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Amen & Amen
Revelation 3:14-21 & 22:17-22
“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.”
Revelation 3:14
Join with me as we read The Apostles’ Creed.
I would like to do it a little differently today.
I would like to add the word “AMEN” at the end of each line….
but first, a quick review from last week on what “AMEN” means.
In the Hebrew language the word “amen” means “so it is” or “let it be,” derived from a verb meaning “to be firm or sure, to be reliable, to believe in or to trust.”
In the thirty times that “AMEN” appears in the Old Testament, it precedes a statement and the people are saying that they believe in, put their trust in, they know what was said is reliable and firm.
AMEN.
The meaning of the Greek word for “amen” is “truth.”
The word “Amen” is a word which was used to affirm and to guarantee that a statement was absolutely true and absolutely trustworthy.
Jesus is the truth and is absolutely trustworthy.
Jesus is the faithful and true witness and the source of the creation of God.
Jesus is telling His followers that they can go to the bank on what He is saying.
Join with me as we say the CREED together.
The Apostles’ Creed
1.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; --- AMEN!
2. and in Jesus Christ, His only (begotten) Son, our Lord; --- AMEN!
3. who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, --- AMEN!
4. suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; --- AMEN!
He descended into hell; --- AMEN!
5. the third day he rose again from the dead; --- AMEN!
6.
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; --- AMEN!
7. from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
--- AMEN!
8.
I believe in the Holy Ghost, --- AMEN!
9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, --- AMEN!
10. the forgiveness of sins, --- AMEN!
11. the resurrection of the body, --- AMEN!
12. and the life everlasting.
Amen --- AMEN!.[i]
Sammy Dominic wrote me this week to tell me that when he was in seminary, they taught him the Latin meaning of “AMEN”; it means “Yes Lord” or “Thank you Lord.”
Before we go to God’s Word, let us come to the throne of grace in prayer.
“Lord, God You sent Your final ‘Amen’ into this world to speak truth, love and grace into our lives.
Your final ‘Amen’ gives us a foundation to build our lives upon.
Help us trust the one and only, faithful and true Amen … Jesus Christ—your one and only Son.
Amen”
The city of Laodicea was located 100 miles directly east of Ephesus, the last city to which these seven letters in the Revelation were addressed.
Laodicea was part of a tri-city area, closely associated with the cities of Hierapolis and Colossae (to which the letter to the Colossians was written.)
Laodicea was noted throughout the Roman province of Asia for its wealth, its commercial life, and its medical practice.
It was the banking center of Asia, and the most prosperous of the seven cities that were written to in the Revelation.
Many large, beautiful homes were built in this city, the ruins of some which are still visible today.
Some of these homes were owned by Christians.
Laodicea also had a flourishing clothing industry.
A particular breed of black sheep was raised around this area, and the glossy, black wool was woven into special clothes that were sold here.
The city was noted for its medical practice, especially for its eye and ear salves.
The medical cult of Aesculapius was located here.
Incidentally, doctors in the military services of the United States still wear the symbol of a staff with entwined serpents around it, the symbol of Aesculapius.
Laodicea was thus a kind of Bank of America, Macy's Department Store and Mayo Clinic all rolled into one.
Talk about a one-stop place to shop!
This will explain some of the references we find in this letter to the church in Laodicea.
Let us listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Revelation 3:14-22
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 him, and he with me.
21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”[ii]
As in each letter to each of the seven churches, Christ introduces himself in a very significant way.
His opening description forms the key to what the church needs.
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God's creation.”
Apparently, the Lord Jesus wanted this church to see him in this role.
He was first the “Amen.”
We are very familiar with this word.
We say it when we close a prayer or when we want to express our agreement with a meaningful statement.
AMEN is also a word that Jesus used frequently.
In many of the modern versions of the Gospels, Jesus begins many statements with the words “Truly, truly, I say unto you.”
The King James Version renders it, “Verily, Verily.”
In the actual Greek language, the words are “Amen, Amen.”
When Jesus says this, it means that he is saying something extremely important and you can take it to the bank.
The meaning of the Greek word is “truth.”
The word “Amen” is a word which was used to affirm and to guarantee a statement as absolutely true and absolutely trustworthy.
Jesus is the truth and he is absolutely trustworthy.
Jesus is the faithful and true witness and the source of the creation of God.
This opening description is important to the church at Laodicea, you see they were neither hot nor cold.
The image of them being lukewarm is also a reference to how they received their water.
The city of Laodicea had to have their water brought to them by an aqueduct from the hot springs of the city of Hierapolis six miles away.
By the time the water arrived from Hierapolis it was lukewarm, neither hot nor cold.
The church in Laodicea was also lukewarm.
Jesus knew what their problem was.
They had no commitment.
I would like for us to think about three images of Christ this morning: the patience of Christ, the plea of Christ and the place of Christ at our table.
In William Holman Hunt’s painting, “The Light of The World,” Christ is holding a lantern and knocking at a door.
I had always heard that Christ was knocking at the door of the human heart asking for entrance.
But this passage puts a whole new twist on that thought: Christ is knocking on the door of the church.
Christ could be knocking on the door of your heart.
Christ could be knocking on the door of your home.
Christ could be knocking on the door of our church.
Let’s look at the painting and see if we can find some of the rich symbolism in it.
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