Revelation for Now & Future Part 10

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.’ ”

Laodicea information...

Built by Seleucids (third century BC)

Phrygia’s Lycus Valley is the location

North of Colossae

Near present day Denizli

On a plateau between the Asopus and Caprus Rivers

Laodicean Relevance

Christian influence by efforts of Epaphras (Col. 1)

Visited by Paul (who received a letter from there Col. 4)

Laodicea is a “Throne City”

Know for theaters, aqueducts, a gymnasium, a stadium, and a council meeting house.

The city was the home to several kings who ruled in the region for several centuries.

Greeting

Revelation 3:14 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.

Once again we have a reminder that this is Jesus writing to the specific group.

Omniscience - “I know”

Revelation 3:15 ESV

“ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!

“I know your works...”

hot vs. cold

Notice the significance of this statement:

The Lord is using their topography & Natural Resources to demonstrate their spiritual state.

Hierapolis had hot springs.

Colossae had extremely cold water.

Laodicea had no good water source.

Their water was piped in and by the time it arrived it would be lukewarm and dirty.

The water from Hierapolis had a healthy effect, the water from Colossae was said to have a healthy effect, even wine would have some health benefits, but not the water from Laodicea.

“The Laodiceans faith and witness did not have a healthy effect on the people who lived around them.” -G.K. Beale

In essence, their faith was like their water; it was of little use or benefit. It should be spat out.

Praise

The Lord did not commend or praise the Laodicean church.

Rebuke

Revelation 3:17 ESV

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

The church’s self-evaluation:

“I am rich”

“I have prospered”

“I need nothing”

The problem with these descriptive adjectives: Revelation uses these words to describe those arriving at prosperity by connection to the corrupt and ungodly world system.

Revelation 6:15 ESV

Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,

Revelation 18:3 ESV

For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

Revelation 18:15 ESV

The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,

Revelation 18:19 ESV

And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.

The indictment against Laodicea is the alignment with the idolatry and immortality surrounding themselves.

Isaiah 2:10–21 ESV

Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty. The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low; against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills; against every high tower, and against every fortified wall; against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft. And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. And the idols shall utterly pass away. And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.

Notice the corruption. Notice the level of idolatry and then look at our next two verses and see the outflow of the idolatry.

Isaiah 13:16 ESV

Their infants will be dashed in pieces before their eyes; their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished.

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

The Lord’s Evaluation of the church at Laodicea:

“wretched”

“pitiable”

“poor”

“blind”

“naked”

In essence, there is nothing of the church that is right. The church is broken.

Command

Revelation 3:18–19 ESV

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.

What is the command?

Buy Gold refined by fire =purity

Buy White Garments = purity

What does all of this mean?

Christ-Christ can cure all their ailments.

Warning

Revelation 3:16 ESV

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Christ is warning the church of its identity crisis.

They do not know who they are, but they are not holding to a solid Christ-like identity.

They have become like the water of the city and good only to be spit out.

“The one who conquers,”

Revelation 3:21–22 ESV

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.’ ”

In essence the one who comes home, the one who returns, the one who repents, the one who has revival...

Your loss will not compare to your receipt.

Walking away, but in...

Prosperity can have its rewards and curses.

Be mindful of the wealth of the U.S. compared to the majority of the rest of the world.

Be mindful of the idolatry of money/possessions.

Christ is more. If you want more that lasts, want Christ.