lukewarm

Heedless of Our Neediness.

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, 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. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:14-22 ESV

The church in Laodicea was founded some time in the middle of the third-century B.C. by Antiochus II, and named after his wife Laodice. It was a wealthy and prosperous city, known for its production of wool cloth. After it’s destruction in A.D. 60, as a result of a devastating earthquake, the citizens of Laodicea rebuilt at their own expense, with no assistance from Rome. It was an economically independent city filled with self-sufficient people, and this attitude had evidently infiltrated the church there. In His address to this, the final church of the seven, He refers to Himself as “the Amen.” This word can be translated as “so be it” or “may it be fulfilled.” Metaphorically, it could refer to faithfulness. It was common among Jews that when a passage of Scripture had been read or a prayer prayed, the rest of the congregation would react by saying “amen,” and by doing so, expressing their desire that the content of the passage or prayer be fulfilled. By referring to Himself in this manner, Jesus was not simply expressing His desire that the Word of God be fulfilled, He was designating Himself as the very fulfillment itself. He was the first and the last (Revelation 1:17), the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8). Jesus will combine all three of these statements in the latter part of the book of Revelation.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” – Revelation 22:12-13 ESV

These words from the lips of Jesus close out the book, reminding all believers to trust that He will fulfill all that is written in the book. He is the source of that fulfillment. He was the one who brought about all of creation. The gospel of John tells us, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3 ESV). And the apostle Paul reiterates that same truth:

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. – Colossians 1:16 ESV

And John records the words of Jesus presenting Himself to the church at Laodicea as “the beginning of God's creation” – which also reminds us that, as the Amen, He will be the one responsible for the re-creation of the heavens and the earth. And we can trust that He will fulfill all that has been recorded in the book of Revelation, because He is the faithful and true witness. This self-description by Jesus is particularly significant because He is getting ready to address the flaws in the church in Laodicea. And one of the glaring problems they had was their false perception of their spiritual condition. In fact, it was one of the first things Jesus pointed out.

“For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” – Revelation 3:17 ESV

Their words were a lie. They witnessed to something that was far from the truth. Their spiritual condition was not as they described it or, perhaps, even believed it to be. And Jesus describes their true condition as that of lukewarmness. Their self-deluded sense of spiritual superiority had left them in a state of apathetic mediocrity. They had a false sense of superiority that had blinded them to the true nature of the condition. Jesus declares to them that He would prefer that they be either hot or cold, but not lukewarm. In other words, He expresses His displeasure with their complacency and contentment to live in the no-man’s-land of spiritual mediocrity. They had not reverted to their old pagan ways but, at the same time, they were not on fire for the gospel. They were smuggly self-sufficient and thought themselves in need of nothing. But Jesus, the faithful and true witness, see them quite differently.

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” – Revelation 3:18 ESV

They were satisfied with worldly goods and temporal treasures. Unlike many of the other congregation to whom Jesus has addressed in this book, the Laodicean church was financially stable and its people were well-off. They had no idea what it was like to suffer from poverty or to experience hunger as a result of their faith. In their minds, they had no needs. And when you see yourself as without need, it is quite easy to live your life without God. They had lost their dependency upon God. So, Jesus calls them to return to Him in order to find what it is they really need. He offers them gold refined by fire, of a purity and quality that in unavailable on this earth. Of course, Jesus is not offering them actual gold, but spiritual riches that are of the purist quality. And the richness of which Jesus speaks is that of spiritual wealth, an abundance of good and godly attributes available only through a relationship with Jesus Himself. Jesus spoke of the kind of wealth He had in mind in His sermon on the mount.

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

Jesus offers them white garments, a sign of purity and sinlessness, available only through forgiveness of sin. They could purchase the finest garments made from the most expensive cloth, but their spiritual nakedness would remain uncovered. Temporal, earthly items can never remedy our spiritual condition. Clothes can make us look good, but they can’t make us truly good and righteous. And in order for the Laodiceans to see their true spiritual condition, Jesus offers them eye salve, to remove the spiritual blindness from which they suffered. They were oblivious to their condition. But notice that Jesus offers all of these things for purchase. In verse 18, He say, “I counsel you to buy from me…” It He suggesting that they work for these things? Is Jesus indicating that the spiritual goods He offered were up for sale? It would seem that the Laodiceans were used to sacrificing their money in order to purchase those things they thought they needed. They were more than willing to pay a high price for what they thought was of high value. But Jesus is letting them know that what they really needed was not available in the market, but only from Him. And it would cost them. The purity, holiness, and spiritual vision they needed was not going to come without sacrifice. They would have to turn their backs on their material wealth and social standing. They would have to admit their spiritual poverty and confess their self-sufficiency. They would have to give up those things that brought them comfort and contentment, and turn to the one who could give them life more abundantly.

The prophet Isaiah records the words of God, spoken to the people of Israel, calling them back to Him.

1 “Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live… – Isaiah 55:1-3 ESV

Notice that God commands to them to buy, but they have no money. What He offers them could be purchased with cash or credit cards. It was not reserved for the wealthy and well-to-do. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus had made it clear that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6 ESV). Jesus has already paid the price for our righteousness, and He makes it available to us free of cost. But we must come. We must desire what it is that He offers us.

So, Jesus calls the church in Laodicea to repent. He warns them that His love for them will result in His discipline of them, because He wants what is best for them. Their spiritual mediocrity and complacency has left them in a dangerous condition. They were neither spiritually on fire or refreshing. Jesus’ reference to the two extremes of heat and cold seems to be an attempt to use their local water sources as an analogy. The neighboring town of Hierapolis was known for its hot springs that had medicinal value. But by the time this water was transported to Laodicea, it would lose its heat and, therefore, its healing qualities. It became lukewarm and useless. And the spring that provided the primary source of water for Laodicea was located six miles to the south and had to be transported over a viaduct. Again, by the time it arrived in the city, it would have lost its refreshing coolness, having been warmed but exposure to the sun. Like these two sources of water, the Laodiceans had lost their healing properties as messengers of the gospel. They had also lost the refreshing value of their relationship with Christ, leaving them incapable of ministering to the spiritually all around them.

Jesus calls out to the complacent believers in Laodicea.

“Behold, 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.” – Revelation 3:20 ESV

He offers Himself to them. This is not a call to salvation, but an invitation to renew their commitment to and sense of community with Jesus. He wants to restore the intimate relationship they once had with Him. The key to our surviving and thriving in this life is our relationship with Jesus. He is the beginning and the end. He is the Alpha and Omega. He has all that we need to enjoy abundant life in this life. But more than that, He offers us eternal life. Which is exactly what Jesus reminds the Laodicean believers about when He says, “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 2:21 ESV). The believers in the city of Laodicea were going to conquer, because Jesus has conquered. They would receive their eternal reward, because Jesus has paid for it with His own blood. But He wanted them to enjoy the full riches of their salvation in this life. He wanted them to experience the abundant life He had come to make possible. And as long as they lived on this earth, He wanted them to be effective witnesses of the healing and refreshing power of the gospel. And that is His desire for every church in every age.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Nike.

Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? – 1 John 5:5 ESV

When John speaks of overcoming the world, he uses the Greek word, nikaō, which means {to carry off the victory or to come off victorious.’ It comes from the root word, nikē, which simply means “victory.” Of course, we know it as the name of a certain sporting goods manufacturer. John had a certain affinity for the word, using it five different times in his letter and 17 times in the Book of the Revelation. While exiled on the island of Patmos, John received a vision from Jesus Christ Himself, providing him with divine insight into the end times. John was instructed to write about what he heard and saw. Near the end of his book, he recorded these words from Jesus, “‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.  The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son’” (Revelation 21:5-7 ESV). Jesus used the same Greek word to refer to those who will come off victorious in the end. But the victory will not be due to anyone's efforts other than those of Jesus. He is the one who will declare, “It is done!” On the cross, He cried out, ”It is finished!” He work of sacrifice was completed. He had done what His Father had set out for Him to do. He had given His life as a payment for the sins of mankind. But He rose again, because there was still more for Him to do. At this very moment He sits at the right hand of the Father, mediating on our behalf. He is our personal representative before God the Father. It is His very resurrected life that allows us to come into the Father's presence and enjoy intimate communion with Him. We enjoy the love of the Father because of the love of the Son. In fact, Jesus loves us so much, that He is actively involved in the everyday affairs of our lives. He didn't just save us, He is out to transform us into His likeness. His goal for us is our ever-increasing holiness. In the Book of the Revelation, John recorded these words of Jesus to the church at Laodicea: “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, 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. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:19-22 ESV). This was a church that Jesus described as “lukewarm.” They were neither hot or cold in their love for Him. They were contentedly complacent. In fact, Jesus went on to describe their attitude in less-than-flattering terms, “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17 ESV). They were blind to their own spiritual reality. Rather than see their need, they mistakenly assumed they were spiritually healthy and whole. But Jesus begged them to zealously repent. He described Himself as standing at the door of their fellowship, knocking and pleading to allow Him into their midst. He was offering to have fellowship with them.

It would seem that the key to our victory, our nikē, is an ongoing, uninterrupted fellowship with Jesus. Our relationship with Him did not end at the cross. He is not only our Savior, He is our Lord and King. He is our brother. He is our mediator and intercessor. It is He, along with the indwelling Holy Spirit, who makes it possible for us to live victorious. We can overcome the world, from its daily temptations to give in to “the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” (1 John 2:16 ESV) to its ongoing hatred for us (1 John 3:13). It is our faith in Jesus as Savior and our soon-and-coming King that gives us the victory we seek. It is our faith in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God. There is no other means by which we can be saved and there is no other way we can experience victory over this world. Human effort will fail. While Nike's slogan, Just Do It, may sound reasonable and motivational, it will not work in the spiritual arena. Our faith must not be in ourselves and our own ability to pull off some degree of spiritual stamina. Our faith must reside in and remain in Jesus Christ. It is NOT our faith that makes the difference, but the object on which our faith rests: Jesus. We read these encouraging words from Jesus, spoken to the church at Laodicea. “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see” (Revelation 3:18 ESV). He was speaking to believers. He was inviting them to come to Him for all that they needed. He was offering Himself as the source for all their spiritual deficiencies. Jesus stands ready to help us. He wants to make us victorious. But we keep our faith solidly placed on Him and nothing and no one else.

Behold Your God!

Isaiah 39-40, Revelation 3

Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. Isaiah 40:10 ESV

Judgment was coming. While God had spared Judah defeat at the hands of the Assyrians, that did not mean that they had dodged the inevitable punishment of God for theirs sins. They were enjoying an undeserved reprieve, but their sinful state still demanded that a just and holy God deal with them judiciously and rightly. What God wanted from His people was repentance. He desired for them to return to Him in faithfulness and dependence, placing their full trust in Him as their God. He wanted them to reflect their unique position as His chosen people and live their lives in accordance with His commands. But they continued to stubbornly and persistently reject His will for their lives. Even Hezekiah, after having been given an additional 15 years of life by God, makes a cardinal error of giving visiting envoys from the land of Babylon a world-wind tour of his kingdom, showing them all his royal treasures and the extend of his military arsenal. In Hezekiah's mind, he was simply wooing a possible ally in his ongoing fight against the Assyrians. He was trying to impress them with his wealth and power. But in reality, Hezekiah was guilty of placing his hope and trust in something other than God. He saw the eventual rescue of his nation coming from somewhere else other than God. And even when the prophet Isaiah told him that “the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left” (Isaiah 39:6 ESV), Hezekiah mistakenly took it as good news. He somehow thought that this all meant an alliance with Babylon would bring peace and security to the land of Judah. 

What does this passage reveal about God?

Chapter 39 ends with God's pronouncement of coming judgment on Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. As almost always seemed to be the case, the people of God never quite fully understood the significance or seriousness of what was about to happen to them. They always seemed to have another trick up their sleeve or another plan that they thought could forestall the inevitable judgment of God. Hezekiah just couldn't bring himself to believe that God would actually destroy His own people. After all, they were the descendants of Abraham, the chosen people of God. They were the apple of His eye and Jerusalem contained the temple in which God's presence dwelt. But what Hezekiah failed to understand was the holiness of God. He could not and would not tolerate sin among His people. He could not turn a blind eye to their ongoing rebellion and overlook their persistently unrepentant hearts. Judgment was not only inevitable, but unavoidable. As a righteous and holy judge, God had to pass sentence on the sins of the people. To ignore their sins would have made Him unjust. To fail to condemn and pass judgment on their sins would have been an unrighteous act. But God reveals something incredibly powerful in chapter 40. In His divine wisdom and omniscience, God provides Isaiah with a glimpse into the future. It is as if a huge gap exists between the end of chapter 39 and the opening verses of chapter 40. The judgment of God would come. The city of Jerusalem would fall. The temple of God would be destroyed. The people of Judah would end up in exile in Babylon for 70 years. But then something incredible was going to happen. Just when everything was bleak and hopeless, the shout would be heard: “Behold your God!” Just when the people of God had grown accustomed to their exile and resigned to the idea that they would never again see their homeland, the news would be announced, “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:10-11 ESV). God was going to act. God was going to do something incomparable and inconceivable. He was going to redeem His people once again from captivity and restore them to the land.

What does this passage reveal about man?

The people of Judah did not understand their God. They did not appreciate His power and sovereignty. They took for granted His presence and treated lightly His righteous demands on their lives. God revealed His intimate understanding of them when He rhetorically asked, “Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’?” (Isaiah 40:27 ESV). Prior to the exile, when they were living in the land of Judah, they acted as if God was oblivious to or indifferent about their behavior. He either didn't care or couldn't see what they were doing. Once they found themselves living in exile, they took the defeatist attitude that God didn't care or was just blind to their predicament. He refused to see anything good that they might be doing. But God reminded them, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31 ESV). God was not indifferent to their predicament or incapable of doing something about it. He was the God of the universe. He knows all things. He is all-powerful. He is the source of all strength, all hope, all deliverance, all help, all joy, and all restoration. In spite of the sins of Judah, He would eventually restore them to the land. In spite of the sins of mankind, He will eventually restore His creation to a right relationship with Him. The day is coming when all men will hear the words, “Behold your God!” That does not mean that all men and women will worship Him, but they will acknowledge Him as the God of the universe. There will be no more debate as to His existence or His sovereign reign over everything and everyone.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

In Revelation 2-3, we have the words of Jesus spoken to the seven churches. In these two chapters we see Him both commending and condemning these churches. He acknowledges their faithfulness and perseverance under trial. He praises their endurance and determination to remain true to Him even while facing extreme difficulties. But He also reveals their glaring deficiencies and failures. He points out their compromise, as well as their spiritual arrogance and pride. He exposes their self-sufficiency and tolerance of falsehood in their midst. He accuses them of spiritual apathy and lukewarmness. But repeatedly, He reminds them to stay the course. He encourages them to not give up or give in.

“To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” – Revelation 2:7 ESV

The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” – Revelation 2:11 ESV

“To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” – Revelation 2:17 ESV

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations…” – Revelation 2:26 ESV

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” – Revelation 3:5 ESV

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.” – Revelation 3:12 ESV

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” – Revelation 3:21 ESV

While this may all sound like the burden lies on us to make it through to the end, the Scriptures make it clear that our ultimate victory is the Lord's doing, not our own. Our ability to conquer and come through this life faithful and true is made possible by the indwelling presence of God Himself. Our faithfulness is not of our own making, but is provided by the Spirit of God within us. He empowers and equips us. He gives us strength to obey and the will to remain faithful to the end. So that when all is said and done, and we stand before the Father in heaven, we will hear the words, “Behold your God!” and fully understand the sobering significance of their meaning.

Father, You are incomparable. Your power is immeasurable. Your love for me is unfathomable. I can't fully grasp who You are and all that You have done for me. Yet You are my God. That is unbelievable. You are with me each and every day of my life. You never leave my side. You never lose sight of me or ever take your hands off of me. You will never leave me nor forsake me. You refuse to abandon me and You will faithfully complete Your plan for me. I WILL conquer. I will survive. I will make it through to the end, in spite of my unfaithfulness, weakness, inconsistencies, lack of love, lukewarmness, compromise and spiritual complacency. It is YOU who are faithful and true. And any good I do in this life is completely up to Your Spirit's work in my life. Amen