WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:28.800 I promise, this time it is not in my notes to thank you for singing. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:31.600 Normally I plan to say that. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:39.679 Man, I don't get to preach often enough during single service Sundays. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:42.399 I wish they were all that way. 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:44.320 Oh, it's good to sing with you. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:45.840 It's good to hear you. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:50.479 It's good to not feel the immense pressure of not messing up my harmony lines. 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:58.719 Oh, surely the Lord is our salvation, and all glory and honor belongs to him for it. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:00:59.600 Amen. 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:01.039 Amen. 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:03.679 Oh, would you pray with me? 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:06.959 Father, we ask for your help as we come to your word. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:20.719 Give us strength, give us humility, give us clarity and honesty to comprehend together all of your love, that you may be more glorified in our hearts and minds. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:22.879 It's in your Son's name we pray. 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:23.840 Amen. 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:30.560 Several decades ago, the city was nearly destroyed by a great natural disaster. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:35.280 Many public buildings were damaged severely as a result. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:40.000 The people recovered, the community bounced back, they were strong. 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:43.040 They were surrounded by rich farmland all around. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:45.359 It propped up and secured their economy. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:53.280 What's more, the city had a fantastic school of medicine, specializing in all kinds of things. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:02:00.400 Had established and successful banks, well-marketed businesses that sold quality goods. 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:05.920 Don't forget the winning athletic tradition, the strong culture of the arts. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:10.000 They marked it out as the brightest city in the valley. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:17.680 Propped up by private citizens of substantial wealth, who possessed a philanthropic spirit. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:19.599 They loved their fellow man. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:24.000 The city nonetheless had an independent and proud streak. 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:35.120 After all, when the earthquake hit, it wasn't the emperor who rebuilt Laodicea, but the men of means who rebuilt it. 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:39.360 Those men who got their names on plaques and statues. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.039 You guys thought I was talking about Grand Forks, didn't you? 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:45.039 Gotcha. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:48.879 But really, all of that is readily researched. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:56.319 It's accounted for in ancient historians like Strabo and Cicero and Tacitus and other names I'm not going to try to pronounce. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:06.960 The city of Laodicea was just like the city of Grand Forks, and more ways than we have time to go into, and more ways than our minds can bear. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:20.639 And this city had a church to whom Christ wrote a letter some 30 years or so after an earthquake nearly destroyed the city. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:27.280 And so that letter, I think, is very instructive for us here in Grand Forks. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:34.080 Turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Revelation, chapter 3, and verse 14. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:44.719 And let's hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:48.240 Revelation chapter 3, verse 14. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.759 Paul along with me as I read it. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:06.240 And to the angel of the church in Laodicea, write the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:08.719 I know your works. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:11.120 You are neither cold nor hot. 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:14.240 Would that you were either cold or hot. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:20.560 So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:25.439 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing. 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:31.199 Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:45.439 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments, so that you may clothe yourself, and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:49.040 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:51.279 So be zealous and repent. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:55.439 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:05:01.040 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me. 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:09.040 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:15.279 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:22.800 And we'll begin in verse 15 with the condition of the Laodiceans. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:32.399 For centuries, maybe even millennia, Christians have misinterpreted the meaning of lukewarmness and its consequences. 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:36.879 Especially us moderns, with our hot water heaters. 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:59.759 But from this passage, people often draw the conclusion that the risen Christ, that's who's speaking, would prefer an unbeliever to a lagging Christian, as if God Almighty would rather quite enjoy the taste of vulgar opposition to his name over a measure of spiritual apathy. 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:03.759 So let's take both of those and turn canonically. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:07.360 First, those who are in outright opposition to God. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:12.079 Let's see if God really prefers that, the so-called cold ones. 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:14.639 What shall we say of Pharaoh? 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:17.519 That great enemy of God and God's people. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:23.199 Surely none were more directly opposed to God, Yahweh, than Pharaoh. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:29.199 This Pharaoh who in Exodus 5 said, Who is Yahweh that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.399 I do not know this Yahweh. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:37.040 What did Pharaoh get from God as a result? 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:41.360 Ten plagues, lost a son. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:52.959 And then this, in Exodus 14, verse 4, God says to Moses, I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, that is, into the midst of the sea. 00:06:53.199 --> 00:07:01.120 And I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.480 You will know, God says to those who are opposed to him. 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:12.560 What do we say of the wicked kings of Israel who led God's people into idolatry, false worship of nonsense gods? 00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:18.319 Do we really think God prefers the crisp, refreshing taste of Jeroboam in his mouth? 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:19.199 No. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:32.000 First Kings 14, 5, God says, You have done evil above all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger and have cast me behind your back. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:49.519 Therefore, behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:54.240 Surely God doesn't find that palatable. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.800 One more, we'll make this a New Testament issue, and then I'll settle the point. 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:06.480 Do we really think God finds the malignancy of false teachers palatable, enjoyable? 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:10.879 For in the letter to the Laodiceans, cold is good. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:44.000 Does God really think that the people of whom the apostle writes to the Galatians, let them be accursed if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, or of whom Peter writes, but these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed, these are false teachers Peter's writing about, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:46.480 They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:48.639 They are blots and blemishes. 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:49.519 Yuck. 00:08:50.399 --> 00:09:00.399 Reveling in their deceptions, accursed children, or of whom Jude writes, for certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:09.039 Ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:18.559 Do we dare to suggest that God prefers the taste of opposition in his mouth to the taste of the half-hearted? 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:20.240 May it never be. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:26.799 Upon these, the wrath of God is assuredly coming, but let's take the companion misinterpretation as well. 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:28.320 There we go. 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:33.919 That is the faltering Christian, the so-called lukewarm one, right? 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:41.039 The less than zealous Christian, who people often say Christ finds nauseating. 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:46.240 Oh, Christian, tremble before you say that. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:51.039 For hypocrisy knocks at the door of your heart to suggest such a thing. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:53.279 Isaiah 42, verse 1. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:59.759 Behold, my servant whom I uphold, my chosen in whom my soul delights. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.799 This is Jesus God is speaking of through Isaiah. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:07.759 Jesus, I have put my spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:12.399 Jesus will not cry aloud, nor lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street. 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:22.000 A bruised reed Jesus will not break, and a faintly burning wick Jesus will not quench, he will faithfully bring forth justice. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:29.360 Can the Savior of the world appointed to not break bruised reeds, nor snuff out smoldering wicks? 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:37.519 Would that kind of Savior, would that God find the lethargic, the weary, nauseating? 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:45.120 Is not the faith of even the youngest children precious in the sight of God? 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:54.720 Can the Savior who calls the lost sheep, these little ones, cast out any for whom his blood was shed? 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:57.279 No, may it never be. 00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:02.879 His grace is too great, his mercy too magnificent for such a thing. 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:17.840 And so it cannot be, it cannot be, that our text for this morning, it cannot be that lukewarmness refers to a sort of half-heartedness or weakness of genuine faith. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:19.039 It's not what it means. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:20.480 It can't mean that. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:24.559 I'd even go so far as to say it's blasphemous to suggest that. 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:29.679 As if Christ simply longed for them to care a little more about the things of God. 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:31.200 No. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:43.679 Because if there be faith, no matter how small, Christ recognizes it, cherishes it, and zealously defends it. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:48.960 And so it cannot be that lukewarmness is such a thing. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:55.679 Unless, unless these Laodiceans are no Christians at all. 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:59.039 But we'll come back to that. 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:03.200 So what then is lukewarmness in our text? 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:11.120 If it isn't that lagging apathy or a spiritual half-heartedness, I don't mean to downplay how bad that would be. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:12.720 That's blasphemy. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:15.840 To be half-hearted about the things of God is sin. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:26.159 But that's not necessarily what I think this text is about, because quite clearly, from just this passage, it's obvious. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:33.600 I think, from just right here, that lukewarmness refers to something utterly disgusting. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:38.000 Christ says, I'm about to spit you out of my mouth. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:40.320 The verb there is vomit. 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:44.240 Like you open a bunch of lexicons, they say, vomit. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:46.399 There's not a lot of ambiguity there. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:50.320 Christ says, I'm about to vomit you out of my mouth. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:55.519 Your works are so disgusting to me that I'm about to gag for the taste of them. 00:12:55.840 --> 00:13:02.240 Your spiritual condition is so appalling, so repugnant, that I think I'm about to wretch. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:07.279 You make me sick, Jesus says. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:22.000 And so without leaving our Bibles, without leaving the canon of Scripture, without leaving God's word, we can see that lukewarmness is not just mediocre Christianity. 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:25.600 It's categorically wrong. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:26.960 It's sin. 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:30.240 It's not just not quite good enough. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:33.440 Lukewarmness is entirely bad. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:41.039 The works of the Laodiceans aren't just good works done half-heartedly, they're wretched works. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:43.120 Yeah. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:45.519 It's worse. 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:48.240 It's worse than we've always thought. 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:57.600 And several ancient sources give support to this way of reading the text because Laodicea as a city had no good water. 00:13:57.840 --> 00:13:58.799 They had none. 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:00.000 They had to pipe it in. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:03.039 You see a discovered piece of pipe right there. 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:06.399 They had to pipe it in from hot springs several miles away. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:12.000 And after that hot spring water sat on the counter for a minute and cooled off just a little bit. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:22.960 It was so disgustingly laden with minerals from the spring and pollutants from the pipe that it could actually be used to induce vomiting for medical purposes. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:25.279 It was disgusting. 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:27.360 Cicero even comments on it. 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:30.240 It was a well-established fact of the community. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:32.559 Their water was nasty. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:34.080 It was gross. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:37.679 And so were their Christians. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:42.320 Christ found them nauseating. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:44.639 Their works foul. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:51.200 Their service off-putting, rancid, revolting, repugnant. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:58.080 So much so that he was about to vomit them out of his mouth. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:01.600 He was near to rejecting them. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:08.720 Their works were so despicable that the risen Christ had nearly lost his lunch. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.000 And they were clueless about it. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:17.919 They walked around in their haughty grossness, bragging on themselves. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:23.279 This church says, verse 17, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:28.000 Imagine an entire church that so flagrantly boasted in their self-sufficiency. 00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:31.440 The tense of that Greek verb implies that they just keep saying it. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:32.480 It's what they say. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:37.279 Like somebody who can't help but boast about their past accomplishments, even if they were 30 years ago. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.080 They just keep reminding you of all the great things they've done. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.679 They just keep on talking about it. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:46.960 This church keeps on saying, I am rich, I have prospered, I have need of nothing. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:52.480 And the powerful irony here is they sound just like the pagan Laodiceans. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.960 They sound just like their neighbors. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:57.840 Laodicea, as I mentioned earlier, was a rich. 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:01.440 They had a favorable trade route, rich farm ground. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.799 These were the first influencers on social media. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:06.960 I'm not kidding. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:12.960 Their wealth and their status gave them capacity, gave them the ability to influence public opinion. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:22.159 And so they made black clothing, the hip, cool, and hot thing to wear, because their flocks had black wool. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:27.360 And so they cut out the cost of dyeing the wool, drove up the demand for black garments, and made a killing. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:28.559 They're smart. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:41.600 But the Laodiceans were so wealthy, so proud, so independent that when that earthquake came through in the 60 AD, they turned down imperial aid from Rome and rebuilt it themselves bigger and better than before. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:44.960 They added theaters and temples, they built up big walls. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:51.519 We can see on the stadium an inscription of a man that he built it outside of outsiders. 00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:54.399 That is, without the help of foreigners. 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:58.559 The same guy has his name on three such inscriptions. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:03.759 One of them even says, out of his own resources, out of his own pocket. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:10.000 And the church tried to keep up with the arrogant boastfulness of their wealthy neighbors. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:13.119 You don't hang a sign like that unless it's cool to do so. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.000 So that guy was well thought of. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:18.640 And they wanted to be well thought of too. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:22.640 They said, We're rich, we've prospered, we have need of nothing. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:23.519 Who knows? 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:26.960 That guy with his name on stuff may have even been in the church. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:28.559 We don't know that. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:34.400 I mean, if he was, he's probably in a position of leadership, but that's just speculation on my part. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:37.200 Imagine how this letter hits that guy. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:38.160 Oof. 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:50.640 But for all of their boasting, all of their bragging, all of their self-sufficiency, the Laodiceans had skunky water. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:54.319 For all their monuments, taking a bath was an adventure. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:59.680 For all their fashionable clothing, their haughty faces had to choke down their beverages. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.920 It's not really pretty, like gag when you're taking a drink of water, right? 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:12.960 The church, for all her boasting of wealth, was revolting to the glorified Christ. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.359 Her works made him sick. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:28.799 Because contrary to her boasting that she was rich, wealthy, and in need of nothing, she was clueless, oblivious, ignorant to the fact that she was wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:32.400 And now we get a real look at what lukewarmness means. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.519 This is Christ's description of the Laodiceans. 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:40.559 Lukewarm, wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:42.240 And you don't know it. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:45.519 The first two in that list of five things go together. 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:49.759 They combine to spell miserable, wretched, and pitiable. 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:53.039 This is the opposite of prosperous independence. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:58.160 According to Christ, the Laodicean Christians were not happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise. 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:00.319 As Ben Franklin would say. 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:20.240 Note too, friends, in our world, in our day, and in general, self-sufficient arrogance often leads, not always, but often leads to depression, anger, anxiety, irritability. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:26.960 Pride goes before the fall, and puffed up people are really deflated. 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:33.119 It's a shot across the bow of our Western wealthy Christianity. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:40.400 For we seem more discontent and divisive than the poverty-stricken, persecuted Christians of other nations. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:44.319 You think you've got it all figured out, Christ says, but you're sad. 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:47.200 Pathetic even. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:20:04.799 And so this church of the Laodiceans is full of sad, pathetic, disgusting, repugnant wretches, pretending everything is just fine. 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:11.359 Christ's self-identification in verse 14 is important here. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:13.839 He calls himself in this letter. 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:15.039 He identifies himself. 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:17.359 He announces himself this way. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:24.720 He says, the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:31.200 The words of the Amen, that phrase very nearly identifies Jesus with the God of the Old Testament himself. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:36.319 For in Isaiah 65, God refers to himself as the God of the Amen. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.559 And Christ is all that is true of God. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.799 He is, in fact, God's truth, the truth, full of grace and truth. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:47.039 And all of God's promises find their yes and amen in him. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:48.240 He's it. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.200 He's it. 00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:52.000 He's the faithful and true witness. 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:57.359 He always comes to give testimony faithfully, and the testimony he gives is true. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:05.680 The word witness here would later become, it doesn't have this meaning now, but later, this is the word that the church fathers would use to name the martyrs. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:10.880 Those people who bear faithful and true witness, no matter the cost. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:19.440 And more yet, Christ, the beginning, the ruler, the originator, as some of your translations may say, the originator of God's creation. 00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:23.440 He's the supreme king, the originator of all that is. 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:33.119 It's funny, this verse, this passage is often quoted by those who want to make Jesus into a created being of a lesser order than God, like Jehovah's Witnesses. 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:38.400 But in fact, Jesus said it and the apostle wrote it for the opposite reason. 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:46.559 And I think this assertion from Christ is just as mind-boggling as the beginning of the Gospel of John. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:50.240 Where John says the Logos took on flesh. 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:56.799 Because for centuries before your New Testament was written, Greeks sought after the Archae. 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.480 That's the word written here, the Archae. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.960 Like Arch nemesis or Archbishop. 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.400 The word Archae. 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:06.559 Thales called the Archae water. 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:08.720 And Anaximander called it the infinite. 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:10.319 Anaximenes called it air. 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:14.160 Heraclitus called it change, but the apostles called him Jesus. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:18.160 For from him and through him and to him are all things. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:22.480 In the beginning was the word reads, in the Archae was the Lagos. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:29.359 And the word, the originator, the ruler of God's creation, took on flesh and dwelt among us. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:33.359 Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the sovereign Lord of all that is. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:35.680 Revelation chapter 4, verse 11. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:41.200 Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power. 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:46.720 For you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:53.359 This is the all-knowing, all-testifying, all-creating, all-powerful God of the cosmos speaking. 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:58.400 The faithful and true witness of Yahweh, the amen of the Old Testament. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:02.640 And no church can claim to be rich apart from him. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:27.279 In the valley of the Laodiceans and the Colossians, for they were neighbors, there was this Proto-Aryan heresy that Christ was again somehow that created being of a class less than God Himself, and that through some super-spiritualized Judaisms or asceticisms of beating the flesh or observing things, men like you and I could rise above the things of Christ, the things of heaven. 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:28.799 It's nonsense. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:34.079 Christ rules it out out of hand right here, and he says, I know your works. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:36.079 I know your works. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:37.759 He exposes them. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:40.319 His eye searches them out. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:47.359 He testifies truly and plainly before the Father of their lukewarm repugnancy. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:52.000 The Holy One of Israel walks among the lampstands of the seven churches. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:58.720 He takes these puffed up people, full of themselves and their wealth and success and status. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:03.920 He exposes their sin, for he knows their work. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:13.519 The faithful and true witness takes the stand as Christ gives his glorious testimony. 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:14.480 Too far. 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:15.680 There we go. 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:19.599 You disgust me, Christ says to this church. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:24.480 Just like your glittering city is disgusted by her shameful water. 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:27.200 Your works are undone before me. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:28.799 You're not rich. 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:30.079 You're poor. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:33.359 The cattle upon a thousand hills are mine, Christ says. 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:35.039 The cosmos is mine. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.680 I am the originator of all that is. 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:40.640 It is in me that you live and move and have your being. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:41.680 You're not rich. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:42.799 You're poor. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:44.960 You're blind, Christ says. 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:46.400 You can't see. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:57.519 The great irony here is that the Laodiceans had that medical school and they had cutting-edge treatments and medicines for eye diseases, eye ailments. 00:24:57.599 --> 00:25:03.759 They produced a special powder that we still don't know the contents of because they protected it, because it made money. 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:11.519 But even with all of their wisdom and insight and medical genius, they couldn't see that they were wretched and pitiful. 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:14.960 You're naked, Christ says. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:19.920 See, I've exposed you that your hypocrisy may cause you shame. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:23.680 I see the things you hide, Jesus says to them. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:39.599 And the city, renowned for their luxurious garments that inspired confidence in the wearer, stands naked, trembling and exposed before a holy God, just like Adam in the garden, or Isaiah in the temple. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:42.880 And what God finds is repugnant to him. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:45.440 It's about to make him sick. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:55.759 Their boasting and utter lack of holiness make them lukewarm, disgusting, repugnant. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.200 But here's the beauty of this letter. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:04.880 Here it is. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:08.960 Verse 17 and verse 18 go together. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:15.279 The logic is backwards of how we would often say it, but it's not uncommon in our way of speaking. 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:17.519 Verse 17 and 18 go together. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:18.640 Let me read it for you. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:28.000 For you say, or rather, because you say I am rich, not realizing that you are wretched, I counsel you to buy from me gold. 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:29.519 Do you hear that? 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:36.480 Christ's counsel comes primarily as a response to their condition and their ignorance. 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:43.519 Because you're wretched and because you don't get it, I counsel you to buy from me gold. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:53.200 It primarily forms the reason for Christ's counsel, not the explanation of lukewarmness. 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:55.039 I really wanted it to be that. 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:56.400 And it is that. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:57.839 Just not as directly. 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:00.240 Where else would we find the description of lukewarmness? 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.200 But right there. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:11.599 But the reason Christ writes it, the reason Christ brings it up, the reason he says those things to them, is because he wants to counsel them to buy from him gold. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:22.079 Because you say you're poor, because you say you're rich, not knowing that you're poor, I counsel you to buy from me gold. 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:26.559 There isn't Christ counsels the poor people. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:29.519 Imagine how that hit the Laodiceans. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:37.920 He counsels the poor people, for that is what he called them, to buy from him gold, pure gold, true gold, gold refined by fire. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:41.599 An image Peter uses to describe genuine and tested faith. 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:45.279 Forsake your riches thereof nothing and cling to mine. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:49.200 The poor may buy them without price, Christ says. 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:52.880 He counsels the naked, those whose sin has been found out. 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:59.279 Upon him conviction has come forcefully, such that they scatter for fig leaves and hide in the bushes. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:02.880 Christ says, Let me clothe you, just like he did in the garden. 00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:08.079 You poor people, come buy my garments, white garments of righteousness. 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:11.759 Let me cover the shame of your nakedness, friends. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:13.119 This is the gospel. 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:16.240 His robes for mine, such wonder none can know. 00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:25.839 Christ God's beloved, condemned as though his foe, he as though I accursed and left alone, I as though he embraced and welcomed home. 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:34.160 Christ offers to clothe naked sinners in the robes of his righteousness as he hangs naked upon the tree. 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:39.440 So that the shame of their nakedness may not be seen. 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:42.160 Let's put that behind us. 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:43.599 Let's move on. 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:48.960 Let's move forward in my righteousness, not yours, Christ says. 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:53.279 He counsels the blind to buy his healing sav. 00:28:54.400 --> 00:28:56.400 Remember that medical school? 00:28:56.720 --> 00:29:00.160 Remember the fancy Phrygian powder, as it was called? 00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:04.079 Remember the blind men healed with spit mud? 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:06.960 Nothing elegant about spit mud. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:10.960 But Christ says, let me open your eyes. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:13.359 Let me show you your true condition. 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:16.079 Open your eyes to my words. 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:19.119 Oh friends, do you not hear the hymns? 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:20.559 Do you hear them? 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:22.400 They're screaming off these pages. 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.119 Sing it with me. 00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:24.480 What else are we doing? 00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:27.920 Amazing grace. 00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:38.000 How sweet the sound that save the wretch like me? 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:51.279 I was lost, but now found was blind. 00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:55.599 But now I see. 00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:01.599 What made Newton write that hymn? 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.839 Could have been this, right? 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:06.319 But the question remains. 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:08.960 Question I asked earlier. 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:14.240 Are these Laodiceans true believers? 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:17.920 My whole argument about lukewarmness hangs on that. 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:20.079 I don't know if you figured that out yet. 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:24.559 But are these Laodiceans true believers? 00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:29.920 Or are these hypocritical boasters just phonies? 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:31.200 Just fakers. 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:36.960 They sure sound like their pagan neighbors. 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:42.960 They sure sound like the Pharisees, don't they? 00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:52.720 Those whom I love. 00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:59.119 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:01.839 Language Christ borrows from his own word. 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:03.119 He's allowed to do that. 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:05.519 This guy doesn't have to cite his sources. 00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:10.559 Christ borrows this language from Proverbs 3, 12, right? 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:11.920 It's right there for you. 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:17.440 For the Lord reproves him whom he loves as a father, the Son in whom he delights. 00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:20.559 Same passage the author to the Hebrews comments upon. 00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:26.240 If you are left without discipline, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:30.000 And so when Christ says that, Christ calls them his. 00:32:51.839 --> 00:33:05.680 And in verse 20, Christ says to him, As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels, the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. 00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:09.519 There are seven stars. 00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:14.079 There are seven golden lampstands. 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:16.720 Christ threatened to take one away. 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:19.519 He threatened to unchurch the Ephesians. 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:25.440 But there are seven golden lampstands, and one of them belongs to Laodicea. 00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:27.839 These are Christians. 00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:30.319 These are believers. 00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:38.000 And so it could never be, it could never be that lukewarmness is half-heartedness. 00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:46.480 Because Christ would not spit out the genuine faith for even so blasphemous a thing as that. 00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:52.640 No, friends, lukewarmness is far worse than just apathy. 00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:55.839 Though it can include apathy. 00:33:56.319 --> 00:34:03.519 All sin, repugnant works, wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked, and hypocritical about it. 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:35.679 When we make lukewarmness just apathy, when we say that lukewarmness is a special condition of genuine believers that would cause them to fall under judgment, for that's what we mean, that's what it means when Christ says he will vomit them out of his mouth, that's judgment, to say that these are genuine believers under a special condition of sinfulness is to argue that there are Christians who aren't as fire, as on fire as whatever arbitrary standard we set up. 00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:39.599 When we say that, we better be saying there are no Christians at all. 00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:47.519 Because to suggest that Christ would snuff out the smoldering wick is to call into question the character of the beloved. 00:34:48.159 --> 00:35:02.480 It is a blatant denial of grace to say that works are required for salvation, that some could have faith but only lukewarm works and thus not be saved, is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:03.599 It's not. 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:06.079 Let such a doctrine be accursed. 00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:33.199 That is a different gospel than the gospel of the New Testament, because the weakened faith, the stumbling brother, the backslider, if he's a genuine believer with real faith, and he might not be, but if he is, then he is a brother or sister in Christ who is saved by grace alone through Jesus Christ who died to forgive sins seven times, 70 times over. 00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:47.199 If we say that some quantity of sin or some lack of quality of service makes somebody too sinful or not holy enough for Jesus, then you and I have no hope for salvation. 00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:50.800 Because if you could lose your salvation, you would, right? 00:35:51.440 --> 00:35:52.079 You would. 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:53.679 Hear me. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:36:00.239 You have sinned enough since Christ redeemed you to earn hell for yourself 7,000 times over. 00:36:01.119 --> 00:36:02.079 You have. 00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:06.719 You are the lukewarm Laodicean. 00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:12.079 I am the lukewarm Laodicean. 00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:18.960