02.07. 7 Churches- 7- Laodicea
Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) Seven Churches of Asia
BACKGROUND:
1. References to the church at Laodicea: Colossians 2:1; Colossians 4:13-16; Revelation 1:11; Revelation 3:14.
2. Located on the great Asian trade routes on the banks of the rive Lycus Laodicea was a very prosperous city. It was one of the banking center in Asia, and a clothing and fashion center. Its three main business are said to have been a) banking, b) a black wool market, c) manufacturing an ointment used as a balm for sore eyes.
3. It was sixty miles east of Ephesus and located eleven miles from Colossae and six miles from Hierapolis.
4. Because it was situated in the neighborhood of hot springs that emitted lukewarm water it became a health resort. It was the home of a medical school that specialized in treatment of maladies of the eye and a famous eye salve was manufactured here.
4. The church there was probably composed mostly of rich members as suggested in Revelation 3:17. An abundance of goods, lukewarm water, raiment, and eyesalve were all literal realities in the city. However, Christ used these figuratively to teach what spiritual riches are.
I.ADDRESS Revelation 3:14 Addressed to the messenger who would convey the information to the congregation at Laodicea.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPEAKER Revelation 3:14
1."Amen" -- as a proper name for the Lord, see Isaiah 65:16, "God of Amen", or God "of truth." a.Jesus often prefaced his remarks by "Verily, Verily, I say unto you." In the Greek, these words translated "verily" are "Amen, Amen." This Greek term means to guarantee the truth of the statement made. So to affirm that Jesus is the "Amen" is to proclaim that he is the true representation of the Father.
b. Being then the affirmation of the absolute truth of God one would neglect his message at the risk of losing his soul.
2. "Faithful and true witness." His testimony was a true account.
He is knowledgeable and what he says is honest. He would not misrepresent them in their condition.
a.In our courts it is the testimony of witnesses upon which juries and judges make their decisions. It is upon the true testimony of this unimpeachable witness that our hopes for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life depend. b.He is a witness of what God in his love has provided for man and what man under God can become. He is a witness of how God can remain holy, just and true and still pardon sinful man. b.He who believes something.
3."The beginning of the creation" a.The Greek construction does not mean that Christ is the beginning, or the first thing created, but the construction indicates that Christ is the Beginner, or source and origin of creation. John 1:1; Hebrews 1:10.
b.Christ is the author and the source of creation. Hebrews 5:8-9 III.WHAT IS RIGHT WITH THE CHURCH
1. Nothing is stated. There was no persecution, no spiritual warfare, no one contending for the faith.
2.We are at war against sin in this world-- put on your armor, Ephesians 6:11 a.Thyatira tollerated the world, yet she had a remnant faithful. b.Sardis was dead, yet contained "a few names" with undefiled garments. c.But Laodicea was without a remnant.
IV. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CHURCH.
1. Laodicea was neither cold nor hot, but the Lord wishes they were. The church at Laodicea was lukewarm and self-satisfied. They were practicing the maximum of the minimum! Their works were just a conscience-easing little. They were so without influence that they drew no persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
a. "I would that thou wert cold or hot" Open coldness is more honest and less deceptive. (Acts 8:1; Acts 23:1).
2. "Lukewarm." The Lord said he would "spew" them out of his mouth. They were middle of the roaders, they were compromisers.
a. Here is another indication that a Christian can be lost. Hebrews 3:12; Galatians 5:4; John 15:6.
3. "Rich" -- material, not spiritually. Riches often make people self-satisfied and self-confident. To be either is to be self-deceived.
Likely they regarded material prosperity as a token of God’s favor.
4. Their view of self, "Rich, needed nothing." Sardis was exalted by others, Laodicea by herself. But in the eyes of God they both were little.
5. God’s View, Revelation 3:17.
a."Wretched" -- Because of their complacency. (What the Pharisee though of the publican sinner, Luke 18:1-43). b."Miserable" -- deserving of pity, an object of pity. c."Poor" -- true paupers, no treasures in heaven. d."Blind" -- to their obligations to Christ and to their responsibility to themselves and others. Without the Christian Graces, Peter wrote we are blind, "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins" (2 Peter 1:9). e."Naked" -- with no good works to cloth them. Failed to put on the spiritual garments (Colossians 3:12-14).
V. ADMONITION AND WARNING Revelation 3:18
1. He admonishes them to receive his blessings that they may be enriched, clothed, and that their vision may be restored.
2. "Buy of me gold." -- refined by fire. Emphasis "from me" instead of trusting in self. They were "poor" so they needed "gold" to be rich. A true church who has met the tests and come out victorious.
[Being a great banking center many Jews lived in Laodicea. One writer says "There were so many Jews here that the government became concerned at the amount of gold that was flowing from the city in the form of temple tax. It was so much money that in 62 B.C. Flaccus the governor put an embargo on the exporting of the tax to the temple in Jerusalem." But apparently by the middle of the first century A.D. a large quanity of gold was again being sent from this area to Jerusalem according to historians.]
3. Buy of me... "White garments." Cloth thyself, unlike their garments of black wool for which Laodicea was famous. They needed purity and holiness.
4.Buy of me... "eyesalve" -- for eyes to see. (Remember the miracle of Jesus healing the blind man was told by John in John 9:1-41.) VI.CALL TO REPENT Revelation 3:19.
1. "As many as I love, I reprove and chasten" -- Rebuke given because Christ loved them. Hebrews 12:8
2. "Be zealous" -- raise the temperature (water boiling, gas molecules acting up) heat kills bacteria, zeal will kill the germs of sin. Put your heart into it.
a.Enthusiastic and bubbling over. b.En-Theos, enthusiasm, God in us!
4. "Repent" -- start life over, turn from lukewarmness. This stands between the erring Christian and forgiveness (Acts 8:22).
5. An Invitation. "I stand at the door and knock..." Christ on the outside, driven out by the Laodiceans. Instead of us standing at his door, the picture is of the Lord standing at ours. Jesus seeks entrance into all our hearts but he forces himself upon none. He knocks but we must open the door and invite him in.
a."His voice" he knocks and speaks. b.To take food with one is an outward sign of brotherly love and reconciliation. Picture of sinners reconciled with God. Some see an illusion here to the Lord’s Supper.
VII. PROMISED REWARD Revelation 3:21.
1. To the Overcomer. May we be preserved from that self-satisfying conceit that ruined the Laodiceans.
a. They are the classic demonstration of the little play on words: "You are not what you think you are-- but what you think-- you are!"
2. Sit down with me "in" my throne; "in" in this relationship used no where else.
3. As I sit down with my Father in his throne. Colossians 1:13; [Psalms 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:26. Hebrews 8:1]
Conclusion 1.He that ears... let him hear. The application to everyone, not a message for Laodicia only, but for us in the 20th and 21st centuries. A comparative description of Zealous and Lukewarm Christians.
ZEALOUS CHRISTIANS 1.Never misses the church’s teaching or preaching services. Galatians 6:10.
2. Participates in any was possible.
3. Is receptive of the truth preached or taught no matter what the subject is.
4. Welcomes those visiting and invites them back.
5. Encourages those restored or baptized.
6. Commends the teachers, preachers, deacons and elders.
7. Joins heartily in the singing with the spirit and the understanding.
8. Prays with the prayer leader and Amens the prayer.
9. Brings his company at home with him to church.
10. Never wants a chance to work overtime if it interferes with God.
11. Gives as he has been blessed to give.
12. He had rather read the Bible than anything else including the newspaper.
13. Never compromises the truth on the issues but teaches.
14. Loves all the members weak and strong and never shows partiality.
15. Finds the truths of God inspiring, uplifting and edifying.
16. Had rather visit the sick and the needy than watch TV.
LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS 1.Frequently misses the church’s teaching and preaching services.
2. Seldom, if ever, participates.
3. Rejects almost anything contrary to what he already believes or wants to believe.
4. Hardly ever goes out of his way to speak to visitors.
5. Rarely ever says an encouraging word to them.
6. Some of the time he criticize them and rarely commends them.
7. The members next to him in worship seldom hear him singing.
8. Lets the company keep him from services.
9. Lets the company keep him from services.
10. Takes frequent opportunities to work overtime.
11. Gives less than he can and sometimes not at all.
12. Always reads the newspaper thoroughly but very rarely does he read the Bible.
13. He had rather compromise than seriously stand.
14. He is partial to some and does not overlook the weaknesses of others.
15. Finds a secular book, a ball game, or a political speech more inspiring.
16. Had rather watch TV and usually does.