REVELATION: SEVEN CHURCHES, ONE LORD
Week 8: The Church in Laodicea
Our goals:
1) We want to behold Jesus in His resurrected glory
2) Through beholding Him, we want to learn how we can best reflect His glory corporately as the bride of
Christ to the world where He has placed us for now.
Church
Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamum
Thyatira
Sardis
Philadelphia
Laodicea
Modern Site
Efes/Ephesus – Modern city and ruins of old city
Ismir – 3 rd largest city in Turkey
Bergama – small, overlooked village
Akhisar – ruins are in middle of modern city
Sardis – solely an archaeological site
Alasehir – few ruins; town is active and about half the size of Fayetteville
Laodicea – solely an archaeological site
Reflections from last week?
Brief review:
Christ walks among the churches
These messages are directed to the messenger to each church – pastor or other leader
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The “messengers” are in His right hand
Ephesus: Sound theology, faithful practice – but lacked love
Smyrna: Faithful and true – facing death due to persecution
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Pergamum: “Yet” faithfulness in midst of demonic influences – but seductions to idolatry were creeping in.
Thyatira: Love and service increased – but tolerating immorality.
Sardis – a dying church in a dead city
Philadelphia – a faithful church on a God-given mission
Laodicea – A materialistic, apathetic church

Laodicea was midway between Colosse and Hierapolis (referenced in Col. 4:13 as one of the churches Epaphras is praying for). Laodicea got its water from these cities. In A.D. 26 the city wanted to build a temple to Emperor Tiberius but was denied, because of inadequate resources.
Yet by A.D. 60, after a devastating earthquake, Laodicea was wealthy enough it did not need aid from Emperor Nero. By John’s day, it was the capital of financial wisdom in Asia Minor, a thoroughly prosperous city. Much of its fortune came from an expensive wool produced from sheep raised in the fertile river valley. It also housed a well-known medical center best known for making a salve for eye conditions. We’ll see tonight how God turns each of these aspects of the city around in one of the most convicting lessons of any of the seven churches. While we aspire to be many aspects of some of the other churches, no church has ever been built on the premise of hoping to be another Laodicea!
Revelation 3:14-22 ESV -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. "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 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 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. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 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. 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.'"
Jesus’ self-identification that corresponds to Rev. 1
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The Amen, the faithful and true witness (1:5)
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The Beginning (Alpha – 1:8)
Jesus’ commendation (“I know your”)
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NO positive words about them. Where every one of the other churches had elements that
Jesus could call out and affirm even as He addressed their weaknesses, for Laodicea
Jesus brought nothing but correction.
Jesus’ rebuke
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Apathy : Their deeds are neither hot nor cold o It has been said that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. o They are lukewarm, wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked o Jesus wants them to be hot or cold
 “Hot” and “cold” not used in this day to define believers’ faith – that is a modern definition.
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Not hot or cold spiritually – He doesn’t want any to perish, so does not want us to be cold spiritually.
 He says “I know your deeds” – then talks about hot or cold.
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Laodicea was midway between Colosse and Hierapolis & got water from them

Colosse – known for sparking cold waters.
Hierapolis – famous for therapeutic hot springs.
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Ruins of Laodicea reveal a six-mile-long aqueduct that drew water from these other sources – no independent water supply. 1960s
French archaeologists excavated an ornate water basin with columns and fountains that was likely a centerpiece of Laodicea’s city square. However, by the time the water arrived in Laodicea it was neither hot nor cold – but lukewarm.
 Jesus’ words most likely refer to being of one use or the other.
 Spiritual inactivity/apathy reflects a dead faith. o “I will spit you out of my mouth”
 Beth Moore: “Characteristic of Laodicea, their beauty vastly exceeded their usefulness…Hot water has therapeutic value, and cold water refreshes, but lukewarm?... Yuck!”
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Churches are meant to make a difference in their communities. A useless church is distasteful to Jesus. Beth Moore: “Churches have doors not only for the world to come in but also for the church to go out.”
 Individual believers as well as churches should pursue God’s unique design for their usefulness in the spheres of influence in which He places us – a refreshing cold glass of water to the thirsty or a therapeutic cup of hot tea to the hurting symbolize ways we can be of use to the world in which God has placed us.
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Materialism : They think they are rich and do not realize their poverty o They had lost touch with their own spiritual poverty and the needs around them, with what God wanted them to do with the resources He gave them. o Psalm 62:10 – “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.” We must always be on guard against the love of money, but especially when God moves us from a place of lack to a place of plenty, we must be prepared for inevitable temptations. o Ultimately they were exalting themselves rather than Jesus, simply by not realizing their need.
o The problem was not money – in fact money can be useful in the hands of wise people. Luke 12:48 “To whom much is given, much will be required.” o There is a natural temptation to assume the externals are evidences of the blessing of God. Jesus is reminding them that how we see ourselves or our church is not always accurate. We have to let Scripture show us who we are and not look at external indicators that can be deceptive. o Materialism quickly becomes apathy, as we fail to realize our need. It’s easy to think we did it ourselves and others should too (remember how quickly Laodicea turned around its economy). It’s also easy to think we have to hold on to our money in case of future need. Both tendencies cause us not to see the profound practical and spiritual needs staring us in the face.

Jesus’ exhortation
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Buy from Him gold, refined by fire, so they could become rich. o Gold refers to proven faith that is revealed through trials: 1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV) In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
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Obtain white garments to clothe themselves and not reveal shame of nakedness o White garments in contrast to the black wool the city was known for o White garments in Revelation represent the righteous deeds of the saints.
Revelation 19:8 (NLT) She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.
For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God's holy people.
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Get eye-salve so they can see. o True spiritual vision is more crucial than physical vision o When we get this vision as believers, we will get His eyes for the world around us. When we have His eyes, we will know how He wants us to be useful.
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He rebukes and disciplines those He loves. o While v. 20 is often used as an evangelistic call, in this context Jesus is standing on the outside of the church knocking to be let in. Religion is no substitute for relationship!
Jesus’ encouragement to overcome
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They will sit down with Him on His throne just as He sat down with the Father on His throne.
Their battle
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Apathy (v. 15)
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Materialism (v. 17)
What the Spirit is saying to Laodicea – and to us
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Jesus has a four-part prescription for self-exalting indifference: o Proven Faith o Purity o Spiritual vision o Relationship, not religion
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Seek how He wants us individually and as a church to be useful for His kingdom purposes. The only church that Jesus had nothing positive to say about was the one that was doing nothing for His kingdom.

Reflection Questions for Week 8:
1.
Read Revelation 3:14-22. Focus on verse 15-16 and review our notes on these verses.
Think about the gifts, talents, and abilities God has given you which can be useful to the world in which he’s placed you. Record below the spheres of influence in which
God has placed you, and ways He shows you that you can be useful for His glory in ways that are refreshing (cold) or therapeutic (hot).
Sphere of Influence My Kingdom Usefulness
2.
What is God saying to you personally through the church in Laodicea? Note any committed response He leads you to make.
3.
What do you sense God saying to our church through His words to Laodicea?
4.
We’ve covered a lot of ground over the past few weeks. Next week we will have a wrap-up session tying all this material together. Reflect on a couple of questions to help you prepare for next week’s discussion: a.
Review Revelation 1-3. Record three “take-away lessons”.
1.
2.
3.
b.
Let’s revisit the question we raised in Week 1 and answer it this time:
One of the things you will notice as we go through this study is that Jesus pays great attention to those who gather in his name. We reflect who He is to our city and indeed to our world. We will see that His focus is to build churches that glorify God and exalt the name of Jesus.
If our church carried a banner depicting how we represent Jesus to our community and our world, what positive message would it bear?