Dear Brethren,

In today’s sermon we will take up where we left off last time.  We have been looking at the indictments that Jesus brings against the Church brethren in Revelation 2 and 3.  We have been accustomed to looking at ourselves only as Philadelphians against whom Christ brings no allegation of wrong doing.  When we begin with the premise that we have done no wrong and are pleasing to God in every way, we are in danger of believing in our own righteousness.

Romans 3:22-23  …The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

No one in the Church of God wants to believe that they are spiritually blind.  In every age within the Church there are those who think that they ‘have it made.’  They assume that because they have been baptized and are surrounded by Christians at Sabbath services, they will be welcomed into the Kingdom with everyone else.  That is precisely who Jesus is addressing when He says:

Revelation 3:21  To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne.

All of us wish to think that we see clearly, and that only the world is blinded.  We rely on Scriptures like 1John 5:19 to support our uprightness:

1John 5:19  We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness.

But, it is Christ who says that it is His Church brethren who are spiritually blind:

Revelation 3:17-18  Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are …blind:  …I counsel thee to buy of me …white raiment [the righteousness of the saints], that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

How do we spiritually anoint our eyes to be able to see the things of God clearly?  It behooves the Church brethren to make sure that we anoint our eyes with eye salve so that we may be able to truly see our wretched spiritual state.  So many who have gone before us have fallen prey to the deceptions of Satan.  We will look at some of those lapses of judgment in today’s sermon.  Like some of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, the Laodiceans claim to be able to see clearly, but it is Jesus Himself that tells the people that, like so many who have gone before us, we are blind.

How do we go about being zealous and repenting of our blindness (Revelation 3:19)?  Jesus chides us to hear His messages to all the Churches, and be overcomers.  The first thing we have to do is to swallow our pride and realize that we are not perfect in every way – otherwise we will never be able to examine ourselves properly.  Some of the brethren think that they are perfect in every way.  We must understand that we Church brethren do not see clearly as God unmistakably does.  For the Church brethren, seeing clearly is a matter of salvation and being able to sit with Jesus on His throne in the Kingdom of God.

The prevailing attitude of God's Church today is predominantly Laodicean, though the principal characteristics of any of the seven congregations are also present.  Jesus warns us Laodiceans of our lack of Godly character and tells us to, “buy of me gold tried in the fire.”  We are rich in doctrinal understanding and literature – more so than anyone else has ever been.  Jesus’ words apply doubly so for us – where He says:

Matthew 13:17  Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them.

Brethren, do we have the eyes to see?