessedness
of being drawn by God's grace. There's folks in here that I
know of that the Lord has sent this way. And has caused them
to sit under faithfulness. And the reason that He did this But his people, he was writing
to the church at Laodicea. He said, I know your words. I
know you're neither hot nor cold. That's the way we were born and
raised. We don't know. He said, because you're neither
hot nor cold, verse 16, because thou art lukewarm and neither
hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Now, there were
some people. that were in this place was raised
up by the Lord Himself, and God was pleased to reveal Himself
to them. Now, left to themselves, the
Lord must judge them in absolute righteousness, but in mercy to
His own, He revealed His abhorrence of their careless spirit by the
gospel. of free grace and revealed it.
How did you know? How would you know that you had
no righteousness, a fit righteousness to stand before God? The north
wind of His Spirit blew upon you in mercy and showed you. Saul of Tarsus was riding along
on his way to Damascus, you know, and had letters of authority
and everything, and the Lord showed him. You're cold. You don't have a fit right. Who
are you? Oh, you'd ask Saul of Tarsus. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews,
and he was in all of his credentials, and the Lord said, You're cold. Saul of Tarsus realized, I'm
cold. I don't have a fit right. I'm
naked before him. Lord, cover me. And the Lord,
by His mercy, revealed the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
He said, You're hot. What a blessedness. He told them,
He says, Because, in verse 16, Because you're lukewarm, and
neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. phrase right there, spew thee
out of my mouth. The word spew there actually
means vomit. It's forceful is just the connotation. It's forceful. And the word mouth, out of my
mouth, the base word for mouth actually there is language or
word. Now let me tell you what the
Lord is actually saying here. Because you're lukewarm and you're
neither hot nor cold, I will forcefully speak to you." Now, God Almighty is going to
forcefully speak to all men and all women in one of two ways. He's either going to speak to
them in mercy forcefully. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of your power. For if he leaves a man, leaves
a woman to themselves, he will forcefully speak to them in judgment. And they will hear him say, they
will hear him say, Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.
I never knew you. But I'll tell you this, God's
people were actually spewed out of his mouth, spoken to justly
in a substitute. Paul says, I was crucified with
Christ. He spoke to me in absolute justice
in the substitute of my Redeemer. I died with Him. God spoke and
He did that which was right. For I was due my substitute,
the Lord, and paid the debt. And God spoke to me in substitute. But also this word right here
has the connotation of, he'll call me out forcefully by his
word or his language. He says, because thou art lukewarm,
which is the way we are in Adam, neither hot nor cold, cold nor
hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. I'll speak to you justly
and mercifully, justly in a substitute. and mercifully call me out. He says, and remember this next
verse, remember, he's talking to his people, his church, the
church of Laodicea. Because thou sayest, I'm rich
and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and knowest
not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind
and naked. Here the Lord speaks, he says,
because you say, That you're rich in doctrine? Oh, listen,
it's the most amazing thing. I've used this illustration here
before. I'm going to use it again. It's
one of my children. But it was such a good illustration.
He says, because you say I'm rich and increased with goods. And have need of nothing. And
no, it's not thou art wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.
Becca. came to me, I've told many of
you this, came to me one time, and she said, Dad, I've listened
to you for years. And I understood, I understood,
you know, the difference between freewillism and Calvinism. She said I could listen to someone
speak, and they could start talking about freewill, and I knew that
wasn't right. And I heard what you said, and
she said, I can give a good argument for what you were saying. And
she said, in my mind, I thought myself to be grounded and settled
and, you know, five points of Calvinism. And she said, but
the only problem was I had no heart for that. I could take
it or leave it. These people right here, that
God Almighty was merciful to. Told him, he said, you say that
I'm rich. Rich in doctrine. I believe grace. I believe what Brother Paul preaches.
But the Lord knew their hearts. He said, I know your hearts. You truly don't see your need
of a substitute. You truly don't see. The imputed
righteousness of Christ to be that which would cover. He says,
because you say, I'm increased with goods, I've got religion
upon me, I go to sinful baptism. I have need of nothing, and knowest
not that you're wretched, that is, afflicted and troubled with
sin, and miserable, that is, to be pitied. and poor, destitute,
true wealth in Christ, and blind, spiritually blind, and naked,
robed, really without any robe, but robed at best with the filthy
rags of self-righteousness. Or like Adam and Eve tried to
cover themselves with a piglet. You say that I'm rich and all
these increased with goods because of your state, like that infant
of Ezekiel 16, because I would not leave you to your fate. He
says in verse 18, because, because you say, verse 17, Because you
say you're rich, because you say you're increased with goods,
because you say you have need of nothing, because you don't
know that you're wretched and miserable, poor and blind and
naked. I think to myself, you know,
I have to keep reminding myself again, this letter is a letter
to the church at Laos City. people that he's everlastingly
loved. All the Lord would have to do to someone is leave them
alone. Just leave them alone. These
people right here, they weren't cold or hot. They had no idea
that they were without a fit covering. They had no idea that
they had no warmth. of the righteousness of Christ
to covet. They had no idea. They were lukewarm. The Lord knew their hearts, and
they didn't. They said we're rich and increased with goods,
but God Almighty that wouldn't leave these people to themselves. He says, because you say it.
Now, here's the mercy of God to His own. I counsel thee, verse
18, to buy of me, gold fried in the fire, that thou mayest
be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that
the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine
eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see, because you say that
you are naked." Oh, what would we have done if He would have
left us to ourselves? We're not cold. We don't realize
we're naked. We're not hot. We have no true
righteousness to cover us. We're lukewarm. We're going right
through this world just happy. I'm religious. Because you say
that, he says, I counsel thee. That statement right there, I
counsel thee, I look this up, and it has This connotation,
I'm going to give you some good advice. Because you say you're not hot,
cold, you say you're rich, you say you're increasingly poor,
you say you have no need of nothing. And he said, you don't realize,
naked, miserable, poor, and blind. He said, I'm going to give you
some good advice. You know, isn't it wonderful
when someone you trust gives you some good advice? I think about Brother May Henry,
Paul's dad, and I mean, he's been such a friend to all of
us. Anyway, you think about this, I think Paul would agree with
me. I mean, if Brother Henry were to say, I'm going to give
you some advice, I'd say to myself, He's been around. And he's not
speaking as a novice. And he's not going to tell me
anything knowingly that's going to be for my hurt. Who's speaking here? Because
you say. He said, I counsel you. I'm going
to give you some good advice. He says, because you've said
all these things, I counsel for you to buy of me. Buy by faith
that I give you. Faith is a gift of God. I'm going
to give you some good advice. Buy of me without money, without
price. Gold. Try it in the fire of the Lord
Jesus Himself. He is the gold. Try it in the
fire of God's justice as my substitute. as the accepted sacrifice for
sinners in the fire of God's wrath. In Him, I'm rich toward
God. In Christ, my substitute. He says, buy of me white raiment. By faith, the realization that
God charge me, gift imputed to me, the righteousness of the
Lord Jesus Christ, that which He alone is worthy to possess,
God gives to His people. In His righteousness, in His
raiment, I'm clothed, I'm hot toward God, and realize all the
while, without it, I'm cold and in need. Knowing that I need
Him is the mercy of God. Knowing that I'm without any
fit righteousness, knowing that I'm cold, blow on my God. And then He says with the eyesalve
of the unction of the Spirit of God, He says, you see, anoint
thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest Once, I was blind. Now, I see. All that I need to
buy, He supplies. Free grace, free gift, merciful. And the reason for this counsel? Why? Why? Look at verse 19. He says, As many as I love, I
rebuke, and I chase them. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. We were born in this world, born
in Adam, as lukewarm rebels. No need of a Savior. I'm not
cold. I don't need anything else. I'm doing fine myself. I go to
church, and I'm just as good as the next guy. But this mercy and grace was
shown to God's people, those that He chose. He is, by purchase,
as many as I love. Many as He chose. Many as He
bought. I rebuke and chasten. Oh, how
merciful is God Almighty. to rebuke me, chasten me, and
teach me. When He showed me, you are without
a righteousness before me. How precious is the Lord Jesus
Christ. He rebuked them with precious
gospel. Taught them. The Spirit of God
revealed to them. showed them what they are, made
them willing, willing in the day of His power. He says in
verse 20, ìBehold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man
hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and will
sup with him and he with me.î Where was that found? Song of
Solomon. Turn back to Song of Solomon
5. You know, I've heard that passage butchered. You have too. The Lord stands at every man's
heart and knocks. Anybody will let him in. He wants
to come in. You just can't because he's not
going to go against a man's will. You know, that's what they say.
Aren't you glad that God didn't leave you to your will? I stand at the door. Look at
Psalm of Solomon 5. The bride says, I sleep, but
my heart waketh. It's the voice of my beloved
that knocketh. Now, this is the true bride.
This is the bride speaking. It's the voice of my beloved
that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister. My love, my dove,
my undefiled. My head is filled with you and
my locks with the drops of night. I want you to listen to this
answer that she gives. This is bride speaking. She said,
I've put off my coat. How shall I put it on? I've washed
my feet. How shall I defile them now? If you want to just be real honest
about it, what good is there in any of us? The Lord speaks
and we have such a hardness, insensitivity. That's us. Let me show you Him. My Beloved put in His hand by
the hole of the door and my bowels will move. Back in Revelation chapter 3,
he says, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my
voice and open the door, and you leave a man or a woman to
themselves to open the door, and I tell you, they won't do
it. Do you know who opens the door? He does. Put his hand down. put His hand in. She says, My
bow, My heart was moved for Him. How merciful He is that He would
not leave us to ourselves. If any man open the door, I will
come in to him. I will suffer with him, and he
with me. To him, verse 21, that overcometh,
I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame
and sat down with My Father in His throne." Here is the reward
of the overcomer. You say, but I read all those
other seven or eight verses before. What did I do? Nothing. That whole letter right there
was written to God's people that in time He would call out of
darkness. Call out and reveal to them,
number one, what they lacked. You're cold. And number two,
His merciful gift. You're hot. Because I robed you. You were lukewarm. But I wouldn't
leave you to yourself. You said you're increased with
goods. You haven't eaten nothing. You're rich. You see. You hear. He said, I'm going to give you
some good advice. You buy of me gold, pride and fire, sand
of your eyes. The reason I do that is because
I loved you, everlastingly loved you. And because I loved you,
I rebuked you, and I taught you. Remember, my kids growing up,
I didn't find great pleasure and joy. It was hard for me,
but the reason that I did was because I loved them. If I didn't
love them, I'd let them do whatever they wanted to do. I loved you,
I reviewed you, taught you, showed you what you are. I stand at
the door and knock. You won't open. Leave it to you,
you won't open. I'll put my hand in by the hole
of the door, and I'll move your bowels to your heart for me. Thy people shall be willing,
and to him that overcometh had they overcome by the grace of
God. God kept them. God loved them. God redeemed them. Christ revealed
himself to them. And he said, this is what I'm
going to do to those that overcome in my son. I'll grant you to
sit with me in my throne. Even as I also overcame, I'm
set down my father in his throne. He that hath an ear Let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches." What a merciful God. Religion is telling people, do
what you can. Do what you can for the Lord.
Give Him your heart. He wants to save you. There's
a little good in everybody. This letter right here was written
to reveal to God's people, outside of me. You have nothing. Without
me, you can do nothing. Without me, you are miserable
and wretched and poor and blind. I'm going to give you some good
advice. Lord, how thankful I am for the
counsel of the Lord Jesus Christ to teach me. Lord, thank you. that you would teach me that
I'm cold. And thank you for the warmth
of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for the
good advice. Thank you that when I wouldn't
open, I'd never open. Thank you that you put your hand
by the hole of the door, moved my heart for you by your power. Made me willing in the day of
your power. The reason you did this is because
you told me you loved me. Thank you. My father, for this
time, for this evening, we're so thankful. We realize we're
just needful people. We need to be taught and told
again, instructed, counseled. Thank you for the mercy. that
you've given us. Thank you for this place that
you've raised up in this state, that you'd be pleased to have
a place where your people can ascend. Thank you for this faithful
pastor, this dear friend that you've given heart to be here.
Pray you'd watch over him for teaching, for teaching us all.
Help us. For Christ's sake. Amen. I'm going to go ahead and do
that. I'm going to go ahead and do
that. I'm going to go ahead and close the door on you.

The Church At Laodicea

What does the Bible say about the church at Laodicea?

How do we know that God's love is evident in rebuke?

Why is recognizing our spiritual poverty important for Christians?

What does it mean to be lukewarm in faith?

How does God's mercy manifest in His call for repentance?

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The Church At Laodicea

What does the Bible say about the church at Laodicea?

How do we know that God's love is evident in rebuke?

Why is recognizing our spiritual poverty important for Christians?

What does it mean to be lukewarm in faith?

How does God's mercy manifest in His call for repentance?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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