Thought for December 1, 2023

•  1521: Pope Leo X dies, Pope when Luther separated from the Catholic Church
• 1878: First telephoned installed in the White House
• 1887: Sherlock Holmes first appears in print
• 1896: First CPA's receive certificates [NY]
• 1909: First Christmas Club payment made
• 1917: Boys Town founded
• 1929: Bingo invented
• 1953: First edition of Playboy Magazine--Marilyn Monroe centerfold
• 1955: Rosa Parks arrested 
• 1982: Barney Clark gets first artificial heart
• 1994: Jim Bakker released from jail
• 2001: Last flight of TWA
• 2019: First traceable patient develops Covid-19 symptoms--Wuhan China
• Born: Robert Welch [John Birch Society], Walter Alston, Mary Martin, Woody Allen, Lee Trevino, Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, 
• Died: George Everest [surveyor for whom Mt. Everest is named], David Ben Gurion, Ernesto Maserati, Bobby Lane, Pat Sullivan

On this day in 1881, Tito Coan died. He was a missionary to Hilo Hawaii. Upon arrival, he visited all 16,000 residents personally, offering to pray for them. His congregation grew to 13,000. Membership required demonstrating a real life change over a period of several months. What does it take to start a revival?

Thought:

A new month. A busy month. Maybe its providential that we start the last month of the year with the last of the seven letters to the churches, Laodicea, in Revelation 3:14-22. We all know the point of the letter--lukewarm. As you read these verses, recall that Paul urged that his letter to Colossae be read to Laodicea [10 miles away] [Col. 4:16]. Then read Colossians 2:1-3 where Paul prays that the church will attain to all the wealth that results from a full knowledge of Christ because in Christ are hidden all the treasures of God. Laodicea was a rich city, so Paul wanted then to stop looking for wealth in stuff and seek the true riches found only in Christ. The letter has a similar message. We think the church was started by Epaphras based on Colossians 1:7 and 4:12.

The city was founded by Antiochus II and named for his first wife, Laodice, who he later divorced. It was at a major crossroads, 10 miles from Colossae and 5 miles from Hierapolis [famous for hot springs and the bishop was Papias who was a disciple of John and companion of Polycarp]. The city was famous for eye salve, banking and black sheep. When the city was destroyed by earthquake in 60 AD, it refused aid from Rome saying it could rebuild itself.

• Notice how Jesus identifies Himself. 
• Amen. All the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:20. Christ first coming was an amen to all the rpomises of the Old Testament. His second coming will be an amen to all the promises of the New Testament. He is the Amen to all God promised and did.
• Faithful and true witness. Jesus said, when you see Me, you have seen the Father. He is the Faithful One fulfilling perfectly the plan of the Father. And He provides the true witness to who God is. 
• Beginning and ruler of all creation. Everything that was made was created by Him and for Him. He is ruler by virtue of His creation. 
• What was the problem in this rich, self-sufficient city? Lukewarm neither wholly for Jesus and not completely against Jesus. Laodicea had a water problem--Colossae had cold, clear water. Heirapolis had hot mineral water. Laodicea imported water from both places. So the water was either cold and clear or perhaps had healing properties from the minerals--but not both. But the water problem was symbolic of the spiritual problem--
• Claimed to be rich, self-made, self-sufficient. Could cure eye disease with the famous salve.
• Actually were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. I have known a number of very wealthy people--monetary wealth. Millionaires, billionaires. Amazed at how few were really happy. Most were miserable--family issues, business pressures, nothing satisfied, nothing fulfilled. And I have known gifted lawyers and doctors who had the ability to solve problems and treat illness and disease, but who were poor, wretched and blind to their need for God. 
• Unfortunately, this letter may also be for me and you. Have I forgotten God's blessings and think that what I have and have accomplished is my doing. Every good gift comes from above. Have I gotten proud of me and placed me on the throne of my life. Am I blind to my sin and wandering? Do I think my fancy clothes cover my nakedness? Am I lukewarm.
• What was Jesus' answer:
• Stay lukewarm and get spit out of His mouth.
• Repent and be zealous for Christ.
• Get your goods from Him. Bread of Life, Living Water. Eye salve that will cure your blindness and let you see as He sees.
• The promise: I still love you. I am knocking at your door. It is up to you to open the door and let me in. I want to dine with you. And if you will open the door, I will come in and dine with you and you will sit on the throne with Me. We sing the old hymn--" The Savior is Waiting." "Time after time He has waited before, And now He is waiting again, To see if you're willing to open the door, Oh, how He wants to come in." The Jesus who was knocking on the door at Laodicea is knocking on the door today. I have to ask myself, do I want to be around Jesus or do I want to be in Jesus. 

Blessings

Larry