Revelation 3__4-22 the Lukewarm Church
"Blessed are the Lukewarm." Jesus never said that, but from the lackadaisical attitude of many of his followers, you would think that was one of his beatitudes. That is the attitude of our Western Civilization and cultural Christians. That was the attitude of the church of Laodicea. They wore the name Christian without actually practicing the faith; didn’t actually believe it; didn’t get excited about it. "Blessed are the Lukewarm."
"Blessed are the Lukewarm." The world wants our religion and faith to be lukewarm because then we don’t create problems. Then we don’t take a stand against abortion or sexual immorality or homosexual practice, or government that wastes our nations resources and represses righteous teaching and practice.
At the time this letter was written – the Lukeward church didn’t take a stand against emperor worship or participation in pagan feasts or theological heresies. In our own time when by government decree and peer pressure political correctness the Lukewarm church doesn’t object when we are muzzled by the law, not allowed to tell the truths that Jesus Christ taught us. The lukewarm won’t take a stand for the authority of Scripture.
Most of us here were raised in the faith and surrounded by the faith. We have Bibles, we attend church on Sunday. We have been baptized and catechized in Church and Sunday School but spiritually euthanized in the culture rendering us impotent to pass on the faith to others around us. We are so used to being hemmed in that our faith doesn’t stir us and excite us and move us.
"Blessed are the Lukewarm." Notice that is not what Jesus says.
The letter was addressed to the Bishop or Evangelist at the Church in Laodicea.
This letter starts with "to the angel of the church ..." and ends with "... what the Spirit says to the churches." It was written for a local church in Asia Minor, it is meant for all the churches of Asia Minor, and it is meant for all churches of all times and all places.
Note of two features of the city. First, Laodicea was a rich and prosperous city. In A.D. 60 an earthquake virtually destroyed the city. Laodicea wanted no financial aid from Rome. Instead, the wealthy citizens rebuilt their city. Laodicea had three sources of wealth: it was a banking center; it was known for its soft, raven-black wool, and it had a famous school of medicine that developed a cream for curing eye diseases.
The second feature of the city of Laodicea was its lack of a water supply. From hot springs six miles away they had to pipe in water that was neither hot nor cold but lukewarm when it arrived in the city.
Jesus is the author of this letter. He identifies Himself as "the Amen" (Rev 3:14). He spoke with the authority of God and as the messenger of God. He is the "Amen" so the church had best pay careful attention to what He is saying.
Jesus also spoke as "the faithful and true witness" (Rev 3:14). In the church of Pergamum, Antipas is called "my faithful witness" (Rev 2:13) because he was put to death for his faith. Likewise, Jesus is the faithful witness to the Father because He is the Lamb Who was slain. Jesus is the true witness. "True" means He is faithful and true to His promises; He is dependable and trustworthy; He is genuine and real.
In the Greek these are three separate terms: the faithful, the true, the witness. What a message to the church of Laodicea. Jesus is everything the church in Laodicea is not. This church was not faithful to Christ. She was not true to Christ. And her witness to Christ was almost nonexistent.
Finally, Jesus speaks as "the ruler of God’s creation" (Rev 3:14). This title should be well-known to the church in Laodicea because of the letter Paul wrote to their sister church in Colosse:
(Col 1:15-16) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Jesus is the ruler and the beginning of God’s creation. Again, this is a message to the church of Laodicea. In their wealth and prosperity they thought of themselves as in control; Jesus is telling them that He alone controls creation; in fact, He is the source of their wealth and prosperity.
Jesus said in His evaluation of this church: "I know your deeds" (Rev 3:15). . Nothing is hidden from the sight of Him Whose “eyes are like blazing fire” (Rev 1:14).
What does Jesus know and see about Laodicea? "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot" (Rev 3:15). The church of Laodicea is like the water of Laodicea – lukewarm. She is lukewarm about faith and religion. The church is not cold or hostile to the Gospel; she does not reject the faith. But neither is the church hot and enthusiastic about the Gospel; she is not excited and on fire about the faith.
Listen to what Jesus says next in His evaluation of the Laodicean church:
(Rev 3:15-16) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! (16) So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
The Greek is far more expressive – I am about to "vomit" you out of my mouth. Do you hear what Jesus is saying to the church of Laodicea? Jesus is saying, "You make me sick!" "I want to vomit, I want to throw up, because you are lukewarm about me!"
Does Jesus have any reason to say this about our faith? Are we joyful and excited that we have been called to his service?
How did Laodicea become lukewarm in her faith? What happened?
Jesus tells us what went wrong(Rev 3:17) You say, ’I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’
Do you see the problem? The church of Laodicea, like the city of Laodicea, was rich; she had earthly riches. The church and her members made an assumption: they assumed that earthly wealth meant heavenly wealth; they assumed that material riches meant spiritual riches. Isn’t this what the "health and wealth" gospel is all about? Those preachers and churches that preach and promise prosperity make a jump from physical wealth to spiritual wealth.
Remember what happened with the city of Laodicea? They needed no help from Rome in rebuilding the city after the earthquake of A.D. 60. She said, "I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing" (Rev 3:17). In the same way, the church of Laodicea thought she needed no help from God. Isn’t this the biggest danger of riches – those who have it think they don’t need the Lord (Prov 30:8)? If those with riches don’t need God for daily bread then they don’t need God for salvation and eternal life either. People who don’t need the Lord don’t get excited about God and Jesus and faith and religion! They become lukewarm!
I am sure you see the comparison with us. We also have great earthly and material wealth. Do we assume this means we also have heavenly and spiritual wealth? Do we think we are blessed because we deserve it; because we are so good?
Do we think we can get along without God? Do we think we can look after our own bread and salvation? Are we lukewarm?
"I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing" (Rev 3:17). That is what the city said. That is what the church said. "I need nothing." "I don’t need the Lord." But notice what Jesus says:
(Rev 3:17) But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Laodicea was a center of banking and finance but Jesus said they were "poor." They have accumulated the wrong kind of wealth. Laodicea was known world-wide for its soft, raven-black wool but Jesus said they were "naked." It is possible to wear tailored suits and designer dresses but to be naked in the eyes of God. Laodicea was famous for its healing eye creams but Jesus said they are "blind." Like the Pharisees, they claim to have spiritual insight but in reality do not see (Jn 9).
The city and the church were wretched and pitiful because they didn’t know their true condition. They are miserable but don’t know it. They think they need nothing when, in fact, they need everything. They think they need nothing when, in fact, they are poor, blind, and naked.
What does Laodicea need to do? How can their lukewarm faith be hot again? Jesus says, "So be earnest, and repent" (Rev 3:19). Be earnest – that’s the problem, isn’t it; they are not earnest in the faith; they are not zealous for God. They need to repent of the fact that their focus is themselves rather than Jesus.
"So be earnest and repent." How do they go about doing that? How do we go about doing that? Listen to what Jesus says:
(Rev 3:18) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
"I counsel you." Don’t forget, these are the words of "the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation." So, this was not just a word of advice that they can take or leave. This was a command.
A city known for its banks and finances was told to buy gold from Jesus. A city known for it black wool is told to buy white clothes from Jesus. A city known for its healing eye creams is told to buy eye salve from Jesus. When they buy from Jesus they become rich, they cover their nakedness, and they can see.
Laodicea’s problem: a lukewarm faith because she bought from the wrong store. Laodicea’s solution: buy from Jesus Who alone provides what is really needed. Go to Jesus and you get real riches. Go to Jesus and you are clothed in garments of righteousness. Go to Jesus and your spiritual blindness disappears. Go to Jesus and find in Him everything you need. Don’t look at banking. Don’t look at the wool industry. Don’t look at the medical school. Admit you have nothing. Admit you need everything. Look to Jesus for what you need.
What is true for Laodicea is true for every church and every believer. It is only by coming to Jesus that any lukewarmness on our part can be overcome. Throw yourself at His feet. Worship Him. Make Him the King of your life. Make Him your heart’s desire. Crave the presence and person of Christ like the deer pants for streams of water.
(Rev 3:20) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Usually, we think that Christ knocks at the door of unbelievers. But that is not what we see in our Bible reading.
Seven letters to seven churches. That’s what John wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit. Five of the churches are strongly admonished by the Lord: Ephesus because she has forsaken her first love; Pergamum because she is tolerant; Thyatira because she chose cultural approval in order to secure economic well-being; Sardis because she is dead; Laodicea because she is lukewarm in her faith. Two of the churches – Smyrna and Philadelphia – receive no criticism from the Lord.
From a purely secular and worldly point-of-view the five churches that are admonished are successful. And, from a purely secular and worldly point-of-view the two churches that are not admonished are struggling.
What makes for an unsuccessful church? From a worldly point-of-view, poverty, tiny size, and small visible impact makes for a lack of success. From a worldly point-of-view, Smyrna and Philadelphia are the least successful churches – yet, they are the churches that Jesus praises the most.
How does Jesus measure success? Jesus praises Ephesus for sniffing out heretics. Smyrna is praised for endurance under trial. Pergamum is praised because she is faithful even to the point of death. Thyatira is praised for faith, service, and perseverance. Philadelphia is praised for keeping God’s Word and confessing Christ before men.
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
