CHURCH AT LAODECIA Revelation 3:14-22

VI. Sweetly Seeking – Revelation 3:20 - 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.

1. Faithful -20 Behold, I stand at the door,

2. Fervent - and knock:

Luke 12:35 - Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

3. Friendship - if any man hear my voice, and open the door,

4. Forgiving - I will come in to him,

Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Jeremiah 31:34 - And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

5. Fellowship - and will sup with him, and he with me.

VII. Steadfast Stewards – Revelation 3:21 - To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, andam set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

1. Valiant - 21 To him that overcometh

Psalms 44:5 – Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

I John 5:4 – 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith

Revelation 15:2 – And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Romans 8:35 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. Vow (Promise) - will I grant to sit with me in my throne,

I John 5:2 –  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Matthew 25:31 – When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

 II Timothy 2:12 - If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

3. Victor - even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Colossians 3:23 - And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Proverbs 11:18 - The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.

I Corinthians 3:14 - If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Matthew 25:23 - His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

4. Voice - 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Ephesus: Passion was Lost – Fires of Satan’s Aspiration to be worshipped!

Smyrna: Persecution from the Idolaters - Fires of Satan’s Opposition to pure worship!

Pergamos: Penetration of Worldliness – Fires of Satan’s Temptation to pagan worship!

Thyatira: Purity of the Church – Fires of Satan’s Indoctrination to Put up with sin!

Sardis: Putridness of the Church – Fires of Satan’s Destruction of God’s People!

Philadelphia: Power of the Church – Fires of Satan’s Determination to Prevent the Church from Working together.

Laodecia: God’s Parting from the Church – Fires of Satan’s Separation of God and his People!