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         Why had He withdrawn?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.