Jesus,
in the Holy Spirit, through a vision given to John, conveys messages for seven
churches in Asia Minor. Last time we looked at the first four. Now we’ll look
at the last three. Though these messages are for particular congregations, they
speak to all churches in all times. And so we begin with prayer: “Come Holy
Spirit; speak to us; we’re listening.”
1. Sardis, the feeble church (Rev. 3:1–6)
1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven
stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are
dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not
found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what
you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I
will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They
will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes
will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the
book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The
city of Sardis was known for the manufacture of woolen garments and for the
worship of Artemis through a cult that emphasized death and rebirth. Sad to
say, it had declined to be but a shadow of its former splendor. The same was
true of the church in Sardis—it was alive in name only. But there is hope,
because Jesus is present and actively sharing his life with them in the Spirit
(the “seven spirits” or sevenfold Spirit).
What the church in Sardis needs is
what only the life-giving Spirit can bring—revival, which will
typically involve the congregation’s primary leader (it’s “star”—likely a
reference to its lead pastor). As goes the leadership, so goes the church.
Unfortunately,
the church and its leaders in Sardis were living on past glories while ignoring
present decay. As a result, it was near death. Sardis believers had gone to
sleep on their watch. This had happened to the city—Sardis had twice been conquered
when its guards failed in their watch. When a church’s leaders and members get
accustomed to their blessings and complacent about their ministry, the enemy
finds a way in. So now Jesus urges them to “Wake up!”
The
first step toward spiritual renewal is awareness that something is wrong. Jesus
also warns that, if needed, he will come with discipline when they least expect
it (as a “thief”). But this need not occur if those in the congregation who
have not “soiled their clothes” will wake up. This faithful remnant have not
grown complacent about Jesus and the church’s mission. So Jesus admonishes them
to strengthen what remains and not give up! And he encourages them with a
reminder about the reward for faithfulness.
The promise to be “dressed in white”
(white representing purity and victory) would have been especially meaningful
to people in a city where gleaming-white woolen garments were manufactured. And
the warning about names being removed “from the book of life” would be
significant to people in the Roman Empire where valuable citizenship was
recorded in each city’s “book” of records. Jesus’ point is that our
enjoyment of eternal life as citizens of his kingdom is found in fellowship
with him. And thus to fail to participate in that kingdom fellowship actively,
is to repudiate Jesus’ gift to us. This is not a statement about losing one’s
salvation so much as it is encouragement to active and faithful participation
with Jesus in his loving and living.
Note
on the “Book of Life” and hell: Through
his incarnation, Jesus has included all humanity with him in God’s “Book of
Life”(see Psa. 69:28). Revelation 13:8 and 17:8 reassure us that our names were
written there “from the foundation of the world”—long before we had done
anything good or bad. By God’s grace (unearned favor), all
humanity has been included in Jesus (the second Adam) and thus made to be
(named) God’s dearly loved children (Eph. 1:4). If not before, at the final
judgment, all people will stand before Jesus, understanding who he is, and who
they are in him. But God forces this identity on no one. Each must personally
embrace or repudiate the life that is theirs in union with Jesus. To repudiate
it, is to place themselves in a condition of alienation (in their minds) from
God—an action tantamount to having their name removed from the Book of Life.
This is hell.
The
warning to the church at Sardis, and to us all, is that we not become
complacent and inactive as followers of Jesus. We must pick up our cross and
follow him, in the Spirit, fulfilling the Father’s mission. To fail to do so,
is to embrace death rather than life. And no congregation is beyond hope of
sharing in that life as long as faithful ones step up and strengthen the things
that remain. Let us do so!
2. Philadelphia, the faithful church (Rev.
3:7–13)
7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia
write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of
David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I
know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can
shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have
not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who
claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars-- I will make them come and
fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have
kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of
trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the
earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take
your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.
Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the
name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of
heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Philadelphia (which means “brotherly love”) was a
city literally built on shaky ground—it suffered from frequent and violent
earthquakes, and many of its citizens lived outside the city walls in the
countryside where they felt more secure. Jesus comes to the faithful believers
in that city a message of assurance—their place in his city (kingdom) is
secure. It is true that they have “little strength,” but they need not worry,
because Jesus holds the key of entrance—the “key of David.” This imagery is
from Isaiah 22:15–25 where it
signifies authority over David’s house and means the Messiah’s undisputed
authority over entrance into, or exclusion from, his kingdom (the kingdom of
God). So these believers in Philadelphia are assured by the one who holds the
key, that they have been given entrance to his kingdom. He encourages them by
reminding them that though they are not a well resourced church, they are a faithful
one.
They are true to God’s word and unafraid to bear God’s name in the face of
opposition. Revelation 3:10 suggests that they had endured special
testing and had proved faithful. The lesson here is that it is not the size or
the strength of a congregation that determines its participation in Jesus’ love
and life; rather it’s faithfulness to Jesus’ call.
Part
of the opposition they faced was from Jews in that city (Rev. 3:9). This was
really the opposition of Satan, for we do not battle against flesh and blood
(Eph. 6:12). How were these Jews opposing the church at Philadelphia? For one
thing, by excluding Jewish Christians from the synagogue. Another tactic was
probably false accusation. Jesus encourages them to stand strong with three
reassuring promises:
·
He
will deal with their enemies
(Rev. 3:9). One day, these people who oppose the church there will have to
acknowledge that the Christians were right! (see Isa. 60:14; Phil. 2:10–11). If
we are faithful to God, he will fight our battles for us.
·
He
will keep them from severe trial
(Rev. 3:10). “Hour of trail” here is not a reference to a specific time, but to
trials themselves—times when God’ moves in power within the world to reveal his
Messiah (Jesus). Believers need not fear such trials, for they stand with
Jesus, who is both their judge and defender. The thought here parallels Jesus’
prayer for his disciples in John 17:15.
·
He
ensures that God will honor them
(Rev. 3:12). To be called a “pillar” is especially meaningful in this
earth-quake prone area. Their city may fall, but their home with Jesus in his
kingdom is unshakable. Ancient cities often honored great leaders by erecting
pillars with their names inscribed on them. God’s pillars are not made of
stone, because there is no temple in the heavenly city (Rev. 21:22). His
pillars are faithful people who faithfully bear the name of the Faithful One.
Jesus
calls his faithful ones to remain faithful!
3. Laodicea, the foolish church (Rev.
3:14–22)
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of
God's creation.”
Laodicea
was known for its wealth, much of it derived from the manufacture of a special
eye salve, and a glossy black wool cloth. It was located near the city of
Hierapolis, where there were famous hot springs, and Colossae, known for its
pure, cold water. The Lord presents himself to the church in Laodicea as “the
Amen”(the truth)--“the faithful and true witness,” who is the “ruler” (which
here means “source”) of all of creation(Rev. 3:14). This Jesus wants to show
this congregation the truth about its spiritual condition and its source of
being. He presents his diagnosis in four parts:
a.
They
have lost their vigor (vv. 15–17)
15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold
nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are
lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17
You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you
do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
They
are spiritually “lukewarm” which means comfortable, complacent, and blind to
their spiritual poverty. Both the cold water from Colossae and the hot water
from Hierapolis would be lukewarm and polluted—and thus worthless by the time
it was piped into Laodicea. This congregation had become lifeless because they
failed to embrace the source of true life—Jesus. “Without me you can do
nothing” says Jesus to us all (John 15:5). But the Laodicean believers thought
otherwise—they relied on their own, rather abundance, resources: “We have need
of nothing!” But their material wealth and significant achievements were a
shroud hiding a rotting corpse.
b.
They
have lost their values (vv. 17–18a)
17” You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and
do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful,
poor, blind and naked. 18 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…”
The
Laodiceans boasted of their wealth—their city was a banking center and perhaps
a marketplace approach crept into the church. They had lost Jesus’ ministry
values and became spiritually bankrupt. They were, in the eyes of the Lord,
“wretched, pitiful, blind and naked.” The solution? Pay the price to get true
“gold refined in the fire.” This suggests that the church needed some
persecution; they were too comfortable (1 Peter 1:7). Nothing makes God’s people
examine their priorities faster than suffering!
c.
They
have lost their vision (v. 18b)
“…and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”
The
Laodiceans were “blind.” They could not see reality. When we are not growing in
Christ, our spiritual vision is diminished (2 Peter 1:5–9). And these people
cannot see themselves as they really are. Nor can they see their Lord as he
stands outside the door of their church. Nor can they see the open doors of
opportunity. They are so wrapped up in building their own kingdom that they
have become lukewarm in their concern for the Father’s mission which is the
focus of Jesus, their Lord. The solution? Apply heavenly eye salve! The city of
Laodicea was noted for its eye salve. They eye salve from Jesus comes through
the Spirit and has to do with repentance—changing our thinking about Jesus and,
in the light of that truth, about ourselves and all humanity.
d.
They
have lost their clothes (vv. 17–18)
17 “You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and
do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful,
poor, blind and naked. 18 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.
Like
the Emperor with no clothes, these Christians thought they were clothed in
splendor; but the truth is that they were naked. Ironically, the Laodiceans who
were clothed physically in so many splendors were spiritually impoverished.
They lacked the white garments of God’s righteousness and grace. According to
Revelation 19:8, in Jesus we are clothed in “fine linen, clean and white,”
which symbolizes “the righteous acts of the saints”—our sharing in Jesus’ own
righteous being and doing (works). But they were blind to Jesus and were thus
unclothed. Because they commended themselves, Jesus has no commendation for
them—they are walking around in the clothing of their own achievement, rather
than in the true and lasting clothing of Jesus’ achievement.
Jesus
closes this letter to the Laodicean believers with exhortations and warnings:
·
“As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Rev. 3:19a). He still loves these
lukewarm saints, even though their love for him had grown cold. So he will
discipline them in love (Prov. 3:11–12; Heb. 12:5–6).
·
“Be
zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev. 3:19b). He urges them to repent of their
pride and humble themselves before their Lord. They need to “stir up that inner
fire” (2 Tim. 1:6) and cultivate a burning heart for Jesus.
·
“Here
I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the
door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I
will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat
down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 3:20-22). These verses are often
applied to lost people, but they are here directed to individual, lukewarm
believers, who hold Jesus outside of their own lives. But always a faithful
Lord, Jesus patiently and persistently “knocks”—he seeks entrance back in. He
will not force his way in—but as each one repents—turns their heart to him,
fellowship will be restored and ultimately that fellowship will lead to final
victory in the fullness of Jesus’ kingdom.
The
Laodiceans had “successful programs”
but their achievement was in the flesh, not the Spirit. They were not abiding
in Christ, the source of true life (John 15:1–8). It is only in communion with
Jesus that we find true victory and enjoy the true life of his kingdom.
The messages from Jesus, through
the Spirit, to the seven churches are specific to particular first-century
churches. But these messages convey principles
instructive to all churches at all times... Amen
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor,
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor,
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.
2101 Old National Pike.
Washington,
Pennsylvania. www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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