Page 10 - Good News April 2013 paper

ND TO THE ANGEL (mes- your mind and attitude]. believers didn't stand for any-
senger) of the assembly Behold, I stand at the door and thing. Indifference had led them to
A(church) in Laodicea write: knock; if anyone hears and listens idleness. By neglecting to do
These are the words of the Amen, to and heeds My Voice and opens anything for Christ, the church
the trusty and faithful and true the door, I will come in to him and had become hardened and self-
Witness, the Origin and Begin- will eat with him, and he [will eat] satisfied. The church was
ning and Author of God's with Me. destroying itself.
creation: He who overcomes (is victorious), Are you lukewarm in your
I know your [record of] works and I will grant him to sit beside Me on devotion to God? Some believers
what you are doing; you are My throne, as I Myself overcame falsely assume that lots of
neither cold nor hot. Would that (was victorious) and sat down material possessions are a sign
you were cold or hot! beside My Father on His throne. of God's spiritual blessing.
So, because you are lukewarm He who is able to hear, let him Laodicea was a wealthy city, and
and neither cold nor hot, I will listen to and heed what the [Holy] the church was wealthy too. But
spew you out of My mouth! Spirit says to the assemblies what the Laodiceans could see
For you say, I am rich; I have (churches). (Revelation 3:14-22 and buy had become more
prospered and grown wealthy, The Amplified Bible). valuable to them than what is
and I am in need of nothing; and Laodicea was the wealthiest of unseen and eternal. Wealth,
you do not realize and understand the Seven Cities of Asia, known luxury, and ease can make people get medicine from Him to heal
that you are wretched, pitiable, for its banking industry, manufac- feel confident, satisfied, and their eyes so they could see the
poor, blind, and naked. turing of wool, and a medical complacent. But no matter how truth!
Therefore I counsel you to pur- school that produced eye salve. much you possess or how much Christ was showing the Lao-
chase from Me gold refined and But the city always had a problem money you make, you have diceans that true value was not in
tested by fire, that you may be with its water supply. nothing if you don't have a vital, material possessions, but in a
[truly] wealthy, and white clothes At one time an aqueduct was built living relationship with Christ! right and holy relationship with
to clothe you and to keep the to bring water to the city from hot Laodicea was known for its great God. Their (our) possessions and
shame of your nudity from being springs. But by the time the water wealth - but Christ told the many achievements were (are)
seen, and salve to put on your reached the city, it was neither hot Laodiceans to buy their gold from valueless compared with the
eyes, that you may see. nor refreshingly cool - only luke- Him. The city was proud of its everlasting future of Christ's
Those whom I [dearly and warm. The church had become as cloth and dyeing industries - but Kingdom!
tenderly] love, I tell their faults bland as the tepid water that came Christ told them that they were Because the Laodicean church
and convict and convince and into the city. naked and should purchase white was complacent and rich, they felt
reprove and chasten [I discipline Lukewarm water is unpalatable. garments from Him. Laodicea fulfilled, but they didn't have
and instruct them]. So be enthu- The church in Laodicea had prided itself on its precious eye Christ's Presence among them!
siastic and in earnest and burning become lukewarm and thus salve that healed many eye He knocked at the door of their
with zeal and repent [changing distasteful and repugnant. The problems - but Christ told them to Continued on p. 11