HE WANTS AN ALERT CHURCH

LESSONS FROM THE LETTERS
“HE WANTS AN ALERT CHURCH”
(REVELATION 3: 14-22)

Intro:
How do you grow a church? What are the steps that should be taken if the Lord’s body is to experience numerical growth? For several years now, these are the questions which have plagued the church at large. During that same time span, there have been many suggested answers.
Some have said that our hope lies in programs. They propose that we should have more outreach, more benevolence, and more community oriented work. Still others say that we must learn to unite. They suggest that the many walls of division which we have erected are keeping us from our goals. There are even those who say that we should relax the standards which the Bible has set for us.
Today, as we conclude our sermon series in which we have examined the lessons from the letters of Revelation: we want to examine a church which seems to have had numerical growth down pat.
Laodicea was a wealthy region known for its banking. Also, thanks to the medical school located within its walls, the drug industry was very prosperous.
The Church in Laodicea was actually mentioned before Revelation 3: 14. In Colossians 4: 16, Paul tells the readers of the letter to Colosse to make sure that they share the word of the Lord with the church in Laodicea. Unfortunately, nothing remains of this church today.
This morning, I want us to see what Christ had to say to this final group. They were apparently successful at numerical growth. What is interesting however is the fact that Christ never once complements the Laodiceans. This would indicate to us that numerical growth isn’t necessarily the chief indicator of true spiritual success. Instead, Christ offers them warning. The underlying message of the words of Revelation 3: 14-22 is that Jesus is looking for an alert church. He wants a church that is paying attention to that which is going on around them.
Today, as we conclude, we want to examine two things that we need to be alert to if we are to experience true, authentic, numerical and spiritual growth. My prayer is that we can study together, and learn what it is that Christ would have us to know in order that we might become what he would have us to be.

I. BE ALERT TO THE FALSE SIGNS OF SUCCESS

1. As in the other letters, Christ begins by introducing himself to the church.
A. Rev 3: 14 first, Christ refers to himself as “the amen.”
B. As we know, the word “amen” means: “so be it.”
C. Literally speaking, Christ is reminding the church in Laodicea that he is the one who says how it will be.
D. John 5: 27 as the Son of God, he has the authority given to him by God to establish the ground rules for his church.
E. Rev 3: 14 Christ also says that he is the “faithful and true witness.”
F. John 14: 6 Jesus himself revealed to his disciples that he was the truth, meaning that no shadow could deceive, nor would he seek to cast any deception.
G. Rev 3: 14 finally, Jesus says that he is the beginning of the creation of God.”
H. John 1: 1 these words serve as a reminder that the one who writes is the same who was present from the beginning.
2. As interesting as it is to hear Christ introducing himself, it is equally informative to hear the Laodiceans opinion of themselves.
A. Rev 3: 17 “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.”
B. Translation? “We have a lot of money! People think we are so great! There is nothing that anyone can tell us!”
C. They are judging themselves based upon earthly standards, and they seem to think that everything is great.
3. However, in that very same verse, Christ reveals to them that they shouldn’t trust in those false standards.
A. Rev 3: 17 “Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
B. Rev 3: 18 in fact, Christ goes on to say that he wishes that they were either hot or cold, because at the current time they are neither.
C. Rev 3: 16 this church so distresses Christ with their lackluster service that he says that he will soon vomit them out of his mouth.
D. Christ wants them to understand that earthly standards do not matter; rather it is the opinion of the head of the church that truly matters!

II. BE ALERT TO THE TRUE SIGNS OF SUCCESS

1. Christ makes it clear that earthly standards are no way to judge success. Then what is our true standard?
A. Rev 3: 18 “I counsel thee to buy from me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.”
2. The key word to notice is “BUY.”
A. In order to buy, you must have something to spend.
B. Christ here is making a very simple offer.
C. Heb 5: 9 the offer is your heart, mind, and soul, through obedience, in exchange for salvation.
D. Notice that he wants you to purchase gold tried in the fire.
E. Without question, salvation is the gold with which we want to line our pockets.
F. Heb 12: 2-3 we also know that in order to bring salvation to mankind, Christ was indeed tried by fire.