The Laodicean Church Age

Now what he said makes sense spiritually also. This is a fast paced world in which we live, and it is important that before we come to the worship service, we start winding down and preparing our hearts for worship.

When Some Christians come to church, rather than fellowship with the saints of God, they prefer to visit with them after church.

When they first enter the church building, they prefer to go find themselves a seat and sit in the sanctuary in a prayerful mood getting their hearts prepared for worship.

If we do not want to be a part of the Laodicean church age, we need to BE PREPARED TO WORSHIP.

We certainly do not need to come to church bragging about our riches and declaring we do not need anything.

But also, WE MUST -

II. BE PREPARED TO FELLOWSHIP

One of the reasons people choose a particular church to worship in is because they love the people that worship there.

This is what the early church did.

Look at Acts 2:46,47, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

The early church was a church that was full of gladness, and they enjoyed the fellowship with each other.

This kind of atmosphere is what God wants in every church. And notice the Bible says this is the kind of church that can grow. The Bible says, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

But remember the Laodicean church does not love God or God’s people, THEY LOVE THINGS.

This is the church that boasted, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing…”

It is obvious they loved things, not people.

Illus: This explains why in the Laodicean church you can hear some of ugliest comments about people, and no one will get upset! If you talk about some of their possessions in a negative way, they will get mad!

Why? Because the Laodicean church loves THINGS, not people.

God’s TRUE CHURCH loves a beautiful church to worship in, but something they love more than that is the Lord Jesus Christ and His people.

Look at John 13:34,35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

We are to “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Rom. 12:15

We must be PREPARED TO WORSHIP, PREPARED TO FELLOWSHIP, and ...

III. BE PREPARED TO GO

A GOING CHURCH is a GROWING church.

The “Laodicean” church today, in their effort to evangelize the world, has taken on a circus type of mentality.

Illus: Have you ever gone to a state fair and walked down the midway and seen the side shows, side by side? Each show is competing for the crowd to enter their tent. They will do anything to lure people into these shows.

HOW DO THEY DO IT?

They will do anything! Usually they have a man on a platform with a microphone in his hand saying: