Life Shaping Angles 12/13 April 2014

LAODICEA – THE CHURCH THAT IS LUKEWARM :14-22

Living in the tropical climate of Singapore where air-conditioning and ice-cool drinks offer welcome respite to the island’s year-round heat and humidity, we can identify readily with the metaphor of temperature used in Jesus’ assessment of the Laodicean Church. We are a people who appreciate a hot kopi in our freezing offices and a cool bubble tea while walking under the sun, and in both cases a lukewarm drink provides no such comfort. “Not here, not there”, we would likely complain.

For the Laodiceans, the analogy used in this judgment of being “lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold” (v16a) would have hit even closer to home. The city had no local water source, even though their neighbours in had access to hot springs, while those in nearby enjoyed cool, refreshing water. In fact, Laodicea’s water supply did come from Hierapolis, but it became lukewarm and lime-ridden by the time it reached the city, and drinking it was known to make people sick.

The Problem of Lukewarmness Jesus’ violent response of “spitting” them out (v16b) for their lukewarmness may seem harsh at first glance. In today’s context, we may perhaps think that being a “nominal Christian” by fulfilling one’s minimal duty of attending a church service once a week or month would still be better than not going to church at all. Yet, Jesus’ reaction was one of revulsion and being sickened to the point of vomiting (v16b), not dissimilar to someone having an adverse reaction to drinking lukewarm water ridden with caustic lime. The flaws of the other churches addressed in these letters seem more obvious and identifiable, such as the acceptance of false teaching or tolerance of sin. However, the main problem of the Laodicean church was even more serious and unacceptable.

While the letter does not cite specific examples of the Laodiceans’ lukewarmness, there are sufficient clues for us to uncover the root of the problem. Laodicea was at that time one of the richest commercial cities of the world. The letter reinforces this context by describing the Laodicean’s regard for their socio-economic standing: “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing” (v17a). The source of their identity was material wealth and success, and the basis of their pride was self-sufficiency. Such was their pride that the Roman historian Tacitus could report that when Laodicea suffered an earthquake in AD 60 the city recovered on its own, without need for Roman aid. Jesus’ evaluation of their status could not be more contrary: “you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked” (v17b), reminding them (and us) that the values of the Kingdom of God stand sharply in opposition to the values of the world.

What follows is another set of analogies the Laodiceans would have understood right away. For their poverty, Jesus offers real wealth refined by fire, not currency from their own banks; for their nakedness, white garments of purity and righteousness, made not from the black wool they were known for manufacturing; and for their blindness, salve for their eyes (v18). This last judgment would have stung – the Laodiceans were renown for a particular remedy for sore eyes, yet this reputation did not save them from being pronounced as blind. Blindness is the biblical diagnosis for stubborn unbelief, such as in the spiritual blindness of those to whom Isaiah was commissioned to prophesy (Isa 6:9-10) and the Pharisees who Jesus condemned (Matt 23:16-19).

By placing their trust in their riches and reputation, the Laodiceans blinded themselves to the things of God, and this was the source of their lukewarmness. The role of the church, back then and as it remains today, is to be the light to the world (Matt 5:14; Phil 2:15) in the same way Israel was to be the light unto the nations (Isa 49:6). The problem of lukewarmness is therefore not about quantifying the works the church accomplishes for the sake of Christ, but that of whether the life of the church fulfills its calling to faithfully and accurately reflect the grace and truth of the gospel to the world. The poor, complacent witness (if it can be called a witness at all!) of the Laodicean church was viewed with such disgust precisely because it jeopardised the “faithful and true witness” (v14) of the Christ whose glory has already been made known (John 1:14).

The Door to Repentance It would seem from this pronouncement that the Laodiceans’ condition was terminal and that they were beyond hope. Together with the church in Sardis, they were the two of the seven churches for whom no praise was given. Yet, even in Sardis, labelled a dead church in Rev 3:1, there remained a small group of faithful believers who remained pure and righteous (Rev 3:4). No such saving grace is evident in the letter to the Laodiceans, yet the reprimand was one of love, with a call to repentance (v19), serving as a reminder to us never to write off anyone as beyond God’s redemption.

The stakes were high for the Laodiceans, just as they are for our church today. Commentator Michael Wilcock writes: “the threat of total rejection if she will not repent is balanced by the promise of total reinstatement if she will.” The intention of Jesus’ rebuke was not to crush the Laodiceans through condemnation, but to offer salvation from the sickening mess they were in, in the same way John’s gospel relates Jesus’ words to us: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17).

As this letter demonstrates in such stark terms, the consequence of our stubbornness, pride and apathy are severe, but the promised reward is glorious. Apart from the gifts of real wealth, purification and clear vision (v18), there is also restored communion with Christ for those who open their doors to Him (v20). This is envisioned using the vivid imagery of fellowship through feasting, connoting a familial home setting reminiscent of Jesus’ promise in John 14:23: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

Finally, there is the promise of the Kingdom that is to come, a theme developed in greater detail throughout the rest of Revelation. Later in Rev 22:1-3, John is shown the throne shared by God and Christ the Lamb. In verse 21 we are given a foretaste of that vision and the prospect of our participation in it, for those who conquer will be granted the great honour of sitting at the throne together with both the Father and Son. The encouragement for us lies not only in the glorious reward itself, but its attainability because of the conquering that Christ Himself accomplished (v21b) through His suffering on the way to the cross. This Lenten season, is the perfect occasion for us to reflect on this, to take seriously Jesus’ warning against lukewarmness, to honestly inspect our own hearts, and to repent and open our doors to Him who suffered and overcame that we too might live.

Source: Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Commentaries (Nottingham, UK: Inter-Varsity Press, 1987) Robert W. Wall, Revelation , New International Biblical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1991) Michael Wilcock, The Message of Revelation: I Saw Heaven Opened, The Bible Speaks Today Commentaries (Nottingham, UK: Inter-Varsity Press, 1984) Tom Wright, Revelation for Everyone, New Testament for Everyone (London, UK: SPCK, 2012)

For Reflection & Prayer

As this season of Lent draws to a close, take some time to contemplate and reflect on what you have learnt from the seven letters in Revelation 2 & 3.

What did you hear the Spirit say to you? Was it about your first love (Ephesus), the sufferings you are experiencing (Smyrna), your compromise with biblical truths (Pergamum), your tolerance of sins (Thyatira), being asleep and dead in your faith (Sardis), your lack of perseverance (Philadelphia) and lukewarmness (Laodicea)?

Pray that the Spirit will continue to speak to you about these areas of your life and that you will also let Him do a continual transforming work in your heart and mind.

Pray that as each one of us learns to listen, trust and obey what the Spirit has been saying to us, both personally and as a church, the light that shines and dispels the darkness of our hearts will now shine through our lives as His lampstand to the world.

Sermon Notes