Revelation 3:14-22

Good morning, Saylorville! It’s great to have you here this morning! I’m excited to be able to continue in this series in Revelation, chapter 3, so if you have a bible or your phone, you can turn to Revelation chapter 3. We’re continuing in the seven churches, and I get to share with you the church of Laodicea.

Got a question for you. When was the last time you got a hard word from somebody? When’s the last time you got a hard word from somebody? What was your response? This passage in Revelation 3 to Laodicea is a hard word. There is much discussion about this passage. Some of you are very familiar with it. We have used the term “lukewarm” and “be hot” and “be cold,” and we have talked about “the door” and “Jesus knocking at the door.” But I have prayed and studied and I really feel that God has laid a specific message for us, for you, for me to Saylorville in regards to this passage. And really there’s three things where we’re going. First of all, Jesus gives us a hard word. He gives us counsel and He gives us hope. So I want to pray before we read this, and really your hearts to be soft and moldable, and willing to ask yourself some hard questions, because this is a hard word.

Father God, we need humility. We need to soften our hearts as we read this passage. And Lord, we know that it’s Your word that changes hearts. It’s Your word that is sharp and penetrating and gets into our… the crevices of our hearts, in those secret places, and the places that we don’t want anyone to go. Your word sees it and knows it, and may we be willing to repent and to confess sin that you show us today. And we pray these things in Christ’s name. Amen.

So we’re looking at the seventh church, the church of Laodicea, and it’s important to understand the geography and the history of this town, because as you understand the geography and the history, you understand what Jesus is actually trying to write to them.

Laodicea was on a major trade route. You had lots of people coming through there, and they were a wealthy city. They had money galore. They had bankers, they had successful businesses, they had millionaires, all living in Laodicea, and they really had three things, and it’s important for you to understand, they really had three things that they were about and in the city. They had gold or banking, they had money. And they had this very special black wool that was coming from the sheep right there in Laodicea that they would sell. And they also had a medical school where they had specifically had eye salve that was stuff that you would put on your eyes. So they had all of these things going for them. If you look in Colossians 4, you see Paul talking about the Church of Laodicea. In Colossae, he says to share this letter of Colossians with the Laodiceans,

[Colossians 4:16, “And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.“]

…and they were pretty close to each other on the map. They weren’t that far away from it. So if this church starts and Paul’s talking about Laodicea and the church starts, and things seem to be going well. I think of our church plants. They seemed to be going well. They were praying for God to do something great to change lives. People were getting saved, I’m assuming. People were living in community. They were praying together. They seemed to be doing well, but over time something happened. They started to get comfortable. They started to think like the world. They started getting too busy. They started loving their money more than Jesus. They started hoarding their wealth instead of giving it away. They started loving success and comfort. They started relying on their personalities. They stopped praying. They stopped having an impact on their city. They were looking a lot like the world around them. What happened? They became lukewarm, dull, complacent, self-deceived and self-sufficient. So Jesus gives us a hard word. Look at verse 14. We see right away that…

Revelation 3:14-17

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 (Jesus himself says) “I know your works:” (That’s a strong word, “I know your works.” He knew what was happening in Laodicea. He knew what the thinking was. He knew what the motivation was. He knew what their passions were, the apathy and the pride, and he was not excited about what He was seeing. He says,) “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 (or vomit) you out of my mouth.”

This is why it’s important to understand the culture and the geography of Laodicea. Laodicea had all the businesses, they had the money, they had the riches, but they lacked water. They didn’t have… they didn’t have a great water source in Laodicea. So many ideas and thoughts of the water and how the water got there and what that looked like. But many scholars believed that there was in Hieropolis, there were the medicinal hot springs, and over in Colossae, you had cold fresh water, and those were piped through aqueducts or piping over to Laodicea. And there are several bible scholars that believe as the water was running through those aqueducts, it was picking up minerals, especially in Hieropolis. And as the water would get to, to Laodicea it would become lukewarm. Even there was this mineral in it that if you drank it some say, it would actually cause you to vomit. Nobody likes lukewarm water. It’s gross, it’s disgusting, useless. We either want it hot or you want it cold, especially when it comes to coffee, right? Amen. You want hot coffee or you want cold coffee. This is what Jesus is referring to. He’s using this as an illustration to this church. Be one or the other. Hot water is useful for medicinal purposes. Cold water is useful for drinking. But lukewarm is not good. This is not the way it was intended to be, and Jesus is saying to them, ‘the fact that you are spiritually apathetic and worldly and self-sufficient is disgusting to Me. I will not let this happen. This is not the way you are to be living. You say you are My followers, but by your works you show something completely different.’ You look very close to what the world looks like. What happened? These Christ followers had lost their zeal and their passion for the things of the Lord and turned their passion to the things of the world: Money, business and health. They had become apathetic and complacent in the things of the Lord.

Many scholars would say that the church of Laodicea and the American church are very similar today. Maybe some of you are living that way right now. You’re battling between Jesus and the pleasures of this world. And Jesus says, “I know your works.”

So here’s my question for you, first question. Are you in love with Jesus or has your love for Jesus become lukewarm? What was causing this lukewarmness? Look at verse 17.

Revelation 3:17, “For you say, ‘I am rich. I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked.”

I was just struck by the fact of, look at what that says. “I am rich. I have prospered. I need nothing!” Wow! What an arrogant, proud thing to say. They were rich, successful and reliant. They didn’t think they needed Jesus. They were doing fine without Him. But Jesus tells them, ‘You are self deceived. You think you’re good, but you’re actually wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked. The way you are living is like the world. It’s empty and fading and blinding and sinful. Stop living this way!’ Some of you might be living this way right now, going through the motions, claiming to love Jesus, you would never say it out loud, but by your actions you are telling Jesus, ‘I got this.’ You are self-deceived. You have essentially, like the church of Laodicea, pushed Jesus to the sidelines.

If we’re honest, I think we’re all prone to trusting in our riches and our self-sufficiency. We get too comfortable, and instead of trusting in Jesus, we trust in our money and our successes. It’s easy to point at other churches and say, ‘Yeah, they‘re lukewarm.’ Or, ‘That person’s lukewarm.’ But I would caution us to look at our own hearts and our own lives, and even to look at Saylorville Church.

I was talking to our staff about a month ago and elders, all the elders kind of went around and we kind of shared what God was working on our hearts and what we were passionate about and what we were thinking about. And I said, the thing that scares me about Saylorville Church is that we’ve got 1,400, 1,500 people coming, we’ve got money coming in, we’ve got programs happening, we’ve got people showing up, people coming, checking it out, and we start to get complacent and comfortable, and we start to depend on our own efforts and energies. That scared me! If we think that money and cool buildings and cool programs and great personalities are going to continue to move the Gospel through our communities and through our people and through the people that we interact with, we’re kidding ourselves. If God doesn’t show up, we’re in big trouble! This verse is familiar to a lot of you,

John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides (or remains) in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.“

That might be familiar, but I really want us to look at it again. “For apart from Me, you can do nothing.“ Do you believe that? Do you live that way? Here’s my question to you. How are you currently trusting in your riches and successes over trusting in Jesus? How are you currently trusting in your riches and successes over trusting in Jesus?

So Jesus gives a hard word and now Jesus gives counsel. Right now you say, ‘Boy, this does not sound like a great letter, Abe. This is not very encouraging.’ And Jesus is showing us the problem and He’s also showing us the solution. Here is the loving counsel from the Truth teller Himself. Jesus counsels Laodicea. It’s the only church that Jesus uses the phrase, “I counsel you.” And what does He say? He says,

Revelation 3:18-19

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.”

Jesus is referencing… (I think this is amazing!) Jesus is referencing the culture that Laodicea was in. They had money, they had clothing, they had the eye salve, and Jesus uses the same images to say, ‘Yeah, but you’re focused on the wrong thing! You’re focused on the things that don’t really matter. The riches are gone. The businesses and successes, they’re gonna be gone! The medicinal schools and the eye salves, the medicine, it’s gonna be gone. But what’s gonna last? — The godly riches, the righteous clothing in Christ and the spiritual vision that we get from Jesus Christ.’ He said, ‘Don’t forget these things.’ Jesus says ‘these things that you are chasing are not going to satisfy. The only one that satisfies is You. You get your spiritual riches, and power and spiritual vision from Me. I love this passage in

2 Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich.”

Jesus makes us rich, not the world. And then you see in verse 19, He says,

Revelation 3:19, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”

My wife and I, Jesse, we have five children. And we have done a lot of disciplining over the years. There have been lots of conversations, lots of love, lots of crying, lots of challenges. But when I discipline my children, it’s because I love them, and because I love them I want to discipline them and I want to teach them. And some of those times of discipline were some of the most special times with my kids. They hated it… said, “Dad, you don’t really love me. If you loved me, you wouldn’t do this to me!” I said, “No, that’s just the opposite! I do love you! That’s why I discipline you!” Jesus disciplines those He loves. Proverbs 3, 11 through 12 says,

Proverbs 3:11-12

11 “My son, do not despise the LORD’S discipline

or be weary of His reproof,

12 for the LORD reproves him whom He loves,

as a father the son in whom He delights.”

Jesus is saying to Laodicea, ‘I love you, and because I love you I will discipline you. But I can’t let you continue to live this way.’ He’s saying the same thing to you and me today. Get this. Jesus’ purpose in discipline is not to punish, but to bring people back to Him. Because He loves us, He’s counseling us to be zealous and repent or change your mind. We just heard about this last week. Change your mind. Romans 12, 1 through 2. Listen to this.

Romans 12:1-2

1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Satan does not want you to confess sin. He would love it if you would stay lukewarm, going through the motions, saying the right things with absolutely no impact, no change, being dull, self-reliance. He wants to devour us, like first Peter 5:8 says.

[1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.“]

So what is he saying to repent of? Repent of what? — our lukewarmness, our comfort, our apathy, our self-sufficiency. It’s easy to look at your life and justify your actions. ‘It’s not really that bad, is it, Lord? I’m not as bad as that guy. I’m not as bad as that girl. Our church is better than that church.’ I encourage you to search your heart this morning. Listen, repentance is not a sign of weakness, but of Godliness.

I think I’ve shared this passage of scripture every time I’ve preached in the last two years. Proverbs 28:13. I can’t get it out of my mind. I use it all the time, and it’s such a great reminder to me.

Proverbs 28:13, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”

I think a lot of times we have gotten the part of like confessing with my mouth, I’m confessing it, but the forsaking, the leaving, the departing is the part that we struggle with, because that means I actually have to do something! I can’t just verbally say it. I have to actually do something about it. What worldly thinking… Here’s my question. What worldly thinking do you need to repent of today? What worldly thinking do you need to repent of today? And some might think this is a really big thing. ‘I’m not like Laodicea. I’m not there!‘

A year ago today, maybe a day off, literally a year ago, God was working on my heart, and I was listening to a message from somebody, and I was reading a book on prayer, and the message that I was listening to was also on prayer. And it was like, and God in that moment so convicted me about my self-sufficiency, because… here’s the deal. I work at a church that’s successful! Things are happening! People are being saved! — But when problems were coming, when the issues were coming up, when things were happening in my heart, my first response was, “Let’s have a meeting. Let’s get some strategy. Let’s go talk to somebody. We’ll have another meeting. Oh yeah… and then, Lord, if You would do something, that would be great too!” Now, I know you’re thinking, ‘Man, Abe, aren’t you like a pastor and…?’ — I am, but God convicted me in that moment to say, your first response needs to be to Me. And since that day, I have had so much joy and fun and excitement to be able to just walk, and pray, and cry out to the Lord before the meetings. Now I’m not perfect in this, but it has been so, so like life giving to me, to say, “Abe, take your dependence off of yourself and put it on Me. Put it on… Me.”

So what worldly thinking do you need to repent of today? This has been my prayer for you, Saylorville Church, that you would confess and repent of your lukewarmness, your apathy, or your self-sufficiency, and turn back to Godly, spirit-filled living, that you would love this church, the people in this church, that you would love His word, that you would love to spend time in prayer and fasting, that God would use you to have an unbelievable impact on those around you, and on your family, and on your friends, and on your coworkers, and to continue to have fellowship with Him again. I believe God is doing amazing things at this church and in the Engage Network! I’m blown away of what God’s doing! Imagine what that could look like with people on fire for Jesus depending on Him. And my prayer is that God would protect this church from lukewarmness that we would not get too comfortable, that we would not get too apathetic and self-reliant.

And lastly, Jesus gives us hope.

Revelation 3:20-22

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.’”

When someone knocks on your door, what’s your response? I have several responses like you do. Who is it, and what do they want? Most of the time I don’t answer the door. I just don’t answer it, especially these last several months. (audience laughing)  I was working in the yard just two weeks ago, and I saw a car come around the corner and kind of pull up in front of our yard. And I could see it had a politician sticker on it. And I thought, “Oh, no!” And I literally walked around to the backyard. I said, “Jesse can deal with him.” (audience laughing)

This passage at the end here is one of fellowship and closeness and intimacy. Laodicea had pushed Jesus right out of the church, and He was wanting back in just like some of you have done. And I don’t know what you’re struggling with. I don’t know what’s going on in your heart. I don’t know what pride is there, or pain, or hurt, or self-reliance that’s going on. But He is knocking on your heart’s door, and wanting to renew that fellowship, and closeness, and intimacy, and that reliance on Him, and to sit down and have a meal with you, and to dine with you. In Bible days, the evening meal was a very special and intimate meal together.

As I was preparing for this message, I was looking at my table in my kitchen. And I was picturing all of my kids and all the people that we’ve had there. Thinking of all the laughter and the crying, the hard words, the hard conversations, the special celebrations, and there was great joy there! And I thought about this passage and thought, “That’s what Jesus wants with me. That’s what Jesus wants with me! He wants to dine with me, and be close, and to be intimate, to let Him into my heart, in to my life, to be able to spend time with Him in His Word, and through prayer and through fasting to say, “Oh, it’s so sweet! It’s so sweet to be with You, Jesus!””

Jesus wants to be with you, close and intimate. The question is, will you let Him in? Will you let Him come and dine with you and know Him, and you know Him, or will you ignore the knocking? Will you ignore messages like today, or people that God has placed in your life that love you and have challenged you? I think some of you have spiritually ignored the knocking on your heart. You’ve actually shut the curtains, gone to the backyard, turned up the worldly music so you don’t have to hear Jesus knocking at your heart’s door. You don’t want to let Jesus in because you’re too comfortable and you like your lukewarm lifestyle. Don’t believe the lie! Jesus is the only one who satisfies. He wants to dine with you, and have sweet fellowship with you. And look how He ends it at the very end here.

Revelation 3:21, “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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Some of you might be here this morning and hear us talking about this Jesus, and this relationship, and fellowship, and closeness and intimacy. And You might think, ‘I don’t know this Jesus. I don’t know who this Jesus is.’ The whole story of the Gospel of the Good News is that God, the Father, sent His Son Jesus to this earth to live a perfect life. And He came here to do one thing. That was to die for you, to die for your sins, for your sins that you have committed. And He loved you so much that instead of you paying that penalty, He took the penalty for you. And He took the wrath of His Father upon Himself, and you don’t have to take it. And if you would trust in Jesus today, you will have sweet fellowship with Him. If you confess your sins and believe that Jesus is the only way, He is the door. He is the only way to have salvation! Why don’t you do that today? Why don’t you do that today?

Let’s pray.

Lord, we’re so humbled by this passage. I’m humbled by the fact that You love us, even when we put our hope in other crazy worldly things. So thankful for Your patience with us, for Your love, for Your discipline. And Lord, may we be a people that confess sin, confess our apathy and our comfort. God, we don’t want to be that people. This church does not want to be that church. So we’re begging you, God, to do great things in our hearts and in my heart. And Lord, if there’s someone here today that does not know Jesus, that today would be the day that they would trust… trust Christ for salvation. We love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen. [Music]