Revelation 3:14-22

Subject: Condemnation
Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22
Sermon: “The Foolish Church”

Introduction:
A.  Increasingly, today's young people know little or nothing about the Western moral tradition.
   This was recently demonstrated by Tonight Show host Jay Leno. Leno frequently does "man-on-the street" interviews, and one night he collared some young people to ask them questions about the Bible. "Can you name one of the Ten Commandments?" he asked two college-age women. One replied, "Freedom of speech?" Mr. Leno said to the other, "Complete this sentence: Let he who is without sin..." Her response was, "have a good time?" Mr. Leno then turned to a young man and asked, "Who, according to the Bible, was eaten by a whale?" The confident answer was, "Pinocchio."

B.  This was the biblical depth of the people who made up the church at Laodicea

Bible Background:
A.  The Letters to the seven churches
1.  Seven letters appealing for vigor and vigilance – he will neither spare nor despair of the churches
2.  Teaching about practice precedes doctrine here unlike most epistles where doctrine precedes practice
3.  Linguistic procedure: a Greeting, a title of Christ, a section headed “I know” usually introducing praise, a criticism of the church (except Smyrna and Philadelphia), a warning, an exhortation, a promise
4.  Linguistic pattern: Churches 1 and 7 are in grave danger; 2 and 6 are in excellent shape; and 3-5 are in the middle, neither good nor bad
ILL Weirsbe:
(a)  Ephesus was the careless church
(b)  Smyrna was the crowned church
(c)  Pergamum was the compromising church
(d)  Thyatira was the corrupted church
(e)  Sardis was the feeble church
(f)  Philadelphia was the faithful church
(g)  Laodicea was the foolish church

B.  The City of Laodicea
1.  Modern city of Eski-hisar
2.  Antiochus II fortified the earlier city of Diospolis as a Seleucid outpost between 261 and 253 BC naming it after his wife “Laodice” whom he divorced in 253 BC – city called Laodicea on the Lycus and Laodicea of Asia to distinguish it from at least 4 other cities of the same name – on a plateau in the fertile valley of the Lycus river on a prominent trade route where three roads come together – 6 miles couth of Hierapolis (Col 4:13) 11 miles west of Colossae which were the other two cities of the Lycus valley – and a hundred miles east of Ephesus
3.  188 BC came under the Pergamenes and under Romans in 133 BC – large Jewish community – 60 AD the city was hit by a earthquake but was so rich it refused imperial donations!
4.  Would have been a great military fortress but for its lack of water – very rich, known for carpets and clothes made from black wool, and seat of a flourishing medical school
3.  Laodicea = lao" = people and dikaw = I rule = the rule of the people = democracy

C.  The church
1.  Epaphras founded the church since he founded the Colossae church or some suggest that Archippus, Philemon’s son (Phile 2) was its pastor (Col 4:17) since the 14th cen. Apostolic Constitutions names Archippus as the bishop of Laodicea
2.  Closely connected to Colossae and mentioned 5 times in Paul’s letter to the Colossians (2:1; 4:13, 15, 16 twice) – Paul mentions Nympha or Nymphas and the church at his or her house and Archippus might have been from there – Paul’s letter has not survived but it may be the letter to the Ephesians which the heretic Marcionites called the letter to the Laodiceans
3.  Jesus’ letter doesn’t speak of persecution (why would Satan persecute a dead church) but they probably suffered the same problem as Colossian gnosticism (failed to believe in the deity of Christ)
4.  The downward spiral that began with Ephesus and the three middle churches reaches bottom with Laodicea

Transitional Sentence: The message of Jesus to the church in Sardis tells us that Jesus will condemn us if we fail to repent

I.  The Condemnation of Phony Religion  Revelation 3:14-17

A.  A False View of Christ  Rev 3:14
1.  Amen – only time in NT used as a title – from Isa 65:16  lit. “He shall swear by the God of Amen” = truth, affirmation, certainty – used to affirm the truthfulness of a statement – Jesus is the God of truth incarnate – affirms His deity – 2 Cor 1:20 = all God’s covenants and promises are fulfilled in Christ – true reflects upon Christ’s character and His message
2.  Faithful and True Witness – John 14:6 – Rev 1:5 = only other place Jesus is called a witness (Rev 22:20) – faithful and true is the name of the rider on the white horse (Rev 19:11) and the word (Rev 21:5; 22:6)
3.  Beginning of the creation of God – Col 1:15 – Christ was not the first creation but the source of creation (Rev 22:13; John 1:3; Heb 1:2) – possible problem with gnosticism as at Colossae – Col 1:15 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. – firstborn = supreme or preeminent one, the one receiving the highest honor – this damning heresy about the person of Christ was the reason the Laodicean church was spiritually dead
ILL William Wilberforce, Real Christianity: The title of Christian is a reproach to us if we turn our selves away from him after whom we are named.  The name of Jesus is not to be to us like Allah of the Mohammedans or like a talisman or an amulet worn on the arm as an external badge in the symbol of a profession thought to preserve one from evil by some mysterious and unintelligible potency.  Instead we should allow the name of Jesus to be engraved deeply on the heart, written there by the finger of God himself in everlasting characters.  It is our sure and undoubted title to present peace and future glory.

B.  A False View of the Church  Rev 3:15-17
1.  Lukewarm  Rev 3:15-16
(a)  The Lord lets us know about His moral nausea caused by lukewarm religion – Laodicians professed Christianity and were self-complacent and self-satisfied – saw no need to repent – absolute rejection of religion was preferable to what the Laodicians were doing – works always reveal people’s true spiritual state (Matt 7:16 You will know them by their fruits; Rom 2:6 who WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.) – water supply to Laodicea came through several miles of aqueduct before reaching the city foul, dirty, and tepid
(b)  Cold nor boiling hot (zestos – zest soap)
(1)  Cold and hot = metaphors for “for Me” or “against Me” – hot = pejoritive metaphor for a lack of control (Prov 15:18) and cold a positive for restraint (Prov 17:27) – Heirapolis had medicinal hot spring and Colossae had pure cold water but the water at Laodicea were lukewarm = used as a metaphor for barrenness and ineffectiveness – lukewarm = vacillation like Matt 6:24; 12:30
(2)  Hot people are those who are spiritual alive and possess the fervency of a transformed life while spiritually cold are rejecters of Christ who have no spiritual response with no interests in Christ, His word, or His church – no pretense but are not hypocrites
(b)  Vomit = only place in NT = course figure of speech = utterly reject them – some churches make the Lord weep, some angry, but Laodicea made Him sick! –lukewarm seems to be those who are not saved but do not reject the gospel – they attend church and claim to know the Lord, but are self-righteous hypocrites – Matt 7:22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ – 2 Tim 3:5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these. = such obnoxious hypocrisy nauseates Christ
ILL John R. W. Stott in What Christ Thinks of the Church: Perhaps none of the seven letters is more appropriate to the twentieth century church than this. It describes vividly the respectable, sentimental, nominal, skin-deep religiosity which is so widespread among us today. Our Christianity is flabby and anemic. We appear to have taken a lukewarm bath of religion.
2.  Self-sufficiency  Rev 3:17
1.  Based in material things – I am rich and have need of nothing (allusion to Hos 12:9) – no dependence upon God – their works showed the lie to their empty words – deceived like the rich young ruler about their spiritual condition (Matt 19:16-22 And behold, one came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  20 The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieved; for he was one who owned much property.) – wealth gave them a false sense of security as they thought their spiritual condition mirrored their city’s material wealth
ILL St. Augustine's: "Many whom God has, the church does not have; and many whom the church has, God does not have."
2.  Blinded to their true spiritual condition
(a)  Miserable – only used in Rom 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?= conscious and unconscious wretchedness
(b)  Pitiable – only other place in NT is in 1 Cor 15:19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
(c)  Poor – begging to survive = most destitute word for poverty – in great spiritual debt
(d)  Blind – unable to see their spiritual condition
(e)  Naked – shameful morally
ILL Billy Graham in Storm Warning: In the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew's devastation, as my grandson, Stephan-Nelson, was working night and day helping the survivors to get water and food, he noticed a sign on the roof of one house which read: "Okay, God. You've got our attention. Now what?"  I see storms of apocalyptic proportions on the horizon. God is beginning to get our attention. Now what?

II.  The Cure of Phony Religion  Revelation 3:18-20

A.  The Person of Salvation  Rev 3:18
1.  Jesus speaks to the three problems listed in v. 17 and builds upon them in v. 18 for the key admonition – all figurative language for receiving Christ as Savior and receiving the benefits of salvation
2.  Poor are to buy gold from Christ – Paradox for salvation – unworthy poor in spirit need to come to Christ to receive riches from Him and not material riches – Lost cannot buy salvation (Isa 64:5 Thou dost meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers Thee in Thy ways. Behold, Thou wast angry, for we sinned, We continued in them a long time; And shall we be saved? 6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.) – Isa 55:1 HO! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. – offer our wretchedness in repentance for Christ’s righteousness – 1 Pet 1:7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ – 1 Tim 6:18-19 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
3.  White clothes – symbol of true redemption – Laodicea famous for black wool and blsck is a biblical symbol of sinful, filthy garments clothing the unregenerate (Isa 64:6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.) but God uses white garments (3:4-5; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13-14; Isa 61:10) symbolizing righteous deeds that accompany saving faith (19:8)
ILL R. Larry Moyer, Right Smack in the Middle of Sin: In the day of horse and buggies, a father went to the school house to pick up his three children ages 9, 11, and 17. As soon as he had them in the buggy--just before he stepped in--probably out of fear of the storm, the horses bolted and took off in the blizzard. Hours and miles later, when he found his children, the 17-year-old girl stood over the dead and frozen bodies of her brother and sister ages 9 and 11. Sobbing uncontrollably, she collapsed into his arms. When she had regained her composure, she explained to her dad that she tried to take her big, heavy coat and wrap it around them all. But she said, "The coat wasn't big enough."
   The blood that Christ shed on the cross was big enough to cover all of your sins and mine--all your lusting, all your lying, all your cheating, all your hatred, all your own faults.
4.  Eye salve – famous medical school in Laodicea where a famous ophthalmologist practiced named Demosthenes Philalethes – offer of eye salve – blindness = lack of spiritual understanding and knowledge of spiritual truth

B.  The Process of Salvation  Rev 3:19-20
1.  Respond to Christ’s Love  Rev 3:19a
(a)  Christ reproves and chastens according to His love – if He loves great, He will reprove and chasten great – severity of the rebuke is a sign of Christ’s love which summons to repentance and abiding – communion with Christ requires that they open their hearts to repentance – filein is used of Christ love for man – not used in LXX or the NT (except in John 16:27) of God’s love for man, but agapan (as 1:5; 3:9) which has more to do with the reasoning than filein which is more concerned with natural affections – also the Bible encourages man to agapa God but not filh God – in John 11:3, 36; 20:2 filein is used of Christ’s love for Lazarus and John, but elsewhere always agapa – no parallel to filein here in the NT – deliberate use of the emotional word, a touching and unexpected manifestation of love to those who deserve it least among the seven churches – reproof and chastisement are evidence not of Christ’s rejection but of His love – love is not cruel but it can be severe
(b)  Reprove = expose and convict and is usually used of God’s dealings with sinners (John 3:18-20; 16:8; 1 Cor 14:24; Tit 1:9; Jude 15)
(c)  Discipline = punishment (Luke 23:16, 22) and is used of God’s convicting of unbelievers (2 Tim 2:25) – used of training a child in Eph 6:4 – 1 Cor 11:32; Heb 12:7-11
2.  Repent of Sin  Rev 3:19b
(a)  Zeal is mentioned as a permanent element in Christian character (Matt 5:4, 6)
(b)  Repentance is not a meritorious work but necessary for salvation (Matt 3:2, 8; 4:17; Mark 6:12; Luke 13:3, 5; 15:7, 10; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20; Rom 2:4; 2 Cor 7:10; 2 Tim 2:25; 2 Pet 3:9) turning to God from sin (1 Thes 1:9)
ILL Martin Llyod-Jones in Studies in the Sermon on the Mount: Repentance means that you realize that you are a guilty, vile sinner in the presence of God, that you deserve the wrath and punishment of God, that you are hell-bound. It means that you begin to realize that this thing called sin is in you, that you long to get rid of it, and that you turn your back on it in every shape and form. You renounce the world whatever the cost, the world in its mind and outlook as well as its practice and you deny yourself, and take up the cross and go after Christ. – Acts 11:18 And when they heard this, they quieted down, and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”
3.  Receive Christ as Savior  Rev 3:20
(a)  The individual heart but the church itself – invitation is a personal one, since salvation is individual, but calling the people in this church to saving faith
(b)  Dine– evening meal For an oriental to eat with a person meant close confidence and affection = fellowship, communion and intimacy

III.  The Conqueror of Phony Religion  Revelation 3:21

A.  Rule with God the Son  Rev 3:21a
1.  Eschatological verse – promise to the martyrs to sit on Christ’s throne – fulfillment in 20:4
2.  Luke 22:30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.; 2 Tim 2:11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. – but often in Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:4, 6; 22:5 and is modeled after Dan 7:18 But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come., 27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’ – allusion to Ps 110:1 THE LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.”

B.  Rule with God the Father  Rev 3:21b – overcomers will get to eat from the tree of life (2:7) crown of life (2:10) protection from the second death (2:11) hidden manna (2:17) white stone with a new name (2:17) authority to rule (2:26-27) morning star (2:28) white garments (3:5) Christ confess their names before the Father and the angels (3:5) pillar in God’s temple (3:12) name of God, New Jerusalem, and Christ (3:12) – Jude 23

Conclusion:  Rev 3:22
A.  Warning to hear and obey = ends with an exhortation to heed the counsel, commands, and promises it contains – he who has an ear – the spiritual dead zombies playing church needed to heed Christ’s warning of impending judgment – need to wake up before it was too late to save their church – some revival took place for Melito served server decades after John wrote this letter – it is not too late for other dead churches to find the path to spiritual renewal

B.  Rom 8:28-39