A study in Revelation

Message 14

The church at Laodicea

Revelation 3:14-22

Introduction: Here we have the lukewarm church and many who are lukewarm will say so what I go to church when I can and that should be good enough. Is it the best we can do for the Lord? Let me give you an illustration. Suppose you went to the doctor and brought you some bad news say you were diagnosed with cancer. When you ask about the next move suppose he said nothing you have to die sometime. Suppose the doctor was lukewarm and he justified it by saying cancer didn’t interest him so he isn’t going to take your condition very seriously. That’s how this church was treating the Lord and it’s how a lot of Christians are treating the Lord today. You see we are living in the Laodicean church age and we will be in this age until the church is raptured. It is very important we understand the seventh church we don’t want to fall into a lukewarm service to God. Lets look at…

I. The Dynamic Christ (3:14)

Notice how the Lord approaches this Church, as if to say the church of Laodicea was none of His, it was theirs; it was the church of the Laodiceans. The Lord stands indignantly yet with love, to present the challenge of His person and His presence. Notice with me…

A. He is the all conquering one (3:14a) “These things saith the Amen”

Jesus is God’s fullest Amen to all of our needs; through Christ everything has been said. In Revelation we see it begin and end with a double Amen (1:6-7) and (22:20-21) the first speaks of the Lord as the final ruler of men and the second has to do with Jesus being the final revealer of God. With the first Amen we see Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King spanning the ages between the first and second coming. With the last double Amen God closed the book once and for all, He has nothing more to say. Both references refer us to His second coming; He is the all-conquering one.

B. He is the all convicting one (3:14b) “These things saith…The faithful and true witness.”

Jesus is the faithful witness, meaning He will not dilute the truth; as the true witness He will not distort the truth. He sees through any sham, shallowness or show that is present in our lives. Can we really stand being told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Society has provided us with thousands of ways to conveniently take the edge off of the truth. Being the faithful and true witness Jesus tells the truth about being lukewarm, in a memorable and undiluted form. As truthful as it may be it is palatable through love.

C. He is the all controlling one (3:14c) “the beginning of the creation of God”

It was the Lord who flung the stars into space, plowed the basin for the seas and lifted the mighty mountains. Nothing happens without His permission! He is the dynamic Christ. He stands before the lukewarm and penetrates its disguises, seeing through and through. Thus our letter begins…

II. The deluded Church (3:15-17)

The behavior of this Church was something that actually sickened the Lord!

A. Its compromise (3:15-16) “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee our of my mouth.”

Lukewarm behavior is brought about through comprise. A good illustration is the story of Lot. The angels who visited Lot in Sodom could barely speak civilly to him and only with reluctance did they accept his hospitality. While the citizens of Sodom detested Lot, even though he held a high place in their politics they sneered at his religion and were contemptuous of his sermons. Lot lost his fortune in Sodom; he lost his family in Sodom and nearly lost his faith in Sodom, all because he wanted the best of both worlds. Sadly, Christianity in America is walking down the same road today.

B. Its complacency (3:17) “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

This church had it all and wanted more, concerning material things. I can envision this people as having the biggest building with an eloquent preacher full of people who were very influential. The church today is seeking escape from reality in a score of blind alleys. We are seeking escape from; fundamentalism or correct faith and doctrine, exclusivism we are Gods people and truth will die with us, ritualism pre-arranged rituals and forms of religion, rationalism or compromising with opposite beliefs, occultism the accepting of ungodly spiritual encounters as equal to a moving of Gods spirit, and materialism as the love of money, power, prestige and popularity.

III. The definite choice (3:18-19)

The Lord gives this church a choice, choose Gods Grace or Gods Judgment?

There is a restoration of spiritual values. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich. There was no spiritual value with the people of Laodecia.

There is a restoration of spiritual virtues. I counsel thee to buy of me…white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear. This church needed true righteousness not just the appearance of righteousness.

There is a restoration of spiritual vision. I counsel thee to … anoint thine eyes with eyeslave, that thou mayest see. Worldliness will block spiritual vision remember Proverbs 29:18 “where there is no vision the people perish.”

How can a church be restored? The answer is simple- Repent! As many as I love, I rebuke, and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

IV.The dual challenge (3:20-22)

A. To sinners in the congregation (3:20) “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

The Lord is right outside pleading with people to give Him His rightful place in their life. The lost will not be won until the saved show that Christ makes a difference in their lives.

B. To saints in the congregation (3:21-22) “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with y Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

The incentive has been given to the saints to encourage them in their service of the Lord.

Conclusion: The church of Laodicea is a picture of Christianity today. Too many people are unconcerned about spiritual matters. We had much rather satisfy our personal desires while presenting ourselves as religious. The Lord doesn’t like this attitude, you see there is reality and then there is perception. Regardless of our perception the Lord knows our heart and the truth of the matter. Would it not be better to stand before the Lord having failed in man’s eyes but with a good word from the Lord, I know that is where my heart lies and I believe yours does as well. Let us keep and guard our walk with God and make every effort to not become lukewarm.