My Dear Laodicea, I've Written You A Letter

I'm gonna ask all of you to stand right now wherever you're at and open your your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 3 as we look to the seventh letter to the seventh church that Jesus spoke to and that is the church at Laodicea the Laodicean Church Revelation chapter 3 beginning in verse 14 by the way if you're still turning there make note of this it's the longest letter of the seven you're gonna hear things today that are gonna prep shock you in the way of what you've been taught before or you've assumed before but we're going to read this carefully and you're gonna come out of this Bible study today wiser and smarter than when you went into it and I want to give you a warning right up front it's the letter to the seven churches and we're gonna dial down on that word Church and what it means and what it doesn't mean Jesus speaks revelation three verse 14 and to the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write these things says the Amen the faithful the true witness the beginning of the creation of God I know your works that you are neither cold nor hot I could wish you were cold or hot so then because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will vomit you out of my mouth because you say I'm rich I have become wealthy I have need of nothing and do not know that you are wretched miserable poor blind and naked verse 18 I counsel you says Jesus to buy from me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich and white garments that you make be clothed that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed and anoint your eyes with eyesalve that you may see as many as I love I rebuke and chasten therefore be zealous and repent verse 20 behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and dine with him and he with me and to him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne as I also overcame and sat on my father or with my father on his throne verse 22 he was in ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches Heavenly Father we pray that your Holy Spirit would be the deliverer of this message that dear God in heaven above as we consummate our teachings in this series and we come to the last church on this last of these seven weeks God I cannot help but believe that this is a time period ordained by you and how precious you are God that as we even come to this last Sunday before we meet publicly I didn't engineered these seven weeks you did on April 26 when you spoke to my heart about May 31st I didn't think that up you did and for this world to be in the moment that we are in globally at the same moment we didn't concoct that you did and all of this tells us Heavenly Father that you are wanting and willing now to do an eternal work in the life of the believer in the life of the unbeliever and in the life of those that are wayward and they need to come back to Jesus so oh mighty God I beg of you now that you would be the instructor in this message and we pray it in Jesus name and all God's people said amen friends you can be seated as we get into the background of Laodicea it's a fascinating church it's a fascinating study and as I said a moment ago it's one that Jesus dedicated more words to this Church than all the others Jesus gives invitation to them with a sense of mercy more than all others and yet you'll learn some things today about this church that might chuck you a little bit of the background it's important to us because first of all the location the city of Laodicea finishes off that Roman Imperial mail route that we've been talking about we've almost completed now a perfect oval that began with Ephesus and we've gone through these six churches and now come to the seventh church which is now have gone down south and then East and now a little bit East and West heading down to close the loop as it were on the Roman mail routes and Laodicea is the last stop of that message system think of it as an internet or a link of information technology it was the route for commerce it was the route to communicate it was the route that God picked to send the Gospel message preached and it's the very route that Jesus delivers the message to his churches and in this last day and age those seven letters to those seven churches also remarkably miraculously correlate with the with church history over the last two thousand years that's right right now you and I are living in the Laodicean period and you'll see why in a moment but it's an amazing location we also know that there's a hallmark to the city of Laodicea and if you've ever been involved in real estate or buying a home what's what's the biggest thing at least in America about buying a home the biggest thing in fact it's so important that you might even buy a home that you're gonna have to eat beans and potatoes or hot dogs for the rest of your life just to pay for it because there's something that is so valuable to the development or the income or the equity of the home it's not the size of the house it's not the look of a else what is it I can hear it right now location location location you can have the right location and put a tent up and it could be worth a million bucks at least it is in California expensive location and Laodicea had that location remarkable location it became the wealthiest area of that region of the Roman Empire and by the way the Laodicean church was well known to be the wealthiest Church and all of the churches of Asia Minor and especially out of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation they had a very desirable zip code if you know what I'm talking about they had the highest annual income per household in Asia Minor they had key locations of banking textiles and medicine they were a very where the Silicon Valley as it were of the Laodicean region and its origin Laodicea the city got its name from Antiochus the second you all remember Antiochus Epiphanes Antiochus the third that that's his son this guy's Antiochus the second and he dedicated the city to his wife Laodicea and it was named after her after by the way after he named after he gave her the gift of the city and named it after her he then divorced her but I guess that's the way it goes but her name by the way man's strange name listen up but the name means to rule the people or to rule over the people or the rule of the people and it suggests that there is a system the way though the way it's wrapped it's understood then we can understand it now that there's a system in place of religion it speaks about man governing over man that speaks about man governing man's power man's institution man's ways it speaks of man made activities it speaks of a man centric location a man controlled location and think about it as Jesus looks at it will see that it implies that it is a man driven man supported man executed church it's all about man in that church it's not about Jesus as you'll see it's not about doctrine it's not about missionary work it's not about preaching that's not about disciple making you're gonna see that it's all about a church exalting man and the pursuits of man and then one final thing by way of background the point of interest regarding the load Laodicean period that there's a grave warning to us theologically here out of the city and sociologically and that is wherever man's pursuits wherever man's pursuits are held in high esteem the focal point of man's existence then there is a great move to answer to the cry of man when when man wants something bad enough the pressure of the society or of the culture is to give man what he wants think of it it's important when man starts to say this is what I want the push behind Laodicea is this because it was driven by man's wisdom and man's passion and yet it was still called a church according to Jesus it delivered whatever the community whatever the political correctness was it was a church that compromised everything to be all things to all people but not for Bible doctrine but to be accepted by the world it was a man-made Church as we shall see and it was all about going around finding out what kind of church do you want because we want to bring it to you take this poll check off the boxes what do you want to see in a church let us know and we'll take it for you it's Laodicean and it's an affront to God as we shall see this is the only church in the book of Revelation that Jesus Christ has nothing good to say about it I'm passionate about this study I got to tell you these last seven weeks every study I've done bringing you this message to the letter to the seven churches always had this one in the back of my mind I knew where we were going and it's a dangerous thing Jesus has nothing good to say about it you say how could that be just wait you know sad about it is that it wasn't possibly it wasn't always the case you got to remember Jesus wrote this letter to them in 95 80 when it was given to John what happened at Laodicea before that time well the book of Colossians chapter 2 verse 1 says Paul the Apostle writes for I want you to know that a great conflict I have for those who are in Laodicea and as for many as I have not seen my in the face or in the flesh Paul is saying I have a great conflict I love them I pray for them i minister for them and not only the church at Laodicea but for all of those that I've not seen in the flesh face to face again Colossians 4:13 says for I bear witness that he has a great zeal for you and those who are in Laodicea and those in hierapolis you're going to want to remember those two names Laodicea and hierapolis very very important that you write that down we're gonna come back to it Colossians chapter 4 verse 15 greet the Brethren who are in Laodicea and nymph as' and the church that is in his house Colossians 4:16 now when this epistle is read among you see that it is read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that you likewise read the Epistle from the Laodiceans so the church at Colossae was reading their letter written to them and then they sent that letter on on the road so to speak and then the church that had instructions Laodicea read it and then they sent it on to colossi the whole circuit of exchanging passing along the message of God so here we go in our study today church and I got to tell you right now this would probably be a good time for you to turn off the message and go do something else if you don't want to get serious with God but if you want to have the Holy Spirit speak to you I have been begging him to bypass me and to speak directly to you and where you're at so you remember the title right my dear Laodicea I've written you a letter and the first thing that we see about the letter is this I've written you a letter so why will you not listen to me we write that down Jesus writes a letter to the church at Laodicea and he's saying this he's asking this why don't you listen to me why won't you listen verse 14 and to the angel of the church at Laodicea to the pastor of the church at Laodicea write these things says the Amen the faithful the true witness the beginning of the creation of God this is awesome this is almost too difficult for you and I to wrap our mind around these factual statements that Jesus is presenting here it's absolutely incredible what he says Jesus is announcing to them will you listen to me the Church of Laodicea hey will you listen to me the Church of the 21st century I am the Amen I am the faithful I am the true witness I am the beginning of the creation of God all of these things the church at Laodicea had left off from they left believing it they stopped believing these things they said once they started as a church and we just saw four times the Apostle Paul addressed them they started off as a church but they don't end this way as a church Jesus the assessment when we look at the words here the statement the I am I need all of you to pay close attention because this is absolutely I can't even think in distress you how important this is when he says to the Church of Laodicea that he's the Amen the word means this it's a declaration by Christ which is number one theologically undeniable it's the claim of deity by Jesus himself and it cannot be refuted Jesus uses the Amen out of the book of Isaiah that is reserved for Almighty God alone and you want to know why that's important because if anyone 2,000 years ago would have said that they were the Amen of God they would be dead by sundown you would have been stoned to death for committing blasphemy so a Jesus is committing blasphemy and we need to run from him and avoid him at all cost or he's the one who he says he is the Amen and the word Amen in Hebrew means this is the truth let it be done so it is it is a statement of that's it you know how you and I sing a song and say Amen we say a prayer and say Amen it's the last statement of everything when Jesus said I I'm the Amen it is the grand exclamation point on the claim of deity those of you who are involved in a cult right now you're squirming right now because your cult leaders didn't tell you that Jesus is it he's not one of many he is it every cult every aberrant doctrine departs at this point a lot of them have similarities but not here they don't their similarities are out there and able to be studied and able to be looked at and maybe even tolerated but at this point there's a breakpoint all Colts agree Jesus cannot be the Amen and Christianity declares Jesus is the only Amen why because Jesus says he's the only Amen and then he says that he's the faithful the faithful the church believers at Laodicea were not faithful they were not faithful by faithful he means that he's faithful to speak truth faithful to do truth listen I don't know if this is something that we entertain often but we must to speak truth or to claim that you know truth or in this case for Jesus to say that he is in fact truth faithful it means to not only say it that's only fifty percent of it the other half is to do it faithfulness is the declaration based on activity faithfulness based on what I've done faithfulness Jesus is the faithful and what else he is the true witness see all these things it's as though watch watch everybody it says the jesus walks up in the courtroom and he's submitting evidence it would be something like this yes I have been abandoned by this church and here's my indictment against the church they do not recognize anymore that I am the Amen they no longer adhere to the fact that I am faithful and they no longer embraced the fact that I am the true witness of the things of God they have rejected me and I want to put that on the record that's what he's doing but before heaven and hell Jesus is saying this is the record and then listen to this he says I am the beginning of creation I'm gonna give you a bunch of verses get ready to write this down before I do remember this we worship God as Christians we follow him who is the uncreated creator you know how people say well what existed before God oh my dear friend you have you need to raise your standard of questioning we don't worship a God that was created we worship a God that's never been created he listened he's the uncreated creator and he's the uncaused cause nothing preempts him nothing is prerequisite in other words his doctrine and his very presence is prescient he's the beginning of creation this is who Jesus Christ is you see Jack you sure you got that right you mean Jesus the beginning of creation don't you mean to say that Jesus is the first one that was created by God no that's a cult view the Bible says in John 1 verse 1 sorry I'm yelling I am so excited about this I love you know what if you take away the deity of Jesus Christ then the Christian has nothing but knowing the truth about this I find myself yelling at you because not at you I'm sorry I'm just so excited about the God that has saved me and the God that has been so good to me will never change because he's the eternal God and his salvation that was wrought at the cross and the guarantee of it when he rose again from the dead I know that more sure that I can trace geologically my last name and if that wasn't true I'd quit this post today listen to this John 1:1 in the beginning was the word that is at the beginning of the physical creation of the universe what was the word was and the Word was with God and the Word was God and in the beginning with God that is of the physical universe the Word was with God verse 3 all things were made or we get the word created through him through who read it read it carefully logos the word and without the logos nothing was made that was made isn't it romantic God spoke the universe into existence how did he do that he logos the world into existence Genesis 1:1 was the work of Jesus Christ according to the Bible Old and New Testament argues this listen this by the way powerful verse but it might be the saddest verse in the Bible I'm serious John 1:10 he was in the world the world was made through him and the world did not know him in that horrible you ever been not recognized for something you've done for your kids or your grandkids there's nothing you don't do it to get recognized but it is nice it is sweet that somebody recognized something that's been done for them and they turn and they say thanks that's awesome which by the way is a great practice for us to always be thankful and appreciative listen you and I are living in an age where we are guilty of making assumptions I do believe we assume that if a building for example this building here we assume that if it has a sign out front Church that it's a church listen up everybody how do you know the church you go to as a church how do you how can you possibly know that well it's this church on the outside of it if you google churches their address comes up that's an assumption that's a human assumption only Jesus can determine if it's a church or not and the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer knows if they're in a church or not how do you know you're in a church does it exalt the Lord Jesus Christ is he known for who he is or is it a man-made Church driven by great agenda and wonderful programs and fantastic topics and great series and and and great graphics but down deep has it departed from the doctrines of God where's Jesus and all of this look you can have those things I'm not knocking those things but if that's the power you're leaning upon to bring to the populace that look at us let me remind you that the Bible said that when the Kings came to worship Jesus they said we've come to worship Him not your sound system not the color of the pews or the carpet he came into the world he created the world but those he came to did not even recognize them so we can have a marquee that says church we can have Church letterhead we can have bulletins we can have the word title Church it's not a church until Jesus says yes it is and I'm gonna submit to you today that there's a lot of churches in America today that are not churches at all and we're gonna see this today they're not a church they might have 501c3 status they might have an address they might have a clergy they might have a parking lot and Jesus might say no what does your Bible believe about who Jesus Christ is listen listen who is Jesus Christ at your church what does your church say about the authority of the Bible is it the inerrant Word of God or do you only teach some parts of the Bible that's heretical you said was anything wrong pastor we just teach certain parts heretical why because you're leaving out the other counsel of God to teach part of the truth is to promote a lie you got to teach all the counsel of God what does your church believe about the Bible and then listen what does your church do in light of the will of God in other words is your church I am a church where you acquire knowledge and you don't do anything about it come Monday morning none of its in effect it's not governing your life I think it's safe to say that after this coronavirus stuff people are done playing Church I hope you are I think people are gonna come back to church I heard Fox News the other day Pete hagseth on Fox News says I think there's going to be a great flooding of churches in America people are gonna go for the truth I think he's right there's many that have departed I say that every week since this has happened all but there's far more that have come on people are looking for truth Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 Colossians 1:15 regarding Jesus does your church believe this he is the image of the invisible God the firstborn this word means preeminent one over all creation it means that he was the governor the architect the genesis of creation it doesn't mean that he was the firstborn like a firstborn son in your family and means that he is the one that it came out from preeminence position over all creation for by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones dominions principalities or powers this is my Jesus is he here Jesus all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and he and in him all things consist are held together hebrews chapter 1 verse 1 hebrews 1 verse 1 God who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past by the father's to the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the world's Jesus is the cosmos maker who being the brightness of his glory and the Express image of his person you look at Jesus you're looking at God incarnate awesome is that that Jesus at your church is he that Jesus that governs the leadership of your church is either Jesus that has all authority over your home and over your life Jesus here in this great Proclamation announces his undeniable Authority the overwhelming fact that Jesus Christ is the Almighty God revealed in human flesh now glorified is without denial unless you reject he's made it so clear he's not playing games he has revealed himself to all of mankind and every one of us we have access to a Bible which everybody does in the world you need to read that and then you make a decision but don't let anyone come along and say he's not God he's not the Almighty because that's what the cults of 2,000 years ago we're all about and that's what they're about today they all agree on this one thing Jesus is not God Mormonism they dilute the fact by making everybody God and I say that lovingly to my Mormon friends they're beautiful people but their doctrine is wrong there is one God one creator and there's no other gods there'll be no other gods and men cannot engineer or make a God out of himself that doctrine failed in the Garden of Eden and it fails today Jehovah Witnesses they've redefined Jesus has been a very elaborate angel in fact Jehovah Witnesses tell us that is he goes by another name also in the Bible by the name of Michael Jesus is not an angel the Bible just said here a moment ago in Colossians he's the creator of angels revelation chapter 1 verse 8 revelation 1:8 the Bible says and as this is Jesus at your church I am the Alpha and the Omega okay that's that's the label of God the God of the Old Testament is the Alpha in the Omega he's the beginning in the end that's that's the God of the Bible says the Lord who is who was who is to come the Almighty friends go searchin see whoever the Alpha the Omega is he's the beginning in the end whoever he is he is the Lord whoever he is he's the one who was who is who is to come and whoever he is he is the Almighty you can't have two you can't have ten you can only have one that's not my opinion that is Bible doctrine revelation 4:8 the four living creatures each having six wings full of eyes around and within they do not rest there now it's day or night saying holy holy holy Lord God Almighty who was who is who is to come this is the God of the Bible this is who Jesus Christ is revelation 11 17 I saw the hosts of heaven saying we give you thanks O Lord God Almighty the one who is and who was and who is to come do you see that is that the Jesus of your church if that's not the Jesus of your church you don't have a church you only have a church in title only it's not a church it's not a church may be called a church not a church revelation 21 22 john when he looked at heaven he said he saw no temple in heaven for the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are its temple first Timothy 3:16 this is one of the most graphic verses you'll ever read in the Bible it is shockingly awesome first Timothy 3:16 for without controversy without debate without the ability to deny or refute great is the mystery of godliness what is it God was manifested in the flesh is that your Jesus that's my Jesus justified in the spirit went to the cross lived a perfect life seen by angels that's a reference to his incarnation his birth preached among the Gentiles that's even happening right now Bella believed on in the world moment-by-moment evangelism around the world received up into glory question where's Jesus now the Bible says he's at the right hand of God the Father right now number 2 in our study today church number 2 in our study today's this verses 15 to 16 is my dear Laodicea I've written you a letter so why will you not honor me you won't listen and that goes to then you won't honor me he says in verse 15 I know your works that you're neither cold nor hot I wish you were cold or HUD's so then because you are lukewarm or neither cold nor hot I will vomit you out of my mouth wow this is graphic write the word cold the word cold here in the Greek language means absolutely ice cold but you might find interesting is that it is a cold not that is not the type of cold that's being condemned this is the kind of cold that refreshes now maybe there's some clarity for you now I want you to look at this and I want you to think there's this is this is the region of Turkey I told you before that in fact that image you're looking at right now I kid you not some of you who live locally here you're probably thinking wait a minute you're standing in Chino Hills and you are looking toward the San Gabriel Mountains or you're looking toward the san bernardino mountain range but I'm not that photograph is taken while standing in Laodicea and you see those great mountains that are there they're just like our mountains right here that are so close to us same-same topography same geological look but mark this down a few ways see those mountains they get great snow and that snow melts and that snow goes down deep into the rock of that mountain and it comes and flows out of the base of that mountain into a series of tributaries that flows into the Lycus River and the water that comes out of the base of that mountain is ice ice-cold but also you'll see on the screen hot pools hot water beautiful boiling hot mineral pools Jesus said I wish you were cold or I wish you were hot the cold waters based there at the mountains flows out of colossi it makes its way towards Laodicea but the hot water flows out of the region of Hierapolis by the way see those pools that's a modern-day photograph of those pools today you can go to Turkey and many people do and they go into those pools and it's quite a tourist gathering and it's quite a healthy experience the word hot here in Greek is éstos and it means boiling water the hot water flows out from hierapolis the ice-cold water flows out of colossi and the tributaries lead down into the Lycus Valley and they come together and then the next city that is downstream as a city called Laodicea and Jesus is saying this you could have been cold water and refreshed me I would have loved it if you could have been a refreshment to me like colossi is a refreshment to me and in a hot day I can scoop up ice-cold water that comes out of the base of the mountain and it's so refreshing I wish you were cold that you would refresh me Jesus says if you're not going to be cold I oh I wish you were hot like the hot waters of Hierapolis that are so medicinal and so healing and just soak in it and all of those minerals and all of that warmth to the bone brings healing oh I wish you were hot but you're none of those things you're neither one of those things he says you're lukewarm the Luke the word lukewarm means to become warm Tippett the word also implies without movement without effect without purpose ice-cold water refreshing hot water comforting they both come together and they both cancel out each other and that's where Laodicea is you couldn't drink the water from the river in fact I can't even pronounce the term the people of that day would sip the water at Laodicea to induce vomiting if you were sick if you were not just you would sipped the water in the river and you would throw up you would vomit and you would have to be very careful because you only have to take a little bit of it and there would be a reaction and by the way that very word is a word that is used today in the treatment for some reasons some cause where they need to induce vomiting part of the inducing of vomiting is that same chemical that's found in that mixture of the two at Laodicea is that fascinating Jesus said I wish you were hot I wish you were cold but because you're neither one you make me want to puke you make me want to vomit can you imagine him speaking to a church you make me sick you make me want to throw up and the word vomit if you think I'm making this up the word vomit is where we get the thought of projectile vomiting this is not in fact the King James Version of your Bible says Jesus says I will spew you out of my doesn't that sound nice that's King James it's proper English it's just oh I don't feel good oh I don't know about you maybe women's spiel it sounds so polite excuse me I need to go spiel men don't spiel men vomit or men puke he said Jack I don't like the way you're talking it's too bad imagine what Jesus is saying it means you make me so sick in your carnality and you make me so sick in the way that you are I can't even drink you for refreshment and I can't even soak in you for healing you have come together in a place where you've left off both of those realities and you've become ineffective you've become irrelevant and you don't make a difference and it all comes about because you have denied the deity of Who I am you have compromised my authority in your church you have compromised why my word you've made excuses for your actions you still hung on to the Bible you still call yourself a church but the reality is I'm not there out of all the seven letters to the seven churches six of them are churches this one is a show it's fake it's not a church I find it fascinating by the way in physics for something to be hot it has to have a source of heat has to if something's cold did you know that it can only remain cold if it has a source of energy yeah there's a there there is an there is a negative energy for the you know it's amazing because the power to the power of the atmosphere to get the air down to 32 degrees kelvin is insane power amazing power you never think about the idea but lukewarm requires nothing that which is cold without a source eventually becomes lukewarm that which is hot without a source eventually becomes the worm doesn't have to be but it happens that way thirdly in our study right now number three is verse 17 the Bible tells us here as we learned verse 17 my dear Laodicea I've written you a letter so why will you not recognize me why will you not recognize me notice the progression in this you've got Jesus Christ issuing the fact that you don't listen to me and because you don't listen to me you don't honor me and because you don't honor me you won't you don't even recognize me because you say I'm rich notice what they say about themselves they say about this is their self-assessment as a church we're rich man look look around we're rich we've become wealthy we have need of nothing did you know why that was said by the way and 60 ad 60 ad massive earthquake hit the area of Laodicea devastated it do you know what Laodicea refused to ask Rome and the Empire for financial assistance in its rebuilding do you know what they did they'd literally published a statement to the Rome to the Roman Empire into Rome itself and they said we listen we have all that we need we Caesar have need of nothing they were so proud in their resources they they showed Rome we can do it ourselves this was written in 95 ad that is the letter to the seven churches and Jesus picks up on a very famous saying that came out of the 60 80 earthquake he turns right on them in instant relevance he turns to them and says you say that you have need of nothing and imagine they would have went home we did say that to the Roman Empire we're so proud about not needing anything of course they didn't gasp they didn't care because they didn't recognize his authority anymore if you were to stop them friends and say ask them hey do you believe in Jesus you know if their answer would be absolutely do you believe in the Bible yep do you believe yep yep yep and then here's what's implied I kid you not are you listening this is what's implied they knew theologically had answer but how they lived was different than what the Word of God said they knew it they did it anyway oh Jesus is Lord but was he he wasn't to them their values failed mark that down their values evaporated you say you're rich you say that you're wealthy you say that you have need of nothing do you not know Jesus says listen to him this is God speaking to a church is God speaking to you right now jesus said your wretched your miserable you are poor and you are blind and you are naked if you know of a church that has a building or a sign and Jesus Christ is not the authority the head of the church is Christ but is your church headless has your church been beheaded from the authority of Jesus is it just a body flopping around and men have gotten to the top and taken the place of the head and they're pulling the strings and blowing the the horns and pressing the buttons and it's become a totally self man driven Church we will decide this we will decide the other I got to tell you personally right now all of this debate and question about when to open the church and when not to open the church I got to tell you something right now I complied with the request of the president I I complied with the request of the governor and all along the way I had a check in my gut I made them I don't know if it was the right thing I don't know if this whole thing was it some sort of a satanic attack on the world now we hear about the corona virus being something that is so now low on the list for causing death literally isn't it funny now that what's happening using it as an argument of how much control now the world wants in your life people are even talking about if you don't have certain documents now or certain things now you won't be able to get on an airplane you won't be able to get a passport you won't be able to go to certain places it sounds like an endtime event to me I'm sure I'm blowing some of your minds but you need to go look at the new data now that has come out of great institutions since January first you know what has exceeded the death toll of coronavirus in california suicide just this last week suicide up over 300% suicide people calling hotlines depression suicide hotlines up 700 percent in America I think Satan launched an attack God's gonna use it God may not have caused it but God's gonna use it it's time to wake up the church is transcendent but this stuff about the church being essential or non-essential that's an embarrassment that church is not a business it's not an entity of this world the church is transcendent it's the ground in pillar of all truth the church belongs to Christ it doesn't belong to America and that doesn't belong to California it belongs to Jesus Christ and we as its managers be Shepherd's being angels to the church at fill in the blank we had better be careful what we decide about his church has eternal consequences we need to recognize him in the midst of the corona virus and the perverse movement to try to think and hint to the ignorant of this nation oh we have to suspend the First Amendment because of this virus do you understand that is insane that is the tipping point for lawlessness the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America was designed for times like this not to jump away from it or to deny it how much more the Word of God Jesus says to this church can you imagine him he would never tell a church of his can you imagine Jesus saying to his own church your wretched miserable poor blind and naked he would never he's speaking to an institutionalized thing that inside of it we'll see in a moment there may be a solar - that can be saved he's talking to an unconverted church he's talking to unconverted leadership he's talking to an unconverted entity and Jesus says you're absolutely bankrupt I want to read something to you I quote they had become proud of their own church they were delighted in their own opinion of themselves they would be the kind of church that would say look what we've done we've achieved this by our superior approach to ministry and by the latest and greatest techniques let's remember everyone this author wrote that these cameras that we use in our day in the 21st century the computers the chairs the means they have no anointing there's no power in social media and its platform or in the color of your church's carpet there is no special dispensation to some men or women who have a name for themselves in the family of God that in fact that is the antithesis to what and who Jesus Christ is all about close quote the church at Laodicea had drifted from their initial calling and they ceased from being a church a what are many churches in America today have just stopped being a church they don't even know it but Jesus isn't there it's terrifying how prone we are to our own propaganda isn't it it's a sad day when we begin to believe our own press release it's self deception it's self delusion and James excuse me in Galatians 6 Galatians 6 verse 7 the Bible says do not be deceived God is not mocked whatever a man sows that shall he also reap that's a that's a truth and a reality I know this is tough stuff this has to be if I backed away from the intensity of this message I'd I'd have to just go hide my head this is Jesus telling to church they're not only not saved they're not even a church but see you know what you and I we see the word Church and we want to include them in with the rest and some people have gone to so much length looking at the church at Laodicea and they asked the question do you think these people are on the brink of losing their salvation or did they lose their salvation that question doesn't apply to the context they're not even a saved church and they have sown and now Jesus assesses them and they're reaping James chapter 1 verse 22 I know this is tough can you imagine I'm just a mere bozo mortal can you imagine when Jesus assesses us and Jesus looks at this church where I pastor or the church that you go to and he's constantly speaking and the only way that we can keep our church from going astray is to stay in the word and to be humble and broken before the word and let it go up and down that's like a laser analyzing us but God help us on the day that we in our staff meetings and board meetings come to this place that we don't need to see God anymore we got enough money to do it all the old American way throw money at it we'll pull it off and you know what God will let you do it when something gets institutionalized it's probably be that by that time it's probably already dead this message is being preached to me to you to this church and beyond God help us at this church this church I'm happy to tell you right now to the best of my ability the assessment is this the last time I checked with Jesus which was about an hour and a half ago but I'm trusting them to be here with me now is that this church lives from hand to mouth did you know that well you have nice chairs they're not anointed well the nice screen not anointed nice sound system not anointed are we dependent upon him James 1:22 says be doers of the word not hearers only deceiving yourselves for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer I go to church doesn't matter what are you doing he's like a man observing his natural face in a mirror for he observes himself goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was oh my goodness that's so graphic is it not strong words you do understand right that Jesus is not condemning the wealthy there are those who love God that are rich is that nothing to do with monetary things it has to do with where you've placed your trust if you're wealthy watching this program don't think that this is to beat you up no do you love God with all of your heart and in is God using you like the poor man to channel whatever you have to God's glory god bless you but when you step back and say I don't need to hear this I'm rich hey I'm too honey turn that off that really bothers me I just want to hear only good news I just want to hear only fun stuff we've come to a dangerous point number four found in verse 18 dear Laodicea I've written you a letter so why will you not receive from me why would you receive from me Jesus is saying I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire that you may be rich listen to this this isn't one of the biggest displays of Mercy to an unbelieving group of religionist that you'll ever read and white garments that you may be clothed that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed notice they're naked and anoint your eyes all Wow in Laodicea medicine they were world-famous for exporting a salve they actually made tablets they had little things the shape of a tablet they took the soil and they took the chemicals that are in the the ground in that part of the world and they mixed it up into this pill form they let it dry like a tablet not a capsule a tablet and they would ship it off and then you would grind the tablet once you've got it in your mail and you would put water on it and you'd put it on your eyes and it was famously known to help take away infection and increase your ability to heal up in your eyes so that you can see again Jesus says notice how no notice how relevant is you need to get I owe a mint from me yours doesn't work oh and nakedness Laodicea was famous for incredibly shiny looks plastic by the way black wool that came from sheep of the region and when that wool is put together it's so shiny black it looks like it's plastic it's super valuable Jesus says you need what these look you need not just a garment you need a white garment contrast you need to Reese receive from me he's saying in revelation 22 verse 17 in revelation 17 22 17 the Bible says there and the spirit and the bride say come and let him who hears say come and let him who thirst come whoever desires let him take the water of life freely it means without money right here Jesus said come to me and buy gold refined in the fire he's not saying lear financial right or call now and get this ounce of gold you know blah blah blah buy gold buy gold James warns people and says and the last days right before Christ returns people are going to be peddling gold right before the end comes and the Bible warns that your gold will turn into rot and it will not save you why because you were rich only in monetary things not eat not eternal things Jesus when he says buy from me gold that's refined in the fire he's not talking about metal he's talking about listen buy from me a life that's been refined in the fire what do you mean by oh it's free it's free here's what it means come and take it with the economy the transaction come with the currency of eternity not money you come to me what buys listen what buys salvation faith towards God repentance of sin Jesus is Lord he's the Alpha the Omega that began in the end the first and the last the one who was who is who is to come the Almighty that's who he is that's how you buy gold refined in the fire Jesus has come to me and he says that your shame of your nakedness will not be revealed remarkable finally I got an I'm at a time five found in verses 19 to 22 My dear laod to see I've written you a letter so why will you not answer me why will you not answer as many as I love I rebuke and chasten listen therefore be zealous and repent Wow verse 19 listen if you're right now watching because somebody has made you watch this sermon this preaching from the Bible from the Word of God not from Jack's mouth or from this church or from this website or from this channel if you are a little hearing right now verse 19 from Almighty God you're gonna have one of two responses right now you are either thinking shut up and get off this broadcast or you're saying what do I do what in the world am I supposed to do put your put your initials next to verse 19 listen to this and I want to show you this picture should freaky freak you out this is an old picture from ancient Greece but verse 20 we all know this behold can you imagine it's a shout behold behold I stand at the door knocks as Jesus if anyone I want to go like this if anyone hears my voice and opens the door he shouted in a church notice he's on the outside shouting at it if anybody will open the door the famous painting shows a door with no handle it shows a door with no knob the door has to be open from the inside this church is so shut up it's so exclusive it's so right in its own eyes it's so the church in their mind they're so messed up have you ever had somebody leave the leave the verse leave the picture have you ever had a ministry or a pastor makes me sick it makes me want to throw up when you hear a pastor say well at my church this is what we excuse me whose church well wait what you uh you're you're no longer going to and my church what's happened oh my dear friend you're going to another Church oh how could this be you know it come down from your tower that is so fair cynical and is exactly Laodicean it sucks your church is so amazing that it's got a doorknob only on the inside not on the outside we are a group of super Saints guess where Jesus is he's not even in it answer please anyone if you open the door I will come in and have dinner with you dine sup food and he with me speaking about the word to him overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my Father's throne listen this is an evangelistic right I also have overcome Oh sat down to my father's throne he a verse 22 he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches so I want to ask you this question does your church does your church bow to the deity of Jesus Christ does your church does the Bible in your church you do understand when I say church I'm also talking about your church where you're at and your life that you have is this book the absolute dictate of your actions is this the answer this book the Bible is this the sovereign over your life is this what you consult before you making decisions is this what you must read when you wake up and or before you go to bed you must eat of this word is this it or is this a recreational use item do you bring this out like you bring out your CD do you bring this out like you bring out your snow skis or your surfboard or is this word eternal governing over your life and it has the final say our nation is in a great struggle right now it's completely winnable if if our nation as a government goes back to the Constitution that our founders gave us all will be well but there's enemies of that Constitution many of them are in power I find it interesting that they constantly seek control of the populace they won't let go what about the church there is the Bible the Word of God and in a church that love Jesus this word is the absolute final authority and to the best of their flesh abilities because we all struggle with our flesh we do all that we can according to this word and we're constantly open to our failures Lord show me where I've done wrong show me where I'm messing up show me if any of the theology if I've got it wrong with my wife with my kids with my mom with my dad show me where I've got it wrong Oh God teach me for out of my word comes forth life or there's the church that says in action well that's what the Bible says but that was then and we have read to find what love means because we're more refined now we've even created the definition of those old words we've renewed the definitions we have reconstructed them redefined them of what marriage is we have now discovered things like there's as many genders as you want to have so we just cut Genesis right out of the Bible and Matthew five and six and seven and are you hearing me I don't like what you're saying it doesn't matter if you like what I'm saying what i'm telling you is truth this church was lost it had a title of a church jesus wasn't even in it don't be that kind of a church if you are in that kind of a church get out now before sundown run for your life flee that city of destruction flee that church of destruction so well pastor my church doesn't believe in the deity of Christ but I'm gonna turn it around I'm gonna hang in there and run well they have a great they have a great picnic program they have a great bingo club they got a fantastic youth Brun run to Jesus run to Jesus thanks for watching the real life YouTube channel we love bringing you content that will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ you can subscribe to this channel so that you don't miss one single video or live stream and you can share it with friends and family if you'd like to support this ministry by helping us reach others by taking the gospel and the teaching around the world you can do so by clicking the give Now button so thanks again for watching and God bless [Music]

Channel: Real Life with Jack Hibbs

Views: 53,164

Rating: 4.9262495 out of 5

Keywords: letters to the 7 churches, the church of philadelphia, revelation song, the book of revelation, end times prophecy, amir tsarfati update, jack hibbs live, jack hibbs rapture, real life with jack hibbs, letters to the 7 churches sermons, letters to the 7 churches audio books, seven churches, revelation, book of revelation, trump, fox and friends

Id: 5YoBQW_BZ0s

Length: 68min 32sec (4112 seconds)

Published: Sun May 24 2020