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December 12
Revelation 3:7-22
The Faithful Church
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In today’s reading of the One Year Bible, Christ reveals to the apostle John the spiritual condition of two more churches that he sends individual messages to.
The church in Philadelphia
The Lord did not have anything negative to say or correction of anything wrong in this church! This tells me that it is possible for a church to grow spiritually and become mature and do the things that please God. This church was focused on the harvest! They were committed to fulfilling the great commission of Christ locally! Because this pastor and the Saints in the city had been faithful in the small things like also enduring persecution the Lord decided that it was time to promote them. How does God reward our faithfulness? He gives us greater responsibility in his kingdom and work. This is exactly what happened in the church of Philadelphia. Jesus announced that he was opening a door of effective ministry that no one could close!
I think it is very interesting that in the Scriptures Jesus says I am he who opens and no one closes and I am he who closes and no one opens. What does this mean? I believe that it speaks about the sovereignty of God. At the same time, the apostle Paul asked that people would pray for him that the Lord would open doors for him and he mentioned that God had opened an effective door in the city of Ephesus. This tells me that we have to do our part and that is faithfully serve the Lord and pray for his intervention in our lives, ministries and churches because God can bless our work spiritually so that it flourishes and remains to his glory. Praying in faith pleases God so pray that the Lord would open doors and send workers into his harvest. Then be willing to go yourself. Remember how Isaiah prayed? Here am I send me! Not here am I send someone else. Put feet on your prayers.
The church at Laodicea
Jesus did not have anything good to say about this church. As a matter fact he immediately began to reveal that their negative spiritual condition that it was lukewarm. In other words, they were not on fire for Jesus Christ and excited with all their hearts about worshiping and serving God but at the same time they were not coming out and denying his name either. The Lord said he would rather have people hot or cold and not lukewarm. Because they were lukewarm he said that he would vomit them out of his mouth! This kind of attitude just makes Jesus sick and he can’t handle lukewarm Christians. No, Jesus Christ gave 100% of himself on the cross to save and redeem us from our sins and he expects that we, you and me, his people also commit to him 100% of ourselves in unconditional surrender to follow Jesus as Lord and do the will of God.
The Christians at Laodicea had fallen asleep spiritually in the blessings of God and were carnal, worldly, materialistic just living for the present. They had an attitude that they really didn’t need anything because they were rich financially. They became careless about living in holiness. Christ said they were spiritually poor, blind and naked. He counseled them to buy faith tried in the fire which means pure, authentic faith the remains faithful to God under the pressure of trials and temptations. He also told them they should purchase white garments so they would not be ashamed which obviously means repentance and holy living. Finally he tells them to purchase eye salve, a medicine to be applied to people’s eyes to bring healing which refers to seeking God through his Word and prayer to renew the values of God and see things from God’s perspective. Jesus said that because he loved them he was correcting them and encouraged them to get on fire again or become zealous once again for him by repenting from their current condition and self-centered attitude and get reconnected to the living Christ.
Remember how Jesus told the believers in the church of Ephesus that they had lost their first love? Well, these Christians had gone way beyond losing their first love that Christ was now on the outside of the church knocking to get back in. They were confessing to be Christians but had pushed Christ right out of their lives and church. Now he was knocking on the door asking to be invited back inside saying in verse 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. The Lord was saying, if you invite me in we can have fellowship with each other once again. The sad reality is that this is the condition of many Christians and churches today. They have Christ in name but he’s really outside of the church and not living in the hearts of his people that confess his name.
May God have mercy and revive each of us and every church to put off and get rid of anything that would separate us from a vital relationship walking with Jesus every moment of every day and may the Holy Spirit find hungry saints calling on God in prayer and faith in churches around the world until we realize the power of God once again as it was in the days of the book of Acts causing people to get saved, delivered from demons, healed from sicknesses, baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit and added to the church daily becoming on fire disciples for Jesus with His love and vision blazing in their hearts I pray!
Lastly, the Lord gave his promises to the overcomers. He identifies with each of us and our weaknesses as a man because he walked this earth and had to deal with all of the temptations of the devil and yet he overcame. This is why Jesus promises that just like he overcame we also must overcome and just like Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father we also will sit down with him meaning that we will reign with him eternally for the ages to come in his kingdom. One of the keys to overcoming now is to realize that spiritually we are already in a position of victory in Christ Jesus our Lord! The Bible says in Ephesians 2:5-6 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) If we are faithful in little the Lord will promote us by giving us greater responsibility to expand our ministry to reach more and more people.
2) God has the power to open and close doors of ministry. Pray for his doors to open.
3) The church at Laodicea was totally deceived about their true spiritual condition.
4) Because the Lord loves us he confronts us to change areas of our lives that need correction.
5) Keep Christ in the middle of your heart and church.
6) Your already seated with Christ spiritually. Believe it and you will overcome now!
Revelation 3:7-22
The Faithful Church
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In today’s reading of the One Year Bible, Christ reveals to the apostle John the spiritual condition of two more churches that he sends individual messages to.
The church in Philadelphia
The Lord did not have anything negative to say or correction of anything wrong in this church! This tells me that it is possible for a church to grow spiritually and become mature and do the things that please God. This church was focused on the harvest! They were committed to fulfilling the great commission of Christ locally! Because this pastor and the Saints in the city had been faithful in the small things like also enduring persecution the Lord decided that it was time to promote them. How does God reward our faithfulness? He gives us greater responsibility in his kingdom and work. This is exactly what happened in the church of Philadelphia. Jesus announced that he was opening a door of effective ministry that no one could close!
I think it is very interesting that in the Scriptures Jesus says I am he who opens and no one closes and I am he who closes and no one opens. What does this mean? I believe that it speaks about the sovereignty of God. At the same time, the apostle Paul asked that people would pray for him that the Lord would open doors for him and he mentioned that God had opened an effective door in the city of Ephesus. This tells me that we have to do our part and that is faithfully serve the Lord and pray for his intervention in our lives, ministries and churches because God can bless our work spiritually so that it flourishes and remains to his glory. Praying in faith pleases God so pray that the Lord would open doors and send workers into his harvest. Then be willing to go yourself. Remember how Isaiah prayed? Here am I send me! Not here am I send someone else. Put feet on your prayers.
The church at Laodicea
Jesus did not have anything good to say about this church. As a matter fact he immediately began to reveal that their negative spiritual condition that it was lukewarm. In other words, they were not on fire for Jesus Christ and excited with all their hearts about worshiping and serving God but at the same time they were not coming out and denying his name either. The Lord said he would rather have people hot or cold and not lukewarm. Because they were lukewarm he said that he would vomit them out of his mouth! This kind of attitude just makes Jesus sick and he can’t handle lukewarm Christians. No, Jesus Christ gave 100% of himself on the cross to save and redeem us from our sins and he expects that we, you and me, his people also commit to him 100% of ourselves in unconditional surrender to follow Jesus as Lord and do the will of God.
The Christians at Laodicea had fallen asleep spiritually in the blessings of God and were carnal, worldly, materialistic just living for the present. They had an attitude that they really didn’t need anything because they were rich financially. They became careless about living in holiness. Christ said they were spiritually poor, blind and naked. He counseled them to buy faith tried in the fire which means pure, authentic faith the remains faithful to God under the pressure of trials and temptations. He also told them they should purchase white garments so they would not be ashamed which obviously means repentance and holy living. Finally he tells them to purchase eye salve, a medicine to be applied to people’s eyes to bring healing which refers to seeking God through his Word and prayer to renew the values of God and see things from God’s perspective. Jesus said that because he loved them he was correcting them and encouraged them to get on fire again or become zealous once again for him by repenting from their current condition and self-centered attitude and get reconnected to the living Christ.
Remember how Jesus told the believers in the church of Ephesus that they had lost their first love? Well, these Christians had gone way beyond losing their first love that Christ was now on the outside of the church knocking to get back in. They were confessing to be Christians but had pushed Christ right out of their lives and church. Now he was knocking on the door asking to be invited back inside saying in verse 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. The Lord was saying, if you invite me in we can have fellowship with each other once again. The sad reality is that this is the condition of many Christians and churches today. They have Christ in name but he’s really outside of the church and not living in the hearts of his people that confess his name.
May God have mercy and revive each of us and every church to put off and get rid of anything that would separate us from a vital relationship walking with Jesus every moment of every day and may the Holy Spirit find hungry saints calling on God in prayer and faith in churches around the world until we realize the power of God once again as it was in the days of the book of Acts causing people to get saved, delivered from demons, healed from sicknesses, baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit and added to the church daily becoming on fire disciples for Jesus with His love and vision blazing in their hearts I pray!
Lastly, the Lord gave his promises to the overcomers. He identifies with each of us and our weaknesses as a man because he walked this earth and had to deal with all of the temptations of the devil and yet he overcame. This is why Jesus promises that just like he overcame we also must overcome and just like Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father we also will sit down with him meaning that we will reign with him eternally for the ages to come in his kingdom. One of the keys to overcoming now is to realize that spiritually we are already in a position of victory in Christ Jesus our Lord! The Bible says in Ephesians 2:5-6 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) If we are faithful in little the Lord will promote us by giving us greater responsibility to expand our ministry to reach more and more people.
2) God has the power to open and close doors of ministry. Pray for his doors to open.
3) The church at Laodicea was totally deceived about their true spiritual condition.
4) Because the Lord loves us he confronts us to change areas of our lives that need correction.
5) Keep Christ in the middle of your heart and church.
6) Your already seated with Christ spiritually. Believe it and you will overcome now!
|
This is your brother in Christ, Nick Boork. Thanks for listening to the One Year Bible.
I invite you to partner with us through your prayers and financial donations to expand this ministry into all the world! God bless you abundantly! |
Nick & Yngris Boork are available to preach and minister at your Church.
We serve all Christians in the Body of Christ: Let us know how we can serve you!
We serve all Christians in the Body of Christ: Let us know how we can serve you!
- Phone: 248-535-2380
- Email: nickboorkministries@gmail.com
- Website listing all ministries: http://www.nickboork.com
