Christ to Church at Laodecia

ABOUT LAODICEA: the most south and eastern of the 7 churches...

Paul and Epaphras had connection with the Colossian church: Col. 2:1; 4:13-16. Probably Epaphras planted the church.

ESVSB: Damaged by an earthquake in a.d. 60, self-sufficient Laodicea, a commercial center and site of thriving medical and textile industries, declined imperial disaster relief. The city did not see itself as “poor, blind, and naked” (v. 17), nor did the complacent church within it. In this last church alone Jesus finds nothing to commend. Laodicea was famous for its worship of Zeus, who appears on some of the city's coinage.

ZNIV: Laodicea. A prosperous center for banking, medicine, and textile industries located about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southeast of Philadelphia (see map, p. 2581). Laodicea’s chief deities were Zeus and Men Karou, god of healing and patron of the city’s famous medical school. Epaphras likely evangelized Laodicea and nearby Colossae and Hierapolis (Col 4:13).

HOW CHRIST IDENTIFIES HIMSELF: v14

REMEMBER...as Christ identifies Himself, He communicates to the churches...

that HE is the REASON the church needs to be what He commands (ie, like Him) and He is the RESOURCE for the church becoming like Him.

He commands nothing of the church which He is not ready and able to supply as they turn and trust Him...

Revelation 3:14

To the Church in Laodicea

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.

HE IS:

-the AMEN: 2 Cor 1:20

“Amen” refers to what is certain or true. When Christ would say in the gospels, “Truly, truly” He was using this word “Amen.” Laodicea can depend on this (AND SO CAN WE!): what Christ is about to say to them is absolutely TRUE. If what they have been thinking, what they have built their lives or church on does not survive His critique of them, it must go...they must believe and act on His Word...it is of ETERNAL importance...

-the FAITHFUL & TRUE WITNESS (see this in Rev 1:5) 

Whereas this church has had NO faithful and true witness, but has seemed to blend perfectly into the lifestyle of Laodicea, Christ is what they need to repent and become...faithful and true witnesses as Christ was of His Father...

Christ was the ultra faithful and true witness of His Father: John 5:19

19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

-the BEGINNING OF GOD’S CREATION (cf: Rev 1:5: the firstborn of the dead)

As all came into being through Christ...beginning can mean “first cause”... so new life can come to this church through His agency...the life that does not presentlly exist, because they are spiritually dying...CAN ONLY COME...BUT CAN COME, VIA THIS CHRIST...

Colossians 1:16-17

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.

WHAT CHRIST KNOWS ABOUT LAODICEA: vv15-17

CHRIST SEES NOTHING POSITIVE AT ALL TO COMMEND ABOUT THIS CHURCH!

Revelation 3:15-17

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.

Neither HOT nor COLD...

Beale: neighbors of Laodicea, Hierapolis & Colosse...Hireapolis had hot water which possessed medicinal affects; Colossee had cold, also thought to be healthy...Laodicea had no good water source and had to pipe it in...so it was lukewarm and dirty when it arrived...fit only for spitting out!

CWSB: In Rev. 3:16 the church at Laodicea is likened to lukewarm water, an emetic (causing vomiting), something good for little more than inducing vomiting, and is censured for this blighted condition. God expresses His desire that they be cold or hot. This has been frequently misunderstood to mean that God would rather they hate Him or love Him than remain indifferent. However, it would be contradictory for God to rebuke the Laodiceans for not hating Him and to prefer that they recede from indifference to hatred. Rather, hot and cold represent beneficial qualities just as hot water soothes the body and cold water slakes one's thirst. God cannot find any redeeming feature in this church; it is spiritually bankrupt.

THIS IS THE LAODICEANS SPIRITUAL CONDITION! Good for nothing...no good for those around...the pagan culture...no good for Christ’s honor...no good for fellow believers...NO testimony and witness for Christ...

LUKEWARMNESS: AGL: half-hearted condition of love and loyalty (RV 3.16); 

A nauseating self-sufficiency...Christ is not loved or trusted or depended on...He is treated as though NOT NEEDED...

The TEMPERATURE of the heart is so important to Christ...

NOTE: THE VIOLENT REACTION OF CHRIST TO THIS HEART CONDITION! 

I will SPIT you out of my mouth...

SEE HOW OPPOSITE THEIR VIEW OF THEMSELVES IS TO CHRIST’S:

 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.

NOTE (me): it seems that for this church, in a prosperous city, they had come to mistake their physical and material prosperity for spiritual prosperity...their understanding of how they were doing was limited to the external. Perhaps their interpreted material prosperity as the blessing of God and therefore a confirmation of their pleasing spiritual condition. This must also mean that their worship services were motions without the Spirit!

NOTE: wealth is dangerous if not handled carefully and stewarded with wisdom and generosity...1 Timothy 6:5-10 

Beale: A Christian’s prosperity is measured by how much he gives rather than how much he has.

Laodicea’s case was the opposite of Smyrna’s, who were poor, but were rich...Rev 2:9. Laodicea says, I am rich...Jesus says, you are wretches, pitiable, poor, blind, naked...

WHAT CHRIST WILL DO: v16b 

-I will spit you out of my mouth

This is WHAT WILL happen if they do not listen and repent! What a violent reaction to their half-heartedness.

For Ephesus in 2:5, Christ threatens to remove their lampstand. But here, the separation of the church from Christ is full of DISGUST.

WHAT CHRIST COUNSELS: v18

NOTE the grace in this...Christ patiently does not “spit them out” at this time, but holds out a remedy the fate they are headed for...

CHRIST IS THE REMEDY!

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.

They are in spiritual poverty and blindness and nakedness and do not know it. The answer to their perilous condition can only be remedied by Christ and what HE supplies:

-GOLD REFINED BY FIRE: this seems to be PURE gold...the most valuable kind...gold was the defining metal of value used on the tabernacle and temple...this represents TRUE HOLINESS...

-WHITE GARMENTS: Cover the Shame of your nakedness...does this equal having nothing to show in terms of the fruit of righteousness...justification’s fruit...this is a a righteousness only Christ can supply...they must give up seeking to be righteous on their own...

Philippians 3:9

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—

-SALVE TO ANOINT YOUR EYES so that you may see: they may see their need and Christ’s willing supply and will repent and depend on Him...they have been seeing everything wrong...as Jesus said of the religious leaders:

John 9:40-41

40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

BUT NOTHING TO PURCHASE THESE THINGS WITH!

ESVSB: The spiritually blind, bankrupt, naked Laodiceans obviously had no resources to buy from Jesus gold or garments or salve for their eyes. They could “purchase” these necessities only by his grace, as the Lord had once invited thirsty spiritual paupers to “buy wine and milk without money” (Isa. 55:1–4).

NOTE: Isaiah 55:1-3 a very important cross reference here.

1 “Come, everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and he who has no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price.

2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

3 Incline your ear, and come to me;

hear, that your soul may live;

and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.

THIS IS THE GOSPEL...come to Me, all you who are weary and I WILL GIVE YOU...Mt 11:28

Coming to Christ with nothing but their sin and need, He will supply abundant forgiveness and mercy...all by GRACE!

WHAT CHRIST COMMANDS: vv19-20

Revelation 3:19-20

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.

ASTOUNDING! In spite of their being in a situation that causes Christ to want to spit them out, he tells them that HE LOVES THEM, and that this is why in this letter He is reproving and disciplining them.

In view of that love: BE ZEALOUS AND REPENT...go straight to Him and buy from Him, cry out to Him for what only He can give...

WHAT CHRIST PROMISES: vv20-21

Hear my continual knocking and request to enter...open the door by a humble repentance...and I will come in and eat with him and he with me.

ASTOUNDING...Christ humbles Himself to come to the church, to us, and again and again seek our repentance and faith in Him...

-I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me

And to the one who does repent and turn to Christ and has a restoral of fellowship:

From being nearly SPIT out of Christ’s mouth to sitting with Him on His throne...

-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

WHAT CHRIST COMMANDS , 2: v22

-He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches

HEAR THIS...you hopeless and lukewarm hearted, hear this...Christ is the one who can create a clean heart, a warm, loving heart in us...and restore us to be His faithful witnesses...

BELIEVE THAT HIS WORD IS TRUE!