Laodicea

Friendship Community Church

Laodicea

August 22, 2021 • Reverend Bob Mattern

Water is one of the most basic needs for every human being on the planet. Along with food, air, and shelter, it is one of the four things we must have in order to survive. Water can also be very pleasing and comforting for us. When you are cold, have achy muscles, or have just come in from a hard day's work, nothing beats a nice, hot shower to sooth and relax you. On the flipside, if you've been active in sports, worked outside in the hot sun, or just got done on a treadmill, you're looking for the refreshing taste of ice cold water. So, hot water serves a great purpose at one time, and cold water serves a great purpose at another time. What should we think, then, about LUKEWARM water? Jesus says He'll vomit it out of his mouth. Yuck! This week at Friendship, we'll be looking at Jesus' letter to the church in the town of Laodicea. Laodicea was known for its lukewarm water because it sat between the hot springs or Hieropolis and the icy cold mountain waters of Colosse. But when it came to His followers, Jesus wasn't focused on lukewarm water; the issue was their lukewarm faith. Join us this weekend to find out how Jesus addressed this issue, and the opportunity for repentance that was yet again extended to those who mocked and rejected Him. God's grace and patience are amazing!

Philadelphia

August 15, 2021

Ah, Philadelphia, "The City of Brotherly Love"! If you have ever been to Philadelphia, you may have seen the MLB champion Phillies, the Stanley Cup champion Flyers, the NBA champion 76ers, or the NFL champion Eagles. Maybe you've seen the LOVE signage pictured here. Try walking in West Philly or even downtown on Broad Street and see how much LOVE you can find. Unfortunately, Philadelphia, PA does not live up to its namesake, found in Revelation 3. This city was one of two churches that Jesus complimented on their Faith without having much to correct or admonish in them. If you would like to know their secret to success regarding following Jesus and making Him happy, then join us at Friendship this weekend as we will be exploring this. You and your family and friends can come out and listen as the Holy Spirit of God speaks to YOU!

Sardis

August 8, 2021 • Pastor Logan Ames

I remember years ago traveling with my future sister-in-law to North Carolina for a huge family reunion. We drove over 8 hours and when we were just about 10 minutes away from our destination, she decided we needed to pull over and park so she could "do her makeup". What proceeded to happen as I sat there in the passenger seat made it seem like we were on the set of a Hollywood movie! When I asked her why all this was necessary 10 minutes before the reunion, she said, "Logan, I obviously can't be meeting my future family members for the first time without all this makeup on!" Being an obviously uninformed man, I didn't see what the big deal was. The makeup didn't actually change her; it just allowed her to keep up the image she preferred. In reality, this is what many people do spiritually. Rather than the hard work of repentance and change on the inside, we try to find ways to mask our blemishes so we can keep up the image we want others to have of us. This week at Friendship, we'll look at Jesus' words to the church in Sardis, a group of people who had a great reputation that they likely worked hard to keep. Yet, Jesus knew the truth about them and called them out on it. Once they were exposed as a dead church, the only way to be included in the book of life was to repent and walk with Jesus. We face the same options today. Join us over the weekend and let Jesus unmask you!

Thyatira

August 1, 2021 • Pastor Logan Ames

How do you deal with warning signs? It probably depends on what the sign is warning you about. Most of us probably ignore speed limits, calorie counts on food labels, our parents' advice, and even Biblical commands until we experience the consequences and find ourselves in great suffering. It's in those moments that we realize it would've been a lot better for us had we just heeded the warnings BEFORE we had to suffer. In our sinful human nature, there is always this desire within us to push the limits, to see how far we can go down the wrong path without having to suffer any consequences. How fast can I drive over the speed limit without Mr. Police Officer handing me a citation? How many bowls of pasta and ice cream can I eat without having diabetes or a heart attack? How much can I sin without suffering the real consequences for my actions? These thoughts fail to recognize that the rules and warnings from the Lord are not there to take away something fun, but to ensure that we will have abundant life! This week at Friendship, we'll look at Jesus' words to the church in Thyatira, a church that did many good things and grew in many positive ways, yet tolerated sin and failed to see how it would lead to their demise. They needed to heed Jesus' warnings, and we do too. Join us for this much-needed wakeup call!