Why do you spit something out of your mouth? If it is disgusting to you and you find it beyond unacceptable, you are quickly compelled to spit it out. The same could be said of the condition of the church in Laodicea; they were found to be lukewarm.

Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” – Revelation 3:14-16

Lukewarmness is a picture of compromise. It’s the Christian trying to become like God and become like this world at the same time. In trying to be both, they end up being nothing.

Lukewarmness is a picture of uselessness. “Hot water heals, cold water refreshes, but lukewarm water is useless for either purpose.”

There is no one more miserable than the lukewarm Christian. They have too much of the world to be happy in Jesus, but too much of Jesus to be happy in the world. They may call themselves “transformed,” but they aren’t acting any different than they used to. To the unbeliever, the lukewarm Christian is doing more damage than they are good.

Take a look at the first-century Church. They had lost their first love, tolerated idolatry and sexual sin, permitted in the church what should never have been there, were self-deceived into thinking they were perfect and fully alive, but Jesus saw them as dead. And today Jesus looks at the Church and sees much the same.  Yet, God loves His church, His bride. They are the people that He sent Jesus to save from the bondage of sin in this life and the pits of hell throughout eternity.

What is the Church? The word comes from two Greek words: Called and Out. Called out ones.  Called out from darkness and into light. And, specifically, called out from their homes to gather together, and we are still called out to the gathering of the saints today.

Over the past year, because of shifts caused by COVID, people started watching church instead of engaging with the church family. I understand that some have been unable to gather for a season, but this is not meant to become a permanent habit. We are meant to be connected together, carrying out the “one another” commands: helping one other, serving, praying with, encouraging, and ministering to one other.

Laodicea

The name Laodicea means “rule of the people.” This church represents a church run by majority rule instead of God. Everything is decided by popular opinion. In wanting to be everything to everybody… they became nothing and reached nobody. In efforts not to offend the people around them, they offended God who created them. Could this also sound familiar today?

“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So, I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”   – Revelation 3:17-19

Hear what they had to say about themselves: “I am Rich. I have everything I need. I don’t need a thing.” In working to build their net worth, they failed to realize they had become worthless. At the heart of their problem was blindness – they couldn’t see their true condition. They wanted to be seen rather than wanting to see! They needed to follow the example of the blind man:

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi, the blind man said, “I want to see!”  – Mark 10:51

I’m stirred by this man’s prayer! I want to see Lord. I want to see the condition I’m really in. I want to see His name became famous in the earth, not my name. I want to see His goodness, His glory.

How does Jesus see this church that He loves so dearly? They were wretched and miserable—being religious, but not living in a vital relationship with Jesus.

They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!  – 2 Timothy 3:5

They were poor, reduced to begging, thinking they had it all. They were blind, unable to see their true condition. They were naked, shameful, without even knowing it. In the Scriptures, nakedness is often associated with shame. They became like the ungodly culture around them.

How does this relate to us today? Looking at the culture around us, it is not difficult to see what is good is considered evil, and evil, considered good. Some churches and many who claim to follow Christ have conformed to the world. Instead of being a light in darkness, they are just getting darker, coddling people in their sin as they march to a fiery eternity in hell. In the effort not to offend people, they choose to offend God.

“So, I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”  – Revelation 3:18-19

The most important point of the verse is that the remedy in each case was something beyond their own resources. The solution must be bought by Christ, obtained by Christ. “Buy from me…” He knows they are poor; they can’t buy anything from Jesus. But they can come and admit they need His mercy. We can come to Him and say, “You have what I need, and I don’t have the means to buy it from you… HAVE MERCY LORD.”

When you come to the end of yourself, you have reached the beginning of God.
When God is all you have, He will be all you need.

The Lord corrects and disciplines everyone He loves! Jesus came not to wound them with His harsh words, but to get them in a position of healing. He was seeking a transformation in them! This message from Jesus shows that this book was written not just to comfort the afflicted but to afflict the comfortable, to stir them out of complacency and sinfulness toward true repentance and change.

Out of love, God is not leaving His church alone. His instruction to be diligent; be zealous means to BURN WITH ZEAL, to be heated or to boil. Be lukewarm no more!

I hear the Lord saying, BE HOT… be on fire! How do you get this way? How do you keep this way?

Turn to Jesus and become rich in faith.

The solution to your poverty is to buy pure gold from Jesus—gold that is precious, costly, valuable.

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold – though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.” – 1 Peter 1:6-7

What test have you been through lately? What happened to your faith in that? You became rich in faith. What will gold obtain for you? What will faith obtain for you?

“How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.”  – Psalms 31:19

When we go to Him for protection, we are assured of His goodness. Our faith is in Him alone!

Turn to Jesus and let him cover your shame.

The solution to your nakedness, your shame, is to buy white garments from Jesus. This is all about HIS righteousness! Real righteousness is receiving God’s covering instead of trying to cover ourselves. Adam and Eve tried to cover their own sin (Genesis 3:21) but God provided them with a covering that came from sacrifice (Genesis 3:7).

At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. When the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden, they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”  He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”  – Genesis 3:7-10

There is no healing in the hiding!

You cannot be hot for God when you are hiding in shame, when you feel God is mad at you. But receive His love and He will light up every dark place in your heart. Receive His amazing grace and your life will be hot with the embers of His love! There is a great difference between the work of the enemy and Jesus. Satan exposes and loves to shame, while Jesus loves to cover and give grace.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.  – Romans 5:1-2

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.  – Romans 8:1

Turn to Jesus and let him open your eyes.

Get relief from spiritual darkness through Christ, so that you may see.

Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”  – John 9:39-41 

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.” “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”  – Revelation 3:20-22

Jesus stood at the door of the Laodicean church knocking at the door. He stands knocking at our door. What will we do? How long will He knock? He won’t knock the door down, but He waits for us to open. He says, “If you hear my voice.” This is the heart of the matter: IF YOU WILL.

Remember that the Church is made of believers called out from their homes to gather together. It is not any more or less than the individuals that make up the gathering; you cannot change the Church without changing the individuals.

“And then we must not talk about setting the church right, we must pray for grace
each one for himself, for the text does not say, “If the church will open the door,” but
“If any man hear my voice and open the door.” It must be done by individuals: the
church will only get right by each man getting right.”  – Charles Spurgeon

When Jesus says any man, anyone, He is appealing to the individual. Even if the Church as a whole does not heed the warning, any individual may. 

Will you open the door to Him today?   

DIVE DEEPER 

Read 2 Timothy 2:22-24.

• What do you need to run away from?
• What should you run toward, to pursue righteous living? Name some specific ways you will pursue righteousness, starting NOW.
• Who are you supposed to join in companionship with?
• Have you found yourself taking up foolish and stupid arguments… maybe on social media? See Proverbs 15:1.

What are some examples of self-deception? Ask the Lord to search your heart and point out any area(s) you think you are in control, but you are not. There is no healing in the hiding.

As you pray through these areas this week, you may find yourself without words… weeping, maybe groaning. My friend, joy is coming! I hear the sound of joy from those what have turned to Jesus!

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.  – Psalms 30:5

The same grace that saved you will sustain you ‘til you finish strong!