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triumphant theme music]¤
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>>John Bradshaw:
This is "It Is Written."
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I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me.
00:00:22.68\00:00:23.82
In the well-known children's
story, too hot is too hot,
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too cool is not warm enough,
but somewhere in the middle
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things were just right.
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So why is it that in the
Bible lukewarm is a bad thing?
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To answer this, we're visiting
a place famous for its apathy,
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a place that's become
synonymous with the word
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lukewarm.
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A place called
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Laodicea.
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¤Middle Eastern music¤
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Laodicea was an ancient city.
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It was located on a
plateau in the Lycus Valley.
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This was a fertile area
surrounded by creeks and rivers.
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¤[music ends]¤¤
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This wealthy city was
laid out in a grid system
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and stretched out over
five square kilometers.
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And it's in this city that
we find the last of the seven
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churches of Revelation.
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Laodicea was home to
several incredible buildings.
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There were giant
porticoes, agoras, and theaters.
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There were public
baths, a gymnasium, a stadium.
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There were also temples.
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After all, the city
used to be called Diospolis,
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which means the city of Zeus.
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There was a temple
dedicated to Artemis and Apollo.
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Another was
dedicated to Zeus and Athena.
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The whole gods
thing was important here.
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And, keep in mind, Rome
didn't care if you cared
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about their gods.
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You didn't have
to believe in them,
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you just had to go
through the motions.
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You had to recognize them.
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It wasn't a
question of loving the gods,
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it was a question
of loyalty to them.
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And this loyalty united society.
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In fact, Laodicea applied
to be granted the privilege of
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establishing an
imperial cult temple here.
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These were temples
built in honor of the emperors
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who were now
considered, if not actual gods,
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that they had joined the gods.
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God enough.
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Christians who believed in a
Creator God, in one True God,
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were enemies of the state.
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Christians were the unbelievers
in the eyes of the Romans.
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In fact, when trials were
conducted of Christians who
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refused to
worship the Roman gods,
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a statue of the emperor would
be present so that the accused
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could offer the appropriate
sacrifices then and there
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and therefore avoid punishment.
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Laodicea wasn't the only place
with a Christian community.
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There were other believers
just a few miles away from here.
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To the north of Laodicea was
the city of Hierapolis and to
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the southeast was Colossae.
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In the book Paul wrote to
the believers in Colossae,
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he greets those in
Laodicea and Hierapolis.
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"For I bear him
witness that he, Epaphras,
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"has a great zeal for you,
and those who are in Laodicea,
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and those in Hierapolis."
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So, there's a cluster of places
here that show up in the Bible.
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This area is
surrounded by mountains,
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some reaching up to around
eight thousand feet or close to
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two thousand
five hundred meters.
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And Turkey is one of the
most seismically active regions
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in the world.
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A devastating earthquake
affected the east of Turkey in
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2023.
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But as far back
as the year A.D. 60,
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an earthquake destroyed
Laodicea, Philadelphia,
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and other towns.
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But unlike other cities
devastated by the earthquake,
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Laodicea made a
surprising choice.
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After that earthquake, Laodicea
turned down financial aid from
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the Roman Empire,
choosing to rebuild itself
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using its own resources.
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The city's commercial and
political prominence had a lot
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to do with its
advantageous position
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on the local trade routes.
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The city minted its own coins.
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They had inscriptions on them
to such pagan gods as Apollo
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and Zeus and any
number of Roman emperors.
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It was a well-to-do place.
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And while there's nothing
wrong at all with wealth,
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there's a real danger
that prosperity can distract a
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person from faith in God,
and that's what happened here.
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Laodicea became comfortable
and that comfort became
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spiritually deadly.
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I'll tell you
more in just a moment.
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¤[calm, piano music]¤
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>>Announcer: For 2,000
years it's been the hope of the
00:05:25.22\00:05:27.22
Christian church.
00:05:27.26\00:05:28.49
It's a major theme of the Bible
and the focal point of the book
00:05:28.52\00:05:31.59
of Revelation: the
return of Jesus to the world.
00:05:31.63\00:05:35.03
Call now for your free copy
of "The Soon Return of Jesus."
00:05:35.06\00:05:39.40
Learn what the Bible says on
this vital subject and untangle
00:05:39.43\00:05:42.57
many modern myths.
00:05:42.60\00:05:43.64
Call 800-253-3000.
00:05:43.67\00:05:46.34
That's 800-253-3000.
00:05:46.37\00:05:49.38
Or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:05:49.41\00:05:53.05
¤[music ends]¤¤
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¤[dramatic music]¤
00:05:54.42\00:05:55.38
>>John Bradshaw: He had it all.
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Extravagant
wealth, immense power,
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and wisdom far greater
than any person before him.
00:06:00.29\00:06:03.56
He'd seen the glory of God,
had spoken personally with God,
00:06:03.59\00:06:07.86
and was told by God he
could have anything he wanted.
00:06:07.86\00:06:11.13
But as his focus shifted
over time, his life collapsed.
00:06:11.17\00:06:15.90
As he
contemplated his existence,
00:06:15.94\00:06:17.61
he concluded
that all was vanity.
00:06:17.64\00:06:21.21
Don't miss "Great Characters of
the Bible: Solomon," as we look
00:06:21.24\00:06:25.58
at the story of the
wisest man who ever lived,
00:06:25.61\00:06:28.58
a man who wrote
three books of the Bible,
00:06:28.62\00:06:30.75
a man who was
revered by monarchs
00:06:30.79\00:06:32.55
and feared by his enemies.
00:06:32.59\00:06:34.56
The man who constructed
what may have been the most
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beautiful temple ever
built, and yet turned away from
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faithfulness to God.
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But God didn't turn from him.
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The story of Solomon is
a tragedy and a victory.
00:06:43.87\00:06:47.30
Don't miss "Great Characters
of the Bible: Solomon,"
00:06:47.34\00:06:50.74
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:06:50.77\00:06:53.44
¤[music ends]¤¤
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¤[Middle Eastern music]¤
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>>John Bradshaw: We're
exploring the ancient city of
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Laodicea, about an hour's
drive southeast of Philadelphia
00:07:03.49\00:07:07.72
in the valley
of the Lycus River.
00:07:07.76\00:07:09.32
This was home to the
last of the seven churches
00:07:09.36\00:07:13.66
of Revelation.
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It was named for Laodice,
the wife of the Seleucid ruler,
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Antiochus II, in around 260 B.C.
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And that name is important
in the context of Jesus' remarks
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to this church.
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Laodicea means
"a people judged."
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This whole region is filled
with centuries of incredible
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history and natural wonder.
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Just a few miles north of
Laodicea is the ancient city of
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Hierapolis.
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Hierapolis is a
fascinating place.
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The first thing you notice are
the brilliant white terraces.
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They are mineral deposits
formed by the hot springs that
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flow from here.
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Back then, people
believed that these hot springs
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had healing properties.
00:08:03.58\00:08:05.85
Today, they attract tourists
from all over the world.
00:08:05.88\00:08:08.78
Just past the thermal pools
is another incredible structure.
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This theater was
rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian
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in the second century A.D.
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and could
accommodate 15,000 people.
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The theater is
mostly made of marble,
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and even today you can see the
elaborate decorative features.
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Jesus speaks to the
church at Laodicea and says:
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"These things says the Amen,
the Faithful and True Witness,
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the Beginning of
the creation of God."
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This isn't to say that
Jesus was a created being.
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He was not.
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John is writing that Jesus
is the Originator of creation,
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the Creator Himself.
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Where Paul writes to the
Colossians that Jesus is the
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Firstborn of every
creature, he's writing of Jesus'
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preeminence, not that He was
less than divine or more human
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than he actually was.
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Now Jesus wastes no time
getting to the point here.
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He says to the
Laodiceans, "I know your works,
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"that you are
neither cold nor hot.
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I could wish that
you were cold or hot."
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He's contrasting the Laodiceans
with the hot water that came
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from Hierapolis over there and
the cold water that come from
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Colossae over there
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Hot water good, cold
water good, but you Laodiceans,
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you're neither one
thing nor the other.
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You're lukewarm.
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He's speaking about
their spiritual condition.
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The problem the Laodiceans
had is they were indifferent.
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They were spiritually neutral.
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Professing the name of Jesus,
but not committed in any real
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way to actual Christianity.
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Not an all-out rebellion,
but they were not all in.
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Not committed.
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And Jesus shows us just how
serious that is when He says:
00:10:05.37\00:10:09.44
"So then,
because you are lukewarm,
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and neither cold nor hot, I
will spew you out of My mouth."
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Lukewarm water can have a
certain emetic quality about it.
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Hot water, as long as it's
not too hot, goes down easily.
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Cold water, the same.
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But lukewarm water
can be a little sickly.
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Can leave you
feeling a bit unsettled.
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Now, we don't often
talk together about vomiting,
00:10:41.94\00:10:45.64
but why don't we do
that for just a moment.
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The act of throwing
up isn't a voluntary act.
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It's not something you
can typically do without,
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without some
kind of intervention,
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some kind of help, if,
if, it that's the right word.
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The throwing up is involuntary.
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You've experienced that.
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You don't want
to, you don't want to,
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you don't want to
and then--it happens.
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You don't plan it,
you don't work it up.
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Jesus isn't saying
here, "I want to eject you."
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He's not saying, "I
want to spew you out."
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He's simply not able
to accept these people
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in their lukewarm state.
00:11:21.18\00:11:23.61
So, to these people just going
through the motions of their
00:11:23.65\00:11:26.25
faith, which isn't really
genuine faith, Jesus says,
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"I just can't keep this down."
00:11:30.55\00:11:33.66
Now, is that God
being less than gracious?
00:11:33.69\00:11:35.92
Well, no, it's God being honest,
00:11:35.96\00:11:38.83
endeavoring to
wake up the world.
00:11:38.86\00:11:40.96
It's why in the book
of Revelation there are
00:11:41.00\00:11:42.86
three angels with important
messages for the world,
00:11:42.90\00:11:46.23
pictured as flying in the midst
of heaven and calling to the
00:11:46.27\00:11:49.57
world with a loud voice.
00:11:49.60\00:11:51.87
It's important.
00:11:51.91\00:11:53.41
Time is running
out for planet earth.
00:11:53.44\00:11:55.34
The movements we're
seeing in the world today,
00:11:55.38\00:11:57.58
the signs of the
times being fulfilled,
00:11:57.61\00:12:00.48
it's like God has
pressed His foot down
00:12:00.52\00:12:02.58
on the accelerator of time.
00:12:02.62\00:12:04.92
And so here, Jesus
is just being honest.
00:12:04.95\00:12:08.72
He's saying, so much of what's
going on in the world today,
00:12:08.76\00:12:12.33
even in the church
today, is nauseating to Him.
00:12:12.36\00:12:16.33
This thing being presented
as faith in Jesus, but it isn't.
00:12:16.36\00:12:19.97
He doesn't want people
thinking they're saved,
00:12:20.00\00:12:22.44
when they're lost.
00:12:22.47\00:12:23.81
Thinking they're having a
genuine Christian experience,
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.71
and they're actually
not having that at all.
00:12:26.74\00:12:30.15
One of the greatest problems
facing the world has to be that
00:12:30.18\00:12:33.25
people are self-deceived,
thinking they're okay with God
00:12:33.28\00:12:37.45
when they're not.
00:12:37.49\00:12:38.42
And that was true of
the church of Laodicea.
00:12:38.45\00:12:41.29
Listen to this.
00:12:41.32\00:12:42.52
"Because you say, 'I am
rich, have become wealthy,
00:12:42.56\00:12:45.36
"and have need of nothing-
-and do not know that you are
00:12:45.39\00:12:48.83
wretched,
miserable, poor, blind,
00:12:48.86\00:12:52.23
and naked.'" They were
in a perilous situation.
00:12:52.27\00:12:57.47
The Laodiceans
were actually rich.
00:12:57.51\00:12:59.64
Again, nothing
wrong with wealth,
00:12:59.67\00:13:01.54
but it brings with
it certain temptations.
00:13:01.58\00:13:04.11
These people became comfortable
in their comfort and they lost
00:13:04.15\00:13:07.62
sight of what it meant to have
a vital Christian experience.
00:13:07.65\00:13:11.65
They said in their hearts,
"We have need of nothing."
00:13:11.69\00:13:15.12
They were satisfied.
00:13:15.16\00:13:16.99
And this isn't just
speaking about material things.
00:13:17.03\00:13:19.73
Jesus is speaking to the church
about its spiritual condition.
00:13:19.76\00:13:23.97
They were just fine.
00:13:24.00\00:13:26.40
Or, so they thought.
00:13:26.43\00:13:29.97
In actuality,
they were wretched.
00:13:30.01\00:13:32.67
The only other time that word
is used in the New Testament,
00:13:32.71\00:13:35.91
it's when Paul speaks
to the Romans and says,
00:13:35.94\00:13:39.05
"Oh wretched man that I am."
00:13:39.08\00:13:41.85
The difference is with Paul, he
was aware of his wretchedness,
00:13:41.88\00:13:45.39
which is why he was able to
cry out to God in desperation.
00:13:45.42\00:13:48.96
But this group of people,
00:13:48.99\00:13:50.16
unaware of their
true spiritual condition,
00:13:50.19\00:13:52.76
they cannot cry out
to God for a remedy.
00:13:52.79\00:13:57.03
Jesus said they were miserable.
00:13:57.07\00:13:59.23
Now, this is another
word that only appears twice
00:13:59.27\00:14:01.97
in the New Testament.
00:14:02.00\00:14:03.30
And again, the only other
time it is used it's used by the
00:14:03.34\00:14:06.68
apostle Paul.
00:14:06.71\00:14:08.21
He wrote to the church
in Corinth and he said,
00:14:08.24\00:14:11.08
"If in this life only
we have hope in Christ,
00:14:11.11\00:14:14.88
we are of all
men most miserable."
00:14:14.92\00:14:17.49
The condition of people who
only had hope in this world and
00:14:24.19\00:14:28.30
had no hope in the world to
come is described as miserable.
00:14:28.33\00:14:33.40
The Laodiceans, although they
didn't know it, were miserable.
00:14:33.44\00:14:37.77
These well-off people
were described as poor,
00:14:37.81\00:14:41.54
as well as blind and naked.
00:14:41.58\00:14:44.88
But true to the rest of the
letters to the seven churched,
00:14:44.91\00:14:47.58
there was hope
even for the Laodiceans,
00:14:47.62\00:14:51.22
which is phenomenal, isn't it?
00:14:51.25\00:14:53.22
Wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked,
00:14:53.25\00:14:56.29
but they could have
hope, and that's Jesus' way.
00:14:56.32\00:15:01.00
It's often been said that the
most famous verse in the Bible
00:15:01.03\00:15:03.80
is John 3:16.
00:15:03.83\00:15:06.43
"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten
00:15:06.47\00:15:10.34
"Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish but
00:15:10.37\00:15:14.21
have everlasting life."
00:15:14.24\00:15:17.01
But the very next verse is
another you don't want to miss.
00:15:17.05\00:15:20.52
John 3:17.
00:15:20.55\00:15:23.28
"For God sent not His Son into
the world to condemn the world;
00:15:23.32\00:15:28.02
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:15:28.06\00:15:31.03
Even three centuries after
John's letter the Laodiceans
00:15:35.33\00:15:39.40
continued to deceive themselves.
00:15:39.43\00:15:41.70
The town of Laodicea hosted
an important event known as the
00:15:41.74\00:15:45.67
Council of Laodicea,
between 363 and 364 A.D.
00:15:45.71\00:15:52.11
It took place during
the reign of Emperor Julian.
00:15:52.15\00:15:55.78
He was called the apostate
due to his attempts to revive
00:15:55.82\00:15:59.42
paganism and diminish the
influence of Christianity.
00:15:59.45\00:16:04.49
The Council of Laodicea is
significant because it outlawed
00:16:04.53\00:16:08.00
the keeping of the
original seventh-day Sabbath and
00:16:08.03\00:16:11.67
encouraged rest on Sunday.
00:16:11.70\00:16:14.30
It also attempted to establish
a biblical canon which included
00:16:14.34\00:16:18.14
apocryphal books such
as First Esdras, Baruch,
00:16:18.17\00:16:21.91
and the epistles of Jeremiah.
00:16:21.94\00:16:24.71
Although the Council of
Laodicea wasn't specifically
00:16:24.75\00:16:27.42
from the Laodicean church,
it represented the overall
00:16:27.45\00:16:31.12
attitude of the
church at that time.
00:16:31.15\00:16:34.12
The council highlighted
the Laodiceans' failure to
00:16:34.16\00:16:36.96
prioritize the
Word of God as supreme.
00:16:36.99\00:16:40.63
So, where was the hope for
a people described by Jesus as
00:16:43.20\00:16:47.14
wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked?
00:16:47.17\00:16:50.81
Well, there was a lot of hope.
00:16:50.84\00:16:53.88
I'll share that with
you in just a moment.
00:16:53.91\00:16:55.48
¤[dramatic music]¤¤
00:16:55.51\00:17:00.58
¤[calm piano music]¤
00:17:03.39\00:17:05.39
>>John Bradshaw: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:17:05.42\00:17:07.32
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of people just like you.
00:17:07.36\00:17:10.39
To support this international
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00:17:10.43\00:17:14.00
please call us
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00:17:14.00\00:17:16.13
You can send your tax
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00:17:18.27\00:17:19.90
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00:17:23.10\00:17:25.01
Thank you for your prayers
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00:17:25.04\00:17:27.84
Our number again is 800
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¤[music ends]¤¤
00:17:34.62\00:17:36.22
¤[epic music]¤
00:17:36.25\00:17:37.22
>>John Bradshaw: It's
a land rich with culture.
00:17:37.25\00:17:38.89
Colorful
bazaars, stunning mosques,
00:17:38.92\00:17:41.52
and ancient ruins now
occupy the same territory once
00:17:41.56\00:17:44.99
conquered by the Persian,
Greek, and Roman empires.
00:17:45.03\00:17:48.66
In the midst of
this tumultuous history,
00:17:48.70\00:17:51.00
followers of Christ began
to form their first churches.
00:17:51.03\00:17:54.04
One of these churches was
instructed by Jesus to "be
00:17:54.07\00:17:57.54
watchful and strengthen the
things which remain that are
00:17:57.57\00:18:01.14
ready to die, for I
have not found your works
00:18:01.18\00:18:04.31
perfect before God."
00:18:04.35\00:18:06.58
What were the
believers in Sardis missing?
00:18:06.61\00:18:09.65
And how is this letter
to a church that existed two
00:18:09.68\00:18:12.29
thousand years ago
relevant to the church today?
00:18:12.32\00:18:16.62
Find out by watching, "The
Seven Churches of Revelation,
00:18:16.66\00:18:20.56
Sardis," and learn what
it means to truly overcome.
00:18:20.60\00:18:26.10
"The Seven
Churches of Revelation,
00:18:26.13\00:18:28.80
Sardis" brought to
you by It Is Written TV.
00:18:28.84\00:18:32.81
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:18:32.84\00:18:39.55
¤[piano music]¤¤
00:18:39.58\00:18:43.02
>>John Bradshaw: The ruins
of this Christian church in
00:18:43.05\00:18:44.72
Laodicea dates to
the fourth century A.D.
00:18:44.75\00:18:48.82
The church wasn't standing when
the early Christians were here
00:18:48.86\00:18:52.23
and that's because those early
Christians typically faced a
00:18:52.26\00:18:55.30
lot of persecution and didn't
worship in church buildings in
00:18:55.33\00:18:59.43
those days.
00:18:59.47\00:19:01.34
The first reference we
have to a Christian community in
00:19:01.37\00:19:03.77
Laodicea can be found in the
Apostle Paul's epistle to the
00:19:03.81\00:19:06.84
neighboring Colossians.
00:19:06.88\00:19:08.81
He says in Colossians 4:16:
"Now when this epistle is read
00:19:08.84\00:19:12.68
"among you, see that it is
read also in the church of the
00:19:12.71\00:19:15.88
"Laodiceans, and that you
likewise read the epistle from
00:19:15.92\00:19:20.16
Laodicea."
00:19:20.19\00:19:21.96
Either the Laodiceans had
written to Colossae or to Paul
00:19:21.99\00:19:25.76
and the apostle wanted the
Colossians to be aware of that.
00:19:25.79\00:19:28.90
The epistle to the
Colossians may, in fact,
00:19:28.93\00:19:30.63
have been a circular letter, to
be sent to each of the various
00:19:30.67\00:19:34.10
congregations in the territory.
00:19:34.14\00:19:36.27
Some of the Greek manuscripts
of Paul's first epistle to
00:19:36.30\00:19:39.47
Timothy read,
"written at Laodicea."
00:19:39.51\00:19:42.48
Paul may have been visiting
Laodicea when he wrote his
00:19:42.51\00:19:45.65
first letter to
his protégé Timothy.
00:19:45.68\00:19:48.98
Jesus' message to the church
that was here was as straight
00:19:49.02\00:19:54.29
as can be.
00:19:54.32\00:19:56.46
"You say that you're rich and
increased with goods and have
00:19:56.49\00:20:00.06
"need of nothing, but you are
unaware that you are wretched,
00:20:00.10\00:20:04.80
miserable, poor,
blind, and naked."
00:20:04.83\00:20:09.27
But Jesus was quick to share
hope with the Laodiceans and He
00:20:09.30\00:20:13.11
does that with all
of the seven churches.
00:20:13.14\00:20:16.85
"Ephesus, you have left your
first love, but if you repent,
00:20:16.88\00:20:21.45
you'll be okay."
00:20:21.48\00:20:23.55
"Smyrna, you're
facing terrible persecution,
00:20:23.59\00:20:26.92
but you don't have to fear,
I'll give you a crown of life."
00:20:26.96\00:20:32.93
"Pergamos, I have a few things
against you with your false
00:20:32.96\00:20:36.83
"teachings and your immorality
and more, but if you repent,
00:20:36.87\00:20:41.84
I'll give you a white
stone and a new name."
00:20:41.87\00:20:44.24
"Thyatira, you put up
with Jezebel and all that false
00:20:44.27\00:20:49.48
"teaching, but I'll give
you power over nations and I'll
00:20:49.51\00:20:53.98
give you the morning star."
00:20:54.02\00:20:56.25
That's Jesus.
00:20:56.28\00:20:58.35
"Sardis, you have a
name that you're alive,
00:20:58.39\00:21:02.12
"but you're actually dead.
00:21:02.16\00:21:04.29
"But in spite of that, you
may be clothed in white clothing
00:21:04.33\00:21:09.06
and your name will
stay in the Book of Life."
00:21:09.10\00:21:13.27
"Philadelphia, I'll make you a
pillar in the temple of My God."
00:21:13.30\00:21:18.87
"And Laodicea, the church that
makes me sick to my stomach,
00:21:18.91\00:21:23.45
there is hope for you."
00:21:23.48\00:21:25.81
And here's what Dr.
Jesus prescribed for these
00:21:25.85\00:21:28.75
self-deceived
Laodiceans, He said,
00:21:28.78\00:21:32.72
"I counsel you to buy from
Me gold refined in the fire,
00:21:32.75\00:21:36.96
"that you may be
rich; and white garments,
00:21:36.99\00:21:40.00
"that you might be clothed, that
the shame of your nakedness may
00:21:40.03\00:21:43.63
"not be revealed; and
anoint your eyes with eye salve,
00:21:43.67\00:21:48.34
that you may see."
00:21:48.37\00:21:51.17
Gold tried in the
fire that you may be rich.
00:21:51.21\00:21:55.24
They thought they were rich,
many of them in this banking
00:21:55.28\00:21:58.31
center, but Jesus is
talking about true riches.
00:21:58.35\00:22:01.92
He doesn't mind if you
have earthly riches, too,
00:22:01.95\00:22:04.42
as long as
that's dedicated to Him,
00:22:04.45\00:22:06.62
and isn't acting as a
millstone around your neck.
00:22:06.65\00:22:10.39
I've heard gold tried in a fire
being described as faith that
00:22:10.43\00:22:13.73
works by love.
00:22:13.76\00:22:15.13
Gold tried in the fire.
00:22:15.16\00:22:16.90
Jesus said, "You need that,
and then you'll be really rich.
00:22:16.93\00:22:20.70
You'll have
something of real value."
00:22:20.74\00:22:24.24
And then Jesus says, "You need
white garments that you might
00:22:24.27\00:22:28.61
be clothed."
00:22:28.64\00:22:29.91
Now, this is interesting.
00:22:29.94\00:22:31.48
Historians say that back in
those times Laodicea produced
00:22:31.51\00:22:34.65
soft, black wool, which was
used to manufacture clothing.
00:22:34.68\00:22:39.09
Jesus says to a people in a
place known for its black wool,
00:22:39.12\00:22:42.89
"What you need
is white clothing."
00:22:42.92\00:22:45.43
And, of course, that white
clothing is the righteousness
00:22:45.46\00:22:49.23
of Christ.
00:22:49.26\00:22:51.03
What we all need to know is
that our own righteousness is
00:22:51.07\00:22:53.84
of no value.
00:22:53.87\00:22:55.70
Isaiah described
it as, "Filthy rags."
00:22:55.74\00:22:58.57
But we can freely receive the
perfect righteousness of Jesus.
00:22:58.61\00:23:04.11
God offers that
to you right now.
00:23:04.15\00:23:08.75
Jesus went on to say that
the Laodiceans needed to anoint
00:23:08.78\00:23:12.42
their eyes with eye
salve so they could see.
00:23:12.45\00:23:15.96
Laodicea was home to a medical
school in the first century.
00:23:15.99\00:23:19.16
One of its first graduates
was an ophthalmologist,
00:23:19.19\00:23:22.60
an eye doctor, who wrote
an influential textbook on the
00:23:22.63\00:23:25.97
subject of the eye.
00:23:26.00\00:23:27.44
And a popular eye
salve was produced here.
00:23:27.47\00:23:30.51
It was sold by the
merchants of the city.
00:23:30.54\00:23:34.58
And Jesus says, "I can offer
you the eye salve that really
00:23:34.61\00:23:38.91
works, and that
works for you spiritually."
00:23:38.95\00:23:42.65
He wanted to open the eyes of
the Laodiceans to the beauty of
00:23:42.68\00:23:46.02
the Gospel, which, of course,
is the work of the Holy Spirit.
00:23:46.05\00:23:49.66
Jesus says, "I'll
give you My Holy Spirit,
00:23:49.69\00:23:53.70
who will transform
you, who will remake you."
00:23:53.73\00:23:58.87
Jesus tells us why He is so
direct with the Laodiceans when
00:23:58.90\00:24:02.20
He says, "As many as I
love, I rebuke and chasten.
00:24:02.24\00:24:07.24
Therefore be
zealous and repent."
00:24:07.28\00:24:11.85
And then He says, "Behold,
I stand at the door and knock.
00:24:11.88\00:24:17.52
"If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door,
00:24:17.55\00:24:21.46
I will come into him and
dine with him, and he with Me."
00:24:21.49\00:24:27.03
This is Jesus knocking
on the door of the heart.
00:24:27.03\00:24:30.83
Notice, he doesn't force
His way in. He knocks and allows
00:24:30.87\00:24:35.54
you to open, or not.
00:24:35.57\00:24:37.91
He says if you'll open the door,
00:24:37.94\00:24:39.91
He'll come in. And notice
it says, "We'll dine together."
00:24:39.94\00:24:44.38
That's real hospitality.
00:24:44.41\00:24:46.65
"We'll be friends," Jesus says.
00:24:46.68\00:24:48.35
"We'll eat together.
00:24:48.38\00:24:49.95
We'll have fellowship."
00:24:49.98\00:24:52.52
What an invitation
from the Divine Son of God.
00:24:52.55\00:24:56.22
¤[happy piano music]¤¤
00:24:56.26\00:24:57.39
>>Announcer: For 2,000
years it's been the hope of the
00:24:57.43\00:25:01.20
Christian church.
00:25:01.23\00:25:02.46
It's a major theme of the Bible
and the focal point of the book
00:25:02.50\00:25:05.67
of Revelation: the
return of Jesus to the world.
00:25:05.70\00:25:09.07
Call now for your free copy
of "The Soon Return of Jesus."
00:25:09.10\00:25:13.44
Learn what the Bible says on
this vital subject and untangle
00:25:13.48\00:25:16.64
many modern myths.
00:25:16.68\00:25:17.55
Call 800-253-3000.
00:25:17.58\00:25:20.45
That's 800-253-3000.
00:25:20.48\00:25:23.45
Or visit us
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00:25:23.49\00:25:26.52
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:25:26.55\00:25:31.49
¤[piano music]¤
00:25:37.83\00:25:43.64
>>John Bradshaw: Patmos was
a lonely island when John was
00:25:43.67\00:25:47.11
here two thousand years ago.
00:25:47.14\00:25:49.51
Which is interesting
because the letters to the seven
00:25:49.54\00:25:52.11
churches reached their
crescendo with an invitation to
00:25:52.15\00:25:55.48
anything but loneliness.
00:25:55.52\00:25:57.39
Jesus said that He knocks
on the door of your heart.
00:25:57.42\00:26:00.42
Doesn't force His way in. He
says if you will open the door
00:26:00.46\00:26:03.66
then He will come in and
dine with you and you with Him.
00:26:03.69\00:26:07.86
That's Jesus saying
friendship, fellowship,
00:26:07.93\00:26:11.47
unity for you and Him
throughout the ceaseless ages
00:26:11.50\00:26:14.67
of eternity.
00:26:14.70\00:26:15.67
No loneliness.
00:26:15.70\00:26:17.07
No solitude.
00:26:17.11\00:26:18.21
Very much unlike what
John experienced right here on
00:26:18.24\00:26:21.38
Patmos two millennia ago.
00:26:21.41\00:26:23.98
Do you want that friendship?
00:26:24.01\00:26:25.55
That's where the letters
to the seven churches lead,
00:26:25.58\00:26:28.02
to you and Jesus
being one forever.
00:26:28.05\00:26:30.99
If you'll say yes, you have
eternity to look forward to,
00:26:31.02\00:26:35.19
with the one the Book of
Revelation calls the King of
00:26:35.22\00:26:37.73
Kings and the Lord of Lords.
00:26:37.76\00:26:40.16
Let me pray with you now.
00:26:40.20\00:26:42.73
Our Father in heaven, we thank
You that above all things You
00:26:42.76\00:26:45.10
wish that we, that's
You and us, be connected,
00:26:45.13\00:26:47.84
be one forever and ever.
00:26:47.87\00:26:49.70
Let that be, dear Lord.
00:26:49.74\00:26:53.74
In spite of our
weakness, in spite of our sin,
00:26:53.78\00:26:57.05
in spite of our faults, join
us to Yourself through faith in
00:26:57.08\00:27:02.18
the Christ of the Revelation,
the Christ of the Bible.
00:27:02.22\00:27:05.82
We thank You for what You have
prepared for us in the letters
00:27:05.85\00:27:09.79
to the seven churches.
00:27:09.82\00:27:11.73
As we live by that instruction,
as we live by that guidance,
00:27:11.76\00:27:16.23
prepare us more and yet more
for eternity when Jesus comes
00:27:16.26\00:27:20.54
back to take us home.
00:27:20.57\00:27:23.27
Let that day come soon,
we pray, in Jesus' name.
00:27:23.30\00:27:27.61
Amen.
00:27:27.64\00:27:29.78
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:27:29.81\00:27:31.05
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:31.08\00:27:33.31
¤[theme music increases]¤
00:27:33.35\00:27:34.18
Until then,
remember: "It is written,
00:27:34.22\00:27:37.09
'Man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:27:37.12\00:27:39.15
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:39.19\00:27:42.32
¤[dramatic,
triumphant theme music]¤
00:27:42.36\00:27:47.36
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:28:22.86\00:28:23.87