THE LAODICEAN CHURCH AGE

REV. 3:14-22

INTRO:   CHAPTERS 2 AND 3  SPEAKS OF THE 7 CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR  THAT JOHN WAS COMMANDED TO WRITE TOO  ABOUT THE THINGS HE SAW.  (CHAPTER 1:9-11).

--VERSES 12-16,  WE SEE THE VISION OF CHRIST.

--NOW MANY SAY OUR CHURCH AGE IS RELATED TO THE LAODICEAN CHURCH AGE.  AND I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE.

NOW LETS LOOK AND SEE WHAT CHRIST SAID  ABOUT THIS CHURCH!

BUT FIRST:   BY THE WAY OF INTRODUCTION:

--VERSE 14,  AMEN - MEANS TRULY

                       THE FAITHFULL AND TRUE WITNESS

                       THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD

--VERSE 15,  I KNOW THY WORKS

BUT LOOK WHAT CHRIST SAID ABOUT THIS CHURCH:

1-  NEITHER COLD NOR HOT      V.15

--YOU ARE EITHER SAVED OR LOST

--THERES NO STRADDLING THE FENCE,  NO IN BETWEEN

--YOUR EITHER RIGHT OR WRONG

--THERES SO MANY COLD ON MONDAY MORNING AND HOT ON SUNDAY MORNING.

--GOD KNOWS IF YOUR COLD OR HOT,  SAVED OR LOST.

2-  HE SAID THEY WAS LUKEWARM    V.16

--LUKEWARM- SLIGHTLY WARM

--THERE SHOULD BE NONE OF THIS HALF WAY STUFF.

--I  BELIEVE IT ALSO MEANS  SICKENING ( I WILL SPUE YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH).

--THERES A LOT IN THIS DAY THAT ARE MAKING GOD SICK.

--SO MANY HALF COMMITTED--NEVER HERE THEM TALK ABOUT THE LORD,  BUT YOU GET THEM STARTED ON SPORTS, POLITICS, WORLD AFFAIRS, BUT THE BIBLE TELLS US IN  ROM.12:1-2.

--YOU NEVER SEE THEM STRESS CHRIST IN THE WAY THEY LIVE:    BUT THEY STRESS  THE WORLD, THE FLESH,  THE DEVIL IN THEIR LIVES.   (LUKE 9:23).

3-   WRETCHED    V.17

--WRETCHED-- MEANS  VERY UNHAPPY

--YOU CANT BE HAPPY, WAKEING UP EVERY MORNING KNOWING IF YOU WOULD DIE TODAY, HELL WOULD BE YOUR HOME.

--ITS NOT HAPPY:    WHEN YOU CANT SLEEP BECAUSE YOUR AFRAID TOO, THINKING YOU MAY DIE IN YOUR SLEEP.

                                      WHEN YOU SEE YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST AND YOUR REMINDED OF YOUR SINFUL WAYS.

                                      WHEN YOU HAVE TO DODGE THE PREACHER AND HIS FAMILY BECAUSE OF THE GUILT OF SIN IN YOUR CONSCIENCE.  BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO ASK YOU WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN OR YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO SEE THE WAY YOUR DRESSED, ETC…

4-  MISERABLE     V.17

--MISERABLE --  MEANS IN MISERY

--MISERY --  MEANS A CONDITION OF GREAT SUFFERING, DISTRESS.

--SUFFERING MENTALLY AS A RESULT OF YOUR SIN.

--CANT GET IT OFF YOUR MIND.

--SUFFERING PHYSICALLY BECAUSE OF THE RESULT OF SIN.  SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT IN YOUR HEALTH.

5-  POOR    V.17

--NEEDY

--THEY WERE IN NEED OF GOD, THE HOLY GHOST IN THEIR LIFE.

--THEY WERE WITHOUT GOD,  POOR SPIRITUALLY.

--IF YOU DON’T HAVE JESUS, YOU HAVE NOTHING.

--HOW PEOPLE MAKE IT WITHOUT THE LORD,  WHEN  TROUBLE, TRIALS, DEATH,  HEARTACHES COMES THEIR WAY WHERE DO THEY TURN OR LEAN ON,  NOTHING.

6-  BLIND    V.17

--BLINDED SPIRITUALLY

--BLINDED IN EARS,  MIND,  EYES.

--WHEN A MAN IS LUKEWARM, HE TENDS TO KEEP HIS EARS, MIND, EYES CLOSED TO THE SPIRITUAL THINGS OF GOD, AND THAT’S THE DEVILS JOB.

7-  NAKED   V.17

--NAKED -- COMPLETELY UNCLOTHED.

--SPIRITUALLY HAVENT GOT THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD ON.

--DEFENSELESS, STRIPT OF ARMS

--WHEN A LOST MAN LOOKS AND SAYS I CANT EVEN PRAY FOR MY WIFE AND HER LAYING ABOUT TO DIE.

--HOW DOES PEOPLE BURY THEIR LOVED ONES AND CANT EVEN CALL ON GOD.

--CANT PRAY THROUGH SORROWS, HEARTACHES, TROUBLE.

CONCLUSION:     I DO BELIEVE WE ARE LIVING LIKE THEY WERE IN THE LAODICEAN CHURCH AGE!