.rm65 STUDIES IN REVELATION. Mr K Gerner BA. (Revised)
Lesson 8.THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA. Chapter 3 v.14 to 29
1.PLACE OF LAODICEA
(a) Site of CIty 40 miles East of Ephesus, this city had grown rapidly and was rich, situated on one of the richest trade routes. It had an earthquake in A.D. 60 but still had enough money to rebuild the whole town. It was famous for its clothes, made of black wool from sheep, also for business and banking in gold. It had a famous school of medicine with special ointment for healing ears and eyes.
REV 3:18 NIV I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
(b) Church position. The Church was led by EPAPHRAS (one of Paul's travelling companions) Worldliness has crept into the Body, which led to a deterioration in spiritual life. (cf Colossians chap 1)
MAR 4:19 NIV but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Rich cares and desires of the world creep in and spoil the seed of the Word of God. A Church becoming rich, may become less Gospel,minded and replace it by social programmes.
(c) Contentment is key to Prosperity There is no direct support here for a Pentecostal teaching on "prosperity" at the expense of the poor, which runs against Paul's doctrine:
1TI 6:5 NIV men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
You cannot just join a Church and give money with the aim of becoming rich.
There is GAIN IN CONTENTMENT in having good and clothing, putting CHRIST FIRST.Paul certainly lost everything for Christ.
PAUL DID NOT AIM AT PROSPERITY for its own sake, but for serving Christ.
PHI 3:7 NIV But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
IF GOD DOES PROSPER YOU, USE IT FOR THE KINGDOM.Failure to do this, can lead to SPIRITUAL POVERTY, despite material success.
2.THE POWER OF CHRIST
REV 3:14 NIV " These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.
(a) Christ is the FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS.
This is contrasted with the unreliable and unfaithful witness of the Church.
(b) Christ is RULER AND BEGINNER OF GOD'S CREATION
Greek word "arche" is used here, and applied later to God the Father
REV 21:6 NIV He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
Christ was the ORIGIN, PRIME SOURCE AND ACTIVE CAUSE as RULER AND BEGINNER of God's Creation. ALL CREATION rested upon the willingness of Christ to DIE, before Creation began.
1PE 1:18 NIV For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,19 but with the precious blood of Christ, without blemish or defect.20 He was chosen before the creation of the but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
Scripture teaches elsewhere that Christ is from everlasting to everlasting, and therefore, the same as Creator Jehovah.
MIC 5:2 NIV "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. "
HEB 1:3 NIV The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
HEB 1:8 NIV But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
HEB 1:10 NIV He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
CHRIST BY CONTRAST, SHOWS THE CHURCH FOUNDATION WAS BUILT ON SAND. HE WAS CLOTHED WITH ZEAL LIKE A CLOKE AND FINDS THEIR LUKEWARMNESS DISTASTEFUL.
3.POSITION OF THE CHURCH
REV 3:16 NIV So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
The Lord would have preferred them to be spiritually dead and unsaved in preference to being lukewarm, just as the HOT SPRINGS AT HIEROPOLIS (only 6 miles away) were useless and lukewarm when tapped at Laodicea.
The Lord then threatens to cast them to one side as useless in His service. He thus attacks
(a) THEIR LACK OF ZEAL
Doctors used lukewarm water to create vomiting by patients. God wants them fervent in spirit, without pressure.
APOLLOS had this quality, although he knew only water baptism.
ACT 18:25 NIV He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.
PAUL wanted his converts to serve the Lord
ROM 12:11 NIV Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
JESUS brought a glow in the spirit to the 2 Emmaus disciples
LUK 24:32 NIV They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
LACK OF ZEAL is often brought about by increase in financial prosperity with enough religion to dull the conscience, like DEMAS.
2TI 4:10 NIV for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.
Similarly there were those in Israel, who tried to serve the Devil and God
1KI 18:21 NIV Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.
JESUS MADE IT CLEAR THAT A CHRISTIAN CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MONEY
MAT 6:24 NIV "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
(b) SPIRITUAL POWER HAD BEEN REPLACED BY EMPHASIS ON MATERIAL WEALTH
SMYRNA was a materially poor, but spiritually rich church (Rev.2:9), by contrast, and these Christians had deceived themselves into this spiritual loss, but had not deceived the Lord Jesus. THEY WERE NO LONGER SEEKING FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD and His righteousness.
MAT 5:3 NIV "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
MAT 6:31 NIV So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32 For the pagans run after all these and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, Each day has enough troubles of its own.
THE APOSTLES ADDED THAT ;
(i) Christians should NOT trust in UNCERTAIN RICHES, but have faith in God
1TI 6:17 NIV Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
(ii) Christians should avoid capitalist exploitation of the poor God will judge all such people later
JAM 5:2 NIV Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.
(iii) God has chosen THE POOR OF THIS WORLD who are rich in faith
JAM 2:5 NIV Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
JERUSALEM COUNCIL set same emphasis on giving to the poor
GAL 2:10 NIV All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
4.PROMISES OF CHRIST
REV 3:18 NIV I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
CHRIST IS HERE OFFERING TO THE CHURCH ;
(a) GOLD of pure faith
This is the kind of character that remains true under TRIAL
1PE 1:7 NIV These have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.
(b) WHITE GARMENT of pure and real life
REV 16:15 NIV "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."
REV 19:8 NIV Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
(c) HEALING FOR VISION SO THEIR EYE COULD BE SINGLE & FULL OF LIGHT
MAT 6:19 NIV "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
MAT 6:21 NIV For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.22 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
(d) CHRIST SHOWED HIS LOVE BY REBUKING & CHASTENING THEM IN THAT CONDITION.
REV 3:19 NIV Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
PROPHECY CAN BE COUCHED IN VERY STRONG WORDS AND STILL BE GIVEN IN LOVE using words about being "wretched,poor and blind..."
GOD CHASTENS EVERY SON whom He receives (Heb 12:v 1 to v 17)
Only evil people refuse to come to the light
JOH 3:20 NIV Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
THE JOB OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is to CONVICT OF SIN
JOH 16:8 NIV When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement:
THE LORD ALWAYS REPROVES THOSE WHOM HE LOVES
PRO 3:12 NIV because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
THOSE WHO OVERCOME HAVE GREAT PRIVILEGES, but the LORD WARNS STRONGLY OF THE DANGERS OF SLOTH, FEAR AND LACK OF FAITH
cf Matthew 25 v.14 to 30, Hebrews 3 v.6 to 19 and Hebrews 6.v.1 to 20
(Greek here is "Philo" of a LOVE BASED ON ESTEEM AND JUDGEMENT)
Illus: DAVID WAS REBUKED AND CHASTENED BY THE CHILD'S DEATH
2SA 12:1 NIV The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
2SA 12:13 NIV Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to 4 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."
(e) BE ZEALOUS AND REPENT. Get your zeal back for God
THE LORD WILL KEEP KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. Those who hear and repent, will have complete restoration as Christ sups with them
LUK 12:36 NIV like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them waiting when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
CHRIST WILL COME INTO THE HOUSE AS MASTER AND LORD ....."he eat with Me"
Christ can dwell with us
JOH 6:56 NIV Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
In the Son of Solomon, the Bride invites her lover to eat fruit, which he had prepared for her.
SON 4:16 NIV Awake, north wind, and come, south wind! Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread abroad. Let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.
JOHN chap 21 shows how Christ asks them to bring fish, although He already had a feast prepared. He then restored Peter.
GOD CAN KNOCK ON DOORS OF CLOSED CHURCHES by SCRIPTURE, BY SPIRITUAL GIFTS, CONVICTION OF SIN AND THE WITNESS OF SPIRITUAL PEOPLE, and even by such events as sickness and bereavement.
(f)_REIGNING WITH CHRIST
ZEC 6:13 NIV It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.'
HEB 1:8 NIV But about the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom.
MAT 19:28 NIV Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
LUK 22:30 NIV so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
MAT 20:21 NIV "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."22 "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered.23 Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
2TI 3:12 NIV In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
1CO 6:2 NIV Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?
Eastern Thrones had several on one bench seat, to reign together; and God is training us NOW to reign. LET CHRIST REIGN OVER YOU AND THEN YOU WILL REIGN OVER OTHERS