Call to Choose (4)
Revelation 3:14-22
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.
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. 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. 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. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 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. 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. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
Laodicea
It was one of the richest commercial centres in the world, so that we have here a picture of the church in an affluent society
Laodicea was noted for its banking and for its manufacture of clothing from the local black wool. It was an assize town and boasted a famous medical school.
It also had a medical school and was well known for the eye salve called Phrygian ointment
Another interesting feature about this city is the fact that Laodicea, which had no local water supply, had developed a stone aqueduct system to bring water from the hot springs of Hierapolis some six miles away. By the time this water reached Laodicea, however, it was tepid and distasteful.
Flaccus collected more than twenty-two and a half pounds of gold from the 7,500 Jewish males who lived in Laodicea for an offering to the temple of Jerusalem in 62 B.C.
The Christian church had apparently been established by the preaching of Epaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:12–13)
In John’s day the condition of the church in this city had deteriorated sadly.
Jesus’ Title
This reliability stands in sharp contrast to the unfaithfulness of the Christians in this city.
Deeds
‘outright denial is better than phoney piety
To prefer a rejection of the faith to the way the Laodiceans professed it is startling to say the least
But to profess Christianity while remaining untouched by its fire is a disaster.
Remedy
Christ promises to enter in to anyone who opens the door. More than that: I will … eat (deipnēso) conveys the thought of familiar intercourse. The deipnon was the main meal of the day and was a leisurely affair, not a hurried snack (cf. John 14:23). And he with me brings the believer into active fellowship. It is not necessary for the sense, but it emphasizes the continuing fellowship. It all forms a remarkably tender appeal to a church far gone from its rightful state.
21. The throne signifies royal honour, and a place with Christ is the highest honour conceivable for a Christian. This is emphasized by likening it to the way Christ is enthroned with the Father (cf. 22:1, 3). Just as I overcame is important. Christ overcame by the way of the cross and this set the pattern for his followers (cf. 12:11). They face grim days. But let them never forget that what seemed Christ’s defeat was in fact his victory over the world. They need not fear if they are called upon to suffer, for in that way they too will conquer