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Study Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (30-11-1997 Guisborough Evangelical Church)
This is the last of the seven letters, and it is the
sternest and most critical. Laodicea was 40 miles SE of Philadelphia, and 10
miles from Colosse. Antiochus of Syria founded the city in 250BC, and he named
the city after his wife, Laodice. It was a very important and prosperous town,
where several trade routes met. It was extremely rich, and needed no subsidy for
the rebuild after the earthquake of 60AD. It was a banking centre and commercial
centre. Cloth, garments and carpets were made from local sheep, which produced a
soft, glossy wool.
There was a famous medical
school there, which produced a famous ointment for eye problems, exported all
over the world in tablet form. There were three theatres, a stadium, and
gymnasium with baths. Plenty of “millionaires” lived in such a rich social
and cultural place.
We do not know about the
planting of the church there. It might have been by Epaphras. Paul mentions
writing a letter to Laodicea, but that letter has not survived (unless it is our
Ephesians). In his letter to the Colossians, he says he wants this letter to be
sent on to the Laodiceans, and the letter to Laodicea to be read at Colosse. The
Laodicean church was in a strategic position in an important town. They had a
wonderful opportunity to count for God. So much good could have been done there.
But the tragedy was that instead of influencing the world, it had been
influenced by the world. Therefore it was hopelessly compromised, it had lost
its testimony and its influence was nil.
The Laodicean church was not
suffering from heretics or evildoers or persecutors. It was suffering from
complacency. All the pride, self-satisfaction, complacency that was in the rich
prosperous city went right through the Christian church as well. So the Head of
the Church sends a very stern message. The letter contains much censure and
condemnation. He does not have one good thing to say about the church.
Externally it was impressive, prosperous and powerful. Inwardly it was rotten, half-hearted, anaemic, flabby and compromised. Although in such a prosperous city, this church was the poorest of the seven, drifting and not driving. The letter makes an appeal to whole-heartedness. The term “Laodicean” has become equated with being lukewarm. And the skin-deep religiosity it displayed can alas be seen far too often in churches today.
Christ introduces Himself as Amen,
the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation (Revelation
3:14). Amen is the Hebrew word for assent. He is saying, “Brace yourself. Here
is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” The last word was
from Him, and there would be no appeal from His verdict. His words and opinion
were accurate, dependable and reliable. He tells them, not what they want to
hear, but what they ought to hear.
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
(Revelation 3:15,16). This lukewarm church made Christ sick. He wanted to be
ill when He thought of them. They were not infidels, but they were not earnest
Christians. They did not oppose the Gospel, but neither did they defend it. They
were not immoral, but their holiness was not outstanding. They were not godless,
but they were not enthusiastic for God. They were not heretics, but neither were
they zealous for the truth. They were not absent from church, but they only did
the bare minimum. They were not prayerless, but there was no real love of it.
They had not given up their profession of faith, but neither were they making
any effort to live up to it. They liked the preacher if he was eloquent or
clever, but not if he was too enthusiastic or challenging. They gave to the
work, but not too much. They were active in the work, but there was no chance of
them overdoing it. The Lord had some of their life, but not all of it. And all
the time they were so pleased with themselves, smug and complacent. They were
rich, and had need of nothing. Money was coming in, the building was in good
order, there were no debts, they had the right equipment, numbers were good, the
singing had never been better, and the organisation ran smoothly. What more
could you ask for?
How we flatter and deceive
ourselves. How tragic and how dangerous. A preacher can preach to a church like
that, and they don’t feel a thing. The rebukes glide off them like oil off
marble. It is harder to work for a Christian church like that, which is
lukewarm, than in a new work starting from scratch. How the world laughs as it
looks on, and how the Lord weeps. There is a sense in which He is driven out of
that church and He is standing outside trying to get in. Once He is outside,
worship is hollow, communion is mere form, the Word is profitless, and the
lukewarm church is no more than a religious club.
What of today? The biggest
problem which most churches face is certainly not over-enthusiasm. John Wesley
was criticized by the established church for being too enthusiastic! We are too
anxious not to incur the world’s displeasure and appear religious fanatics, so
we play it down. The age we live in with its mental climate is against dogmatism
and effort. The keywords today are comfort and compromise, and far be it from us
to rock the boat!
He who loved us and gave Himself
for us deserves better than lukewarm insipid compromise. If we let ourselves get
to that stage, we will not only be despised by the world, but also be of no use
to God. We will be a hindrance to those who do have zeal and earnestness.
We could learn something from
General Booth of the Salvation Army. He became a red hot Salvationist by an
infidel lecturer saying, “If I believed what you Christians believe, I would
never rest day and night telling men about it.” That sentence burned into
Booth’s conscience. He had a vision of Christ enthroned, and the fire in him
was kindled. He became aflame for God, passionate.
There is urgent need in every church for courageous and robust people bringing to Christ their thoughtful and total commitment. This needs to be the case in both our public and private life. We need to be concerned for God’s glory and to do His will. We must not insult Him with insipid compromise, which makes Him sick and reduces our profession to a joke.
The Lord cannot stand it when
people who are His by name are insipid, anaemic and skin-deep. He would rather
they were anything but lukewarm. This church was so blind, thinking all was
well, and feeling pleased with itself. They had got everything – except zeal
and warmth for the Lord. You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful,
poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:17). They had none of the spiritual
beauty that ought to adorn the church, and no real spiritual life. They were
spiritual and moral beggars.
Then the mood changes. The
Lord’s patience and tenderness comes to the fore. 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 (Revelation 3:18). He speaks with affection, offering to make them
rich in the spiritual sense, offering to clothe them with true righteousness,
and to help them see spiritual truth. “Take from me, and I will enrich you,
clothe you and heal you.”
Whatever our spiritual condition
– weak, backslidden or miserable – all we need can be found in Christ. He
can turn paupers into princes. He brings forgiveness, cleansing, restoration,
life and abundant life. The proud self-sufficient Laodiceans must come as needy
beggars and find their sufficiency in Christ. Their need was great and only
Christ could meet it.
He can deal with that sin, He
can lead us into a deeper walk, He can banish that lukewarmness, and order our
lives and map our future. He is the vine. When branches abide in Him, they will
produce fruit. How foolish to be proud and self-sufficient. All we need is in
Christ is we are humble enough to receive it.
The rebukes of Christ may be hard and sharp and uncomfortable, but He gives them because of His love. He urges us to be zealous and repent, to turn our backs on lukewarmness and turn to Him. We must spit these things out of our mouths before He spits us out of His mouth.
So we come to that very famous
and beloved verse: 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 him, and he with me (Revelation
3:20). This is often used as a Gospel text to challenge the unconverted. But
originally it was applied to a backslidden, lukewarm church that in a sense had
turned Christ out. They had everything in the church except Christ.
He speaks to the individuals
here – “If anyone..”. The church is made up of individuals. When
individuals return to the Lord, the church turns back to the Lord. The Lord
offers to enter as a guest, but soon the guest becomes the host, and takes
control. He does not want to become a lodger and servant in our hearts, but
master and king. He wants the key to every room in the house: The key to the
office and our business dealings; the key to the drawing room and our social
life; the key to the kitchen and our daily tasks; the key to the library and the
books we read; the key to the throne room where decisions are made. No step is
to be taken without Him, and no action taken independently of Him.
We prefer to rule the roost, to
be king of our own castle, and that is often the root cause of trouble, weakness
and problems in our lives and our churches. He has to be the Master, sitting on
the throne, ruling every department, and flying His flag above our house. He
calls us into a new and deeper relationship with Him. Drastic changes will
result. We cannot have His gifts unless we have His government. The enthronement
of Christ is vital for every true Christian experience. We must surrender
without terms. The whole personality has to be handed over.
He promises us that if He is in
the right place in our lives, we shall share His throne, i.e. conquest and
authority. This is the highest conceivable honour. Paupers to princes; rags to
riches. If He sits at our table, we get to sit at His throne. If we dine with
Him on earth, we will reign with Him in heaven.
William Booth was asked the secret of his life, to which he replied, “There came a day in my life when I asked God ‘Lord, you shall have all there is of William Booth’. And from that moment God has blessed me.”
Did the Laodicean church heed the warning? Certainly the
city is no more. It was once prosperous, but now it is wasteland. Fragments of
aqueducts and theatres are spread over vast extent of the country, speaking of
former magnificence. But it has finished now, and the church in that place has
finished. Either then or later the Lord and this church parted company for a
last time.
And what of us? Where are we?
Lukewarm, satisfied, smug, in need of nothing? Thank God that He does not treat
us as we treat Him. He is not lukewarm about our salvation. He came from His
throne in heaven to a stable in Bethlehem for our salvation. He was not lukewarm
about the Gospel. He spent His life preaching it. He is not lukewarm about our
forgiveness. He took our sins and poured out His life-blood. He is earnest about
us. He is full of zeal for our interests. How we insult Him and reveal base
ingratitude by lukewarmness. What an insult to treat so lightly what is so
precious to Him. He does not deserve this treatment.
He is worthy of the highest and
best place in our lives. Has He been knocking at the door of your heart, time
and time again? Is He summoning you to repentance and total commitment? Open
that door to Him now.
