Revelation 3:14-22
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Reading Michelle Bechler
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”
Intro
Laodicea (modern Eski-hisar, “the old fortress”) was located in the Lycus valley in southwest Phrygia at the juncture of two important imperial trade routes
Antiochus named the city after his wife Laodice.
The fertile ground of the Lycus valley provided good grazing for sheep. By careful breeding a soft, glossy black wool had been produced that was much in demand and brought fame to the region.
The most striking indication of the city’s wealth is that following the devastating earthquake of a.d. 60 the city was rebuilt without financial aid from Rome. Tacitus wrote, “Laodicea arose from the ruins by the strength of her own resources, and with no help from us.”
Also known for its medical treatments… Two of the most famous were an ointment from spice nard for the ears, and an eye-salve made from “Phrygian powder” mixed with oil.
Laodicea’s major weakness was its lack of an adequate and convenient source for water. Its location had been determined by the road system rather than by natural resources. Thus water had to be brought in from springs through a system of stone pipes approximately three feet in diameter
Hierapolis on one side was famous for its hot mineral baths and medical remedies. The mineral deposits from the waters have caked the cliffs for several hundred yards in a display probably not duplicated anywhere else in the world. From the valley floor below, it almost looks as though snow has fallen along the ridge. In antiquity as now, people flocked to Hierapolis and to the healing springs available to them there.
Colosse, on the other side, however, had a cold spring of water that issued forth from the side of the nearby mountain was boasted to be the finest supply of water in the region. Until this day visitors may slake their thirst at this spring.
Message
Jesus Diagnoses our Disease.
Jesus Diagnoses our Disease.
15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
He evaluates what we are doing.
I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.
Mission Creep…
19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
Thyatira… Laodicea
What does it mean to be HOT or COLD ?
Are you/we lukewarm?
He exposes who we are.
17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Who we say we are VS who He knows us to be
Jesus Provides His Prescription.
Jesus Provides His Prescription.
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
We need His Riches.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
We need His Righteousness.
Nakedness = shame… fall… Adam/Eve
Aaron - High Priest - Special Covering
Paul speaking of the Jews…
3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Paul Speaking of himself…
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
Jesus was stripped of his robes so that we could be clothed with them!
Crucifixion story
We need His Remedy.
1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
If we don’t acknowledge Jesus as our LORD and savior we are Blind.
If we don’t recognize Jesus as fully God and fully man we are blind.
If we don’t preach, teach, or share Jesus how will others know Him
43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.
We need His remedy… for sin!!
We must heed His Rebuke.
He reproves because He loves !!
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Therefore we must Repent… Be Zealous!!
Jesus Comforts those who desire Convalescence.
Jesus Comforts those who desire Convalescence.
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Jesus will always be there if we will have Him.
What does it mean to come and eat with someone?
This is what Jesus was always judged / rebuked for…
Mk 2:16 “16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?””
Luke 15:2 “2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.””
Matthew 9:11 “11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?””
This is what Jesus came for
Luke 5:32 “32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.””
17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus will grant us rest and rule when we endure.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Jesus brings the original creation back into order in us for all eternity!
Close
Group Questions
Group Questions
How do you think you would feel if you heard the Lord Jesus say, “You make Me sick!”? What would you say in response?
How have you been able to see that Jesus’ words are trustworthy in your life?
How would you explain the eternality of the Son? How would you defend it from Scripture?
Briefly research Jehovah’s Witness and Mormon teaching. What errors concerning the person of Christ do you see?
What does Jesus mean when He says the church at Laodicea was “lukewarm,” and how can we receive instruction from His rebuke?
Have you ever been mistaken or deceived about your spiritual condition or maturity? How did you come to learn of your mistake?
What is the proper response when the Lord exposes spiritual immaturity or disobedience in our lives?
What does it mean that sanctification, like justification, comes through faith?
Why is discipline actually a sign of love? How does this conflict with the conception of love in contemporary culture?
How is that we as believers benefit from Jesus’ victory and reign?