1600-5 Church

REVELATION 3:14-22
G. Laodicea: The naked: blind, poor, naked
Lukewarm 18 I counsel thee to buy of 5 The counsel
Church, 3:14-22 me gold tried in the fire, that a. Buy spiritual gold,
thou mayest be rich; and clothing, & eye salve
white raiment, that thou
mayest be clothed, and that
the shame of thy nakedness
1 The recipients 14 And unto the angel of do not appear; and anoint
a. The messenger of the the church of the Laodiceans thine eyes with eyesalve, that
church write; These things saith the thou mayest see.
b. The Laodicean church
DS1
Amen, the faithful and true 19 As many as I love, I re- b. Be zealous & repent
2 The speaker—Jesus witness, the beginning of the buke and chasten: be zealous
creation of God; therefore, and repent.
3 The complaint: Are 15 I know thy works, that 20 Behold, I stand at the door, c. Hear the Lord...open
neither cold nor hot, but thou art neither cold not hot: and knock: if any man hear your heart...fellowship
lukewarm I would thou wert cold or my voice, and open the door, with Him
hot. I will come in to him, and
4 The warning: Will be 16 So then because thou art will sup with him, and he
spued out lukewarm, and neither cold with me.
nor hot, I will spue thee out 21 To him that overcometh 6 The promise: To the
of my mouth. will I grant to sit with me in overcomers
a. Because of your false pro- 17 Because thou sayest, I am my throne, even as I also a. Will be enthroned
fession: Saying you are rich, and increased with overcame, and am set down b. Will be enthroned even
rich & in need of nothing goods, and have need of with my Father in his throne. as Christ is enthroned
b. Because of your true nothing; and knowest not that 22 He that hath an ear, let
condition: You are thou art wretched, and miser- him hear what the Spirit saith
wretched, miserable, able, and poor, and blind, and unto the churches.

THE CHURCH: SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION

G. Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church, 3:14-22

(3:14-22) Introduction: this is the last church addressed by Christ, and it is the worst church. Christ does not commend Lao-
dicea at all. This is the one church about which He has nothing good to say. Imagine a church that may as well not exist—a
church that has no good within its body whatsoever—a church that does no good at all. What was it that made the church so
bad? So useless and worthless? Lukewarmness, which means that the church was indifferent, complacent, lethargic, self-
satisfied, half-hearted, and neutral. The church and its believers were only half-way committed to Christ, only half-hearted in
their worship and service for Him. Imagine! To Christ there is no good whatsoever in a lukewarm, half-committed believer,
and most church members are lukewarm! There are few who are really hot, that is, really committed. Hence, this is a critical
message that must be heeded by all churches and believers. We must study what Christ says to this church and heed His
warning and counsel.
1. The recipients (v.14).
2. The speaker—Jesus (v.14).
3. The complaint: the church is neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm (v.15).
4. The warning: will be spued out (v.16-17).
5. The counsel (v.18-20).
6. The promise: to the overcomers (v.21-22).

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(3:14) Minister—Church: there are the recipients. Christ sends this message to the minister, for he is the one who is ul-
timately responsible for the state of the church. Christ expects the minister to be the first to heed the warning against lu-
kewarmness and half-hearted commitment. Then Christ expects the minister to take the message of the Lord to the church
and declare His warning to its believers. The point to see is this: the minister is held accountable by Christ for the indiffe-
rence and complacency of the believers. He expects the minister to arouse himself and repent, and to arouse the believers and
lead them to repentance and whole-hearted commitment.

DEEPER STUDY # 1
(3:14) Laodicea: there is only one historical fact that seems to have a bearing upon this letter. Laodicea was the chief city of
Phrygia—an extremely wealthy and prosperous city. It lay astride three of the most important highways of its day. It was a
city of enormous wealth. The city had three particular claims to fame. It was...
• a financial and banking center
• a clothing manufacturing center
• the location of a famous medical school renown for the eye salve which it produced.
Perhaps the condition of the church in v.17—“poor, blind, and naked”—has reference to these three industries.

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