Chapter three in the book of the Revelation, once again, we shall be studying the last letter that the Lord gave and sent to the seven churches of Asia, and it's the letter written to Laodicea. We begin reading in chapter three, and you'll find the commencement of the reading at verse fourteen. Chapter three of the Revelation in verse fourteen. God writing by the Holy Spirit through its servant John, the words given by the Lord Jesus himself to the apostle, and unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things set the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning, or the chief one of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, I would thou wert cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth, because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor and blind and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with isab, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chase him. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, then open the door. I will come into him, and will stop with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. May the Lord bless the reading and the hearing of his precious words. what a joy it is to realize we can come together and listen to the words and may I emphasize the fact listen to the words that were spoken by the Lord Jesus himself and looking for our admonition and learning even today you remember the Lord Jesus in John ten said my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me And may we recognize we are listening to his voice. And in the letter before us, we have some solemn words the Lord Jesus speaks to one of the most failing churches in Asia at that day, the Church of Laodicea. If you look on your lesson sheet, which is in page eight in your lesson book, or on the sheet if you have a separate sheet, and may I point out, as we have the meaning of the word Laodicea, this last and the seventh church to whom the Lord Jesus sent these letters. Laodicea. In fact, there are two parts to the word Laodicea, deriving its name from two particular Greek words, one lawrence and the other means decay, and one meaning the people, and the other part of the word meaning rule. Now, let me repeat that. For I want you to recognize the kind of days we are now living in, which are so typified by this letter, the Laodicea, meaning the people rule. For what we have at the end of the church age, as depicted by these letters, we find at the end of the church age, in the ecclesiastical testimony of the professing church, the people have their say. more than the Lord has his. And that was what was taking place even in Laodicea long ago in that one particular church. The People Room. Now I've got a little reference I want you to go to in Second Timothy chapter four, please. Second Timothy chapter four. The second epistle of Timothy is a very timely one in conjunction with the closing days of Christianity. And it was the last letter that the beloved Apostle Paul ever penned by the Holy Spirit. But may I begin reading in chapter four of second Timothy, the closing chapter, reading verses three and four. And I want you to recognize what Paul prophesied regarding the conditions of the church and by the end of the age. For the time will come. Now may I make a little change in the reading? and say that time has come. And I believe you'll agree with me if you're observing the conditions of the church today. For the time has come when they will not endure sound teaching. But after their own lusts or desires, shall they heed to themselves, teachers, having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth. and shall be turned unto fables. May I very seriously and emphatically admonish these words as being the warning of the closing days of the church age. And may I say very lovingly but earnestly and emphatically, I believe that as believers today we should be more aware of the dangers. Second Epistle of Timothy touches upon those dangers in great detail. But I believe the days we are now living in, and I speak not only, I don't speak economically, neither is Paul, neither speaking perhaps physically, but he's speaking of the spiritual conditions. Now may I raise the question, what is the Lord Jesus concerned about relative to his people? Yes, we know he's concerned about our trials. His touch with the feeling of our infirmity is that the greatest concern the Lord has regarding you, my fellow believer, and me, our spiritual state, and regarding the condition of all his people. But when he looks at the cross-section of the profession of Christianity in the closing days, I'll sandwich the comment that Paul has to write and declare that in the closing days, Man will turn away their ears from the truth. And let me give you this thought. They have what I like to think of. I think of it as being they've got itching ears. In other words, their ears have a particular itch, but they want somebody to scratch it to their delight. But if you gave them the truth, it wouldn't feel good. They don't want it. They don't want it. Sad is the commentary that in the majority and what you have at the close of the age, the majority of professing believers constituting profession of Christendom, they don't want the truth of God. And then as you go on, you find Paul saying they will not even put up with it. They won't put up with it. It's not that they... don't believe it, that even many will denounce it. And sad is the comment, such are the condition. And now what it manifests as you go to Revelation three then again, and our letter, particularly let's dwell upon the fact, that Lord looks upon the spiritual state of his people, even at Ephesus, and all the way down through the seven churches. It was their spiritual condition. that troubled his heart. And may I say, I know many spiritual conditions today amongst God's dear people, they trouble my heart. But I often wonder, Lord, how much they must trouble your heart when they're his people. One profess to know him and profess his name. But please note, as we go directly to verse fourteen, I want you to recognize And if I may point out before we hit that second part of the study, the spiritual state we refer to of layer the fear in the heading of the letter. The sad failure of the corporate testimony of the church. And we have that one word, apostasy. Apostasy. Meaning the turning away from the truth. The turning away from the truth. May I say, and it's difficult to feel that one has to be so critical, but I give you this suggested warning, be very critical over all that you hear to make sure that it's the truth, or if it is not the truth. I even listen to my own radio programs and see if I made a mistake. I do it particularly for that reason. For the importance of recognizing apostasy needs straying away from God's truth. And beloved, there's much apostasy going on. We have not time, but if you read Second Epistles of the Thessalonians chapter two, you'll find that in the closing days of the Gentile age after the church is taken out of the world, there will be what is called by Paul the apostasy. when openly throughout the world, under the name of sin, the Antichrist, there will be worldwide denial of God and of Christ and of Judaism, which is religion even, as well as the profession of Christianity, the following. Look with me in first John chapter two, please, just for one moment. Let me give you one reference. Now I want you to know one in first epistle of John, what he writes in chapter two, relatives, To the young believers in Christ, to whom he writes, and may I just read one verse, twenty-two, as well as twenty-three. Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same as not the Father. Now let me point out, Go back for just a moment or two in the chapter. Let me read with you, if I may, verse eighteen. Now note what John says in verse eighteen. Little children, it is the last time, and as you have heard, an antichrist shall come. Even now are there many antichrists. Now get the distinction between the antichrist and many antichrists. the meaning of the word Antichrist is Antichrist against God against Christ against his word against the truth and John refers to the fact there are many that are like that and they are Antichrist but in verse twenty two he is speaking of the Antichrist and he denies that Jesus is the Christ and may I point out he denies that Jesus is the Messiah that's Judaism for even the doctrine of Judaism professedly prophesize the Messiah is coming but the Antichrist he says I'm the Messiah denies it but then also he denies what is typical of Christianity note the end of the verse he is Antichrist that denies the Father and the Son and the Father and the Son chapter one declares in verse three our fellowship is with the Father and the Son so we can recognize may I emphasize it there'll be an open worldwide apostasy under the Antichrist but may I add again reverently and faithfully and gladly the church will be out of the world when he appears according to second Thessalonians two you can read it for yourself but you see the trend and we're living in the closing days of the church age And we can say, it's Leah the Seer and the people rule. They want, they want. Let me give you a corresponding reference in the Word of God. I may have mentioned it. But if you were to study the Book of Judges, you'll find a parallel in the Book of Judges to these seven churches in Asia. And you will find during the history of the Judges, There were seven distinct periods when God's earthly people, Israel, right after they came in the land of Canaan, began to fall away from God and His truth and His word. And gradually you come to the end of the book of Judges, and it closes with these words practically near the end. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes. And may I say, I'm sorry to believe it because I'm unfortunately chasing it. I find even Christians want to do what's right in their own eyes instead of what's right in the eyes of God. That's the spirit of layer the fear. They call it in theology latitudinarism, which means straining from the truth. And beloved, look, we face this letter of Laodicea when the people want their way many years ago, ministering on this same particular letter to Laodicea down in Georgina. One of the brethren came to me afterwards and talked with me regarding it. And I said, I may mention to him of the fact, you know, Lincoln's Gettysburg speech was quite a memorial speech. I was quite interested to find out when I was a boy that when the people of England heard his speech, in Oxford University they put a replica of his speech upon a plaque in the university. They thought it was so grand. It was heralded. It's been wonderful. And you remember how it ends? government by the people, of the people, and for the people. And this brother was speaking to me about Laodicea. I said, well, and I mentioned Lincoln Spears. Well, it sounded great. I said, but you know what was wrong? He said, what? The people. You can lay down many things that may be proper and right. But where the trouble is the people. We fail and we have to realize that. But let's go on now. Look in verse fourteen and under your chapter and your lesson sheet, we have the attitude of the Lord. Now let's note particularly the special attitude of the Lord. Saying in verse fourteen, unto the angel of the church of the lay of the sea of life, these things set a note. He calls himself the Amen. Now why does he do that? And let me point out something to you. He uses it as a title belonging to him. It's not just a Methodist voice when somebody says Amen. But let me remind you of something. Look at your lesson sheet, please. There's a reference we'd like to go to. Second Corinthians chapter one in verse twenty. It'll give us a little help. Why he uses such a title. Second Corinthians chapter one in verse twenty. He notes these words that they belong to apostles, right? And note them. For all the... Let me go to verse nineteen and get the connection, please. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus, and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promises of God in him they are yea. Yes. And in him... Amen. And then he adds, unto the glory of God by us. Now why amen? You know the meaning of the word amen is, so be it. You know, if you ever say amen, you're agreeing with what you hear. And you're saying, so be it. What he said is right. The Lord takes that title. He can't give it to Leah the seer. Neither can he give it to the church at large. But he calls himself the Amen. And you note your reference. Though the church fails, he will not. Now let me link it with that verse we have a reference to. We won't turn to it. Matthew, verse eighteen. Peter made a confession. Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God. And Jesus said, Thou art Peter. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Thou art Peter. And upon this rock, not Peter, it was just a stone, but upon this rock, I will build my church. And the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And what the Lord has implied, let me give you this for your encouragement and mine too. Though we may fail, he won't. He'll finish his church. Hallelujah. He'll build it. Now please, it has been all the same throughout human history. Whatever God began amongst and with his people in a divine testimony, that period usually did always end in failure. Human failure. And my beloved, let's realize, thank God. The Lord Jesus takes his place as the Amen. He says, you're failing, ladies there, but I'm not going to fail. Look next. He's called the faithful and true witness. What a title. The church may fail as a witness, but he never failed. He's the true witness. Listen, let me just link it together with the whole section of these seven churches. You remember in chapter one, we had the vision of the Lord Jesus walking in the midst of what? Seven golden lampstands. Those lampstands representative of the divine testimony of Christianity upon the earth for him. And you recall, he threatens the removal of some of those lampstands when they fail. And he did remove these seven churches ultimately. But what a joy to recognize, though the church may fail, not he. He faileth not. I'll build my church. Even though you and I may fail in helping him in the building of it. He's the faithful and true witness. Look at chapter nineteen, will you please? Chapter nineteen, I want you to notice something when he comes back to the earth. In chapter nineteen, in that wonderful descent that will be his, when he comes down from heaven above with the armies of heaven. And look with me, if you please. I want you to note these words in verse eleven. I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called what? Faithful and true. Faithful and true. But let me say again, I'm sure you won't disagree with me. There's only one faithful and true person, after all. It's Christ. It's Christ. Not even the best of God's servants can boast of their faithfulness. I recall a dear servant of God. Never do I forget in my young days, and even in my early twenties, I believe, telling of a dear servant of God who had great power in his ministry. to the people of God and to men, who after every time he preached, he went back to his room and fell on his face and said, Lord, I'm but a failure. He was acknowledging the consciousness that in himself he was but a failure, and any blessing that came would come from the one who's the thankful one. And it's a good thing to recognize. May I suggest it, please? The flesh likes to pop itself up. And may I say lovingly and earnestly, we can have even spiritual pride, and that can be the worst in racial pride, and family pride. I tried to help a dear servant of God who was humbled at a certain service. He brought it on himself. I tried to comfort him. And he told me, don't worry about me. He said, the Lord's taken all pride out of my heart. Oh, I thought, Lord, he's proud of his humility. I can't help him. Beloved, we must confess it. The Lord alone. And may I say this, look, are you expecting to get to heaven? Who's going to get you there? You're not going to get there on your own. Even after you're saved, he'll get you there. Thank God that he'd been pulling me along for seventy years a little more. And I know by his grace, his faithfulness. Paul writing to Timothy said, And what are precious are the words? Though we believe not, he abides as what? Faithful. And my child of God, you and I can be doubtful. You and I can manifest on belief at times. And on faithfulness. Not he. Praise the Lord. He'll keep his word. And thank God he's the faithful and true witness. Notice the third thing though. How precious is we go to Revelation three and see the third name that he takes. and he goes on to declare and the beginning of the creation of God look at your notes on your lesson sheet please on the number three of that section the beginning of the creation of God here he is the last Adam he heads a new creation which cannot fail and all the joy of God you know me may I point out something look now listen carefully when Adam bless his heart, and that dear wife of his, when they failed, they said, it's all right. I'm going to start a new creation. It may take a long time to get there, but I'm going to build a new creation. Listen, let me give you this thought. Don't ever forget it. God's not interested in patching up this whole creation. He's not even interested in patching up you. So I want to make you all new. And second Corinthians five, seventeen says, If any man be in Christ, new creation. New creation. You know, let me put it this way. Many Christians fail to realize that God doesn't patch when he's saved you. He's not interested in patching up the old Adam. The old life. I give you a new life. Instead of Adam, you're in Christ. In Christ. And though the first Adam failed, the head of the old creation, Christ who's the head of the new creation, never will fail. Hallelujah. You know, that's good security. Ted, no, he won't fail. Oh, beloved, it's not a question that me holding on to him. It's the question that he's holding on to me. Hallelujah. I won't fail. John, you trust me as your Savior? I'll see you through. I give unto my sheep eternal life. They shall never perish. Neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave to me is greater than all. Neither shall any pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Dear lover, let me say again, we need it for encouragement and strength against all the failure. thank God he never failed may I suggest keep your heart and your eyes on him on him look when even in your own church fellowship they fail look at him keep your eyes on him it's not the church that's going to get you to heaven anyway it's not the church that saves salvation is within the person and only one living, loving person. But, beloved, for your encouragement and mine, in such days as we live in, as we see colossal failure in the profession of Christianity, I'm not speaking about the world, the profession of Christianity. Thank God, as we quote in the beginning, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest friends. But holy lean on Jesus' name. And what a joy. Now he takes that attitude. Blessed attitude when you think of it. A church that is failing. But they don't listen. Let's go on. Now look please. He comes to the next. With his accusation in verse fifteen rather. I know thy works. And of course he said that unto all the churches. I know thy works. He does know. Whether good or bad, he knows them. They're knowledgeable to him. But he goes on to say in his accusation, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold nor hot. And may I point out, they were so lukewarm it was revolting to him. Can I say that, lovely? You've got it on your lesson, see. Their spiritual state was revolting to him. Oh, I wonder today how much the Blessed Lord Jesus has to feel in the condition of the churches that profess His name in Christendom at large. Leave us cold, nor hot. Look what? Nauseating. For please know what happens as he goes on to say, and his condemnation upon in verse sixteen, So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will skew thee out of my mouth. Please, may I say, can I say, it's not me, it's the Lord saying it. Conditions amongst professing churches, it says they're distasteful to me. Tell a believer, listen, when it comes to my conscience as much as to yours, Do you and I realize that there are conditions amongst the profession of Christianity in the world today that are distasteful to the world? And let me raise the question. If they are distasteful to him, should you and I like them? If he can't swallow them, should you? Should I? I say it earnestly. The days that we are in are dangerous. And I speak spiritually as a believer. We've got other dangers, I know. But as a believer, we have to realize the end of the Christian age and its outward testimony, its corporate testimony, distasteful to the Lord. Now, please let me go back again in reference. It was just as distasteful to the Lord when he saw the condition of the children of Israel at the end of the book of Judges. You must be faithful to him. And may I remind you, when you go back to the Book of Judges, it was horrible. Go, go, not the people were fighting against each other. They slew so many in the tribe of Benjamin, as well as in the other tribes of Israel, in their hatred against one another, because of the slaughtered condition that came near the end of that period. And I say again, If God shows his distaste, as he has done even to Israel as a nation throughout the century, why not the Lord as he sees the distasteful conditions of the church at the end of the age? Please let me say this again. I say it honestly. It's not easy. It may take strength from the Lord to stand up and acknowledge, I cannot consider tasting such conditions like that. If my Lord can't take them, neither should I. God help us to realize, I'll still be. And you know the word in the Greek is I'll vomit thee. It's a nauseating condition in his heart. I'll vomit thee out of my mouth. Now please know. And then he gives the reason. Now he goes on particularly to evaluate what they are, what they were. Verse seven, verse six, seventeen. because now may I remind you and let me remind you to he said I'll tell you why I'll tell you why because thou sayest beloved you know it makes me think of the epistle of John again you'll find John you know you read the epistle of John and you'll find in oh how greatly he denounces an empty profession if a man say If a man say, if a man say, he uses it more than once. For instance, if a man say that he knows God, then keepeth not his commandments. John said, he's a liar. Hard to think the apostle of God would call anybody a liar. Well, I'll tell you one thing. If you don't love any person right, you won't call him a liar when you ought to. In other words, if I may use the words of Paul in Ephesians four, speaking the truth in love. And John spoke the truth in love. If you just say with your lips and you're not real in your heart and life, you're alive. And then many years ago in Charleston, there was a Bible class of ladies. in the first Presbyterian church down there. Well, I had a Bible class of my own at night in a certain place. But one of the ladies called me at one time, the teacher of the class, who was Mrs. Radman, one of Mrs. Radman. And she had to go to hospital for some months. And she was teaching the Book of Psalms to her class. And called to ask, knowing I came on that day to have my own Bible class at night, asked if I take the class. I said, well, I'll be glad you helped, Alvin. And I did. But at the close of one session, one lady said to me, said, Mr. Grandma, I'd like to ask a question. We ladies, and they all know whom I refer to now, know there's a man in the city that recently professed to be safe. We all know when he did it and where, but we've never seen any change in his life. For he still does those same bad habits and all the things he did before he made a profession. and we told him we don't believe he's really saved he says I'm just as much saved as you are I believe Jesus Christ is my Savior and he stood his ground on that mr. grandma what can we say I thought for a moment quickly I said give him that one verse from first John two verse three I think it is if any man say I know him and keepeth not his commandments the same as a liar be a lover frankly The Lord Jesus has a reason, and he gives the reason why he condemns Leah to fear, why he will spew it out of his mouth. Now note verse his seventeen. Thou sayest I'm rich, and increased with good, have need of nothing. Now please know on your lesson sheet in his evaluation. What they said they had, rich, increased with good, need of nothing. Now, there's no question of doubt. Let me make the suggestion. You can take this two ways. You may take it literally. There could have been a wealthy church. They could have been a wealthy church. And there are some wealthy churches. Rich, increased with goods, have need of nothing. My beloved, let me give you a contract. The days of the early church, how rich were they? Well, they lost everything, didn't they? They had their homes taken away. Their possessions were taken from them. They were driven out of Jerusalem and out of the environment. And they had to flee to other places, which under God was his will that they might spread the gospel. But they were poor. And if you note the collections that were taken in the early churches, it was cheaply for the poor saints, for them to put up any buildings, but to feed the saints and help them in their need. And yet, economically today, there's no question of doubt. Very frankly, we see the wealth that is manifested in the professing church today. throughout the world except it might be in some of the places of India Africa and other places where they don't have the material blessings that we may have so she said I'm rich I'm increased with good I'm need of nothing but I tell you one thing like the Irishman said when he was gone by a church and saw the sign on the bulletin board as he passed the church, A.M. and P.M. He said to his friend with him, he said, Pat, he said, what's that mean, A.M. and P.M. Oh, Pat said, don't you know, it means after money and pay more. Well, he's most unfortunate. It's most unfortunate in contrast and unquestionably. There's no doubt, undoubtedly, the layer the seal was economically perhaps prosperous. But ah, more than that, worse than that. She thought she was spiritually rich too. I don't need anybody to teach me. I don't need anybody to tell me what I should be doing. I don't. Let me put it this way. She was intellectual. She was intellectual. Now, listen. Now, listen carefully. This is something I know to be a fact. And I'm sorry to say it's among some of the people I travel with. And amongst up in New England. I knew one group of believers. They didn't want to preach unless they had a Ph.D. And I thought, boy, they're wretched, poor, blind, naked. You know, I think of the dear little Chinese boy when he found the Lord Jesus as his Savior and he went to school trying better his education so he couldn't be more able to speak for the Lord and do what he could for the Lord. And he found himself subjected to the teaching of evolution in the school he went to. He saw right through it because he knew the Bible contradicted it. And he made up a little poem. It was a brother by the name of Leland Wong, a Chinese brother, lovely Chinese Christian many years ago. I would say about fifty years ago. Told the story. And I remember the story well. And he said, the little young father made this poem up as he saw the teaching of evolution. Once it was the Polly Wong beginning to begin. Then he was the frog with his tail tucked in. Then he was the monkey in a banyan tree. Now he is the doctor with a Ph.D. I know a little boy down in Tennessee when I made that quotation when the plan was, oh, I want that. He said, my dad's a Ph.D. But seriously, seriously, please let me say, please let me say it earnestly. Some of the greatest preachers of the word of God have been simple men. And even back in the past century, some of the most intellectual believers, scholarly men, were also humble and simple. But today, prominence is given to the intellect. Please, may I say it? God doesn't give prominence to the intellect. Knowledge pops up. Love edifiers. and whether the man, and I bless God for some, so they may have the blessing of intellectual knowledge that they yield to the Spirit of God in the ministry of the Word of God. Yet in all humility they can carry out the service of God. But we're living in days when unless somebody has a degree, Well, I think a chub-fool, bless his heart. He used to go around giving the gospel wherever he could get in, even though he's a noted lawyer in our state. And he often would come, he said, John, I was a missionary last week to the Baptist or to the Baptist or to somebody else anyway. But then it says, one time he said, they asked me if I had any degrees. Somebody said, yeah, ninety-eight point four. Well, you know what? I think it's something I never forgot reading years ago. At the judgment seat of Christ, he will not look you over for diplomas, nor for degrees, nor for earthly honors, but for wounds and scars. that you're born for him. Oh, beloved, Laodicea was contrary to all that. But nobody evaluates. In my sight, now what she said was contrary to what he knew. And in his sight, thou knowest not. Please emphasize those words. Thou knowest not completely ignorant that thou art wretched, miserable, poor, blind. naked, devoid of everything spiritual in his sight that she should have. Now please note his counsel, his admonition as we go on, his exitation. And in verses eighteen and nineteen, quickly, I counsel thee to buy of thee. Now it makes you wonder, what's she going to use for money? Well, what's she going to use for money? I counsel thee to buy of me. Will you go back with me to Isaiah chapter fifty-five? The fifty-fifth chapter in the book of Isaiah, if you please, that wonderful great prophecy. Now I want you to notice the words of the prophet and the words of God through him. Wonderful words in that fifty-fifth chapter, verse one. And you have the Spirit of God writing through Isaiah to say, Note these words. Oh, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, he that had no money. Come ye, buy, and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Beloved, when he comes to the blessings of God, there's no financial purchase that could ever be made for him. If you're going to buy of him, you've got to come as a bankrupt sinner. Note the next word in Isaiah. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? Your labor for that which satisfies not. Harken diligently unto me, eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight in fatness, and so on. But all other promise, without money, without pride. May I say lovingly, and I'm sure the truth of it is there in Laodicea. Proud. Boastful. Absolutely. As we saw last week, not far away, another of mine was Philadelphia, a little pool company. And there was Laodicea. Boasting. I'm rich. Proud. I'm need of nothing. And so I'm. But, oh, what is the most thing? Oh, beloved, let me ask the question. Let me go further. Let's raise the question to our own hearts personally, even in our own gatherings where we meet with God's dear people. What is his estimation of the condition? But, oh, to recognize, he knows. He evaluates. He sees it. Now, may I say this, look, please, let me repeat it. We're so earthly bound. and which will tie down to secular things as well as economical things on the earth, even in the Lord's work, we fail to recognize the importance of the spiritual condition. But when the Lord... The Lord's not going to look and see how many folks you've got. He's going to look and see what kind of folks you've got. What are they like to me? What are they like before me? Oh, I think, and my heart did ache when I heard it. I was in Bahama Island many years ago. And it was a dear brother, not very capable, but very good, a big-hearted, loving believer who loved the Lord so dearly. His name was Johnny Farrington. And I enjoyed fellowshiping with him and encouraged him as he sought to live and serve the Lord. But there was another brother's talk with me about Johnny one time. And this other brother thought he was a prominent businessman down there in Nassau. And he said, Johnny, ah, he's no got any business head. Let me tell you, you don't need a business head in the teachings of the Lord. You need a spiritual heart. True, a man with business ability may be able to use what he knows and what he has for the Lord if he dedicates it to the Lord's service. But it's not his business ability that runs the church. As much as his spiritual state. To love us with the spiritual condition. Pray, let me say. You know, when I first came down south in South Carolina, well, I had to learn a lot when I came south. But I remember that one dear brother told me of a bishop. What was his name? He was born through the Coca-Cola family way back years ago in Georgia. He's one of their relatives. And he was the leading bishop of the Southern Methodist in that day. And this goes back to the Depression days. And they built a big church, a million-dollar church, back in nineteen thirty. Boy, that's a lot of money in Birmingham, Alabama. And they got this year-old bishop to dedicate it. And you know, he was a dry old father. But he's a very plain, talking old man. And he told the truth. And a member of Brother Tommy said, you know when he got up to speak, he saw the elegance, the marble, and all the acoustics, and all the decoration, and the beautiful windows that they had. It was an elegant place. And you know that dear old, blunt Christian fellow got up, that bishop got up. He said, well, he says, I don't know, folks. The Apostle Paul never had anything like this. And he says, I don't know, you might get some saved. Then again, you might not. I appreciated the honesty of that man. Oh, beloved, it's the spiritual state. Please, lay it in the sea or outwardly, make Philadelphia look insignificant. Let me go back to the words of God when he spoke to Samuel. Remember Samuel was sent to anoint a son of Jesse for the kingdom. And he went to the house of Jesse called and had his boys brought before him every one of them, big strapping, wonderful looking boys. And he thought, well, this must be the one. This must be the one. They all said, no, no, no, no. Went all the way down the line. The Lord told him, he said, look, man looketh on the outward appearance. God looketh on the heart. And he said to Jesse, have you got any more? Are these all? All just a little younger flower. Samuel gave him, taking care of the sheep. And the moment that David came in, God said to Samuel, this is the one. This is the one. Oh, beloved, please let me, I cannot emphasize it too greatly. I need it myself. Please let me stay very frankly. Even the preacher can feel that he's self-sufficient. And sometimes I kick myself a little bit. Oh, get down, Johnny. You're not that good. You're not that big. God looks upon the heart. And later this year, may I put it this way, all head. No harm. Do you ever notice the difference between King Saul and David? Saul, it says, he stood head and shoulders above all the people. He was all head. But David, God said, he's a man after my own harm. Make your decision, Christian. Let me do the same. Do I want a spiritual harm? God forbid and forgive me if I ever seek to have a big head. But oh, then I might have a big harm. filled with his love and his grace. Now go on, if you please, and know what he counts as a divine. Look at your lesson sheet. First gold. Buy of me gold. It's gold of divine righteousness. You know it's a wonderful thing to realize that when, oh, let me quote that him again, it comes to my mind. My hope is built on what? Nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. And gold is the type of God's righteousness. You get to chapter twenty-one, you see the city of gold. It's the end benatic of the righteousness of God, shining forever in the glory of that city and its inhabitants. He said, what he's telling there to see, you need to get saved, you wretched sinners, and come as wretched sinners to the one who only can close you in righteousness. And second, Raymond. Please note. Buy of me raiment. White raiment. And what you've got? The raiment of divine holiness. The raiment is typical of the outward garment. And the outward garment typifies the life living righteously. And then you've got another thing. You need eyesight. Anoint thine eyes. with eyesight that thou mayest see. And of course what you've got here, nothing but the divine illumination of the Holy Spirit. What he is telling them, you need the righteousness of Christ. You need to be living the life of Christ. You need also the illumination and guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit. And beloved, may I say lovingly, the Holy Spirit is a very great forgotten guest. He's in the world, and he dwells in every believer, and we thank God he inhabits the house of God which is upon the earth, and he's the only one who can open the eyes to see divine truth. Normally, oh him, sometimes we used to think, open thou mine eyes that I may see, glimpses with truth thou givest me. And lay it as he is, blind to the precious truths of God. the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Needs to have a life of testimony that was of a white raiment manifesting righteousness in life. And most of all, first, needs the righteousness of God in Christ. Now go on further, if you please. Let's go to verse twenty quickly. Verse nineteen, verse first of all. As many as I love, I rebuke and chase and be zealous therefore and repent. And here again, let me just emphasize quickly, the word repent is given again. Five times or five of these letters, each church is told to repent. And may I say very frankly, the greatest need amongst the churches of God in the world today, when the conditions are not what they should be, is to get on our faith in confession and repentance and to confess our need. of corrections and of restoration. And here's the church that was completely without the Lord. As you go to verse twenty, and he bids her to repent. And note in verse twenty, know what he says. One can recognize to this church where he was outside, he gives an invitation to an individual, any individual. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come to him and supper, dine with him and he with me. Let me read your lesson sheet. Under letter F, his last invitation, we read the paragraph, Outside the door of this church, he stands to plead for individual response to his words, with the assurance of sharing life's pathway here, bringing the one who accepts him to share glory with him. Now, let me give you this comment. precious. This word is the most, this verse is the most beautiful one. In spite of the condition, he stands, is there a heart that will open? Is there one who will, as an individual, respond to my invitation? I'm knocking at your heart's door. And if you open the door, I'll come in, shut with him, share life with him, someday, I'll bring him up to glory and he'll suck with me. Wonderful grace of God, isn't it? Please, let me say, he still wants to save wretched sinners, even though they're in the church as so called. You get the precious truth. Still knock him. And may I point out, he doesn't break the door open either. You must open the door. You know that picture Holman Hump's painting on The Light of the World? And when he gave an interview, when he gave a viewing of that painting in his original exhibition, he gathered in some very distinguished people and friends that he wanted to see, for them to see the painting. And before he unveiled the picture, he said to them, now friends, he says, I want you to look at it and criticize it and tell me anything that you feel should be told to me. And so as he unveiled it, they saw the painting. In its original form. And as they looked at it, one person said, Mr. Hugg, you forgot something. What's that? Well, look at the door you've got there. You don't even have a handle on that door. He smiled. He said, that's right. There is no one handle on the outside. It's got to be open from the inside. Isn't that true? You never find the Lord Jesus kicking the door in. He's knocking. Will you let me in? Let me in. Oh, that dear old hymn, there's a stranger at the door. Let him in. He has been there off before. Let him in. And what joy to realize. He went to lay at his fear. He knocks at the door. And then note, if one overcomes and opens the door, no risks when he wants. To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also ever overcame and am set down with my father in his throne. And what a promise. Note the lesson sheet in the closing paragraph. The overcomer in his reward. As he overcame and was seated on the glory of his father's throne. Now note, so will the overcomer of Laodicean apostasy have the joy of sharing with him the glory of his throne. My beloved may I say this in closing, the last days of apostasy in the church age. Oh, the victory and the reward for one who will dare to accept the truth of the gospel and the truth of God's word and receive the Savior and let him in. and will be brought in that coming day of the Lord's glory to share with him his throne of honor. Does it pay? Let me say this. It may not seem to pay down here, but it sure pays in the future. And well, may we say as far as the Lord closes the message, even at the near, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. And my beloved, all I can say in closing this section is this. Let you and I listen to what he said. Now, remind what anybody else may have said. Let's listen to what he said to the churches. And as many of the people don't listen, God grant you and I will listen and give an open ear to his voice. Shall we pray? Oh, Father, what joy it has been to be together. and listen to the voice of our Savior. Lord Jesus, you know it's inside and out. With thine eyes of omniscience, eyes of fire, you judge your people, and you know their condition. What we would pray as we close is that each one of us who are thy dear children, They say with David, Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me. Way of pain or grief, and lead me in the way of everlasting. Lord Jesus, please help us listen and obey your voice, we ask, in thy precious worthy name. Amen.