The Apostate Church

Revelation 3:14-22

The Character of the City

A. Laodicea means “the rule of the people”

B. Laodicea was a wealthy city

1. Known for its wool and textile industry
2. Known for its eye-salve medicine
3. In AD 60, Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake. They refused Imperial funding to rebuild. They didn’t need or want it. They funded rebuilding themselves!

C. Laodicea was a religious city

1. Caesar worship: Once a year, citizens were required to appear at Caesar’s Temple and proclaim “Caesar is Lord.” Those who refused were considered traitors. In the Temple to Caesar was a large, hollow statue of Caesar. It’s head was separated from the rest of the statue so it could be replaced with the head of a new Caesar. The priest of Caesar would climb into the hollow statue and speak through the open mouth of Caesar his edicts.
2. The Temple of Asclepius was located here, the god of healing and a medical school

D. Laodicea was a problematic city

1. Water supply came from a hot spring 6 miles away, via an aqueduct. By the time it arrived in the city, the water was lukewarm and tasted of sulphur.
2. Water resources made the city vulnerable to siege.
3. City leaders always negotiated and compromised with its invading enemies.

The Christ of the Church

A. The Amen, means “so be it or it is done.” Compared with 2 Corinthians 1:20. Jesus is the personification of the Truth of God.

B. The Faithful and True Witness vs the accommodating and compromising Laodiceans.

C. The Beginning of the Creation of God: Jesus is the Creator, the Source of All Things, not Caesar.

The Comprehension of Christ

A. “You are lukewarm, sickening,” a picture of indifference and compromise.

1. Hot water heals.
2. Cold water refreshes.
3. Lukewarm water is sickening
4. Illustration:

• The Thief on the cross was cold towards Jesus and saw his need.
• John was hot towards Jesus and enjoyed close fellowship with Jesus.
• Judas was lukewarm, following Jesus enough to be considered a disciple, yet only half-heartedly.

B. Church of Laodicea was a church run by majority rule, rather than by the Word of God.

1. They lacked a sense of their spiritual poverty.

a. They trusted their prosperity as a sign of God’s favor.

b. They trusted their physical health as a sign of God’s favor.

1. They were spiritually blind and needed Christ’s eye-salve–>the Holy Spirit.
2. They needed spiritual riches of faith tried in trials.
3. Laodicea was known for its black wool clothes. The church needed white garments of righteousness.

The Caution of Christ

A. Tough love–>Christ rebukes and chastens.

1. Christ rebukes them to convict them of their sin.
2. Christ chastens them: if one is not chastened, he is not a son (see Hebrews 12:8).

B. “Be zealous” = be hot

C. “Repent”

The Call of Christ

A. Jesus stands at the door of the church and knocks.

1. Philadelphia was the Church of the Open Door.
2. Laodicea was the Church of the Excluded Jesus. Their attitude was: “We don’t need Jesus. We can do this ourselves.”

B. “Hear My voice and open the door.”

1. Christ will enter an open door.
2. Christ will fellowship as invited.
3. “If anyone” — individual invitation.

C. “To him who overcomes”

1. We can overcome compromising and indifference.
2. Those who overcome will be included in the throne-room of God.

D. “Hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

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