INTRODUCTION
• VIDEO
• SLIDE #1
• I cannot imagine what those young men were thinking as they approached the shores of Normandy. I wonder how many of them thought this was going to be the last moments of life?
• According to a press release from June 6, 2014 from the White House office of the press secretary; “The cost of the Normandy campaign was high on both sides. From D-day through August 21, the Allies landed more than two million men in northern France and suffered more than 226,386 casualties: 72,911 killed/missing and 153,475 wounded. German losses included over 240,000 casualties and 200,000 captured. Between 13,000 and 20,000 French civilians died, and many more were seriously wounded. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/06/fact-sheet-normandy-landings
• I would imagine those the soldiers who were about to hit the beaches would have been more comfortable laying on a beach in California or Hawaii.
• Today we are going to examine the concept of leading people beyond their comfort.
• If we are going to help those around us to reach their full potential in life as well as in their walk with Jesus, we must have the courage to try to move people out of their comfort zones.
• The text we will examine the issue of courage. It takes courage to be a leader in any capacity. Leaders are called to make tough choices and sometimes those choices will not be popular.
• This is especially true when seeking to lead people beyond their comfort zone, it is also true of the leader, are you willing to lead people beyond your personal comfort zone?
• When people are comfortable, they are not too eager to move. When you finally get to sit down in the comfortable chair at home, you are not too excited about getting out of the chair.
• In our text today, we will be looking at one of the letters to the seven churches that was written in the book of Revelation.
• The letter to the church at Laodicea was last letter of the seven.
• The things that made Laodicea strong are the things that caused the church to grow comfortable. Throughout the text today we will see how John systematically dismantle the source of the churches comfort.
• SLIDE #2
• Revelation 3:14–17 (HCSB) — 14 “Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: “The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
Leading people beyond their comfort requires a leader to have the courage to help others to:
I. Make an honest assessment of their current condition.
• When a person asks you how to get somewhere, one of the first things to you need to know is WHERE they are currently.
• You need an honest assessment of where they are so that you can get them to where they need to be.
• People get comfortable in their lives when they do not take the time to examine where they are, what they do not know will hurt them.
• If you were to ask the folks in the church at Laodicea how they were doing spiritually, it appears that the response you would receive would be that they are going great.
• They would probably respond that they are doing well because they were apparently flourishing materially.
• SLIDE #4
• Laodicea, south of Philadelphia, was a burgeoning commercial city that drew in a great many people.
• The city home of manufacturers of articles made from native wool famous for its glossy black; it was also the center of banking operations, and of the worship of (AS CLEEP E US) Asclepius, the god of healing.
• The church there had a close relationship to the neighboring churches in Hierapolis and Colossae.
• A devastating earthquake struck Laodicea in A.D. 17, and, like other cities in the province of Asia, it received financial aid from the Roman government.
• In A.D. 60 a second earthquake struck the city, and the Roman government offered financial aid to rebuild the city.
• But the city fathers sent the government a negative reply and made it known that they themselves had ample resources for reconstruction. In fact, they even contributed to the rebuilding of neighboring cities.
• So the church had one assessment of how well they were doing and God had another.
• They saw themselves in verse 17 as “Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’
• God’s assessment of them in verse 17 as much different, and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,
• God saw compared their condition to the water supply.
• The church had grown stagnate, which meant the people in the church were stagnate.
• They did not have a good water supply so they relied on getting water Hierapolis, about 6 miles way.
• SLIDE #5 PICTURE OF SOME OF THE RUINS
• It was delivered via an aqueduct. Its sources were hot water springs laden with calcium carbonate; when the water arrived in Laodicea, it was lukewarm.
• Although these hot springs themselves had medicinal value and as health spas attracted the people, Jesus compares the tepid waters near the city to the lukewarm spiritual life of the Laodiceans.
• Excavations of the underground pipes from the time showed a horrible calcium and mineral build up, making the water not good for much.
• So God told them they were neither hot or cold. The water they were having piped in from Hierapolis was famous for its healing power, but by the time it got to Laodicea, it was rancid, not good for anything. Hot water is useful, cold water is refreshing; however lukewarm water is not good for much.
• Can’t wait to get home to a nice lukewarm glass of un-iced tea and a nice long lukewarm shower!
• In verse 16, God said their condition was so bad, He was preparing to spew them out of his mouth! God was vomit them out. Not a pretty picture.
• So why were they this way? Because no one had the courage to offer an accurate assessment of their true condition.
• This happens in churches, businesses and families.
• A couple thinks all is well when that is not an accurate assessment, this is why guys resist talking or going to marriage retreats. They are afraid they are going to find out things are not so good!
• The leaders of the church of Laodicea failed because they lacked the courage and vision to get the folks to see how things really were. I bet the preacher gave them what they WANTED to hear instead of what they NEEDED to hear!
• PARENTS!
• SLIDE #6
• Revelation 3:18–19 (HCSB) — 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent.
• SLIDE #7
Leading people beyond their comfort requires a leader to have the courage to help others to:
II. Understand their need to embark on a new path of life.
• Once one gets to the point where they can see the real picture of their life, situation, or faith, now comes the hard work, embarking on a new path.
• Old habits are hard to break; we all understand that. In Bible Study a couple of weeks ago I talked about how much more difficult I believe it is today to win people to Jesus.
• WE are not just trying to get them to walk a new way, we are trying to help them change their entire worldview. This country has less and less of a Christian Worldview than we used to. This means before we can win someone over, we need to chip away at their current worldview.
• God through John is suggesting a new course of life for the church at Laodicea.
• God offers them hope for change, but to head in a new path, one must leave the old.
• John offers them something new, instead of being wretched, poor, pitiful, blind and naked, there is an offer to allow them to be in a position to gain great spiritual wealth, holiness, and awareness.
• Verse 18, BUY FROM ME GOD REFINED IN THE FIRE SO THAT YOU MAY BE RICH!
• This language indicates this gold is the finest gold!
• SLIDE #8
• 1 Peter 1:6–7 (HCSB) You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
• The Greek word gold refers to finely crafted products as in jewelry or coins and not merely to the metal itself (compare 17:4; 21:18, 21 with 9:7; 18:12).
• The money changers at the Laodicean bank handled currency on a daily basis, but Christ is counseling the people to come to him and buy.
• This is no money gold, but gold that will withstand the test of time, one can obtain the gold only from Jesus.
• John tells them to buy WHITE CLOTHING to cover their nakedness!
• Laodicea was famous for the black wool garments produced by its clothing industry, so this was a poke at their reliance on this industry.
• He suggests the people also purchase ointment from Him to spread on their eyes.
• Once again this a play on something this area was famous for.
• Phyrgian (FRI GEE AN) eye salve distributed by its medical school. Christ reminds the Laodicean church that he is the true giver of sight and the “clothier” who can truly remove their shame.
• JESUS is calling them to repentance and this includes a doing things in a different manner than in the past. Instead of relying on their own wealth, they needed to build their portfolio with God!
• A leader needs to have the courage to help people follow a new path, to blaze a new trail for life!
• SLIDE #9
• Revelation 3:20 (HCSB) Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me.
• SLIDE #10
Leading people beyond their comfort requires a leader to have the courage to:
III. Inspire people to open the door!
• Seeing the need, addressing the need can be difficult to do; however, a final challenge for a leader is leading people to open the door and walk in!
• Jesus tells the folks, quit relying on your self, invest in me, and then open the door to let me in.
• Too many folks just stand at the door and will not open it and let Jesus in. Have you ever had a salesman make his pitch to you and then just walk away without asking you to purchase the car or whatever you are being asked to consider?
• Jesus is offering them a new way of life.
• He offers to dine with them, to eat with someone expresses a willingness and desire to enter into a close relationship with that person.
• This is why Jewish leaders were so upset when Jesus ate with prostitutes, tax collectors, and other sinners—see, e.g., Matthew 9:11 and 11:19.
• Jesus offers to have a relationship with anyone who will open the door.
• I am so thankful someone encouraged me to open the door.
CONCLUSION
• Leaders need to lead people to the Promised Land! Don’t leave people on the edge of the Promised Land, lead them to open to door to a new life!
• Next week we complete this series with a look at how leaders should help build value in people!
