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The Pre-occupied Church

 

I recently wrote the following song. 
You can listen to it by clicking the following link.

 

Laodicea

 

 

I recently wrote the following song. 

 

Laodicea, why did you do it?

Why did you shove Him out?

He's standing on the outside, He's looking in.

He wants to come in and dine my friend.

Is it the coolness that has settled in?

Is it the sin, the shame of your sin?

Can't you see it's blatant sin?

Laodicea, you're heading for a bed of sin.

 

Laodicea, why did you do it?

Why did you shove Him out?

He's standing on the outside, He's looking in.

He wants to come in and dine my friend.

Is it your wealth that's killing you?

Is it your riches that are robbing you?

Your self-sufficiency is smothering you.

Laodicea, you're heading for the fire of judgment, my friend.  

 

Laodicea, why did you do it?

Why did you shove Him out?

He's standing on the outside, He's looking in.

He wants to come in and dine my friend.

He says you're poor. 

He says you're blind.

He says your wretched.

Laodicea, you're heading for the fire of judgment, my friend.

 

Laodicea, why did you do it?

Why did you shove Him out?

He's standing on the outside, He's looking in.

He wants to come in and dine my friend.

O tell me, tell me please.

Who are you?

Who are you, Laodicea ?

 

Laodicea is you and I my friend.

Laodicea is the latter day church, my friend.

 

Laodicea, why did we do it?

Why did we shove Him out?

He's standing on the outside, He's looking in.

He's asking us to repent of all our sin.

 

While in prayer a while back I felt the Lord say that "His people in the western church are too pre-occupied with the world around them."  1 John 2:15 tells us not to love the world or the things in the world, and if we do love the world, God's love isn't in us.  That means we can't express God's love to others when we're pre-occupied with the world.  I know we have to live in this world, but this world doesn't have to live in us.  For clarity sake, I don't define holiness as a legalistic system of rules based on certain traditions.  Such holiness isn't Biblical.    

 

I often think about the Laodicean church found in Revelation 3:14 to 22 when I ponder these things.  Many Bible teachers say this church represents part, if not all of the church that exists at the end of this age.  I tend to agree. 

 

In Revelation 3:15 Jesus recognizes this church's deeds.  You might think Jesus would like their busyness, but that's not so.  Their busyness meant nothing to Him because they were "lukewarm" towards Him. 

 

Revelation 3:17 states that this church was rich, had acquired lots of wealth, and needed nothing.  They equated godliness with their prosperity, much like parts of the church think today.  Jesus said this church was wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  Worst of all, Jesus said they didn't even realize the pitiful state they were in.  It's a sad commentary on a church when it doesn't realize the depravity of their situation.  This church was so far removed from what church was meant to be that they thought what they were, was what they were meant to be.  You might need to read that again. 

 

Our lack of understanding of what church is meant to be is a result of devaluating the importance of the Bible.  Our pre-occupation with the world causes us to adopt a worldly view of church instead of a Biblical view.  The sad fact is that like the Laodicean church, we don't even realize it.  Many will say, "that's not us", and that may be true for some, but if you don't realize you've adopted a worldly view of church, how would you know this doesn't apply to you?

 

Revelation 3:20 shows Jesus outside of the Laodicean church.  I'm surprised Jesus still called this group a church.  I wouldn't call a group without Jesus a church, but that's why He was ready to shut this church down by spitting it out of His mouth.   

 

Before Jesus shuts this church down, note that He asks individuals in the church to open their heart's door to Him.  He's not asking into the church.  He wants into people's individual lives.  Note what He says.  "If anyone (any individual) hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (the individual)."  This church strayed so far from what it was meant to be that it wasn't worth saving.  Only the repentant individual was worth saving.    

 

If the Laodicean church represents part, or all of the church at the end of this age, and if we're near the end, I'll let you draw your own conclusions from this text.  I've drawn mine.   

 

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