Revelation for the Head and the Heart

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Norman McNulty

From Laodicea to the 144,000

Father in heaven, we thank you for this Sabbath that we've had to study the book of Revelation.

And in so many ways, we're really only scratching the surface, but at least we've had an opportunity to hit some major points.

And I thank you for how you've worked through these meetings this week.

And I pray that we would experience Christ and his righteousness.

And as we have 1 more presentation here, may you make things very clear so that we will understand who we are and what you want us to be and of your promises to us.

So be with me now, give me the words to speak, I pray this in Jesus name, amen.

So the title for this last presentation is from Laodicea to the 144, 000.

Now, the Laodicean message is found in Revelation 3, verses 14-22.

Now, As a lifelong Seventh-day Adventist, growing up in a Seventh-day Adventist family, I've always been aware of the fact that we are the Laodicean church, and that we are a lukewarm church.

And I think the tendency for a lot of us to think is like, well, maybe I've been a little lukewarm, but I can just be a little bit more on fire for Jesus and I'll be fine.

And that's kind of the attitude of many Seventh-day Adventists.

And as I studied the Laodicean message in more depth, I realized that there is so much that Christ is saying to the last of the 7 churches that is so applicable to all of us.

And so when we look at this message, we are going to find some very challenging things that are said to us as a church.

Just realize that this challenge is coming from Jesus, the faithful and true witness.

Now, 1 of the other reasons that I often feel compelled to share this message about Laodicea is because as a physician as well, I find that my job is to tell people what their problem is.

Now, if you want to go see a bad doctor, just find someone that will make you feel good about yourself and give you some pain pills and whatever and not really tell you what's wrong with you.

They're afraid to hurt your feelings and so they hide the fact that you have cancer and you could have been treated, you could have been helped, you could have recovered, but the doctor didn't want to hurt your feelings in the short term and so in the long term you end up in a worse spot and unfortunately I find that even though Christ has given us a very crystal clear Laodicean message that we need to follow.

A lot of times, as Seventh-day Adventists, we're like that bad doctor who doesn't want to tell the patient the truth.

And we want to comfort ourselves into thinking that we're not really that bad.

That yeah, maybe a few things could be better here and there, but we're doing okay, and God is so gracious, he surely wouldn't mind that much.

And while it is true that God is gracious and God is merciful, He's also making things crystal clear as to who we are as a people.

And so my recommendation to you, a strong recommendation to you is that you not only listen to the message that I present today but that you go back on your own and open up Revelation 3, 14 to 22 and let the Spirit speak to your heart to see who you are.

And Jesus is telling us what the remedy is, but a lot of times we just kind of float through life thinking and feeling that we're fine and okay, and Revelation 3, 14 to 22 suggests otherwise.

And before I read these verses, actually, I'm gonna read a statement from early writings, page 270.

I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the true witness to the Laodiceans." Now I've also heard some people say it's time for the straight testimony and then they give the straight testimony and it's not Revelation 3, 14-22 it's their particular idea about some fanatical extreme viewpoint.

So the straight testimony has been a term that's been abused.

But I'm just going to let Inspiration define it and say that the straight testimony is the words of Jesus found in Revelation 3, 14-22.

So when Inspiration tells us that Revelation 3, 14 to 22 is the straight testimony.

You know that you're going to hear something pointed.

But it's from Jesus, that's the good news.

I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the true witness to the Laodiceans.

This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth.

Some will not bear this straight testimony.

They will rise up against it, and this is what will cause the shaking among God's people.

I saw that the testimony of the true witness has not been half-heeded.

The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded.

This testimony must work deep repentance.

All who truly receive it will obey it and be purified." This is what I see from this statement.

Our church is lukewarm and that becomes very clear when Jesus describes the judgment hour church.

Laodicea means a judged people and He says you are lukewarm.

But a day is coming when God's Spirit will come upon the hearts of many receivers or people in this church who will say, we are the Laodicean church, we have been lukewarm, we have been wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked, and Christ is showing us our true condition.

Thank you for telling us, Jesus, who we really are.

It is time to be zealous and to repent and to become on fire for Christ.

And yet there's going to be another element in the church that says, Don't tell me that.

I just want to hear what I want to hear from the Jesus that I want to believe in.

Don't tell me that I'm not ready for heaven.

Don't tell me that I'm not on fire for Jesus.

I want to keep floating down the path I'm on and not make any changes.

And this will bring a shaking to Adventism that is going to happen just before Jesus comes back.

And as more and more people become in tune with the Laodicean message, as more and more people become in tune with Christ in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary as more and more people start to listen to our great high priest who is the faithful and true witness we are going to come to a greater understanding of who we really are and of the reality that this church needs to be shaken to its very core.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things sayeth the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

A witness gives testimony in court, and Jesus is the witness in the judgment hour of Earth's history who is giving a faithful account of the condition of his judgment hour church.

So I would suggest that you pay attention to what he says about us.

And he is reminding us that he is the creator God.

He is the beginning of the creation of God.

And that connects to the first angel's message, to the Sabbath message and all of that.

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot I would you were cold or hot you know it's interesting that works has become like a four-letter word in Adventism yet the very first thing Jesus says to Adventist I know your works and they're not hot they're not cold now you may be saying what does it mean to be not hot or not cold?

You know, I came across an illustration, and I don't have the exact date of this article, but it was in the review, a letter to the editor where someone was commenting, his name was Jan Doward, on a survey that was done among Seventh-day Adventists in the 1980s and they were asked 4 questions.

Do you have an intimate relationship with Jesus?

Do you have family worship and do you study the Bible every day?

And among Seventh-day Adventists 63% said they have an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Sadly over a third of Seventh-day Adventists say they don't have a walk with Jesus.

That was 30 years ago, I wonder what it would be like now.

But 73% said they have an assurance of eternal life.

So only 63% said they have an intimate relationship with Jesus, yet another 10% had assurance.

But then we get to the family worship and Bible study, which if you really love Jesus, you're going to be thankful to spend time in His Word every day and to bring your family before the altar and to spend time.

34% of Seventh-day Adventists say they study the Bible every day and 33% have family worship.

Oh yes, I have an intimate relationship with Jesus and I know I'm going to heaven, but I'm not spending any time with him, and I'm not bringing my family to spend time with him either.

That would be like me saying that I have an excellent relationship with my wife, and I talk to her maybe once every 2 weeks.

And yet, Laodicea thinks that this is okay.

And Jesus says, I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.

You are supposed to be my demonstration to the world of what I can do in your lives in the judgment hour verse history just before I come back and yet you are not hot and you are not cold and in verse 16 he says so then because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

That means I will vomit you out of my mouth.

Now you may be saying, I thought this was coming from Jesus.

Jesus says in the following verses, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.

You know, sometimes the most loving thing you can do for someone is to tell them their true condition and to tell them that what they're doing is wrong.

Yet so many times our churches now have become, when someone's living in sin, we're afraid to say you're living in sin, and so we try to placate them and sanctify their sin.

And yet what we're really doing is we're making it harder for them to come back to God.

And Jesus is saying, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew you or vomit you out of my mouth." Now you may be saying, where's the evidence that we are neither cold nor hot?

Where's the evidence that we're lukewarm?

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From Laodicea to the 144,000

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