Revelation 3 vs 14-22

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 14

 Six miles south of Philadelphia and not far from Colossae, was the

affluent, financial center of the region, Laodicea. This city seemingly had

it all from a thirty thousand seat amphitheatre whose ruins still stand today

(picture 1) to being world renowned for its niche products like shiny black

wool and eye salve.

 They were the do-it-yourselfers…the I-don’t-need thinkers…the I’m just

fine folks…the ones who relied upon themselves and their wealth. So

much so that around 60 AD the entire city was nearly destroyed by a

massive earthquake. Buildings demolished; homes plundered by the

disaster. Rome sent resources and a pledge to help them rebuild. They

refused. They responded, we need no help, we will rebuild ourselves.

And with their great personal wealth, they did. Pride is so stupid! I mean,

why not let Rome foot the bill?

 What’s interesting is that today the site of Laodicea is a deserted heap of

ruins that the Turks call Eski Hisar or “Old Castle.” And that is what

always will be the end of pride…a deserted, lonely, hollow heap of

ruins…

 Jesus said in John 12:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of

wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it

produces much grain…” There’s a certain joy; a type of completion

designed into life that is only accessible through humility. Might I also

add, a certain wisdom… Let Rome pay, HA! Pride, and “I don’t need

anyone or anything,” all of that stays here… All of that is worldly and

carnal…

 Let me tell you, there are no prideful, unaffectionate, unloving, unserving,

unpleasant, unkind, unhospitable people in heaven. What a tragedy for

one to live their life claiming to serve Jesus only to arrive in heaven and

realize all was loss and an entire life was wasted!

 Back to the text, interestingly and relevant, Laodicea was known

throughout history as being very tricky politically because the city was

built in a way that it could not defend itself militarily, a very unusual trait

for an ancient city. The only way Laodicea could survive and flourish was

by making deals…compromises with her enemies.

 Notice…Jesus does not address His letter to the church at Laodicea, but to

the church of the Laodiceans. Not even to the church of Laodicea…but

rather the church of the Laodiceans! Why? Well, break down the word.

The Greek word laos, from which we get our word “laity,” means

“people.” Diece means “decision” or “rule.” So, it wasn’t the church of

Jesus in Laodicea, it was the church OF THE people, the people ruled it…,

the church was directed by the people rather than guided by the Lord.

 The Laodicean mentality is alive, well and on the scene today! From the

megachurch to the corner chapel whose services regularly include political

interviews or celebrity spotlights as their focus…people serving as they

please and leading as they please without any Godly accountability in their

lives. Churches that have not taken a stand against the decay and death

associated with sin…positive story lines instead of biblical truth in their

teachings and where “feel good today” has replaced a call to repentance.

 This church represents the final church age. The church age that will be

(is) prominent and popular right before the Lord calls His church unto

Himself. This church age dates from about the mid 1900s until today. The

church that will not only compromise with the world but rather will simply

be the world…, proud and loud, self-sufficient, unbroken over personal

sin, fully infiltrated and utterly pathetic.

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 14b - These things says the Amen

 These things says the “Amen” which means “so be it.” The final Word.

The Lord identifies Himself to this group so prone to compromise, self-

sufficiency and indefinite doctrine…saying, “There IS certainty. There IS

absolute. It is Me.”

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 14c

 These things says The faithful and true witness, the beginning of the

creation of God. Don’t get this twisted like the cults do… this isn’t the

beginning at creation, this is the Greek word “arche” which means He is

the origin, the source of the creation. Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him

all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible

and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.

All things were created through Him and for Him!” God the Father

created all things through the Son… Jesus is the Agent of creation. And

what this hints at is that in the last days, the question will be and even is

now, “Who is the Creator, even if there is one?”

 Jesus was clear so many times about exactly, precisely who He is! He said

to the Pharisees, in John 8:58, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before

Abraham was, I AM!” Harkening all the way back to their father Moses

who asked God who He was and God’s response to Moses in Genesis

3:14, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to

you.’” Jesus said in John 10:30, “I and My Father are One.” Jesus said in

Revelation 21:6, “I am the Alpha and the Omega…” Jesus identifies

Himself as the All Mighty and here is where all cults get it wrong…

 They may have a ton of things right but who is God? Who is the

Creator? Who is Jesus? This they airball!! And the Bible says in 1 John

2:23, “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either!”

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 15 – 16

 The church in Laodicea would understand lukewarm. In Laodicea’s sister

city of Hierapolis (6 miles to the north) there were hot springs…, they’re

still there today. To take advantage of this, an aqueduct was constructed

that carried hot water from Hierapolis to Laodicea. Similarly, there were

cold springs in Colossae about 6 miles away so they did the same.

(pictures 2 and 3) The thought was to have running hot water and running

cold water! Awesome idea! But by the time the water reached Laodicea it

was lukewarm, wherever it came from…, it was lukewarm!!!!

 Hot water is useful because it can be used for bathing and cleaning. Even

cold water is refreshing (both given in a good light according to Jesus).

Lukewarm water is really good for nothing. It’s gross to drink and useless

in cleaning because as it sat it would be a breeding ground for bacteria.

The aqueduct was a waste!

 Here’s the connection. Laodicea had no source itself. It had to get its hot,

useful water from outside and it had to get its cold refreshing water from

outside. And it’s the same with us! If you don’t have your own primary

source with Jesus, your own personal connection, you can get something

from others…, from church, from books, from the Chosen, whatever…,

but you will without a doubt be a lukewarm Christian. You need your own

source!!

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 17

 The key phrase here is, “Do not know.” That’s somewhat of a terrifying

phrase. This is a call for this church to wake up to things that they either

have missed or things that they have willingly denied…they are a certain

way and yet they say/think they are opposite. What would God say of

you…what would others say of you…what would you spouse say of

you…would it be the same that you say about yourself? Who is right? Do

you want to know? This is difficult territory…

 The fact is we are not who we think we are… Who we tell ourselves that

we are… That’s not who we really are… We, each one of us, believer and

unbeliever alike, because this is exactly how it’s going to play out when

all is revealed, you are who God says you are…, because He is the Amen,

the Faithful and True Witness… Check this out.., Jesus says “You say,” as

He mentions the three things that they use to identify their own affluence,

their own identity… God disagrees with them on all fronts…

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 18

 This is major. Jesus says, “Come and buy.” To buy something implies that

you have money. And money comes from what? Trees? No, communist,

HA! Money comes from putting in work. You have GOT to put some

work in in order to KNOW what’s really up!

 Learning and internalizing and submitting to the Word of God has

completely changed my life. Intimacy with Jesus has completely changed

my life. (I didn’t say perfection in my walk! I said a willful intentional

closeness with Jesus – RELATIONSHIP) All for the entire BETTER.

And both of those things have taken an immense amount of work…, but

the results? Pure and eternal wealth…, “Gold refined in the fire.” Purity

of vision, understanding and character…, “Rich, white garments and eyes

anointed with eye salve.” So many wonderfully missed opportunities for

pain, disaster, cruelty and torture of self…as I actively identify

wastefulness, degradation and the nonsense of the flesh…, “Nakedness

may not be revealed.”

 And who is the Merchant of all of these things? The Lord Himself. It is

from Him and only Him that you can get these things… Grace is free,

salvation is free…but these things…wisdom, truth, vision, understanding,

reality, character and strength…they must be bought…you have got to

put in work.

 Practical example. You’ve been married for quite some time. Things are

not going well. You sit and discuss with your spouse. She tells you that

she doesn’t feel loved. You assure her that you do love her…but she says

even hearing it from you, she doesn’t feel loved. You walk away, because

you don’t know what to do. Its just not your nature to do anything else.

You go about your life. And your marriage struggles continue. OR…you

go to work.

 You put your phone down, turn off the TV, take a few hours off from

work, cancel your golf game…you make some time…you sit, with a

notebook and you think about new ways you can show your wife you love

her. You ask her how she wants to be loved! You do a little Google work.

You call your friend who is a great husband (if you have my number) and

ask him to brainstorm with you for 5 minutes! That list becomes your

plan. And one hour worth of work changes your entire marriage!

 No, it’s not that you don’t know what do to…its that you won’t put in the

work. It’s the same with your walk with the Lord. If things aren’t where

you want them to be…or if things are just continually a disaster…, “I

counsel you,” to go the Lord and buy some stuff…put in some work.

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 19

 Look I’m calling you out because I love you, He says to them! That’s the

reason why any of us call you out of some sort of sin…if we didn’t care

then we’d see you blind and wrapped in chains and we’d love to leave

you there! Yet so many get so angry and bitter when we say to them, look

man you gotta repent! Please! We’re trying to save you out of the situation

that Jesus just described! Proverbs 9:8 says that if you rebuke a wise

man…that he will LOVE YOU!!!! But if you rebuke a mocker, he will

hate you.

Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 20

 The mark of this church is that Jesus isn’t in it! BRUH! And many come

to church and have gone to church their whole lives and yet Jesus remains

on the other side of the closed door of their pride and their, “I don’t care if

it’s against the heart of God,” attitude. Hi, your name must be Luke, last

name, Warm! HA!

 You must first be willing to hear and then you have to do something about

what you heard. Implied here by God’s command to open the door…then

Jesus will make Himself at home in your heart and life. And if it’s Jesus’

house, the house of the King, it’s going to be luxurious.

Revelation 3:21

 I love this because what He’s saying is “Open your heart to Me…and I’ll

open heaven to you!” And we also have this wonderful clue that by

coming to Him, putting in work and allowing God to open our eyes, fill

our hearts and minds with righteousness and understanding…that it is in

that we are enabled to overcome…overcome what? Nothing given…just

overcome…., across the board.

Revelation 3:22

 To all the churches…to the church of the Laodiceans…to the final

church…the lukewarm church…even to us…it’s one thing to have Jesus

as a Model or a Mascot. That’s what they were doing at Laodicea. It’s a

completely different thing to have Him as Master…as my/your

Commander…My Savior AND My Lord. That’s what He’s asking of this

congregation…and that’s what He’s asking of you and me.

 May this place not be filled with folks that have good Biblical knowledge

and good intentions but may it be filled with people that realize that

although we are sinners who have failed miserably, God has provided

Jesus to make us right…fix us up…fill us up…and bring us into abundant

and eternal life…

 If the door is closed today, if the water of your spirit is lukewarm, hear

what the Spirit says…you’re heading for misery, shame and poverty…,

when fullness, fruitfulness…that lasts forever is readily available to you in

Jesus. Righteousness will deliver all that sin has lied and promised to

you…