Please turn with me to Revelation 3 - starting at verse 14.  We’ve arrived!!!  We’re at the last of the 7 churches that Jesus is speaking to here in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.  Today we’ve come to the Church of Laodicea.  As you’re turning - so we can get a better understanding of what Jesus is saying to this church - as you’re turning let me share with you about the city of Laodicea.

The city of Laodicea was a significant trade and business center.  The major Roman trade route than ran from China and India came through Laodicea and then out to the port of Ephesus - about 100 miles to the west.  All the trade coming from the north - south - east - and west ran through Laodicea.

The city was also located right in the center of the Lycus Valley.  The Lycus Valley is kind of like the San Joaquin Valley only smaller - major agri-business.  If we can grow it here they could grow it there.  So, Laodicea was kind of like Fresno.  Only better.

Laodicea also had a large clothing industry.  They raised a unique breed of black sheep from which they produced a glossy black wool which was very famous.  The city was medical center which was known for a type of powder used to cure eye and ear diseases.  If you’ve seen the medical symbol that has a staff with two snakes entwined around it - that symbol originated in Laodicea with the medical cult of Aesculapius.

Laodicea was a famous tourist center.  About 4 miles away there were hot springs of water rich in calcium.  They brought that water to Laodicea through a series of aqueducts.  People came from all over to soak in these pools of hot water that were suppose to cure a number of different diseases.

Of the 7 cities that we’re looking at Laodicea was by far the wealthiest.  Someone has said that Laodicea was kind of like Bank of America, Lowes, Bloomingdales, and the Mayo Clinic all rolled into one.

One last thing that’s important for us to know about Laodicea was their attitude.  Laodicea survived because it never really stood for anything.  The people had learned to compromise and accommodate themselves to others and their ideas.  They pretty much accepted everything or adapted  whatever differing ideas and philosophies there were into the general culture of the city.  No one ever rocked the boat.  No one ever stood out and strongly expressed opposing ideas about anything.

What was true of the city of Laodicea was also true of the church of Laodicea.  The church of Laodicea was probably started in the late 50’s A.D. by Epaphras - a co-worker of the Apostle Paul.  At the end of his letter to the Colossians, Paul asks that the letter also be read to the church in Laodicea.  Apparently both churches struggled with the same types of culture and false teaching.  But - unlike the Colossians - the church of Laodicea - rather than standing in opposition to the false teaching and pagan culture had simply adapted them into their belief and practice.

Revelation 3:14:  “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:  The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this…”

Just like the other messages we’ve looked at - this one begins with a reminder of who Jesus is - His credentials - His authority.

Jesus describes Himself as the “Amen.”  Today when we say “amen” its like saying “Right on!  I agree with that!”  When we say “amen” to God - we’re saying we agree with what He’s said or doing.  What Jesus speaks is in complete agreement with the mind and will and heart of God.

Jesus is “the faithful and true Witness” - which speaks of His work here on earth.  His witness is faithful - which means that Jesus remained faithfully committed to His work on earth even through His death on the cross.  And, He’s the one true Witness.  There are false unreliable witnesses - liars - the deceived - the ignorant.  But Jesus is totally reliable.  He testifies only of what is true about God’s kingdom and salvation.

Matthew 11:27 says that its Jesus who reveals God to us (also John 17:25,26) - because He’s God - who has come to dwell with us and  to show us how to have a relationship with God.

Jesus is the “beginning of the creation of God” - which means that He’s the source of creation - physical - metaphysical - philosophical - whatever exists finds its origin, purpose, and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:15-17)

So, what Jesus says to this church must be listened to because it is without error - it is according to God’s eternal purposes - it comes directly from the mind and will and heart of God - directly from the Head of the Church - Jesus Christ.

Going on - verse 15.  In these verses - 15 to 17 - Jesus is going to give a description - and evaluation - of this church.

Verse 15 - Jesus says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”

As the water from the hot spring traveled the four miles to Laodicea it cooled.  When it arrived in the city - the warm water coming into town mixed with the cold water already in the city.  So, what they ended up with was a continual supply of lukewarm water - pretty useless.  Even for the mineral baths they had to heat it up again.

Anybody ever drink lukewarm mineral water?  That’s what was coming out of the tap - lukewarm calcium filled mineral water.  Stuff that was worse than the canal water we have.  This church was sickening to Jesus.

Something else we don’t want to miss here.  When I go to take a shower I turn on the hot water first - then let it get hot - then add cold water.  Do you all know what I mean?  We do this all the time at home - turn on a little hot and turn on a little cold - mix it to the temperature we want.  Are you with me?

The kind of lukewarm water that Jesus is talking about comes from taking hot water from the springs and combining it with cold water in the city.  Mix hot and cold - and there’s no way to tell what was hot and what was cold.

On one hand there are people who are cold towards the things of God - they hate Him - they want nothing to do with His Gospel and His love for  them.  Cold can be how the world - our secular society - conducts itself apart from God.

On the other hand are those who are hot for God.  They’re on fire - spiritually reborn - empowered by God - serving - testifying - demonstrating their relationship with Jesus by the way they live their lives.  Mix these two together and there’s no way to tell what was opposed to God and what was on fire for God.  The result is a blended pagan Christianity that’s offensive - repugnant - to God.  Yee-ugh.

Lukewarm doesn’t mean “half-hearted” - or just going-through-the-motions of being a Christian.  It means compromise so that the world’s way of doing things and God’s way of doing things become so muddled - so intertwined that its impossible to tell the difference. Their “deeds” - what they’re doing as a church - ultimately is as useless to God as lukewarm water is in a mineral bath.  

There are a tremendous number of churches today who are in this lukewarm condition.  The affairs of the church are conducted according to the principles of the world around us.  The church is seen as a club - one of many that someone might belong to - except this one is spiritual and promotes Christian values.  The church is seen as an organization to benefit the membership with good feelings - spiritual insight - social activity - a place to be with our friends - a kind of religious support group.

It would be so easy for us to fall into this trap.  We live in the agricultural capital of the world.  We live just east of the technological capital of the world.  South of us is the entertainment capital of the world - Los Angeles - not Fresno.  What happens in California effects the whole world.  Wealth is being generated around us in staggering amounts.

We move in and through this environment at work - in the organizations we belong to - the schools we attend or our kids attend - even shopping and driving - we move in and through this society - increasingly so here in Merced.  It would be very easy to come here and apply all the principles that operate out there to how we operate here.

But, praise God we’re not the Evangelical Free Club of Merced.  We’re the Church of Jesus Christ - the Amen - the faithful and true Witness - the beginning of the creation of God.  We’re the Church which is made up of those who have been made spiritually alive through Jesus - filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit - following the directions of our Head Jesus.  The church does not belong to us.  We belong to Him.  We exist as His Body for His benefit - for His honor and His glory.

Try this with me, “Its not about us.  Its about Him.”

Verse 17 - Jesus goes on with His description - His evaluation - of this church:  “Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked….”

In 60 AD the city of Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake - major natural disaster.  The city’s in ruins.  The Roman government offered to help rebuild the city.  Laodicea - which prided itself on its wealth and self-sufficiency refused the help.  Imagine New Orleans saying no to FEMA.  Laodicea completely rebuilt the city with their own resources.

The church in Laodicea says it has prospered - the members are impressed with their own success - their self-sufficiency.  Their investments have paid off.  They’ve got an acceptable standing in their society.  They’ve got a church that meets their needs. 

It would be like saying, “The building’s paid for.  We’ve got money in the bank.  We really want to be careful with that whole step out in faith thing.  We have everything we need.  We’re doing just fine, thank you.  We’ll take it from here.”

Jesus says, “You’ve compromised so much you really don’t even know how spiritually desperate your situation is.”

You’re wretched - everything of real value that you had is gone.  You should be pitied.  You’re spiritual beggars - blind and unable to perceive spiritual truth - spiritually naked.  You’re in big trouble and you’re so self-deceived by your own success that you can’t even see it.

Hear this:  Its not the physical things that make a church successful.  Its not the numbers or facilities or budget or the amount donated per giving unit or the amount of money the bank. 

What makes a church successful is the depth of our relationship with Jesus Christ - our total dependence on Him.  That’s what keeps us spiritually hot - utter and total devotion to Jesus - to live for Him as He lives through us.

Try this again, “Its not about us.  Its about Him.”

In verses 18 to 22 Jesus appeals to His church.

Verse 18:  “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.”

Pure Gold - refined by fire - gold passed through intense heat so it melts and the impurities are taken away - which is symbolic of our faith. (1 Peter 1:6-9)  Purified faith that comes from Jesus and grows deeper as we learn to trust Him through all the experiences and fiery tests of life.

White garments - symbolic of a right relationship with God.  Before we come to Jesus - we are separated from God by our sins.  We’re naked - our sinfulness is exposed.  When we come to Jesus and trust Him as our Savior He puts us into a right relationship with God.  His blood becomes the covering for our sins - a white garment of righteousness.

Salve - medicine for our eyes.  Jesus said that He had come to bring “recovery of sight to the blind.”  (Luke 4:18)  The Laodicean Christians were blind to the things of God.  They needed Jesus to heal them so that they could understand God’s truth.

All of these - gold - garments - salve - are in contrast to the self-sufficiency of the Laodiceans.  All of them point to our relationship with Jesus - our dependency - our utter and total devotion to Him.  Jesus is appealing to His church:  “Come back to Me.  Let me purify you and make you right before God and give true direction to your lives.  Find your sufficiency in Me.  What you really need - only I can give you.”

The warning for us is that the church of Laodicea didn’t get it.  The appeal from Jesus comes because they we’re looking at themselves and thinking they had it all together.  “We don’t have the kinds of problems they have over at Ephesus.  We’re not like the church in Sardis.”  It would be so easy for us to think to ourselves, “Selves, this applies to them.  They’re the naked blind people who need to be refined.”

Can we agree together that as believers - as a congregation - brothers and sisters in Jesus - that we struggle with sin and self and trusting Jesus - that we live in spiritual poverty - that way too often we’re blinded by our own self-sufficiency - and that we have a desperate need to be continually throwing ourselves before God and His mercy and His grace and His love and to allow Him to give to us these very things that Jesus offers the church of Laodicea?

Jesus goes on with His appeal - verse 19:  “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore - because I love you - be zealous and repent.”

Every parent - anyone who’s cared for children - understands this.  Its an appeal from love.  Jesus says, “I’m saying and doing these things because I love you.  Don’t be afraid.  Be honest about where you’re at and turn back to Me.”

Verse 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 will dine with him, and he with Me.”

If Jesus shows up at your house tonight - just about dinner time.  Arrives with a couple large Mountain Mike’s Pizza’s - all the toppings - even anchovies.  Shows up at the door and knocks.  Anyone here not going to let Him in?  “Thanks for the Pizza Jesus.  Keep the change.  Bye.”

This is one of the most incredible verses in the Bible.  A lot of times people use this verse for evangelism.  Right?  But its about the church.  Imagine this - Jesus - the Amen - the only faithful and true witness - the source and completion and purpose of creation - the Head and Lord of the Church - God - with the love and devotion of a parent - with humility is standing outside of His Church.  Knocking on the door - not pounding - not shouting - not demanding - not ordering - God who with one thought could blow all this away - poof - gone.  Jesus is just knocking - appealing to His church in love and asking to come in - to eat with them - the intimacy of a meal.  And the church is so spiritually deaf that they have no clue that He’s knocking. 

Jesus desires intimacy with His church.  Wasn’t that what He prayed?  “that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”  (John 17:21)  The depth - the intimacy - the communion of an eternal relationship with God where Jesus is at the core - inside - not outside - a relationship that’s so centered in Jesus that the world must recognize Him in us.  What an incredible relationship what would be. 

Jesus appeals with healing - with love - with intimacy.  Then in verse 21 Jesus appeals with a promise.

Verse 21:  “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

That’s astounding.  One of those mind popping statements in Scripture.  Remain faithful and we will sit with Jesus on His throne - eternally ruling and reigning with Him - just as He sits and rules on the Father’s throne.  That’s an amazing promise.  Someone open the door.

Finally verse 22:  “He who has an ear, let Him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  Each of the seven messages to the seven churches ends with this appeal.  “Pay attention - followers of Jesus - and so live.”

For just a moment more think with me about what this means for us.  What the Spirit says to the churches - how each message is a challenge and a test of how we’re living as individuals and as a congregation.

To Ephesus the Spirit asks, are you passionate in your devotion to Jesus and each other?

To Smyrna - are you living in fear of what’s around you or are you clinging on to Jesus - are you really trusting Him?

Pergamum - are you dabbling?  Compromising?  Who has greater authority over your life - the world - or God?

Thyatira - don’t settle for anything less than all of what God offers you in Jesus Christ.

Sardis - wake up!!!  God wants to move us beyond complacency - and our fears - and little compromises - to wake us up - to light a passionate fire in our hearts so we’ll burn for Him.

Philadelphia - Jesus is opening a door of opportunity in front of us - will we go through it?

And a final question - Laodicea - have we really opened the door of our hearts to Jesus?  Is the heart of this congregation really open to Him?

All of these come down to a question of our hearts before God.  The purity of our openness and devotion to Him.  Its not about us.  Its about Him.

Pay attention - followers of Jesus - and so live.