Just because you have in church don't mean Jesus is in the sanctuary. Dr. Tony Evans says the Lord knows when we're not being authentic, no matter how together we appear on the outside. You got the look, but you don't have the reality. And the worst part about it is you don't even know it.
This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans. It's pretty easy to spot a Christian who looks the part. but not as easy to spot one who lives the part, a believer who's authentic through and through. Let's look at how to become that kind of disciple as Dr.
Evans takes us to Revelation 3.14 for today's lesson. I am sure many of you like myself have been to Universal Studios either in Los Angeles or in Orlando, Florida. When the kids were small, that was one of the places we went on vacation. And we got on the People Mover and There was a tour guide, and the tour guide took us down streets and towns where movies were made. At Universal Studios.
Some of the towns were responsible for some of the famous movies, and they. told us what movie was filmed there. They then went on to explain to us As we were going down the people mover. Don't let these buildings fool you. If you look behind them, there is nothing.
You're looking at a facade. You're looking at a construction to make you think you're in a city when you're not really in a city. Because if you are to open the doors. There is nothing there. Because we know how to build things to give you the impression.
That there's something real going on here. Yeah. Like a hamburger that looks well done on the outside. But when you bite it, it's raw on the inside. It's Easy.
to create a camouflage. To look like something is more real than it ought To be. Our final church. To the final body of saints. Is Leo De Sea a Bible Fellowship?
Laodicea was a wealthy city. Known For three things.
Some 45 miles southeast of Philadelphia, our last city. And last church. Laodicea was known for its finance industry. It's banking industry. It would be akin to our common day Wall Street.
It was a very wealthy place to live, work, and raise a family. It was also known for its fashion industry. In New York, you would call it the fashion district. where they made fancy clothes. that would go out to the retailers to sell to the general public.
Not only was it a financial district, And a fashion district. But the city of Laodicea was a pharmaceutical district. It was known for its medical industry. particularly when it came to Eye diseases. It was specializing in this sad for the eyes to improve.
the sight of those struggling with seeing. That is why you will see three areas: finance, fashion. and pharmaceuticals. referred to In Revelation chapter 3, verses 14 to the end of the chapter. Jesus, as he does in each one of these churches, introduces himself.
as he wants you to see him now. The ruling king. And head of the church. And he says in verse 14 to the angel of the church at Laodicea, write. The Amen.
The faithful and the true witness. The beginning of the creation of God says this.
So, before he gets into what he wants to say, he wants you to know who's doing the talking. He says to the church at Laodicea and our church today. I am the amen. Amen means So be it. It is so.
The way it is. Can't you hear? Amen means The final word. on the subject.
So, when Jesus says, listen, because the amen is talking, he's basically saying, I don't care what anybody else said to you. I don't care what other folk told you. I don't even care what you're telling yourself. I am the amen. I'm the final word on the subject.
I am the faithful and true witness.
So I'm going to give you the The testimony. A witness is a testimony. And whatever I tell you is going to be. The truth? the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
So help you God. And you'll see in a moment why he defines himself this way. He says, I am the beginning of the creation of God.
Now, if you're the beginning of the creation, that means you existed before the creation that you began.
So, Jesus Christ declares himself to be the pre-creation. Existing prior to creation, that is because he has always existed as the second member of the triune Godhead. And the one who's responsible for how history operates.
So, what he's saying before he ever gets into what he is saying is. Pay close attention. Because I know what I'm talking about. I am the amen. I am the final testimony and witness.
And I am the one who existed prior to you even being here. Having established himself To the church at Laodicea. He now makes his Complaint. His condemnation. He says in verse 15, I know your deeds.
That you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were hot or cold.
So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold. I will spit you out of my mouth. He addresses the problem at Laodicea Bible Fellowship. of lukewarmness. You are lukewarm.
Now to understand Why he is saying this You have to understand Laodicea's unique location. On one side of Laodicea, the city, Was Aeropolis. which was akin to Hot Springs, Arkansas. If you've ever been to Hot Springs, Arkansas, you know the heated water that comes up from the earth, the steam that shows up because of the heat. And that water is used for healing and refreshing.
Aeropolis was the hot springs, Arkansas of the day, and that hot water flowed down the Laodicea. But on the other side of Laodicea was the city of Colossi, where we get the book, Colossians. And cold water came down from the mountains. into Laodicea. When the hot water Came down from Maropolis.
And the cold water came down from Colossi. They met at Laodicea. And when the hot and cold water met, The water now became lukewarm. when it reached Laodicea.
So, Jesus Christ uses this geographical reality. to express a spiritual reality operating and Laodicea Bible Fellowship. He says, you are neither hot. Noah Cole. We can appreciate that.
Cause on a hot summer day, you want a cold glass of water. On a hot summer day, you want a cold glass of lemonade. On a hot summer day, you want a cold glass of P. Sweet tea. Because you want to be refreshed.
on a hot summer day. Yeah, yeah. But on a cold summer day. You want a cup of hot chocolate. On a cold summer day, that hot cup of coffee.
Or tea. It warms you up. In other words, Hot and cold are designed to meet a need. to address a situation. depending upon the weather.
I'm sure you don't go to a restaurant and they ask you, do you want a warm cup of coffee? Do you want a warm glass of tea? You want it hot or cold? Because you want it to be refreshing. Jesus writes this church through its pastor.
And he says, you tell them. I know about them. Yeah. They are neither hot Ain't no hot coffee here. They're not cold, there's no ice in that glass here.
They are Luke Wall. In other words, They are unacceptable. I want ice in this glass or heat in this coffee. What I don't want is lukewarmness. He says, their lukewarmness, that is, They're stagnant.
Spiritual state. They're in between. Christian commitment. They're mixture. that has made them Unusable.
Unspiritual is unacceptable. How unacceptable is it, Jesus? I want to spew them out of my mouth. Jesus says of Laodicea Bible Fellowship, y'all make me sick. And Jesus says, this is the amen talking.
This is the one who's not going to tell you what you want to hear. I'm going to tell you like it really is. This is the one with the final witness making the declaration. Because you're neither hot nor cold. I can't do anything with you.
Your spiritual condition reflects your geographical location. It is lukewarmness. It is stagnant. And I can't. do anything with you.
So it's possible to be a church. That makes Jesus sick.
So what causes an ineffective, lukewarm church?
Well, doctor Evans will have the answer for us when he returns in just a moment. The difficulties in front of the seven churches in Revelation Are the same challenges modern-day congregations face, and it's equally true for modern-day individuals like you and me. That's why Tony's current series deserves a deeper look. To help you do that, we'd like to send you the Jesus Challenge as our gift. All we ask is that you make a donation to help keep Tony's teaching on this station.
When you do, you'll not only get all eight full-length messages on C D or USB flash drive, as well as immediate access to download the entire series. but we'll also include a copy of Dr. Evans' book, Living as an Overcomer. Along with a workbook and special Bible study video, packed with teaching segments by Tony. This Jesus Challenge study package will only be offered through this coming weekend.
So don't let the opportunity to own it pass you by. Visit tonyevans.org today to get the details and make the arrangements. or call us at 1-800-800-3222. We're a member of our resource team is ready to help you day and night. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222.
Well, here's Dr. Evans now with the second part of today's message. What was it exactly about latest CEO Bible fellowship? That made Jesus. Sick.
Here's what Jesus says was the problem. Verse 17, because you say, I am rich. and have become wealthy. And have Of nothing. He says, I have a problem with how you view yourself.
You say I am rich. I am self-sufficient. I got it going on. Got my job, got my money, got my car, got my house, got my clothes.
So my going to church It's part of my. Style. I go to Laodicea Bible Fellowship because That's what all Christians do. But I don't go there because I need Jesus. I go there to fulfill my religious obligation.
You become so Successful in your financial district, your fashion district, your pharmaceutical district.
Now you don't really need me. You just placating me. You don't need me. You're just using me. You don't need me.
You just Actin and giving the impression that you are close to me. And y'all make me sick. He says to the Laodicea Bible Fellowship, That you have allowed, watch this now. The definition of success in the world. To give you the definition of success in the church.
You think because you got money in your wallet, you think because you buy the nicer clothes, drive the nicer cars. Have the nicer job. that somehow God has blessed you. You'd have fallen into this false theology that if I got stuff. I must be blessed.
When actually you and your stuff have made me sick. And you make me want to throw up. and spew you out of Of my mouth. Because you have brought the world into the church. Instead of letting the church Define who you are and how you function in the world.
That is the problem with prosperity theology. Because what it says is, if you got all this stuff. God must be blessing you. If I got a new job, I must be blessed. If I have more money, I must be blessed.
If I have a nicer house, I must be blessed. If I'm driving a nicer car, I must be blessed. When Jesus is saying, it's the very thing that you're calling a blessing that's making me sick. Because it's made you think You're more than you really are. It's made you think you're all that and a bag of chips.
It's made you think. Because you got stuff. From the word. And what he's saying is, you belong. the world to tell you whether you're successful.
You've allowed society to tell you whether you're successful. You've allowed degrees on the wall to tell you if you're successful. promotion in the marketplace to tell you whether you're successful. But I'm the amen. And I'm going to tell you like it is and like it is.
You don't make me Wanna throw up. Don't get mad at the preacher. I'm just quoting the verse. Jesus says, You make me want to. Spit.
You out of my mouth. They were measuring The spiritual By the physical. Let me say that again. They were measuring the the spiritual by how things look in the physical. I am wealthy.
I got this going on.
So I must be blessed. The fact is The physical And the more of it you have, Camouflages. That's spiritual.
So that you think the spiritual must be okay. Cause we got this Coding. In the physical. And because the coding looks good The inside must be okay because if I wasn't close to God, why would I be blessed like this? If I wasn't close to God, why would I have what I have?
Be where I am, have the education that I have, why would all this stuff be okay if I wasn't close to God? He says, all that stuff is, is painting a false portrait. And we live in a world That knows how to make pain.
Well, it knows how to make the camouflage. to make you think you're more than you really are. Because if you can hang out with those people, go to those places, buy those things, live in that location, drive this car, I must be a success. And Jesus says to the church, you are an abysmal failure. Jesus says, Let me tell you.
what you really are. Second half of verse 17. You do not know You are wretched. And miserable. And poor, and blind, and naked.
Don't get mad at the preacher. I'm just quoting the verse. Jesus says Let me tell you about yourself. Let me tell you about yourself. You're wrecking.
Everybody else may think you're nice. But I know him. You're wretched. Not only are you wretched, But I don't care what your bank account looks like, you're poor. He says, I don't care.
Where you buy your couture clothes, you're naked.
So you see, he's quoting the district: finance, fashion, pharmaceuticals, because what you think you can see. With your expensive glasses on, you're blind. Jesus says, none of what you think about you is real. That's right. That's right.
You're living in a dream world. Because I see what's really going on. And what's really going on is You don't know how messed up you are. You see? It's bad to be blind.
It's worse to be blind and not know you blind. It's bad to be naked, but it's worse to be naked and not know you undressed. Yeah. It's bad to be poor. But he says You don't know how poor you are.
It's bad to be messed up, and you don't know how messed up you are. That's how messed up you are. You're so messed up, you don't know how messed up you are.
Now that's what he says. And what's got you messed up? Is that you've allowed the physical. Yes, it is. Two.
Erase the spiritual. And so, because you don't see things from my perspective, you don't see things correctly. And you done let. What other folk telling you? Oh, you something.
Oh, you're successful. Oh, you accomplished. Oh, you. And you believe in them and they are not the amen. They are not the faithful witness, and them folk lying to you.
The worst thing in the world is to bleed folk in your ears who are lying to you and not telling you the truth. God says, I don't play those games. I'm going to tell you what I see. And what I see is not good. I see you play in church.
As lukewarm Christians. Oh, you coming to church. You part of Leodesia Bible Fellowship. But you're playing games. You're not committed to me.
You're not dedicated to me. What you're doing is, Coming to Showtime. At the church. You come for the performance of the choir, the performance of the preacher. You come for the environment.
But when it comes to your commitment, You're trying to satisfy the public. You're trying to satisfy the success of Wall Street and every place out there because you got it going on in Leo to see it. But I'm going to give you the amen, the so be it, the final word, the conclusion. And what I say is the bottom line. He said, you don't see.
You're like a beautiful car on the showroom floor of an automobile dealership with no engine. You got the look. But you don't have the reality. And the worst part about it is You don't even know it. Dr.
Tony Evans with some important biblical insights on being authentic. You'll have more on this topic for us tomorrow. as he shows what we can do to rise to that challenge. In the meantime, let me remind you to take advantage of that special package of resources I mentioned a little earlier. You can get all eight full-length messages in the Jesus Challenge series, as well as the Living as an Overcomer book, workbook, and Bible study video.
These resources will help you unlock the insights packed into what Jesus said in the first three chapters of Revelation. And it's yours with our thanks when you make a contribution in support of Tony's ministry. To get the details, call our resource center any time of the day or night at 1-800-800-3222. Or simply visit tonyevans.org. and request the Jesus Challenge package.
That number again one eight hundred eight hundred three two two two. or online at tonyevans.org. You know, a lot of us go to great lengths to give the impression that everything is okay and we've got it all together. But tomorrow, Dr. Evans will show why time spent trying to fake it to make it is meaningless.
If there's no connection with God, eternity. I hope you'll make plans to join us.
