Intro: The words that Jesus share with the church in Laodicea are hard words. Sometimes it takes hard words to awaken those asleep. It will help us understand Jesus words if we know more about the city the church was in.
The city of Laodicea was founded by Antiochus II in 253 B.C. It was named after his wife Laodice.
It was positioned on a high plateau and was very secure from any attacks. The city had no major source of water and had hot springs water piped in 6 miles north from Hierapolis and cold springs water 10 miles to the east from Colossae. By the time either the cold or the hot reached the city of Laodicea they were sickeningly luke-warm.
The city of Laodicea was famous for finances, fashion and pharmaceuticals.
What we should see in this letter to the lukewarm church is Jesus is well aware of the condition of His churches and Christians. He reveals to us the ignorance and indifference of the church in Laodicea. It is the “I don’t know and I don’t care” mentality. This attitude was disgusting to Jesus. It is pictured in the statement “I will vomit you out of my mouth.” It is interesting to find that Jesus had some instruction or correction for each church. However this is the only church that receives no approval.
I. Who Jesus is
A) Jesus is the Amen
Amen is the word that confirms what has been said. He will confirm a need for repentance.
B) Jesus is the faithful and true witness
Jesus will not distort or dilute the truth. Remember the things he said to the religious people. You vipers brood of snakes. Pointing back to the venomous lies of the devil. Jesus will never lie to us or about us. He sees through the disguises, and religious clothing that people put on. He can accurately reveal what the Laodicean church is and he can accurately reveal Immanuel as well.
C) Jesus is the originator of God’s creation
He made everything including you and me. We are made of dust. Without the spirit that God puts in us we would have no life!! He wants us to know we were made by Him and when we confess Him as Lord we are remade by Him and we belong to Him. Jesus isn’t knocking on the door of this church to take sides! He is knocking on their door so He can take over!! Jesus doesn’t just want control of the Sunday morning worship service He wants control of the Monday morning witness service!!
II. What Jesus knows
A) Jesus knows what occupies us
3:15 “I know your works” I know what is taking up your time your talent and your treasures. Jesus knew what the lukewarm church was passionate about. It was not about making Jesus known and sharing the good news of God’s grace with their neighbors and the nations. Jesus is saying “I know your lack of commitment.” Jesus is not ignorant of our home life, our work life or our hobbies and habits. He says I know what occupies you and it is not me.
B) Jesus knows what motivates us
3:15 “You are neither hot nor cold.” This is not a statement about saved or lost. This is a statement of commitment. I completely believe that Jesus is comparing these detestable uncommitted Christians to the cold and hot waters of the surrounding areas. The cold waters that were piped in from Colossae were refreshing. The hot waters that came from Hierapolis had healing properties. Jesus is saying, “I wish that you were committed so that your lives would reveal others need for rest and healing”
The clothes we wear the gear we buy the time we spend are all revealers of what we are motivated by and committed to.
C) Jesus knows what needs to change in us
The church at Laodicea was spiritually blind. So the Amen and faithful and true witness brought a word to them.
1) Pride (Revelations 3:17)
I have become rich and have need of no one. The church didn’t need anyone or anything. A lack of dependence on God will lead to a pretty, popular, polished but powerless church. The cool refreshing and healing water of the church is designed by God to save and transform lives.
2) Poverty
Because the church of Laodicea was self-sufficient they were actually wretched, poor, pitiful, blind and naked. There is a great danger in having wealth and resources as followers of Jesus. Jesus desires to give us character we desire careers, comfort, cars and credit. Jesus wants to crown us with righteousness and we want comfort and pleasure.
III. What Jesus advises
Jesus is encouraging this church and every church to choose the spiritual virtues instead of the money, clothing and medicine.
A) True riches (Revelation 3:18)
1 Peter 1:7 “so that the genuineness of your faith more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
The church at Laodicea may have to go through trials to grow in their faith!!
B) True righteousness
1) Given to us
When we confess Jesus as Lord and turn our life over to Him we are given a robe of righteousness from Jesus.
2) Grown in us
When we allow Jesus to control us day by day our practical righteousness grows. Our character and conduct become more and more like Jesus’.
C) Transforming restoration
The Christians at Laodicea were blind and could not see themselves as they really are. So Jesus says, Revelation 3:18 “buy ... ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.”
Listen to the words of the Apostle Peter, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith (Make a commitment to grow)(are you in a Sunday School class? Do you study the Bible with your spouse, family, anyone? Do you have goals for your giving, serving et?) with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.”
When we see how much Jesus has brought us from and through we will see other people with eyes of compassion instead of contempt!!
IV. What Jesus promises (3:20 “listen, He who has ears”)
A) A word of discipline
1) Jesus discipline comes from His love
2) We are to be committed and repent
Repent means to change. Change your mind and change your actions
B) A word of fellowship
Jesus initiates close fellowship with us. He is standing at the door waiting on the church to let Him in!!! If we will open the door He will sup with us. That is a metaphor for intense close fellowship! Notice Jesus has to knock on the door of His own church!!
C) A word of reward
We will rule and reign with Jesus. It speaks of authority and responsibility.
Conclusion: One of the greatest sacrifices of praise we can offer to Jesus is a life committed to His Kingdom agenda while we are here!
On a recent trip to Haiti, a Haitian pastor illustrated to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ. His parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn't afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: He would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.
After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.
The Haitian pastor's conclusion: "If we leave the Devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ's habitation."
Dale A. Hays, Leadership, Vol. X, No. 3 (Summer, 1989), p. 35.
