WEBVTT 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:01.270 I'm going to invite you to Revelation. 00:00:01.780 --> 00:00:03.350 Chapter three is where we're at together today. 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:05.060 Revelation chapter three. 00:00:05.340 --> 00:00:12.240 As we're concluding the section of Revelation related to the seven churches. 00:00:12.280 --> 00:00:19.280 And if you've been in this time with us together, as we've gone through the book of Revelation, there's a few reasons, to be honest, that we've ventured into this 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:19.700 book. 00:00:19.700 --> 00:00:24.400 One is because of where we are as a country today, and the other is because where we've been as a church together. 00:00:25.240 --> 00:00:25.380 Yeah. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:30.240 As a as a country today, you don't unless you've been living in a hole. 00:00:30.460 --> 00:00:31.990 You know, this has been a political year. 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:40.000 And it's sometimes politics can get a little tumultuous and create some tension and a little bit of concern for future. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:47.700 And you know what I think is important for all of us as God's people, especially to be reminded of, is that despite whatever happens 00:00:47.700 --> 00:00:54.820 in this world, that we serve a greater king and live for a greater kingdom, and whoever you pick may have one, that's wonderful if 00:00:54.820 --> 00:00:55.700 you feel like you've been victorious. 00:00:56.360 --> 00:01:00.400 But I just in terms of what it means to be God's people. 00:01:00.580 --> 00:01:07.680 Leaders of this world come and go, but there's one leader who sustains through it all, and more than anything, my the desire of our heart as 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:09.750 a church should be to honor him through it. 00:01:10.380 --> 00:01:17.400 In the book of Revelation is written to a church that's facing tremendous persecution because of the things that they represent in this 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:20.330 world as lights to this world, followers of Christ. 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:26.380 And, oftentimes people come to this book and they read it in fear and concern. 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:33.500 But what you discover when you read the book of Revelation is this book is an incredible book of hope and worship, and it helps us understand what it looks like 00:01:33.500 --> 00:01:38.490 to follow the Lord in light of where we are, no matter where we're at as God's people throughout the centuries. 00:01:38.700 --> 00:01:44.300 It's a it's a powerful book of hope because we are more than conquerors in Christ. 00:01:44.320 --> 00:01:46.560 And this book reminds us of that. 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:50.640 And as we've studied this book together, what we've learned is chapter one. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:55.340 It tells us at the end of chapter one that John is writing to us about what is and what is to come. 00:01:55.820 --> 00:02:01.480 And the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation, he very much talks about what is in light of what is to come. 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:06.900 And really, this is a somewhat of a preparation for the hearts of God's people through what they might go through. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:08.509 And they've already faced adversity. 00:02:08.780 --> 00:02:10.789 They still have some adversity in front of them. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:13.620 But God is using this as an opportunity to refine them. 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:19.800 And in fact, for us, challenges that we face become this catalyst to our own spiritual life. 00:02:19.860 --> 00:02:26.960 Not to say you need to make your Christian journey difficult for the sake of being difficult, but it's not until your faith is tested that you 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:27.940 know it can be trusted. 00:02:28.740 --> 00:02:32.000 It's easy to say you follow Jesus when everything in life is going easy. 00:02:32.980 --> 00:02:33.320 But. 00:02:33.480 --> 00:02:40.760 But you really see how much Jesus matters to you when your relationship with Christ might cost you. 00:02:41.040 --> 00:02:45.700 But learning that in Jesus you will never lose is an important message in the book of Revelation. 00:02:46.460 --> 00:02:49.960 And God is starting this story for us with these seven churches. 00:02:50.540 --> 00:02:54.960 And when you read about these seven churches, you may ask the question, well, why these particular seven churches? 00:02:54.980 --> 00:03:00.920 Because there are a few churches he talks about at these seven churches that you might easily recognize, like in chapter two. 00:03:00.920 --> 00:03:03.450 The very first church he tells us about is the Church of Ephesus. 00:03:03.960 --> 00:03:10.780 This is a pretty prominent, popular church in church history that Jesus's mother lived in Ephesus. 00:03:10.980 --> 00:03:13.140 John, who's writing the Book of Revelation, lived in Ephesus. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:15.480 Timothy lived in Ephesus. 00:03:15.600 --> 00:03:18.680 Paul lived in Ephesus, a very popular church in church history. 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:24.640 But then you get to other churches like the church today, Laodicea, like outside of the book of Revelation. 00:03:25.460 --> 00:03:29.040 The question is, how many people know really the church of Laodicea? 00:03:29.040 --> 00:03:32.850 Why in the world did the Apostle John pick these seven churches? 00:03:33.340 --> 00:03:38.660 And the reason we've discovered together is because the number seven represents something in the book of Revelation. 00:03:38.720 --> 00:03:45.820 In fact, being apocalyptic literature, there's a lot of imagery and a lot of numbers within this book that aren't to be taken 00:03:45.820 --> 00:03:49.060 literally, but rather are a representation of something greater. 00:03:49.420 --> 00:03:55.790 Now, these seven churches were certainly literal churches, but the number seven represents something bigger for God's people. 00:03:55.960 --> 00:04:00.030 And what we've discovered in this book is that the number seven is a number of completeness. 00:04:01.060 --> 00:04:08.440 And so what these churches represent are really a picture of all of God's people throughout history, all the local expressions of God's community throughout 00:04:08.440 --> 00:04:11.830 history, and the successes and struggles that we face. 00:04:12.380 --> 00:04:17.399 And as God writes these to these seven churches, these this letter is written much like a diary. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:24.860 It's exposing to us where these churches are succeeding and where these churches are struggling as a way for us not to cast stones at them, 00:04:24.960 --> 00:04:32.160 but for us to examine our own lives and say, okay, in light of this, these churches, where are we as God's people and what is it God's calling us 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:39.060 to do in the city of Laodicea certainly gives us a place to examine the church within this community. 00:04:39.060 --> 00:04:46.280 The impact that they are making and being able to draw from that, and Laodicea, probably more than any of these churches are, is very much more 00:04:46.280 --> 00:04:49.840 relatable to where we find ourselves in America today. 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:55.040 Laodicea was a town that was known as a place of commerce and wealth. 00:04:55.060 --> 00:05:00.340 In fact, Laodicea was referred to as a as a city that was the gateway to the east and to the west. 00:05:00.340 --> 00:05:04.640 It was on a major trade route, and because of that a lot of money flowed through Laodicea. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:10.150 Not only that, it was, it was known as a as a place for good medical treatment. 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:17.700 In fact, one of the things that people saw in the city of Laodicea was a particular eye salve or a salve or an 00:05:17.700 --> 00:05:20.440 eye ointment for treating ailments to the eyes. 00:05:20.440 --> 00:05:27.520 There was a medical school there for training, and in addition to that, not only did they have wealth, medical treatment, 00:05:27.520 --> 00:05:32.430 they also had this particular type of wool that was sought after. 00:05:32.660 --> 00:05:39.820 It was the well-off people in various communities would want to buy the wool that from this 00:05:39.820 --> 00:05:43.200 land in order to produce clothing for them to wear. 00:05:43.200 --> 00:05:46.960 And so the city was known for several different things. 00:05:46.960 --> 00:05:54.080 And on the, on the outside, looking at this city, you might think if you were to move here, let's say you've got a promotion and they've invited you to 00:05:54.080 --> 00:05:56.620 lead a business in this town. 00:05:56.640 --> 00:06:01.050 If you were to just journey there to visit, you might think to yourself, well, this is a great town. 00:06:01.080 --> 00:06:02.250 There's a lot of job opportunities. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.160 There's a way to get, great medical treatment. 00:06:05.380 --> 00:06:08.740 And we're going to financially be somewhat secure. 00:06:08.740 --> 00:06:10.820 And it's a good community to belong to. 00:06:10.840 --> 00:06:11.540 In fact, look at that. 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:12.640 There's even a church here. 00:06:12.820 --> 00:06:12.900 Right. 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.080 So there's a place for us to worship. 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:19.880 And at first glance, just looking at this community, you might think, well, the community is great. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:26.000 And the church looks good and they do good things and they have, some means just like the rest of the town. 00:06:26.100 --> 00:06:32.320 And they kind of help the widows and the orphans and what a great church that we can kind of show up to and belong to. 00:06:32.940 --> 00:06:40.820 But what you discover is as you begin to pull back the layers on this church, that while on the outside things appeared 00:06:40.820 --> 00:06:48.880 healthy and well and on the inside that this church community was actually struggling and 00:06:48.880 --> 00:06:56.220 the Lord starts to pull, pull back for us the curtains of the church to sort of expose what's 00:06:56.220 --> 00:07:03.220 what's resting and the rot that's on the inside to help us understand that the complacency of the society and the comfortableness 00:07:03.220 --> 00:07:10.440 in which they have lived in has caused the church to start to reflect the culture, rather than 00:07:10.440 --> 00:07:13.710 the church influencing the culture for God's glory. 00:07:14.100 --> 00:07:21.340 And, to be honest, in the in the lull of our own creature comforts, we have the tendency 00:07:21.340 --> 00:07:28.420 as God's people to sort of end up in that same direction where, the things around us in our society, they're just there are 00:07:28.420 --> 00:07:35.520 a lot of creature comforts for us to be there, and we sort of evaluate our spiritual health based on the condition of our culture. 00:07:35.540 --> 00:07:39.450 And since things seem okay, then that must mean that I'm okay. 00:07:39.580 --> 00:07:43.230 And, I kind of go to church on Sunday because I get a little bit of Jesus there. 00:07:43.640 --> 00:07:50.840 And, I got my Jesus thing on Sunday and then the rest of my life, and it's just this comfortable life that I live And when you read the book 00:07:50.840 --> 00:07:56.420 of Revelation, chapter three, starting in verse 15, you start to see, this is where God is speaking to the church. 00:07:56.500 --> 00:08:03.700 And when God speaks to this church, something a little unique about this church from the rest is that God doesn't start by talking 00:08:03.700 --> 00:08:05.180 about the things the church is doing. 00:08:05.320 --> 00:08:07.740 Well, most of the pattern for these churches. 00:08:07.740 --> 00:08:13.240 God talks to them about areas where they're succeeding, things where he really enjoys what the church is about. 00:08:13.640 --> 00:08:20.700 But then he talks about areas the church is struggling when it comes to the church of Laodicea, because they've been lulled to sleep in their spiritual state, and 00:08:20.700 --> 00:08:23.780 they're judging their spirituality by the creature comforts around them. 00:08:23.780 --> 00:08:31.120 God sort of just rocks the church and its conditions, saying, no, no, no, you think that you're healthy, but on the inside it is absolutely broken. 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:36.120 And the way he does it in verse 15, he says this I know your works. 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:37.750 You are neither cold nor hot. 00:08:38.100 --> 00:08:40.400 Would that you were either cold or hot. 00:08:40.400 --> 00:08:47.600 So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth, which is kind of a gross 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:48.740 thing to say, right? 00:08:48.740 --> 00:08:50.620 This is nobody really wanted. 00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:52.240 Give me some lukewarm water, please. 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:59.360 This is kind of a gross thing, but when you start to study the culture, you see why the Lord is saying this is because the conditions in Laodicea and 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:00.340 this. 00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:02.640 This reminds me of an activity I used to do. 00:09:02.640 --> 00:09:06.740 There was a time in my life when I when I first became a pastor, I led a college ministry. 00:09:06.740 --> 00:09:09.460 That was my first position as a as a pastor. 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:11.840 And then we came out and planted ABC. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:14.940 We ran, had the church here, and then we started a youth group. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.240 My wife and I were leading the youth. 00:09:16.640 --> 00:09:18.940 When you when you start a church plant, you do everything right. 00:09:18.980 --> 00:09:22.680 And so I had a good number of youth and one of the things that I used to do. 00:09:22.680 --> 00:09:29.880 And I'm not trying to advocate for this now, but I don't know if you guys have ever heard of this or not, but the Gallon milk challenge, 00:09:40.300 --> 00:09:40.700 I don't know how many of you have ever participated in the gallon milk challenge, but it works like this. 00:09:40.700 --> 00:09:42.100 you create a competition for me, it was with college students or youth and you would say, okay, whoever can drink a gallon of milk in an hour, right? 00:09:42.100 --> 00:09:44.900 You win this prize and you can come up with something outlandish, right? 00:09:44.900 --> 00:09:45.380 Because. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:49.230 Because I have found in this challenge no one has ever been successful. 00:09:49.700 --> 00:09:56.020 But I will tell you about 45 minutes into it, you have some entertainment depending on how you like to be entertained, right? 00:09:56.020 --> 00:10:02.440 So about 45 minutes into it, people start to realize, wait, the body can't handle a gallon of milk in an hour, right? 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:09.500 And then what goes into the inside all of a sudden comes back out on the outside and if you got your cameras ready, there are some videos you can go 00:10:09.500 --> 00:10:11.720 back and laugh on if that kind of stuff doesn't gross you out. 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:18.900 And if it does, I'm sorry I shared that, but, I tell you, for me, when it ended, it ended when one time I had this 00:10:18.900 --> 00:10:22.200 group of college students come to my mother's house. 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:23.560 I was house sitting for her. 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:29.100 And, and all of a sudden, about 45 minutes into our Bible study, it ended, right? 00:10:29.100 --> 00:10:30.700 And they had to go out back. 00:10:30.700 --> 00:10:32.420 Only they didn't quite make it very far. 00:10:33.060 --> 00:10:40.160 And my mom came home from her trip that night, and I didn't by the next morning have enough time to clean it off, because it was later at night and she slipped in 00:10:40.160 --> 00:10:40.380 it. 00:10:40.400 --> 00:10:40.520 Right. 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:42.980 And so that was that was the end of that for me. 00:10:43.060 --> 00:10:43.200 Right? 00:10:43.260 --> 00:10:46.050 She reminds me of that story. 00:10:46.580 --> 00:10:46.740 But. 00:10:46.800 --> 00:10:48.880 But this is what the Lord is saying. 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:51.380 And when it comes to the city of Laodicea. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:55.660 Laodicea actually did not have their own source of water in the community. 00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:56.740 They had to pipe it in. 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:04.160 And about five miles from this town there was this mineral hot spring, and they channeled that down to their city. 00:11:04.160 --> 00:11:06.830 And by the time it got to the city, it was it was lukewarm. 00:11:07.740 --> 00:11:11.380 But one thing they discovered about this particular water is they couldn't drink this water. 00:11:11.400 --> 00:11:15.480 In fact, the gallon milk challenge would happen to you if you drank this water. 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:15.970 It was repulsive. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:23.600 And what Jesus is saying is, though sometimes things may look good, though you may have water in front of you, it 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:30.940 doesn't mean that the water is necessarily drinkable water, that it could be toxic to your insides and cause things that 00:11:30.940 --> 00:11:32.960 you don't want to experience. 00:11:33.700 --> 00:11:36.360 And he's comparing their relationship with the Lord this way. 00:11:37.160 --> 00:11:42.680 When while the church may claim to know Jesus, the type of Jesus that they represent is actually Repulsive. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.970 It's not the true Jesus that really brings life. 00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:54.920 It's this outward manifestation of saying, I'm a Christian wearing the label, but on the inside, it's 00:11:54.920 --> 00:11:59.300 full of brokenness and the true Jesus isn't there. 00:11:59.400 --> 00:12:03.120 And so the question for us is maybe to ask, what are they going to do about it? 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:10.230 And since this church has lost its passion for the true Jesus, we can ask ourselves this morning, how do we get that passion back as God's people? 00:12:11.140 --> 00:12:11.240 How? 00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:17.810 How do we discover that what we what we once had in the Lord in order to really walk with him today. 00:12:18.300 --> 00:12:22.760 And this is what he's encouraging the church in light of that. 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:29.580 You know, when you look at this church in Laodicea, it's very much in many ways, much like the church in Ephesus. 00:12:29.660 --> 00:12:36.900 If you remember in the beginning, the chapter two, the first church we talk about is comparable to the seventh church 00:12:36.900 --> 00:12:44.060 we talk about, because these churches are in this chiastic structure where church one and church seven are the same and church two and church six are very similar, 00:12:44.100 --> 00:12:46.840 and four, three, four and five are the same. 00:12:47.280 --> 00:12:51.860 And if you remember, in the church of Ephesus, the church of Ephesus were doing all these wonderful works. 00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:58.000 And he's saying, God knows your works here in this verse, same thing, but in the church of Ephesus, verse five, he says, but you've left your first love. 00:12:59.060 --> 00:13:06.180 The real Jesus really isn't among your community, that you're doing things that look godly but do not have the power 00:13:06.180 --> 00:13:06.980 of the Lord. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:15.000 And this is one of the, I think, as a pastor, one of the most difficult things that I find in sharing Christ with people is 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:18.080 the person that God's really talking to here is the do gooders? 00:13:19.020 --> 00:13:26.200 I mean, if you read the Gospels, you find the people that Jesus was most blunt with in their life was the religious people, the ones 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:30.520 that they felt like they had it all together because they were, well, sort of doing good enough and it was better than my neighbor. 00:13:30.520 --> 00:13:32.040 So therefore I must be okay with God. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:40.140 And so he's saying, no, no, no, you're actually in the worst position because your eyes aren't even awakened to how much you need the Lord. 00:13:40.140 --> 00:13:40.700 You think it's. 00:13:40.800 --> 00:13:47.800 You think it's just about showing up to church on Sunday and getting your religious component, and then sort of doing what you want the rest of 00:13:47.800 --> 00:13:48.220 the time. 00:13:48.680 --> 00:13:52.680 And he's saying that kind of Christianity is actually not healthy. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:53.980 In fact, it's repulsive. 00:13:55.220 --> 00:13:57.900 It's not it's not doing what you think it will do. 00:13:57.900 --> 00:14:05.080 It's kind of like if we compared it today to Utah Lake, our wonderful, beautiful Utah Lake, if you ever brave 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:10.030 enough to venture into it, you know that there's at least a few months out of the year where they just tell you don't do that. 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:10.510 Don't do that. 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:14.160 Because you got this thing now called green algae and it kills animals. 00:14:14.160 --> 00:14:17.800 And at the very least, it's going to it's going to do this for you. 00:14:17.800 --> 00:14:21.300 It's going to make things come out of places that you don't just want things to come out of places at the time. 00:14:21.300 --> 00:14:22.460 They're coming out right like this. 00:14:22.700 --> 00:14:24.040 This is not it's not healthy. 00:14:24.040 --> 00:14:24.840 It's not good. 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:32.200 And the reason for that is, well, the reason we get green algae, if you don't know, is because there's not enough healthy water flow through through Utah 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:32.800 Lake. 00:14:32.860 --> 00:14:34.440 Now we've got the Jordan River. 00:14:34.440 --> 00:14:39.700 I mean but what happens is the water kind of grows stagnant. 00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:43.190 And in that stagnation, the green algae grows and it becomes toxic. 00:14:44.060 --> 00:14:50.940 And it's sort of the picture of the Christian life that Jesus wants beautiful rivers of life flowing through you. 00:14:51.400 --> 00:14:56.250 And sometimes in Christianity, we just have this way of trying to just compartmentalize it with our little bit of Jesus over here. 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:57.060 And that's okay. 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:03.450 And then we move on with the rest of everything that we want, as if we can compartmentalize our life in a spiritual sense. 00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:08.230 And he's saying this is not healthy for the life of the believer. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:15.220 And just because you see, water doesn't make it healthy, and just because someone labels themselves a Christian doesn't make it healthy. 00:15:15.820 --> 00:15:19.060 So how do we get that passion for the Lord? 00:15:19.140 --> 00:15:19.540 Like what? 00:15:19.660 --> 00:15:20.520 What caused this? 00:15:20.540 --> 00:15:21.240 And how do we get it back? 00:15:21.380 --> 00:15:23.330 And let me just give you point number one in your notes. 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:27.870 Number one is this begin with the one who is greater. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:32.000 Begin with the one who is greater, which is not you or me, right? 00:15:32.560 --> 00:15:36.440 As a pastor, when I when I talk to people, not even as a pastor, as a follower of Jesus. 00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:37.200 Let me say it like that. 00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:40.100 As a follower of Jesus, I want to talk to someone about the Lord. 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:40.940 There is. 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:41.550 There is one. 00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:49.680 One characteristic that I'm looking for in the heart of a person to understand if there's going to be receptivity to the truth of 00:15:49.680 --> 00:15:52.880 who Jesus is, and that one characteristic is humility. 00:15:54.060 --> 00:16:01.060 And because sometimes in our in our arrogance as human beings, we just we think we get it figured out or we're just not in that position where we're willing 00:16:01.060 --> 00:16:03.860 to surrender our lives to someone else, right? 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:04.940 Especially to the Lord. 00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:08.960 we still want to sit on the throne of our own life and sort of dictate things. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.400 And we might invite, a spiritual experience. 00:16:11.400 --> 00:16:13.740 And as long as I stay in control of it. 00:16:14.280 --> 00:16:20.100 But the problem with that is you weren't made to be on the throne of your life, right? 00:16:20.140 --> 00:16:24.350 We were made to let the Lord sit there because the Lord created us for his purposes. 00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:32.220 But it's not until we have this willingness to be humble in our demeanor, to the greatness of who God is, that we'll even begin to discover the purpose for which we exist 00:16:32.220 --> 00:16:33.060 in him. 00:16:33.740 --> 00:16:36.260 And humility becomes a huge component to that. 00:16:36.280 --> 00:16:43.640 And this is why when the letters are written to the seven churches with each of the churches, he begins with a characteristic 00:16:43.640 --> 00:16:45.460 of who God is. 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:52.840 And God shares these to each of these churches based on who he is first, because it's not until we understand that we're truly going to understand who we are in light of 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:53.600 who he is. 00:16:54.180 --> 00:17:01.240 And so the way that John starts with this first church, he says, and to the angel of the church in Laodicea, write the 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:04.990 words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 00:17:05.560 --> 00:17:10.030 And then he concludes it this way he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:13.200 So he's saying, look humble of heart. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:19.020 If you're if your ears are really open to what God is saying, this is let, let let this truth fill your life. 00:17:19.040 --> 00:17:21.819 This is who God is desiring to communicate into the story. 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:29.140 He's saying he who has an ear, who's demonstrating that the humbleness of heart before what the Lord is saying, and then he's showing us the preeminence 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:31.440 that Christ should have in our life and the way he does it. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:34.120 He refers to him as the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness. 00:17:34.120 --> 00:17:35.420 The beginning of God's creation. 00:17:36.660 --> 00:17:38.100 And this word. 00:17:38.100 --> 00:17:38.640 Amen. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:42.720 This is this is like this is pulling out the southern in me a little bit, right? 00:17:42.780 --> 00:17:49.880 This is this is this is a word that's a little different in Utah culture, especially Utah, Utah, Utah County, Utah culture, where our 00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:52.870 experience in worship tends to be a little bit more reserved. 00:17:53.660 --> 00:17:56.480 You know, we like the more reverent style of worship. 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:57.560 And I know some of you. 00:17:57.560 --> 00:17:59.920 So every once in a while in our church, I hear people say this. 00:18:00.140 --> 00:18:03.780 I just want everyone to just yell Amen, because I come from that background, right? 00:18:03.800 --> 00:18:05.470 And then everyone's a little timid to do that. 00:18:06.320 --> 00:18:10.060 but we have this more reverent style here in worship. 00:18:10.300 --> 00:18:12.800 And when I go to the southeast, sometimes I forget. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:15.760 I forget like, they they're, like, actively talking to you all the time. 00:18:15.820 --> 00:18:17.700 In fact, I was I was at a church this past spring. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:24.640 I had to share a series of messages and, and the first message I said the person in the very front row was like the first point I made. 00:18:24.800 --> 00:18:25.680 They don't just say amen. 00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:26.560 They like, yell it. 00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:26.780 Right? 00:18:26.780 --> 00:18:27.280 They yell it. 00:18:27.280 --> 00:18:30.050 And like, the first time in my life I ever jumped scared on stage. 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:31.860 It was it was funny. 00:18:31.860 --> 00:18:34.220 And the person felt so bad he never said it again. 00:18:34.220 --> 00:18:35.690 The rest of the time he came and apologized. 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:36.340 I'm like, I'm sorry. 00:18:36.540 --> 00:18:37.700 I've been in Utah for 20 years. 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:38.060 I don't. 00:18:38.300 --> 00:18:39.880 I forgot you did that, right. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:43.340 But this word amen is this word of affirming. 00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:46.040 It's this word of supporting this word of saying. 00:18:46.280 --> 00:18:48.200 And I stand with this. 00:18:48.340 --> 00:18:50.640 This is what I'm aligning my life with, right? 00:18:50.760 --> 00:18:56.160 And it's saying, this is who Jesus is, that Jesus is the affirmation of all this truth. 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:58.540 He's the true and faithful witness. 00:18:58.580 --> 00:19:03.880 Meaning, what it's saying to you is if you were to ask the question, what is God like? 00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:10.450 And what he's saying in this verse is, if you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus because He's God in the flesh. 00:19:11.140 --> 00:19:13.400 Jesus is the fullness of God in bodily form. 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:14.860 That's Colossians two nine. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:17.260 If you if you want to know what God is like, just look at Jesus. 00:19:17.260 --> 00:19:19.300 He is the demonstration of God in the flesh. 00:19:19.320 --> 00:19:21.180 He is God himself. 00:19:21.600 --> 00:19:24.200 He is that true witness of all that God has declared. 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:25.960 And then it says the beginning of God's creation. 00:19:27.800 --> 00:19:32.410 and some people read this and they might erroneously think that he is the first. 00:19:32.520 --> 00:19:38.600 What it's saying is he is the first one created, and that's not what this passage is communicating at all. 00:19:39.120 --> 00:19:41.540 What it's saying is he is the preeminence over all of creation. 00:19:42.040 --> 00:19:45.860 Not that he is the first one created, but he is the uncaused cause of all things. 00:19:46.140 --> 00:19:49.450 Everything that came into existence came into existence through him. 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:55.980 And so if I give you some verses just related to that, you don't have to go out of the book of Revelation to discover it. 00:19:55.980 --> 00:20:02.240 Like, for example in Revelation one verse eight, it tells us God is the Alpha and Omega, meaning the beginning and the end. 00:20:02.800 --> 00:20:07.800 And then in Revelation 21 verse six, it says, Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end. 00:20:07.800 --> 00:20:09.530 He is the source of all things. 00:20:10.320 --> 00:20:14.760 Not not saying he's the first thing created, but rather he is the source from which all of creation flows. 00:20:15.100 --> 00:20:22.300 In fact, that is the whole beginning of the Gospel of John, the first 18 verses that Jesus is with the father and is the creator of 00:20:22.300 --> 00:20:23.280 all things. 00:20:24.040 --> 00:20:25.200 Colossians two nine. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.770 Colossians one 1516 says the same thing. 00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:33.750 So it's recognizing the source, the throne of your life, who sits on that throne. 00:20:34.060 --> 00:20:34.240 This is. 00:20:34.320 --> 00:20:41.420 This is the battle for your heart that John is writing about in the Book of Revelation to the church of Laodicea for our own lives to reflect 00:20:41.420 --> 00:20:42.020 upon. 00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:45.710 So how do we begin to discover that passion? 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:48.540 Well, it starts with beginning with the one who is greater. 00:20:49.320 --> 00:20:54.980 And then point number two, we have to check our hope as people check your hope. 00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:58.460 And this is this is what he does in verse 17. 00:20:58.520 --> 00:21:00.680 The church has gotten confused. 00:21:01.060 --> 00:21:08.550 And where it's putting its hope in by the creature comforts in the world around them, they have evaluated their circumstance in an earthly sense and say, 00:21:08.820 --> 00:21:13.920 well, since things seem okay externally, everything must be okay internally, spiritually. 00:21:14.040 --> 00:21:17.520 In fact, when you read verse 17, it says, for you say, I am rich. 00:21:17.640 --> 00:21:18.620 This is the church's comment. 00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.180 But then. 00:21:19.380 --> 00:21:24.140 But then God says, I have or I have prospered and I need nothing, not realizing that you are. 00:21:24.140 --> 00:21:29.880 This is how God describes him wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 00:21:31.320 --> 00:21:38.320 And when God uses these adjectives to describe the church, I want us to know he's not just pulling these arbitrary ideas out and saying, here's what I think about 00:21:38.320 --> 00:21:44.580 you, but rather he's taking the very source from where they have found their identity, their worth as people and the possessions of life. 00:21:44.580 --> 00:21:49.180 And he's saying you're evaluating yourself by an earthly standard. 00:21:50.520 --> 00:21:54.260 You think you're okay because, well, the world around you seems okay. 00:21:55.140 --> 00:22:00.140 But if you remember the characteristics that I described to you about the church, remember they were a place of wealth. 00:22:00.780 --> 00:22:05.720 They were a place of this particular type of clothing, of wool, for clothing. 00:22:05.820 --> 00:22:09.040 They're a place of medical treatment, especially this eye ointment. 00:22:09.800 --> 00:22:15.540 And so when the Lord is describing to them, he's saying, you think you find your identity in these creature comforts, but this is not who you are. 00:22:15.780 --> 00:22:18.540 And in fact, in light of that, let me just tell you, you're not rich. 00:22:18.540 --> 00:22:21.400 You're poor and you can't see. 00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:24.460 You're blind and you're not wearing clothing. 00:22:24.460 --> 00:22:25.680 You're actually naked. 00:22:25.860 --> 00:22:27.420 And before the Lord. 00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:28.380 Just. 00:22:28.380 --> 00:22:33.570 Just because you think you have things doesn't make doesn't make everything okay. 00:22:34.180 --> 00:22:40.740 In fact, if Affluency was to make us happy, America should be the happiest place on the planet. 00:22:41.340 --> 00:22:48.080 In fact, in the course of history that this is this is the best a people group have ever had it. 00:22:49.320 --> 00:22:55.460 And if that's the way of evaluating our health before the Lord, then this would be the best place to live. 00:22:55.460 --> 00:22:56.820 The happiest place to live. 00:22:56.920 --> 00:23:02.410 But when you take two seconds to get to know the state of America, what you find is there are a lot of unhappy people here. 00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:10.550 In fact, you can go to many countries in this world where people have very little and they seem like they're in a better state than Americans who have a lot. 00:23:12.320 --> 00:23:19.660 And we buy into this lie of thinking, well, if I could just get this much more, if I could just attain this level, then I'm. 00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:20.420 Then I'll be happy. 00:23:20.460 --> 00:23:27.600 Only to discover when you get there that it's this false peak that you continue to just raise the ladder and thinking, eventually 00:23:27.600 --> 00:23:33.530 I'll get to that spot of just having enough, then I'll be content only to discover that it was it was at best a mirage. 00:23:35.560 --> 00:23:41.820 And then the things that you end up having really end up having you and you serve them rather than it serving you. 00:23:42.380 --> 00:23:49.520 And it controls what you do, and you found your identity and worth here, and you begin to realize it's bankrupt in one day it's 00:23:49.520 --> 00:23:50.490 all going to go away. 00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:58.560 And so then we might say to ourselves, well, if I could just have a better position, if I could have more power, if I could just be a little prettier and I could attain those 00:23:58.560 --> 00:24:01.560 things, then I'll have arrived. 00:24:01.560 --> 00:24:06.760 And then you start pursuing those things and you find out those things in themselves aren't bad, right? 00:24:07.040 --> 00:24:08.230 They don't have to be bad. 00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:11.220 Everything that God created in this world is it's all moral. 00:24:11.260 --> 00:24:13.610 It's what you do with it that determines whether or not it's good. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:15.350 I think money in itself is not bad. 00:24:15.420 --> 00:24:16.710 Position in itself is not bad. 00:24:16.860 --> 00:24:18.090 Title itself is not bad. 00:24:18.300 --> 00:24:23.420 But when you start to find your identity in those things, that's where it's trouble. 00:24:23.560 --> 00:24:30.170 When you use it to leverage for your glory, rather than understand everything that God has given you for his glory, that that's where you're in trouble. 00:24:30.620 --> 00:24:34.780 Because if you put your hope in those things, what you begin to discover is those things shift and fade. 00:24:36.040 --> 00:24:39.940 And if you're your hope is in those things, then your hope is going to shift and fade with it. 00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:42.620 In fact, it will it will diminish and die. 00:24:43.560 --> 00:24:48.180 But what's necessary for our lives is to discover something richer, deeper that does not go away. 00:24:48.380 --> 00:24:50.560 And we tend to think, well, when you realize those things are broken. 00:24:50.560 --> 00:24:52.480 If I could just learn more, right? 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:53.820 I could figure out what's wrong with me. 00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:56.870 And I have enough knowledge and with enough knowledge then. 00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:58.400 Then I can fix what's wrong with me. 00:24:58.980 --> 00:25:01.760 But you know what the Bible says in first Corinthians chapter eight, verse one. 00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:09.650 Knowledge puffs up, meaning the thing that knowledge often produces in our lives is this place of arrogance. 00:25:09.760 --> 00:25:09.860 Where? 00:25:10.060 --> 00:25:15.460 Where you think that your understanding becomes your source of salvation. 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:20.340 And again, I'm not telling you to intentionally run in this world and be dumb, right? 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:22.580 I think God gave you a brain for a reason. 00:25:22.580 --> 00:25:23.400 And you should use it. 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:24.520 And you can use it to honor him. 00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:28.920 But your solution is not even a lack of knowledge. 00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:30.560 It's something much deeper. 00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:38.640 And he's using this book of Revelation to remind us that what God desires for us is something altogether different. 00:25:38.760 --> 00:25:44.040 Not to not to be content in the creature comforts of this world, but to realize we were created for so much more. 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:49.200 And in Romans chapter 12, this is what the Apostle Paul warns us about as God's people. 00:25:49.220 --> 00:25:51.080 Is that what the world wants you to do? 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:55.820 Church is to reflect it rather than you reflect the goodness of who God is to it. 00:25:56.600 --> 00:26:01.540 Like the world starts to change you rather than than what God has done in you. 00:26:01.560 --> 00:26:03.200 Transform the world. 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:06.260 And he carries this idea of Romans 12 two is that the world wants to conform you. 00:26:06.260 --> 00:26:11.770 It's trying to press you in this mold where maybe you look a little bit different because, well, you've got Jesus, I'm a Christian. 00:26:12.300 --> 00:26:12.950 You wear the label. 00:26:14.100 --> 00:26:21.460 But in reality is all you've done is taken your Jesus and made it look like a just a do good experience in 00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:23.640 the midst of the world around you. 00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:28.860 Meaning you look a little different, but not quite what the not not not what God calls you to. 00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:29.260 Certainly. 00:26:29.340 --> 00:26:31.960 And just a little unique to what maybe the world is. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:35.240 And we just can be content in that, right? 00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:39.440 And so the Apostle Paul warns us that what God doesn't, he doesn't want you to conform from the outside. 00:26:39.560 --> 00:26:41.110 And what God wants to do is something radically different. 00:26:41.960 --> 00:26:44.570 He wants to altogether transform your life from the inside out. 00:26:45.540 --> 00:26:47.760 And you don't discover that by seeking things on the outside. 00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:50.160 But to understand what Jesus wants to begin to do on the inside. 00:26:50.340 --> 00:26:52.640 So from beyond you, things are transformed. 00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:59.700 In fact, I remember, if you remember in the book of Genesis, we studied together, and one of the figures that we very much 00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:03.760 focused on was a man by the name of Abraham, which I never told you. 00:27:03.760 --> 00:27:11.030 One of the other reasons we're studying revelation is because we were in Genesis, and Revelation gives a good ending to where the Book of Genesis begins. 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:19.980 And, Abraham said it like this by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go 00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:24.100 out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance and look at this. 00:27:24.100 --> 00:27:31.340 And he went out not knowing where he was going, for he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer 00:27:31.340 --> 00:27:33.620 and builder is God. 00:27:33.780 --> 00:27:37.380 So what he's saying with the life of Abraham is he knew God had called him to something radically different. 00:27:37.600 --> 00:27:39.120 He had no idea where he was going. 00:27:39.760 --> 00:27:39.920 Right. 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:42.780 He didn't know where he was going, but he knew who he was going with. 00:27:43.820 --> 00:27:50.960 And that to him was the transforming experience that a life completely surrendered over to God and what God desired to do 00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:52.020 in him. 00:27:52.900 --> 00:27:57.360 And so point, point number one, be begin with one who is greater. 00:27:57.360 --> 00:28:00.140 Point number two, check your hope, what you're truly trusting in. 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:05.380 And so that we can get to point number three, we can be filled with true wealth. 00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:11.060 We can be filled with true wealth. 00:28:12.620 --> 00:28:19.640 It says in verse 18, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so 00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:25.220 that you may be rich and white garments, so that you may clothe yourself. 00:28:25.260 --> 00:28:32.460 And the shame of your nakedness may be not, may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so 00:28:32.460 --> 00:28:33.720 that you may see. 00:28:34.920 --> 00:28:42.060 So he's taking all these things from their community that they think it gives them value, worth where they've put their 00:28:42.060 --> 00:28:42.640 hope. 00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:50.780 He's saying no, no, all that you think makes you who you are as a as a person that brings you the comforts that 00:28:50.780 --> 00:28:52.640 you think secure you. 00:28:53.160 --> 00:28:54.550 Those are those are not the source. 00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:58.240 And so Jesus is saying these verses I love this. 00:28:58.240 --> 00:28:59.880 He says, I am counseling you. 00:29:01.080 --> 00:29:03.040 This is where you need to seek it. 00:29:04.120 --> 00:29:11.160 And what he's revealing for us as believers is we have this tendency to complicate things when it 00:29:11.160 --> 00:29:12.440 comes to our relationship with the Lord. 00:29:13.400 --> 00:29:15.310 And there's the beauty of who Jesus is. 00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:20.270 And I don't know why we do this as people, but we make it more difficult than it has to be. 00:29:21.040 --> 00:29:27.760 And one of the beautiful things about the gospel is that you get to spend eternity plunging the depths of who God is and what he's done for you. 00:29:28.620 --> 00:29:32.980 But at the same time, the gospel is so simple that even a child can understand it. 00:29:34.120 --> 00:29:37.020 I don't know why we have to complicate what it is to follow Jesus. 00:29:38.040 --> 00:29:45.420 You know, I hear in America, one of the one of the things that we've had the luxury to do as God's people over the centuries is get 00:29:45.420 --> 00:29:48.020 into the tertiary issues of theology. 00:29:48.600 --> 00:29:48.820 Right? 00:29:48.820 --> 00:29:50.870 And those things certainly have a place. 00:29:51.380 --> 00:29:58.780 But in Christianity, we've got so many, so many flavors of particular nuanced areas of theology that 00:29:58.780 --> 00:30:02.260 sometimes Christians will even argue over to the point that they'll divide. 00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:06.880 And, I think theology certainly, certainly has a place. 00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:11.940 But I spent this past week, every year I get to the ability to go to this conference. 00:30:12.180 --> 00:30:15.900 It's by invite only, and we're not allowed to share it publicly or anything like that. 00:30:15.940 --> 00:30:21.310 But it's a meeting of church planters from around the world, especially in areas that are persecuted. 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:29.580 And we get the chance to talk to one another about what God's doing around the world learning, learning, what's being helpful in reaching communities, 00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:30.920 and what God sees as helpful. 00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:38.000 And it's a wonderful dialogue, but when you set time, you have time to sit with your brothers and sisters in Christ, who you. 00:30:38.020 --> 00:30:39.580 That may be the last time I ever see them. 00:30:39.580 --> 00:30:45.140 Like their every day, their life is on the line and they share with you what the Lord's doing around the world. 00:30:45.140 --> 00:30:52.160 You know, you know what doesn't matter to me as much is their particulars over eschatology and what they think 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:55.900 about, Calvin and Arminian, if those words even mean anything to you. 00:30:57.360 --> 00:31:00.160 those particular stands, they don't really care as much about us. 00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:05.540 Just saying, man, people need to know Jesus and I may die for this, but I really just want them to know Jesus. 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:13.460 And so they talk about the beauty of who Christ is and the simplicity of what it is to follow him in 00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:19.620 a place where you know, anything you do as a believer has to be done in secret, because if you get known, you could die. 00:31:19.820 --> 00:31:26.240 I mean, I was talking to a guy that was like, yeah, I decided I got these Bibles handed to me, and I was trying to figure out what to do with it. 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:30.320 So I decided to go into the major city where I live and hand them out. 00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:37.920 And as soon as I got there and started to unload them, the police pulled up in a place where a religion dominates, and doing something like that will get you killed. 00:31:38.300 --> 00:31:41.040 And the police asked him what he was doing and he said, oh, I'm just unloading. 00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:42.280 It'll just be ten more minutes. 00:31:42.520 --> 00:31:43.880 And the police said, okay, and took off. 00:31:44.320 --> 00:31:51.340 And he said, had I done that in a more suburban area, by the end of the day, I would have been hanging in that 00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:52.050 kind of world. 00:31:52.060 --> 00:31:56.440 The simplicity of who Christ is, how valuable it is to know Jesus. 00:31:57.980 --> 00:32:05.040 I think for us as believers, it reminds me of that song as Christians, that the rich theological song for children, 00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:08.200 or maybe I should say for everybody. 00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:09.740 But we often sing it with children. 00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:12.840 Jesus loves me. 00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:15.080 This I know. 00:32:15.340 --> 00:32:19.940 For the Bible tells me so. 00:32:20.520 --> 00:32:25.740 Little ones to him belong. 00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:31.240 They are weak, but he is strong. 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:36.020 Yes, Jesus loves me. 00:32:36.260 --> 00:32:40.620 Yes, Jesus loves me. 00:32:41.360 --> 00:32:45.640 Yes, Jesus loves me. 00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:51.300 The Bible tells me so. 00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:53.650 Why do we forget that? 00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:59.930 Why do we forget the gift that it is to know Christ? 00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:08.920 I mean, more than anything, what God desires this morning is the richness of him made known in our hearts. 00:33:10.540 --> 00:33:11.820 Why do we have to make it so complicated? 00:33:15.540 --> 00:33:17.100 To know the glory of God. 00:33:18.100 --> 00:33:20.940 That the King of everything would become the servant of servants. 00:33:21.020 --> 00:33:28.240 That I could have freedom in him for eternity to find forgiveness and hope that endures anything in this world. 00:33:29.620 --> 00:33:31.140 Why would I let go of that? 00:33:32.300 --> 00:33:39.320 And sometimes I meet Christians in life that go through a difficult time and in that difficulty becomes sidelined, and so much 00:33:39.320 --> 00:33:42.480 so that they will remain sidelined for the rest of their life. 00:33:44.040 --> 00:33:50.560 Why would we give up on the richness of Jesus simply because of what circumstances brought me? 00:33:51.660 --> 00:33:56.640 What Jesus has done is far too valuable to let go of the wealth of knowing him. 00:33:57.560 --> 00:34:00.960 And this is what Christ is saying to this church. 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:01.940 And so let me let me give you a point. 00:34:01.940 --> 00:34:03.240 Number four, because I need to end here. 00:34:03.240 --> 00:34:08.190 But point number four, be encouraged by God's heart towards you. 00:34:09.120 --> 00:34:11.260 Be encouraged by God's heart towards you. 00:34:12.739 --> 00:34:19.040 The question that we should ask is, you know God's saying in verse 18, rather than taking from this world. 00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:22.000 He's saying, I want you to understand your poor, blind, and naked. 00:34:22.560 --> 00:34:25.679 And then he says in verse 18, so I counsel you to buy this from me. 00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:27.120 I am your source. 00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:28.159 Buy this from me. 00:34:28.300 --> 00:34:32.080 But the question we should ask is, how in the world can I buy this from you? 00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:36.280 Because if I'm poor, blind and naked, I shouldn't be going anywhere, right? 00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:37.739 I am definitely not going shopping. 00:34:38.520 --> 00:34:39.020 I don't even have a. 00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:40.780 I don't even have a place to carry my wallet. 00:34:41.080 --> 00:34:41.420 Right. 00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:43.040 Like poor, blind and naked. 00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:44.760 I don't even know if I can make it right. 00:34:45.100 --> 00:34:46.940 And so the question is, how in the world? 00:34:46.940 --> 00:34:48.580 How in the world can I buy this from you, Lord? 00:34:48.600 --> 00:34:49.580 When I'm poor, blind and naked? 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:52.400 But you see the answer for that in verse 20. 00:34:54.020 --> 00:34:56.840 And Jesus says to you, behold, I stand at the door and knock. 00:34:57.780 --> 00:35:03.580 If you want to hear my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:08.560 And the answer for us is, you don't have to go anywhere because nobody wants to see that. 00:35:08.580 --> 00:35:09.700 Right. 00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:14.140 But rather, the reason you're able to take it is because he's bringing it to you. 00:35:15.200 --> 00:35:22.380 And this is an incredible passage to think about, because what he says in verse 19 is he reproves you, those whom I love are reprove and discipline, so be zealous 00:35:22.380 --> 00:35:23.080 and repent. 00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:27.670 What he's saying is, for us, we should not like to be reproved. 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:28.720 I don't think very much as people. 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:31.920 It's not like the things in life that I really love to enjoy. 00:35:31.980 --> 00:35:34.450 I'm not like, oh, reproving, please do this right. 00:35:35.060 --> 00:35:37.820 but there is a place in life where I should welcome it. 00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:42.770 And that is when an individual I know when they speak to me, they're going to speak to me for my well-being. 00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:48.460 They're not going to try to make me become who they want me to be, but rather they care about what God wants to do in me. 00:35:49.040 --> 00:35:51.920 And this is certainly what Jesus is desiring in this passage. 00:35:52.620 --> 00:35:54.240 He cares about where you are. 00:35:54.560 --> 00:36:01.680 And so we should be encouraged about God's heart towards us, because for all of us this morning, even though these words could be hard, and even though we may take it to heart, the 00:36:01.680 --> 00:36:03.570 whole point of this is for your well-being. 00:36:04.260 --> 00:36:06.070 And so he says, be zealous and repent. 00:36:06.280 --> 00:36:09.760 When you see the richness of Christ, just run to this like turn. 00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:17.080 Turn from everything else that you've been thinking and doing and living for and make this your pursuit of your life and to understand who God is. 00:36:17.080 --> 00:36:20.380 This word, behold is telling us to take a look at this. 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:21.560 Like, really open your eyes. 00:36:21.600 --> 00:36:23.920 Let this let this invigorate your soul. 00:36:24.040 --> 00:36:26.210 And then he refers to us as he says, if anyone. 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:33.420 And this is important because he's saying in these moments he's written to the church of Laodicea broadly, but he's not saying personally. 00:36:34.060 --> 00:36:41.010 Now, among the church, if there's anyone in an individual that the truth of what God is saying here is speaking to your life. 00:36:42.040 --> 00:36:43.890 Don't let this moment pass you by. 00:36:44.480 --> 00:36:51.200 And the reason he's saying this is because this dining, this eating, this is actually a word for dinnertime, right? 00:36:51.240 --> 00:36:57.020 And so what he's saying is, even though it might be the late hour of your life, don't let this pass you by. 00:36:57.140 --> 00:37:04.060 Because what God desires for you, with you more than anything, is to fellowship with you, to experience the richness of who he is and in eastern cultures. 00:37:04.060 --> 00:37:07.860 Even today, to invite someone in was more than just simply having a meal. 00:37:07.860 --> 00:37:10.580 It's showing communal friendship with each other. 00:37:11.200 --> 00:37:13.780 And Jesus is saying like, for some of us, this may feel late. 00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:17.380 For some of us, this may be the last opportunity. 00:37:17.380 --> 00:37:18.930 Like you don't know what's going to happen to you when you leave. 00:37:20.100 --> 00:37:22.420 Why in the world would you let this pass you by? 00:37:22.740 --> 00:37:28.270 And in Laodicea, it was known in this community that a Roman soldiers loved to dwell here. 00:37:28.660 --> 00:37:35.040 And there was laws in Rome that if a Roman soldier needed housed and they picked your house, you had to provide for them. 00:37:36.040 --> 00:37:43.660 And but rather than force his way in, what Jesus is saying in this story is he's standing at the door knocking because what he desires is 00:37:43.660 --> 00:37:47.120 to dwell with you, that you would experience him. 00:37:47.120 --> 00:37:47.360 He's not. 00:37:47.560 --> 00:37:56.540 He's not forced upon you, but rather his desire is your heart, his life made known in you, that 00:37:56.540 --> 00:38:03.280 we would be encouraged by God's heart to Us. 00:38:03.640 --> 00:38:10.900 And so looking at this passage, I think the simplicity of what God is saying to Laodicea is to remind us 00:38:10.900 --> 00:38:16.980 as God's people, we can get so easily distracted and easily reflect the things of the world. 00:38:18.020 --> 00:38:25.180 But what God desires to do in your life is far more radically different than just simply being a, a do gooder in 00:38:25.180 --> 00:38:32.320 a society, or to be, well, religious or to even wear the Christian, the label Christian, but 00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:38.620 rather have a life completely given over to him, something totally different than anything this world has to offer. 00:38:39.200 --> 00:38:40.510 So let me let me close with this illustration. 00:38:40.940 --> 00:38:47.020 There's a great saint, this time of year that we like to talk about a little bit. 00:38:47.060 --> 00:38:52.710 And if you don't recognize this photo, this is, a saint called Saint Nicholas. 00:38:53.140 --> 00:38:55.560 And by the way, every Christian is a saint, biblically speaking. 00:38:55.560 --> 00:38:57.370 But he's often referred to as Saint Nicholas. 00:38:57.760 --> 00:39:03.900 Some of you from a Dutch experience would know his name as is Sinterklaas, or as we say today, Santa Claus. 00:39:03.900 --> 00:39:06.620 He was a real historical figure in the fourth century. 00:39:06.620 --> 00:39:08.900 Very passionate about his relationship with the Lord. 00:39:08.900 --> 00:39:13.620 So much so that he gave up his wealth to honor the Lord. 00:39:13.740 --> 00:39:18.640 He just he was he was born into wealth and he used it to honor God. 00:39:18.640 --> 00:39:25.880 And in fact, there's a story of him that there was he one day found out about three young ladies that wanted to be married, but the father couldn't 00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:27.090 afford the dowry. 00:39:27.140 --> 00:39:34.520 And so when the darkness of night, he went to their home in front of the fireplace before their stockings, he put these three bags of gold and 00:39:34.520 --> 00:39:36.060 to help this father. 00:39:36.140 --> 00:39:41.820 But this was the kind of lifestyle that he lived very passionate in his theology for the Lord and his practice for the Lord. 00:39:41.900 --> 00:39:43.620 But here's something interesting about Saint Nick. 00:39:43.620 --> 00:39:46.500 Many of you may not know Saint Nick by some people. 00:39:46.500 --> 00:39:49.720 He's been dubbed the patron saint of something. 00:39:49.740 --> 00:39:50.300 Right. 00:39:50.300 --> 00:39:52.230 And I'm not advocating you need a patron saint. 00:39:52.400 --> 00:39:57.230 Okay, but there are some people who have dubbed him the patron saint of something. 00:39:57.560 --> 00:39:59.280 And if you don't know what it is, it's very interesting. 00:39:59.580 --> 00:40:03.910 He is referred to as the patron saint of pawnshops, which is a. 00:40:03.920 --> 00:40:06.460 You feel like he got the short end of the stick with that one, didn't he? 00:40:06.460 --> 00:40:10.410 Like, out of all the things you might be dubbed a patron saint of its pawnshops. 00:40:10.520 --> 00:40:12.280 Like how in the world does that happen? 00:40:12.300 --> 00:40:19.400 In fact, some people argue that the symbol for pawnshops is three golden balls, and it comes from the story of Saint Nick and giving three bags of 00:40:19.400 --> 00:40:21.170 gold to these young ladies for their dowry. 00:40:21.900 --> 00:40:22.240 But. 00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:27.200 But when it comes to the pawnshop, you might wonder why in the world I guess everyone needs Jesus, right? 00:40:27.200 --> 00:40:28.590 Even people that run pawnshops. 00:40:29.250 --> 00:40:31.800 Why in the world is he the patron saint of pawnshops? 00:40:31.800 --> 00:40:32.940 Well, answers. 00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:33.780 Pretty interesting. 00:40:34.540 --> 00:40:42.060 If you study the history of pawnshops, what you find is during the medieval ages, pawnshops were actually run by Franciscans monks. 00:40:43.580 --> 00:40:47.310 And the reason pawnshops were started by monks was actually to help the poor. 00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:53.190 They used it as a means not to profit off the poor, but to help the poor get through time periods where they were struggling. 00:40:54.260 --> 00:41:01.460 But what happened over time is what was once a ministry lost its way and pawnshops became whatever you think about pawnshops 00:41:01.460 --> 00:41:02.460 today. 00:41:03.020 --> 00:41:11.260 And I say all that to say the same picture that we have in mind with pawnshops in this story is often what can happen in the life of a believer, that 00:41:11.260 --> 00:41:17.100 the simplicity of who Jesus is can be lost in our hearts, and we complicate what it means to know him and to make him known. 00:41:18.180 --> 00:41:22.240 And rather than end up like what you might think about a pawnshop. 00:41:23.380 --> 00:41:30.420 What God desires to do in your life is so much more beautiful and better, but it comes to this place in our life and realizing 00:41:30.420 --> 00:41:30.870 that. 00:41:31.660 --> 00:41:38.740 And God doesn't call me just simply to be a do gooder in this world, but something completely different to a kingdom whose builder 00:41:38.740 --> 00:41:39.440 is God. 00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:44.120 And the only way that happens is a heart that remains purified in him.