Study In Revelation 11 Series

STUDY IN REVELATION 11

Laodicea: The Lukewarm or Half Committed Church

Revelation 3: 14-22

Laodicea was known for their banking system. Maybe like Florence, where we have a bank on every corner.

They were known for the massive clothing factory, located there.

They were also very well known for their medical school and the development of an eye salve.

Jesus goes straight into His complaint and it is not a pretty sight.

He says the church at Laodicea was only lukewarm or half committed to Him. They were satisfied with the way things are and have no need in reaching out.

There are several things to understand about a lukewarm church. verse 15

1. The lukewarm church is only half committed to Christ:

For the lukewarm church it’s Jesus plus ritual. Jesus plus ceremony. Jesus and some other program.

Scripture: Luke 9: 23 * Rom. 12: 1-2

2. The lukewarm church is only half committed to truth of the gospel.

Scripture: 1Jn. 2: 22-23 * 1Jn. 4: 1-3

3. The lukewarm church is only half committed to teaching the Word of God, studying and reaching the lost.

Scripture: 2Tim. 3: 16 * 2Tim. 4: 2-4 * 2Tim. 2: 15 * Mt. 28: 19-20 * Mk. 16: 15

4. The lukewarm church is only half committed to living for Christ.

Scripture: Cor. 6: 17-18 * 1Pt. 1: 16

5. The lukewarm church is only half committed to the church. What does that mean?

Scripture: Heb. 10: 25 What would you rather be? 1Cor. 16: 2

Jesus warns the church with some pretty graphic language. Verses 16-17

The KJV translation says “I will spue you out of my mouth.”

It’s like eating some bad food and it makes you sick to your stomach. We all know what happens next…

When we eat or drink something that does not set well, our body rejects it. The lukewarm church is rejected by Jesus just like a bad meal.

The church thought highly of themselves because of their wealth and their own personal abilities BUT

The lukewarm church is rejected because of several reasons we find in verse 17.

1. They were wretched. This means spiritually afflicted. They thought that because of who they were that they were saved and safe.

Scripture: Rom. 3: 23 * Pro. 20: 9 * Is. 53: 6

2. They were spiritually miserable. They really believed that with all they were doing that they were strong, but Jesus says they were miserable, which means to be pitied or despicable. They were a pitiful sight because they were missing out on the greatest thing in the world, the presence of Jesus Himself.

Scripture: 1Jn. 1: 6 * 1Jn. 1: 8 * 1Jn. 1: 10

3. They were spiritually poor. As rich as this church was in the eyes of the world, what God saw was a people who had absolutely nothing.

Scripture: Jer. 5: 4 * Lk. 15: 14

4. They were spiritually blind. They could only see what was in the world.

They could not see past themselves.

Scripture: 2Cor. 4: 4 * Eph. 4: 18

5. They were spiritually naked. They clothed themselves with the things of this world instead of God.

Scripture: 2Cor. 5: 3 * Rev. 16: 15

Notice that most lukewarm or half committed people never witness for Christ. They use a number of excuses.

Have you ever made any of these statements?

a. I want to be kind and not offend anyone

b. I’m just too shy.

c. There is a place for everything and my job * school * club * neighborhood is just not the place.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN NAUSIATES JESUS.

Jesus gives the church some advice in verses 18-20. He tells them to do three things.

1. Buy some spiritual gold that has been purified by fire.

Remember, this is a wealthy church. Money is no problem for them. BUT

Money can’t buy love, joy, peace, and most of all salvation.

Scripture: Mt. 6: 20 * Mt 12: 33 * Ph. 3: 8 * 1Tim. 6: 19

2. Buy some white clothing. Remember the city was a clothing center.

God does not accept a person based on what they have.

Even though you may have been baptized, or you are religious, attend church, do good works. There is only one way to be acceptable in the eyes of God. You must be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Scripture: 2Cor. 5: 17 * Col. 3: 10

3. Buy some eye salve. Their development of an eye salve made them famous. Spiritually they were blind.

They could only see themselves and what they had become, on their own.

Scripture: 1Cor. 2: 14 - 15 * Ph. 2: 15

In verse 20 Jesus says that He is standing at the door and knocking. The way “knocking ‘ is used here gives us the idea that He keeps on knocking. There is a painting that shows Jesus standing outside of a door, knocking on it. In this painting, the door knob is missing from the outside of the door. What do you think this symbolizes? __________________________________________________________________________.