The Church At Laodicea: Illusions of Self-Sufficiency
The Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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· 15 viewsJesus condemns the complacency and self-sufficiency of the Laodicean believers.
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14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.
22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”
INTRODUCTION:
I- ILLUSIONS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY ARE DISPELLED BY THE LORD OF THE CHURCH (Revelation 3:14)
I- ILLUSIONS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY ARE DISPELLED BY THE LORD OF THE CHURCH (Revelation 3:14)
14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
(Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· Τάδε λέγει ὁ Ἀμήν, ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός, ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κτίσεως τοῦ θεοῦ·)
A- Jesus identifies himself as the one who has the final word in all things.
A- Jesus identifies himself as the one who has the final word in all things.
1- He calls himself the “amen.” (ὁ Ἀμήν,)
a. This designation is used here and in Isa. 65:16.
16 All who invoke a blessing or take an oath will do so by the God of truth. For I will put aside my anger and forget the evil of earlier days.
B- Jesus identifies himself who judges in righteousness and truth.
B- Jesus identifies himself who judges in righteousness and truth.
1-Jesus is the one who is the “the faithful and true witness.” (ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς καὶ ἀληθινός,)
a. Revelation 1:5 refers to Jesus as the faithful witness.
5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.
b. What Jesus says is true and can be depended upon.
Note Jesus’ words about himself in John 14:6.
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
“λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή· οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν πατέρα εἰ μὴ διʼ ἐμοῦ.”
C- Jesus identifies himself as the creator of all things.
C- Jesus identifies himself as the creator of all things.
1-Jesus describes himself as the one who originated creation - God himself. ( ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κτίσεως τοῦ θεοῦ·)
(Not the first of creatures as the Arians held and Unitarians do now, but the originating source of creation through whom God works (Col. 1:15, 18, a passage probably known to the Laodiceans, John 1:3; Heb. 1:2, as is made clear by 1:18; 2:8; 3:21; 5:13).
3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
(Hebrews 1:10)
10 He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.
(67.65 ἀρχήb, ῆς f; ἄρχομαιb: a point of time at the beginning of a duration—‘beginning, to begin.’
ἀρχήb: ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος ‘in the beginning was the Word’ or ‘before the world was created, the Word (already) existed’ or ‘at a time in the past when there was nothing …’ Jn 1:1.)
II- ILLUSIONS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY ARE DISPLACED BY THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CHURCH (Revelation 3:15-17)
II- ILLUSIONS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY ARE DISPLACED BY THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CHURCH (Revelation 3:15-17)
15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
A- Not delightful, but sickening. (Revelation 3:15-16)
15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
(15 Οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα, ὅτι οὔτε ψυχρὸς εἶ οὔτε ζεστός. ὄφελον ψυχρὸς ἦς ἢ ζεστός.
16 οὕτως, ὅτι χλιαρὸς εἶ καὶ οὔτε ζεστὸς οὔτε ψυχρός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου.)
1- The lukewarmness of the Ladoicean Church made the Lord sick at his stomach!
2- While the church was satisfied with itself, Jesus was sick of it!
Like the tepid, lukewarm mineral water made the Laodiceans nauseated, they made Jesus nauseated.
B- Not rich, but destitute. (Revelation 3:17a)
17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
(ὅτι λέγεις ὅτι Πλούσιός εἰμι καὶ πεπλούτηκα καὶ οὐδὲν χρείαν ἔχω, καὶ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ταλαίπωρος καὶ ἐλεεινὸς καὶ πτωχὸς καὶ τυφλὸς καὶ γυμνός,)
1- Self-deceive into an illusion of self-sufficiency “You say that I am rich and I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing.”
“ὅτι λέγεις ὅτι Πλούσιός εἰμι καὶ πεπλούτηκα καὶ οὐδὲν χρείαν ἔχω,”
2- Reality check - helpless and in need of pity and help!
a- Wretched = ταλαίπωρος - pertaining to being in a wretched state, either mentally or physically—‘wretched, pathetic.
b- Miserable = ἐλεεινὸς - pertaining to being deserving of pity in view of one’s miserable condition—‘pitiable, miserable.
c- Poor = πτωχὸς - pertaining to being poor and destitute, implying a continuous state—‘poor, destitute.
d- Blind = τυφλὸς - pertaining to not being able to understand—‘unable to understand, incapable of comprehending, blind.’
* (Mt 15:14)
14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
e- Naked = γυμνός - pertaining to wearing no clothing or being very scantily clothed—‘naked.’
III- ILLUSIONS OF SELF SUFFICIENCY ARE CORRECTED BY DIVINE COUNSEL TO THE CHURCH (Revelation 3:18-22)
III- ILLUSIONS OF SELF SUFFICIENCY ARE CORRECTED BY DIVINE COUNSEL TO THE CHURCH (Revelation 3:18-22)
18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.
22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”
A- Come to the only source of help! (Revelation 3:18)
A- Come to the only source of help! (Revelation 3:18)
18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
“συμβουλεύω σοι ἀγοράσαι παρʼ ἐμοῦ χρυσίον πεπυρωμένον ἐκ πυρὸς ἵνα πλουτήσῃς, καὶ ἱμάτια λευκὰ ἵνα περιβάλῃ καὶ μὴ φανερωθῇ ἡ αἰσχύνη τῆς γυμνότητός σου, καὶ κολλούριον ἐγχρῖσαι τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου ἵνα βλέπῃς.”
1- The Laodicean believers are urged to come to Christ to secure real treasures.
a. Pure gold that has been through refiner’s fire - no dross remaining.
(1 Peter 1:7)
7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
b. Clean, white garments - righteousness of Christ
(Revelation 16:15)
15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”
c. The real, healing eyesalve that enables them to see reality.
(John 9:40-41)
40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
(2 Peter 1:9)
9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
B- Correction comes from the one who cares. (Revelation 3:19)
B- Correction comes from the one who cares. (Revelation 3:19)
19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
“ἐγὼ ὅσους ἐὰν φιλῶ ἐλέγχω καὶ παιδεύω· ζήλευε οὖν καὶ μετανόησον.”
1-Jesus rebukes and corrects those whom he loves.
(Hebrews 12:5-8)
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?
8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.
2- The believer is to respond properly to the discipline of Christ!
“be diligent and turn from your indifference.” (ζήλευε οὖν καὶ μετανόησον.)
ζηλόωa; ζηλεύω: to be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying desire—‘to be earnest, to set one’s heart on, to be completely intent upon.’
μετανόησον- to change one’s way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness—‘to repent, to change one’s way, repentance.’
“repent” is used 56 times in the NT
C- Open the door and let Jesus into the church! (Revelation 3:20)
C- Open the door and let Jesus into the church! (Revelation 3:20)
20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
“ἰδοὺ ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν καὶ κρούω· ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου καὶ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, καὶ εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δειπνήσω μετʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς μετʼ ἐμοῦ.”
1- Jesus is pictured on the outside of the church seeking entrance into the church!!!
2- The people in the church are not even listening to His voice, nor acknowledging him pounding on the door.
κρούω, “to strike, knock,” is used in the NT of “knocking” at a door, (a) literally, Luke 12:36; Acts 12:13, 16; (b) figuratively, Matt. 7:7, 8; Luke 11:9, 10 (of importunity in dealing with God); 13:25; Rev. 3:20.¶
13 He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.
16 Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.
D- Listen and obey the divine counsel given (Revelation 3:22)
D- Listen and obey the divine counsel given (Revelation 3:22)
22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”
“ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.”
1- hear, listen, understand
E- Look forward to the rewards of obedience (Revelation 3:21)
E- Look forward to the rewards of obedience (Revelation 3:21)
21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.
“ὁ νικῶν δώσω αὐτῷ καθίσαι μετʼ ἐμοῦ ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ μου, ὡς κἀγὼ ἐνίκησα καὶ ἐκάθισα μετὰ τοῦ πατρός μου ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ αὐτοῦ.”
1- The victor will rule and reign with Jesus!
CONCLUSION: