Sound The Trumpet : Laodicea Pt. 2 - Exploring Revelation

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“Laodicea Pt. 2 - Exploring Revelation”
by Art Sadlier
June 11th, 2020

After evaluating Laodicea, and showing them their wretched condition, the Lord gives advice to them.

The Lord's advice to Loadicea

Christ knows that there are some in the assembly who are saved. He has a message for them. He knows that some of them will see the error of their ways, admit they have been wrong and repent, "As many as I love, I rebuke, and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent" (Rev. 3:19).

I never cease to be amazed at the love and patience and compassion God shows toward His children. He has a way, all of His own, of bringing us to see where we are wrong and how we need to change. Jesus said, "I love" - "I rebuke" - "I chasten"

I believe this appeal to Laodicea to repent is applicable today to the Evangelical Church of the present hour.

The Lord now submits a course of action.

Revelation.3:18, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."

He is not telling them that salvation can be purchased with gold. The sinner cannot purchase redemption with silver or gold. 1 Peter 1:18-19, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

In the parable of the Hidden Treasure and the parable of the Pearl, Christ sold all that He had to purchase the Treasure, and the Pearl. The Treasure = Israel. The Pearl = the Church. Christ has purchased us, He has redeemed us with His own precious blood. "Ye are bought with a price."

The Laodiceans are incredibly rich, they have no sense of any needs. The Lord is trying to impress them that they do have a need! Their great need is spiritual life, eternal life. The gold, white raiment and eye salve were riches the Laodiceans had, but they did not possess the true riches, Christ's righteousness. So they must receive Him alone who can give them what they need. They were an unsaved Evangelical Church, like much of ther Evangelical Church of the present hour.

What did Christ mean when He counselled them to buy these things? He was really bringing them to understand that salvation, true riches, cannot be bought with money. It has already been freely provided for all.

Isaiah 55:1, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Laodicea is a church that is doomed to ultimate judgment. "Be Zealous and Repent" We are burdemed today for the multitudes in the Evangelical Church that are not saved. These will be left behind when the trumpet sounds.

First Christ appeals to individuals within Laodicea to turn to Him for true salvation.

Secondly Christ also appeals to those who are true believers within Laodicea - to be sanctified - to be transformed. To be in practice what they are in position.

Believer if you examine your life and find it to be Laodicean in character, repent and turn around. Seek the Lord's face in the light of His word and He will bless you!

We have some sharp contrasts between Philadelphia and Laodicea

To Philadelphia the Lord said, verse 8, "Thou hast little strength." They were few in number. They were despised by the world. They had no great financial resources. Their money went largely to missions. They do not seek the approval of the world. The rich and famous found no special place in their midst.

Contrariwise, Laodicea covets the approval of the world. They long for the approval of and identification with Superstars, Movie Stars, the Rich and Powerful, and the Politicians. 1 John 2:15, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." This is the mark of the unregenerate heart.

To Philadelphia, "Thou hast kept my Word." - how they loved God's Word. Their strength was derived from feeding upon and obedience to God's Word. The most common phrase heard in a Philadelphian Church, Ive heard it a thousand times in days gone by, "Our only rule of faith and practice is the Word of God."

Contrariwise, the Laodicean emphasis is on seminars, with new ideas, psychology (man's wisdom), church growth principles, find out what people want and give it to them. Pragmatism. anything that gets a crowd. Study groups where majority opinion instead of God's Word rules the day.

To Philadelphia, "And hast not denied My name." Take a piece of paper and a pen, write a list of things that the Evangelical Church in general, has not been willing to compromise. Your sheet of paper will be clean.

The Philadelphians absolutely refused to associate with liberals who denied the diety of Christ, the efficacy of the shed blood and the authority of the Word of God.

Contrariwise, that all changed for the Laodiceans in 1950 when ecumenical evangelism began and compromise swept in. When the name of Christ was being exalted in the services of the church, the Philadelphians were there. Laodiceans think one service a week is sufficient.

Sadly, some of God's true children have been impacted by the compromise that has swept over Laodicean/evangelicalism. We need to face our lukewarmness and compromise and repent. Compromise is a very dangerous ground to be on!

The God who saves and loves His people is also the God who chastens them, sometimes severely. "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die)." (1 Corinthians 11:30).

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13