In Revelation, Jesus sends messages to the 7 churches, the last one on the list being Laodicea. What are some bullet points we know about this church?
We can conclude that they are defined, or known to Jesus, by their works since He says, “I know your works”. After He says, “I know your works”, He then defines the people by the works He knows.
1. You are not hot
2. You are not cold
3. You are lukewarm
Whatever it means to be hot or cold is preferred over lukewarmness. Jesus does not have a kind Word to say about being lukewarm. He says in verse 16, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”
At this point we need to dig in and find out what it means to be hot, cold, and lukewarm; but before we do that, let’s look at the other things Jesus had to say to the Laodiceans.
In verse 17 Jesus describes how the Laodiceans see themselves:
Revelation 3:17a: “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,”
Why do the Laodiceans hold their wealth in such high regard?
1. Is it because they think God must look with favor upon their life because they are prospering financially, therefore, they need nothing?
2. Is it because they are consumed with pride because they have prospered financially, and their pride has clouded their vision for what they really need, which is Christ?
3. Is it because life is so good for them that they are not interested in the things of God at all?
4. Is it because they worship idols, and those idols are who they credit for their wealth?
In the last half of verse 17 Jesus gives their true condition:
Revelation 3:17b “not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
The Laodiceans see themselves one way, but Jesus tells them they are the exact opposite. They believe they are doing well, and life is good, but they are wretched. They believe they are rich, but they are poor, contemptibly poor. They believe they see life clearly, but they are blind to eternal life and how to receive it. They believe they are clothed well, but they are naked and shameful. They are in great need and do not even realize it; they think they need nothing.
Jesus then speaks in terms they hold dear, purchasing fine things:
Revelation 3:18 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.
Jesus is not willing that they stay in this condition, instead He is using very hard language for a reason, we see that reason in verse 19:
Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Love speaks Truth. Because He loves them, He points out their faults and instructs them. He commands them to repent because He does not want to have to spit them out of His mouth. Some versions use the term vomit, vomit them out of His mouth; it is a “rejecting with disgust”. He wants them to be truly rich, He wants them to be clothed in white, the white of the righteousness that comes from being cleansed in the Blood of the Lamb, He wants them to see Truth instead of error.
Revelation 3:20-21 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.
In addition to understanding what it means to be hot, cold, and lukewarm, we must understand what we are to conquer, and how to conquer it.
The picture being painted with the cold and hot water is that cold water is refreshing, thus useful; hot water is therapeutic, thus useful. However, Laodicea had an underground water way leading to the city (5 miles long), and by the time the water reached Laodicea it was lukewarm and disgusting. Someone not from the area would immediately spit it out. The picture is that in the same way the Laodiceans rejected Christ, Christ would reject them, spitting them out in disgust.
The Laodicean’s were commanded to repent of their pride, their idols, and their unbelief. Those who answer the call and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, being cleansed in His Blood, turning in humility to God and serve Him, and worship only Him will have conquered sin and death by trusting in Christ alone to save them from the Wrath that is being stored up against the unbelieving world.
The broad road to destruction is full of those that are prosperous and “need nothing”. It is full of the religious that believe they are earning God’s favor by rituals and works; they will even call Jesus, “Lord”. But the Truth is, the work we must do is believe in Jesus, and to believe in Jesus is to believe what He says and follow what He commands.
If I told a blind man, he was 10 steps away from a cliff I would know he believes me if he stops and turns around. If he says he believes me and keeps walking toward the cliff you can only conclude, either he didn’t believe me, or he likes the direction he was going too much to turn and be saved from sure death. That is evidence of one who truly believes, they are made new, they are different, they turn and go a different direction.
John 6:29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
