New Year's Eve 2012

John 16:33

As the Laodicean Period closes the Church Age, the Church disappears at the end of Chapter Three, and Israel comes into view again.

In Paul's parable of the Two Olive Trees in
Romans 11:15-27,
he shows how the natural branches of the Good Olive Tree, [Israel] were broken off because of unbelief,
that the Wild Olive Tree of the Church might be grafted in, which because of unbelief, would be displaced that the natural branches might be grafted back again,
showing us that the Church does not take the place of Israel permanently, but simply fills up the gap between Israel's casting off and restoration.

These 'Messages to the Churches' teach us the decline of the Church.

              That the professing Church instead of increasing in spiritual and world converting power, will become lukewarm, faithless and Christless.

The character of the Church today is Laodicean.

       As the Laodicean Period is to continue until the Church of the "New-Born" is taken out, we cannot hope for any great change until the Lord comes back.

How is Christ to get back into His Church?

         He said, "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."

                        It's the way to revive a lukewarm church for the individuals to open their heart and let Christ come back in .

How did Jesus Christ get outside the Church of Laodicea?

         He had been in it at one time or there never would have been a Church.

How did He come to leave it?

         It's clear that they didn't drive Him out, because they didn't seem to have missed His presence.
         They continued to worship Him,
         To sing praises and engage in a manner of service,
         Why had He withdrawn?
         The reason was because of Worldliness.

The Excluded Christ:
       excluded from His own nation, for they rejected Him;
       excluded from the world, it crucified Him;
       excluded from His Church, He has to stand outside knocking for entrance.

This is the most startling thing recorded in the New Testament.

                 It is possible for a church to look fine outwardly and yet has not Christ and be unconscious of the fact.

         It's a description of the Christless Church.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock are words generally used as an appeal to sinners, but they are not, they are addressed to a Church, and to a Church in which Jesus had once stood, but now is found excluded and standing outside knocking to come inside.

Then the most startling revelation was made to the Church of Laodicea, Christ said, "Behold I stand at the door and knock."

The Church of Laodicea wasn't only poor and blind, it was naked.

          Their outer garments were of the finest material and latest fashion, but not what should be worn by a Child of God.

                  So they were counseled to purchase of Christ white raiments in exchange for the garments the makers of Laodicea were famous for.

The Church of Laodicea was not only poor, though rich, it was blind.

          They could see their worldly prosperity, but were short-sighted as to heavenly things, so the Lord counseled them to anoint their eyes with eye-salve.

                 They possessed no salve that would restore impaired spiritual vision, only the Holy Spirit could do that.

The trouble with the Church of Laodicea
was that its "Gold" was not the right kind, and so it was counseled to buy of the Lord "gold tried in the fire."

          That is gold that hasn't been tainted.

The Church at Laodicea was not burdend with debt,
       But it was burdened with wealth.

"Because thou sayest I am 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."

                 They thought they were rich, and outwardly they were, but Christ saw the poverty of their heart.

                        There are many such churches in the world today.  More so than in any other period in church history.

Revival meetings are held in our churches, but instead of waiting on the Lord for power, evangelists and paid singers are hired and soul winning is made a business.

            The cause of this 'lukewarmness' is the same as that of the Church of Laodecea - Self Deception.

Many believe that our churches today are in this 'lukewarm' condition; that there is very little warm-hearted spirituality.

                 There is much going on in them, but it is largely mechanical and of a social nature.

There is nothing more disgusting or nauseating than a "tepid" drink.

              So there is nothing more repulsive to Christ than a "tepid" church.

                         He would rather have a church 'frozen' or 'boiling.'!

Christ has no 'commendation' for the Church of Laodicea

But He had much to complain about. He says, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot; I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

The Promise to the Church of Laodicea

       Behold, 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.
         To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.
              He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

The Chastening of the Church of Laodicea

       As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

The counsel to the Church of Laodicea

       I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried 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 eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

The complaint to the Church of Laodicea

       I know thy works, that thou art neither hot nor cold: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

The Church at Laodicea
       A Lukewarm Church

And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

The promise is that the Philadelphia Church shall not pass through the Tribulation.

                         Is this not more proof that the Church shall be 'caught out' before the Tribulation?

The Church of Philadelphia
        was to be kept from the Hour of Temptation

Tribulation, that shall come upon all the world, and as there has never as yet been a worldwide Tribulation, this Hour of Tribulation must still be future and refers doubtless to the Great Tribulation that is to come upon the whole world, just before the return of the Lord to set up His Millennial Kingdom.

The Church of Philadelphia
       had set before it an 'open door'

            A door no man could shut.
This promise was made by Him, who  hath the Key of David, He that openeth and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth.

The Church of Philadelphia had a "little strength."

                        It was like a person coming back to life who was still very weak. It was the 'dead' Sardis Church revived. And revivals have been characteristic of the Philadelphia Period.

There is no question about the meaning of the word Philadelphia.

                   It means 'Brotherly Love," and describes the charity and brotherly fellowship that consumed the personal animosities that characterized those of the Sardis Period and made possible the evangelistic and missionary works of the last century or more.