Chapter One
“Apostle John has bitten more than he can chew! What audacity!” Elder Carnalius spoke first.
Our church, the church of Laodicea received a letter from Apostle John. Our Lead Shepherd, Bishop Apporia found it offensive, hence he invited myself, Elder Carnalius, Elder Homologia and Elder Ephemera to a meeting.
”I not only feel insulted but I also feel a damage to my personality.” Bishop Apporia laments angrily.
”Sir, I think we are favoured to have received an instruction from the Apostle. I am sure he was led of God to write it.” I responded trying my best to reduce the tension and to avoid bitterness from growing amidst the brethren.
“What are you saying, Elder Fortunatus? Tell me, on what premise does Apostle John have the authority to instruct our Bishop?" Elder Carnalius directed his question at me. “This is our church. Our Bishop remains the overseer. The Apostle has no right to write to us.”
“But the church is not our church in reality. The church belongs to Jesus and if He chooses to instruct us via the Apostle, who are we to reject His warning.” I said.
“You may be a nobody, Elder Fortunatus, but me, I am a somebody. I am the Lead Shepherd of this church. I am responsible for this church. Even Jesus knows He will need my permission to speak in this church. When we get to heaven He is Lord, but here on earth, I am in charge. So mind your tone Fortunatus and respect my office.” Bishop Apporia response to me.
“I am sorry sir. I didn’t mean to sound offensive, I was only drawing our attention to the truth that the church belongs to Jesus, our Lord.”
“But some of us are also leaders here and we deserve our due. That was the same thing John did. Imagine he wrote a letter to me and he called a whole me a messenger of the church of Laodicea? Can you imagine that?”
“What? What audacity! How could he call you a messenger. You, a whole bishop of our church. That is gross dishonor. No wonder he was banished. He doesn’t know how to give honor to who it is due.” Elder Ephemera included for the first time.
I was shocked. Was the beloved Apostle wrong to have referred to our Lead Shepherd as a messenger? I thought Christian leaders are first servants of Jesus? God, what is your church becoming?...
And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusty and faithful and true Witness, the Origin and Beginning and Author of God’s creation: Revelation 3:14, AMP.
“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:1-3, ESV.
Chapter Two
“See for yourself what begins the message of John. In fact, I won’t call him an apostle again because he has also disrespected my office."
“But sir, it was the Lord that directly ordained him an apostle.” I tried to caution our Bishop.
“Is it the devil that ordained me? No tell me, Fortunatus. This your silent rebellion is one reason I will never recommend you to become a shepherd. You think you know more than me. You think I am a baby in Christendom? Do you think it matters that the Lord ordained him back then? This is our time, we are in charge.”
Just then, I heard the whisper of the Spirit in my heart. “Christendom is different from Christianity. True Christianity is a call to the cross. A true Christian will never rebel against Jesus. Christendom is what men is building using the name of God but true Christianity is what God is doing in the lives of men.” The Holy Spirit said to me.
“Bishop, please continue with the content of the letter don’t mind Elder Fortunatus. We all know him and his “over spiritual” mentality.”
I was sad within me. Can it truly be said that I am “over spiritual"? Holy Spirit, is this true? I prayed within myself.
“It is the cold ones that envies the hot ones. Those who walk in the flesh will always see those who walk in the spirit as being 'too spiritual'". The Holy Ghost whispered to me. “Don’t ever let the unserious believers blackmail you into compromising your spirituality.” The Lord’s Spirit concluded.
“John wrote saying we are a lukewarm church. Claiming it was the Lord that spoke to him. How does he measure the spiritual progress of a church? Look at all the programs and projects that we are doing yet he said we are neither hot nor cold. Can you just imagine?”
“Ah! This Apostle John's over-spirituality is greater than that of our Elder Fortunatus." Elder Carnalius began speaking. “Even, the council of Laodicea has given our church a special recognition for our impact on the society. Unlike in other places where the Christians always have issues with the authority, over here under the Bishop’s leading, we have successfully avoided such things. We don’t do evangelism so as not to offend anyone. We don’t try to be different from the society and we do many attractive programs that is free of religious attachment. Bishop, this is my submission, John is wrong! Our church is a warm church not a lukewarm one. We have warm our way into the heart of the people…”
“I know everything that you have done: You neither deny that you trust in me nor love/obey me zealously/wholeheartedly. You are like water that is neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot!” Revelation 3:15, T4T.
“You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God.” James 4:4, AMP.
Chapter Three
“This john is a joker! See what he wrote next, that Jesus would vomit our church, my own church! A church with over five hundred members, and with a large financial record?” Bishop Apporia screamed.
“Sir, but God rejected the over six hundred thousand men that left Egypt and only Joshua and Caleb from that generation got to the promised land. Let us remember the warning of Jude, the beloved Apostle! “ I added.
“Grace, Elder Fortunatus, let your word be seasoned with grace. How can you compare our church with the children of Israel in the wilderness?” Elder Carnalius flared up. “Don’t you know that the people of the Old Testament didn’t have the grace of God? Today, we have the grace of God!”
“But the grace of God that brings salvation according to Paul the Apostle teaches us to deny ungodliness.”
“Fortunatus are you for real?” the Bishop interjects. “Don’t you know that the Greek word for grace is a word that means grace can never be exhausted?” He added.
“Sir, it is not Greek words that saves. Greek is merely a language. It is the word of Jesus that saves. I just want us to be careful about this whole thing. Let’s take heed to this instruction lest we fall.”
"We will not fall in Jesus name! We are standing on Christ the solid rock." Elder Ephemera responded.
“Then let us obey the words of Christ if we are standing on Him our Rock. Several times, the Lord had to cast away the children of Israel when they failed to obey Him. Let us remember that he who lay his hands on the plough and turns back is not fit for the Kingdom of God." I concluded.
“I don’t blame you. I blame the former Bishop for making you an Elder. You think you know more than anybody right? Fortunatus, if you continue this your behavior, you will force me to excommunicate you from the church.“ Bishop Apporia said as he glanced through the letter. “See, my own church, the church of Laodicea can never be shaken. My own members as long as they continue to pay their dues are secured eternally. If you are not comfortable with this you can leave…"
“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16, NKJV.
“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:26-27, NKJV.
Chaapter Four
“I don’t think I want to continue hearing the nonsense Apostle John wrote to us.” Elder Homologia said as he stood up.
“Be patient Homologia. It is not only my ears that will hear this arrant nonsense. In fact, maybe because we decided not to give our resources to those lazy missionaries and John didn’t know how to go about it, so he now claims the Lord spoke to him. He wrote that we are proud and showcasing vain glory." The Bishop paused as Elder Ephemera stood up angrily to speak.
“Did he know how much we spent to build the church altar alone? Did he know how much we spend on broadcasting our activities all over the place? Does he know how much we now generate as revenue? It is envy that is killing John. The hot oil they threw him into has made him go beside himself. All the other apostles have died, I don’t know what he is waiting for.”
“Ah! Why wish a man dead all because he delivered God’s warning to us?" I interjected him.
“Is it this rubbish you call the word of God? No, Fortunatus tell me? Don’t you know that in this church it is what I say that is regarded as the word of God? I am the final authority in this place! If God has a word for my church I am the one He will inform. God will never bypass me to bring a word of rebuke. Is this even a rebuke or an insult to me and my church?” Bishop Apporia replied me then he continued. “How could that useless Apostle say that we are wretched? Tell me! Is there anyone in our church who is a middle class citizen? Have we not strategically asked those that are not well to do to stop coming to our church? John that needs pity is calling us pitiable. We that everyone envies us all over the place. We are well accepted. Can't you see all the awards I have won for the church? How can John say that my church is blind when we have expensive floodlights at every corner of the church building? He said we are naked. Can’t he see that none of my church member dresses shabbily not even me their Leader.”
“Sir, I think he is talking about our spiritual condition.”
“What spiritual condition is he talking about?…”
“For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17, ESV.
Chapter Five
“How could Apostle John do this? I use to have respect for him but he has just hurt my feelings.“ Elder Carnalius voiced out.
“Look, you are not the only one hurt. How can someone call us poor and elder Fortunatus claims that he was talking about being spiritually poor? Didn’t Solomon in his wise sayings say, “Money answers all things?”"
“Elder, Solomon never said so. Solomon only said in Ecclesiastes 10:19 that 'Feasting makes you happy and wine cheers you up, but you can't have either without money'. "Money answereth all things" in this context is only referring to the wine and the feasting not spiritual things. Money cannot buy spiritual things. That was why Simon the sorcerer was punished because he wanted to use money to buy the gift of God.” I responded.
“Fortunatus, your own is too much. The little brain you think you have, you want to showcase right? We don’t agree with you, shikenah!” Elder Homologia replied me.
“Don’t mind him! One day, I will relieve him of being an Elder.” Bishop Apporia said.
'Lord, please let the day come quickly. I am tired of being hurt by these people.' I said within myself. “Be patient son. You are here to serve as a witness to the truth. Soon, you will have to leave.” The Holy Ghost ministered to my Spirit.
“I thought you said money does not answer all things, why then is he claiming that I should buy gold from him. Does God sell gold? He even said I should buy white garments too and eye salves. Tell me Fortunatus, why does God want my church to do business with Him?”
“Bishop, Sir, I don’t think God is talking about natural gold. God does not lack anything neither does He do business with mortal man. That statement in the letter is only saying we should seek first the kingdom of God. We should seek His truth and righteousness and holiness. I believe that is what the letter is saying.“ I responded...
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Revelation 3:18, ESV.
“That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:5-8, NKJV.
Chapter Seven
“I can’t stand this any longer. How do you explain the arrant nonsense that I just heard? How can Apostle John claim that Jesus is saying that He is standing at the door of our hearts? How can he say Jesus says that anyone that overcome? Are we not more than conqueror through Christ Jesus? Are we not already overcomers?” Elder Carnalius said angrily.
“But are we not told to occupy till He comes? A mandate not defended is a mandate lost. Can we really say Jesus is living in our hearts?” I said as tears began to drop from my eyes. I then continued. "Just last week, two of our members were arrested in a gambling house and another is the hospital having contracted a disease from having an extra-marital affair. Can we say Jesus is living in such people’s heart?” I asked.
“Don’t tell me that! Didn’t Paul the apostle say there’s therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus? Or you think you are the only one that knows the scriptures?" Elder Homologia screamed.
“Please complete that passage. Don’t just quote a passage halfway.“ I insisted then I recited the passage from my Amplified version of the Bible. "'THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.’ Did you hear that? Did you see that it is expected of us to walk in the Spirit if we claim to be living in the Spirit. Brethren, this message from Apostle John is to send revival to us in this Laodicea Church. Let us not kill that revival.“
“If this letter is what you call revival, then let it die. This is not a revival but an insult. As long as I am the Bishop of this church, such revival has no place. As for you, you are relieved of your Eldership. Take the scroll and leave my church…”
That was how the revival that came to Laodicea died. It never saw the light of the day. I was ostracized from the church and soon the Holy Spirit instructed me to move away from Laodicea, which I did. The last I heard, an earthquake destroyed the city of Laodicea and all it’s glory.
Dear Friend, the true revival is our obedience to God’s word per time. If we are not obeying God, we are killing the revival He has sent. How obedient are we to God’s word?
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:20-22.
THE END
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