HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A STRAIGHT RIVER? CANALS ARE STRAIGHT, BUT ALL RIVERS SEEM TO BE CROOKED. WE WOULD CALL THIS "MEANDERING." WHY ARE RIVERS CROOKED? THEY ARE CROOKED BECAUSE THE NATURAL TENDENCY OF A RIVER IS TO TAKE THE EASIEST WAY AROUND ANY OBSTACLE.
SO RIVERS ARE ALWAYS CROOKED, AND THEY ALWAYS RUN DOWNHILL. SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE RIVERS. THEY ARE ALWAYS WANTING THINGS IN LIFE BY THE EASIEST MEANS POSSIBLE AND THEY ARE USUALLY LAZY AND TOO IMMATURE TO PUT FORTH MUCH EFFORT INTO WALKING WITH GOD.
FOR THEM IT’S EASIER TO WATCH TV THAN TO PRAY AND EASIER TO READ THEIR NEWSPAPER THAN THEIR BIBLE. IT IS EASIER TO SIT THROUGH A BALLGAME THAT LAST THREE HOURS AND GOES INTO OVERTIME THAN IT IS TO SIT THROUGH A ONE HOUR CHURCH SERVICE OR BIBLE STUDY.
THIS TYPE OF PERSON ALSO REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER SAYING WHICH LIKENED PEOPLE IN CHURCH TO PEOPLE IN AN AIRPORT TERMINAL. IT WAS SAID THAT MOST PEOPLE IN THE PEWS ARE LIKE PEOPLE SITTING IN AN AIRPLANE TERMINAL.
THEY COME TO THE AIRPORT AND GO DIRECTLY TO ONE OF THE MANY SEATS IN THE TERMINAL AND SIT DOWN. THEN THEY LISTEN TO ALL THE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES WHILE, AT THE SAME TIME, LOOKING AROUND AND OBSERVING ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE SCURRYING AROUND THROUGHOUT THE CONCOURSE.
WHILE ALL THIS IS GOING ON, THEY JUST SIT THERE AND IMAGINE THEY ARE REALLY IN ON, AND A PART OF, ALL THE ACTION GOING ON AROUND THEM. SADLY, THEY NEVER TAKE THE TIME TO GET UP TO PURCHASE A TICKET, BOARD ANY OF THE PLANES OR GO ANYWHERE!
I WOULDN’T CALL THIS LAZINESS AS MUCH AS I WOULD CALL IT JUST PLAIN APATHY! APATHY MEANS TO BE UNCONCERNED, INDIFFERENT, DULL, AND PASSIVE. IT IS ONE WHO SHOWS LACK OF EMOTION OR A LACK OF INTEREST.
WHY DOES THIS SOUND MORE AND MORE LIKE THE CHURCH TODAY? WEALTHY, PROSPEROUS, SUCCESSFUL, AND YET SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT! CHURCHES THAT POSSES BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS ON PRIME PROPERTY THAT SIT LOCKED UP AND EMPTY MOST OF THE WEEK.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND THE STATE OF MIND THAT SAYS EITHER "WE CAN DO IT ALL OURSELVES WITHOUT GOD" OR "IT’S NOT ALL THAT IMPORTANT. WE CAN WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE AND JUST THROW SOMETHING TOGETHER!"
LAODICEA WAS THE PERFECT MODEL OF THIS KIND OF PASSIVE, INDIFFERENT CHURCH. BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED IN "BARE MINIMUM STANDARD" MINISTRY IT IS NOT HARD TO GUESS WHY CHRIST REFERRED TO THEM AS WRETCHED, PITIFUL, POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED!
LAODICEA WAS AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF TRADE AND COMMUNICATION. ALSO, IT WAS AN EXTREMELY WEALTHY CITY DUE TO ITS PRODUCTION OF A FINE QUALITY GLOSSY BLACK WOOL. BECAUSE OF HER WEALTH LAODICEA ALSO HAD A HUGE BANKING INDUSTRY.
MONEY WAS SO ABUNDANT THAT AFTER THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE OF 17 AD, THE PEOPLE REFUSED GOVERNMENT HELP IN REBUILDING THE CITY, CHOOSING RATHER TO DO IT ENTIRELY BY THEMSELVES.
LAODICEA WAS MORE THAN JUST SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE REALM OF MONEY. THEY ALSO HAD A SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND WAS FAMOUS FOR THEIR SPECIAL OINTMENT THAT COULD CURE DISEASES AND INFECTIONS IN THE EYE.
WITH WEALTH AND A PRIZED MEDICAL INDUSTRY IT WAS NOT SURPRISING THAT THEY WORSHIPPED "MEN-KAROU," THE GOD OF HEALING. THEY ALSO WORSHIPPED ZEUS, AS THE SUPREME GOD.
LAODICEA WAS DEFINITELY A POTPOURRI OF WEALTH, SUCCESS AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THIS IS WHY THE TOWN IS DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE BECAUSE THERE ISN’T ANY ONE THING THAT PARTICULARLY STANDS OUT ABOVE THE REST.
BUT ONE THING WAS FOR SURE! LAODICEA WAS A CITY OF PEOPLE THAT HAD SOON LEARNED TO COMPROMISE AND ACCOMMODATE THEMSELVES TO THE BELIEFS AND WISHES OF OTHERS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE PEOPLE WERE EASILY FOOLED, EASILY CONVINCED, AND COULD BE SHIFTED BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT RESISTANCE BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER DEVOTED ENOUGH OR SERIOUS ENOUGH TO STAND FOR ANY ONE PARTICULAR BELIEF SYSTEM.
ODDLY ENOUGH AND AS DUMB AS IT MAY SOUND, FOR ALL THE WEALTH THE POSSESSED, THE CITY STILL HAD ONE MAJOR PROBLEM AND IT WASN’T ALL THAT PLEASANT. THEY HAD A SERIOUS DILEMMA WITH THEIR WATER SYSTEM.
THE AQUEDUCT THAT BROUGHT LAODICEA ITS SUPPLY OF WATER FROM THE SOUTH WAS SIX MILES LONG! THE WATER ALSO CAME FROM TWO DIFFERENT SOURCES.
ONE CAME FROM THE HOT SPRINGS AND WAS COOLED TO LUKEWARM. THE OTHER CAME FROM A COOLER SOURCE AND WARMED UP IN THE AQUEDUCT ALONG ITS JOURNEY.
WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE AT HAND AND THE PROBLEM THEY HAD WITH THEIR WATER YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT THE PEOPLE OF LAODICEA GOT THE MESSAGE WHEN JESUS USED THE PHRASE, "YOUR NEITHER COLD NOR HOT."
SADLY, THEY KNEW JESUS WASN’T TALKING ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER. JESUS WAS TELLING THEM THAT THEY WERE NOT PROVIDING REFRESHMENT FOR THE SPIRITUALLY WEARY, NOR WERE THEY HEALING THE SPIRITUALLY SICK. THE WERE TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE.
THEIR LACK OF CONCERN AND SELF-CENTEREDNESS IS WHAT HAD SICKENED THE LORD TO THE POINT OF WANTING TO VOMIT THEM OUT OF HIS MOUTH. THEIR BARRENNESS AND LACK OF MINISTRY MADE JESUS SICK TO HIS STOMACH!
IN PLAIN, SIMPLE ENGLISH, THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA WAS USELESS TO CHRIST BECAUSE THEY WERE COMPLACENT, SELF-SATISFIED, AND INDIFFERENT TO THE REAL ISSUES OF FAITH IN HIM AND OF DISCIPLESHIP.
JESUS WARNED THEM THAT "I AM ABOUT TO SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH." TO "SPIT OUT" MEANS TO VOMIT OR "TO UTTERLY REJECT." JESUS HATES THEIR ATTITUDE OF COMPROMISE THAT ACCOMMODATES PEACE AT ANY COST.
THE PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA ONLY GET WORSE BECAUSE THEY STARTED MAKING EXCUSES FOR THEIR CONDITION. JESUS CALLS THEIR HAND AND SAYS, "YOU SAY, ’I AM RICH; I HAVE ACQUIRED WEALTH AND DO NOT NEED A THING.’" THEY WERE IGNORANT OF THEIR REAL CONDITION.
THE SPIRIT OF THE SURROUNDING CULTURE, ITS BELIEFS AND MATERIALISTIC PHILOSOPHY HAD CREPT INTO THE CONGREGATION AND HAD PARALYZED THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE.
THE CONGREGATION HAD MISTAKEN THEIR INCREASE OF MATERIAL WEALTH AS A BLESSING FROM GOD. THIS WAS THEIR FIRST MISTAKE THAT LEAD THEM TO BEING DECEIVED OF THEIR TRUE SPIRITUAL CONDITION.
JESUS REFERS TO THEM AS POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED TO SIGNIFY THAT THEY REALLY DON’T KNOW CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WITHOUT CHRIST THEY ARE TOTALLY USELESS TO CHRIST.
EVEN THOUGH THE STATE OF THE CHURCH IS ON THE VERGE OF DISASTER IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE AND THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY OUT OF EVERY SITUATION.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13, "BUT REMEMBER THAT THE TEMPTATIONS THAT COME INTO YOUR LIFE ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT OTHERS EXPERIENCE. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL. HE WILL KEEP THE TEMPTATION FROM BECOMING SO STRONG THAT YOU CAN’T STAND UP AGAINST IT. WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL SHOW YOU A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU WILL NOT GIVE IN TO IT."
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SEE HERE IS THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL, BUT IN THAT FAITHFULNESS HE IS ONLY PROVIDING THE WAY OUT.
HE WILL NEVER YANK US OUT OF THE SITUATION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND PUT FORTH THE WILLINGNESS TO ESCAPE.
JESUS, THEREFORE, TOLD THE PEOPLE OF LAODICEA TO DO THREE THINGS. THEY ARE TO BUY GOLD REFINED IN THE FIRE, PUT ON WHITE CLOTHES TO COVER THEIR SHAME, AND TO PUT SALVE ON THEIR EYES SO THEY COULD SEE.
BUYING GOLD. JESUS IS NOT TALKING ABOUT ORDINARY GOLD, BUT GOLD THAT HAS BEEN REFINED. JESUS IS LITERALLY SAYING THAT HE WANTS THEM TO INVEST IN THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD GLORIFY GOD AND WOULD MAKE THEM SPIRITUALLY RICH. SPIRITUAL INVESTMENTS REAP SPIRITUAL DIVIDENDS!
JESUS WANTS US TO REALIZE THAT HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN ENRICH OUR SPIRITUAL POVERTY WITH THE “GOLD” OF HIS GOSPEL. THIS IS THE PURITY THAT CAN WITHSTAND THE REFINING FIRES OF HOSTILE PERSECUTION, SPIRITUAL CORRUPTION, AND SPIRITUAL DESTRUCTION. BUY GOLD!
SECONDLY, PUT ON WHITE CLOTHES. WHITE CLOTHING IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS A BEAUTIFUL SYMBOL OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT HAS THE POWER TO COVER OUR SPIRITUAL NAKEDNESS.
THESE WHITE CLOTHES CANNOT BE BOUGHT OR EARNED BECAUSE THEY ARE A GIFT GIVEN TO US BY CHRIST. BECAUSE LAODICEA WAS KNOWN FOR THEIR "BLACK" WOOL INDUSTRY THEY GOT THE MESSAGE "LOUD AND CLEAR" WHEN JESUS KEPT EMPHASIZING THE COLOR "WHITE."
THE ANALOGY BETWEEN THE COLORS BLACK AND WHITE MADE QUITE AN IMPACT ON THE CHURCH. THAT’S WHY I DON’T THINK IT TOOK A GENIUS TO FIGURE OUT THAT IF WHITE SIGNIFIED RIGHTEOUSNESS THEN BLACK HAD TO SYMBOLIZE A VERY DEADLY SPIRITUAL CONDITION. THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO PUT ON THE WHITE CLOTHES OF JESUS CHRIST.
THIRDLY, WE ANOINT OUR EYES WITH SALVE. IN CONTRAST TO THE FAMOUS EYE SALVE FOR WHICH LAODICEA WAS SO WELL KNOWN FOR, THE LORD URGES THEM TO ANOINT THEIR EYES WITH THE EYE SALVE OF THE TRUTH SO THEY CAN BE ABLE TO SEE THINGS AS GOD SEES THEM.
JESUS IS NOT TALKING ABOUT LITERAL MEDICATION, BUT RESTORING THEIR SPIRITUAL SIGHT. JESUS IS SAYING THAT THEY ARE BLIND TO THEIR SPIRITUAL NEEDS BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO FOCUSED ON THE MATERIAL THINGS AND HAVE BECOME OVERLY CONTENT WITH THEIR SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
IN ORDER TO BE CONFIDENT OF THEIR CLEAR VISION INTO SPIRITUAL MATTERS LAODICEA NEEDED TO OPEN THEIR EYES BY ANOINTING THEIR EYES WITH SPIRITUAL SALVE.
BUYING GOLD, PUTTING ON WHITE RAIMENTS, AND ANOINTING OUR EYES WITH SALVE IS A WARNING TO ALL PEOPLE THAT SALVATION MUST BE AUTHENTIC. AUTHENTIC SALVATION COMES ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST BY THE GRACE OF GOD WHO MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE.
JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE WITH HIM IN PARADISE AND THAT IS WHY HE IS PICTURED AS STANDING AT THE DOOR OF THE CHURCH KNOCKING AND SEEKING ENTRANCE. HERE IS THE LORD OF THE CHURCH PLEADING WITH HIS PEOPLE NOT TO CLOSE THE DOOR OF THEIR CHURCH TO HIM.
WHENEVER WE REFUSE TO LET CHRIST TAKE HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS LORD AND SAVIOR OF THE CHURCH WE LITERALLY SLAM THE DOOR OF THE CHURCH IN HIS FACE, LEAVING HIM ON THE OUTSIDE, SEEKING ADMISSION INTO THAT WHICH IS RIGHTFULLY HIS.
WITH CHRIST ON THE OUTSIDE, THERE CAN BE NO FELLOWSHIP OR GENUINE WEALTH. BUT WITH CHRIST ON THE INSIDE THERE IS WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP AND SHARING OF THE MARVELOUS GRACE OF GOD.
JESUS STILL MAKES HIS APPEAL FOR THOSE WHO WILL HEAR HIS KNOCKING AND OPEN THE DOOR. IF WE OPEN THE DOOR HE WILL COME IN AND GIVE US THE RIGHT TO SIT WITH HIM ON HIS THRONE AND SHARE IN HIS VICTORY.
THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES ARE A REMARKABLY COMPLETE TREATMENT OF PROBLEMS THAT ARE FACING OUR CHURCHES TODAY.
THE DANGERS WE FACE TODAY ARE: LOSING OUR FIRST LOVE, BEING AFRAID OF SUFFERING, WATERING DOWN AND REWRITING OUR DOCTRINE, SURRENDERING OUR MORALS, SPIRITUAL DEADNESS, NOT HOLDING FAST, AND BEING LUKEWARM TOWARDS THE THINGS OF GOD.
AS WE CONCLUDE OUR SERIES ON THE CHURCHES OF REVELATION WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THESE SEVEN LETTERS CAME FROM JESUS CHRIST PERSONALLY.
BECAUSE THEY ARE PERSONAL, THE LETTERS TAKE ON SIGNIFICANCE AS GOD’S FINAL WORD OF APPEAL TO ALL THE CHURCHES DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES.
THE FINAL APPEAL IS TO ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL HEAR WHAT THESE LETTERS ARE SAYING. PEOPLE IN CHURCHES TODAY WOULD DO WELL TO LISTEN.
ACCEPT THE LORD’S ENCOURAGEMENT TODAY TO KEEP THE FAITH, REMAIN ENTHUSIASTIC, AND SEIZE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL.
THE REASON WE DO ALL THESE THINGS IS SO THAT WHEN JESUS CALLS US HOME, WE WILL ESCAPE THE TORTURE OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND WE WILL SUFFER NO MORE.
WE WILL JOIN THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT, THAT GREAT UNTOLD NUMBER OF BELIEVERS FROM EVERY NATION ON EARTH, WHO SHALL STAND BEFORE GOD’S THRONE FOR ALL ETERNITY WORSHIPPING HIM.
WITH THIS, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SHALL LEAD US TO THE FOUNTAINS OF LIVING WATER THAT WE MAY BE REFRESHED FOREVER AND NEVER THIRST AGAIN.
IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? THEN, WILL YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT TO JESUS TODAY? FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN AWAY, WILL YOU MAKE A RECOMMITMENT OF YOUR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST AS WELL? WILL THE CHURCH MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO CHRIST TO ALLOW HIM TO MAINTAIN HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE WITHIN HER? LET US MAKE IT NOW!
