LAODICEA THE DEMOCRATIC CHURCH
The Democratic Church
There are times when preaching a sermon on a given passage is so overwhelming a preacher wonders how it is going to be possible to bring out the entirety of that which has impacted him to a congregation that may not be ready to hear all that he has come to understand.
Jesus spoke of this matter to his disciples saying;
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
So too Paul when addressing the Hebrew Churches as he tried to bring out an understanding of Melchisedec writing;
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
This is never been a question of the intellect beloved, but a state of the heart. The pricking of the heart has always brought about two distinct responses, one is of anger and the other of deep conviction.
Of all the Seven Churches spoken of, which Church Type does Hope Baptist Church presently see itself as?
Beloved, the question is PERSONAL as well as it is CORPORATE.
From the beginning of this series on the Perilous Times, and in light of the 17th of March event that was witnessed in this Church, I had no intention of presenting this series as an issue that is ‘OUT THERE’.
Although there is plenty “out there” we could speak of and I am sure might be a more popular study.
Yet, it is the personal conviction of private sin that is the purpose of the Pastor to bring to the surface of a Christian for him to grow in the Lord, and this is never “popular”
This pastor has for some time been praying for a revival, and the first person who needs reviving is the PASTOR.
As I have been studying this church type, my heart was broken in my consideration in knowing my responsibility as its pastor.
The evidence of the Church type Hope Baptist has, at least until now, represented was highlighted with perfect clarity on the 17th of March 2024.
The Name LAODICEA means “Opinion or RULE of the People”
The Exhaustive dictionary of Bible names, By Smith and Cornwall, 1998,
Laodicea (la-od-i-se’-ah) = Greek, laos – people; laity; and dicea – opinion; custom; opinion or custom of the people; = justice of the people; ruled by the people; rule of the majority; democratic; i.e., peoples right or opinions. The people’s rights.[1]
The event of the 17th of March highlighted with clarity what at least half of this Church believed was true. How much of that ideology remains as a remnant in this Church is yet to be seen.
Beloved there are NO DEMOCRATIC Churches in the Bible. There is no “Tyranny of the Majority” as has been long understood to be the greatest condemnation of true Democracy. It is but one step before ANARCY. Nowhere in the Bible do we have such a regime, yet this is the FUNCTIONAL OPERATION of LAODICEA.
God had never ordained DEMOCRACY as the best governing principle of nations, in fact, quite to the contrary.
Most western countries call themselves Democracies, but none of them operate as a true democracy. The OPINIONS of the People do not govern nations.
Australia is one of the most conflicting: We call ourselves a “Democracy” but operate our governing system as a REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC, and yet we are by LAW a Constitutional Monarchy. Go Figure!
But for some reason, most Baptist Churches have their governing system more aligned with DEMOCRACY these days than any government in the world, and directly antithetical to Scripture.
As for OPINIONS, most Christians today hold their own OPINIONS as the TRUE final authority rather than the plainness of all that is written in the Scriptures.
While we claim the Bible to be our final authority, in practice, when the Bible seems to contradict our personal preference, it is often NOT.
Like the Laodicean Church, we often hold to a JUXTAPOSED WITNESS.
Beloved, I was personally wrecked by this study, my heart was so broken especially yesterday, that I did not want to preach today.
My burden and responsibility for what I came to understand respecting Hope Baptist Church, caused me greatly to repent, and I pray you will be patient this morning as we give consideration to;
LAODICEA, THE DEMOCRATIC CHURCH.
The Juxtaposed Witness
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
When giving some deeper consideration to this text and working to form a cohesive outlive for the passage, my eyes fell on the phrase “faithful and true witness“. As it did so, immediately I could see that the witness of Christ was completely distinct from the witness they had of themselves.
And it was verse 17 that came to mind;
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:
The witness they had trusted in was both a material witness, and a fulfilment witness.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;
Both are seen in the passage before us as “false witnesses“.
But Christ, is the “Faithful and true witness“.
In this, our Lord is ‘Juxtaposed‘ to that of the trust that is evident in the Laodicean Church.
He is here placed ‘side by side’, but contrasted to that which they had trusted in. The people PERCEIVED THEMSELVES to be in a state VERY different from that testified to by the “Faithful and true witness“.
It was their OPINION that they were rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.
Laodicea was the greatest City in the region. It was not the most populace City, the theater of the city sat some 8,000 souls therefore, buy the multiple of ten we spoke of when looking at the theatre of the Ephesians, we expect a city population of some 80,000 people, almost twice the size of Sunbury.
Not a small city but not as large as Ephesus with a population of 250,000 people.
It was a city located in the Lycus Valley, founded by the Seleucid King Antiochus II in the middle of the 3d century BC and named after his first wife Laodice.
The Laodicean Church and the PRESENT period of Church History that it represents, is a Church that has the PERCEPTION OF THE PEOPLE as their FINAL AUTHORITY.
It is a Church that was naturally uncomfortable with any authority that would question the perception of the people, the people ruled, the people governed, the “tyranny of the Majiority” was its governing principle, it was a TRUE DEMOCRATIC CHURCH.
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
That passage in 2 Timothy 3, is the natural OUTCOME of a Church Body that will have no authority above it.
As stated in a previous sermon, we now live in a Post Post Modern Age, where the Spirit of the Age says our PERSONAL subjective OPINIONS are absolute!
It takes conscious humility to be otherwise minded!
The people of the Church of Laodicea are a people who will follow the LORD inasmuch as it agrees with their personal disposition.
But Jesus is a JUXTAPOSED WITNESS
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah 42.
The context of the passage in Jeremiah 42 has the entirety of the Southern Kingdom of Judah removed to Babylon by King Nebuchadnessor, and there is left but a small remnant of the people.
1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, 2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) 3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us. 6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
How incredibly sincere they seem!
And notice our phrase, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us
Well the prophet Jeremiah takes them at their word. Ten days go by, he tells them the options and the consequence of those options between verses 9 & 18.
Suddenly the TRUE WITNESS of their hearts are revealed to Jeremiah from verse 19
19 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day. 20 For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. 21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you. 22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.
Chapter 43 then has the peoples own testimony affirming what was revealed to Jeremiah.
In short, it did not matter WHAT Jeremiah came back with to them, THEY HAD DETERMINED TO DO THEIR OWN WILL, they “dissembled” they Concealed/Disguised their true feelings and desires.
They trusted in the WITNESS OF THEIR OWN HEARTS, as such the WITNESS of God from the mouth of Jeremiah was JUXTAPOSED to the witness of their own hearts.
BELOVED, do not think to yourself that the LAODICEAN churches are OUT THERE somewhere, if you have ever PREFERRED your own WITNESS to that of the TRUTH, God will be a witness against you.
Please beloved, be conscious of this natural tendency we all have. There is NO POINT in believing something you WANT to be true, that ISN’T!
It is NEVER your OPINION that matters, but what is true!
Thinking yourself in need of NOTHING and no change necessary in your life, may indeed present you as a LAODICEAN Church member.
The Tepid Admonition
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Probably one of the most popularly misinterpreted passages in Revelation is this one here respecting HOT and COLD Christians.
The CONTRAST jesus is trying to bring is between that which he prefers and that which he would “spue..out of his mouth”.
I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
The MIX up ignores the value of the WORDS in the verse. It assumes two things;
1. That temperature = levels of vitality. (Matt 24:12..Because the love of many shall wax cold)
2. HOT = Zealousness. COLD = Apathy
This is a mistaken notion and ignores the nature of the words in the passage;
Firstly it is their “WORKS” that Jesus is referring to and not their zeal for the Lord;
“I know thy works” says the Lord.
Next we see that Jesus gives a preference note
I would thou wert cold or hot.
I would thou wert cold or hot.
BOTH Hot and Cold are commendable in our text even though they are a contrast of one another.
Also, they are seen as PREFERENTIAL, BUT to what? The answer is seen in the very next verse;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
How easy it is to get swept up in the idioms of the times and completely miss the point of the passage.
But this is further testified to historically when we consider that Jesus is writing to an ACTUAL CITY and Church, living in an ACTUAL time in history, that would UNDERSTAND perfectly what he is writing about.
Laodicea did not have access to its own water source, but located about 9km due north of the City of Laodicea is the City of Hierapolis, known to us today as Pamukkale in South Eastern Turkey.
The city of Hierapolis was located on top of an incredible Travertine formation created through the amazing meneral deposits from the 17 Hot springs in the area.
The temperature range of these springs is from a very warm 35C to an untouchable 100C.
This was one source of water for the people or Laodicea.
The other source of water comes from the City of Colosse, the same City of the same name we have a letter addressed to by Paul in the New Testament. It lies about 16kl East/south/east of Laodicea, the waters there being incredibly cool, clear and pure.
The HOT mineral spring water from Hierapolis was medicinal.
Historian Colin Hemer writes;
The medicinal virtues of its streams are reflected in the local religion (… the numerous representations of Asklepios and Hygieia on coinage). The city’s consequent prosperity as a health centre and its obtrusive proximity to Laodicea corroborate this application.
The COOL Pure water of Colosse was seen as “Life Giving”
The modern discoverer of Colosse W.J Hamilton describes it this way;
three clouded streams join above an ancient bridge and fall together into a chasm lined with travertine deposits of the water. Just below the bridge, however, a clear and pure stream falls in a double cascade into the gorge. This is evidently identical with the ayasma, or sacred spring, of mediaeval legend (CRE, pp. 469–71).
Modern accounts have usually been interested in the physical phenomena associated with the other streams: the ancient inhabitants were concerned with necessities, and this stream, apparently perennial, alone met the basic need.
So the hot waters of Hierapolis were medicinal, the cold waters of Colossae pure and life-giving.
As mentioned already, Laodicea did not have its own water supply, that from the Lycus River dried up in the summer and the only local option was the water slowly delivered to it via the pipes from the Hot Mineral Springs down stream of Hierapolis. As the source was 7 to 9 Km away and the hieght of its peak was only 160m, by the time that water got to the city it was Tepid at best.
AND, according to historians Rudwick and Green, the “effect of the water was “emetic”, in other words, NAUSEATING.
Another historian noted by Colin Hemer stated that
“even cold the waters tend to cause vomiting, and are locally used only for irrigation”.
There is alot more history on this than I can quote here, but you get the understanding Jesus was referring to.
The lukewarm waters of Laodicea were on no benefit whatsoever, they had no value, no benefit to give to their recipients. Both the Hot waters of Hieraopilis and the cold waters of Colosse had value, but not those of Laodicea, they were nauseating.
The works of the Democratic Church in Laodicea was ineffective in their intention, and sufficed only to sicken the body.
We are charged to bring life to a dying world, what are you doing to alleviate the sickness you see around you each and every day?
What kind of Church are we really if we are not even willing to schedule in time to partake of that living bread, the Bible, and drink of that Living Water in prayer to our Lord each and every day?
Beloved, I do not want you to be under any illusion, if you have not yet determined to Schedule time reading the scriptures each day and in prayer each day with the Lord, the water that stems from you is TEPID and you, like those in Laodicea, are being admonished.
You can read as many devotionals as you like, they are not the Bible.
You can hear as many Sermons as you like, that is not communing with God.
And if you had a different OPINION to that which God has TOLD you in the Bible, you have just testified to being a Laodicean Christian.
The Mistaken Reality
17 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:
There is truly nothing more frightening than believing something to be true about your present state, that is false. And nothing more frightening than that “Reality Check” coming too late.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The Laodicean Church believes in a mistaken reality that “gain is godliness“.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing
Beloved, what does this text testify to concerning their focus????
Is it an outward focus or an inward focus?
So according to this passage we can see that the one phrase that Jesus employs to testify of that which the Laodiceans repeat to themselves, is one that has no interest outside themselves?
As for the history of the City of Laodicea, William Ramsay, whom I have often quoted, states;
“In the special duties imposed on it as the end and aim of its foundation, to guard a road and gateway, and to be a missionary of Greek language and culture in the Phrygian land, it proved unsuccessful.[2]“
The one respect in which it stands forth pre-eminent is that it is the adaptable city, able to suit itself to the needs of others, because it has no strongly pronounced character of its own.[3]
In other words beloved, it has no strength of Character, no guiding principle or purpose OTHER that that which suits its own needs and desires.
Very much like almost all of our current politicians, they adapt to the culture, as it changes, they change to suit. They stand on NO ABSOLUTE principle.
Many Pastors today are the same. Pastors who DO STAND RESOLUTELY on a principle are largely maligned in our LAODICEAN AGE Culture.
To affirm this Ramsay writes;
“Laodicea must appear … undecided, devoid of initiative, pliable, irresolute, and unsatisfactory.[4]“
You recall last week as we gave consideration to the Missionary City of Philadelphia, who had the SAME Charge as that of this City of Laodicea, and that was to spread the Greek Culture throughout the region, to have an INFLUENCE on the Culture toward Helenism.
So effective they were that the Lydian Language was all but obsolete within a short time.
The Philadelphian Church were praised for the same work respecting Christ.
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Not so the Laodiceans, nor the Church of Laodicea.
Here, the Laodiceans, made NO discernible difference to effecting the Phrygian/Lydian culture toward the Greek Hellenism, it was “unsatisfactory“, so too the Church effecting the culture toward Christ.
How does this Church compare?
Ask this question of yourselves beloved, are we more Philadelphian respecting our missionary zeal in the culture around us, or more LAODICEAN?
They thought themselves rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;
The OPINION they had of themselves was WRONG, They trusted in a MISTAKEN REALITY;
and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
The passage before us ought to manifest in each of us a true humility beloved. Where are we really at?
The Awakened Humility
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
“Laodicea must appear … undecided, devoid of initiative, pliable, irresolute, and unsatisfactory.[5]“
There must come a point in our lives that we realise we are not what we think we are. That we are not doing as well in our faith that we think we do. That we do not have it all wired up and strong in the Lord.
We long to hear those words, “well done my good and faithful servant“, but if we think to ourselves that we are ‘doin alright’, when we have mostly suited our own purpose and fulfilled the desires of our own lives, are we really doing ok?
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:
If you don’t believe this is for you then maybe its not.
If you are not convicted by this, then maybe he is not speaking to you.
For he ONLY rebukes those who are is, he does not rebuke them whom he does not know.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:
…My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
It is ONLY those who are HIS he rebukes and chastens.
It will be only those in this congregation who see themselves a part of the Church of Laodicea, those who have had little to NO zeal for the work of the Lord, for the WORD of the Lord, for Earnest Prayer to the LORD, and who do not excuse it but RECOGNISE IT.
Those who recognise how often they have APPEALED only to their own OPINION as FULL AND FINAL authority.
They are they who will repent.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
There can be no Awakened Humility UNTIL we are willing to have our hearts searched by God. So strong is our OPINIONS concerning ourselves, so strong is our stuborness in holding to a MISTAKEN REALITY, So firm is our JUXTAPOSED WITNESS and our willingness to remain TEPID in our consideration of ourselves, it can truly be nothing OTHER than God who will bring to our sight “any wicked way”.
O if we only knew the blessings that come from this, that the “way everlasting” is truly before us if we would only have an AWAKENED HUMILITY.
It is not those he hates whom he rebukes and Chastens, but those he loves;
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
The Laodicean City was charged to undertake the SAME missionary work as the Philadelphians, so too are ALL the Churches in Christ, but they affected nothing of note, they were;
undecided, devoid of initiative, pliable, irresolute, and unsatisfactory.”
When you look at our Church, are we more insular than missionary?
Is our zeal more for our personal comfort and goals than for the lost?
Beloved, this ought to be the PERSONAL CONVICTION of our day to day lives. This is not JUST about attending to our work as a GROUP.
The Philadelphians AND the Laodicians were still under the deadly government of Emperor worship, so the work was not seen in the public square, but the Philadelphians had this as their focus in their every day lives….NOT SO THE LAODICEANS.
The Philadelphian Church has “KEPT HIS WORD AND NOT DENIED HIS NAME“.
The laodicean Church is told by their loving saviour, 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
be zealous therefore, and repent.
138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.
139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
Our ZEAL begins ONLY when the WORD OF GOD GOVERNS THE OPINIONS OF OUR HEARTS!
The Welcomed Stranger
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 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. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Jesus is a stranger who stands outside of this Church but knocks.
In some of those representing the Laodicean Church, the Music is so loud they cant hear him knock.
In others, the sound of our own opinions drown out the continual “knock, knock, knock”.
In others, we busy ourselves here and there, constant and ongoing work, toil or entertaining distraction, even if we did hear him knock, we wouldn’t answer.
Jesus is a stranger who stands outside and knocks.
But a VOLUNTARY HUMILITY will welcome this stranger.
Too often we have treated Christ as a Crutch, a Genie that we pull out when we want comfort in our sin, but this is not the Jesus of the Bible.
Jesus stands outside and he will knock, can you hear his voice?
The Church of Laodicea had closed the door on Christ. Thinking themselves rich, they were poor, thinking themselves in need of nothing, they had no idea they were miserable.
There is a point of MALNUTRITION a person can come to that they no longer feel hungry, they are just eaten away.
Many Christians today have set the Bible aside for so long, they have no idea how malnourished they truly are.
if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
This book, the Bible, is our daily bread. For as long as it sits there, it calls out for us to read it.
And if you should put it out of your sight, I pray you will hear it “knocking”.
Beloved, if you choose not to schedule time with the Lord in reading your Bible and praying DAILY, then you are choosing to be a part of the Church of Laodicea.
If so, it will be a matter of time before you separate yourself from Philadelphian Christians.
[1] Smith, S., & Cornwall, J. (1998). The exhaustive dictionary of Bible names (158). North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos.
[2] Ramsay, W.M. (1904) The letters to the seven churches of Asia and their place in the plan of the Apocalypse. London: Hodder and Stoughton, p. 425.
[3] Ramsay, W.M. (1904) The letters to the seven churches of Asia and their place in the plan of the Apocalypse. London: Hodder and Stoughton, p. 425.
[4] Ramsay, W.M. (1904) The letters to the seven churches of Asia and their place in the plan of the Apocalypse. London: Hodder and Stoughton, p. 425.
[5] Ramsay, W.M. (1904) The letters to the seven churches of Asia and their place in the plan of the Apocalypse. London: Hodder and Stoughton, p. 425.
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