1. Do you make Jesus sick?
For sale or sold out
Rev. 3.14 – 4.2
14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith
the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I
know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee
out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I 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. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with
me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in
his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.
1
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice
which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up
hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. 2And immediately I
was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the
throne.
Introduction
From Is there hope for a lasting marriage by Dennis Rainey as published on
EveryStudent.com.
"No generation reaching the age to marry has ever brought with it more
baggage related to family breakdown. In the United States more than one
million children each year experience the breakup of their families.
A large number of students remember experiences like this:
Mary: One afternoon she came home from school and met her father coming
out the door with a suitcase. He was leaving the family. "I'll be back to see you,
Honey," he said. Mary's father kissed her on top of the head and left. She hasn't
seen him since.
Robert: His parents divorced when he was five. He has lived with his mother
who married three other men and drinks way too much. His first stepfather
beat him up one time when Robert spilled a Coke in the car.
2. Carrie: Her parents are still married but heavily focused on their lucrative
careers. Her dad and mom seldom attended her orchestra concerts during high
school, and now that she's away at college, she rarely speaks to either of them.
When the family communicates, usually it's by email or messages on their
answering machines.
Philip: During junior high Philip was awakened one night by the sounds of his
parents arguing. He heard a crash and a scream. Philip found his mother in the
kitchen bleeding from a knife wound. Philip called the police and they arrested
his father. Philip, his mom, and two younger sisters went to live in a shelter.
He doesn't know where his dad lives.
You probably know people like Mary, Robert, Carrie, and Philip. Your own
experiences may be similar to theirs or even worse. Maybe your home boiled
with conflict, disharmony, and unrest."
It has been said that 41% of first marriages end in divorce, 60% of second
marriages end up the same way, and 73% of third marriages will not last.
* There is a lack of commitment.
The ultimate victims in this discord are the children.
• Juvenile violent crime increased 600% between 1960 and 1992.
• Abuse and neglect since 1976 have gone up 500%.
• SAT scores have decreased significantly
• And children are increasingly being diagnosed and treated for
psychological and pathological conditions that were not seen in large
numbers of children 20-30 years ago.
In an attempt to buck this trend, increasing numbers of young people choose
cohabitation over marriage, as a way to avoid the pitfalls of marriage and
divorce. They do this even though statistics have shown that individuals that
cohabitate prior to marriage have a lower level happiness and well being, than
their married peers. In fact people that cohabitate as a trial for marriage
compatibility, are 46% more likely to end up in divorce after they do marry.
These statistics show the increasing trend towards a lack of commitment.
• To Marriage
• To Family
• To God
• To Church
* What Dad told me when I married. (When you marry Christ, it takes work to
3. hang in there)
We are the bride of Christ. John wrote in Revelations to seven churches.
1. Physical churches of the time
2. Stages of church history
3. Types of members within a church
7 physical churches
These churches are:
1. Ephesus
• Planted by Paul, pastored by John and eventually Timothy
• The church was known for its labor and patience. They couldn't
stand evil and even tried false apostles
• But it had something wrong, they left their first love!
2. Smyrna
• A merchant city of trade and wealth
• Seat of emperor worship
• This church was known for its tribulation and poverty. It
withstood the blasphemy of the false churches.
• One of only two of the seven that Jesus did not find fault
3. Pergamos
• Thought to have been raised from the ruins of Troy
• Had library of 200,000 volumes (second only to Alexandria)
• Grove and temple of Askelopios (god of healing – the god of
Pergamos) was there, as well as a medical university
• Also a center of emperor worship through the Apocalypse
Pergamum (referred to as the “seat of Satan”)
• This church held fast in a wicked city and did not deny Him.
• But they had the doctrine of Balaam (hired preachers)
• They hate the doctrine of Nicolaitans (which He hates) –
hierarchical priesthood (power over the people)
4. Thyatira
• North of Lydia (a Lydian city) a center of trade in royal purple
• Main deity was Apollo, and it was a center for the Nicolaitans and
a “prophetess” who resisted the church
4. • This church was known for charity, service, faith, patience, and
works (but unfortunately the latter more than the former)
• Jesus had much against this church because of the “prophetess
Jezebel”
• This is the first church where he speaks to a “remnant” leading
one to believe there were just a few left
5. Sardis
• The chief city of Asia less, first converted by John. first to revolt
from Christianity, and the first laid to ruins (where it lies today)
• Known for the dyeing of wool and the licentious worship of Cybele,
as well as for softness, luxury, apathy, and immorality.
• This church was known to be alive, but Jesus said they were a
corpse
• Again He speaks to the remnant to strengthen, remember, hold
fast, and repent
• At this point it is acknowledged that there are just a few (even in
Sardis)
6. Philadelphia
• Known even before Christianity for brotherly love
• Known for earthquakes
• Still some 1,000 Christians there today
• This church had an “open door”, a little strength (dunamis =
power), they kept the word, and did not deny His name
• He pronounces judgment on the false churches and proclaims that
they will know that He loves Philadelphia
• The second church with which He did not find fault
7. Laodecia
• Great wall surrounded the city with three marble theaters. Like
Rome built on seven hills, and it held one of the church councils in
fourth century
• It lies in ruins to this day
• Jesus had nothing good to say about this church!
• Their works were that they straddled the fence. They were rich
but really poor. He would vomit them out of his mouth!
• Note He stands outside of the Laodecian church. That is because
this is the only church where in the Greek He calls it the “church
5. of” instead of the “church in.” It was their church and He was
shut out!
We can't let our lack of commitment shut Him out!
7 periods
Just like these seven physical churches that existed then and now, the church
universal has gone through seven phases.
1. The establishment of the church and eventual drifting from the first love
2. The tribulation phase and the fighting of false churches
3. Just barely hanging in there
4. The church of works instead of love that is full of false teaching and
domination of the people
5. The dead church with just a few remaining faithful
6. The church of love with little power
7. The church that won't commit and in which the people rule
Any of these 7 can be seen in various churches today, but the time period in
which we live is #7.
The time when there is no commitment, and the people rule the church;
dictating what it should teach and who should teach it. It is a time of feel-
good religion, a social institution not a place of worship.
7 types of Christians
Ramsay “Letters to the seven churches”
1. Ephesus called “the city of change”
Will you leave behind the teachings of the church?
2. Smyrna called “the city of life”
Are you willing to live for Him or just die for Him?
3. Pergamos called “the royal city”
Are you the king of your world, unwilling to listen to the preacher?
4. Thyatira called “weakness made strong”
What teachers are you listening to?
5. Sardis called “the city of death”
Do you live one thing at church and another at home?
6. Philadelphia called “the missionary city”
Are you committed to evangelism?
7. Laodecia called “the city of compromise”
6. What part of your faith are you willing to compromise?
Are you for sale? At what price? Or are you sold out?
Closing
Our depth of commitment reveals the depth of our roots.
Just like the parable of the sower:
1. The way side was hard to penetrate
2. The stony ground makes it difficult to take root
3. The thorns make our growth retarded
4. But the good ground is tilled and well fertilized
Depending upon which type of soil you are, the word will take root. The better
the ground the deeper the word will go.
We can't be “Cafeteria Christians!”
I'll take the New Testament, but the Old Testament is just good stories.
I'll take some Holy Ghost, but not holiness.
I'll take the gifts but not the fruit.
I want the church to grow but I don't want to contribute.
I'll take the fellowship, but I don't want to pray.
I want the resurrection, but I am unwilling to suffer the cross.
I want to grow, but I am unwilling to die to my self.
Where is your commitment?
Are you on the fence?
Are you sold out, or are you still for sale to the highest bidder?
Are you lukewarm?
Do you make Jesus sick?