THE CHURCH OF VIRTUAL REALITY
The Church of the Laodiceans
Text: Revelation 3:17-18. Version: New King James
V.17 “Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-
V.18 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see”.
INTRODUCTION
If you listen closely to the news you will hear about the subject of virtual reality.
Virtual reality is really just an “appearance” of reality.
It is not real at all!
It is a false sense of being deceived into an experience of something you are not experiencing at all. It’s like a movie or TV show which makes you think, all that you see is real – but is just an illusion!
And that’s what happened to the Laodiceans.
The church in Laodicea perceived one thing – when the opposite was true.
They were truly deceived!! The scripture makes it clear, that they did not know their true condition.
V.18 verifies their misconceptions and tells them what they should do to rectify it.
V.18 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see”.
This church was the first church of virtual reality. Everything looked real – but it was not. It was fake, it was delusion.
1. THE FIRST DELUSION WAS PROSPERITY!
You need only walk through the car park at the First Church of VIRTUAL REALITY and you will see the how rich this congregation was. There were no disciple’s staffs, no worn out sandals.
Nothing will decide us like riches. Jesus spoke in a number of places about riches.
The Laodiceans thought they were rich. That was their perception. That was virtual reality.
What did Jesus say?
I counsel thee to but of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich.
The Church at Virtual Reality points to its bank account and considered itself to be rich.
2. THE SECOND DELUSION WAS APPEARANCE.
They thought they looked good, when all they time they were naked.
A well dressed congregation and a well dressed sanctuary at the First Church of Virtual Reality, in down town Laodicea was the place to be on Sundays.
But, listen again closely to the words of Jesus to the Church of Virtual Reality:-
V.18
“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see”.
Folk, God is not impressed by name brands, He looks for clean garments.
God is not impressed with raised hand, He looks for holy hands.
3. THE THIRD DELUSION WAS DOCTRINE.
They thought they knew it all. But in reality, they were blind.
Listen to the counsel Jesus gives to the Church of Virtual Reality:
V.18
“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see”.
We desperately need our eyes opened to God’s word. You cannot see the truths of these pages with the human mind.
The things of God are spiritually discerned, God speaks to the heart, not the mind.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14 says:-
But the natural man received not the things of the Spirit of God: for they or foolish unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
That is why, you must be born again – John chapter 3.
