Life Quest
“The Hot and Cold Church”
July 16, 2006
Today we want to look at a passage that many people have heard messages on and talked about in church. We want to look today with different eyes. We want to get inside the ancient voices and look with a fresh perspective at the meaning of the text in the ancient world and also at what it means for us today.
In the book of Revelation, the apostle John speaks to seven churches in Asia Minor. These are communities of Christians that are dealing with persecution of the day from Rome and were struggling to find the right path of their lives and their communities in light of Jesus Christ.
Today we are going to focus on the church of Laodicea. Laodicea was a major city in the Lycus River Valley that sat between the Mediterranean region and Persia. It was on major trade routes that led people through the city and created incredible wealth.
Laodicea was known for several important things in the ancient world. It was, as we noted an important financial center. It was self-sufficient in its banking trade and was a place of incredible wealth. In fact, one ancient writer noted that when and earthquake destroyed many cities of the region in AD 17, the citizens of Laodicea refused to accept money from the Roman emperor to rebuild. Basically they told him we are financially secure and we don’t need your money. And, the city was rebuilt.
It was also noted for its soft black wool. It was a major producer of black cloaks and carpets and had a thriving textile industry. The people of Laodicea took great pride in their production of these products.
Also in Laodicea was an ancient medical school. The area was renowned for its production of Collyrium, a powder that produced a healing eye salve. These three things combined to make Laodicea a thriving city with all of the lures and desires of the ancient world at its fingertips.
With all of this going for it, Laodicea had a major problem. The water in the town was basically undrinkable. Unlike the towns around it, Laodicea was known for bad tasting and bad smelling water. It would literally make people sick.
Laodicea was watered from springs that flowed into one river in the valley. One spring came from the city of Hieropolis. Hieropolis in the ancient world was known mainly for its hot pools. They were considered medical marvels of the day that could heal and would bring rejuvenation to people who were tired or injured. These springs were fresh water springs that were powerful for their medicinal value.
The other source of water that flowed to Laodicea came from the city of Colosse. Colosse, as you may remember, was the city that Paul wrote to instruct the Christians on living out the Christina life. In Colosse, the water was cool and refreshing. It was crystal clear, wonderful for drinking in the dry arid climate and it was a source for the river that flowed to Laodicea.
With such great water at the source, you would think that Laodicea had wonderful and fresh water. Instead it had water that was neither hot nor cold. It was a lukewarm mixture of the hot water of Hieropolis and the cold water of Colosse. It also flowed across the valley and picked up minerals that made it almost undrinkable. So, for all it had going for it, Laodicea was a city with major water issues.
Water in scripture is used with incredible imagery. There are over 600 references to water. It is used in three main ways: as a cosmic force only God can control, as a source of life, and as a cleansing agent. Water is highly significant in the life of the ancient world because of the scarcity of it’s supply.
This becomes the backdrop for what we want to look at today. We want to look at the warning that John wrote to the people of Laodicea and see if it has any practical application for us as individuals and for us as a community of believers today.
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. [15] 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. [17] You say, ’I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. [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. [19] Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. [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. [21] To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. [22] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV)
I. The Heart of the Issue
One of the first things to notice in this text is that God speaks directly to the heart of the people at the church in Laodicea. He points out that he knows their deeds; he sees what they are all about.
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!” Revelation 3:15(NIV)
God points out that he knows their deeds and they do not reflect the heart of God.
The Christians at Laodicea were captured by the lure of the prosperous and bustling society around them. They were captured by the multitudes of people who traveled through their city and they began to be influenced by the world around them.
That type of thinking not only affects your actions, it affects your attitudes.
The actions of our lives reflect the attitudes of our hearts.
God’s desire is for our heart to be set on him. He longs for us to focus the passions of our heart onto who he is and what his desire is for us.
"’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Matthew 22:37 (NIV)
God’s desire is that our heart focus would rest on him.
With him as the focus of our hearts, it carries over into the actions of our lives.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39 (NIV)
Following Jesus is not only good for us, but it is good for everyone else around us.
Think of it this way: what if everyone who followed Jesus really lived it out? What if we decided to radically follow his call to love and care for those around us? What is the effect of everyone claiming to follow Christ being serious about following him?
As Christians, if we love God and devote our lives to him, it should rub off on how we deal with others around us. We begin to be better neighbors, better friends, and better employees. It rubs off on everyone else around us.
"Here are the weapons of Jesus’ Kingdom: rakes, brooms, listening ears, open hands, generous hearts, and emptying wallets. Jesus’ idea is that when someone is saved it is Good News for everybody. It is Good News for their neighbors - whether their neighbors are Hindu, Atheist, or Muslim. It is Good News for the office. It is Good News for the school. If the Gospel isn’t Good News for everybody, it isn’t Good News for anybody!"
John Ortberg
How much of your relationship with Christ is rubbing off on the people around you? Are you sparking interest or rejection of Christ in their lives?
II. The Effects of Being Lukewarm
There are certain scriptures in the bible that we have interpreted and thought about in certain ways all of our lives and then we come to realize they have a much deeper meaning than we ever imagined. This is one of those passages.
“So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
Revelation 3:16 (NIV)
How many of you have been taught that this verse means that Jesus would rather have you be opposed to him instead of being a weak Christian?
I have heard that all my life. Two incredible bible teachers, Ray Vander Laan and Rob Bell have pointed me in some new directions and helped me to understand the meaning for the first century Christians that John is writing to.
John is using the image of the water issue at Laodicea as the backdrop for a deeper spiritual truth. God uses John to point out to the people at Laodicea that their spiritual life is much like the water source; it provides water, but it also makes you sick.
The hot springs at Hieropolis provided healing for those who were hurting. The cold water of Colosse provided refreshment and hydration for those who were weary. The water at Laodicea simply made you sick.
The church needs to be a place that provides healing and refreshment to the world around us.
Everyone who comes to a church comes for one of two basic needs: to connect with God and to connect with people. Most often then not, they see the need of connecting with people as equally important as connecting with God. That is where the church provides refreshment. When they come in looking for connection with God, they are looking for healing that comes from the Spirit of God being alive in the hearts of the people.
We must decide that we are going to be a place where our community can find healing and refreshment.
When we are neither hot nor cold, we have nothing to offer the hurting world.
The effect of being lukewarm is not only on our lives, but on the lives of those who do not know Christ.
Some effects of being lukewarm:
1) Our passion for God is diminished.
2) The community of believers is weakened.
3) The community of unbelievers is disillusioned.
“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” Brennan Manning
Three Practical Steps to Being a Refreshing Church:
1) Be friendly.
The greatest emotion the unchurched feel when they come to a church is fear. The best way to help them overcome that is to greet them and get to know them. Make them feel welcomed, answer their questions and offer to sit with them so they don’t feel alone.
2) Be helpful.
One of the greatest ways we express love to people is to help them with a need in their life. Help your neighbors finish a project. Bring dinner to new mom down the street. Give your co-worker a ride to pick up their car from the mechanic. In doing these things we begin to build relationships that make a difference in people’s lives.
3) Be real.
Let people see you as you are. They don’t need a sanitized perfect view of you to connect with God. They need to see you working to your faith on a daily basis so that they can see you’re a fellow traveler on the journey.
Over the last couple of weeks, Shane has been talking about your life outside these walls. This is a similar idea because it is a reference to what happens when the community comes inside these walls. Our goal is not to keep the community out, but to invite them to experience what happens here. We need to let this place be a reflection of the heart of God into others lives.
III. Overcoming
John concludes this section of the Revelation by talking about the church overcoming.
“You say, ’I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 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. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 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. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:17-22 (NIV)
What is it that they are to overcome?
The people of Laodicea were a self-sufficient group. They were proud of their wealth, their textiles industry, and their eye salve. All of these produced within them a sense of needing no outside help or influence. What they became was a people who were lured into the culture and lifestyles of the traders passing through their city.
God contrasted their earthly wealth with material wealth and determined that they were lacking. He called on them to buy gold refined by fire from him, clothes of white to cover their nakedness and salve to put on their eyes so they could see. But didn’t they have those things?
God is speaking of the condition of their heart. They are self-sufficient and God wants them to be dependent on him. He wants them to focus on the things that matter most.
God desires his people to focus on matters of the heart.
God’s call is for us who know him to rely on his work in our lives and to see his heart for those who are hurting. We are called to overcome our own pride and to discover his heart for us and for others.
Application
As individuals: Christ-centered living.
As a church community: Refreshment and healing
