IF / THEN

Revelation 3:20 ESV

“…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.”

“KNOCK”:

A KNOCK IS A DISRUPTION.

BUT IT’S ALSO A COURTESY.

MY GREATEST DISTRACTION WHILE REACTING TO INTERRUPTION

IS MY WRONG ESTIMATION ABOUT WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT

“IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE”:

HE’S NOT JUST KNOCKING IF THERE’S A VOICE INVOLVED.

HE’S LOVING. HE’S LIVING. HE’S PERSONAL. HE’S CALLING TO YOU.

HE IS INFINITELY KNOWABLE.

HE WANTS YOU TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.

MY GREATEST HINDRANCE IN HEARING GOD’S VOICE

IS MY OWN OPINION ABOUT WHAT HE SHOULD BE SAYING

“OPENS THE DOOR”:

CAN’T HE JUST OPEN THE DOOR? HE DOESN’T NEED A DOOR. HE WANTS AN OPENING.

HOW LONG I WAIT TO OPEN THE DOOR SAYS A LOT ABOUT HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE GUEST.

MY GREATEST OBSTACLE TO OPENING THE DOOR

IS MY LACKING UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHO HE IS

“BEHOLD”:

WHAT IF WE JUST SLOW DOWN & PAY ATTENTION TO HIM?

MAYBE WE’LL SEE HIM MORE CLEARLY & TRUST HIM MORE FULLY.

21 DAYS OF PRAYER

ALONE… the daily devotional, the fast of your choice

TOGETHER… worship nights, Multiple prayer GATHERINGS

THE BROADER CONTEXT OF THE SENTENCE ABOVE…

Revelation 3:14–22 ESV

“…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 // BACKGROUND FROM RAY VANDERLAAN / ‘THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW’

https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/laodicea

HISTORY

The leading city in the valley during the first century, Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 60. According to Roman writer Tacticus, Rome offered to pay for the city to be rebuilt, but the people declined, saying that they were wealthy enough to restore their own city.

Industry The city was renowned for three main industries:

A banking center for the province of Asia Minor, including a gold exchange; The textile center where glossy, black wool was woven into garments called trimata that were prized in the Roman world; The location of a major medical school known worldwide and where an eye salve called Phyrigian powder was made from a local stone.

*** CONSIDER THE SPIRITUAL METAPHORS FROM VERSE 18 ABOVE!

*** IT SEEMS THE SENSES OF THE CHURCH WERE DULLED BY THEIR NATURAL WEALTH & COMFORT SO JESUS WAS CALLING THEM BACK TO THE TRUE RICHES OF THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM HE LEADS.

Geography Located in the fertile Lycus River Valley, the city had no nearby water source, so tepid, mineral-filled, and nauseating water was piped in from six miles away.

*** CONSIDER THE SPIRITUAL METAPHORS FROM VERSE 16 ABOVE!

*** IT’S INTERESTING THAT NEARBY HEIRAPOLIS WAS HOME TO NATURALLY MEDICINAL HOT SPRINGS.

*** HOT WATER IS MEDICINAL. COLD WATER IS REFRESHING. THIS APATHETIC CHURCH WAS LUKEWARM - NO LONGER PROVIDING A HEALING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SPIRITUALLY ILL OR THE REFRESHING ATMOSPHERE FOR THOSE NEEDING RESTORATION FROM SPIRITUAL FATIGUE.

What Happened to the Church in Laodicea? Church history records that the church in Laodicea remained dynamic after most churches in Asia disappeared. One of its bishops was martyred for his faith in AD 161, about seventy years after John wrote his warning to the city in Revelation. In AD 363, Laodicea was the location chosen for a significant church council. So, it appears that the church in Laodicea learned its lesson and God continued to bless the Christian community there for some time.

*** NATE’S ADDITIONAL NOTES