Saturday, April 30, 2022

Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church, Revelation 3:14-22

  

Λαοδικεία, ας, ἡ

The Letter to Laodicea

The Lukewarm Church

Revelation 3:14-22

 

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things say the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, 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 dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame 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.’ ”

 

Laodicea was about forty miles southeast of Philadelphia and a hundred miles east of Ephesus.

The city was founded by king Antiochus II, and named after his first wife Laodice. They got divorced, he remarried. Hell, hath no fury like a woman scorned. She poisoned him and Bernice, his new wife; and put her son on the throne.

The Laodiceans grew to be known for their wealth, wool, wash (eye)…and water.

Located strategically between major cities, they became a central banking center. Laodicea was a place where folks from Beverly Hills would love to shop. They had world famous designer wool garments made from their very own breed of unique, sleek, black sheep. To add to the affluence, they invented an eye salve, that pretty much cornered the market for use on eye problems.

The one thing they didn’t have, was one thing many take for granted…water.

But no worries, they just did what rich folk do. Have it brought in. Spare no expense, darling. 

Their travel brochures could boast. “Through our state of the art, elaborate aqueduct system, we have brought in the best of both worlds. The healing hot springs of Hierapolis and the refreshing, cold mountain spring water of Colossae.”

Wonder if they had a ceremony to celebrate the day of the water’s arrival? Maybe the mayor stood at the edge of the aqueduct, all decked out in his custom fit, ultra-sleek, unique, black sheep, tuxedo.

He dips an engraved golden cup, in the freshly arrived, cold, Colossae spring water. He stops, smiles, cameras flash. The elite invitees politely clap—their own, golden cups, dangle from their pinky.

Then all goes silent. No one breaths. The mayor lifts the cup. In a grand gesture he gulps the refreshing H2O…only to spit, puke and choke, all over his shiny new shoes and beautiful red carpet.   

It was a great idea, on paper. Only trouble was, it didn’t work. The hot water got colder and the cold water got hotter, and it was all lukewarm and stinky by the time it reached Laodicea.

To this Church, in this wealthy community, to those who thought that had it all together, Jesus addresses His final letter.

 

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

These things say the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, Revelation 3:15.

In this final letter, Jesus introduces Himself as The Final Word. The Amen.

He sees the end, (the Amen) from the Beginning of the creation of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3.

Jesus is not only, The Beginning and The End, The First and The Last, the Alpha and Omega, The Amen, He is also the I AM, here and now. Like it or not, He knows us better than anyone. He understands exactly how we feel because He became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14. Furthermore, He was tempted in the same ways we are.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15.

Therefore, He has earned the right to also be called, the Faithful and True Witness.

From the Beginning of creation to the final Amen, Jesus is the Faithful and True Witnesses. With every letter He knows exactly who they are, where they’re at, and what they need. The ever Faithful and True, Eye Witness is He.

Over and over, with every letter, (not just the seven letters, but every jot and tittle) to all the Churches, and to you, and to me, He says, I know you.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. Revelation 3:15.

Jesus wants us hot or cold, not lukewarm. Period.

Like the hot springs of Hierapolis, healing, soothing, comforting. Passionate, like the fire He ignited in the hearts of the men on the road to Emmaus. Jesus appeared to them, walked with them, talked with them, broke bread with them. They said about Him, did not our hearts burn within us, as He spoke. Luke 24:32.

Or, cold.  As in the clean, pure, cool, refreshing, life giving, springs of Colossae. A breath of fresh air, to a stale and stuffy world.  

Some teach that cold means the opposite of hot. That Jesus would rather you be on fire and passionate about Him, or be cold hearted, openly sinning, but just don’t sit on the fence, with the hypocrites. It’s understandable. After all, Jesus said, in Matthew 24:12, in the end, iniquity will abound and hearts will wax cold.

However, that school of thought, goes against the character of God, and the pattern of the letters. God hates evil, cannot tempt anyone with it, and wishes for all to be saved. Proverbs 8:13, James 1:13, 1 Timothy 2:4.

Additionally, the pattern Jesus uses in each letter is to show how intimately He knows them, by sharing information relevant to them. They understand how comforting it would be to have hot water, or how refreshing it would be to have, cold. They also know, all too well, how disgusting it is, to only have, puke-warm.

They wouldn’t even think to relate, cold, to sin.

So, the analogy of cold being a picture of a sinful lifestyle—doesn’t hold water. It evaporates. It’s a dry well. There’s a hole in that bucket, dear Liza. A hole. 

 

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:16.

Vomit? Whoa. That’s a vivid picture. A strong reaction.

Have you ever heard someone say, “You make me wanna puke”? Next time you hear someone say that, tell them, “Hey, you just quoted Jesus.”

That’ll open a door—while they stare at you, with deer in the headlights look, and mouth hanging open.

But why’d Jesus have such a strong reaction? What’s so bad about, lukewarm?

Lukewarm is cruel.

Yesterday, I received a phone call.

“Hi Doug, I want to tell you three stories.”

“Okay.” She preceded to tell me three stories. All similar. They’re stories, her daughter has told, over and over, for years. The last story, was her daughter’s favorite. It went something like this.

“It was a long time ago. You were at our house. Katie was waiting for her dad. She was excited, because when dad got done with work and chores, they were going for a walk. Just he and her. For no reason, just to walk and talk. She could hardly wait.”

The phone went silent for a moment. I could picture young Katie’s permanent smile, giddy laugh, “Me and dad are going for a walk. Just me and him.”   

“Well, I don’t know, for whatever reason, but there’s work, always work…and Katie, well Katie she was left standing.”

The phone went quiet again. I could see Katie. The smile was still there, always and forever the positive one. But she couldn’t hide that look; the one that said, it’s happening again.  

I took the time to wipe my eyes.

“But then, but then, you spoke up. ‘Hey Katie, how about you and I go for a walk?’”

Little pause. Small laugh. “And you did. You walked with her, and you talked, with her. It made her day.”

Long pause. “It’s Katie’s favorite story.”

I wiped my eyes, again. Shook my head. Wondered, but that was such a little thing.

“She said, ‘Mom, someday, when I walk down the aisle, if things don’t work, you know, if my first choice doesn’t show, do you think, maybe, Uncle Doug, will walk with me?’”

I was a wreck. Told her I’d be honored. Prayed I wouldn’t have to. That her first choice would show, and walk, with her, and talk with her…and make her day.

One of the cruelest attitudes of a parent to a child, is lukewarmness. You may say, “I’d love to…but work.” What the child hears is, “I don’t care. Do whatever you want, just leave me alone, don’t bother me, you’re not important, I love work more than you.”

Lukewarm is pathetic

One of the hardest things to work with, is apathy.

I’ve had folks on my team who are hot, passionate, over the top, even over-zealous, ready, shoot, aim; that’s their motto. I can work with them.  

I’ve had others who are laid back, calm, cool as a cucumber, take your time, you’ll get there faster; that’s their motto. I can work with them, too.

But then, there’s those, who are neither hot nor cold. They aren’t passionate, or refreshing. They offer no energetic answer, nor a calming presence. If asked to define apathy, (after being prodded, three or four times, just to get an answer), they’d say, “I don’t know, and I don’t care.”

The worst part is, they do know. They know what they ought to do, but won’t step out of their own cozy, comfort zone, to do it.

They’re lukewarm. And to that, Jesus says, “you make Me want to puke.”   

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17.

 

 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— Revelation 3:17.

Don’t you love how Jesus uses their current circumstance, to drive home His Eternal Message?

They had so much money, they were the banker’s banker. Jesus calls them poor.

They created the world-renowned eye salve. Jesus says they’re blind.

They made garments for kings and queens and all the elite. Jesus tells them, they’re naked.

Just to be clear, they weren’t lukewarm, or nauseating to Jesus, because they were wealthy or world renowned. Although difficult, wealthy celebrities, can be, wonderful Christians.  

He tells them, and us, the problem is because they say, I AM…in need of nothing. I AM all sufficient. This is the same demonic deception birthed in the heart of lucifer, when he uttered those fateful words:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, i will ascend into heaven, i will exalt my throne above the stars of God: i will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: i will ascend above the heights of the clouds; i will be like the Most High. Isaiah 14:12-14.

(NOTE: Small i used above is on purpose; lucifer, is unworthy of any capital; except, his forthcoming, Capital Punishment). 

The Church in Laodicea, and US, doesn’t have an eye problem, they have an, i problem.

 

 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Revelation 3:18.

Notice how Jesus never dumps the problem, without providing, The Answer.

Again, he sticks to the pattern, and speaks their language.

One thing wealthy folks know how to do, is buy stuff. So, Jesus tells them, the cure for your, wretched, miserable, poor, naked, blind, selves, is to go on a shopping spree.

The problem wasn’t that their bank accounts were full, it was that their hearts were empty. Jesus put it like this, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21.

It was 2009. It was slow. No storms. No work for a storm chasing field adjuster. So, I did what Peter did. Went fishing. I was casting a line on the end of a dock.

My dad stood beside me. “Aren’t you worried?”

What he meant was; why are you fishing? Why aren’t you out pounding the pavement, putting in applications, looking for work.

That was dad. Always working. Even when he retired. The only time he wasn’t working was when he was fishing. But even then, he went about it like work. He gauged the wind direction, water temperature, barometric pressure…he worked at catching fish. I just fished. For fun. If I caught something, great. If not, just as good—didn’t have to clean the stinkin’ things.

I finished reeling in the lure, and cast it out again. Paused a moment to let it settle, and said, “Well, if storms and insurance claims were my Provider, yeah, I’d be pretty worried.” 

I started reeling again, real slow.

Dad shuffled his feet, stuffed his hands in his pockets.

I smiled. “But claims are not my Provider. God is.”

He kept his eyes on the water and nodded, real slow.

I knew the words were right. You know, something a Christian should say. But what surprised me a bit, was that I actually believed them. Once they fell out of my mouth, from my heart, not my head, I was wrapped in a perfect peace that passes understanding.

Dad must’ve felt it too, because I don’t remember him saying, “You know son, the Good Book says, God helps those who help themselves.” That might’ve been, my dad and the Laodicean’s, favorite verse. Only problem is, it ain’t a verse. At least not in the Bible. Perhaps it’s something Ben Franklin, or someone like that, said. But not Jesus, not His Good Book.

As it turned out, Jesus heard that conversation. And you’re reading this, because of that. He provided something more precious than gold, that long, slow, summer. During that down time, He reignited a passion, a fire, I’d lost as a child.

I watched an eagle glide, and dive, time and again, he tried, like me. As far as I could see, he never caught a thing, but he never gave up. He sure could fly. I picked up a pen and wrote about that bird.

From that day to this, I haven’t put down the pen. For, it’s then I feel His presence most, His heart flowing through me to the page. In that place, time disappears. That was the birth of the, Spurling Silver blog, and a handful of books. One of which, Adjuster’s Life, hit the best seller list in insurance categories. (Which isn’t a big deal, because not many folks buy insurance books).

 It took fifty years and a slow summer to finally figure out my purpose. But it shouldn’t have. I wasted too much time, like the Laodiceans, chasing, gold, black sheep and eye candy.

Jesus sums it up in a sentence: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33.

 

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent.  Revelation 3:19.

He will not do to them, what they did to Him; be apathetic; indifferent, lukewarm. He does the opposite; zealously chasing, lovingly chastening.

Despise not, the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12.

 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20.

This closed door in Laodicea is sandwiched between two open doors. The open door of Philadelphia, and the open door in heaven, (Revelation 4:1).

This is the second piece of a three-piece, masterpiece, puzzle.

We got a sneak-peak of the first piece, last week, in Philadelphia:

He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door (Revelation 3:7-8)

First: Jesus places an open before Philadelphia, and says I will deliver you from the hour of trial which will come upon the whole world.

Second: To Laodicea, He says, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, and He stands at their closed door and knocks.

Third: We see an open door in heaven and hear a voice like a trumpet saying “Come…” Immediately, we are in the throne room of heaven, in HIS presence, forever. Revelation 4:1.   

Let’s spell it out perfectly clear.

Philadelphia is the Church, following the Way the Truth and the Life. The True Body of Christ. They have an open door, with an open invitation for whosoever will, Come, meet Jesus, be part of the Family of God. No one, or nothing, can close that door, but God. Many have tried; persecution, communism, socialism, liberalism, all have failed.

Laodicea is the apostate church. They built a door where there wasn’t supposed to be one. If Jesus put it there, He wouldn’t be knocking, because He is the One, who opens and shuts. Revelation 3:7.

They built the door, to shut God out. To slam in His face.

We’ve done the same. Separation of Church and State. SLAM! Bible reading and prayer, in school, unconstitutional. SLAM!! Crosses removed from VA chapels. SLAM!!! Churches are nonessential. SLAM!!!! Chaplains, banned from saying, Jesus SLAM! SLAM! God goofed up and made Suzie look like Johnny, SLAM! SLAM!! Babies don’t matter SLAM! SLAM!! SLAM!!!

Jesus stands, waits, knocks, “Come, open, please open, let Me in; we’ll knock down this door, together.”

The third door, is the open Door, through which His Church, will be caught up, raptured, in the twinkling of an eye, when He calls “Come” and immediately we shall be in the Throne Room of Heaven, and forever be, with the Lord. Hallelujah. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Revelation 4:1.

Side Note: For those who mockingly say, “The word rapture isn’t even in the Bible.” Yeah, well, duh, no kidding, neither is any other English word. But, caught up, as in, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, in Greek translates, harpazo, in Latin, rapturo; where we get, rapture.

To sum it all up: Philadelphia and Laodicea represent the two Churches of today. One will be taken, the other left. 

Jesus is knocking. 

Are you open?  

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Revelation 3:21

Quite a promise for those who have shut Him out, who are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked. But such is His love; so great that even on the night in which He was betrayed, He knelt before them, like a slave, and washed their dirty, stinking, feet…even the feet of the one who would betray Him. John 13:1-5.

He loves us, oh how He loves us, even to the very end. Amen.

 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 3:22.

 

 

 

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