7 Letters to 7 Churches: Laodicea

And now, for one of those moments between a pastor and his congregation that will be forever immortalized.

Goat cheese makes me gag.

Goat cheese crumbles on a salad.

Gag.

Goat cheese melted on a pizza.

Gag.

I heard that.

I'm ignoring it.

Goat cheese smeared on a bagel.

Gag.

Goat cheese is revolting to me.

Now, I know some of you may be thinking right now, you're like, oh, the poor pastor.

Let's have him over and we'll try to sneak some goat cheese in on him.

I'll tell you what.

I have this finely tuned goat cheese radar.

I can pick it up 300 yards away.

There's no getting it by me.

Well, that's what makes me gag.

What makes you gag?

And is it possible to make our Lord and Savior Jesus gag?

And the answer to that question is yes.

This morning, we're going to see the gag reflex of our risen, radiant, and reigning Lord.

He is going to vomit this church out of his mouth.

He makes him want to gag.

This church of Laodicea.

Something triggers his gag reflex.

It's a lukewarm, complacent church.

A good-for-nothing church makes the risen, radiant, and reigning Jesus nauseous.

What is complacency?

Well, complacency is like Ebenezer Scrooge before he was transformed.

It's this smug self-satisfaction that thinks all is well when all is not well.

Let your eyes fall in the middle of verse 17 in which Jesus quotes someone in this church saying,

I need nothing.

Complacency.

Smug satisfaction.

For a Christian to say, I need nothing, is a contradiction.

And it's revolting to Jesus.

It makes him want to gag.

This letter isn't just a criticism of a complacent church.

It is that.

And it would do us well to have ears to hear.

But this letter, it also offers the cure to a complacent church.

And that cure is knocking on their door.

For the last several weeks, we've been making our way through the book of Revelation.

And the seven letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor.

Jesus, the risen one, had appeared to John on the island of Patmos, who was there because he was exiled for witnessing to Jesus.

And Jesus appears to him and has him dictate seven letters to these seven churches in what's now present-day Turkey.

And he tells them to write these words down and then distribute them all to the seven churches so that all these churches can hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

And what we know is that each of the compromise that's tempting them is lukewarmness, complacency.

So what is Jesus going to say to this complacent, lukewarm church?

This church that's indifferent to him, that's ignoring him, that's functionally put him out of the church.

What's he going to say to them?

I believe the chief threat to our church today is this threat, complacency.

That we've got it all together.

That all is well when not all is well.

That somehow we begin to blend in, shrink back, shut up, and become indistinguishable from the non-believing culture around us.

That's our biggest threat that we face.

And Jesus, we're going to see him not only gag, we're going to see him grace.

The way we keep Jesus from gagging is to throw open the door of complete surrender.

It's the only way to respond to his grace.

There are seven features to this particular letter to Laodicea.

We've seen them in the other letters.

It's a similar structure.

There's a little bit of difference here.

I want to bring us through each feature starts with C.

So let's start with feature number one, the church in Laodicea.

This church that's gagging the risen, radiant, and reigning Christ.

Let me give you a little history.

Maybe you don't know this.

In the book of Colossians, Paul wrote that in 62 AD.

In at least four places in that book, Paul references the church in Laodicea.

Chapter 2, verse 1.

Chapter 4, verse 13, 15, and 16.

In fact, the letter to the Colossians, they were to read, and then they were going to send

that letter 10 miles to Laodicea.

And the letter that Paul wrote to Laodicea, they were to send back 10 miles to Colossians

for them to read.

We don't have that letter to Laodicea, though.

Makes you wonder what Paul wrote to them, doesn't it?

All this to say, by the time that Jesus is dictating this letter to John to give to these Laodiceans,

it's 34 years later.

Roughly one generation.

One generation to become complacent.

To become lukewarm.

What happened?

Well, in large part, what happened has to do with the city that it's in.

Laodicea was in a river valley, but the water was awful.

It was terrible water for them to drink.

In fact, there is still this stone pipeline coming into Laodicea today, in which they pumped

water in.

But Laodicea was even in this fertile valley with lousy water, they were on this crossroads

of these trade routes.

And so this city was a banking juggernaut.

It was a banking center.

Very rich.

Very rich.

A lot of gold.

More gold here than any other city know what to do with.

In fact, just to give you a sample of it, in 60 AD, there was this earthquake in the

region, and it basically raised Laodicea, as well as some of the other cities around it.

But Rome comes in and says, Laodicea, how can we help?

We can fund it.

We can help you rebuild it.

And Laodicea said, nah, we can self-fund it.

We can self-build it.

This city was loaded.

People were coming from all around to do their banking in Laodicea.

It was a banking center.

And they were finding their security in the amount of gold that they had.

But this is just not a banking center.

This was a fashion center.

They were producing some pretty, lovely clothing.

And this fertile river valley that they were in, they raised sheep in.

And these sheep produced a fine, glossy, black wool that was world-renowned.

And so if you're living in Laodicea today, or you're, let's say, in Ephesus, and someone

walks up in this really nice kind of black, glossy wool outfit, and you're kind of like,

where's that from?

I mean, get the tag on it?

It says, made in Laodicea.

You're like, ooh.

It's like made in Paris.

Made in New York.

Not made in Kenosha.

It was status.

A lot of self-style going on here.

They were finding identity in this textile industry.

They were known for it.

It was a lovely wool.

It's just not a fashion center.

It was a medical center, too.

They had a medical college in Laodicea at the time.

And they specialized in ophthalmology.

They were helping people see better.

They were producing this eye salve, this eye gauze with phrygian powder that was used to

help people see better.

They were self-healers.

Man, this banking center, and so there was security of gold.

It was a fashion center, so they had this sense of identity and style and status.

And it was a medical center.

They could set their hope on what medicine could avail itself to.

Abundance.

Affluence.

It's ripe to be self-sufficient.

To think that we've done all this.

I don't know about you, but is this starting to sound a little familiar?

Of all the cities, Laodicea is most like American culture.

High values on wealth.

High values on clothing.

High values on health.

And a high value on self-sufficiency.

Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.

Get her done.

Every city posed a unique compromise to the church living there.

And Laodicea was posing a temptation to compromise along the lines of complacency.

Finding your security in gold.

Finding your status in what you wear.

Finding your, putting your hope in what some kind of medicine offers.

Those are all good things in their own.

But when they become ultimate things, they're taking the place of someone else.

This is why throughout these letters, we see Jesus repeatedly calling these churches to overcome.

To conquer.

To overcome the temptations to compromise.

Because ultimately, compromising means putting Jesus on the outside.

And it makes him want to gag.

This is the church.

Now let's look at the Christ.

The second feature.

And Jesus has something specific he wants to say.

And he wants to make sure this church knows who's saying it.

So we read in 3.14.

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write the words of the amen.

Can I have an amen?

The words of the amen.

The faithful and true witness.

The beginning of God's creation.

He is the amen.

Now when you hear the words amen, you're probably thinking,

well I say that when I'm done praying.

Amen.

And you know what you're saying?

You're saying, make that true.

May it be.

So be it.

Jesus would use this word not at the end of a sentence,

so much as at the beginning of a sentence,

when he'd say something like this.

Truly, truly, I say to you.

Amen, amen, I say to you.

Verily, verily, I say unto you.

Truly, truly.

Amen, amen, I say to you.

What he's saying is, this is the truth.

And so when Jesus says, these are the words of the amen,

he's saying, these are the words of the final word.

The last word.

The true word.

And then he goes on to say that these are the words of the faithful and true witness.

He's used that in 1-5 and he will use it again in 1911.

But he's the ace witness.

The witness that you call in and you have complete trust in.

He is, words are faithful, reliable, they're true, they're accurate.

What he has to say is the definitive statement on it.

He is the ace witness.

That's why Jesus says in Matthew chapter 7,

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

when he teaches the Sermon on the Mount,

he says, as anybody hears my words,

and he builds his life upon my words,

it's like a guy who builds his house on the rock.

Reliable, accurate, true.

He is the amen.

He is the ace witness speaking to a situation.

And he's the beginning of God's creation.

The Greek word is the word arche.

A-R-C-H-E with a little thing over the E.

Arche.

We see this word shown up in Colossians chapter 1 verse 18

Colossians 1:18

where Paul writing to the Colossians says that Jesus is the beginning.

And when you hear those words,

the beginning of God's creation,

you may be thinking, first in a sequence.

But that's not what it really means.

What this arche of God's creation is,

it's the fountainhead of creation.

The source of all that follows after it.

And so, understanding it that way,

do you know what Jesus is really saying here?

I am the creator of God's creation.

It's what Paul says in Colossians 1 verse 17,

Colossians 1:17

all things were created through him, Jesus,

and for him, Jesus.

And the Laodiceans would have had that in print

in their place of worship.

They had gotten that letter.

Here's why this is so significant.

Jesus, as the arche of God's creation,

the source of it all,

he's the all-sufficient one.

He's got everything that they need.

And so, when they say,

I need nothing,

it makes Jesus gag.

I'm the arche of God's creation.

How can you say that?

So, this is the one speaking to this church.

The amen, the ace witness,

the arche of God's creation.

And he makes a claim,

the third feature,

claim.

It's in verse 15.

I know your works.

I know your works.

He's virtually said the same thing

to every one of the six churches

up until this point.

He's,

chapter 2 verse 2,

chapter 2 verse 9,

chapter 2 verse 13,

chapter 2 verse 19,

chapter 3 verse 1,

chapter 3 verse 8,

and here in 315,

I know your works.

I know what's going on.

I see everything.

My fire eyes see everything.

I know you.

I know your city.

I know the pressures to conform

and compromise

that you are facing right now.

He knows it all.

And he also knows

what it's like

to be tempted to compromise.

Matthew chapter 4,

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

Satan tempts Jesus

three times to compromise.

In Gethsemane,

Jesus prays

and is faithful

to God's call

to die for his people

on the cross

and not compromise.

Jesus knows.

He knows what they're facing

and he knows what it's like

to be tempted to compromise.

He knows that this church,

he knows it is compromising.

He knows that this church

has been making one compromise

after the next

for the last three decades

and drifting into a comfortable

complacency of cluelessness.

He knows.

it's a good thing that he knows.

He knows.

Our Lord, risen, radiant, and reigning

is on the lookout for his church.

He knows.

He's the amen.

He's the ace witness.

He's the archae of creation.

He knows the Laodiceans' works.

They make him want to gag.

And he knows our works.

That's the claim.

Now, let's turn to the critique.

I certainly don't want to make

Jesus gag, do you?

No.

Let's see what he has to say

in this critique,

this rebuke.

And this rebuke

takes up the most

of this passage,

verses 15, 16, and 17.

And in this,

I want you to see

his critique

covering three things.

He addresses

the nauseating condition

of this church.

And then he goes

from there

and he talks

about the notorious

cause

of that condition.

And then,

if that's not enough,

he addresses this

not-so-obvious

complication

to the condition.

Bear with me.

Let's start off with

the nauseating condition

of this church.

We read in verse 15,

I know your works,

you are neither cold

nor hot.

Would that you were

either cold or hot.

So because you are

lukewarm

and neither hot

nor cold,

I will spit you

out of my mouth.

Did you notice

three times

Jesus uses explicitly

hot, cold language?

Did you notice that?

He's making a point.

He's appealing

to something

that all of these

Christians in Laodicea

would have been able

to relate with.

Hierapolis was a city

six miles away.

They had these hot springs

and they were very helpful

medicinally.

And so here was a use

for hot water

that got something

good done.

And then in Colossians,

Colossi,

about ten miles away

the other direction,

there was this

cold mountain

river water

that would come out

cold and clean.

And that cold water

had a function

in that city.

It was good.

It was useful.

But in Laodicea,

they had

petrid,

putrid,

lukewarm water

that was of no use.

And so when Jesus says,

hey,

you're either,

neither hot nor cold,

what he's saying is,

I've got no use for you.

water.

You're useless.

This metaphor

of temperature

related to water

is a metaphor

of usefulness.

And so when he says,

with that you were

either cold or hot,

he's saying,

I wish I could do

something with you.

But you're good for nothing.

You're finding your security

in gold.

You are finding

your worth

in your style.

You're putting your hope

in this medicine

or things like that.

You're blending in.

You're shrinking back.

You're shutting up.

You're adrift.

Good for nothing.

These Christians

in Laodicea,

they were spiritually

indifferent to Jesus.

They were spiritually

complacent regarding Jesus.

They were lazy

about Jesus.

And Jesus

knows their works

and it makes him

want to gag.

Did you see that

in verse 16?

So because you are lukewarm,

good for nothing,

neither hot nor cold,

I will spit you

out of my mouth.

What a picture.

Literally,

to vomit you out.

Whatever is the cause

of this

is revolting to Jesus.

The lukewarmness

is symptomatic

of a deeper rooted issue.

And so we've looked

at the nauseating condition

of lukewarmness,

this complacency

that has come from

just blending

into the culture.

Now let's look

at the notorious cause

in verse 17.

This is all part

of his critique.

Jesus says,

for you say,

that word for

is important.

You're lukewarm

because of this.

for you say,

quote,

I am rich.

I have prospered.

I need nothing.

Now,

is being rich wrong?

No.

1 Timothy 6 says,

it's the love of money

that is the root

of all evil.

It looks like

they were loving money

a little too much.

They're trying to find

their security

in their bank account.

They were saying,

I have prospered.

The idea behind that is,

hey,

I've seen some measure

of success.

In the Laodiceans' eyes,

I've kind of arrived.

You should see my resume.

And did you notice

all the I's?

I am rich.

I have prospered.

I need nothing.

If there was a flag

to be flying

over the church

of Laodicea,

it wouldn't be,

Jesus is everything.

It would be,

I need nothing.

The motto

of the self-sufficient.

It is a manifestation

of pride.

I don't need anything.

I've got it all covered.

And Jesus finds it

nauseating.

Because the archa

of God's creation

has everything

they truly need.

We go on to read

in verse 17.

You say,

I'm rich,

I've prospered,

and I need nothing,

not realizing

that you are wretched,

pitiable,

poor,

blind,

and naked.

And here's the rebuke.

Here's where it comes

in strong.

You think you're this,

not realizing

you're really this.

And what he describes

is a contradiction.

They think

that they

have arrived.

But Jesus is saying,

you're not even close.

That word wretched,

it's better to paint

a picture of it.

Imagine downtown

Chicago,

the magnificent mile,

and you see all

the wealth

and the lights

and the classy people

wearing really nice clothes

and people seem

to be pictures

of health.

That's who they

thought they were.

And what Jesus

is saying,

you're not downtown

Chicago,

you're Aleppo,

Syria.

Have you seen

pictures of Aleppo,

Syria?

these tan,

sand-colored

apartment buildings,

multi-stories high,

bombed out,

windows burst,

rebar all over the place,

piles of rubber

stacked,

rubble stacked everywhere,

plundered,

desolate,

ruined,

that's wretched.

Jesus is saying,

you're nowhere close.

You are in great need.

need.

And the Laodiceans

were thinking that,

hey, we've arrived,

we're impressive,

we need nothing.

And Jesus is like,

no,

you're wretched

and pitiful.

You need help.

You're in great need.

And then Jesus

goes on to say

three things.

You're poor,

you're blind,

you're naked.

You're not rich,

you're poor.

And he's not talking

about jingle money,

he's talking about

in God's economy,

they are spiritually,

seriously in deficit.

And they're not prospering,

they're blind,

they don't see.

They're not seeing the world

as God sees the world.

They don't have the

spiritual sight

with which they must be seeing.

They're blind.

They don't see

what's going on.

And they're naked.

Before God,

Coram Deo,

they are completely

exposed before Him.

Shameful nakedness.

They're not well dressed.

They're exposed.

The difference is

what the world thinks

versus what God thinks.

God's perspective.

And Jesus has given

both barrels.

What He's saying is,

you're a living contradiction.

It's making me sick.

Remember John 15, 5?

Matt alluded to it

in his prayer.

Jesus says,

I am the vine,

you are the branches.

He who abides in me

and I in him,

he will bear much fruit.

But apart from me,

you can do nothing.

And these Christians

in Laodicea

had pulled up the flag,

I need nothing.

They thought that apart from Him,

they could do everything.

It's not true.

So Jesus is pointing out

this contradiction

that He can see,

but they seemingly

cannot see.

The notorious cause

of their lukewarmness

is their self-sufficiency.

It's their pride.

It's thinking that there's something

when they're not.

And we know that God

opposes the proud.

Nobody gives grace

to the humble.

There's a not so obvious

complication to this

condition.

Jesus points it out,

says it,

for you say,

I am rich,

I have prospered,

I need nothing,

not realizing

that you are wretched,

pitiful,

pitiable,

poor,

blind,

and naked.

You see,

this condition

of spiritual complacency

in a church,

do you know what it does?

It's like glaucoma.

You can't see it.

You can't see it

when you're in the midst of it.

You don't recognize

the condition

that you're in.

One of the greatest challenges

that I can face

pastorally

is trying to help people

see things

that they don't have

eyes to see.

See?

This is the critique.

It's a nauseating condition.

It's a notorious cause,

self-sufficiency,

and it's a not so obvious

complication.

They can't see it themselves.

That's why Jesus

is pointing it out.

So they've compromised.

They've blended in.

They've shut up.

They're not talking

anything about Jesus

to anybody.

They're indiscriminate

or indistinguishable

from the culture

that they were in.

And Jesus

criticizes them for it.

He rebukes them.

But He doesn't stay there.

This criticism

moves to

correction

in verse 18.

This is the fifth C.

and it's a corrective

counsel.

He's so classy.

Jesus is so

classy.

He says to them,

I counsel you

to buy from me

gold refined by fire

so that you may be rich,

and white garments

so that you may

clothe yourselves

and the shame

of your nakedness

may not be seen,

and salve to anoint

your eyes

so that you may see.

The key words

that you need to see

out of the gate

in verse 18

is from me.

I counsel you

to buy from me.

It's diametrically

opposed to the three

eyes of verse 17.

I am rich.

I have prospered.

I need nothing.

Jesus is saying,

no, no, no, no, no.

You need,

you need something,

and you need to get it

from me.

What he offers,

we can't produce ourselves.

Only he can.

And there's three items

that he says

we need to purchase for him.

And by the way,

the buy language,

he's just riffing off

the Laodicean culture.

He's like,

hey, you know what?

You've been buying over here.

Stop it.

Buy from me now.

I've got what you need.

The first one is

buy from me gold

refined by fire.

You're poor.

I've got the gold.

And he's not talking

about the gold

on the periodic table

of the elements.

He's talking about

a different kind of gold

that is extremely valuable

in God's economy.

If you flip over

to 1 Peter,

you'll see it.

1 Peter chapter 1,

1 Peter 1:6

verses 6 and 7,

we read this.

In this you rejoice,

though now for a little while,

if necessary,

you've been grieved

by various trials.

Verse 7,

so that the tested

genuineness of your faith,

more precious

than gold

that perishes,

though it's tested by fire,

may be found to result

in praise and glory

and honor

at the revelation

of Jesus Christ.

What is this gold

that Jesus is offering

refined by fire?

It is a witness.

It is a faith.

It is a steadfast,

overcoming,

proven faith in Jesus

that gives you the guts

to speak of him

even if it makes you poor.

Flip over to Revelation chapter 2,

Revelation 2:9

verse 9,

to the church in Smyrna.

I know your tribulation

and your poverty,

but you are rich.

Spiritually rich.

They had faith

that had been proven

through suffering,

and it's cost them.

It's cost them wealth,

and Jesus is saying,

oh, you're rich in my eyes

to those in Smyrna,

and ironically,

he's saying to those

in Laodicea,

you may be loaded

with gold,

AU,

on the periodic table,

but you are poor

in my economy.

You see,

the Laodicean banks

couldn't offer

these Christians

what only Jesus can.

He said,

buy it from me.

The second item

Jesus wants to sell us

to give us

is white garments.

In Revelation,

white garments

are connected

to holy living,

and they're given

to God's own.

And what makes them

white

is that in chapter 7,

verse 10,

is that they are

washed white

in the blood

of the Lamb.

these white garments,

these are what

cover a sinner

in the eyes of God.

It forgives

all of our sin.

These are the very

white,

righteous garments

of Jesus himself.

By the way,

this is the clothing

of the citizen

of the New Jerusalem.

Jesus has it.

It's not going to come

from the Laodicean

wool industry.

It's not about

being made

in Laodicea.

It's being washed

white by Jesus.

It's being given

His righteousness.

They were naked.

He's got clothing.

They were poor.

He's got the gold.

And they were blind.

And He's got

the eye salve,

the gauze,

to anoint their eyes

so that they could see.

See what?

Not the stock market.

Not the Dow Jones

in Laodicea.

To see the conflict

raging all around them.

To see as God sees.

To see as Revelation

shows us.

The whole book.

God pulling back

the curtain

and allowing us

to see

the spiritual conflict

that is raging

all around us.

Jesus has

the gauze

to give us

eyes to behold

as things

are really,

truly.

It gives us eyes

to see through

the world's

false security

in its riches.

It gives us eyes

to see through

the world's

false sense

of status

in success

and style.

It helps us

to see through

the world's

false hopes

in things

that can never

truly

heal us

permanently.

Jesus says,

buy these things

for me.

He counsels us

to buy these things

from him.

It's like he's a salesman

in saying,

I've got

things for you

that will blow

your categories.

But here's the deal.

Who can buy them?

Who's got

what it takes

in their account

to buy

the gold

that Jesus

is offering,

the garments

that Jesus

is offering,

the gauze

that Jesus

is offering?

Who can buy

those things?

None of us

can.

And that's the point.

It's all by grace.

It's all by

his kindness.

He offers

to you

gold

refined

in the fire.

He offers

to you

white garments

and a healing

gauze

for you

to truly see

and it's

all by his grace.

He himself

has already

bought it

by his blood

and now offers

it to us all.

You see?

It's only

him

that can

offer

us

these things.

Laodicea

doesn't offer it

and America

doesn't offer it

either.

You see?

There's more

to this

counsel.

In verse 19

Jesus

wants to make

very clear

that we

understand

that that

church

and our

church

understand

his

motive

for

rebuking

them

and

correcting

them.

You see

that in

verse 19?

He says

this.

Those whom

I love

I reprove

and discipline

so be

zealous

and repent.

Those whom

I love

I reprove

and discipline

so be

zealous

and repent.

This

is all

love

for his

church.

This is

Jesus

loving

his

church.

He's

saying

you've

bought

a false

bill

of

goods

now

you

come

and

buy

these

things

from

me.

This

is

what

you

truly

need.

Repent

turn

from

your

self

sufficiency

turn

from

all

these

false

promises

and

shifting

sands

of

culture

and

come

be

zealous

for

me

be

passionate

for

me

receive

what

I

have

to

give.

He

hasn't

given

up

on

this

church.

He's

on the

verge

of

spitting

them

out

but

he

hasn't

given

up

on

them.

I

love

you.

The

tone

of

this

is

strong

but

it's

strong

love.

That's

the

corrective.

Buy

from

me.

I

love

you.

Which

brings

us

to

the

sixth

feature

the

cure.

Verse

20.

The

cure

is

knocking

on

their

door.

Behold

I

stand

at

the

door

and

knock.

If

anyone

hears

my

voice

and

opens

the

door

I

will

come

into

him

and

eat

with

him

and

he

with

me.

Jesus

is

their

cure.

That

word

behold

it

shows

up

all

throughout

the

book

of

Revelation.

See

look

behold

Jesus

is

saying

behold

I

am

right

there

knocking.

I

want to

come

in.

Notice

where

Jesus

is.

He

is

outside

of the

church.

He's

on the

other

side

of the

door

of this

church.

They

in

their

self

sufficiently

have

essentially

pushed

him

out.

And

what

Jesus

is

saying

is

no

I

want

in.

Despite

his

gag

reflex

Jesus

in

grace

knocks

on

their

door.

Did

you

notice

in

320

he

says

I

stand

at the

door

knock

if

anyone

hears

my

voice

and

opens

it.

Wait

hear

his

voice.

What's

he

saying?

Verse

15

I

know

your

works.

Verse

16

you're

lukewarm.

Verse

17

you're

wretched

and

pitiful

poor

blind

naked

you

don't

see

what

I

see.

Verse

18

I

have

what

you

need.

I've

got

the

gold

I've

got

the

garments

I've

got

the

gauze

I

got

it

all

for

you

it's

grace.

Verse

19

I

love

you.

I

love

you.

Did

you hear

his

voice

this

morning?

whoever

hears

my

voice

anyone

who

hears

my

voice

and

open

the

door

what

is

this

door?

Well

imagine

with me

that this

door

has

engraved

on it

two

words

complete

surrender

when

you

repent

you

open

this

door

of

complete

surrender

all

the

way

to

Jesus

the

amen

the

ace

witness

the

archa

of

creation

and

he

promises

to

come

in

and

when

he

comes

in

you

are

essentially

saying

oh

Lord

come

in

it's

all

yours

every

room

in

my

life

is

yours

you're

not

going

to

let

them

in

and

walk

them

by

your

entertainment

room

that's

yours

you're

not

going

to

walk

them

by

your

bedroom

Jesus

that's

yours

where

you

do

your

finances

it's

yours

Jesus

complete

surrender

if anyone

hears my

voice and

opens

that

door

and that

door needs

to get

opened

every

day

because

every

day

you're

in

need

of

the

gold

of

an

uncompromised

witness

every

day

you

are

in

need

of

garments

of

untarnished

holiness

every

day

you

are

in

need

of

the

gauze

of

an

unobstructed

vision

for how

things

really

are

we're

in

daily

need

to

open

up

this

door

complete

surrender

and he

promises

that if

anyone

opens

this

door

to me

I

will

come

in

I

will

come

in

and I

will

eat

with

him

and he

with

me

it's a

picture

of peace

it's a

picture

of

shalom

it's a

picture

of intimate

fellowship

of Jesus

on the

inside

not the

outside

of Jesus

with his

people

providing

for all

of their

needs

it's a

little

foretaste

of the

marriage

supper

of the

lamb

that is

to come

how's

that for

grace

how's

that for

grace

we

make him

want to

vomit

because we

reject him

he

wants to

come in

and give

us what

we need

most

himself

let me

in

we

make him

gag

he

offers

us

grace

isn't

it

beautiful

isn't

it

amazing

the

closing

call

I'll

just

sum

it

real

quick

it's

what

he's

been

closing

with

every

one

of

these

letters

the

one

who

overcomes

the

one

who

conquers

the

one

who

opens

the

door

of

complete

surrender

to

me

he

will

sit

with

me

on

my

throne

it's

a

position

of

honor

and

power

I

don't

really

get

what

it

all

means

other

than

we're

going

to

be

reigning

with

Jesus

which

seems

like

it's

awesome

but

if

this

is

the

reward

it

tells

you

how

much

our

Lord

Jesus

values

uncompromised

faith

that

overcomes

a

complacent

culture

what a

reward

over the

last

several

weeks

we have

been

looking at

these

letters

and we've

been seeing

week after

week

Jesus is

our risen

radiant

and reigning

Lord

who is

worthy

of our

lives

and then we

see week

after week

that there's

some kind

of challenge

some kind

of temptation

to compromise

and they

abound

today

and week

after week

we've heard

him call

us to

overcome

overcome

overcome

trust in

me

keep your

line of

sight

on me

keep your

heart

set

on me

I'm

your

risen

radiant

and reigning

Lord

because

he

has

overcome

and he

was seated

at the

right hand

of his

father

on high

and if

he has

overcome

he has

the grace

for us

to overcome

this morning

are you

feeling like

you may

be making

Jesus gag

well you

may be

repent

let him

in

because he's

standing at

your door

in grace

knocking

asking

to come

in

and to

give you

what you

need

to overcome

let's

pray

Lord

God

Jesus

we recognize

we're in a

culture

where

compromise

abounds

in a variety

of ways

and one

of them

is to

is to

drift

into

complacency

Lord

we confess

our

self-sufficiency

individually

and as a

church

and we

welcome

you in

Lord

Jesus

in your

rightful

place

at the

center of

this

church

you are

Christ

our

King

and it's

in your

name we

pray

Amen

you

one

trust