Laodicea

Revelation 3:14–22 ESV

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

Whats up in Laodicea - “I know your works

he starts off again, he’s addressed the cold church, and the hot church.

the cold church is one that is lost in it’s sin, unrepentant, Sardis

The hot church is one that is gonna make it. They are staying faithful, even in the midst of trial. philidelphia

laosicea is lukewarm, but it suffers the same fate as the one in unrepentant sin.

they’re indifferent

“they are rich and have prospered, we need nothing.”

but they are in need of every true thing.

Their wealth has cursed them with indifference.

common attribute - The ONE WHO CONQUERS

the one who makes it through this trial - and what’s the trial?

In this particular situations - the trial is that everything is fine.

they’re successful, comfortable “v17 I need nothing”

Thomas Watson - possessions are the water that keeps the ship afloat.

we think of trials as difficult seasons. hard things we’re going through.

but trials can also be - the good times.

WHY - because we aren’t disciplined.

we lack self control.

in other words - when things are hard, we scramble for a solution - we go to the Lord - we pursue him.

nobody prays as hard as a soldier in a fox hole.

but when things are easy - we don’t push anymore because the need isn’t as urgent. We slip into a complacent life. We get comfortable.

We don’t discipline. We lack a chest, in the words of CS Lewis.

“not realizing you are wretched” v17

you don’t even know that you’re suffering

and Jesus calls that -> pitiable

then three more descriptors in v17

poor

you are rich - but you have nothing

blind

you think you can see but you’re blind.

naked - you’re not even clothedd and covered,

You have nothing, so much so that you are worthy of pity, and you don’t even know it.

but you think you’re fine.

THIS is the spiritual condition of our city. of our parish and region.

The chief characteristic of the lukewarm is that they believe everything is fine. There isn’t any problem.

and the only way to realize there’s a problem? Somebody else has to clue you in.

Rev 3:19 “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”

love in part at least is reproof and discipline.

selfishness manifests itself as a lack of reproof.

we don’t rebuke when we love ourselves more than the one in sin.

maybe there’s a pearls before swine issue, sure, but I don’t think that’s the majority of our problem.

most of the time we care more about our own comfort/security than we do about the souls of those around us.

but Jesus doesn’t work that way

If you want to see, if you want to be rich, if you want to be clothed.

The only place to go is Jesus.

The church at Laodicea THINKS it has all these things - but it is a far cry.

SO JESUS loves them and says REPENT!

Jesus loves enough to say that you have nothing when you think you’ve got everything.

Rev 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

He’s right there - waiting. But opening the door is on your side.

He stands at the door and knocks.

open it. - and he will come in to eat with you.

the significance of sharing a meal - a very intimate act. A sign of communing.

this is why the accusation of jesus “eating with sinners” is so significant. He’s signifying that he isn’t afraid to be seen with them.

THE ORDER OF EVENTS IS IMPORTANT HERE

Jesus knocks - the door is opened - he eats with them.

In other words - faith is the mechanism of relationship with Jesus.

and it is through communing with him that we are transformed.

you can’t buy his gold, his garments, his salve, without a relationship. without faith.

ONE MORE THING - The significance of the Herald

Who dictated these words? Jesus - but who wrote them down? John.

John obeyed the commands of Christ to write down these letters - and they were disseminated.

Jesus said explicitly in v19 - those whom I love I reprove and discipline.

but WHO is he reproving and disciplining THROUGH - the herald - through John.

which mean - when we refuse to herald - when we refuse to carry his truth to those around us

we are failing to demonstrate love.

when we will not proclaim the reproof and discipline of Christ - they will NEVER have the opportunity to open the door and enter into fellowship with him.

So faith - sanctification by proximity/fellowship - buying the things we need that only can come from Christ.

real clothes, real healing, him making us whole, real wealth.

leads to conquering. what is conquered? In this letter it’s specific to teh self. The one who masters the self, through Christ.

conquering the self - self-control - can only come from Jesus.

So - are you struggling with self-control?

not pursuing Jesus in the good times?

Jesus is talking to you.

he loves you enough - to speak to you.

and he says if you want to course correct - just let him in.

fellowship w/ him. and HE will change YOU.

last week we talked about the concept of access - those to whom you give access have influence.

open the door.

and how do we fellowship? well the same way you would with anyone.

you are WITH them - you talk TO them - you HEAR them.

read - pray - worship - repeat.

fellowship.

you’d be surprised what the Lord does with such a simple thing.