Jesus' message to the church in Laodicea
1. Background on the Church of Laodicea
Laodicea, about 33 miles southeast of Philadelphia, was a very wealthy city during the Roman Empire. It was an important banking center and a city famous for the manufacture of black wool and eyelets.
Destroyed by an earthquake in AD 66, but at the time of this writing, Laodicea had been rebuilt magnificently with its own wealth.
2. Jesus introducing himself to the church of Laodicea.
Revelation 3:14
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
i. These things say the Amen
The word Amen in Hebrew means “so be it.”
Therefore, by introducing himself as Jesus Amen, it is expressed that he does not change, that what he says will be fulfilled in the same way.
ii. Believing true witness
Child of God, there is no one greater than God. Therefore, there is no one more trustworthy than Jesus.
iii. which was the beginning of creation
(Read John 1:3 and Colossians 1:15)
3. The good qualities that Jesus sees in the church
Nothing mentioned!!!
4. Jesus’ dire warning to the church
Revelation 3:15-16
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
The church of Laodicea did not give place to ‘false prophets’ like the church of Thyatira. There were no false teachers there as in Pergamum.
But Jesus says to the church in Laodicea, “I will wash you with my mouth”. It is because of their lukewarm manner.
Being lukewarm shows that their love for God was lukewarm.
Because of lukewarmness, they lost the fear of God. Thus when one loses the fear of God, ego and pride enter that life.
Another serious consequence of losing the fear of God and disregarding Jesus is that they disregard sin.
5. Jesus condemns the pride of the Laodiceans.
Laodicea, being a center of banking, boasted of its riches, and of its cloths of woolen production, and Jesus said to them:
Revelation 3:17-18
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
6. Jesus’ promise to the church
i. Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
ii. Revelation 3:21
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.