‘To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Origin of the creation of God, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,’ and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ’
Revelation 3:14-22 (NASB)
The Book of Revelation:
Literature: Apocalyptic Literature (extensive use of symbolism to communicate God’s vision)
Author: Apostle John
Date: around 95 AD
Audience: "...To the seven churches in the province of Asia:..." Revelation 1:4a
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
JUDGEMENTS:
ONE: Laodicea is a useless church.
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth."
Revelation 3:15-16 (NASB)
"The contrast is between the hot medicinal waters of Hierapolis (a city 6 miles north, famous for its hot springs), and the cold pure waters of Colossae. So the church of Laodicea was providing neither refreshment for the spiritually weary, nor healing for the spiritually weak."
Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation
TWO: Laodicea is a delusional church.
"Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,’ and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked,"
Revelation 3:17 (NASB)
The 3 things they prided themselves in: financial wealth, textiles and eye salve.
Jesus says:
You think you are rich, but you are poor.
You think you are well dressed, but you are naked.
You think you can see but you are blind.
Verdict:
"So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth."
Revelation 3:16 (NIV)
Conclusion: The church of Laodicea was useless in effectively bringing the Gospel of Jesus to its community. There was no fervor or compulsion to live out the Christian faith.
Why does Jesus label this church as useless?
The church in Pergamum got a compliment:
"I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city."
Revelation 2:13 (NLT)
1. The church pursued affluence.
The Laodicean church claimed spiritual health because of the physical wealth they had attained.
"Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything...’"
Revelation 3:17a (NASB)
2. The church lived in delusion.
The people belonging to this church were in need of nothing and did not realize that they had become spiritually lukewarm.
"Self sufficiency causes spiritual insensitivity towards God…"
G.K. Beale
"Israel boasts, ‘I am rich! I’ve made a fortune all by myself! No one has caught me cheating! My record is spotless!’"
Hosea 12:8 (NLT)
RESULT:
Their witness was compromised. The church of Laodicea were not able to be a true witness and representative of Jesus in their culture.
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness..."
Revelation 3:14a (CSB)
Poor - spiritually bankrupt even though physically rich
Blind - in spiritual darkness even though they had eye salve and medical school
Naked - symbol of shame and judgement even though they had the best textile industry
Do you see why Jesus is outside the door?
The church in California:
California is a major centre of wealth.
California is an entertainment and leisure centre.
How is the church doing?
"American Christians earn and spend a lot more money now than they did in the mid-20th century. Affluence creates more opportunities for activities outside church. Sunday has become a day for travel, leisure, and sport rather than a day for rest and worship. Regular attendance has been revised down from four times a month to three, and now to between once or twice per month. Thanks to affluence, too many other engaging activities vie for our attention.
Youth travel sports wouldn’t be possible apart from affluence. Pursuing college athletic scholarships keeps increasing numbers of American families away from church. They’ve drifted from one kind of worship to another—from the worship of God to the vainglory of children’s games. Rarely do the decisions to participate start with that awareness. But the cultural currents take over, and families drift away from church and apart from one another as they’re pulled in competing directions down interstate highways into chain hotels.
Affluence also creates the leisure time that has enabled media’s overwhelming proliferation. If you don’t want to spend your Sunday morning on a soccer field, you can fit in a few Netflix shows or NFL games around brunch… Frankly, the more I’m immersed in modern media, the stranger God’s Word sounds."
- Colin Hansen
Affluence creates distraction from God’s things, God’s voice, and God’s mission.
California is a progressive/woke culture which has affected the church.
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control,... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people… always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected."
2 Timothy 3:1-3, 5, 7-8 (NIV)
FIRST SHOCKING TRUTH:
A lukewarm church is one that has lost its witness because it looks like the world. God will reject it.
"The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
Matthew 13:20-22 (NIV)
What does Jesus offer the church of Laodicea?
"I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see."
Revelation 3:18 (NASB)
Gold refined by fire: signifies true Christian wealth, which is the patient endurance refined by suffering for Christ.
White garments: signifies righteousness.
Eye salve: signifies God’s wisdom
"When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire."
Revelation 1:12-14 (NLT)
Why is Jesus so stern with this church?
"Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent."
Revelation 3:19 (NIV)
God disciplines us because He loves us. He pursues us even when we shut Him out.
SECOND SHOCKING TRUTH:
A lukewarm Christian is one that has lost his/her witness because they look like the world. God will reject you.
If Jesus was to write you a letter today, what do you think it would say?
Is Jesus standing outside the door of your life?
Make a Decision