Eschatology Where Are We Now?

The Assembly (14a) Laodicea was only a few miles distant from ________ and Hieropolis. Interestingly all three cities are mentioned in Paul’s epistle to the Colossians. (Col. 4:12-16) Chronologically this is the ______ period of church history. It is doubtless the period in which we now live. The word "Laodicea" means "the ________ of the people." Our period of human history is certainly an age of __________. This is the time of the "rights" movements. True power cannot be _______, it can only be ________ as God’s people submit in faith to His authority. It is so sad that so few people understand that the church is _____ a democracy. It is a congregational __________. The ________ of the church is Christ. His will is _________ to the will of the people. At any given time the congregation legitimately can only _________ the will of God. Since the Laodicean period is the last part of the church age, we are living in the time frame in which our Lord will return!

The Author (14b) The Appraisal (15-17) The ________ of Christ is demonstrated to a rebellious generation. He is the "Amen" or the "so be it." Only God is of such character that ______ He says or does can be confirmed with the title, "the Amen." He is also ____________ faithful in every aspect of both His character and His conduct. He is the "true witness" because He is truth in incarnate. He is the _________ and agent of all creation. (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:14-17) The Appraisal (15-17) In contrast to the church at Philadelphia where there is nothing _________, there is nothing __________ in God's assessment of the Laodicean church. They were: Self-Satisfied (15) The greatest blight to ever afflict a church is to become satisfied with things ________ inventions. There is no _______ for a self-satisfied church because there is no realization that help is _________.

Sickening (16) This condition is _____________ to God Sickening (16) This condition is _____________ to God. He would rather the church of Laodicea to be cold or hot. Since they were neither, their _________ sickens God to the extent that He is prepared to vomit them up. Such a graphic picture ought to ___________ believers who have fallen into a state of complacency. Self-Reliant (17a) Laodicea was a commercial center and very ____________. In spite of inflation and recessions this generation of Christian live at the __________ standard of living in history. ______________ is the idol of the hour. Even God's people are carried away with the greed of the age. We've lost our _____________ upon God. We seem to be able to figure out a way to accomplish our goals with or without His blessing. This independence is spiritually ____________. (1 Tim. 6:17) Spiritually Bankrupt (17b) The independence of the Laodicean church has engendered a serious __________ of essential ingredients for spiritual success. They were: - Lacking Power - "Wretched" means _____________. "Miserable" means ___________. How sad to be in such a state and think ourselves to be in "need of nothing." The lack of _______ spiritual power among believers in this day explains our failure to be salt and light in this wicked generation.

Lacking Faith - In the Bible the metaphor of true wealth is associated with the amount of ________ one enjoys. What a shame for the church to be blessed with __________ wealth while experiencing spiritual _____________. In such an environment material things become an end in themselves, rather than a means to the end of glorifying God. Without __________ faith, the church is "poor" indeed. There is no poverty _________ than spiritual poverty, or more unnecessary. - Lacking Discernment - Blindness is consistently utilized in the Bible to picture ____________ blindness. To be aware of blindness is enough to create ____________ upon God for insight. To be blind and unaware is to __________ about in a world of deepening darkness. - Lacking Righteousness - Clothing pictures the __________ righteousness of Christ. To be naked indicates the apostasy of this age when many people who __________ Christ do not __________ faith in Christ. There is no cure for apostasy but ____________. The Appeal (18-20) The Answer (18) God has an answer for the great need of this church. The answer is to buy _______ riches from Christ. (Isa. 55:1,2) God is not looking for man’s ________; He is looking for man’s ________. (Psa. 51:17 )

Gold tried in the fire is so as to prove its endurance is fireproofed ________. It is a __________ faith. (1 Pet 1:7 ) White raiment is the __________ righteousness of Christ which covers the shame that self righteousness can ________ cover. The great need of this church is __________ conversion. While Laodicea was _____________ to its nakedness, God saw its ________. Reference to eyesalve must has struck a familiar note to these people. Laodicea was _________ for a certain eye powder. Eyesalve is a peculiar medicine compounded of ___________ measures of the Word of God and ____________ to the Holy Spirit. The eyes anointed ___________ with this salve can readily see spiritual ___________ and __________ the spirit of the age. Without this anointing, blindness ____________. The Anticipation (19) Chastening is the Scriptures is the ____________ lot of the believer. The word "rebuke" carries the idea of “____________________." Sinners are judged but believers are chastened. (Prov. 3:11,12) The way to avoid chastening is to repent ____________, quickly, constantly, and ____________. The point is that during this Laodicean age there are true believers who are greatly influenced by the apostasy and need to be __________ lest they be carried away to the point of God's rebuke and _____________.

The Approach (20) This is indeed a _________ verse The Approach (20) This is indeed a _________ verse. It is often used with the unsaved but that application is ___________. This is a picture of Christ standing __________ the door of the church for which He died. In spite of the terrible apostasy in the professing church, there is still the opportunity for ______________ and individual churches to _____________ with Him. All that we need to do is to allow Christ free _________ and right of way in our hearts. This is a ___________ invitation to individual believers during the Laodicean period of church history. The Appreciation (21,22) Overcomers are believers who have overcome through the ________ of the Lamb. There is a distinction in __________ made here. Christ is currently seated at the ________ hand of the Father on the throne of the Father. He has overcome and now sits with the Father in a state of ______________. (Heb. 10:12,13) The imagery dictates that the overcomers will sit _______ Christ on His ______ throne, which is identified repeatedly in Scripture as the throne of _________. These overcomers will rule and reign _______ Christ.

The Panorama of Church History They will be part of His ____________ kingdom. We ought to respond with listening ears. This last promise is a ___________ of all the promises made to the overcomers.   The Panorama of Church History ?