FROM PHILADELPHIA TO LAODICEA
Open discussion (children and adults) concerning...
The significance of the SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION, focusing on Philadelphia and Laodicea.
The sixth Church in the list was the Philadelphian Church, also known as the Church of the Open Door.
Revelation 3:8
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.
In Church history, after the first century, there was a period of evangelism and missions that was more aggressive and far reaching than any other time. This included the stretched from the1800s into the late 1900s.
The seventh and last Church in the list was the Laodicean Church, also known as the Lukewarm Church.
Revelation 3:16
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Following the Open Door period (in Church history) the Laodicean Church is the final presence of the Church in this world, before Christ takes His Bride to heaven.
I believe that during the late 1900s world wide Christianity moved from the OPEN DOOR to the LUKEWARM Church, which is described as,
Revelation 3:17-19
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:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Though the Open Door period of mass evangelism and unbounded mission outreach took place, the Lukewarm Church period will not see the same amount of "people movements" and openness of evangelism, In fact, Jesus ends His letter to the Church at Laodicea by emphasising the rarity of conversion by saying "if any man hear my voice." While salvation has always been a personal and individual encounter between God and man, the last days of the Church will be under more scrutiny and persecution and less appealing to the masses.
Revelation 3:20
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.
I pointed out that God raised up one of the most unique figures in Church history to span a significant part of the Open Door period. Billy Graham preached to millions around the world. His evangelistic ministry was instrumental in changing nations, saving families, building churches, redeeming the lost.
Although I believe that there will be pockets of Open Door ministries (as well as pockets of the other six church types), I believe we entered into the Laodicean period and evangelism will be much more of a one on one outreach than we saw during the 1900s.
We each need to recognize our own calling, our own gifts, our own missions in life. The world around us is depending on us.
