The Church Of Laodicea | Revelation 3

 Laodicea Revelation 3:14 (a) 14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: * the city of Laodicea was Six miles south of Philadelphia, it was the banking center of the region. * During the Roman period it was the chief city of the Roman political district, in which courts were held by the proconsul of the province, and where the taxes from the subordinate towns were collected. Consequently, * it had Lot's money to spend on entertainment-as evidenced by the 2 amphitheatres one having thirty a thousand-seat capacity, whose ruins still stand. * In addition, Laodicea was known throughout history as being very tricky politically because the city was built in a way that it could not defend itself militarily-a very unusual trait for an ancient city. * It was because the only water supply it had was an underground aqueduct from hot mineral springs six miles away, a perilous situation for a besieged town. * The only way Laodicea could survive was by making compromises with her enemies. * Also, Laodicea was the seat of a great medical school. * It was known for the eye salve manufactured there, highly valued in the ancient world. All of these factors figure in to what Jesus will say to this group. * The Greek word laos, from which we get our word "laity," means "people." Diece means "decision" or "rule." * Thus, the church of the Laodiceans was directed by the people rather than guided by the Lord. The Laodicean mentality remains. * I'm amazed at the influential churches whose services regularly include interviews with celebrities who are not living godly lives, * who have not taken a stand for Jesus Christ, who have little more than positive stories to share-churches where people rule; "Smile, be happy," has replaced the message of repentance. Revelation 3:14 (b) These are the words of the Amen, The Amen. Used only here as a proper name. lit: the God of the Amen. Why does Jesus refer to Himself as "the Amen"? "Amen" meaning "so be it," Jesus identifies Himself to this group so prone to compromise, saying, "There is certainty. It's Me." Revelation 3:14 (c) ... the faithful and true witness, * The Greek word translated "witness" is martus, from which we get our word "martyr." * What is a witness? One who lives so much like Jesus Christ and is so in love with Jesus Christ that he ends up being crucified even as Jesus Christ was crucified. The Bible puts it this way: 2 Timothy 3:12 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, * "Don't talk about suffering," the Laodicean would say. "We just want to be positive and happy." * You'll never hear a message about suffering, persecution, or martyrdom in a Laodicean church. * They don't want to think about those things. * The truth, however, is that if we're living godly, we're going to get nailed. No question. Revelation 3:14 (d) ... the ruler (beginning) of God's creation. * Cultists often use this verse to say that Jesus is created and therefore not coequal with the Father. * But the Greek word translated "beginning" is arche, which actually means "the origin." * You see, God the Father created all things through the Son (Colossians 1:16) by the power of the Spirit (Genesis 1:2). * In the last days, the question is, and will continue to be, "Who is the Creator?" * Evolution being part of the end-time deception, it is no surprise that in the church of the Laodiceans there will be questions concerning creation. Revelation 3:15-16 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth. In Laodicea's sister city of Hieropolis were hot springs * -the only source of water for Laodicea. * To take advantage of this, an aqueduct was constructed that carried the hot water from Hieropolis through Laodicea and on to Colossae. * In theory, it was a good idea. But in reality, by the time the water reached Laodicea, it was lukewarm. * So, as lukewarm water flowed through their city, the Laodiceans would know hot water was useful, cold water was refreshing, but lukewarm water was not good for much. * The Lord says the same thing about His people. "If you're hot, I can use you. * If you're cold, I can deal with you. * But if you're lukewarm, you'll neither be hot enough to use nor cold enough to correct." Revelation 3:17a 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' * In AD 61, Laodicea was devastated by an earthquake; but its citizens were so rich and independent that they refused any help from the Roman government and rebuilt their city out of their own resources. Revelation 3:17b But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. * To this Laodicean church, which wasn't talking about the reality of sin, the need for repentance, or the Cross of Christ; * which didn't speak of witnessing, standing, and living for eternity, * Jesus said, "You think you're rich-but you're impoverished. You think you're doing well, but you're miserable." Rev 3:18 (a) 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, * In Bible days, smelters would take the gold brought in from the mines and heat it by fire until it liquefied. * After stirring it until the impurities were burned out, they would know the process was complete when the smelter could look into the pot of liquid gold and see the reflection of his own face. * Because Jesus is the Master Smelter, He uses heat as well. So, to these people who were impure, carnal, vacillating, and lukewarm, * He says, "Get into the fire. Get into the battle. Engage yourself like you once did in ministry." * Before the Battle of Trafalgar, knowing this particular battle would determine the fate of Europe, * Lord Nelson assembled his men and said, "In the event you cannot see or read the signals in the heat of battle, know this: * No captain in this fleet can do wrong if he places his ship alongside that of an enemy." * I like that! "Captains, if you can't read my signals, and you don't know what to do, the answer is very simple: Engage in battle the first enemy you can find." * So, too, when you feel yourself becoming complacent, get involved in service, in sharing, in ministry. * Determine in your heart to engage yourself once more in the fire of ministry-not because God wants to watch you burn, but because He wants to warm your heart and get you going again. Revelation 3:18 (b) ... so you can cover your shameful nakedness; * The Laodiceans were not only to get back into the race, but also to get back to grace. * Throughout Scripture, white raiment speaks of the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10) given to those who are in Christ. * The Laodiceans were known for a unique kind of wool taken from black sheep, yet the Lord says to them, * "You might be fashion plates with your black garments, but you need garments of white-righteous garments, the covering of My grace." Revelation 3:18 (c) ... and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. * The same Jesus who says, "Anoint your eyes with eye salve," is the One who put mud in the blind man's eyes in John 9. * The way of the Great Physician is to allow irritation to produce illumination. * "You're seeing everything in a carnal way," He says, "and you need to humble yourself before Me and deal with the mud." * "Ouch," we say. "That mud hurts." But in reality, there must be an awareness of the problems in our hearts and the trouble in our souls before we can see. * "Search me, O God," cried David, "and see if there be any wicked way in me" (see Psalm 139:23, 24). * Listen, if you're feeling Laodicean, if you feel lukewarm, you need to ask the Great Physician to search you, for that will be the eye salve that will allow you to see clearly. * How long has it been, dear saint, since you've been on your face before the Lord saying, * "Search me concerning the words on my lips, the bitterness in my heart, and the thoughts on my mind"? * Truly, confession precedes vision as surely as irritation precedes illumination. Revelation 3:19 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. * If you feel miserable and blind, wretched and troubled, the Lord would say to you, "Terrific. * This just proves to you conclusively how much I love you." * A coach will always be the harshest on those in whom he sees the most promise. * If he sees you as a benchwarmer, he'll never criticize you. * But if you have potential, he'll have a great deal to say to you. Revelation 3:20 (a) 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, ... * While this verse has been used as a powerful illustration of the invitation for personal salvation, Jesus is primarily speaking to the church. * Tragically, some people go to church all their lives but never hear a message on repentance, on the fact that there is sin, or that there is a hell. * To such a church, Jesus says, "I love you and care about you. That's why I give this invitation to you." Revelation 3:20 (b) ... I will come in and eat with him and he with me. * In every account of Christ's post-resurrection appearances, He's eating. I like that! * That's where we really find the answer to our Laodicean condition-at His table. * As Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 3, there's a season for everything-a time to weep and a time to rejoice. * The Lord's table has a unique way of bringing us into the full orb of just such diverse emotional reactions and responses because we leave saying, * "I'm sobered by my sin, yet elated by the fact that it's washed away." Revelation 3:21 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. * "Open your heart to Me," Jesus would say, "and I'll open heaven to you." Revelation 3:22 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." * It's one thing to have Jesus as a Mascot. That's what they were doing at Laodicea. They were "good Christians." * But Jesus is not to be a Model or a Mascot. He is to be our Master. * That's what He was asking of that congregation. And that's what He's asking of you and me. * May this church not be a place that is popular-full of people who have good mottoes and good intentions. * May it be a place where we realize that, although we're sinners who have failed miserably, * God has provided Jesus Christ, and He will come in to our hearts to rule and reign within if we simply open the door. Revelation 4:1 1 After this... * The Greek words here are meta tauta. * It's the same phrase used in the divine outline, where John was instructed to write of the things which he had seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be after these things (1:19). * After what? After chapters 2 and 3-after church history. * I find it interesting that in the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation, the word "church" appears nineteen times. * From chapter 4 on, however, it never appears. * Why? Because in chapter 4, the church is taken off the scene and into heaven. Revelation 4:1 (b) ...I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven... * I like this! In verse 20 of chapter 3, we saw Jesus knocking at the door. * Anyone who opens the door of his heart to the Lord will have the door of heaven opened to him. Rev 4:1(c)And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet... * This trumpet sound draws my mind back to 1 Thessalonians.... 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. * Obviously this is speaking of the Rapture-when the Lord appears in the cl ouds to take us, His bride, to heaven. Revelation 4:1 ...said "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." * When I hear the Lord saying, "Come up here"-I'm going-and so are you! * This is a phrase I can't wait to hear! The subevents of the rapture will likely happen in extremely quick succession-some perhaps simultaneously. First, the Lord himself will come down with a shout. * Will he shout, "Come forth!" as he did when he raised his friend Lazarus from the dead? * Will he shout, "Come up here!" like he did with John in Revelation chapter 4? * We can only speculate, but I believe Christians will hear his unmistakable shout as he suddenly cracks open our plane of existence somewhere in the sky * -right in the heart of the enemy's territory. Second, we will hear the voice of the archangel. * This is probably the archangel Michael, who leads God's armies against Satan's forces in Revelation and is specifically referenced in the book of Jude. * We also find him in the Old Testament book of Daniel battling against regional fallen angels so he can get a critical prophetic message from God to Daniel. * Michael is God's top general, perhaps the same rank or slightly lower than the rank Satan had before he rebelled against God. * This shout is likely a war cry given as the enemy's territory is invaded. * It could also be the announcement of the groom (Jesus) coming to fetch his bride (the church), as was the custom in ancient Jewish wedding traditions. Or, perhaps it is both. Third, we will hear the trumpet of God-the shofar- * a distinctive blowing of a horn to call people to battle or to assemble for an important meeting or celebration. Both uses are applicable here. Fourth, the dead in Christ will rise. * This is the long-promised resurrection. * What the Bible refers to as the first resurrection and the rapture are the same event. * Those church-age believers who have already died will receive their glorified bodies fit for heaven. Fifth and finally, this passage tells us that we who are still alive will be caught up with the other church-age believers to meet the Lord in the air. * Just as believers who are resurrected from the dead will receive bodies fit for heaven, we who are alive will also be instantly changed into new bodies. * Can you imagine the joy as living believers are reunited with loved ones who preceded them in death, and they are all standing together before the Lord Jesus Christ in all of his glory? * What can be more exciting than this? One generation of Christians will not see death. * Instead, they will be changed and snatched up to God's throne in a millisecond and will remain with the Lord forever. It is possible that we are that generation. * What about you? What comes to mind when you think about the rapture? * Instead of excitement and joy, many experience fear, apathy, or confusion. * In Titus 2:13, Paul said we should be looking for the rapture, and he called it "the blessed hope." * The problem is we have an enemy who wants to steal our hope and blur our understanding of this momentous event. * The only way to fight his strategy is to look directly at the issue and carefully study what the Bible has to say about it. Rev 4:1(e) ... ...and I will show you what must take place after this." Meta tauta-after these things. * Why do you suppose this phrase is used twice in this verse? * I suggest it is because the Lord doesn't want us to miss it. * After these things, after church history- * when the last person gets saved; * when the last one is added to the kingdom; * when the bride of Christ is complete-we're going up!