Laodicea, The Church of Compromise - Brother Christian Torres

Revelation’s Letters to the Seven Churches and the Call to Learn from Their Mistakes

Now I want you to pay attention. It wasn't anything in Israel wasn't their military.

Good morning church. We're gonna be in the book of Revelation this morning. Revelation chapter 3 verses 14 through 22 now before I begin I'd like to thank the pastoral ministry of this church. Today I value today a lot because today the shepherds are sitting down and they're allowing me to teach their flock and So I take that to heart.

I'm privileged to be here this morning to bring you the Word of God and I've studied for countless hours to make sure that I bring forth good words truthful words. And so I will begin by praying. To make sure that everything I say is in accordance to the Word of God.

Let us pray Lord you are sovereign over all. Lord your word is absolute and final and everything that it touches I am what it says that I am and I was what it says that I was Lord. I ask that when The Word of God is spoken.

We may take it to heart that we may apply it. And that we may leave here never the same. Let us walk out changed different not because I was preaching but because the Word of God was actually spoken In Jesus name.

Amen. So one thing that I'd like to do church is I'd like to publicly read Revelation chapter 3 verses 14 through 22. I'd like for us to stand as we read it together. I Have the ESV version but the handout I actually put the ESV version on there.

And what I would like for us to do is everybody in the room read it as I read it. So that everybody reads the Word of God, not just me. I believe there's power in the public reading of Scripture. Revelation chapter 3 Starting at verse 14 says this.

And to the angel of the church and Laodicea. Write the words of the Amen the faithful and true witness the beginning of God's creation. 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 speech you out of my mouth for you say I am rich. I have prospered. I need nothing not realizing that you are wretched pitiful poor blind and naked.

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.

Those whom I love I reprove and discipline so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and I knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and eat with him and he with me.

The one who conquers I will grant him to sit with me on my throne. Also as I have conquered and sat down with my father on his throne. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches you may have a seat.

Christ’s Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor

This morning. We're gonna be talking about the church of Laodicea. Now It's pretty interesting that I only get like one or two shots to teach In front of everybody and I choose one of the hardest books of the Bible.

But chapter 2 and chapter 3 of the book of Revelation are letters written by Christ. To seven churches who lived in modern-day Turkey in Asia Minor. The rest is prophetic and you know future events, but before Christ got to those events.

He wanted to address seven churches and The goal for me today is for you guys to look and see what Christ said To those churches because we stand at a place of great privilege. Because we get to see Where they failed and we get to learn from their mistakes.

A couple of weeks ago I taught in the book of Ecclesiastes and I made a comment about it. The Bible is canned knowledge. It's canned experience. You don't have to experience life yourself read the Word of God learn from their mistakes so that you don't fall in the same way they fell.

Revelation was written Around 90 AD by the Apostle John and when he addressed when Jesus addressed the churches he gave them Good things he commended them. But oftentimes he judged them for things they were doing wrong for the church in Ephesus.

They had good doctrine. But they had lost their first love in the church in Smyrna. They were enduring suffering and Christ had nothing wrong to say to them. They were perfect in the way they were they were enduring suffering.

The church of Pergamum was loyal to Christ, but they tolerated heresy and false teaching the church in Thyatira. They had a constant improvement. And they were always doing something better. Better BBS better sermons better attendance, but they had this wrong with them.

They tolerated sexual immorality. The church in Sardis. They only had a few faithful Christians. Their only compliment was that they had just a few people in their midst that were faithful. The rest were spiritually dead as Jesus puts it the church in Philadelphia was spiritually alive.

And guess what. Christ had nothing wrong to say about them they were spiritually alive. Now we get to the last church and I do mean the last church because when Christ addressed the church in Laodicea.

He had no compliments. They were doing nothing, right? Absolutely, nothing. Could you imagine Christ writes us a letter and he has nothing good to say. Tragic, he said that they were lukewarm. And we're going to study this letter and hope that we never fall into this category starting at verse 14.

The Meaning of Amen, Faithful and True Witness, and the Beginning of God’s Creation

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea writes the words of the Amen the faithful and true witness the beginning of God's creation. Start off that word angel in the Greek is Angelos and it means messenger.

So this letter is most likely written to the pastor. Hey pastor. This is for you. You read this in front of your flock. So for anybody wanting to be a pastor just to remember Christ will go to the pastor before he goes to the church.

Because they're responsible. Now look at this title that the Lord gives himself the words of the Amen. Now I heard some of you guys say amen in here today. What does it mean when the Lord says I am the amen?

Well in order to know we can't just say amen without knowing what it means. Amen can simply be Truly truly. Verily Jesus used it a lot. Whenever he wanted to emphasize something that hey, this is very true.

Amen, amen is a statement of agreement. It is saying that whatever that person is saying is a hundred percent true and I agree with it completely. So when Christ is saying I'm the amen He's saying that I validate truth.

All truth comes from me and only from me. But apart from me, there is no truth. The church had forgotten who he was truly. He's the amen. Christ is the validation of all truth since he is the source of all truth and this church had forgotten that He is the faithful and true witness.

In a court setting we understand how important a witness is to a case. A witness can change the course of the case. Christ comes as a witness against the church as we read the church that we're good. We're rich.

We've prospered. We don't need anything. But here comes the true witness to the stand. No, they're guilty completely guilty. And this is the church talking about right here. We're not talking about unbelievers.

We're talking about the church of Laodicea. Christ's words are absolute supreme and power and Final. When Christ steps forward and he says hey, this is true. Everyone says they meant because it is no doubt about it.

The church of Laodicea needed a true witness. Because they were not witnessing themselves properly. They thought they were good when they were not one of the worst things one of the worst qualities a person can have is to not have the ability of Self-awareness to not be self-aware of where you at today.

That's the worst thing that can happen because you can't fix a problem that you don't know exists. The first step in solving a problem is admitting that there is one and the Lord Jesus Christ is stepping forward and saying there's a problem.

He's the amen the faithful and true witness. The beginning of God's creation like the way the King James puts it the origin of God's creation. Christ isn't saying he's the beginning as in like he was the first thing created.

Means that in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 Jesus is saying that was me Light. Yeah, that was me. I did that. I am the beginning. I started everything. That's a verse for the deity of Christ. No man can say that and Christ comes to his church and says I was in the beginning.

I know everything not only is he the true witness, but he has all knowledge in his hand. And so whatever he has to say is true so Jesus is slowly but surely Setting up the argument. He's putting his credentials down.

He's going. I don't care what y 'all think y 'all are Laodiceans because what I'm about to say to you is a hundred percent truthful. Verse 15. I Know your works you are neither cold nor hot. I Would rather you be hot or cold.

So let's stop right there. Now if you're like me, I kind of cringe a little bit when Jesus said I know your works. If Christ were to walk up to you and say I know what you've done. How would you react?

Look, I'd be nervous. I'd be thinking. Oh my gosh. What did I do? Yes, what did I do this morning that offended Christ? Christ Understands and knows fully what we do in here. There is no shadow that he cannot see.

Scripture says that even the darkness is light before him. The deep things in your heart. Everything you've ever done you thought are wide open before Christ. And your thoughts Christ is there and Your sin Christ is there and you know what and in your successes Christ is there.

That's the beautiful part is that this doesn't only have to apply to the evil. The charitable act that you did that no one else saw. Guess who else was there? Christ was there the good works that we do in his name Are not done in vain because he rewards those who do good.

So when you read this don't shy away and go don't do it. Adam and Eve did and hide. Oh, I know your works. We have done good church. We have done good. I've been privileged to be a minister here and I can tell you we have done good and Some good that hasn't been seen.

In the public I've been privileged to see good works done in private. We're doing good church. So I don't believe that we fall completely into this category as a whole but individually for sure we can.

I Know your works. You were neither hot nor cold. You're lukewarm. I Wish you were one of the other. How useful is a soldier that can't pick a side? How useful is a soldier that has no side that's right, they're just useless.

They have no loyalty. Let's flip that. How good is a soldier that fights for both sides? Nothing you're lukewarm. You're not useful to the kingdom. You were just a burden and that is what Christ said to this church.

You are a burden to me right now. Hmm. Now what's interesting is The Prophet Elijah in 1st Kings chapter 18 verse 21 and I said the same thing. Check this out. Then Elijah approached all the people and said how long will you waver between two opinions?

If the Lord is God Follow him if Baal is God follow him. But the people didn't answer him a word since day one church since day one. We've been struggling with this. This isn't something new. It didn't start with Laodicea.

It was all the way back in Israel. They couldn't pick a side. They were serving Yahweh in the morning and Baal at night. Lukewarm it has been a problem since day one for the church for the people of God, but for this church Christ had had enough verse 16.

Why Lukewarm Christianity Is Nauseating to Christ

So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold I will spit you out of my mouth. Now some of our translations have softened the blow a little bit but The original says I will vomit you out of my mouth.

I Can spit right now. I can voluntarily do it, but it's a vomit. Your body does it against your will? You you can't say I want to vomit now. So let's vomit now. It is forced on you. It is painful. It is awkward.

It is embarrassing. The lukewarmness of the church. Lukewarm Christianity is so disgusting to the Lord That he can't help but expel it. He can't help but explode it goes against his nature. Lukewarmness is the worst thing that can happen.

I Would rather you be an atheist and be an atheist and claim to be an atheist. I'd rather you be a Christian and claim to be a Christian and be a Christian but to live in the middle to come to church Sunday morning and then leave and Do what the world does?

It's the worst thing you can do Christ that I would rather you be one of the other. Distinction separation in the Gospels. Jesus said I will separate the good fish and the bad. I will separate the wheat from the wheats.

Separation Christ that I came to bring the vision. I want clarity. The world is too used to this Gray Christianity. There needs to be black and white things that we approve and things that we disapprove.

The more I read does the more I think most of the churches land in this spot. They're lukewarm. They have the the image of godliness, but deny its power. They love Christ the love charity, but they support abortion.

They love each other. Well, like the other churches that tolerate sexual morality and teach it as right. It's okay to be gay. It's okay. God made you that way. God wants you to be happy. Okay. You want to pick sides?

God will pick it for you. Lukewarm water breeds bacteria. Lukewarm water nauseates. Lukewarm water does not satisfy. Imagine getting into a pool that is lukewarm. You can't enjoy yourself. You have to get out in the same way.

It doesn't satisfy after a long day at work you come home and the shower spills out lukewarm water. It's uncomfortable. You either want it to be cold to refresh you or hot to relax you but lukewarm water Doesn't satisfy.

They actually taught us in med school. That we should not give lukewarm water to a soldier that's becoming a heat casualty. Because lukewarm water doesn't do anything they need fresh cold water. For all intents and purposes lukewarm water is useless in the same way that lukewarm water breeds bacteria.

Lukewarm Christianity breeds sin. Lukewarm water nauseates in the same way lukewarm Christianity nauseates God. And you know what's the most tragic part about lukewarm Christianity? In the same way that lukewarm water doesn't satisfy.

Lukewarm Christianity doesn't satisfy. You know the main reason why? People refuse to step foot in here isn't because they don't understand. The majority of people that I talked to that I have a problem with Christianity isn't an intellectual problem.

It's a heart problem. They can't stand to see the church play for both sides. They see our hypocrisy. I Promise you I can explain to them In great detail why you know the universe says there's a God the evidence of Scripture at the end of the day.

They point out my hypocrisy. Because surely it can't be that good of a news if you're still living in your sin. Lukewarm Christianity is a cancer to the world and Jesus is ready to get rid of it. Verse 17.

The Church’s False Wealth and Its Real Poverty

Here's the accusation. For you say I am rich. I have prospered. I need nothing. Not realizing you are wretched pitiful poor blind and naked. Let's go through each of those accusations and Expand on a little bit.

Let's go wretched. I know for a fact that this side of the church hasn't used wretched in the sentence in the last forever. I've never used wretched in a sentence without referencing this verse or other biblical verses.

What does wretched really mean? Wretched in the Greek is Talaiparos and it means beaten down deeply miserable and full of calluses. Wretched could mean full of calluses. Let me tell you when Christ was addressing his church He wasn't talking about their past because everybody has calluses from their past.

He's talking about their present. He's talking about who they are right now that they are still getting calluses. Because they keep going back to the world to find some sort of fulfillment and they keep getting beaten by the world.

Y 'all that that that's that particular sin hasn't satisfied you. Why do you think it'll do it now? You'll still go back for more and for more and for more and Christ goes, Laodiceans. Y 'all just keep going back and getting beat up and falling and falling and falling.

I'll continue picking you up, but you continue falling. There are some people in this room who continue to gather scar tissue post-conversion. You know, I say this to the youth so many times. Why not learn from our mistake?

Between me and Jeremiah, we've made all the mistakes. Learn from us. Why do you have to continue getting beaten and beaten and beaten? But that's what this church was experiencing. They were wretched full of calluses.

They were also pitiable. The Greek word is alienos. And it means in desperate need of mercy. Could you imagine a pitiable church? A church that claims Jesus is God. He is the solution to everyone's problems.

But then somehow he's not the solution to our problems because we still have our problems. I can only imagine, you know, a Roman walking by and Looking at the church and going I feel so bad for them. I really do because they claim knowledge, but They're very foolish.

The good news that they preach. They don't even apply it yet. They're willing to die over it. Okay weak church little church. A church that has no influence or authority. I dare to question if that's even a church.

Inadequate church. You almost feel bad for them. It's almost like walking by a homeless man. Who cannot see and saying I have the cure. To blindness and have all the money in the world. You'd feel bad for them.

You go. They don't know any better. And yet that is what this church was doing. You feel bad for them. It's pathetic poor church. That's the next one poor. That's the next thing that Jesus said they were poor.

Now it's interesting to know and I think Archaeology is important to understanding why that word poor was so important. In the year 60 AD there was an earthquake that struck that area of the world a huge earthquake that struck modern-day Turkey and Every single city in that area requested help from Rome.

Every city. I mean the earthquake was so bad that every city needed federal help. But there was one city that did not request help from Rome. Because they had so much money that they were able to build themselves up from the ground up.

Would you happen to guess what city that is? Laodicea. A Roman historian secular man Cornelius Tacitus in his writing said one of the famous cities of Asia Laodicea. Was that same year overthrown by an earthquake and without any relief from Rome?

Recovered itself by its own resources. That's a pretty good thing. That's like Memphis having an earthquake which we're scheduled for and saying Tennessee America we don't need your help. We have what we need to build back stronger.

That's not a bad thing. That's a good thing. Only when it goes to the heart of the Saints and that same attitude that's found in the culture finds its way inside of the church. That's when the problem arises.

Because this church as Jesus stated said in verse 16 I'm sorry in verse 17 for you say quote and this is an actual quotation from the church in Unison I am rich. I have prospered and I need nothing. God and said I'm rich.

I've prospered. I don't need anything. I Don't need anything. I'm good the way I am. Because you know, obviously we don't believe that material success means spiritual success. You know turn on any TV and go to any Christian Channel and I can guarantee you there's a pastor or a preacher there that'll teach that if you're Financially well off that God has blessed you and you're in God's favor that money equals favor from God.

That if you are broke if you don't have resources if you're not healed at this moment that there's something wrong with you. But let it be known that two out of the seven churches that did good were poor.

Both of the churches that had nothing wrong with them were poor and they said we are rich we don't need anything we are good the way we are a a Lack of dependency of God is tragic for the church. You know for teachers out there especially for me.

You can go and teach and not pray and not meditate on the Word of God and you do good. I'm sure I can put together a sermon or a lesson. It'd sound pretty good. But after a while if you don't depend on God's grace and his power you will burn down.

You will burn out, you know why because Christ never wanted us to use our power. He wanted him to use his. We're to use his power for our ministry when God said love your enemies. Was God asking you to love them with your own power?

No. Christ said I will give you love because one of the fruits of the Spirit is love. So the energy to keep going to love. To depend on God comes from him and only him and the moment you disconnect yourself from him like this church was doing.

You are fruitless. Because Christ said and John apart from me you can do nothing. The only thing that you can produce on your own is death. Congratulations, you can produce death on your own and that in bucket loads.

So the city was rich the Christians were rich. High class. I'm sure they had a nice amphitheater. They could meet in. Got to their heads got to their hearts. The next accusation is that they were blind.

Now I'll tell you what for Christ to call the saints of Laodicea blind is a two-part insult. It's an insult to their citizenship in Laodicea and it is an insult to their citizenship in heaven. There was a medical school.

There was a medical school in Laodicea because they had so much money they could afford it. Humor me. What did that school specialize in? Eye care. They specialize in eye care and in the back of your of the Sermon notes at the very bottom.

You will see a paste that was found in a shipwreck a couple years ago and that is what is what was most likely being produced in Laodicea because the scientists looked at it and they saw that the Properties that were involved in that paste were mainly used for eye care in the ancient world.

That's pretty cool because even the world says yeah. Yeah, the scriptures true it is. I thought that was pretty cool and if and there's a link on there to read the full report. It was super cool. That a school that specialized in eye care.

And yet even with all their glory and doctorates and PhDs Christ said you're blind. I don't care how many doctorates you have. I don't care how much you know you really are blind. That's almost like Christ coming to Memphis and saying Your children's hospital suck.

I Mean it is a citywide insult and Christ doesn't care he goes because guess what without. Looking at the problem trying to fix it and ain't gonna get fixed because let me tell you something if the power to change Ourselves was in us you would never change.

Christ is the initiator of all change. He's gonna hate church. You must have forgotten where you got your source of energy from. It's me. Christ multiple times in the Gospels told the Pharisees You guys can see but you are blind.

You can hear but you're deaf. You can't hear what I'm saying. And you can't see what I'm doing because you refuse to out of the hardness of your heart you refuse to see me. You ever wonder why Christ whenever he was healing people said hey, what can I do for you?

You ever do those kind of weird that Christ walked up to a blind man and said what can I do for you? Well Christ he's blind and why are you asking him? Because for Christ to heal you means that there has to be a response afterwards for Christ to touch you.

You can't remain like that forever. Because that means something if Christ heals you that means one or two things. It means you just imagine what happened. What happened actually happened and I have to do something with this.

This church was blind. They couldn't see where God was taking them. They were bent inward in themselves and let me tell you church like the Apostle Paul said nothing good lives in me. He said the things that I want to do I can't do and the things that I don't want to do I do.

Sin dwells within me. He said the only thing good in me is the Holy Spirit of God. This is the Apostle Paul talking here a person that wrote scripture Said there is nothing good in me apart from the Holy Spirit of God.

If the Apostle Paul couldn't do it on his own. What makes this church think that they can? The last thing that Jesus said was you are naked. Laodicea had a rich import or export of wool black wool so in modern translations.

They were wearing Gucci. They had the Nike shoes on. I mean they were dripped out. They had the best of the best clothing, I mean they walked around. Basically as royalty we are rich we can dress rich and we are spiritually rich because we're wealthy and only God blesses us by wealth right.

Jesus said no. No, you are naked. Not the physical naked but the spiritual naked because guess what? Everybody can see your shame. You really think you're all that? Little do you know because you are so not self-aware.

That everyone sees your shame your nakedness. Let me tell you right now in the military. If you don't cuss or curse there's something wrong with you. That's the way that the army people communicate you curse.

Now everybody can curse in the military. But when I do it all lies on me. Everybody and their mothers looks at me and goes Christian. Whoa. It's insane. It's not fair. It really isn't fair. Everyone can do it.

But when I do it, it's a thing. It's like I'm naked before them and they can see my shame. Church, we don't get that luxury in here. With family you can afford to make mistakes. You can afford to sin here because we'll forgive you if you repent.

You cannot afford to sin out there. They will eat you up. They will take your one little sin and say clearly your gospel is worthless. I don't want to believe it. I don't want to go to your church because clearly it's full of hypocrites.

Man we really need to get our act together out there. Because out there the world will take an inch and they'll make a mile out of it. Man for you say I'm rich. I've prospered and not eat nothing not realizing that you're a wretched pitiful poor blind and naked.

Christ’s Counsel: Gold Refined by Fire, White Garments, and Eye Salve

Let's go to verse 18. 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 Christ is saying give me everything you have and I'll give you everything. I have give me your black wool. I'll give you white clothing. Give me that eye ointment. I'll give you mine.

Give me your money and I'll give you my gold that is imperishable and in heaven. Give me your world and I'll give you mine. That's what Christ did a Calvary. He said give me your sin and I will give you my righteousness.

He's still trying to do that with this church, they can't get past step one of the gospel. Give me your life so I can give you mine. But they keep trying to go back into the world. This church keeps going back.

The prophet Isaiah wrote. Something similar to this and Isaiah chapter 55 verse 1 through 3 and say it's this this is Yahweh speaking. Come everyone who thirsts. Come to the waters. He who has no money.

Come buy and eat. Come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and you labor for that which is which is not satisfied? Listen diligently to me and eat what is good and delight yourself in rich food.

Incline your ear and come to me. Hear that your soul may live and I will make with you an everlasting covenant. My steadfast sure love for David hundreds a year before. The Lord was still experiencing this with his people the same message that he had for the church today.

He had for the church back then. Nothing has changed. Some things in this family just never change. And the prophet Isaiah he says Come buy. Even if you have no money. Come buy and eat. Even if you don't have money because everything is free.

It's almost as if somebody paid for it already. I don't know. It's like there was some Some sacrifice that was given on our behalf. Some open door to heaven so we can walk boldly into the throne room of grace.

I don't know. Is that some familiar church? Yes. And this church right here Again does not understand That the way to please God isn't to amount wealth here on earth, but to amount wealth in heaven buy your good works buy your love.

Your money your resources will die here. Actually Ecclesiastes says someone else will take it. But the charitable acts that you guys do to one another the love that is shown in this place will follow us into eternity.

It will get creation-wide recognition when Christ returns. We will have his glory. And everything we've worked so hard for will be shown. But Christ is not going to glorify sin continuing on in verse 19.

Zeal, Repentance, and Christ Standing at the Door

And this is oh, this is so beautiful. Those whom I love I reprove and I discipline. So be zealous and repent. I taught a sermon a couple months ago titled Let the lukewarm come to me. Did you know christ cares about the lukewarm christian?

Christ doesn't like their lukewarmness but the individual christ loves. Because what christ could have done was kept quiet and allowed that church to go into self-destruction but he said No, i'm gonna step in and i'm gonna say guys I'm this close to vomiting this close.

I'm giving you one last chance. Be zealous and repent. Today right now don't wait till tomorrow. The book of lamentation said don't wait till the morning cry tonight because your children are dying in the street.

Pour out your heart before the lord like water. Why wait till the morning do it tonight? Because the more you wait the more the world will suffer. Lukewarm christian repent. There was another sermon that I taught a couple this one was about three or four weeks ago.

We did a word study in a tuesday night bible study on the word zeal. Did you know that the word zeal and jealousy is the same word in the greek? Zealous. Jealous zeal or zealous. They're the same word.

So biblical translators have to differentiate because we have a couple of nuances in english little small details that separate zeal and jealousy. But in the greek there was no distinction. When christ was telling his church be zealous and repent.

He's looking at them and he's going Be jealous for me. You're my bride. Where's your jealousy? If you saw your significant other Cheating on you you would be jealous and rightfully so in the same way christ is going what's up.

What have I done to offend you? What has christ done to offend us that we treat him in such disregard and disrespect? Be jealous for me and repent. Where's your love that you had for me? It's gone. Those who my love I reprove and I discipline so please be zealous and repent.

Let's go to verse 20. Behold I stand at the door and I knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and eat with him and he with me. Now modern christianity has taken this verse.

And it has become an evangelical uh verse. Uh, we have to go to the world. Christ is knocking the hearts of unbelievers. That was addressed to a church, right? Christ is asking the church to open up their doors to him, right?

So instead of it being an external ministry. It's more of an internal of christ is not telling open the door for me to the person on the street. He's looking at the people in this room when he's going.

Open the door. What are we doing here? Now jesus is not a homeless man asking for charity. Jesus is the master of the house asking his servants to open the door for him. No, let's get this straight now christ isn't going.

Hey guys. Do you have time for me? No, he's going. Y 'all better open up the door. I'm gonna leave. Y 'all better open up the door. You forgot who I am. I'm the master. I bought you. Because rest assured He'll knock.

But it actually says in the gospels That there will be people who claim lord lord. Knocking at the door of heaven at the very gates god will say Who are you? Oh, you're pastor. So-and-so never heard of her, right?

Sorry, I don't know who you are. You might have claimed to preach my word, but you never let me in. Right, there will be many pastors in hell many. Many people. I believe more people will go to hell thinking they're christian.

I do believe that I really do. Jesus is not. Begging on his knees, please open the door. No, he's the master and he's coming to get his bride and he goes if you don't open the door I'm gonna leave and then you will turn around and knock on my door and i'll say Bye.

The Promise to the One Who Conquers and the Warning for Every Church

Verse 21. 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. He who has an ear. Let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

Now understand this church. That while you still have breath you still have hope right? There's still a second chance. That promise is for everybody here no matter where you're at in your life. Jesus looks at you.

Jesus is looking at these lukewarm christians and he's going. I will give you access to the throne room of god right now right now. You don't need money. You can leave that stuff behind. I'll give it to you for free.