Pursue Jesus, leaving complacency and selfsuficiency.
Notes
Transcript
Revelation 3:14.
14 “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.
The city of Laodicea is know for:
Their water supply was lukewarm, and tasted bad. It came mineral-laden from a hot spring in an aqueduct.
Their wealth, for they had substantial banking assets.
Their independence, for they refused Rome’s aid in rebuilding their city after the earthquake of AD 60.
Their clothing line of black wool.
Their medical success with eyes - ophthalmology.
Their being a throne city that ruled the region.
Jesus, the Amen!
“Amen” is a loan word from the Hebrew. It is used as a title for Yahweh, meaning reliably true or affirming truth reliably.
Isaiah 65:16.
16 so that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.
Jesus, the faithful and true witness.
Jeremiah 42:5.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us.
Jesus has and is the fulfillment of God’s promises, the one true Messiah. We must leave complacency and hear him.
The beginning / originator of God’s creation.
Colossians 1:15-20.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
John 1:1-4.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The Creator, the First Mover, is talking. Leave complacency and hear him.
Revelation 3:15-16.
15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
Jesus’ Judgement
What does Jesus mean by this analogy?
Laodicea’s water supply holds the answer. Their water is lukewarm because is traveling from a mineral-laded hot spring in an aqueduct. This is in contrast to Colosse, which had a fresh, cool spring for a water source, and to Hierapolis, which had multiple hot springs which were used for relief from ailments.
Jesus is calling us (the church) out of complacency and into usefulness in relationship with him.
Revelation 3:17.
17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Jesus’ Analysis
What are they placing their confidence in?
Their wealth, prosperity, and independence. I am good. I don’t need God or anything. They are spiritually deceived.
Spiritually, they are destitute in every aspect of relationship with Jesus.
The church of Laodicea thought they had it together, like their city.
They were wealthy, for they had substantial banking assets. But they are poor.
They were independent, for they refused Rome’s aid in rebuilding their city after the earthquake of AD 60, but they are pitiable.
They were medically successful with eyes - ophthalmology, but they are blind.
They had a clothing line of black wool, but they are naked.
They placed their confidence in themselves.
Who are we to place our confidence in?
Revelation 3:18.
18 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.
Jesus’ Solution
Place your confidence in Jesus pursue him by faith.
Romans 12:3.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
By faith, buy gold refined by fire. Trials are often refining fires.
By faith, buy white garments. We are to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, not in our own righteousness.
By faith, buy salve to bring sight to see Jesus.
Philippians 3:7-11.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Will we leave our complacency of comfort our self sufficiency and pursue Jesus?
Revelation 3:19.
19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Deuteronomy 8:5.
5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.
Hebrews 12:5-11.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Jesus loves us and is reproving us and disciplining us for our good and his glory.
Will we pursue him through zealous repentance?
Revelation 3:20.
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.
Jesus wants to do life with you. Will you do life with him? He is knocking at the door of your life. Will you let him into it? Abide with him in the daily grind, sharing a meal with the Creator of all things.
Revelation 3:21.
21 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.
Laodicea is a throne city, yet those who overcome will share in Jesus throne in the divine council of God’s family.
Revelation 3:22.
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
Will we hear Jesus’ words, leave complacency, self sufficiency and pursue Jesus, where we can only find true riches, prosperity and fulfillment?