Hot or Cold
Revelation 3:14-22
Last week, I told you that as we were going through the churches, we discover that there were only two churches without a rebuke, those were Smyrna and Philadelphia.
Today we will be looking at the only church without a commendation, Laodicea.
Laodicea
The city of Laodicea is known for its glossy black wool and advances in medicine with famous ointments for both the eyes and the ears.
Laodicea is found about 45 miles Southeast of Philadelphia.
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Revelation 3
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
15“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 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. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 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. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
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As an amazing demonstration of God’s grace and mercy, every church even Laodicea, received a promise.
The expositors commentary says that one historian notes that no real notable points about Laodicea as a city stand out.
The historians say that the people of the city had learned to compromise and accommodate themselves to the needs and wishes of others.
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He is The Amen
Let’s begin with His address.
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.”
Here the descriptors of Jesus are “the Amen” and “the faithful and true witness”
The Amen is an old testament title for God.
Isaiah 65:16 says:
so that he who blesses himself in the land
shall bless himself by the God of truth,
and he who takes an oath in the land
shall swear by the God of truth;
The God of truth in Hebrew is
“אָמֵן אֱלֹהִים”
Elohim Amen
When we say Amen, we are saying TRUE!
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Church, Listen Up!
Jesus is called the true and faithful witness
Can anyone stand against Jesus’ testimony?
This is a call to the church to LISTEN UP!
That should be our response anytime we sense the Holy Spirit leading us…listen up!
More that listen up…do.
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!”
The problem with the church at Laodicea is not that they didn’t listen up, but that they had become indifferent to the voice of God.
They could hear, but they had muted His voice to the point where they were neither hot or cold.
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Hot or Cold
Jesus says in verse 16:
“16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
This call is intended stir up the church and reheat it. It is a warning that is indicative of Jesus mercy and grace. He doesn’t want to spit out His bride. He died for her! She is too precious. But if a portion of her is rotten. He will not allow that to pass, because He is the Amen, the faithful and true one, the beginning of creation.
He is stirring up the church and reheating it, because if he comes and finds the works lukewarm. It will not be favorable for Him, and the word says He will spit them out.
Weirsbe says:
The church cannot be a “closed system.” Jesus said, in John 15:5
“Without me you can do nothing”
John 15:5 is the first memory verse for our next series.
Let’s try to memorize our verse a week ahead of time. That way when we come in and hear the Sermon, we have already spent some time in that specific word.
Memory Verse: John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
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Fruit
What life is flowing to the branch that is cut off from the vine?
None. Life must flow into the branch, and what does the branch produce?
Fruit…there must be and outflow of the branch.
The church must not be a closed system!
It must be connected to the vine, and must produce fruit. Input and output.
This is not for the churches glory, but for God’s! It is His work. He has purchased and redeemed the church.
“17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
What a sad state! Needing nothing and no one.
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His Councel
He has given His life for His bride the church. That is why church membership is so important.
You must not be isolated and alone, you will find yourself becoming lukewarm.
Jesus says this is a “Sad and Pitiable state”
He gives counsel on how to change:
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.
This statement from Christ strikes the heart of the Laodicean Christian.
The church is in the city known for its production of both shiny black wool and salve or ointment that is known to cure eye illness.
Here He is saying that the Laodiceans are blind, even though they can see.
They are blinded with a “go along to get along” mentality.
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Verses 19 and 20 say:
19Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 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.
Verse 20 says behold I stand at the door and knock.
This verse is sometimes used as an evangelistic presentation of the Gospel, and that is an appropriate use, but we have to remember that this letter is written to the Church.
Like a loving father, Christ will reprove those whom He loves, calling them to repent before He intervenes in judgment. I stand at the door and knock, not as a homeless transient seeking shelter, but as the master of the house, expecting alert servants to respond immediately to His signal and welcome His entrance.”
Luke 12:35-37 says:
35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.
Is He knocking on the door to your heart?
Are you dressed and ready for action?
Are you hungry to come in and dine with Him?
What is He saying to you right now?**
Don’t ignore this.
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The word goes on to say:
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.
This is a demonstration of God’s grace and mercy exhibited through the provision of His son Jesus who is calling us, His church, to be representations of what He has made us… ALIVE.
He does not expect His church to be dead when He returns. We are not to be “room temperature.”
We are to be active and alive about the mission to which He has called us.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches
The church at Ephesus
who lost their first love and were called to remember and repent and do the works done at first.
The church at Smyrna
who were called to be faithful until death.
The church at Pergamum
who had allowed false teaching and were called to repent.
The church at Thyatir
a who had a lack of discernment and tolerated heresy, but were told to hold fast and keep Christ’s works.
The church at Sardis
who were told their works were dead and they needed to keep the word and repent.
The church at Philadelphia
who were told to hold fast to what they had.
the church at Laodicea
who were told they were spiritually blind, lukewarm, but be zealous and repent.
And to Koza
what has He said to you.
He stands at the door and knocks, will you listen and let Him in?
You see He is the bridegroom. He is the head of the church.
We all should follow Him.
The question is, are we?
I pray that you have an ear to hear what the spirit says to the churches.
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Discussion Questions:
- Think about a time when you were snubbed or treated indifferently by a family member, friend, colleague or neighbor. How do we feel when we are the receiving end of this treatment?
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- What did the church lack to show that they were “neither hot nor cold”?
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- What’s the remedy that Jesus gave to the Laodicean church?
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- How can these truths be applied to our report card of us “being the church”?
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Memory Verse: John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
