In Good Times & In Bad Times

Relying on Jesus is Essential in This World.

Introduction Today, we conclude our Revelation-based series, "7 Words to The Church." We initially said many people have the wrong idea about the Book of Revelation. Many people believe that Revelation is about one thing, and there's only one way to look at that one thing. Throughout this series, we have seen to believe that is to rob Revelation of its true and deeper meaning, which misses the true meaning of Revelation. Like every book in the Bible, Revelation's grand subject is Jesus. That's the topic of every book and the entire Bible. Jesus is the main character, theme, and meaning of all 66 books, including Revelation.

The book of Revelation was written for these seven churches we have studied. Chapters 4-22 should not be separated from the three chapters we have been studying. We study the Bible correctly by always keeping it in its context so that God's Word isn't manipulated to say something it didn't intend. The context of this entire book was the beginning and growth of Christian persecution of the first few centuries that these seven churches would face.

The Roman Empire was originally a polytheistic empire. As Christianity spread through the empire, it came into ideological conflict with the imperial cult of ancient Rome. Pagan practices, such as making sacrifices to the deified emperors or other gods, were rejected by Christians because their beliefs prohibited idolatry. The state and other members of civic society punished Christians for treason, various rumored crimes, illegal assembly, and introducing an alien cult that led to Roman apostasy.

The last church addressed in this context is Laodicea. There is no indication that Paul ever visited the Laodicean church, although he wrote a letter to the church that, most scholars agree, has been lost. Laodicea is mentioned four times in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Laodicea was unique in its life of prosperity and wealth. But its prosperous state means it is less prepared for what is coming in life. It also runs parallel to the church today more than any other. And I believe this letter contains the strongest rebuke of both. Revelation 3:14-22

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.’ ”

Scriptural Analysis Laodicea was an affluent city. Located strategically at the intersection of three major trade routes, the city quickly became a banking and trading center, known especially for its carpets and clothing. Laodicea was also home to one of the ancient world’s most prominent medical schools, and it was especially famous for its eye and ear treatments. Laodicea was this kind of Bank of America, Macy's Department Store, and Mayo Clinic all rolled into one. Laodicea was prosperous and proud of its wealth. It was so wealthy that it refused Roman disaster relief after the earthquake of a.d. 60, rebuilding from its own resources. They told Roman FEMA, we don't need you. Everything in which the Laodicean church could have confidence outwardly reflected its culture; it lacked spirituality.

Verse 14 In the Old Testament, God is “the God of the Amen” in Isaiah 65, who is completely trustworthy and truthful. This designation is applied to Christ and contrasts vividly with the untrustworthy Laodiceans. Christ, as supreme Ruler of the universe, has every right to critique his wayward church.

Jesus next identifies himself as the Beginning of the creation of God. The Greek word translated Beginning is archē, which carries the concept of the “beginning, origin, active cause.” This expression should be understood to mean “he who is the Origin, Source, Creator of the creation.”

Verses 15-17 Here begins the criticism. Like her sister church in Sardis, Laodicea receives no compliment. These believers are neither hot nor cold. They are lukewarm. This is a metaphor that would resonate with the Laodiceans profoundly.

The only real negative about living in Laodicea was its inadequate water supply. The city of Hierapolis was just seven miles north of Laodicea and was famous for its healing hot springs. Colosse, less than ten miles away, had cool water. But Laodicea, as rich as it was, had a serious water problem. The water for the city came along a six-mile aqueduct, and by the time it arrived, it was lukewarm, insipid, and filled with minerals and impurities. It was known to sometimes cause vomiting.

The word lukewarm (chliaros) appears only here in the New Testament. The sense of that word is  “unusable” or “barren.” Christ’s threat to spit you out of my mouth, literally “vomit,” means that he will judge and reject them for their self-righteousness and self-sufficiency. The symptoms of their barrenness are specified in verse 17. The Lord sketches three pictures of the church’s life, which would also resonate with the Laodiceans profoundly. First, the church said, I am rich. That is, the church supposed it had such adequate material resources that it could do without the Lord’s help. The congregation was like the city, proud of its banks and affluence, boasting that I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. This is the opposite of the church in Smyrna, which knew only material poverty. Christ calls the rich Laodicean church poor.

Second, the church thought it was clothed with plenty of righteous character. The imagery is drawn from what we know of Laodicea, renowned for its extensive textile industry. Instead, the Lord understood that it was spiritually wretched, pitiful, and naked.

Third, the church supposed itself to have spiritual insight. Instead, it was blind. The city of Laodicea was famous for its medical school, which was known for its eye medicines. Jesus is saying there is no medicine for their blindness.

Each descriptive word was ironic in view of the local medical school, the banks, and the textile industry for which the city was famed. Even sadder than these three deficiencies is Christ’s declaration that they do not realize it. This church had deceived itself about its spiritual condition. Because they had depended on themselves, they were, in fact, impoverished, unclothed, and sightless. Christ rejects whatever a church is or does that is prompted by self-righteousness.

Verses 18 - 20 Jesus continues to speak in these directed metaphors as a course of correction. Gold refined in the fire is genuine gold rather than fool's gold. It stands here for the righteous character that has been proven genuine through testing. Only Christ can take the self-righteous and make them truly holy.

The next reference makes one think of the story about the emperor's new clothes, as the Laodiceans do not know they stand naked, only covered in shame instead of Christ's righteousness. Jesus is the answer for all their deficiencies, as He can clothe them in righteousness and heal their blindness. The Lord’s criticism is based on his love. God's message of correction of His people has always been based on love. Proverbs 3:12 declares this: “The Lord disciplines those he loves.”

Christ not only wants to figuratively provide gold, clothing, and sight to this congregation; he wants them to enjoy his presence and his fellowship literally. If only they repented to their Lord, he would give them true riches. His plea, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock,” is poignant and again would speak directly to these people. Roman soldiers were billeted in Laodicea. That is, the residents of Laodicea were forced to allow Roman soldiers to stay in their homes. And the Laodiceans were forced to feed and provide for those Roman soldiers. There is a stark contrast, then, between Jesus standing at the door and knocking and the Roman soldiers forcing the Laodiceans to house and feed them. The Romans force their way in and take food from the people. Jesus knocks, waits to be invited in, and then provides the meal.

To be clear, this is not an evangelistic verse because Jesus is addressing a church. Churches are constituted of believers. The church opening the door to Jesus means that the church will rely on Jesus, not on their own abilities, and it means that the church will do what Jesus expects it to do rather than what the world expects it to do.

Verses 21-22 Jesus wraps up the final letter to the churches in Asia Minor. To overcomers, as a response to this offer, Christ will not only commune but also allow them to sit with Him on His throne

TODAY'S  KEY  TRUTH "Relying on Jesus is Essential in This World."

Application In the letter to the church at Laodicea, Jesus calls the church to recognize that their needs go deeper than what their resources can handle. Their problem is not physical and economic but spiritual. Their abundant physical and economic resources have dulled their sense of need for God and the gospel, and Jesus calls them to recognize their deep need. There is an undeniable and uncomfortable parallel to the church in America today. He makes the church in Laodicea and us three offers: 1. Trade in your self-confident, self-sufficient life of pride for My life of freedom and power. 2. Repent and open the door so that I may come in and eat with you and you with me, restoring intimacy. 3. Become overcomers who can stand against the coming attacks against you and the church, gaining victory for yourselves and my Kingdom.

Throughout our series on these seven churches, we have understood and emphasized that Revelation was written to prepare these seven churches for the persecution that was beginning and would blaze through the Roman empire for the next few centuries. The book of Revelation is about how Jesus called these churches to prepare for what would come. Emperor Nero wasted no time in the first century. He arrested and tortured all the Christians in Rome before executing them with lavish publicity. Some were crucified, some were thrown to wild animals, and others were burned alive as living torches. It continued for the next few centuries.

The church of Laodicea was living the good life, so the thought of persecution would be laughably foreign to them. Church history records that the church in Laodicea remained dynamic after most churches in Asia Minor disappeared. However, it faced persecution and prosecution. One of its bishops was martyred for his faith in AD 161, about seventy years after John wrote his warning to the city in Revelation. They discovered that this call by Jesus to repent and return was based on the fact He knew persecution was coming.

Jesus’ challenge to the Laodicean Christians’ self-sufficiency reminds us how readily we Christians absorb our culture's attitudes without pausing for critical reflection on this behavior. Despite our current economic issues, North America is still way better off and way more comfortable than the vast majority of the world. The American church is as well. And we, as Christians, are too.

Comparing the church in North America with churches in many other parts of the world, I fear that the problems of Laodicea’s Christians are most like our own. We hear of massive suffering elsewhere and often find theological or sociological explanations for it to avoid the thought that we could experience the same hardships. Many of us are eager to export the profound learning of North American Christianity without humbly listening first to the lessons learned by other churches that have suffered far more than we have.

On a practical level, American Christianity has sometimes misrepresented the cost of the gospel because we haven't faced real persecution and prosecution. Yet. The letter to Laodicea should speak to us like none other. We are comfortable. We are doing well compared to the rest of the world. We even think all this comfort and prosperity is somehow from our country, our ancestors, and even ourselves. We have forgotten the true origin of our blessings. We are lukewarm in our churches because we have forgotten the creator and the "Amen" of all life. Let me say something I truly believe, but very few want to acknowledge. There will be a day when this flag no longer means freedom for Christians. When that day arrives, the church could be in trouble. I've said a few times during this series a day of persecution, and prosecution is coming to the church in America. It has subtly happened for the last half-century and quietly increases with each passing year. Maybe not in your or my lifetimes, but persecution is coming to the church in America. The church and people who aren't relying on Jesus, and Jesus alone, will be found to be no more authentic than fools gold. When that time arrives, if we rely on anything other than Jesus, we will fold under the pressure and fail to be overcomers.

"Relying on Jesus is Essential in This World."

Conclusion Jesus called out the Laodiceans to prepare them for what was to come by saying, "You are lukewarm." A lukewarm Christian is not a hypocritical person. Jesus isn't talking about hypocrites here. A hypocrite is somebody who says, “Oh, I’m a Christian, and I’m a moral person,” but over here, you’re being completely and unapologetically immoral. No. He's not talking about that. These are people who believe everything they should believe. They’re doing everything they should do. They're at church every Sunday and Wednesday. They’re not hypocrites. But the supreme passion of their hearts, their highest love, has been set on something besides Jesus Christ. They are relying on the world and their success and comfort. As a result, there’s no deep longing for God. There’s no zeal for God. There’s no intimacy, passion, joy, or wonder in their faith and in their walk with him. Jesus knows that when the fire comes, it will show them as fools' gold.

Jesus is not pleased with the Laodicean church and churches like it in the world today. But, and this is the message of the New Testament, Jesus loves these churches and everyone in these congregations. He pours grace over all of them. His heart is for restoration: restoring these churches and the people to a deep, intimate relationship with Him. That begins with repentance.

Humble yourselves before the Lord and acknowledge that you've been relying on everything else besides Jesus. Jesus calls us to replace complacency and apathy with zeal and passion. The repeated message to these churches and ours is repentance. Repent of our attempted self-reliance and comfortable smugness of what we have accomplished.

Often, we view the call to repentance as a sort of harsh condemnation. Repentance is a message of love. If Jesus did not call people to repentance, He would send a different message than “I love you.” If Jesus hadn’t called people to repentance, His message would have been: “Go To Hell.” Repentance isn't a harsh word of condemnation. It is a loving invitation to come back to the safety of home with God. The believers in the church in Laodicea are comfortably self-reliant, and Jesus rebukes them and us. He calls us to reignite our passion through repentance. The result of repentance clears out all the ‘junk’ in our spiritual lives that has prevented the Holy Spirit from flowing in our lives. Repentance is where we all need to begin.

"Relying on Jesus is Essential in This World."

Humans have an amazing capacity for self-deception. The church at Laodicea thinks it is doing very well, materially and spiritually. Jesus says, “No! You have no passion. And when the approaching fires and storms arrive, you won't make it because you're relying on the wrong things." Jesus’ letter to the Laodiceans is also a letter to us. His instructions are for all Christians across all centuries.

Jesus is calling us to a life surrendered and submitted to Him, a life of faith, power, and holiness. Jesus calls back everyone, especially lukewarm Christians, to rely completely on him. You cannot survive and thrive in this world of darkness by relying on yourself and what the world offers. You will fade into the fire of history and be lost in eternity if you don't rely on Jesus. Jesus knew neither they nor we could survive this world without relying on Him. But by relying on Him, we can have life and life more abundantly.

"Relying on Jesus is Essential in This World."

In many weddings, the vows include "In good times and in bad times." That is the call to the church and every individual believer. Remain reliant on Jesus in good times and in bad times. Bad times are a certainty in life. I believe some unprecedented bad times are on the horizon for the church and Christians. But even if you dismiss that thought, life still has plenty of good and bad times. The only way you survive both the good times and bad times, the only way you thrive, is by relying on Jesus. Nothing the world has to offer, including its riches and comfort, will carry you through this challenging and dark world. Only Jesus can carry you home.

"Relying on Jesus is Essential in This World."