Tues.’s Devo - Sardis, Philidelphia, and Laodecia

Read: Revelation 3-6
Sardis was the capital of ancient Lydia and at one time the center of commerce. They specialized in cloth dying and carpet weaving. Gold coins were first minted there and it had a large slave market. They worshipped the god of Cybele and Doers. Cybele was the mother and Doers the son. He was the sun god; she the moon goddess. Notice the counterfeit symbols of their religion. He was the lord of heaven ; she the queen of heaven. He had the key that opens and shuts the gates of the invisible world; and she had an identical key to do the same. He had been killed, raised and ascended into heaven; she carried there bodily by the son. This same god was given the title of our Lord; he is called the Son of God while she is called the mother of God. The worship of the son began to lose power while the worship of the mother literally began to take the place of the son. This is exactly what was happening in the Roman Catholic Church.
Martin Luther was the messenger who broth to light the doctrine of justification by faith which was in opposition to the Roman Catholic doctrine of works, pentance, special prayers and other unscriptural rituals. This period spanned from 1520-1750.
To the followers of the false religion, Jesus said, “Repent.” To the remnant, Jesus encouraged them to walk with Him and they whirl be eternally saved.
The next church was Philidelphia which was 75 miles SE of Sardis. IT was built on several hells where they were famous for making wine. The messenger was John Wesley who lived a live of works and giving to the poor. He would visit the sick and imprisoned working his way to God. He met some Moravians who showed him that the way of salvation was through grace.
About this age, God said there was an open door for them. This open door was the door of evangelism. Every age melts into the next and adds to what other ages have produced. This was the age and continues to be the age were the harvest is being brought in in great proportions.
The last age is the Laodesian Church. It means “people’s choice”. It was a prominent metropolis booming in education, politics, business, arts and sciences. It was known as the city of Zeus. It starts in 1906 and will continue till the end.
I believe that the messenger of this age was Billy Graham. He has done more to pave the way for evangelism aoutsie the walls of the church. He took Jesus to the stadiums, to heads and dignitaries of countries all over the world. His son, Franklin continues his ministry to the “least of these”. John describes this age as people naturally gifted but spiritually impoverished. They are full of pride and the world’s god. First Peter 1:7 says that the gold of God is a Christlike character produced in the fiery furnace of affliction.
Lord, may we be like the church of Philidelphia where brotherly love prevails and the gospel is preached to the whole world.