7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION -"Laodicea" -[Rev. 3:14-22] - Pastor Nathan Deisem - Fathom Church (7/7)

7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION – Laodicea
Pastor Nathan Deisem - “Hot, Cold, or Luke Warm”
Revelation 3:14-22

Laodicea – “The Luke Warm Church”
Laodicea is another very wealthy city on this large and lucrative trade route. Worship in this city was usual for the Roman Province of “Asia”, (Zeus, Caesar, Etc…). This City was mega wealthy: Thriving Banking (gold deposits), Medical Center (Asclepius like Pergamum - especially and eye medicine), and Textile industries (especially black wool – Remember Thyatira Purple Dye)! Damaged by an earthquake in A.D. 60 – they DECLINED imperial disaster relief money (Tacitus “Annals” - Self-Sufficient/Proud)! Theaters, Stadium, and a bath/gymnasium with a Water Tower. The waters of the nearby Lycos River Valley are muddy, turbid, and undrinkable. Aqueducts (and eventually clay pipes) brought water to the city – Hot Springs in Hierapolis and Cold from Colossae.
 Archippus: Possible Pastor/Bishop of Laodicea???
• Colossians 4:16-17 “16 After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And tell Archippus, “Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.”
• Philemon 1:1-3 “1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother: To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, 2 to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home. 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 3:14-22
Description of CHRIST:
14 Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the AMEN, the faithful and TRUE witness, the ORIGINATOR of God’s creation:

• AMEN – Truly – Verily – “Thus Saith The Lord”
o Faithful and TRUE Witness - ἀληθινός (Masculine Adjective mod-ing “witness”)
• ORIGINATOR of God’s creation
o Colossians 1:15-20 “The Centrality of Christ”
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
So that he might come to have first place in everything.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace
through his blood, shed on the cross.
o (also John 1:1-3)

COMMENDATION: NONE!!!

CORRECTION:
15 I know your works, that you are neither COLD nor HOT. I wish that you were COLD or HOT. 16 So, because you are LUKEWARM, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to VOMIT you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED.

• Neither COLD nor HOT
o COLD IS GOOD! – Spring water from Colossae (Refreshing Drink)
o HOT IS GOOD! – Hot Springs in Hierapolis (Purification and Healing)
 LUKE WARM/TEPID IS BAD/GROSS!!!
• Lukewarm – useless to God and to the lost and fallen world!
• POOR: Lost/Flesh
o Despite their enormous bank/wealth – they are Spiritually Bankrupt!
 God is infinite in Riches: Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, Righteousness, etc…
• Smyrna – Revelation 2:9a “I know your affliction and poverty, BUT YOU ARE RICH! …”
• BLIND: Pride
o Despite their eye medicine – they are Spiritually Blind!
 Spiritual Blindness is often caused by pride/self-righteousness
• NAKED: Sin
o Despite their lucrative textiles and renowned Wool – they are Spiritually Naked!
 Shame from sin (all the way back to the Garden – Genesis 3:7 ff)

COUNCIL:
18 I advise you to buy from me GOLD refined in the fire so that you may be rich, WHITE CLOTHES so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and OINTMENT TO SPREAD ON YOUR EYES so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. 20 See! 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.

o GOLD: Refined in the fire – It is not a comfortable process
 Isaiah 55:1
o WHITE CLOTHES: White representing purity/righteousness
 Isaiah 61:10
o OINTMENT for the EYES: Not the concoction you make but spiritual healing!
 Isaiah 42:5-7

COMMISSION:
21 “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”

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