Church of Laodicea
Notes
Transcript
Last Church/7th Church
Last Church/7th Church
These seven churches display characteristics that either pleased or displeased the Lord. Named after the cities in which they were located, they were actual, historical churches in Asia Minor, but also represent the types of churches that have existed throughout the ages.
Ephesus - Know for work/labor, patient endurance, not tolerating sin, tested preachers and teachers for sound doctrine; but had abandoned the love - they had backslidden/lost their feelings for Christ.
Smyrna - Endured tribulation and poverty, was spiritually wealthy, and held up under slander; no correction, commended for faithfulness, but told more persecution is coming.
Pergamum - Didn’t deny faith, pure in doctrine; but turned to worldliness - members participated in, church allowed activities to take place in church, began to baptize and accept members who were not repented, and they were allowing false teaching and preaching. They were called to repent and turn back their works for Him!
Thyatira - Love, Faith, Service, patient endurance; turned to selfish desires, immorality, idol worship - they compromised the gospel.
Sardis - Is called a strong church, with good reputation; but is dying. The church was doing what it was supposed to do, but the people had lost the spirit.
Philadelphia - the picture of a church alive and faithful;
Laodicea - Was a city of enormous wealth; was a financial and banking center, known for clothing manufacturing, location of a famous medical school - known for the eye salve produced there. Laodicea was located near Hieropolis, where there were famous hot springs, and Colossae, known for its pure, cold water. But look at the description given of Laodicea - you are neither hot nor cold. This is a problem. I like coffee hot, and water ice cold, but there is nothing that will turn my stomach quicker than lukewarm water. This is the description the Lord chose to describe Laodicea - something that turned His stomach. Now, let’s look at why.
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.
Again, the letter is being directed to the preacher as the spiritual leader of the church. “The words of the Amen” - speaks of the Old Testament title for God “amen” is the Hebrew word for truth. God is the truth, and He speaks the truth because He is the faithful and true witness. The Lord was getting ready to tell the church the truth about their spiritual condition, but they would not believe Him. We tend to forget that God speaks the truth as no other can, with authority and sovereignty.
15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!
God does not mince words - I know your works. This is not a commendation, as we will see. He describes the church as being neither cold nor hot. As I stated before, they were seen as lukewarm, unappealing. If we think of in terms of water, we think of cold water as being pure, clean, and refreshing. Hot water has been purified and offers warmth when needed. But lukewarm water - just the right temperature for bacterial growth and stagnation. Lukewarm water is the words used to describe the spiritual condition of the church of Laodicea - they had become spiritually lukewarm. They were not hot for Christ, and they had not grown cold towards Christ, they were just content to sit there as a stagnant, stinking, lukewarm mud puddle. When we think of the great wealth they had, maybe it was because they could afford to do anything they wanted materialistically, but could not see they were in spiritual poverty. Christ uses the exclamation “Would that you were either cold or hot!”. They were blind to their own needs and unwilling to face the truth. Church, the first way to correct that problem is to realize the condition we are in. If we want God’s blessings, then we must be honest with God and let God be honest with us. Some of us are spiritually lukewarm.
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
We can find three “spiritual temperatures” in scripture.
A heart on fire for God
32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
A cold heart
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
And a lukewarm heart. Lukewarm is where many Christians find comfort. If they were cold, they would feel it. If they were hot, they would feel it. Instead they were “room temperature” Christians. You know how a humans body physically arrives at room temperature? It dies. Christians, if we are spiritually lukewarm…is our faith dead? Christ says because we are neither hot nor cold He will spit us out of His mouth. He has no use for a spiritually dead Christian, as a matter of fact they are unappealing and can cause Him to want to be sick at His stomach. Is this they type of Christian we desire to be? One that makes Christ physically ill? Of course not! So what brought the church of Laodicea to this point? Their reliance on materialistic things.
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.
The had grown content with their wealth, and thought that the material things they owned left them needing nothing. Satan has a way of making us grow content, at least temporarily, with the material things of this world. But as we learned this morning, we can not have true peace or joy with materialistic things because they will break, they will fail, they will be destroyed, but praise the Lord we can find true peace in the love of Jesus Christ.
The church had relied on themselves for so long though, that scripture says the did not realize the dire condition they were in - wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. The church of Smyrna thought they were poor, when they were spiritually rich! The Laodiceans thought they were rich, but were spiritually destitute. As a result, they lost their values. They had become proud of their ministry, and were measuring things with human standards. Isn’t it a sad time when we lose focus of why we are ministering? Isn’t it sad when we become more focused on what we get out of church than what God wants from the church? You see, everything they were doing was not done in the power of the Lord.
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.
Jesus points out that they have sacks full of fools gold. They don’t know what true richness is! Even those who had sack fulls of gold were still holding dirty ore, not refined gold. They didn’t know the true value of what they had because it was contaminated! Oh, doesn’t this paint a picture for us church! How many of us think we are 24 K gold when in essence we are nothing more than contaminated ore! It is only when we go through the refining process, the process where the impurities are removed, that we recognize our true value in the Lord, and we can glorify God and truly be rich in Him!
They were also told to clothe themselves in white garments - they were spiritually naked and was in need of righteous clothing. They were walking around like the emperor in his new clothes, thinking they were adorned in the finest, only to find out they were as naked as a jay bird. As a major clothing producer, Laodicea was know for its garments made from black wool, but Jesus told them they needed to be clothed in pure white! He speaks to their blindness to the reality of their condition, all they could see was their money and their own ability, and as the home of a medical university that was known for its healing eye salve, Christ reminds them they need some SPIRITUAL salve applied to their eyes so they could see the true condition they were in.
19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Then Jesus tells them of the reason why He is being so blunt - He loves them enough He does not want them to be spiritually ignorant any longer. He reprimanded and disciplined them so they would see the need for repentance and could fan the smoldering spiritual flame.
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.
He stands and knocks.
Think of us when someone comes to the door knocking.
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.
When we realize our destitute state, and we restore our relationship with Christ, we are promised the right to sit with Him on His throne in victory!
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
Once again an invitation is given. But it is up to the believers in the church of Laodicea to listen and respond. We have a promise given if we overcome the things of this world. If we choose to repent, and turn our lives over to Christ, we become a child of the King, and we shall rule and reign with Christ forever!