By David Botwright
The Church in Laodicea
Following our theme this year – 成為門徒 – I preached in May about ‘faith in action’, Elijah on Mount Carmel. The people had to choose between God and Baal. Today, we have a similar decision to make – Choose between God and other gods, God and career, God and family, God or materialism. We need to make a decision.
Today, I will continue on this theme but by talking about commitment. Making the decision is one thing but what happens after is another.
Is it enough to just make a decision to follow Christ and continue as before? Having been baptized, is that it? Can I now go back to what I was doing before, but just turn up for church on Sundays? I have bought my ticket to heaven so now let’s get on with life here and now.
The answer is clearly ‘no’! The church is the bride of Christ and after the wedding life does not go on as it did before. When I got married, life changed, mostly for the better. However, I was informed that washing my laundry one a week in the bath and cooking everything in one pan was a practice which would not continue! In order for our marriage to be successful we both needed to make changes and stick to them. So with our Christian life. We have entered into a relationship with Christ. If our life does not change we have to question whether we really did make a decision to follow Christ.
Our Bible passage today comes from the first part of Revelation where Christ himself gives a message to seven churches. This was recorded for us by John in response to a vision he had while on the Greek island of Patmos . You may say, how relevant is a message written two thousand years ago to seven churches, most of which have long ago disappeared? The fact that this message is in our Bible means that, without doubt, God means us to learn from it too.
Map
The city of Laodicea lies at the junction of two important valleys and at the intersection of three busy trade routes. Because of this location, Laodicea was one of the richest commercial centres of the ancient world. Laodicea was so wealthy that when, in A.D. 60, a large earthquake destroyed many cities in the region, she was the only city that did not need money from the imperial treasury of Rome to finance the rebuilding. The city was known principally for three things:
1. As a prominent centre of banking and commerce, the ancient world's equivalent of New York , London or Shanghai .
2. Soft, glossy black wool her sheep herders produced through careful breeding and good grazing.
3. A world-renowned medical school which discovered a miracle eye-salve.
But the city’s major weakness was a lack of a locally adequate and convenient water supply. Her water was transported from hot-springs six miles to the south through a system of stone pipes. This water arrived at the city lukewarm. By way of contrast, just a few miles to the north laid the sister city of Hierapolis – above this city was a constant cloud of vapour caused by steam rising from her bubbling hot springs; and to the east was the city of Colossae with her snow-capped mountains and clear, cold streams of water coming from the snow melt-off. But Laodicea 's water was neither cold nor hot; rather, it was lukewarm.
As we examine the letter to the church in that city we will see what bearing the characteristics of the city – her wealth, her black wool, her miracle eye-salve, her lukewarm water – have on the church.
Read together Revelation 3:14-22
The "Amen" says, "I know your deeds" (vs 15). This is not to deny or downplay the importance of grace and faith. But what Christ is interested in is faith that comes to expression in works. Christ wants to see salvation that is being worked out. He wants to see faith displayed.
Christ is not at all impressed with Laodicea as He looks at her deeds. What do her deeds or works show? The works of the church are not even described. But whatever the works were, they showed Christ the true nature of this church: "that you are neither cold nor hot" (vs 15). Notice, Christ does not condemn the church of Laodicea for heresy or false teaching or immoral behaviour. But He does condemn it for being neither cold nor hot.
In their spiritual life the Laodicean Christians were neither cold nor hot. The church was not cold or hostile to the Gospel; she did not reject the faith. But neither was the church hot and enthused about the Gospel; she was not excited and on fire about the faith. She was simply indifferent to the Gospel. Yes, the members of that church claimed to be Christian, yet it made no difference in what they did or how they lived. The church of Laodicea was like the water of Laodicea – neither cold nor hot but lukewarm.
This seems a little startling, to say the least. Christ appears to be saying He prefers rejection of the faith to the kind of faith the Laodiceans have. That He wants total commitment or no commitment at all. You see, featureless lukewarmness is worse, and more difficult to overcome, than complete alienation from or hostility to Christ. Ask any missionary or minister: it is often easier to get a non-believer to change his or her whole life overnight than to get a lukewarm, indifferent Christian to make even a minor change in life. Hostility is always easier to overcome than lethargy.
So Christ warns the church, "I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (vs 16). Christ doesn't say this because He hates the church of Laodicea . Rather, He says this because he cares for and loves the church. "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline," He says (vs 19). Parents who love their children rebuke and discipline them when they do wrong. Not only that, but those parents also point their children in the right direction. Out of love and concern Christ does that for the church of Laodicea . He rebukes her and then He points her in the right direction: "be earnest," He says, "and repent" (vs 19). Repent of your spiritual apathy, be excited about your faith, and be committed to your Lord.
What does Christ say when He looks at our deeds? Does He admonish or praise us? Our deeds, our works, do they show us to be lukewarm in our faith or do they show us to be on fire for the Lord and the things of the Lord? Our deeds, our works, do they show us to be indifferent and uncommitted or do they show us to be excited and enthusiastic in our faith life?
The Greek language makes it clear that the Laodicean church had not always been lukewarm. There was a time when she had been full of zeal and love for the Gospel. Although Paul never went to Laodicea he mentions it warmly a couple of times in his letter to the Colossians. So what happened? What caused this church to become so lukewarm in her faith?
We find the answer in verse 17: "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.'" As mentioned earlier, the city of Laodicea was affluent, rich, and prosperous – so wealthy that she needed no financial assistance from Rome in rebuilding after an earthquake. We know from verse 17 that many of the church members also enjoyed prosperity. This was a wealthy church in a wealthy town.
Jesus lets us know that this wealth exercised a deadly influence on the spiritual life of the Laodicean church. The church members of Laodicea , like the citizens of the city, were far too secure in their possessions and wealth. They felt self-reliant. They did not depend on anyone else. The church did not even feel dependent upon God. She did not look to the Lord for food, clothing, and shelter; she forgot that God alone is the source of everything good and necessary for life. The church of Laodicea had become part of the world: she adopted the self-reliance of the world and the materialism of the world. She was an affluent church in an affluent society.
To make matters worse, this church equated material prosperity with spiritual prosperity. She thought material wealth indicated spiritual wealth. So she became self-assured and self-reliant in the spiritual realm also. We too are wealthy in material goods. And, it is so easy for us too to think material wealth indicates spiritual wealth. The danger exists, given our prosperity, that we, like Laodicea , become self-assured and self-reliant in spiritual matters.
Do you know what this attitude of self-reliance and self-assurance does to one's spiritual life? Prayers for food and clothing are no longer heart-felt and sincere – after all, why look to God when one merely has to look to one's self for these things. Salvation by grace through faith falls by the wayside when one can earn spiritual wealth. The worship of God is replaced by a glorying in one's self and one's abilities. An attitude of self-reliance and self-assurance cannot help but make one lukewarm in the faith.
Christ had to reveal to this church the truth of its spiritual condition. He said to it, ( Rev 3:17 ) “You say, "I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing." But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Christ is speaking of her spiritual condition. The church of Laodicea , says Christ, is a poor church. She is like a blind beggar, destitute, and clad in rags.
How do you measure poverty? Which standard is yours? In the eyes of God, are you rich or are you poor? Are we poor and lukewarm in the faith? Or are we rich and excited in the faith?
How can Laodicea become excited about and committed in her faith again? Very simple, really. It has to learn to depend upon the Lord. It has to realize that all things come only from His Fatherly hand. It has to realize that only by a whole-hearted reliance upon the Lord can she regain her spiritual fervour.
Remember, the city of Laodicea prided itself on three things: her wealth, her famous black-wool textile industry, and her popular eye-salve. Likewise, the church of Laodicea prided herself on her spiritual wealth, her cloak of righteous deeds, and her spiritual insight. Yet, it is precisely in those areas that the church is deficient. Jesus says, "you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (vs 17).
So Jesus advises the church to come to Him for those things she, with her self-reliant and self-assured attitude, did not think she needed: (Rev 3:18) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
First, Jesus exhorts the church to secure for itself true riches – riches which we know can never be destroyed by moth and rust or stolen by thieves (cf Mt 6:19ff; Is 55:1; Mt 13:44f); He urges the church to seek the blessings of the kingdom of God, of faith, of salvation. These riches of the kingdom are available only in and through Christ.
Second, Jesus summons the church to cover her nakedness with white garments – garments of purity and righteousness. These garments are obtained only by being washed and cleansed in the blood of the Lamb.
Third, Jesus orders the church to use His eye-salve – His Word and His Spirit – so they can see. The Word and Spirit of Christ are the only cure for spiritual blindness.
Notice, the church has to come to Jesus. She has to stop relying on herself and instead rely on Jesus for spiritual riches, righteousness, and insight. Stop thinking it is up to you. Start thinking of how much you need the Lord and praise Him and thank Him every day for His grace and mercy. That's the cure for being lukewarm.
What is true for Laodicea is true for every church and any believer. It is only by coming to Jesus, by realizing how much you depend and rely upon Him, that any lukewarmness on our part can be overcome.
Holman Hunt picture
Is Christ knocking at your door? He wants you, He wants me, He wants all of us to be absolutely committed to Him. He wants us all to be earnest and zealous in the faith. Is Christ knocking at your door? To regain the blessings you once knew, open the door and let Christ in. Then, and only then, will you find prayer to be meaningful. Then, and only then, will the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith become real to you. Then, and only then, will you glory in God rather than in yourself. Then, and only then will the faith become real to you. Then and only then, as verse 22 tells us, will we secure a place with Jesus on His throne. What a promise and what a reward!
