How many Coca-Cola drinkers do we have here today? How many Pepsi drinkers? How many of you like Dr Pepper? How many of you like Mr Pibb? Have you ever been in a restaurant and ordered a Dr Pepper and they say they don't sell Dr Pepper but they have Mr Pibb and try to pass it off as the same thing? Or you order a Coke and they say we have Pepsi, or vice versa? It's just not the same, is it?
It can be an odd sensation, a surprise, to take a sip of a drink only to discover that, instead of the Coke you ordered, they served you Pepsi. Or the piping hot coffee you were expecting to drink turns out to be lukewarm and bland. Or the soup was hot - an hour ago. It may look fine on the outside, but a quick taste or sip tells you otherwise. Can you relate?
Well that is where we're going with the message today. Churches also can look good on the outside, but when you “taste” what they're doing, you find it's only a facade. That was the case with the church in Laodicea. Christ dictates another letter to John to send to this church. What Christ has to say to this church in Laodicea speaks to us today.
We will still be in the Book of Revelation chapter 3 today. This is Jesus' last message and it's to this church located in Laodicea. Unlike the other letters, Jesus didn't give them any words of encouragement or commendation. In fact, it was just the opposite. He spoke very sternly and boldly as He told them that they were neither hot nor cold. This was a phrase that the people would have understood very well. Because Laodicea didn't have a good water supply to the city itself.
Laodicea was just 10 miles to the east where the cold, pure waters of Colossae were, and 6 miles to the north where the hot, therapeutic springs of Hierapolis were. Water was piped into the city from these two sources, but by the time it arrived, it was lukewarm - neither refreshing nor therapeutic. What is God going to tell us today?
Revelation 3:14-17 - "Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God's creation. I know your works, 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 am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing', and you don't realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked."
The heart of the problem for the church at Laodicea was their self-sufficiency. Their sin was that their immense wealth had led them to believe that they didn’t need any help from anyone. This led them to spiritual complacency as well. While they may have viewed themselves as being a spiritually wealthy since they were economically rich, in God's eyes the church was severely lacking and impoverished.
Laodicea was known for its wealth. It was the financial and banking center of the whole region. It was so rich that, after the earthquake in 17AD that damaged the city, it refused any financial help from Rome. The city rebuilt itself entirely from its own money.
Apparently, that self-sufficient attitude also was in the church. They relied on themselves rather than on God. Can this problem exist in our churches today? Of course, it can, and does. Self-sufficiency is the opposite of faith. So, Jesus set the record straight. In verse 17 He said, “You don't realize that you were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” They may have been wealthy in material goods, but they were destitute in true wealth and things they needed that come only through trusting Christ.
So even though this city thought themselves to be rich, Jesus told them they were poor and in extreme poverty, which was a poke at the city that bragged about its commerce and banks.
Jesus called them blind, which was also a dig at Laodicea’s proud medical school and eye salve. This city was also known for their fine garments made out of the famous black wool, but Jesus called them naked. In the Old Testament, nakedness symbolized humiliation and judgment.
While they may have lived in big homes, wore nice clothes, and even had servants waiting on them, the Laodiceans had actually hit bottom in the only way that really mattered. Spiritually they were at rock bottom.
Can you see the warning of Jesus' words to our churches today? We have a lot of resources available to us. But if we're not careful, we can tend to rely on them, causing us to become lukewarm in our relationship with Christ. If we're not trusting and relying on Him for all that we are and all that we have, we are useless.
Now let's get personal for just a moment. Ask yourself, who or what do I turn to for happiness and security? Ask yourself, am I trusting these things and people over and above God? How you answer these questions may stir your heart.
Revelation 3:18a- "I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich…"
Even though Jesus had given these believers a warning, He also gave them a plan to bring them back to be a people that was useful to Him. Did you catch that? HE gave them a plan. God is reminding us that if we ever get in a bind, if we’ll just turn it over to Him, He has a plan. That was exactly what Jesus wanted for these believers, so He called them to buy three things from him.
First, they were to buy gold so that they may be rich. The Laodiceans knew about wealth because they were the financial banking center for the region, but they needed Christ's gold refined in the fire (v.18).
In the refining process, gold is heated to an extreme temperature until the slag or the impurities come to the top. Those impurities are then scraped off and thrown away. This process continues until the gold is pure.
When you go through God's refining process, your impurities are brought into focus so that God can remove them from your life. Even though the people of the church in Laodicea had every worldly possession imaginable, their lives needed to be purified so that they could be found rich in Him.
Revelation 3: 18 b - 19-"white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent."
So Jesus called on these believers to also buy two more things: white clothes and ointment to spread on their eyes. Laodicea was known for its production of a very soft, fine quality black wool. Much of the city's wealth came from its production. They may have had some of the finest clothes available at that time, but God saw them as shamefully naked because they had not clothed themselves with what mattered. They needed the white clothing of righteous, pure, and holy lives.
In addition to the black wool, Laodicea was also known for its School of medicine and a special eye ointment called Phrygian powder. It helped with many eye defects when applied around the eyes. Here was a church in a city that was known for helping people see, yet they themselves were blind. They couldn't see God's plans and desires for their own lives. This church had been blinded to the spiritual things, the very things that were the most important for them to see.
But in verse 19 Jesus assured these believers of His love for them. That's the reason He disciplined them. God's rebuke and discipline is always for the purpose of bringing His children back to Him and into a deeper walk. The writer of Hebrews mentions this same thing:
Hebrews 12:10b-11- “. . .he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
And here is the remedy. When we wander from God, we are to be zealous and repent. There is that repent word again. Remember repent is a two-step process. We not only turn from our sins, but we turn to God.
Revelation 3:20 – “See! 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 church at Laodicea had pushed Jesus completely out of the picture. Maybe it wasn't intentional, but by their complacency and self-reliance, they had become satisfied with relying on themselves. Jesus had spoken harsh words to this church, but He hadn't forsaken them. So, He says that He stands at the door knocking, seeking to restore fellowship with them.
Of course Jesus is speaking metaphorically. The door referred to the spiritual door to the congregation’s hearts. He pictured Himself like someone knocking on a door to someone's house, hoping that the resident inside would open it and let Him in. This church needed to open up to the Lord's request to enter into their lives by obeying His commands in verse 19 to be zealous and repent.
But in the same verse Jesus also gave a promise that if anyone heard His voice and opened the door He would come in and eat with them. The ones who would allow Him to enter would be privileged to enjoy His presence. Did you notice that Jesus did not break the door down? The door had to be freely opened to Him.
You have probably seen the painting of Jesus standing at the door and knocking that is based upon this verse. If you have never noticed before, look closely at the door in the painting. It doesn’t have a door handle. It MUST be opened from the inside.
This verse has been used many times in an invitation to accept Christ. What was required of this church required an act of their will to submit to Jesus' authority and let Him into their hearts and lives. And that's what Jesus asks of us when we accept Him. But the blessings go further. The one who opened the heart's door and allowed Jesus in would experience deep, rich fellowship with the Lord. SO LET HIM IN WHEN HE KNOCKS!
Revelation 3:21-22- “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne. Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the spirit says to the churches.”
You see, Jesus wanted the Laodicean believers to be victorious. Jesus wants us to be victorious as well. In order to be counted as a victor, though, each of us must respond individually to His invitation to let Him enter our lives and live in a close fellowship with Him. When we do so, we become victors, and Christ extends an incredible promise to us: to the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on the throne.
The throne represents the full honor and power that Jesus has. We must remember that Jesus overcame and conquered death by his own death on the cross and Resurrection from the dead. It was then that He sat down with His Father on His throne. Can we even comprehend what it is like or what it will be like to sit with Jesus on His throne? It means that we will share in His glory and His authority.
We're victorious because Jesus Christ was victorious over sin and death. Jesus's death on the cross removed our sin, and His resurrection made possible eternal life with Him. We did nothing to gain that victory, but Jesus made it possible for us to experience an intimate, eternal relationship with Him.
Even though the Laodicean church had turned its back on Him, Jesus was ready and willing to come in and dine with them. We usually think of dining and eating with others casually, but it was different in that culture. You didn't invite just anyone in to share a meal. Such an invitation implied a very close friendship.
Jesus says I will come into him and eat with him and he with me. That gives us a picture of an intimate relationship, the very thing Jesus wants with those that He loves. And this is a picture that no other religion offers. It's a picture of God seeking us and desiring a relationship with us.
God wants that relationship with you right now. Can you truly say that you have a relationship with God? If not, you can begin that relationship right now by accepting Jesus Christ as your very own. Christ can do wonderful and marvelous things in your life if only you will allow Him to. But it's up to you. You are the one that needs to make that choice. No one can make it for you. You’re the one that must open the door of you heart from the inside and allow Jesus to come in. So, during our response time in a few moments, why don't you just surrender and give your life to Jesus.
Then you can say as all Christians can:
Outside of Christ I am weak; in Christ, I am strong.
Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able.
Outside of Christ I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious.
Why not claim your victory in Christ right now as we pray.
