Remarkable, Message 1 of 3
Remarkable • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsWe all love to watch people do remarkable things. It is why we tune in to sports and competitions. It is why watch documentaries on heroes. It is why we celebrate underdogs so much. But, do we think about how to make our church remarkable? What about our witness? What about our live?
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Being Remarkable
Being Remarkable
Remarkable is defined as - worthy of being, or likely to be, noticed especially as being uncommon or extraordinary, unusual or special and therefore surprising and worth mentioning
Let’s talk a little bit about the book of Revelation first as we begin this series.
Opening Up Revelation The Revealer (vv. 1–2)
First, it is a blessed thing to realize that this book comes from none other than the Lord Jesus Christ
However, it is written by John, probably while he is in exile on the island of Patmos.
It is believed to have been written around AD 95 This date would place the writing during the reign of Domitian the Roman Emperor known for his severe persecution of Christians.
The Second Persecution, Under Domitian, A.D. 81
The emperor Domitian, who was naturally inclined to cruelty, first slew his brother, and then raised the second persecution against the Christians. In his rage he put to death some of the Roman senators, some through malice; and others to confiscate their estates. He then commanded all the lineage of David be put to death.
This means this book was written to churches that were likely experiencing severe persecution.
It also carries a feeling of being imminent.
The things in this revelation “must quickly” or will soon “take place.” This phrase occurs seven times in Revelation and emphasizes imminence and expectancy. We must put this phrase in biblical and theological context.
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
teaches we are now in “these last days.” tells us, “The judge stands at the door.” affirms, “It is the last hour.”
teaches we are now in “these last days.”
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
tells us, “The judge stands at the door.” affirms, “It is the last hour.”
tells us, “The judge stands at the door.”
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
affirms, “It is the last hour.”
affirms, “It is the last hour.”
“Imminent” describes an event that is “possible any day, impossible no day.”
It could literally happen at any moment.
(Revelation, 22)
Exalting Jesus in Revelation (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Exalting Jesus in Revelation (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
The book begins with “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” The word revelation is the title of the book and translates the Greek word apokalupsis, which means “to reveal, unveil, uncover, or disclose.” This is the only time the word appears in the entire book.
It tells us God is pulling back the curtain in order to show us something previously hidden and unknown.
Exalting Jesus in Revelation (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
It is important to remember that this book is written to real people in real churches.
Opening Up Revelation The Book of Revelation Was Originally Addressed to Seven Churches (1:11, 20; 2:1–3:22)
The message of Revelation could be stated in five words: it’s going to be OK!
It was written to the seven churches that are addressed in the first three chapters. Sometimes we tend to think only the beginning is written to them but the entire book is to these seven churches.
We are going to take a look at the last church being written to today.
The Church at Laodicea
The Church at Laodicea
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
“ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
“ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
“ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
“ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
Laodicea was a wealthy city during the Roman period. Not only was Laodicea located on major trade routes that connected it to important cities like Ephesus, Smyrna and Sardis, but also it was a center of textile production and banking. Perhaps not surprisingly, the church of Laodicea is noted as being wealthy in the Bible.
).
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
This was a problem for the church.
Filled by the exact measure of your emptiness.
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Laodicea was full of themselves. There was no room for God to fill them.
“ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
The way I have heard this preached before.
Two ways I have heard this. Archeology helps us here. We will take a look at two possibilities.
Lost are Cold, Saved are Hot
If one is lost, and knows themselves to be, there is always hope.
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Rev.
Remember, you are filled to your level of emptiness.
Hourglass
In the grand scheme of God’s mission, this church was utterly unremarkable.
This is the only church to which Jesus had nothing good to say.
So, let’s take a look at the neighbors and see if it gives us a second look at the possible meaning of this passage.
Heiropolis & Colossae
Heiropolis & Colossae
When Heiropolis
Heiropolis was known for its hot springs.
Colossae was known for its cold springs
Laodicea was known for many things but, its water was unremarkable.
Laodicea was the only town in that region that was totally dependent on aqueducts to pipe in water.
One of the principles of medicine at that time was that compound diseases required compound medicines. One of the compounds used for strengthening the ears was made from the spice nard (spikenard? an aromatic plant). Galen says that it was originally made only in Laodicea, although by the second century A.D. it was made in other places also. Galen also described a medicine for the eyes made of Phrygian stone. Aristotle spoke of it as a Phrygian powder. Ramsay tries to explain what kind of medicine it was by saying it was not an ointment but a cylindrical collyrium that could be powdered and then spread on the part affected. The term used by John in Revelation is the same that Galen uses to describe the preparation of the Phrygian stone.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
For all their wealth they lack remarkable water. Actually the mineral deposit were so heavy that they had to build little dam like structures to be able to clean the deposit out every so often
What can you learn from this church?
Laodicea took great pride in her financial wealth—yet the Lord told them to buy “gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich.”
“gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich.”
Laodicea took pride in its clothing—yet the Lord told them to buy “white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.”
that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.”
Laodicea took pride in its eye medicine—yet the Lord told them to “anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”
They needed to empty themselves to be filled.
Room temperature coffee.
Hourglass
They needed to stop thinking certain material blessings made them remarkable.
Maybe we need to do the same.
What are you full of?
The remains of the city have only recently begun to be excavated, so most of what we know about the history of the city comes from written sources.
Over the next couple weeks, I hope to show you how we can empty ourselves to be filled by God.
The remains of two theaters, one Greek and one Roman, are on the northeastern slope of the plateau.
How we can go from unremarkable in the eyes of God to Remarkable.
Let us commit to be Remarkable.
Let us commit to be Remarkable.
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
A large stadium which also served as an amphitheater, dedicated by a wealthy citizen to the Roman emperor Vespasian in 79 A.D., can be found on the opposite end of the plateau.
The unexcavated stadium at Laodicea was used for both athletic contests and gladiatorial shows and was one of the largest in Asia (810 feet long).
Archaeologists discovered a life-sized statue of the goddess Isis in the ancient nymphaeum, or monumental fountain.
The gate to Ephesus, triple-arched and flanked by towers, was devoted to the Emperor Domition (A.D. 81–96).
On the south-west side stand a number of buildings built under Vespasian (A.D. 69–79), including a stadium (380 x 65 yards).
An aqueduct bringing water into the city ended in a 16 foot tall water tower which distributed water throughout the city.
“An inscription erected by a freed slave from Laodicea was dedicated to Marcus Sestius Philemon. It will be recalled that a Philemon who owned the slave Onesimus () was a leader in the church of Colossae. We cannot identify this Philemon with the slaveholder to whom Paul wrote, but the coincidence of the inscription from the same area is intriguing, especially since it refers to the manumission of a slave.” (John McRay, Archaeology And The N ew
T estament, 247) Conclusion
eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”