Thru the Bible

Steve Schwetz: What makes a healthy church? Is it a large membership? How about generous giving? Welcome to Thru the Bible, I'm Steve Schwetz, and our teacher Dr. J. Vernon McGee takes us this time to Revelation 3 verses 16 to 19 for the real answer to that important question. Before we get started though, some time ago Dr. McGee read a letter about a 17-year-old boy. Let's listen to it now.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee: It says my eldest grandson was 17 in June, my youngest son and family live in the San Francisco area, and my grandson came up by bus to visit us supposedly for a month the day the school semester ended.

After his listening with me to your broadcast and also to Dr. Lehman Strauss, my grandson cut short his visit by two weeks to return home and tell his teenage sister and brother what he had learned about Jesus, although they attend Sunday school. It was through your program and Dr. Strauss that my grandson has decided to give his life to the Lord. He is a very handsome young man.

Well, Dr. Strauss and I are not very handsome, but we're delighted to work together in order that a young man might come to know the Lord Jesus and give his life for the service, because we'll need someone to take our place in this world shortly.

Steve Schwetz: Well, although it's been some years since Dr. McGee received that letter and he's now rejoicing with the Lord, we are so thankful to be able to continue impacting the lives of people, young and old and everyone in between, with the ministry of Thru the Bible. Here's a couple of recent letters that we've received from our brothers and sisters around the world. Now first we got an email, this is from Helen in Madhya Pradesh, India.

"I've been regularly watching the program and receiving the blessings of God in my life. Through the teachings I am growing in the knowledge of the word of God, and for the first time I can understand the deeper meaning of the scriptures. It is truly transforming my life. Before this I never had access to such teaching, but now I can see a clear change in my own life, especially in my behavior. I have peace and joy within me."

Now we got a listener named Kabona in Kenya. "From the book of Leviticus, I've learned that we must walk in the righteous ways of the Lord so that we can receive eternal life. God's grace is what carries us. The teaching has shed some spiritual insight and there's been a shift in my mindset to resist worldly influences and to walk in grace and truth."

Well, if you'd like to join us in praying for listeners like these and millions of others around the world, why don't you join our world prayer team? It's super easy, you just sign up in our app or you go to ttb.org. Now let's give this time to the Lord.

Thank you Heavenly Father for these hearts that are devoted to you. Lord, would you bless your word and then use it to reach into our hearts and the hearts of other people all around the world, all ages and all nationalities? In Jesus' name, amen.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee: Now as we get into this letter to Laodicea, we see that the Lord Jesus has no word of commendation for this church. All is condemnation, and even the works here are not good works, they're evil works, and the church was neither cold nor hot. Now that had a background and a local meaning in that day.

In Thyatira, they were down in very much of a plain, although it's quite hilly there, it's in a great valley, and the Phrygian mountains that are in the distance to the east, in fact it's at the gates of Phrygia, both Laodicea and Colossae are in that unusual location.

And between Laodicea and going on up to the Phrygian mountains, there was in this valley a great temple, and it was the temple, Anatolian temple of the Phrygian god, Men Karu, or the Carian Men. This was actually the primitive god of that area, but the temple that was built there was the very center of all society, and of the administration, and of trade, and also of course of religion.

And it was a very primitive religion there, and they had a great market there, and here is where strangers came, they came from everywhere, and they came and traded in this great market. This is something these people apparently have always engaged in, I suppose that great market in Istanbul today is very similar to it.

And then also it was a place where they had a great medical school. Now of course again this was very primitive and actually very heathen, and here is where they developed what is known in the Roman world as Phrygian powder. It was for the ears and for the eyes, because they used that chemical that they took out of the hills there. It's an unusual type of clay and they put with it spikenard, and it was sold all over the Roman Empire. This was a very wealthy place.

Now being down in the valley, they had difficulty getting water in Laodicea, and I've stood right there in the ruins and I've looked toward the south to those mountains that are there, those Phrygian mountains, and some of them are very high, and I've been there around the first of June and there's still an abundance of snow upon top of those mountains.

The Laodiceans built an aqueduct to bring that cold water down from the mountains and bring it into Laodicea, they needed the water. Now that water left up in the mountains, it was ice cold, but time it made all that trip down the mountain and it got to Laodicea, it was lukewarm, and lukewarm water is not very good.

Now down the valley, actually down where this river here joins the Meander River, why there is a hot springs, and the springs are so hot the steam that comes out that the Turkish government has capped it and they're using that today, and I understand intend to use it more and more because of the fact it's there in abundance.

Well, this is the hottest water you can imagine, a lot of it is just steam. Well, when they got this hot water and they took it up to Laodicea, time it got there, it was no longer hot water, it was lukewarm water. So when the Lord Jesus says to this church you're neither cold nor hot, they knew exactly what he was talking about and they were lukewarm, and they'd been drinking lukewarm water for years.

Came out of the mountains ice cold, it came from these springs down near the Meander River red hot, but time they got it, whether hot or cold, it was lukewarm to them, and it was sickening. That is a sickening water, even today we like to put a little ice in our water, or many folk drink hot water, but lukewarm water is just not good, friends. And the Lord Jesus said that this church was neither cold nor hot and he'd spew it out of his mouth.

Now that cold church actually means that it was a church that had denied everything and it was given over to a formality and it was carrying on in active opposition to the word of God and to the gospel of Christ, it opposed it. And you find that today in liberalism, that they are in active opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Then there was the hot, and that speaks of those with real spiritual fervent passion. That was like the Christians of Ephesus who were even then getting away from their best love. Oh, the spirit of God had brought them to a high pitch in their personal relationship to Christ, but this church was not hot either. It wasn't cold and it wasn't hot, just lukewarm.

And between those positions of hot and cold you have this lukewarm state, and I would say that that is a picture of many, many churches today, the great denominations that have departed from the faith. There are many churches in these denominations and out of them also, they attempt to maintain a middle-of-the-road position.

They do not want to come out just flat-footed for the word of God and for the great doctrines of the Christian faith, but at the same time they don't want to be known as a liberal church, so they play footsie with both groups. I know certain ministers that do that.

I have broken fellowship with quite a few men that are extremists in both directions, some that have become extreme fundamentalists, some become extreme liberals, and many of these men attempt to play both sides of the street, and that is a condition that's impossible. That's the thing that makes the Lord Jesus Christ sick. He very frankly says he'll spew them out of his mouth.

Now this to my judgment, this middle-of-the-road position is the worst kind of hypocrisy that there is. Having a name that they live, but they're dead. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away. And that is what Protestantism actually assumed that position that they believed all these great doctrines.

And the creeds of all of the great churches are wonderful creeds. The Westminster Confession of Faith, largely repudiated by the church that owned it for years. And then the Heidelberg Confession is a marvelous confession, and you look at the confession of these other churches, their creeds, wonderful creeds, but who's following them? Who believes them today?

And they have a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. They have a name that they live, but they are dead. They are neither hot nor cold, they're lukewarm. And this is a frightful picture that's presented. Now he says in verse 17, and I'm going to read now from my translation: "Thou sayest I am rich."

Now the city of Laodicea was a rich city. I suppose Laodicea and Sardis were probably two of the richest cities in that entire area at that particular time. Now he says: "Thou sayest I am rich and have gotten riches and have need of nothing." They believed that the dollar was the answer to every problem of life.

And after World War II, that is the assumption that our government was run on. All we did was dole out dollars all over the world and we thought we'd buy friends, make peace, and settle the problems of the world. And very frankly, I believe that our nation has probably complicated the world more than anything else.

China's in the condition it's in because of our meddling, and Germany divided as it was divided, and the problem down in Israel today, the Middle East, that has all been the making of a nation that's been sticking its nose in everybody's business and not tending to our own business.

And as a result, we thought that the dollar, all we have to do is allocate money and we solve the problems of the world. My friend, riches never solved any problems. This church in Laodicea tried it. I am rich, have gotten riches and had need of nothing, and thou dost not know that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

Now this church made its boast of material possessions. Conversely, the church in Smyrna was poor in material things, and you remember the Lord Jesus commended them for that. It was a church of slaves and poor folk. There were not many rich and not many noble in the early church. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:26, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called."

Now the present-day church boasts of large membership, prominent people, huge attendance, generous giving, and ornate buildings. That's the thing that we boast of in this day. And I have figures here that tell a frightful story in one way, and I'm giving now a quotation from an article by Mr. Percy in Moody Monthly several years ago.

He says: "A phenomenal growth in membership from 20% of our population in 1884 to 35% of the population in 1959. That was the height, by the way, 61 million Protestant church members would indicate the possibility of a church on fire for God. And there are other indications. Wealth beyond the wildest dreams of our forefathers and income of 5 billion dollars in 1959.

A building program that will see 800 million dollars spent for new church structures. Mass evangelistic meetings attended by tens of thousands. Use of other mass media such as radio and literature increasing constantly." Now that's end the quotation. And now will you listen to this: worldly wealth is the measuring rod for the modern church.

Spiritual values have been lost sight of or entirely ignored. The church is not only rich in earthly goods, but it actually is in the business of accumulating wealth. People are urged to make their wills in favor of so-called Christian organizations. Radio programs and other professing Christian works are operated as promotional schemes to raise money to provide luxurious care for the promoters.

And friends, you ought to check how your money's being spent that you give to Christian work. And may I say this, that you ought to make sure that if you leave in your will, and I hope you will leave in your will money for Christian work, but you're going to make sure that after you are gone, it's going to be spent just for that very thing.

Now may I say to you on the spiritual side of the ledger, the Laodicean church is the wretched one. It's worse off than any other the seven churches. It's to be pitied because it's spiritually poverty-stricken. In it is no study of the word, no love of Christ, no witnessing of his saving grace. Yet it's blind to its own true condition. It lacks the covering of the robe of righteousness.

Now let me give you a picture today. A pastor over in Arlington, Virginia back in 1967 wrote this, I guess it was in his bulletin, I'd like to pass this on. He sends an open letter to Jane Ordinary. And he says, "Dear Jane, I'm writing to help you shake this feeling of uselessness that has overtaken you. Several times you've said that you don't see how Christ can possibly use you, you're nobody special.

The church must bear part of the responsibility for making you feel as you do. I have in mind the success story mentality of the church. Our church periodicals tell the story of John J. Moneybags, who uses his influential position to witness for Christ. At the church youth banquet, we have a testimony from All-American football star, Ox Kickoffski, who commands the respect of his teammates when he witnesses for Christ.

We're led to think that if you don't have the leverage of stardom or a big position in the business world, you might as well keep your mouth shut. Nobody cares what Christ has done for you. We forgotten an elementary fact about Christian witness, something that should encourage you. God has chosen what the world calls foolish to shame the wise.

He has chosen what the world calls weak to shame the strong. He has chosen things of little strength and small repute. Yes, and even things which have no real existence to explode the pretensions of the things that are, that no man may boast in the presence of God. When Jesus Christ chose his disciples, he didn't choose Olympic champions or Roman senators.

He chose simple people like you. Some were fishermen, one as a political extremist, another was a publican, a nobody in that society. But these men turned the Roman world upside down for Christ. How did they do it? Through their popularity? They had none. Their position? They had none. Their power was the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Jane, don't forget that we still need the ordinary in the hands of Christ to turn the world upside down."

You see friends, that we in the church sing, "The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord, she is his new creation by water and the word, from heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride with his own blood he bought her and for her life he died."

And yet, it's true that in scription that's on the cathedral at Lubeck, Germany, and it goes like this: "Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us, ye call me Master and obey me not. Ye call me Light and see me not. Ye call me Way and walk me not. Ye call me Life and choose me not. Ye call me Wise and follow me not.

Ye call me Fair and love me not. Ye call me Rich and ask me not. Ye call me Eternal and seek me not. Ye call me Noble and serve me not. Ye call me Gracious and trust me not. Ye call me Might and honor me not. Ye call me Just and fear me not. If I condemn you, blame me not."

This is the church in Laodicea. This is the church that Stanley High made statement several years ago. He says the church has failed to tell me that I'm a sinner. The church has failed to deal with me as a lost individual. He says the church has failed to offer me salvation in Jesus Christ alone.

The church has failed to tell me of the horrible consequences of sin, the certainty of hell and the fact that Jesus Christ alone can save. He went on to add we need more of the last judgment and less of the golden rule, more of a living God and a living devil as well, more of a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.

The church must bring to me a message not of cultivation but of rebirth. I might fail that kind of a church, but that kind of church would not fail me. My friend, we're living in the Laodicean period today, and the church is failing to witness to the saving grace of God, and he says to the church in Laodicea, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich," and that's the precious blood of Christ.

"And white raiment that thou mayest be clothed," that's the righteousness of Christ, "and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest see." That means the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of believers today. And then he says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent."

And this is his last message to the church. He says be zealous. He says be hot. Get on fire for God. He's ordering this church to forsake its lukewarm state and he says repent. This church needs repentance more than all the others, and repentance is for the church today, but you won't be popular if you tell them that, I can assure you that my friend.

Now we've just about to finish this third chapter in the seven churches. Next time it's going to be a great time, we are going with the church to heaven. How wonderful. Until then may God richly bless you, my beloved.

Steve Schwetz: It's really going to be a great message, so make plans to join us. Until then, if you sense God speaking to you through these studies and you want to know more about the salvation that he offers through his son Jesus Christ, well we'd love to help. You can click on "How Can I Know God" in our app or at ttb.org.

There you'll find several free resources to read and listen to, or if you prefer a couple mailed to you, well just call 1-800-65-BIBLE. Now as Dr. McGee mentioned, we'll be in Revelation chapter 4 next. If you'd like to review what we've already studied or go a little deeper, I'd encourage you to get our free Bible Companion for Revelation.

You've heard us talk about Thru the Bible home groups around the world, and one of the most common questions that we hear is, "How can I start one myself?" Well honestly, it's pretty simple. Just use the Bible Companions to guide your group. First listen to Dr. McGee's teaching either on your own or together, and then read the synopsis and use the reflection questions at the end of each lesson to start meaningful discussions.

And finally, pray for one another. It really is that easy. So invite some friends, gather around God's word, and use the Bible Companions to guide your study and discussion. Find free digital downloads of all of our available companions in our app or at ttb.org.

Some, including Revelation, are also available for purchase in paperback editions. Just check out our online store or call 1-800-65-BIBLE. I'm Steve Schwetz, and I'll meet you back here next time as we continue going Thru the Bible.

Today's study is always available free to stream or download thanks to the generous and faithful investments from your fellow Bible Bus travelers. Just go to ttb.org or download our app to listen again anytime. As always, we'd love to know what's God teaching you?