True or false, money is the root of all evil?
False.
The bible says, for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

There is nothing wrong with being wealthy, however, there is a danger in being wealthy that we need to be aware of.

We live in the wealthiest nation on earth.
The US Dollar is the world’s primary global currency.
11 foreign nations, other than the US use it exclusively as the only legal tender in their country.
86% of all international foreign transactions use the US Dollar.
The strength of the US Dollar allows the United States to enjoy significant financial benefits.

To put into perspective how wealthy we are in the United States, think about this: In the United States, we have a minimum wage. Here in Missouri, minimum wage is $15 an hour. If you earn minimum wage here in the United States, you earn twice as much in one hour than most of the world earn in full day of work. If you earn over $34,000 a year, then you are in the top 1% of the wealthiest people in the world. We live in the wealthiest nation on earth.

The United States is not only the wealthiest nation in the world; it has the strongest military in the world. Because of the wealth of the United States, the United States is capable of spending more on defense, than the next 10 countries combined. We have the best, most technologically advanced weapons systems, from the cutting-edge stealth aircraft capabilities, to the precision-strike weapons, to the best trained soldiers. Add to that the strength of our global alliances and the United States is by far the strongest military force in the world.

In the United States, we are also very proud of the freedom we enjoy. We have a constitution and bill of rights that makes the quality of life in the United States a much better experience than in much of the World.

In the United States we have much to be proud of, however, with this pride, with this wealth, with this sense of strength, with this sense of freedom can come a very serious danger of forgetting how much we need God.  

As we celebrate our Independence Day, let’s make sure we come to God in the right attitude. Acknowledge that any blessing we have received as a nation is because of Him. And come to Him with an attitude of complete dependence.

Today we will finish our series Lampstand.
We are looking at the first 3 chapters of the book of Revelation to see what Jesus wants in a church.

In chapter 1 we saw John’s vision. In the vision, John saw Jesus walking among lampstands tending to them to make sure they kept shining brightly. John tells us the lampstands represent churches.

This lets us know why we exist.
Annapolis First Baptist Church, let’s be a church shining brightly for the glory of Christ.
Let's shine so brightly that every dark corner of our community and world around us can see clearly who Jesus is.

After the vision of the Lampstands, Jesus gives messages to 7 literal churches in Asia minor. To some of the churches, Jesus only gave encouragement. A pat on the back for a job well done. To other churches, Jesus gave correction.

From the letter’s we have been getting an idea of what Jesus wants in His churches. You can sum it all up by saying, Jesus wants a faithful church.

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

• Angel

As I have mentioned before, I believe the word angel refers to a human messenger who would physically get the letter from John and read it to the church. The messenger is a pastor or leader in the church.

• Laodicea

This letter is written to the church in Laodicea. Laodicea was located in the Lycus river valley. Like Sardis, Laodicea was a fortified city situated on a plateau high above the valley below. The city was founded by Antiochus the Second and named after his wife Laodicea.
During the peace experienced during the Rule of the Roman Emperor, the city prospered. It was located at an intersection of trade routes making it a city of commerce.  

There are 4 things you should know about the city of Laodicea that will help us understand Jesus’ message to the church at Laodicea.

In the Lycus river valley there were 3 main cities.
Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colossae.
 
Colossae’s water was cold, refreshing, clean water that came from snow melt on the mountains. How refreshing it is to get a cold drink of iced water after working outside on a hot summer day! Cold water is refreshing.

Hierapolis was known for its hot springs. Hot water is good for relaxing. How nice it is after a long hard day to relax in a hot tub. In Hierapolis, People would go into the hot springs to help with their aches and pains, they used the hot springs for healing.

However, Laodicea, up on the Plateau, had no good water supply.
Because of this, they had to pipe their water in from miles away.

How many of you have changed out a water heater element to find calcification in the bottom of the tank that’s built up? It’s builds up because of hard water.
Laodicea had hard water.

The water piped in was so calcified, that it would clog the pipes.
By the time any water got to the city of Laodicea, it was no longer cold or refreshing.
It was tepid, lukewarm, stagnant, and nasty.
In fact, it often made people sick

Laodicea became an important banking center, and as a banking center, they prided themselves in their wealth.
Laodicea was a very wealthy city.  
In fact, it was so wealthy, that when an earthquake destroyed the city in 60 AD, they refused financial aid from the Roman government.
They were too proud to receive a government hand out.
They sent the aid money back and told them they could rebuild the city themselves.

The city was also famous for its soft black wool.
They prided themselves in their fashion: clothes and textiles made from the soft black wool they produced.

Laodicea was also proud of the medical school located in the city.
The city had a pagan temple and with the temple, a medical school associated with it.
The school was most famous for an eye salve to treat conditions involving the eyes that it had developed, which they exported all over the Greco-Roman world.

 Amen is a transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning truth.
Jesus is the truth, and they need the truth.
In Isaiah 65:16 God is called the God of truth.
When you see the phrase “verily verily I say into you” in the Gospels, Jesus is using the word amen.
Jesus is the God of truth.
Saying Amen is a verification of truth.
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

 Jesus is also the faithful and true witness.
And they need a faithful and true witness.
They should have been faithful and true witnesses to the people around them.
How is it that the church at Laodicea is so wealthy, but the other churches are so poor?
Well, if you do not stand up as a witness of the true Gospel, you do not endure the persecution.
The faithfully enduring churches were poor because of their testimony for Christ.
Laodicea wasn’t being a faithful and true witnesses.
Jesus is the faithful and true witness that tells the truth.

The church at Laodicea needed to know that Jesus is the beginning or source of all of God’s creation.
John 1:3 says, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made."

There was a heresy being taught in the Lycus River Valley.
Paul addressed it in his letter to the Colossians and told the Colossian church, to make sure to read the letter of Colossians to the church in Laodicea.
The heresy involved an unbiblical view of who Christ is, and incorporated mysticism, philosophy into the teaching of the church.

Paul wrote to let them know not to believe this heresy.
Paul reminded them that Jesus is God in the flesh.
Tthat Jesus is the source of all creation.
When a church is built on a false gospel, with a false idea of who Christ is, it produces a false church.
A church full of lost people.
Jesus is letting them know He is God, He is the source of all creation, and He is true God. 

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

With the healing springs of Hierapolis, and the cold refreshing water of Colossae, Jesus was comparing the church of Laodicea to its water source.
Hot water is good for something, it relaxes achy muscles.
Cold water is refreshing.
But the polluted water at Laodicea was sickening.

The church at Laodicea had identified themselves with Christ, but there was not a real connection to Him. Like their city, there church had no real water source. Jesus, the one who gives the living water of eternal life, was not found in the church at Laodicea. They piped their water in from afar.
This church was far from Christ.
They were distant in their relationship with Christ.
And like the water, the church was polluted, stagnant, and sickening.
The church at Laodicea made Jesus sick.

Now, what sin cause the separation, the distance between the Laodicea church and Christ?
Jesus lets them know.
It's their pride.
Their pride is blinding them from their true spiritual condition.

For you say, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.

Laodicea was a very wealthy city.
They had so much commerce in their city.
They had all they needed.
They thought.

not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

The Amen, the faithful and true witness.
The one with those eyes that see everything can see the reality of the condition on the church at Laodicea.
What He sees tells a completely different story.
The church at Laodicea was spiritual:

• Wretched - in their sin
• Pitiable - in their spiritual condition
• Poor - they may have lots of wealth, but spiritually they are poor because they don’t have a right relationship with Jesus.
• Blind - They may have their eye salve, but spiritually they cannot see.
• Naked - They may have their fancy black wool designer clothes, but their shame spiritually needs to be covered. 

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.

• Receive from Him
  • Gold refined by fire - Spiritual riches
    • A faith that is refined.
    • Our spiritual wealth is found only in Jesus.
  • White garments - clothed in righteousness, forgiven of sin.
  • Eyes salve - spiritual sight

I believe this is an evangelistic invitation to lost Church members.
People who are Christians in name only.
They need to come to Jesus to receive spiritual riches, for Christ’s blood to cover their sin so they are no longer living in shame, and spiritual eyes to see spiritual reality.
Only Jesus can give these things.

I believe the majority of people in the church at Laodicea were false converts.
Not true Christians.
However, there are some people who heard the true Gospel.
Some who came to genuine faith in Jesus.
Notice Jesus instructions for them in verse 19:

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Who is Jesus talking to in verse 19?
His children.
 Jesus loves and disciplines His children.
We see his instruction for the remnant.
The few who are real genuine followers

Zealously repent.
Repentance is a change of mind that changes our action.
Jesus told the church at Laodice to be zealous and repent.
Zealously, passionately, whole heartedly repent.

Zealously repent from the prideful attitude of self- sufficiency.
Repent from tolerating false teachings.
Repent for failing to be a faithful witness of the Gospel.
Zealously repent for spiritual apathy.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Who the promise is for?
Those who hear His voice and open the door.
It’s an invitation for close fellowship with Him.

Remember, how Jesus compared them to their water supply.
They did not have a real water source in Laodicea.
The were miles away from the source.
And this church is distant from Christ.

When it comes to our relationship with Christ, we can become distant in our fellowship with Him.

The question though is who moved?
Did Jesus move away or did you?
We move.

We see here, Jesus is there.
He is right there.
He is knocking on the door.
He is initiating the reconciliation to bring the relationship back to closeness.

The imagery of dining together is about a close relationship.
A communion with Christ.
You eat dinner with people you want to know more.
It’s a promise for close communion with Christ.
 
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.

It’s a promise for genuine Christians.
We conquer through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
Notice the promise: rule with Him To sit with Christ on His throne.
In eternal life, In Christ’s Kingdom, we will rule with Him.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Come to Jesus in complete dependance on Him.
To open your eyes so you can see clearly.
To give you the riches of a right relationship with God.
To cover all your sin and shame with his blood.


How close are you in your relationship with Christ?
If the closeness isn’t there.
Who moved?
Jesus is still there wanting a close communion with you.
Hear His voice and open the door.

Renounce any attitudes of pride and self-sufficiency.
Come to Jesus in complete dependence.
Zealously repent of any sin that is distancing us from Christ.

Make sure we are not creating and believing a false Christ.
The true Christ is the Christ of the Bible.