INTRO TO THE EPISTLES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
AS WE GET INTO THE 7 CHURCHES AND HOW THAT EACH OF THESE CHURCHES REPRESENT A TYPE OF CHURCH IN THE WORLD TODAY, WE MUST NOT FAIL TO MENTION THAT THESE 7 CHURCHES ALSO COMPRISE OF 7 DIFFERENT TIME FRAMES OR SEASONS OF TIME THAT CONSTITUTE THE ENTIRETY OF THE CHURCH AGE.
FIRST CHURCH- EPHESUS THE APOSTOLIC AGE CHURCH, 30-300 AD.
THE SECOND CHURCH- SMYRNA PERSECUTION AGE FROM 100-313.
THE THIRD AGE- PERGAMUM COMPROMISING CHURCH FROM 314-590 AD.
THE FOURTH AGE- THYATIRA, ROMAN CATHOLIC AGE FROM 590-1517.
FIFTH CHURCH- SARDIS, THE REFORMATION PERIOD, 1517-1700.
SIXTH CHURCH AGE PHILADELPHIA, THE REVIVAL AGE FROM 1700-1900.
SEVENTH IS LAODICEA, THE WORLDLY CHURCH OR THE APOSTATE CHURCH FROM 1900-PRESENT.
NOW BEFORE WE GET INTO EACH OF THESE CHURCHES AND CHRIST’S CONDEMNATIONS AND COMMENDATIONS OF EACH WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE ARE LIVING IN THE LAST OF THE CHURCH AGES AND IT REPRESENTS THE WORLDLY CHURCH OR THE APOSTATE CHURCH.
THE CHURCH OF TODAY HAS BECOME FRIENDS WITH THE WORLD. JAMES 4:4 “YOU ADULTEROUS PEOPLE! DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? THEREFORE, WHOEVER WISHES TO BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD MAKES HIMSELF AN ENEMY OF GOD.”
IN MOST OF OUR CHURCH GROWTH SEMINARS THEY TEACH YOU THE MOST POPULAR TECHNIQUES, PROGRAMS OR TRENDS THAT ARE WORKING. WHAT I MEAN BY WORKING IS “WHAT’S BRINGING IN THE LARGE CROWDS? WHAT IS PUMPING UP THE PEOPLE WITH ZEAL AND ENERGY?” THEY JUDGE BASED UPON BODY COUNT AND DECIMAL LEVEL. (while in my ordination interview)
WHAT DOES THE CHURCH NEED?
1. WE NEED TO DO WHAT THE LORD SPOKE TO EVERY CHURCH IN EACH EPISTLE, HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING UNTO THE CHURCH.
THIS IS AN ECHO OF THE SAME MESSAGE IN THE GOSPELS. ARE WE LISTENING TO SPIRIT OF GOD OR THE SYSTEMS OF THE WORLD?
EACH CHURCH RECEIVED THIS EXHORTATION. THE FIRST 3 WERE TOLD THIS BEFORE THE PROMISE. THE LAST 4 THIS WAS SPOKEN AFTER THE PROMISE. THE FIRST 3 WERE GIVEN IT PRIOR AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO HEAR AND THE LAST 4 AS A WARNING TO GET THE PROMISE YOU HAVE TO HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING.
*****THE HEART THAT IS HARDENED IS THE PRECURSOR OF THE EAR THAT IS DEAF.
WHEN THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THE EAR IT MEANS TO “HEAR” BUT IT ALSO MEANS TO RESPOND. IT WASN’T JUST THE RECEIVING OF KNOWLEDGE BUT THE DOING OF WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED.
YOUR ORGAN OF RESPONSE IS THE EAR NOT THE MIND. WE HAVE TO NOT JUST LISTEN BUT WE HAVE TO DO.
SO LET’S EXAMINE THE LAODICIAN CHURCH AND DETERMINE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HEAR BUT NOT JUST HEAR BUT LISTEN.
IF WE POLLED WHICH OF THESE 7 CHURCHES WERE THE WORST THIS CHURCH WOULD WIN IN A LANDSLIDE.
THIS CHURCH WAS UNHEALTHY WHILE CLAIMING TO BE HEALTHY.
VS 14 AMEN IS A TITLE THAT CHRIST GAVE HIMSELF. HE SAID THAT HE WAS FAITHFUL AND TRUE AND TO THAT HE IS THE AMEN OF THAT STATEMENT OR TRUTH. BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF TIME- STATES THAT HE IS THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS AND THAT HE HAS BEEN AROUND TO SEE IT ALL. HE IS NOT A NOVICE OR A ROOKIE. HE IS ALPHA AND OMEGA….
I KNOW YOUR WORKS- HE WAS LETTING THEM KNOW THAT HE WAS ALL KNOWING AND THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS OF THE CHURCH OR COMMUNITY WAS. HE KNEW WHAT THEIR TRUE CONDITION WAS.
HE THEN LAYS OUT THE CONDITION OF THE CHURCH WHICH IS THE CONDITION OF THE PRESENT DAY CHURCH.
NEITHER HOT NOR COLD- HE WANTS YOU TO BE HOT- BOILING OVER LOVE AND PASSION FOR HIM. THE OT COUNTERPART TO THIS IS SONG OF SOLOMON WHERE SOLOMON AND HIS WIFE WERE MADLY IN LOVE AND THAT THE LOVE AND DESIRE THAT THEY HAD FOR ONE ANOTHER WAS STILL AS PASSIONATE AS IN THE BEGINNING. SEVERAL CHAPTERS LATER AFTER SAYING TO HIM THAT “HIS LOVE IS BETTER THAN WINE” SHE GOES TO BED AND FALLLS ASLEEP ON HIM. SHE HEARS HIM KNOCKING AND SHE SAYS TO HERSELF THAT SHE IS “CLEAN, COMFORTABLE AND TIRED.” SHE DIDN’T ANSWER HIS KNOCK AT THE DOOR. HE LEFT GRIEVED AND DISAPPOINTED. HE WITHDREW AND WHEN SHE CAME TO HER SENSES SHE BEGIN SEARCHING FOR HIM.
THE CHURCH NO LONGER DERIVES ITS SATISFACTION FROM INTIMACY WITH CHRIST.
THE CHURCH SPENDS MORE TIME ORGANIZING THAN AGONIZING.
WE HAVE INTELLECTUALS NOT INTERCESSORS
THERE’S MORE PLANNING THAN PRAYING
GONE FROM BEING HIS BODY TO A BUSINESS.
JESUS SAID THAT HE WOULD RATHER THEM BE COLD, MEANING NO PRETENSE OF BEING SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE NOT. HE WOULD RATHER YOU HAVE NO PROFESSION OF GOD AT ALL THAN TO HAVE A PROFESSION OF BUT NO PASSION FOR.
THEY WERE PROFESSING NOT POSSESSING.
VOMIT- SO DISTASTEFUL, DISGUST AND LOATHE THEIR INDIFFERENCE.
VS 17- THEY WERE EQUATING MATERIAL ABUNDANCE WITH SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. THEY HAD LITTLE TO NO CONCERN FOR THE RAPTURE OR THE END TIME.
THEY MISTOOK GREED FOR FAITH AND AMBITION FOR CONSECRATION.
VS. 18 YET HE SAYS THAT HE IS OUR COUNSELOR. SOME OF US NEED TO SEE A OR THE COUNSELOR.
BUY OF ME- HE TOLD THEM TO BUY OF HIM. HOW DO WE BUY CHRIST? IT WAS NOT DONE WITH MONEY. YET THIS PRESENT-DAY CHURCH MONEY IS THE COIN THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO USE IN HIS ECONOMY. MONEY IS NOT LEGAL TENDER IN HIS ECONOMY.
WE BUY HIM BY GIVING OURSELVES TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY TO HIM. LUKE 9:23-24 “IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, AND FOLLOW ME. FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT: BUT WHOSOEVER WILL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE, THE SAME SHALL SAVE IT.
WHITE RAIMENT- THIS IS GARMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS NOT SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS. WHITE WAS NOT SPEAKING OF THE COLOR BUT OF PURITY. SIGNS OF A WORDLY CHURCH OR THE APOSTATE CHURCH IS A CHURCH THAT HAS FORSAKEN PURITY.
1. THEY PREACH WHAT IS POPULAR AND AVOID WHAT IS CULTURALLY CONTROVERSIAL. THEY FAIL TO PREACH OF THE STANDARDS OF SCRIPTURAL MORALITY.
2. THEY NORMALIZE ALTERNATE FORMS OF FAMILY AND MARRIAGE- THEY CELEBRATE UNBIBLICAL VIEWS REGARDING FAMILY AND MARRIAGE.
3. WORLDLY LIVING SUCH AS CLUBBING, DRINKING OR CASUAL SEX IS ACCEPTABLE- THEY ESPOUSE A LOOSE LIFESTYLE TO AVOID BEING TAGGED WITH THE TERM RELIGIOUS.
NAKEDNESS- THE ONLY COVERING THAT HE WILL RECOGNIZE IS THE COVERING OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS. EX 12:13 SAYS THE BLOOD SHALL BE A TOKEN AND WHEN HE SEES IT THEN HE SHALL PASS OVER THEM.
ANOINTING OF THE EYES- WE HAVE TO SEE CLEARLY OUR CONDITION. WE HAVE TO SEE US AS HE SEES US.
VS 19 LOVE- PHILEO MEANING FRIEND….
CHASTISEMENT- THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT EVERY TRUE BELIEVER EXPERIENCES.
TOO MANY CHURCHES GLORY IN NO OPPOSITION OR TROUBLES.
REPENTANCE MEANS GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
VS. 20 KNOCK- THEY DIDN’T REALIZE HE WAS NOT INSIDE BUT WAS ON THE OUTSIDE WANTING IN.
VOICE- THERE IS SO MUCH RELIGIOUS RACKET GOING ON THAT THEY CAN’T HEAR HIS VOICE.
VS 21 OVERCOMERS- HOW DID HE OVERCOME? HE DIED! WE HAVE TO DIE TO OURSELVES AND WE WILL BE OVERCOMERS.
VS 22 HE IS STANDING AT THE DOOR KNOCKING AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SPEAKING. HE IS TRYING TO GET OUR ATTENTION. HE IS ATTEMPTING TO SPEAK TO US.
