Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church
Rev 3:14-22
Intro.
Here we come to the letter to the seventh church, this is probably the one most often spoken of. Those who believe these letters represent different church ages, they say this is more like today than any of the other churches spoken of. Even those who never attend church seem to remember the lukewarm church that caused our Lord to say they made Him nauseous.
This letter too ends with those words “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.” So it is to you and I, as well as the church at Laodicea. We need to take heed that we do not fall into the trap or category of this lukewarm church.
I. The One Speaking To Them: (v. 14)
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
These things saith the Amen. As I have said before the word amen means so be it or it is saying what you are hearing is truth. When we amen in the church it is saying we believe that to be true. Jesus was the truth incarnate. In John 14:6, he declares himself to be the way, the truth and the life.
He was saying thus saith the truth incarnate, that is the true witness. The word witness as I have said before is Martyr. And we all recognize that a martyr is one that believes so strongly in the truth of his mission he is willing to die to prove it.
“The beginning of the creation of God.” He was saying I am the God that created all things in the beginning. Remember how John introduced Jesus in his gospel?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
(Elab on the eternal existence of Jesus.) He was with God because he was God.
II. Their Lukewarm Condition: (vs. 15, 16)
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Again I say this is probably the most widely known letter and church of them all because people remember vividly what Jesus says concerning their lack of zeal. And we all can relate to something not cold and yet not hot and how to you and I it affects somewhat the taste.
They will be forever known as the lukewarm church. And of course ever church and every church member should measure himself or herself on the basis of this church. I have to believe this why the Lord says that whosoever has ears, that is, spiritual-hearing take heed lest you fall into this category.
Several years ago, at a ministers school, I asked another elder about his ministry in our northern Virginia church. What did you have to cope with that made your ministry difficult. I was thinking in lines of other denominations. When I was in Anniston Al. it seemed we had a Church of Christ on every corner. In Kansas we had mostly Methodist and all types of Independent churches, but no Baptist.
When I asked the Elder the question, his answer caught me off guard; he said the biggest problem was apathy. After I thought about I said to myself how true that is here as well as in Virginia.
Here was the heart of the problem at Laodicea they just didn’t care. Jesus just wasn’t that important to them, there were too many other things that they had to think about. They had lost their zeal and their drive they were going through the motions but without feelings.
How zealous am I? This should be the question that we all ask ourselves. How do I measure up? Do I fall into this category of lukewarmness? I feel that all of us have to fight this apathy all the time and especially today with so many other things that take up our time. Is it any wonder that the Lord said, I’d rather you were hot or cold, being half committed to serving the Lord causes him to be sick and he said I’ll spew you out.
III. They Thought They Had It All: (v. 17)
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Look at their declaration of themselves they felt they had it all.
They said they were rich, and increased with goods, and in need of nothing. There are churches that feel they have reached that plateau and of course there are church members that feel like they have arrived at it. Riches nor the lack of riches is a proper sign that someone is living in a way to please God.
The Pharisees of Jesus day thought that their righteousness was sufficient to please the Lord. They boasted of tithing a tenth of everything they had. If you had asked them what they needed in their service to God, I believe they would have answered, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” They depended on their ritualism to make them pleasing to God.
Jesus assessment of them was quite different, He said, “Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” this always makes me think of Paul’s declaration of himself. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom 7:24
Was Paul like those at Laodicea? No! The difference was he knew what the battle was and he found himself to be sinful. These people were eat up with sin and didn’t recognize it.
I don’t think our Lord was branding them all as lost men by no means. But they were sinful Christians that did not recognize what their problem was. A lost man would cause our Lord to be hot in his wrath and a faithful Christian would cause his love to burn upon them but a half hearted lazy Christian that just didn’t care made my Lord sick at his stomach. (There are too many of them around.)
IV. Our Lord’s Council For Them: (v. 18)
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
What do you think he was referring to? I believe it was his way of saying you need character. Does it cost anything, I believe it does. If you choose to do things right it’s going to cost you. most people would rather sit back and say well I know I’m not perfect. And none of us are but we should expend some energy in living a life that says, “I’m honest and I’m truthful and you can trust me.”
He speaks here of a white garment to clothe them. If they were God’s children were they not clothed in the righteousness of Jesus? I think they were. As Christians we pick up sin every day and if we are what we should be we ask God to forgive us each day. I feel this was shown in Jn. 13 where Jesus washed the disciples feet, he told Peter that he was clean except for his feet.
Our feet make contact with this ole world and we pick up sin along the way. These people had not bothered they had continued to sin and think it was alright. Look at Zechariah where God reclothed his priest,
Zech 3:3-5
“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.”
In verse 8 the word identifies him as a high priest.
I think this is one of those times when God’s children have allowed themselves to continue in sin till they were neck deep in it and needed revival to clean them up. Look at the very next verse:
He says we need a salve for our eyes because we start off to sin by looking. We need a salve to cause us to look as God would look and see as God sees.
V. He Calls For Repentance: (v. 19)
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Jesus is saying I am rebuking you and chastening you because I love you. Reach down within yourselves and find that zealousness that you showed in the past. And repent. God’s word speaks of granting repentance so how can we repent if he must grant it?
Our part in repenting is having the desire to be made right with God over and over. Our biggest problem is we are satisfied with our condition. We don’t want to give up those sins that the word says do easily beset us. We have done justified ourselves in our mind and we have laid claim to our sins and hate to part with them.
VI. He Stands And Waits To Enter: (v. 20)
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
This is the most abused and misused verse in the Bible, men try to apply what it says to lost men in the world. It is a part of the letter to be delivered to the church of Laodicea and it calls for action on the part of the church. It is not referring to the heart of a sinner but to the church filled with sinful men.
One gets the idea that the words come forth loud and heavy upon the souls of men. He said, “Behold” pay attention, look at me I am telling you something that is very important. I am standing here trying to get your attention and calling upon you to open up to me to come in and minister unto you.
Why is it hard to get the attention in the church because they are so complacent they don’t feel as if they need anything. Now although this was written to the church, we need to understand that the church is the people and not the building. Each of us need to look within and ask God to shine the glorious light of the gospel into our hearts that we might be made aware of the little sins we have hidden away.
VII. His Promise To The Church: (vs. 21, 22)
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Is he speaking of works for our salvation? No! But certainly for our sanctification. Our daily walk with the Lord. We will be victorious but only because we have the grace of God holding us up and directing our steps, he that begun this work will surely complete it.
