Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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I love water… swim, kayak, waterparks, the ocean, a nice glass of ice water, hot tea.... water is wonderful.
We want water to either revive or refresh.
That happens when water is either cold or hot.
There is nothing like a hot tub on a cold snowy day.
Or like swimming in a crisp cool river on a hot day.
We like hot tea or iced tea… Hot coffee or iced coffee.
Nobody likes a nice lukewarm beverage.
This morning we are at that end of our journey… the last church in Revelation.
The last church in Asia.
Laodicea was a wealthy city with powerful financial institutions, a lucrative textile industry, with cutting edge medical treatment but they were lukewarm.
Let’s read about the lukewarm church Laodicea.
Revelation 3:14–22 (NIV)
14 “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 that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Pray
Why Laodicea?
The city was known for its banks
It manufactured of a rare black wool,
A medical school that produced eye salve.
Laodicea was between two major trade routes between Rome and the Orient.
The great earthquake of 17 AD destroyed Laodicea.
Philadelphia and Sardis also destroyed Laodicea.
But while the other cities had accepted financial help from Rome for rebuilding, Laodicea had enough wealth to rebuild on its own.
Paul’s letter to the Colossians was read by the church in Laodicea (Colossians 4:16).
This city would make the top 10 places to live in Asia but this city had poor water supply.
This city depended on a 6 mile long aqueduct that brought water to the city.
By the time it reached the city, the water was lukewarm.
This city not only dealt with lukewarm water… the people and the church were lukewarm.
They were indifferent about the Lord and Jesus addressed their indifference and complacency.
Jesus begins with a Unique Characteristic of HIMSELF specific for this church.
Jesus only had criticism, correction, and a final commitment for those who overcome for this church.
No complements.
Jesus’ Unique Characteristic (vs.
14)
Revelation 3:14 (NIV)
14 “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.
To this church, Christ is described as the Amen, the faithful and true witness.
The word “amen” acknowledges something true and binding.
Jesus Christ is still true and faithful, even though the Laodicean church was not.
Even though the church feels comfortable and content, Jesus sees the real church.
Jesus sees what’s under the surface and loves us enough to reveal our blindspots but we have to have to be willing to listen to the faithful and true witness.
We have to be teachable and open to hearing things that challenge us.
We have to be willing to change… we have to be willing to fight against our natural inclination, indifference and complacency.
Integrity means that our life lines up with the truth.
Laodicea was rich and powerful, but they were not “faithful and true.”
Jesus gives no compliments because HE sees nothing good in this church.
Jesus’ Special Compliments - There are NONE
Jesus’s Constructive Criticism (vs.
15-17)
Jesus begins by saying that the faithful and true ONE knows your deeds.
He says that you are neither hot nor cold but lukewarm.
You are complacent and indifferent and because of that, I’m going to spit you out of my mouth.
God threatens to spit them out unless they repent of their complacency, their lukewarmness.
Laodicea had always had a water supply issue.
Hierapolis, a city to the northwest, was famous for its hot mineral springs so an aqueduct was built to bring hot water to the city from the hot springs.
But when the water reached the city, it was lukewarm and filled with minerals (impure), so it tasted terrible.
The Hot water which would have been refreshing and therapeutic became the temperature of the environment because there was no insulation or heat source.
Jesus said that these believers were neither cold nor hot; instead, they were lukewarm.
The people in the church was bland and tepid just like water that came into the city.
Many Christian’s see the hot/cold reference as spiritually cold and hot—
Being lukewarm was though to believe people who only partially believe.... those who straddle the fence.
So the word “cold” was to be negative and “hot” to be positive, with “lukewarm” in between.
The truth is that both “cold” and “hot” should be taken as positive.
Jesus wants the church to be cold and refreshing or hot and therapeutic but this lukewarm church was neither.
This church was Lukewarm, Distasteful, Repugnant.
The believers didn’t take a stand for anything; their indifference led to idleness.
The church had become hardened and self-satisfied because it didn’t do anything for Christ.
As a result, Jesus was about to spit them out of HIS mouth.
To Jesus, there is nothing more disgusting than a halfhearted, in-name-only Christian who is self-sufficient.
Don’t settle for following Jesus halfway, be intentional about giving your ALL for Jesus.
Laodicea was a wealthy city, and this church may have been materially rich and assumed that riches were a sign of God’s blessing on them.
So with their wealth came an attitude of self-sufficiency—feeling like they did not need a thing.
They were materially and financially secure and so they felt spiritually safe—with no need for further growth.
Unfortunately, they were blind to their own true condition.
Jesus, speaking the truth, revealed the facts, that they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
They may have been wealthy, but spiritually they were impoverished.
This city prided itself on extreme financial wealth, a productive textile industry, and the special healing eye salve, the church’s true spiritual condition left it poor, blind and naked.
Jesus wants us to be fully reliant on HIM.
When we become so self reliance that we are unwilling to step out and be stretched because of fear.
WE don’t want to be uncomfortable, we have what we need, why should we trust in the Lord’s endless resources?
Jesus has something so much better for us but we have to recognize our true condition in order for us to receive God’s endless resources.
Jesus’ Generous Command (vs.
18)
Laodicea was known for its great wealth, but Christ told the Laodiceans to buy their gold from HIM; then they would have real spiritual treasures.
The Bible talks a lot about money.
Money can be a blessing but the love of money can be a curse.
This church had fool’s gold in their bank accounts, gold from this world has no spiritual or eternal value.
Only with Christ’s gold would they be rich.
The city was proud of its cloth and dyeing industries.
They had developed a black wool that had become famous all over the Roman Empire and was bringing huge profits.
Even though they had wealth in their clothing, they were naked before God because they were self centered.
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