Vision of Discipleship
Series: Vision of all Things
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 24th October 2020
Passage: Revelation 3:14-22
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Well, good morning, everyone.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:07 It's great to gather with you in the building and also online,
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 if you're connected online to the St Paul's family out there,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 to our neighbourhood around Chatswood and community.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 Great for you to be connecting in with us.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 Well, it's that time of year again, as a number of us are aware,
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 where heads are buried into books,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:27 the hope of cramming in as much information as possible
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 in order to regurgitate it onto an exam paper,
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 whether it be HSC, uni exams,
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 as some of us here are facing theological exams.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 It's that time of year of assessment.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 Someone was asked recently what, in fact,
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 there was their plan of attack for the exam,
00:00:46 --> 00:00:47 and their response was,
00:00:48 --> 00:00:53 I am hoping to try not to cry loud enough
00:00:53 --> 00:00:54 in order to disturb other people.
00:00:57 --> 00:01:01 While there are, this time of year, exams like this,
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 these assessment periods,
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 in actual fact, all of life, on one way or another,
00:01:06 --> 00:01:06 is an assessment.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:08 From the time that you're born,
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 and the doctors or the nurses are measuring you
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 and poking you and prodding you and weighing you
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 and making sure that you're hitting all the appropriate milestones,
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 your head's not too big, it's not too small,
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 you're walking when you're meant to walk,
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 you're moving, you're doing all that sort of stuff.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 Through the various stages,
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 to the point where you're getting a car licence,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:28 you've got to do exams,
00:01:28 --> 00:01:29 you've got to pass certain things,
00:01:30 --> 00:01:31 driving tests, written tests.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:33 For me, it went on from that
00:01:33 --> 00:01:38 into commercial driving licence with heavy vehicles,
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 explosive licence, firearm licence,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:42 motorbike licence,
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 it's assessments all the way through.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:45 Now that I'm a diabetic,
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 I'm on a constant cycle of blood tests,
00:01:48 --> 00:01:49 I test my sugar levels,
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 I don't know how many times a day,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 physical examinations, eye examinations.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 Now there's a whole heap of assessments
00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 that happen in life,
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 some of them are really crucial,
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 some of them, really frankly, it doesn't matter,
00:02:00 --> 00:02:01 you know, who cares what you got
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 on your second grade piano exam,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 no one really matters about that,
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 unless of course, you know, it's your teacher.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 And even every five years,
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 the church itself gets assessed
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 with the National Church Life Survey,
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 which will be coming up for us again next year.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 And in one sense,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 this is what we're doing in this season of St Paul's,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 we are assessing the last 11 years' ministry
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 of this church.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 But the assessment of the church,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:33 the assessment of our lives,
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 of our lives as disciples of the Lord Jesus,
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 that really matters,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 is in fact not your assessment of the last 11 years,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 or my assessment,
00:02:42 --> 00:02:43 or the NCLS's,
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 or even what our diocesan bishop,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:48 or the whole diocese thinks.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 The only assessment that really matters
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 is the one who we saw last week from Revelation 1,
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 is the one who rules over all things
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 from time and eternity,
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 stands in the midst of his church,
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 the cosmic king,
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 It's his assessment that matters.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 The one who chapter 1 calls,
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 the firstborn from the dead,
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 the ruler of the kings of the earth,
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 the king of kings,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 in other words,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:20 the one to whom belongs glory and power
00:03:20 --> 00:03:21 forever and ever.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 Amen.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 Now, Revelation 2 and 3,
00:03:26 --> 00:03:27 which is what we're up to today,
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 is Jesus' assessment of seven churches.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 So, grab your Bibles,
00:03:34 --> 00:03:35 Revelation 2 and 3,
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 and also the St. Paul's app,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 and come with me on that.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 If you have not got a Bible,
00:03:44 --> 00:03:45 can I encourage you at this point,
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 if you've got no access to God's word right now,
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 I've got two things for you.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 Bring one from home,
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 first of all,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 if you've got one at home.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 Secondly,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 if you don't have one at all,
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 then we will give you one.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:00 So, please,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 speak to me,
00:04:01 --> 00:04:02 speak to one of the staff here,
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 and we will give you a Bible
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 by the time you leave today.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 I want to have a Bible in your hands.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 So, get your Bibles open,
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 Revelation 2 and 3,
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13 and the St. Paul's app,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 four things,
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 why the assessment matters,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 the results of the assessment,
00:04:18 --> 00:04:19 how to receive a positive assessment,
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 and the hope of a positive assessment.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 So,
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 why is assessment matters?
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 The book of Revelation
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 is in the form of a letter
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 that the Apostle John
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 is writing to the church
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 as it struggles
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 under the weight of hardship
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 and the affluence
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 of the Roman Empire.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 And it starts with this incredible vision
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 of the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:04:48 --> 00:04:52 who rules as the cosmic king of all things.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 We saw last week
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 that this Jesus
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 is the beginning of all things.
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 He's the end of all things.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 History is running in direction of him,
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 and therefore,
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 he is the point of all things.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 The entire book
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 is a vision
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 that the Apostle John receives
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 while he himself
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 is suffering
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 as a servant of the Lord Jesus
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 on the prison island,
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 Patmos.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 He is suffering
00:05:19 --> 00:05:19 because he's a follower.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 He's a disciple of the Lord Jesus.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 And John is instructed
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 in chapter 1, verse 19
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 to write down,
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 it says,
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 what is now
00:05:29 --> 00:05:33 and what will take place later.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 So if you like,
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 the book of Revelation
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 is God's grand narrative.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 It's his self-revelation
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 of the way things
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 actually are
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 in the universe.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 John's vision
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 takes us beyond
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 the chaos of history
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 to see God's work,
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 him working
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 behind the scenes
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 to defeat sin and evil
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 and to rescue
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 a people for himself
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 for their eternal joy.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 Now,
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 most of the book
00:06:10 --> 00:06:10 of Revelation
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 is a vision
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 of the heavenly realms.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 The cosmic battle
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 between Satan
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 and sin
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 and wickedness
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 and the final triumph
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 of the loving rule
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 of God
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 for all of eternity.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 So Revelation 2 and 3,
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 what it does for us
00:06:31 --> 00:06:32 in these seven letters
00:06:32 --> 00:06:33 to the churches
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 is it brings
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 that cosmic battle
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 into our daily life.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 So it's not just
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 sort of mythology
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 kind of stuff
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 out there
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 in the internet.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 It brings that battle
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 which is out there
00:06:48 --> 00:06:48 raging
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 beyond our sight
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 into our daily lives.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 That is the place
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 where the cosmic battle
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 of Revelation
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 gets,
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 if you like,
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 rages the most
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 is in the local church
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 and the members
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 of the local church.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 This is where
00:07:09 --> 00:07:09 the cosmic battle
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 becomes real for us.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 The cosmic battle
00:07:13 --> 00:07:13 between God
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 and all that is good
00:07:15 --> 00:07:15 and Satan
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 and all that is evil,
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 that battle rages
00:07:18 --> 00:07:22 for every single Christian.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 The battle for faithfulness
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 and fruitfulness,
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 a battle against the world,
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 the flesh and the devil.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 Can I just add here
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 just as a side point,
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 it's one reason
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 why vocational Christian ministry
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 is so fundamentally hard.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 Not only does the pastor
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 experience the cosmic battle
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 personally
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 like you experience it personally,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 but we are leading others
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 to overcome
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 at the same time
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 trying to overcome ourselves.
00:07:56 --> 00:08:01 Revelation 2 and 3
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 is Jesus' assessment
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 of seven churches
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 and how they are progressing.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 There's no such thing
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 as a perfect performance
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 except for Jesus.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 He is the victorious one.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 He is the one
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 who has overcome
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 and his concern for us
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 is that we would triumph
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 with him,
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 that we too
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 would be victorious.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 that we would enter
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 into all the joys
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 of his eternal kingdom
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 and experience life
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 in its fullest
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 as he now
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 has life
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 in all its fullest.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 That we would
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 enter into that joy
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 and that's why
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 his assessment
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 of how we're
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 begrossing matters.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:41 matters.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 So these chapters
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 are specific
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 individual messages
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 for real life churches
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 that existed
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 in the first century
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 with the apostle John
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 that were facing
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 real life issues.
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 And yet,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 each of these
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 specific messages
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 is meant to be read
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 to all the churches.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:09 all the churches.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 Each church
00:09:12 --> 00:09:12 has to know
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 about all the issues
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 that they will face.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 Every individual church
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 here is instructed
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 to hear
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 what the Spirit
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 says
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 to the churches.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:26 churches.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 This is for us
00:09:31 --> 00:09:31 too
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 here at St. Paul's
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 Chatswood
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 2 years later.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 And this letter
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 presents to us
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 a serious picture
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 of church life
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 where constant
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 vigilance
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 is called for.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 We must hear
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 his assessment
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 and instructions
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 if we are
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 to overcome
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 and we are
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 to be victorious
00:09:57 --> 00:09:57 in the end.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 So what's the results
00:10:00 --> 00:10:00 of his assessment?
00:10:02 --> 00:10:02 All the letters,
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 the seven letters
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 have a similar pattern.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 They begin
00:10:06 --> 00:10:06 with an explanation
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 of who Jesus Christ is
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 and each of the explanations
00:10:10 --> 00:10:10 at the beginning
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 of each letter
00:10:11 --> 00:10:15 draws on one aspect
00:10:15 --> 00:10:15 of the vision
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 that the apostle John
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 saw of the Lord Jesus
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 in chapter one.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 It then goes on
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 to describe
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 Jesus' assessment
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 of each church.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 Then following that
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 is a word
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 of encouragement
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 or a word
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 of warning
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 and each finishes
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 with a glorious promise
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 to those
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 who will overcome
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 and each one
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 of the glorious promises
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 is found
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 in Revelation
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 21 and 22
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 at the end
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 of what that looks like.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:53 So he's drawing
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 on the past
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 who Jesus is,
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 his character
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 and what he is
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 taking us to
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 into the future
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 in Revelation
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 21 and 22.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 These churches
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 all face
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 a range of issues.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 Persecution,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 complacency,
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 social rejection,
00:11:12 --> 00:11:12 false teaching,
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 lovelessness,
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 needing to refocus
00:11:17 --> 00:11:17 on its purpose
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 and its mission,
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 all kinds of issues.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 And rather than go
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 through them all,
00:11:23 --> 00:11:23 which you'd be glad
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 that I'm not going to
00:11:24 --> 00:11:28 because I'm hoping
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 that you will do that
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 in your community groups,
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 I want to focus
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 on Laodicea
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 for us.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 What we notice
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 with the first six churches
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 that Jesus addresses here
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 is that he affirms them
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 for some things,
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 criticizes them
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 for other things.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 There were things
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 that they were doing well.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 There were things
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 that they needed
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 to improve on,
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 needed to change.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 Except for Smyrna
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 and Philadelphia
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 where there are
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 no faults mentioned.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 On the other hand,
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 when we come
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 to Laodicea,
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 Jesus doesn't affirm
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 them for anything.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 His assessment
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 is quite scathing.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 And there is something
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 about Laodicea
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 and his
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 call for Laodicea
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 which impacts
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 the rest of the churches
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 and how they continue
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 to advance.
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 So that's why I want
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 to pick on Laodicea.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 The issue Jesus
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 has with his church,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 if you've got your Bibles,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 Revelation 3
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 verses 15 and 16,
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 I know your deeds
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 that you are neither
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 cold nor hot.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 I wish you were
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 either one
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 or the other.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 So because you are
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 lukewarm,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 neither hot nor cold,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 I'm about to spit you
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 out of my mouth.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:53 So what Jesus
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 is addressing
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 here in Laodicea
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 is what you would
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 call spiritual
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 lukewarmness.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 We can see
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 what this means
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 when we see
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 what it is
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 contrasted with
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 in verse 19.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 In the second sentence
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 of verse 19
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 we read,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:18 The word earnest
00:13:18 --> 00:13:18 there is
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 translated
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 from the word
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 zealous
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 in the original
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 language.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 It's the origin
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 of the word
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 zealous
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 in the English
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 language.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:30 A lukewarm
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 Christian
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 is a Christian
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 without zeal
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 for God.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 Now it's
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 interesting
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 that if you do
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 a word study here,
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 this particular
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 Greek word
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 zealous
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 is mostly
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 translated
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 in the New
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 Testament
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 as jealous
00:13:48 --> 00:13:51 and not
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 zealous.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 Jealous,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 that is jealousy,
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 is generally
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 viewed
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 as quite
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 a negative
00:13:59 --> 00:13:59 thing.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 A negative
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 thing.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 It's envy.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 Here in verse
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 19 it is in
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 fact a positive
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 thing.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 See when you
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 are jealous
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 in a negative
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 sense,
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 you set
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 your love
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 and your
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 attention
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 and your
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 affection
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 intently
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 on
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 yourself.
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 Which is
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 what jealousy
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 is.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 Jealousy is
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 just simply
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 setting your
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 love,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 your attention,
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 your affection
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 intently on
00:14:25 --> 00:14:25 something.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 But when it's
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 negative,
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 you do it
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 to yourself.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 And therefore
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 you become
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 jealous
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 of people.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 jealousy
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 of anyone
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 who has
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 more talents
00:14:40 --> 00:14:40 and more
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 money or
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 more attention
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 or more
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 whatever than
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 I've got,
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 that's when
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 jealousy is
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 negative.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 Your zeal
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 is for
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 yourself.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:51 If however
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 you become
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 jealous
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 for others,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 not of
00:14:55 --> 00:14:55 others,
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 but for
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 others,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 then it's
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 positive.
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 Jealousy
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 for their
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 good,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 for their
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 growth,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 for their
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 joy.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 To be
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 jealous
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 for someone
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 is to
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 set your
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 love and
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 your attention
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 and your
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 affection
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 intently
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 on them
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 in such
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 a way
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 that it
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 overflows
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 in service
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 of them.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 So this
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 helps us
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 here understand
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 what is
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 happening
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 with Laodicea.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 A lukewarm
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 Christian is
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 not a
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 hypocritical
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 Christian.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 This is
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 not about
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 hypocrisy.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 These are
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 people who
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 believe what
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 they should
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 believe and
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 do what
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 they should
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 be doing.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 However,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 the supreme
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 passion of
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 their lives,
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 of their
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 hearts,
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 is set on
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 something else
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 apart from
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 Jesus Christ.
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 There is no
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 jealousy for
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 God.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 There is no
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 zeal for
00:15:58 --> 00:15:58 God.
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 There is no
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 intimacy and
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 passion and
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 joy and
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 wonder in
00:16:02 --> 00:16:02 their
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 relationship
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 with God.
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 And Jesus
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 goes on to
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 express exactly
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 how he feels
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 about that.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 The first
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 thing he says
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 is in fact
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 quite startling.
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 Have a look
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 at verse 15.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 I know
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 your deeds
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 that you
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 are neither
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 cold nor
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 hot.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 I wish
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 you were
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 either one
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 or the
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 other.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 hot.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 He would
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 rather that
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 they be
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 cold or
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 hot, not
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 warm.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 Now
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 that's a
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 bit strange.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 You see,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 you would
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 expect Jesus
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 to say,
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 I wish you
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 were hot.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 hot.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 Because that's
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 zeal.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 That's
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 passion.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 That's
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 earnestness.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 That's
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 keenness in
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 your
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 discipleship.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 But he
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 also says,
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 I would
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 rather that
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 you would
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 be cold
00:16:58 --> 00:17:01 rather than
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 warm.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 Didn't expect
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 him to say
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 that.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 Why would
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 he say
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 that?
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 Because
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 coldness is
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 no belief
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 at all.
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 Why would
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 he say
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 that?
00:17:12 --> 00:17:20 I suppose
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 it was
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 partly the
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 experience of
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 his own
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 ministry.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 He often
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 faced the
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 rejection,
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 the
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 expectations,
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 the blindness
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 among the
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 religious
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 people,
00:17:31 --> 00:17:31 but openness
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 and reception
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 from the
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 sinners and
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 the outcasts
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 of society.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 Lukewarm
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 people are
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 often content,
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 unteachable,
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 comfortable,
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 settled with
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 where they
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 are in
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 their
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 relationship
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 with
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 Jesus
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 and
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 Jesus
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 not being
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 the
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 controlling
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 influence
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 of their
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 lives.
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 Lukewarm
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 people are
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 further from
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 being hot
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 than cold
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 people are.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 I think
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 that's the
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 point he's
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 making here.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 When cold
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 people truly
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 get the
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 gospel,
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 they go
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 from cold
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 to hot
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 is what
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 happens.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 You don't
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 move from
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 coldness
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 to lukewarmness
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 and then to
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 hotness.
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 That's not
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 what happens.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 You go from
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 cold to hot.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 That's the
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 step.
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 Now,
00:18:21 --> 00:18:28 the other
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 really negative
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 thing he says
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 is in verse
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 16.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 So because
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 you were
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 lukewarm,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 I'm about to
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 spit you out
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 of my
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 mouth.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 He's not
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 angry here.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 He doesn't
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 say because
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 you were
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 lukewarm,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 my wrath
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 is about
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 to descend
00:18:45 --> 00:18:45 on you.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 He's not
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 saying that.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 He's not
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 angry.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 He's
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 sick.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 That's
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 what it's
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 saying.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 When Jesus
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 looks at
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 Christians
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 without
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 fervor,
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 without zeal,
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 without earnestness,
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 without joy,
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 without wonder,
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 he wants
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 to be
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 sick.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 He doesn't
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 say,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 I'm angry.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 He says,
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 you turn
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 my stomach.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 You make
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 me gag.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 I want
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 to vomit.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 I'm
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 nauseous.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 In other
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 words,
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 it's
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 personal.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 Lukewarmness,
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 of course,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 is a symptom
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 of something
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 that's much
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 deeper.
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 It's a much
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 deeper disease.
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 And verse
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 17 reveals
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 the core
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 issue.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 You say,
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 I am rich.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 I have
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 acquired wealth
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 and do not
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 need a thing,
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 but you do
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 not realise
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 that you are
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 wretched,
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 pitiful,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 poor,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 blind,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 and naked.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 Now,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 Laodicea,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 as a city,
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 was known
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 for three
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 things in
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 particular.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 It was
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 a wealthy
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 banking centre.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 And this
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 resulted in
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 a fairly
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 self-confident
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 and self-dependent
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 culture.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 In fact,
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 when the city
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 of Laodicea
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 was devastated
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 by an earthquake
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 in AD 60,
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 they refused
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 the help
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 of the Roman
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 Empire to
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 rebuild it.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 Totally
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 unsinkable
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 in its time.
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 Unheard of.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 Normally,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 what was
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 required
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 was the
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 centre of
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 Rome
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 to come
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 in and
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 to be
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 your
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 rescuer
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 in a
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 moment
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 of tragedy.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 But Laodicea
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 didn't need
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 it.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 They could
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 save
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 themselves.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 It was
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 also a
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 famous
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 medical centre.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 In particular,
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 it was known
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 for an eye
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 ointment that
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 was manufactured
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 there that
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 dealt with eye
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 issues,
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 seeing issues.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 Thirdly,
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 it was a
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 fashion centre,
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 especially
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 known for
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 clothing made
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 from locally
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 produced and
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 quite rare and
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 fancy black
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 wool.
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 And so they
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 think they're
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 doing really
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 well here,
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 Laodicea,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 but with
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 bitter irony,
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 Jesus says,
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 you are in
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 fact poor,
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 you're blind,
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 you're naked.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 Spiritual
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 nakedness is a
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 metaphor for guilt
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 and shame in
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 the Bible.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 You're a
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 sinner.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 There is a
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 record against
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 you and you're
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 liable for
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 punishment.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 Spiritual
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 poverty is
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 impotence.
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 You can't
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 change your
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 condition.
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 You can't
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 deal with
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 your guilt
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 and make
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 yourself the
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 person that
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 you ought to
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 be.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 Spiritual
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 blindness is
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 where you
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 don't even
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 know that
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 you have a
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 problem with
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 your spiritual
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 condition,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 which is why
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 Jesus says,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 I'd rather you
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 be cold and
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 hot, not
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 lukewarm,
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 because you're
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 blind.
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 You can't
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 even see it.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:38 despite the
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 wealth and
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 the health of
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 Laodicea, the
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 city was
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 spiritually poor,
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 sick and
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 naked.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 The church
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 was.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 It seems that
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 Jesus is making
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 a direct link
00:21:48 --> 00:21:50 here from the
00:21:50 --> 00:21:53 wealth, the
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 wealth of the
00:21:53 --> 00:21:56 city, their
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 self-confidence
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 and their
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 lukewarmness.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 He seems to
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 be making a
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 direct link
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 here between
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 being wealthy,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 being brilliant,
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 being accomplished,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 being a high
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 achiever to
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 spiritual
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 lukewarmness.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 It's because
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 the more one
00:22:18 --> 00:22:21 is a more
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 self-dependent
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 one is, the
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 less one heart
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 is gripped by
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 the truth that
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 they are in
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 fact a
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 sinner saved
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 by grace.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 You see, it's
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 something that we
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 might know in
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 our heads.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 I'm a sinner
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 saved by grace,
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 but the heart
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 has not been
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 captured by it.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 The knowledge
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 that Jesus
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 loves you as
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 a sinner is
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 not a miracle.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 It doesn't
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 move you to
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 tears when you
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 think about it
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 or sing about
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 it.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 There is a
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 difference between
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 saying I'm a
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 sinner and
00:22:56 --> 00:22:59 feeling that
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 I'm a sinner.
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 When you
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 don't feel
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 that you're
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 a sinner,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 then you
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 don't feel
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 that you're
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 a miracle
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 of grace.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 It's something
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 that doesn't
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 stir the
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 affections that
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 you're a
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 miracle of
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 grace.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 There is a
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 link between
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 being affluent,
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 accomplished,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 brilliance,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 and lukewarmness.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 Ask anyone
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 in ministry,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 anyone in
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 ministry,
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27 and they
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 will tell
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 you the
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 more affluent
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 the area,
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 the more
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 accomplished
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 the area,
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 the tougher
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 gospel ministry
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 is in that
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 place.
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 Very hard
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 to grow
00:23:41 --> 00:23:43 churches in
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 middle class,
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 upper middle
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 class, higher
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 class societies.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 Very hard.
00:23:49 --> 00:23:56 Now, I'm
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 hoping the
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 longer I've
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 dragged this
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 on, that I
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 don't actually
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 have to draw
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 the specific
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 conclusions here
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 for us.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 We are
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 living in
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 Laodicea.
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 We live in
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 Australia, and
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 even more than
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 that, we live
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 in the north
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 shore of
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 Sydney.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 We need
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 at the very
00:24:14 --> 00:24:16 least, brothers
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 and sisters, to
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 be open to
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 this word, at
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 the very
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 least.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 A couple
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 of years
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 ago, we
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 preached through
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 the book of
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 Judges, and
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 one of the
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 most memorable
00:24:30 --> 00:24:33 but detestable
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35 stories, and
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 the passages
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 that I preached
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 on in that
00:24:36 --> 00:24:38 time, was
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 Judges 11 and
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 the story of
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 Jephna, one
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 of the judges
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 of Israel.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 He was one
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 of the leaders
00:24:44 --> 00:24:46 of Israel, but
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 he sacrificed
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 his daughter
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 in order to
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 make a vow
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 to God.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 All the
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 cultures around
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 Israel at
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 that time
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 practiced that
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 behavior.
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 They practiced
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 human sacrifices
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 in order to
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 get the gods
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 to do things
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 on their
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 behalf.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 But Deuteronomy
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 tells us that
00:25:08 --> 00:25:10 God, that the
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 God of the
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 Bible detests
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 human sacrifice.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 And so I
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 remember after
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 preaching that,
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 the struggles
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 that so many
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 of us had
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 with that
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 passage.
00:25:23 --> 00:25:25 How in the
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 world could a
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 leader of God's
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 people, a
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 leader in Israel
00:25:29 --> 00:25:31 be so influenced
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 by the culture
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 around them that
00:25:33 --> 00:25:35 they did what
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 they did and
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 they brought that
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 culture into
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 their faith?
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 How could that
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 happen?
00:25:39 --> 00:25:45 Well then
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 hear this.
00:25:47 --> 00:25:49 When Christians
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 come from the
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 poor parts of
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 the world
00:25:51 --> 00:25:53 where the
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 church is
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 growing under
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 great hardship
00:25:54 --> 00:25:56 and in
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 scarcity,
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 they say the
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 same thing
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 about the
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 churches in
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 the West.
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 They're often
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 appalled by
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 the lukewarmness.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 They link it
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 to how safe
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 and affluent
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 that we are.
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 They notice,
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 for instance,
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 how little we
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 pray.
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 They notice how
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 much of the
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 money that we
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 make we spend
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 on ourselves.
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 They notice how
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 afraid we are to
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 let even our
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 neighbours know
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 that we're
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 Christians.
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 It is hard to
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 hear, but the
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 church in the
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 West, in
00:26:31 --> 00:26:33 general, is
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 accommodating of
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36 our culture as
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 Jephna was to
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 his in
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 Judges 11.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 We struggle
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 with lukewarmness
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 too.
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 In April
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 1963, Martin
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 Luther King
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 Jr. was
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 in prison in
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 Birmingham
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 Jail and
00:26:54 --> 00:26:56 he wrote a
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 letter to the
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 church leaders
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 of the United
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 States.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 It was a
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 very long
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 letter.
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 He had time.
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 But let me
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 just quote just
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 a part of it.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 There was a
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 time when the
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 church was very
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 powerful.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 In the time when
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 the early
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 Christians rejoiced
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 at being deemed
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 worthy to suffer
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 for what they
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 believed.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 In those days,
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 the church was
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 not merely a
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 thermometer that
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 recorded the
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 ideas and the
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 principles of
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 popular opinion.
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 It was a
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 thermostat that
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 transformed the
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 mores of
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 society.
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 Small in
00:27:28 --> 00:27:30 number, they
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 were big in
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 commitment.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:33 They were
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 God
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 intoxicated.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 By their
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 effort and
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 example, they
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 brought an
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 end to such
00:27:41 --> 00:27:43 ancient evils
00:27:43 --> 00:27:46 as infanticide
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 and gladiatorial
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 contests.
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 Things are
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 different now.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 So often the
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 contemporary church
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 is weak.
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 If today's
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 church does not
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 recapture the
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 sacrificial spirit
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 of the early
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 church, it
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 will lose its
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 authenticity,
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 forfeit the
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 loyalty of
00:28:05 --> 00:28:07 millions, and
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 be dismissed as
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 the irrelevant
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 social club with
00:28:09 --> 00:28:11 no meaning for
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 the 20th century.
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 That's prophecy
00:28:14 --> 00:28:16 in 1963.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 There is a
00:28:21 --> 00:28:23 lukewarmness that
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 comes from a
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 self-sufficiency
00:28:24 --> 00:28:26 where the beauty
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 of the gospel
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 hasn't captured
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 the heart and
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 the affections.
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 So how to
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 receive a
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 positive
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 assessment from
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 Jesus?
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 The good news
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 is that Jesus
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 actually does
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 have a solution
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 for us here.
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 This is how we
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 can turn around
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 and receive a
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 positive assessment.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 Verse 18,
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 I counsel you
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 to buy from me
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 gold refined
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 in the fire so
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 that you can
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 become rich and
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51 white clothes to
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 wear so that you
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 can cover your
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 shameful
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 nakedness and
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 salve to put on
00:28:55 --> 00:28:57 your eyes so that
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 you can see.
00:28:57 --> 00:28:59 the first
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 solution, and
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 notice the three
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 things there where
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 they thought they
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 were strong.
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 No, no, you've
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 got to come to
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 me and you've
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 got to receive
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 these things from
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 me so that you
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 can be strong.
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 The first solution
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 is a call to get
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 hold of his
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 gracious salvation.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 He offers
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 spiritual wealth
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 and spiritual
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 clothing and
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 spiritual sight.
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 When he says
00:29:19 --> 00:29:21 buy from me, he
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 means literally
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 get from me this
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 stuff.
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 We get a
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 right robe
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 from him.
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 It's an
00:29:27 --> 00:29:29 acceptable life,
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 a life that's
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 been cleansed by
00:29:31 --> 00:29:33 all sin, by
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 Jesus' death on
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 the cross.
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 It's forgiveness
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 and pardon.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 All of us don't
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 have to dig too
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 deep at all in
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 our hearts.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 Just a moment of
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 quietness and we
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 discover that we
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 are not what we
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 ought to be or
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 even what we
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 would hope to
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 be.
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 All of us are
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 trying to accomplish
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 things in order to
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 cover our
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 nakedness.
00:29:51 --> 00:29:53 Jesus calls us
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 to look away
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 from those
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 things, to
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 look to him, to
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 his grace, his
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 mercy, his
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 acceptance.
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 It's the only
00:30:00 --> 00:30:02 garment in life,
00:30:02 --> 00:30:04 the only garment
00:30:04 --> 00:30:06 in life that will
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 never be taken
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 from you.
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 If you want to
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 get this from
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 Jesus, he offers
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 it to us.
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 If you want to
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 get this from
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 Jesus, you should
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 pray a prayer,
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 something like
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 this.
00:30:19 --> 00:30:21 Lord, my
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 beliefs are
00:30:21 --> 00:30:23 incomplete and
00:30:23 --> 00:30:25 want just
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 full of
00:30:26 --> 00:30:26 selfishness.
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 My affection
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 is cold.
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 My repentance
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 is half-hearted.
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 My best efforts
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 compared to your
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 holy standards
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 are just
00:30:37 --> 00:30:37 unacceptable.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 But Jesus
00:30:39 --> 00:30:41 Christ died the
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 death that I
00:30:41 --> 00:30:43 owed and he
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 lived the life
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 that I should
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 live.
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 Welcome me,
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 God, and
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 love me,
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 God, for
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 his sake.
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 Receive his
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 grace.
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 The second
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 way to move
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 from lukewarmness
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 to passion and
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 zeal and joy
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 is through
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 suffering.
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 It's the
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 gold, the
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 wealth refined
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 by fire.
00:31:08 --> 00:31:10 The gold he
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 gives us is
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 refined by fire.
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 And a little
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 later, he says
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 that he loves
00:31:14 --> 00:31:16 those he loves,
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 he rebukes
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 any disciplines.
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 To move
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 into a
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 grace-transformed
00:31:21 --> 00:31:23 life, we are
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 going to have
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 to walk with
00:31:25 --> 00:31:27 Jesus through
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 a bunch of
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 difficult times.
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 It's a simple
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 fact that those
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 who live
00:31:32 --> 00:31:34 charmed lives
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 are nearly
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 always lukewarm.
00:31:36 --> 00:31:40 the great
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 English preacher
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 Charles Spurgeon
00:31:41 --> 00:31:44 once said,
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 the greatest
00:31:45 --> 00:31:47 gift that
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 God can give
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 any person
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 is their
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 health.
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 Except
00:31:55 --> 00:31:58 for a good
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 dose of
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 sickness.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 In other
00:32:03 --> 00:32:05 words, it
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 just breaks
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 you a bit.
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 Just makes
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 you reveal,
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 understand your
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 dependence upon
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 God a bit.
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 Breaks the
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 self-sufficiency
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 and the
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 self-confidence
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 a bit.
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 And that's
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 far greater
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 than more
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 health.
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 Thirdly,
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 we have to
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 be open to
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 his love.
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 This is one
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 of the most
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 amazing things
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 about this
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 passage in
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 Laodicea,
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 as it is
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 with all the
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 six churches.
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 Lukewarmness
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 here might
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 make him
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 want to
00:32:36 --> 00:32:38 vomit us
00:32:38 --> 00:32:40 out, but
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 it does not
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 change his
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 loving purposes
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 for us.
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 That is,
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 Jesus is not
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 into cancel
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 culture.
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 He doesn't
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 wipe us
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 when we fail
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 him.
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 That's works
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 theology.
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 He does not
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 wipe us when
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 we fail him.
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 We might make
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 him nauseous,
00:33:01 --> 00:33:01 but he is
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 totally committed
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 to us.
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 That is
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 his grace
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 and his
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 mercy to
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 us.
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 So we need
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 to be open
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 to his love
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 again and
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 again and
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 again.
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 And lastly,
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 he wants to
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 commune with
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 us.
00:33:13 --> 00:33:13 Verse 20,
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 here I am.
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 I stand at
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 the door and
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 knock.
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 If anyone
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 hears my
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 voice and
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 opens the
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 door, I
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 will come
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 in and
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 eat with
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 that person
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 and they
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 with me.
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 Throughout
00:33:22 --> 00:33:24 the decades
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 and decades
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 and decades,
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 this verse
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 has been
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 used of
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 evangelists to
00:33:27 --> 00:33:29 get people
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 to be open
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 to the
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 salvation that
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 Jesus offers.
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 That's not
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 what it's
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 about.
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 Use it if
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 you want.
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 It's not
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 like your
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 heresy if
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 you're doing
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 that.
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 But the
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 point here
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 is this
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 is about
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 Christian
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 people being
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 open to
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 Jesus coming
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 and communing
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 with them.
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 To be
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 invited into
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 someone's home
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 in ancient
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 times when
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 this was
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 written was
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 to invite
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 them into
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 intimate
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 fellowship and
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 friendship.
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 He wants
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 to commune
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 with you in
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 intimate
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 fellowship and
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 friendship.
00:34:01 --> 00:34:03 He is
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 alive.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 He's not
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 just a list
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 of ideas
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 and concepts.
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 He wants
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 to commune
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 with you.
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 For instance,
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 when you
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 pray, is it
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 just a list
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 of things
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 that you
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 want to
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 get from
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 him?
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 Issues
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 that you
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 want him
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 to solve?
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 Or do
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 you want
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 to know
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 him?
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 He desires
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 for us
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 to be
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 open to
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 him and
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 to be
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 intimate
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 fellowship.
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 Start your
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 prayers with
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 Jesus.
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 I want
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 to know
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 you more.
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 I want
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 to know
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 you.
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 And in
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 knowing you,
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 know myself.
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 Know who
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 it is who's
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 knocking at
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 the door.
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 He's the
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 cosmic king
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 Jesus.
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 And he
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 wants to
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 know you.
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 Dwell
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 with you.
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 Be intimate
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 with you.
00:35:01 --> 00:35:03 And even
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 if the
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 whole church,
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 if you're
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 sitting there
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 and you
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 might be
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 engaging
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 with this
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 and you're
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 at a
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 church
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 that is
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 just full
00:35:08 --> 00:35:08 of lukewarm
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 people,
00:35:11 --> 00:35:11 even if
00:35:11 --> 00:35:11 the whole
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 church at
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 Laodicea
00:35:13 --> 00:35:13 does not
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 respond,
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 he's calling
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 me and
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 you as
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 individuals to
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 commune with
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 him.
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 He says,
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 if anyone,
00:35:25 --> 00:35:27 anyone opens
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 a door,
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 I will come.
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 It's a
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 personal call,
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 not just
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 the church
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 at Laodicea,
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 but a
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 personal call
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 for you as
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 an individual.
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 Open the
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 door to
00:35:37 --> 00:35:39 Jesus and
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 commune with
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 him.
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 These
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 messages to
00:35:43 --> 00:35:43 the seven
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 churches about
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 you and
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 me and
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 what Jesus
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 thinks about
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 our spiritual
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 health too,
00:35:49 --> 00:35:49 not just an
00:35:49 --> 00:35:51 assessment of
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 the corporate
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 church.
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 Lastly,
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 the hope of a
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 positive assessment.
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 All servant
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 churches receive a
00:35:57 --> 00:35:57 promise.
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 It's a reward
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 for overcoming
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 and the one
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 here is
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 remarkable in
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 verse 21.
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 To the one
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 who is
00:36:06 --> 00:36:06 victorious,
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 I will give
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 the right to
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 sit with me
00:36:10 --> 00:36:10 on my throne
00:36:10 --> 00:36:12 just as I
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 was victorious
00:36:13 --> 00:36:14 and sat down
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 with my father
00:36:14 --> 00:36:16 on his
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 throne.
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 What a
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 promise.
00:36:20 --> 00:36:20 This is the
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 cosmic king
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 Jesus ruling
00:36:22 --> 00:36:22 the universe
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 because he
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 earned the
00:36:24 --> 00:36:24 right to
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 rule.
00:36:25 --> 00:36:26 First,
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 as the creator
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 of the universe,
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 secondly,
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 is the
00:36:28 --> 00:36:28 redeemer of
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 the universe.
00:36:30 --> 00:36:30 He has the
00:36:30 --> 00:36:31 right to
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 rule.
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 Why would
00:36:33 --> 00:36:35 he invite
00:36:35 --> 00:36:36 us to
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 rule with
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 him?
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 Because he
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 earned it
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 for us
00:36:44 --> 00:36:46 as well.
00:36:48 --> 00:36:48 Do you
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 know why
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 we can get
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 that white
00:36:51 --> 00:36:51 robe?
00:36:51 --> 00:36:53 because he
00:36:53 --> 00:36:55 was stripped
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 naked and
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 laid on a
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 cross.
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 Do you
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 know why
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 we could
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 have
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 spiritual
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 wealth and
00:37:02 --> 00:37:02 inherit the
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 earth?
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 Because he
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 was impoverished,
00:37:07 --> 00:37:09 came down
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 from the
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 heights of
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 glory and
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 entered the
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 world as a
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 baby and
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 died the
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 death of a
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 criminal on a
00:37:14 --> 00:37:14 cross.
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 He was
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 impoverished.
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 Do you
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 know why
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 that we
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 can get
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 spiritual
00:37:19 --> 00:37:20 sights and
00:37:20 --> 00:37:21 no truth?
00:37:24 --> 00:37:26 Because he
00:37:26 --> 00:37:27 allowed them
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 to put a
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 blindfold on
00:37:29 --> 00:37:30 him and
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 strike him
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 and mock
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 him.
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 Prophesy who
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 did that to
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 you.
00:37:36 --> 00:37:40 Why?
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 Because he
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 was jealous
00:37:44 --> 00:37:45 for you.
00:37:47 --> 00:37:48 He was
00:37:48 --> 00:37:48 jealous for
00:37:48 --> 00:37:48 me.
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 He was
00:37:50 --> 00:37:50 jealous for
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51 us, his
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 church.
00:37:53 --> 00:37:53 He said
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 his love
00:37:54 --> 00:37:56 intensely on
00:37:56 --> 00:37:56 us.
00:37:58 --> 00:37:59 He exploded
00:37:59 --> 00:38:00 with service
00:38:00 --> 00:38:01 on our
00:38:01 --> 00:38:02 behalf.
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 His
00:38:05 --> 00:38:05 passion
00:38:05 --> 00:38:07 changed the
00:38:07 --> 00:38:07 world.
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 Everything
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 he does
00:38:10 --> 00:38:11 is for
00:38:11 --> 00:38:11 us.
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 Every bit
00:38:13 --> 00:38:13 of glory
00:38:13 --> 00:38:14 and honour
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 he achieved
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 he achieved
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 that he
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 might share
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 it with
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 us.
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 How can
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 we come
00:38:26 --> 00:38:27 to grips
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 with
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 someone
00:38:29 --> 00:38:30 who gives
00:38:30 --> 00:38:31 themselves
00:38:31 --> 00:38:32 utterly
00:38:32 --> 00:38:33 for us
00:38:33 --> 00:38:36 unless we
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 give
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 ourselves
00:38:36 --> 00:38:37 utterly
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 to him.
00:38:38 --> 00:38:41 thank
00:38:42 --> 00:38:42 humans
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 and
00:38:45 --> 00:38:47 to
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 teach
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 who
00:38:49 --> 00:38:50 in
00:38:50 --> 00:38:50 someone
00:38:50 --> 00:38:51 who
00:38:51 --> 00:38:52 will
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 issue
00:38:53 --> 00:38:54 for
00:38:54 --> 00:38:55 them
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 on
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 is
00:38:55 --> 00:38:56 the
00:38:56 --> 00:38:56 Vai
00:38:56 --> 00:38:57 yht
00:38:58 --> 00:38:58 allied
00:38:58 --> 00:38:58 in
00:38:58 --> 00:38:59 the
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 Either
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 Vai
00:38:59 --> 00:39:00 catch
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 someone
00:39:01 --> 00:39:01 Someone
00:39:01 --> 00:39:02 can
00:39:02 --> 00:39:03 pop
00:39:03 --> 00:39:03 an
00:39:03 --> 00:39:03 bee
00:39:03 --> 00:39:04 Going