A. Revelation 3:14 (READ)
1. Of the seven churches of Asia Minor, the church of Laodicea was the only one that Christ has
NOTHING good to say about it whatsoever.
a. Sardis was a DEAD church, but Jesus said “some of them were still alive and had not been
polluted by their culture”- Revelation 3:4.
b. There is not a single COMMENDATION from the Lord for ANYONE in this church.
2. Yet, as we will see, Christ doesn’t want to GIVE UP on them, and HOPES that they will let Him BACK into their LIVES.
B. BACKGROUND OF THE CITY:
1. Laodicea was LOCATED 48 miles south of Philadelphia and 96 miles east of Ephesus.
a. Today the ancient city is located near Denizli, Turkey (Shouldn’t that be a turkey instead of
rooster? Actually, Denizli is a name of specific breed of rooster developed in this city.)
b. You can still visit many of the RUINS of Laodicea. (The Temple dedicated to Zeus and his son
Apollo.) The city was originally called “Diospolis—the city of Zeus.”
2. The city of Laodicea was known for FOUR characteristics.
a. Famous Banking and Financial Center.
COMMENT:
The city was extremely WEALTHY. It was a major TRADE ROUTE that led from Ephesus to
Syria, meaning that the majority of the EAST/WEST trade had to pass through their CITY.
It was so wealthy that it refused any AID from the Roman government to REBUILD the city when it was devasted by an EARTHQUAKE in AD 61. They were very SELF-SUFFICIENT.
b. Famous Medical Treatment Center.
COMMENT:
Especially known for the treatment of the EYE. They produced a SALVE called “collyrium”, which eased the PAIN of the EYE. People came from all around to receive these TREATMENTS.
c. Famous Textile Center.
COMMENT:
Very expensive CLOTH and MATERIAL were produced in Laodicea. They specialized in costly BLACK WOOL—a garment popular among ROMAN ROYALTY and the WEALTHY.
d. Famous Health Resort.
COMMENT:
There were warm MINERAL SPRINGS just north of Laodicea. It was a place where many weary TRAVELERS came to REST and SOAK to relieve fatigue and muscle strain. However, the water in these springs was undrinkable. Therefore, fresh water had to be piped from neighboring cities
along the Lycus River by Roman AQUEDUCTS.
According to Sir William Ramsay, renowned historian and archaeologist, HOT WATER was piped in 5 miles from Hierapolis and COLD WATER was piped in 10 miles from Colossae, but by the time the WATER reached Laodicea it was all LUKEWARM.
MESSAGE:
I. THE CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST- Revelation 3:15-17 (READ)
A. They are LUKEWARM- vv. 15-16
1. Christ said, “you are neither COLD or HOT”.
a. They are not COLD, which is characterized by complete and utter APATHY or UNBELIEF.
b. They are not HOT, which is characterized by fervent PASSION and ZEAL.
2. Yet, Christ said, “I’d rather have you COLD or HOT.”
a. Greek word Christ uses for “HOT” is zestos, which means BOILING HOT.
-It’s the same root word Paul uses in Roman 12:11- “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your
spiritual FERVOR (there’s the word), serving the Lord.”
COMMENT:
Even as Paul told the Roman Christians to “keep their spiritual fervor”, Christ would rather have the Christians of Laodicea (and really, for EVERY CHRISTIAN) to be “boiling hot” than
“lukewarm”. He wants them on FIRE for Him and His church.
When BELIEVERS are on FIRE for the Lord, you will see it in their LIVES and WORSHIP and SERVICE to Christ and His church. Those who are “BOILING HOT” don’t have to be BEGGED and COAXED to SERVE the Lord. They SERVE, not out of a COLD sense of DUTY, but out of FERVENT LOVE for Jesus who DIED for them.
b. Greek word Christ uses for “COLD” is psuchros, meaning more than just COLD (which is
actually a different Greek word), but means CHILLED or ICY COLD.
COMMENT:
Now, it seems to me that Christ would much rather have His followers to be LUKEWARM than ICY COLD, but that’s not the CASE. A person who is ICY COLD knows where he or she stands SPIRITUALLY, but not so with a LUKEWARM Christian. Such a person is SATISFIED
with his or her SPIRITUAL LIFE.
Often a person who is COLD has more HOPE of CHANGE than a LUKEWARM Christian. The term “ICY COLD” indicates one who has NEVER given his or her LIFE to Christ. There is always HOPE that such a person will LEARN the TRUTH and be CONVICTED of SIN and then
TURN to Christ and SERVE Him with FERVENCY and ZEAL.
It is more difficult to CONVICT a person with just enough RELIGION or SPIRITUALITY that gives him or her a FALSE sense of SECURITY that everything is OKAY and PLEASING to Christ. But it DOES NOT please the Lord.
3. Christ sadly said, “…you are LUKEWARM . . ..”
a. Greek word Christ uses for “lukewarm” is chliaros, which means LUKEWARM or TEPID.
COMMENT:
In using this description Jesus is saying of the Christians of Laodicea that they are “TEPID SAINTS”. They were once ZEALOUS for the Lord, but now their ZEAL has WORN down and
they’ve become “LUKEWARM”.
They are going from HOT to COLD . . . not COLD to HOT. They weren’t COLD and now gradually WARMING UP and getting on FIRE for the Lord . . . if so, Christ would just URGE them on. No, they once had a FERVENT ZEAL for Christ and His church, but now they have become SATISFIED with their SPIRITUALITY and settled for MEDIOCRITY.
ILLUSTRATION:
Sadly, I think this describes many Christians today—no ZEAL, no ENTHUSIASM, no REAL LOVE or DEVOTION for Christ and His church—only LUKEWARMNESS. Their ATTITUDE is, “I can take it or leave it.” …And most LEAVE IT.
b. Christ goes on to say, “Because you are lukewarm . . . I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
ILLUSTRATION:
I don’t know about you, but I have never sat down at a RESTAURANT and ordered a NICE BIG GLASS OF LUKEWARM WATER. And if the SERVER did bring me a GLASS of LUKEWARM water, I wouldn’t be able to DRINK it. I would give it back and say, “Could you
put some ICE in this, please?”
(1). The Greek word that Christ uses for “SPIT” actually means to “VOMIT”.
(2). Christ is saying to this church, “You make me SICK with your MEDIOCRITY.”
COMMENT:
The church of Laodicea was like their FAMOUS MINERAL SPRINGS—not really HOT…
comfortably WARM. Good for BATHING, but SICKENING to DRINK.
These Christians felt COMFORTABLE with their MEDIOCRE spirituality and their HALF-HEARTED relationship with Jesus Christ. If you would have asked them if they were DEVOTED
followers of Christ, they would emphatically say “Yes”.
They, like so many Christians today, BELIEVED that they were ALL RIGHT with Christ, when in REALITY they were NOT. Yet, Christ said, “I’d much rather have you ICE COLD,
than LUKEWARM.”
If we call ourselves “Christians” and say that Jesus Christ is the LORD of our LIVES, and yet there is NO to LITTLE difference from us and an UNBELIEVER, then Christ is saying, “I’d rather you did not BELIEVE in Me AT ALL than to half-heartedly FOLLOW Me.”
B. They are SELF-CENTERED- v. 17
1. They say, “I am rich and in need of nothing.”
a. The city refused AID from Caesar when devastated by an EARTHQUAKE, and the CHURCH
had the same ATTITUDE.
b. Because of their WEALTH they had become COMPLACENT, EGOTISTICAL, SELF-
SATISFIED.
COMMENT:
Their attitude was, “We can take care of ourselves. We don’t need anything. We don’t
need help from Caesar or God or anybody else.”
c. There’s nothing wrong with being RICH—just don’t forget where your WEALTH came from.
-Deuteronomy 8:18- “Don’t forget the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to
produce wealth…”
-John 15:5- “…apart from Me you can do nothing.”
2. They CONSIDERED themselves as being rather SPECIAL, but Jesus revealed their true NATURE.
a. “Wretched and Pitiful”
COMMENT:
The word “wretched” describes one being weary, worn out or fatigued. Their warm springs may relieve the soreness of their physical bodies, but they couldn’t relieve their wretched souls.
b. “Poor”
COMMENT:
They boasted of their WEALTH, but they were SPIRITUALLY IMPOVERISHED. Yet, all the RICHES of the CITY couldn’t BUY them a right RELATIONSHIP with Christ. . . . AND THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE IN NEED OF NOTHING.
c. “Blind”
COMMENT:
Their famous EYE SALVE couldn’t HEAL their SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. They had become BLIND to the true BLESSINGS they had . . . not their MONEY and ALL that PROVIDED, but their RELATIONSHIP with Jesus and their WALK with Him.
d. “Naked”
COMMENT:
The costly WOOL that Laodicea was FAMOUS for could COVER their BODIES, but could not COVER UP their TRUE CONDITION. Their SOULS were laid BARE revealing the SHAME of their COMPLACENT and TEPID relationship with the One who DIED to SAVE them from their SINS.
3. “Wretched and Pitiful, Poor, Blind, and Naked” is a valid description of every LUKEWARM, APATHETIC, SELF-SATISFIED Christian who, by their very LIVES and ATTITUDE, reveal that Jesus Christ doesn’t really MEAN all that much to them, AFTER ALL.
II. THE COUNSEL OF CHRIST- Revelation 3:18-21 (READ)
A. Christ PROVIDES what is LACKING- v. 18.
1. “Buy of me gold refined by fire….”
a. Their BANKS held only that which was PERISHABLE—gold and silver and precious jewels.
COMMENT:
With it they could BUY many TEMPORAL things that are here today and gone tomorrow. But only from Christ could they obtain the SPIRITUAL things that lasts FOREVER.
b. Peter reminds us that “Our FAITH is of greater worth than gold refined by fire”- 1 Peter 1:7.
COMMENT:
Jesus is not speaking of PHYSICAL GOLD. It’s very likely that He is referring to their FAITH that has WEAKENED as result of their LUKEWARM, MEDIOCRE lives. They had placed their FAITH in their RICHES that gave them a false sense of SECURITY . . . “we don’t need anything.” But Christ said, “What I have to offer will give you ETERNAL LIFE.”
c. BY THE WAY, when Christ said “buy from me”, He’s doesn’t mean that ETERNAL LIFE can be PURCHASED or EARNED. The PRICE to be paid is the RENUNCIATION of their SELF- RIGHTEOUSNESS and SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
2. “Buy of me . . . white clothes to wear….”
COMMENT:
The BLACK WOOL they wore might had been FASHIONABLE, and a way to show off their WEALTH and PRESTIGE—but all that Christ saw was “shameful nakedness.” But the WHITE CLOTHES Christ offers unveils their PURITY and HOLINESS as God’s faithful children.
3. “Buy of me . . . salve to put on your eyes….”
a. Their eye salve soothed the PAIN of the eyes only TEMPORARILY.
b. Christ, the healer of the BLIND, opens the EYES of the INNER-MAN.
COMMENT:
The Christians of Laodicea had become BLINDED to their TRUE CONDITION. They
thought they were in need of nothing MATERIALLY as well as SPIRITUALLY.
Christ wanted to HEAL them of their SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS so that they could see their sickening LUKEWARM spiritual condition, and begin to build a FIRE in their SOULS once again.
B. Christ CONFIRMS His LOVE for this church- v. 19.
1. He said, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.”
a. In our study of the seven churches of Asia Minor, you may have noticed at times that Christ’s
WORDS to these Christians were rather HARSH. (DID YOU CATCH THAT?)
COMMENT:
As I said when we studied the “church of Thyatira”, Christ words didn’t sound very “JESUSEE”. But it all BOILED DOWN to being spoken to rather HARSHLY by the Lord or
going to HELL. Jesus is saying to the Christians of Laodicea, “I love you too much to let you go to hell.”
b. By His REBUKE and DISCIPLINE, Christ is trying to cause these TEPID Christians to see their
LOST CONDITION in hopes that they will do something to CHANGE IT.
COMMENT:
It’s IMPOSSIBLE for Christians who are LOST to come BACK to Christ if they don’t know they are LOST.
2. So to help them to CHANGE their LOST CONDITION, Christ said they need to do TWO things:
a. “Be earnest!”
COMMENT:
The Greek word for “EARNEST” has the same root-word as the word Christ used for “HOT”- v. 15. And the word is present tense, meaning that Christ is saying, “I want you to become EARNEST and remain EARNEST—to become HOT and remain HOT. Don’t let the FIRE for
Me go out again—keep it BURNING.”
b. “Repent!” (This is the word that Christ used in addressing 5 of the seven churches.)
COMMENT:
“Repent”, as you know, is a TURNING AWAY FROM and RETURNING TO. Christ is urging these Christians to TURN AWAY from whatever has led to their LUKEWARM and APATHETIC lives and RETURN to God.
C. Christ wants BACK IN their LIVES- v. 20 (READ)
1. We often associate the picture of Jesus KNOCKING on the DOOR as wanting to enter the HEART
of a UNBELIEVER who will OPEN the DOOR and ACCEPT Him as Lord and Savior.
a. This is a picture of Jesus KNOCKING on the DOOR of Christians who have SHUT HIM out of
their LIVES.
b. If, LIKE ME, there had ever been a time in your life when you WALKED AWAY from Christ, did you realize that Christ was KNOCKING for you to let Him BACK into your LIFE?
2. This shows the LOVING PATIENCE of Jesus.
COMMENT:
He WAITS for RE-ENTRANCE into the HEARTS of those whom have SHUT HIM OUT. He doesn’t BEG for us to let Him BACK IN, nor does He FORCE Himself BACK into our LIVES.
He just STANDS at the DOOR of our HEARTS patiently KNOCKING and WAITING to COMMUNE and FELLOWSHIP with us once again. All we have to do is TURN the KNOB.
D. Finally, Christ makes a PROMISE to the OVERCOMER—those who OPEN the DOOR- v. 21
1. The PROMISE of Christ is that those who OVERCOME—those who remain FAITHFUL to Christ and serve Him with fervent ZEAL and ENTHUSIASM, will REIGN with Him.
2. The apostle Paul told Timothy that - “If we endure [OVERCOME], we will also reign with Christ…”- 2 Timothy 2:12b.
COMMENT:
That’s our FUTURE. We who OVERCOME—who have ACCEPTED Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and FERVENTLY LIVE for Him, will sit upon the THRONE with the ULTIMATE OVERCOMER—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
CONCLUSION:
A. Thank you for your PATIENCE as we went through this SERIES of LESSONS (sorry it took so long).
1. The LETTERS to these SEVEN CHURCHES are extremely IMPORTANT because they are the LAST
COMMUNICATION from Christ to His FOLLOWERS.
a. Jesus ADDRESSES these churches out of DEEP LOVE for them.
COMMENT:
He wants them to be with Him in HEAVEN, but He knows that if they CONTINUE down the PATH they are following . . . it will lead to DESTRUCTION not ETERNAL LIFE.
b. So, out of DEEP and CARING love for His FOLLOWERS, Christ REBUKES, DISCIPLINES and PERSUADES them to get back on the RIGHT PATH before it’s too LATE.
2. If you see yourself in the same CONDITION as in one of the CHURCHES that Jesus REBUKED and CORRECTED, then please follow the COUNSEL of Christ—“REMEMBER, REPENT and RETURN to Him”.
