ANSWER THE DOOR
Revelation 3.14-22
S: Commitment
Th: God Speaks to the Church
Pr: TAKE A STAND!
CV: “We will passionately pursue full devotion to Jesus Christ.”
I. THE CORRESPONDENT
II. THE CHURCH
III. THE CONCERN
IV. THE COMMAND
V. THE COUNSEL
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Deliberately live your faith.
• Take a stand for Jesus.
Version: ESV
RMBC 8 March 09 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Satisfaction
The eight-year old boy had never spoken a word – ever. One afternoon, as he sat eating his lunch he turned to his mother and said, "Soup’s cold."
His astonished mother exclaimed, “Honey, I’ve waited so long to hear you speak. But all these years you never said a thing. Why haven’t you spoken before?”
The boy looked at her and replied, “Up until now, everything’s been okay.”
I guess that is a boy that has been satisfied.
“Up until now, everything’s been okay.”
But let me ask you this?
Are you satisfied where you are in your faith?
Do you consider your Christian life robust?
Is it healthy?
Or is it feeble?
Is it like the 99 pound weakling?
As Christians, we need to understand that we consistently live in the danger of our faith becoming dull and senseless.
We get into a routine, and…
It is easy to become complacent.
This is what happened to the church in Laodicea.
For reasons that will be evident shortly, they have become unknowingly lifeless.
They have no life.
Their faith is limp, scrawny and feeble.
So, here is a question that I want you to run through your mind during our study this morning.
Did they really know Christ or not?
Were they really Christians?
Or was it all fake?
OUR STUDY:
(14) And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: “The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. (15) I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! (16) So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. (17) For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. (18) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. (19) Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. (20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (21) The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. (22) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
As we come to the text, note once again that Jesus is…
I. THE CORRESPONDENT
Jesus is…
…the Amen.
Jesus is…
…the universal certainty;
Amen is the last word one can say when everything else has been said.
It is a word of finality, certainty, and authority.
Amen is used to affirm the truthfulness of statement.
When you say Amen during the message, you are testifying to the truth of what you have heard.
You are saying, “Yes, this is true.”
That describes Jesus well.
He is the final Word.
So, as truth incarnate…
Jesus is…
…the faithful and true witness.
Jesus is…
…the ultimate reality;
Everything He speaks is the truth.
He is completely trustworthy.
He is perfectly accurate.
His testimony is always reliable.
And Jesus is…
…the beginning of God’s creation
Jesus is…
…the only Creator
He is the Source.
He was not some bystander.
He was there in the beginning.
He was the beginning.
He is the Originator of creation.
Let’s now examine the town and…
II. THE CHURCH
Laodicea’s patron deity was Zeus.
There were also temples for Apollo, Asclepius, Hades, Hera, Athena, Serapis, and Dionysus.
It was a busy place spiritually.
We have come to the last church on the journey as Jesus speaks to the churches.
As you can see on the map, Laodicea is almost 100 miles inland from Ephesus.
The city had been founded as a major urban center around 250 B.C. by Antiochus II (Seleucid) and named for his wife, Laodice.
The city at the time of the mid-first century was prosperous as a commercial center, noted for its black wool and carpets.
It also had a medical school and was well known for the eye salve called Phrygian ointment.
In a word…
Laodicea was self-sufficient.
They had money.
We get some insight into the wealth and independent spirit of Laodicea from the earthquake damage in the year 60.
Laodicea refused government aid from Rome.
They did not want to owe Rome anything.
Another interesting feature about the city is that Laodicea had no local water supply.
So they developed a stone aqueduct system to bring water from the hot springs of Hierapolis some six miles away.
By the time this water reached Laodicea, however, it was tepid and distasteful.
Note that about the water, because it connects with…
III. THE CONCERN
Jesus says, “I know your deeds.”
This was not a good sign for them, because Jesus’ conclusion about their works is that they were pathetic.
You know, some churches make Jesus weep.
Other churches make Him angry.
But not Laodicea.
No…
This church made Jesus sick.
They were neither hot nor cold.
They were lukewarm.
The language is strong here.
It was so nauseating, it made Jesus want to vomit.
The church in Laodicea would get this.
The city water had the same reputation.
It was nauseating.
And they were being accused of the same distasteful condition.
ILL Lukewarm (S)
We like our drinks either hot or cold, but lukewarm is sickening. We want hot showers and cold refreshing drinks.
You never hear anyone say, “I am burning up; I would love a nice glass of lukewarm water”.
You never hear anyone say, “I am tired and aching, I would love to take a lukewarm bath.”
ILL Church (S)
Vance Havner described this kind of church this way:
“They traffic in unfelt truth and refuse to get excited over religion. Their idea service is a mild mannered man standing before a group of mild mannered people, exhorting everybody to be more mild mannered.”
Jesus says that He would rather they be cold than lukewarm.
It is quite a statement for it means that self-righteous hypocrites are more difficult to reach than cold-hearted rejecters.
It also means that…
Their self-assessment is disastrously inaccurate.
They were oblivious to their spiritual condition.
Their faith was far from robust.
They were in real trouble.
For even though they did not reject the gospel, they did not live it either.
They thought they were rich, well thought of, and insightful.
Instead…
They were poor, naked, and blind.
They thought they were rich because Laodicea was a center for the banking industry, and included a prosperous economy with manufacturing of cloth.
Laodicea produced beautiful garments and carpets designed from the wool of the black sheep of this region.
The wool was known to be extremely soft in texture and glossy black in color, making it highly desirable around the empire.
But Jesus says that they were poor and naked!
ILL Appearance (S)
Do you remember Hans Christian Andersen’s story the Emperor’s New Clothes?
An emperor of a prosperous city who cares more about clothes than military pursuits or entertainment hires two swindlers who promise him the finest suit of clothes from the most beautiful cloth. This cloth, they tell him, is invisible to anyone who was either stupid or unfit for his position. The Emperor cannot see the (non-existent) cloth, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing stupid; his ministers do the same.
When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they dress him in mime. The Emperor then goes on a procession through the capital showing off his new "clothes." During the course of the procession, a small child cries out, "But he has nothing on!" The crowd realizes the child is telling the truth. The Emperor, however, holds his head high and continues the procession.
Laodicea was that emperor.
They thought they were the finest of Christians, but they were poor and naked.
And they were blind.
Laodicea was also proud about their healthcare.
Their medical school was quite famous, and its physicians claimed success in mixing medicines for certain diseases.
They produced an ointment for the ears as well as a powder for the eyes.
This church was confident of their clear vision about how the Christian should live, but the truth is that they lacked spiritual insight.
They were blind.
So Jesus offers…
IV. THE COMMAND
I like how The Message puts it here (19):
The people I love, I call to account — prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!
The Laodiceans needed to get their attitude about wealth straightened around.
They needed to buy what is valuable.
They needed to wear what is eternal.
They needed to see what is spiritual.
They needed to turn from their indifference and answer the door.
Jesus was knocking.
So…
Open the door.
ILL Seek (S)
In this well-known painting of Christ Outside the Door by Holman Hunt, the door has no handle. People thought this was a mistake, but the artist explained that this door must be opened from with-in. We can invite Christ into our lives, or leave Him outside. One thing that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions is this: we do not seek God; He takes the initiative in seeking us.
Note this…
No one is saved against His will.
No one is compelled to obedience who is determined to be disobedient.
But He will come in when He is invited.
V. THE COUNSEL
You see…
It is about relationship.
Jesus desires to eat with us.
It is the sign that He wants relationship.
There is affection.
There is love.
There is friendship.
If we are willing to remove the barricades of our pride and our intellect and anything that is standing in the way, He will be there for us.
CHALLENGE:
A few weeks ago, I noted that…
God is gracing us with the opportunity to change.
Take a moment and write down what is the most critical need you have in your life right now.
If you could ask God for anything, what would it be?
If you can’t think of anything then you sound like the church in Laodicea when they said, “I have need of nothing.’
I don’t mean to be insulting, but if you are not writing anything down, maybe it’s because you are not listening.
Maybe your mind is not on God’s Word when it is being proclaimed.
Maybe it’s because you aren’t used to the idea of thinking of yourself as needy.
Maybe it’s because you aren’t used to the idea of being a sinner.
Whenever we think we have no needs, we are nothing more than lukewarm.
And a lukewarm Christian is a contradiction of terms.
It is like dry water, or cold heat, or clean dirt.
It doesn’t make sense.
So when you have any conviction that something is wrong, rejoice!
Because…
Conviction is a blessing in disguise.
When we are convicted by the Spirit of God, it is a blessing.
He cares.
He loves us.
He is correcting us because perhaps we are not doing enough.
Perhaps we are doing something wrong.
Or perhaps, we are not doing anything at all.
For those at Laodicea, they were self-centered, self-occupied, self-satisfied, self-sufficient, and self-confident.
Wouldn’t it be awful if that was God’s description of us?
Wouldn’t it be awful if that was God’s description of you?
ILL Conviction (S)
In his book Being the Body, Charles Colson writes about meeting a businessman whom he calls Mr. Abercrombie. Mr. Abercrombie had invited Colson to speak at a Bible study he hosted. Nineteen other movers and shakers of the business world were in attendance. Colson writes about what transpired:
Mr. Abercrombie had asked me to speak at the luncheon and then allow time for questions. Somewhere in my talk I referred to our sinful nature. Actually, "total depravity" was the phrase I used. I noticed at the time that a few individuals shifted uncomfortably in their leather chairs, and, sure enough, it must have hit the mark. Because after I finished, the first question was on sin.
"You don’t really believe we are sinners, do you? I mean, you’re too sophisticated to be one of those hellfire-and-brimstone fellows," one older gentleman said, eyeing my dark blue pinstripe suit just like his. "Intelligent people don’t go for that back-country preacher stuff," he added.
"Yes, sir," I replied. "I believe we are desperately sinful. What’s inside of each of us is really pretty ugly. In fact we deserve hell and would get it, but for the sacrifice of Christ for our sins."
Mr. Abercrombie himself looked distressed by now. "Well, I don’t know about that," he said. "I’m a good person and have been all my life. I go to church, and I get exhausted spending all my time doing good works."
The room seemed particularly quiet, and twenty pairs of eyes were trained on me.
"If you believe that, Mr. Abercrombie – and I hate to say this, for you certainly won’t invite me back – you are, for all of your good works, further away from the kingdom than the people I work with in prison who are aware of their own sins." Someone at the other end of the table coughed. Another rattled his coffee cup. And a flush quickly worked its way up from beneath Mr. Abercrombie’s starched white collar.
"In fact, gentlemen," I added, drawing on a favorite R. C. Sproul shocker, "If you think about it, we are all really more like Adolf Hitler than like Jesus Christ."
Now there was stony silence…until someone eased the pain and changed the subject.
When lunch ended and I was preparing to leave, Mr. Abercrombie took my arm. "Didn’t you say you wanted to make a phone call when we were finished?"
I started to say it wasn’t necessary, then realized he wanted to get me alone.
"Yes, thank you," I said.
He led me down the corridor to an empty office. As soon as we were inside, he said bluntly, "I don’t have what you have."
"I know," I replied, "but you can. God is touching your heart right now."
"No, no," he took a step back. "Maybe sometime."
I pressed a bit more, however, and moments later we were both on our knees. Mr. Abercrombie asked forgiveness of his sins and turned his life over to Christ.
The only way to be hot and not lukewarm is to constantly want that relationship with Jesus and doing what is needed to be there.
So let me encourage you to…
Deliberately and passionately take a stand for Jesus.
I believe Randall can be alive for Christ.
I believe God wants Randall, wants you, to be spiritually healthy.
I believe that God wants this to be a place where making disciples is the thing we do and that purpose so infiltrates us that we will see everything we do in light of that.
But we are not there yet.
The good news is that we are getting it.
The bad news is that we are not there yet.
The good news is we can, but it will take confession on our part, both individually and corporately.
The good news is we can, but it will take a commitment on our part, both individually and corporately, to go the direction God is leading us.
This is what our Prayer Action Plan is all about that I will be bringing to you next Sunday.
It is on my heart that next week could be the start of something very special for the life of Randall.
But we must be determined to not allow ourselves the same fate of Laodicea.
Jesus is knocking at the door.
Let’s answer it and let Him in.
For Further Study: II Samuel 10.4; Proverbs 9.10; Isaiah 20.1-4, 65.16; Matthew 7.23, 24.12; Luke 24.32; John 1.1-3, 3.16, 14.6, 16.13; Romans 12.11; Philippians 3.8-10; Colossians 1.15-17; II Timothy 1.6, 2.12; Hebrews 1.2, 12.5-6; I Peter 1.7; II Peter 1.5-9; Revelation 19.8
BENEDICTION:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
RESOURCES:
SermonCentral
Allen, Carl Laodicea: The Church of UnConcern
Blankenship, Terry Laodicea: The “You Make Me Sick” Church
Cole, Jason A Lukewarm Church
Leroe, Robert Lukewarm Laodicea – the Church of the Closed Door
Scudder, David Attacking Apathy
Biblio
Jeremiah, David, and Carole C. Carlson. Escape the Coming Night. Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990.
Keener, Craig S. The Ivp Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
MacArthur, John, Jr. Revelation 1-11. The Macarthur New Testament Commentary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.
Mounce, Robert H. The Book of Revelation. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977.
Stern, David H. The Jewish New Testament Commentary. Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., 1992.
Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament. Colorado Springs: ChariotVictor Publishing, 1989.
