Pre-Introduction

Brothers and sisters, today we are going to consider all of Revelation chapters four and five. We are going to take a step back from the text to consider it broadly, asking, what message does this whole section of the book of Revelation communicate? What is the main point of it? Next Sunday we will come back to 4:1 and begin to walk through the section slowly, giving attention to the details of the text.

If you remember, I took the same approach with Revelation chapters two and three and the letters to the seven churches. On November 6th I preached a sermon on all of Revelation chapters two and three. On November 13th we went back to 2:1 and devoted one sermon to each of the letters (with the exception of the letter to Laodicea – two sermons were devoted to that).

I hope you can understand why. The book of Revelation is clearly divided into sections. The letters to the seven churches hang together in chapters two and three. Chapters four and five hang together, as we will clearly see. As we progress through Revelation we will encounter seven seals, followed by seven trumpets, followed by seven bowls, and so on. Each of these sections are packed with important details that must be considered carefully. That takes time. And we only have 45-50 minutes together each week. We must walk through these sections slowly, then, devoting many sermons to each section. But it must also be remembered that these sections are sections that hang together. They each have a particular message to communicate. Just as it would be unwise to move too fast through each of these sections, so too there is a danger in moving to slow. If we move too slow – if we get too caught up with the details of the text – we run the risk of missing the main point. The old adage rings true: it is possible to miss the forest for the trees.

In fact, I would argue that many interpreters of the book of Revelation get hung up on this very thing. They fixate so intensely on the details of the text of Revelation that they loose sight of the big picture. And I would argue that it is the big picture thats is most clear. It is the big picture which serves to frame the pieces of the puzzle of Revelation so that we might know how to properly interpret the details of the text.

And so this will be my approach throughout our study of the book of Revelation. I will devote one sermon to the introduction of each large section, asking, what is the main thought? And then we will return to the beginning of that section to move through it slowly. Hopefully this approach will help us to step back from the details of the text from time to time in order to regain and maintain perspective.

I want to pose a question before I read Revelation chapters four and five to you. The question is this: what is the relationship between the letters to the seven churches, which we have been considering over the past coupe of months, and chapters four and five, which we are about to read? This is such an important question to consider. I will deal with this question from the text in a much more detailed way in the weeks to come, but for now I want to ask the question generally and conceptually: What is the relationship between the letters to the seven churches and chapters four and five? To put the question another way, what did the original recipients of this book think when they read the letters to the seven churches in chapters two and three and then began to read chapters four and five? The two sections are obviously different. There is clearly a transition at 4:1. But how do the two sections relate to one another? To put it yet another way, the original 90 A.D. audience certainly understood that chapters two and three of Revelation were for them, for they were directly addressed in those letters. But did they also read chapters four and five and say, “this is for us!” Or did chapters four and five seem confusing and foreign to them as if they were speaking of things mysterious and a long way off.

I think you know what I am getting at here. The futurist interpretation of Revelation which is so common today drives a wedge and inserts gap between the end of Revelation three and the beginning of Revelation four insisting that the two sections describe things that are separated by thousands of years. Revelation two and three, they claim, described how things were back then when those churches existed. Revelation four and on, they think, describes that which will happen in our future. According to this view the answer to the question, what is the relationship between the letters to the seven churches and chapters four and five? would be, not a whole lot. 

I will address this problem much more carefully in the weeks to come as we move more methodically through text. For now I simply want to you recognize the obvious conceptual connection that exists between the two sections. By “conceptual” I mean that the concepts communicated in the letters to the seven churches, and concepts communicated in chapters four and five fit together like puzzle pieces. They go hand in glove. They go together like peanut butter and jelly so that they when the original 90 A.D. readers moved from chapter three into chapter four they did not say, “what is this?”, but rather, “Oh, how good this is! Oh, how this feeds my soul!” Chapters four and onward of the book of Revelation are intimately related to all that was said in the letters to the seven churches in chapters two and three.

Friends, it is important for us to remember the concept that was communicated in the first few chapters of Revelation. Jesus Christ was seen walking in the midst of his churches, inspecting them. And he spoke to them both words of encouragement and words of warning. The consistent plea of Christ to the churches was that they would remain true to him in this world. They were to witnesses to the world concerning him. They were to worship him. They were to live in this world in obedience to Christ, denying the lusts of the flesh, refusing false teaching, and bearing up under persecution, even to the point of death. Christians are called to suffer for the sake of Christ. The Christians were called to endure, to bear up under the trouble, and to conquer – that is, to win the victory, or to overcome.

I want for you to really think about this. These were real people facing real temptations.

Imagine the Christian businessman living in Ephesus. He’s both a husband and father. And he is tempted to compromise in the faith for the sake of gain. If he would only offer up a pinch of incense on the alter and say, “Cesar is Lord” – if he would only go to the festivals of trade guilds and bend the knee to their gods – he would prosper. He could buy the bigger house, and feed and clothe his wife and children. But to refuse to compromise would mean poverty for he and his family. If he remained true to Christ – if  he made the worship of Christ his leading concern – he would not be able to buy nice clothes for his wife. His family might dwell in a very small home. They might even go hungry. Christ was calling him to endure, to overcome, to resist the temptation to compromise.

Think of the young Christian woman living in Smyrna. She has her whole life in front of her. She hopes to marry someday and to have children, but she is being threatened with imprisonment, and even death, on account of her faith in Christ. The only thing she needs to do is to deny Christ. If she would just say the words, “I recant” – if she would simply drop the whole Christianity thing – she would be free to pursue her dreams. But Christ says to her, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10, ESV).

Think of the young man in Thyatira. He is tempted by the teaching of Jezebel, for she does not say, “deny the flesh”, but rather, “indulge!” The young man is conflicted in his mind and heart. Christ says,  “Put to death… what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming” (Colossians 3:5–6, ESV). But Jezebel says, “what you do in the flesh does not really matter. Christ has forgiven all your sins. This world and the things of this world will pass away. Indulge, then! If you have an appetite for something, then feed it!”

These were real people being tempted in really significant ways. Christ, in the letters to the churches, says “endure; conquer; overcome.”

The question on each of their minds was certainly this: is it worth it? Is it worth it to follow hard after Christ and to suffer in this world? Is it worth it obey Christ but to watch my family go without? Is it worth it to worship Christ and to suffer in prison, even to the point of death? Is it worth it to constantly fight against the sinful appetites of my flesh and to obey Christ? Is it worth it?

Friends, you may not even realize it but you don’t do anything in this life without asking yourself the question, “is it worth it?” I’m sure that this happens on the subconscious level more often than not. And there are some things that we do out of habit having settled the question, “Is it worth it?” a long time ago. But we do what we do, and we refuse to do what we refuse to do, because, at some point, and at some level, we have wrestled with the question, “is it worth it?”

I might crave a cup of coffee. But I will only purchase a cup of coffee, or take the time to brew a cup of coffee, if I decide that it is worth it? Someone might offer me a slice of cake and in that moment I have to decide, is it worth it? Does the enjoyment of eating that cake outweigh what it costs me? I understand that this decision making process often happens very quickly and naturally so that we hardly even recognize it, but it is there. The wise person recognizes that every decision we make has ramifications. Every word that we speak, and every word that choose not to speak – every thought that we think, and every thought that we choose not to think – every thing that we do, and every thing that we decide not to do – has an impact upon our life and the lives of others – it costs something. We are to count the cost, aren’t we? The one who is wise asks, is intentional in asking the question, “is it worth it?”

But I’m sure that you can see that different people will answer the question, “is it worth it?” differently. One man when tempted with sexual immorality decides, “it is worth it!”, and runs with reckless abandon into the sin. But another man faced with the same temptation, says, “by no means would the temporary pleasure be worth it; it will cost far too much”, and so he refrains.

And what is it that differentiates the one from the other? Friends, it has everything to do with the mind and heart of the man. What does the man really think is true? What does he believe about God, and man, and the world in which we live? Does he fear the Lord? Does he love others or himself? Does he live for the glory of God or for his own pleasure. It is what he thinks in his mind and believes in his heart that will determine whether the man runs into sin or away from it.

The man who decides to run full speed into sexual immorality shows by his actions what is truly in his mind and heart. He sins because he thinks the sin to be worth it. He does not truly believe that it will cost him much, if anything at all. The momentary pleasure, in his estimation, is worth it. This man does not fear the Lord.

The man who decides to refrain from sexual immorality shows by his actions what is truly in his mind and heart. He refrains because he does not think the sin to be worth it. It will cost him too much. The momentary pleasure, in his estimation, is not worth it. Something, or someone, else is worthy of his obedience. This one has the fear of the Lord.

This is how human behavior works. I understand that most of our decisions feel more impulsive. But truth be told, we do what we do because our hearts and minds are bent in a particular direction.

We are not animals, friends. We do not act upon simple impulse or instinct. We have the ability to freely chose. And we chose what we chose from the mind and heart. We think, say, and do that which our view of the world leads us to think, say, and do. We are constantly asking the question, is it worth it? And we answer that question one way or the other based upon what we think about reality.

This is why the scriptures place so much importance upon the transformation of the mind in the process of sanctification. Our behavior changes only as our minds change. Paul say, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:2, ESV). Our behaviors are changed when our minds change. The things that we think, say, and do flow from the mind and the heart. What we believe about reality – who God is, who we are, what this world is all about, and where all things are headed – will determine how it is that we live in this world. I heard it said by someone, “you are what you think.” This is true! We live according to what we think in the mind and believe in the heart.

I can’t remember why, but I was doing a word study on the word “repent” last week. Here is how the Greek lexicon Louw-Nida defines the Greek word, μετάνοια, which we translate as “repent”. To repent is “to change one’s way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness.” If we are to change our behavior to bring it into conformity to God’s will we must experience a metamorphosis of mind and heart.

An illustration came to mind as I was thinking about all of this. My wife is very disciplined with her diet, as some of you know. She impresses me very much. She is very careful and consistent to eat certain things and to not eat other things. The reason, though, is because she is thoroughly convinced that certain foods do damage to her body. She has a number of autoimmune problems.  And through study and also experience she has grown convinced that her body reacts very badly to certain kinds of food. She exhibits tremendous self control. She used to eat everything that I eat. She used to enjoy certain foods. But today she is disciplined to abstain even if the cravings are strong. Why? Because her mind has changed. She believes what she believes deeply. And her behavior proves it.

So what does all of this have to do with Revelation four and five?

Here is the point. These two chapters show us how things really are. God’s will is that we might see things as they truly are and believe it so deeply that we would live according to that reality. Revelation four and five (and the rest of Revelation, for that matter) peal back the curtains, as it were, to show us the heavenly reality. They show us how things really are with God and with Christ and with their plans and purposes in the world. The visions that are described here are meant, not to cause us to speculate about the future (when will Christ come and what exactly will it be like), but to renew our minds so that we would no longer conform to the world, but be transformed into the likeness of Christ. This is how the two sections – that is, the letters to the seven churches, and the visions of chapters four and five – relate to one another. The letters say, “worship Christ! Obey him! Do not compromise!” The visions of chapters four and five say, “and here is why it is worth it.”

As I read Revelation four and five I would ask that you pay special attention to what John hears in this vision. He sees many things. And what he sees is indeed very important. We will consider very carefully John’s description of all that he saw in the weeks to come. Today I want you to focus in upon John’s description of what he heard. Various figures in the vision speak. And what they have to say is very important. So listen to their words. And listen with the question that we have already posed in mind. Is it worth it to worship God and Christ in this world, though it may cost us everything? If we were to ask the question another way we might ask, who is it that is worthy of our worth-ship? I’m hoping that you notice the similarity between the words “worth”, “worthy”, and “worship”.

Let us give ourselves now to the reading of God’s holy, inspired, inerrant, and authoritative word.

New Testament Reading: Revelation 4-5

“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said,

‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’

At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.’

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice,

‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’

And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me,

‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’

And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ and the elders fell down and worshiped” (Revelation 4–5, ESV).

Introduction

I understand that as we read this text many questions arise. What are we to make of the description of God? Who do the twenty-four elders represent? What do the four strange creatures represent? What is God said to have seven Spirits? And what is the significance of the scroll found in God’s right hand? We will answer these questions in the weeks to come.

For now I want you to recognize the two obvious and unmistakable things being communicated in this text: One, God is worthy to be worshiped for he is our creator.  And two, Christ is worthy to be worshiped for he is our redeemer.

This is the thing that the Christians in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea needed to hear! They wondered, is it worth it follow Christ in this world? Is it worth it to suffer for his name? And here they have their answer: Yes it is worth it! For God and his Christ are worthy of worth-ship! For God is our creator and Christ is our redeemer. Friends, this is what you and I need to hear. We need to view our lives in the light of the glory of our Creator God and in light of Christ our redeemer, who has conquered for you and for me. We are to live our lives  – we are to think, say, and do all that we think, say, and do – being ever mindful of our God and of our Savior.

God Is Worthy To Be Worshiped For He Is Our Creator

Friends, God is worthy to be worshiped because he is our creator? The Christian is one who says, “it is worth it to give God worship – to obey him, to serve him, to praise his name, witnessing to his goodness – even if it cost us everything in this world, for he is our Creator.”

Where did John see God seated? On a throne! For he is the sovereign King. Nothing is outside of his control.

And do you see that he is radiant in glory? We will consider the description of God more carefully i the weeks to come, but surly you can see that he is radiant in glory. He is holy, all powerful and worthy of all praise.

And what do the four living creatures say to him? “Day and night they never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Revelation 4:8, ESV).

And what do the twenty-four elders say? They “fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:10–11, ESV).

We will say so much more about all of this in the weeks to come. For now notice the obvious thing: Christians are encouraged to think, say, and do, that which they were exhorted to think, say, and do in chapters two and three of Revelation because of what they see and hear in chapter four.

It is worth it to live a life completely sold out for God because God sits enthroned in heaven, he is radiant in glory, he is holy, he is unchanging, he is your creator. You were made by him and for him. From him you came and to him you will return. If this is true then why would you think to live for anyone else, or for any other pleasure other than the pleasure of knowing and pleasing him? A proper view of God has a way a straightening out our lives, friends.

Christ Is Worthy To Be Worshiped For He Is Our Redeemer

And do you see secondly that Christ is worthy to be worshiped for he is our redeemer?

Chapter five opens with a predicament. God has a scroll in his right hand, but no one is worthy to open it. The scroll, as we will see, will reveal God’s plan of judgment and redemption. But here no one is found worthy to open it. John began to weep. But one of the elders spoke to John saying, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:5, ESV). Jesus has conquered through his life, death, and resurrection.

When the lamb stepped forward to receive the scroll what did the twenty-four elders say? “They sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9, ESV).

And what did the four living creatures say? “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12, ESV).

After this John “heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’ And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ and the elders fell down and worshiped” (Revelation 5:13–14, ESV).

Friends, Christ is worthy to be worshiped because he is our redeemer. The Christian is one who says, “it is worth it to give Christ worship – to obey him, to serve him, to praise his name, witnessing to his goodness – even if it cost us everything in this world, for he is our redeemer.”

Conclusion

So I wonder, have you paused to ask the question, “is it worth it?” to live the way that you are living? Have you looked to God’s word with that question in mind? Have you examined your life in the light of God’s revelation of himself to us? Are you living your life to the glory of God, or for your own glory? Are you storing up treasures on earth or in heaven? Are you living for the fleeting pleasures of this world or are you pursuing the everlasting and all satisfying pleasure of knowing God and Christ?

Another way to ask the same question is to ask, “who is worthy of my worship?” We are made to worship, friends. We cannot help but worship. We worship every moment of every day. All of our thoughts, words, and deeds are an act of worship. They honor the person or the thing that we have deemed to be worthy . The question is not will we worship?, for it is inevitable that we will. The question is who will we worship? Who will we honor – who will we glorify – who will we serve in this life. Will we worship God and Christ, or self? Will we live for him, or the pleasures of this world. that is the question we must answer – who is worthy of our worship?

The answer is that God is worthy of our worship, for he is creator. And Christ is worthy of our worship, for he is our redeemer.  Certainly it is worth it to follow him all the days of our life even if it should cost us dearly in regard to the pleasures of this life.

Old Testament Reading: 

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them. They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels. My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all. How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. They shall go after the Lord; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west; they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord. Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One” (Hosea 11, ESV).

New Testament Reading: Revelation 3:14-22

“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.’ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 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. 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 3:14–22, ESV).

Sermon

It seems to me that the letter to Laodicea is strategically placed in the position of letter seven of seven. In previous sermons I’ve tried to describe the literary structure of the seven letters and how the structure impacts our interpretation of the overall message communicated in chapters two and three of the book of Revelation. I will not rehash all of that here, lest I frustrate you with the redundancy. But I do wish to make a few general observations about the letter to Laodicea and why the position of seven of seven matters before dealing with the details of the text.

Notice that Laodicea is in the worst shape of all the churches. Nothing good is said about her. She is only rebuked. Notice that Christ threatens to be done with her as a church in the most graphic way. If the church would not repent Christ would spit, or vomit, her out of his mouth!

Remember that Ephesus – the first church mentioned in chapter two – was also threatened with loosing their status as a church of Christ. Christ threatened to remove their lampstand if they would not repent. But remember that something positive was actually said about them! To Ephesus Christ said,

“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:2–3, ESV).

Ephesus was commended for being strong in this regard. Their problem was that they had stopped loving one another. And this problem was all pervasive. By that I mean that everyone in the congregation (or at least the vast majority) were guilty in this regard. In other words, no remnant remained in Ephesus. This is why they were on the verge of having their “lampstand” removed. And notice that the same can said of Laodicea – no remnant remained! Churches three through five – Pergamum, Thyatira and Sardis – were all rebuked, but they were not on the verge, as Ephesus and Laodicea were, for a remnant remained in them. This is how they were rebuked:  “you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam…” (Revelation 2:14, ESV), or “But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden” (Revelation 2:24, ESV). Clearly, churches three through five had problems, but those problems were isolated to some within the church. Their problems were not all pervasive.

Laodicea was in double trouble, then. One, nothing good was said about her – she had no commendable quality (this was worse than the situation in Ephesus). And two, there was no remnant. The problem was all pervasive. The sin had effected (or rather, infected) all of the members in such a way that the church was left utterly impotent. The church in Laodicea had lost her churchy-ness. Can you picture it?

It is no accident that the letter to Laodicea comes last. True, there may be a geographical reason for it – the letters might be listed in the order that a messenger would travel – but there is clearly a literary reason for it. When you are reading a document or listening to a message, what parts do you tend to remember the most? Usually it is the the things said at first, but especially last, that are remembered the most. This is why you, when you are in an argument, want to get the last word!

The letter to Laodicea serves as a kind of concussion to this whole section of the book of Revelation. The effect is that reader, or listener, is sent off into the rest of the book with a sober and somber disposition. We are sent off in our study of the rest of Revelation with this taste in our mouths. Fresh on our mind is the pitiful state of the church in Laodicea. In other words, the public rebuke leveled against Laodicea was not only for them, but also for us, along with all who have ever read this marvelous book. Christ made an example of the Laodiceans. He rebuked them, not privately – not in a letter written only to them – but in a public letter – one that would be circulated to all of the seven churches and preserved for all, even for us. Why? So to that we might fear with a godly kind of fear the thought of becoming what they had become. Public rebuke has that effect, doesn’t it? It has an effect, not only upon the one being rebuked, but upon all who hear. The witnesses are compelled to say, “may it never be said of us!” and “but by the grace of God go I”. This is the effect that the letter should have upon us. It should cause us to tremble at the thought of going the way of the Laodiceans.

I believe the positioning of the letter is significant, but I would also argue that the language and imagery used in this letter is most memorable. This is impossible to prove, I know. I’ll admit that this is a subjective opinion. But I think you might agree that some of most memorable, and, therefore, famous portions of the seven letters are found in the letter to Laodicea. They are famously rebuked for being lukewarm. Christ famously threatened to spit, or vomit, them out of his mouth. The irony is also thick and memorable. The Laodiceans thought of themselves as rich, prosperous, and in need of nothing, but Christ, ironically, had a completely different opinion of them. In Christ’s eyes they were wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Christ invited the Laodiceans to come and do business with him. He said, “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). And then there is a that most famous (and often misused and misapplied) statement where Christ says to the church, “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). Perhaps it is just me, but I find the letter to Laodicea to be most memorable.

The point I am making is that I think all of this is intentional. Laodicea, in my opinion, is set forth as the prototypical “church in really bad shape”. The reason they are addressed last is so that we might be left to tremble at the thought of going in the way of the Laodiceans.

So what was their problem? That is the question. What was so bad about the church in Laodicea?

Christ rebuked the Laodiceans because they were lukewarm: “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15–16, ESV)”.

There is something that you should know about the city of Laodicea before we try to answer the question, what did Christ mean when he called the church in that city, lukewarm?

Laodicea was a prosperous city. You know the saying in real estate that it’s all about “location, location, location.” So it is with trade. Laodocea was situated in a location that made her prosperous in trade. The city was also a center for banking as well as medicine. Really, Laodicea had a lot going for it. But the city was lacking in regard to one vital resource – water. Think of the irony! The city was rich in so many ways, but lacked that which is absolutely vital to life! Water had to be piped into the city from hot springs six miles to the south. The citizens complained that the water was tepid and milky – distastefully lukewarm.  The water was actually known to cause nausea. All of this should be compared to the situation in the nearby cities of Hierapolis and Colossae. Hierapolis had hot springs in the city. They were used medicinally and also for bathing. Colossae had access to water that was cold and pure. Those cities enjoyed water that, in one way or another, gave life and brought refreshment to the people. But Laodocea’s water was lukewarm by the time it reached city. The hot water from the hot springs had lost it’s heat, and the cold water carried from the cold springs in the mountains was no longer cold by the time that it reached Laodocea. The water that was at one time extreme – that is either hot or cold – had acclimated to the temperature of the air by the time the Laodiceans took it to their mouths. It was most distasteful and unappealing. I’m sure that the citizens knew what it was like to take a drink of that Laodicean water only to spit it out in disgust.

With that as the background it is not hard to understand what Christ meant when he said to the Laodiceans, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Christ used this common experience familiar to all of the citizens of Laodicea to illustrate something about the churches spiritual state.

Notice a couple of things about Christ’s words:

One, Christ’s desire was that the church in Laodicea be either hot or cold. I’ve found that readers often assume that to be hot is good and to be cold is bad. They assume that to be “hot” means that we are “on fire for Jesus”, “passionate for him”, or something like that. And to be “cold” means that we are “spiritually dead”. But that interpretation does not fit with the text, does it? For Christ says, “Would [I wish] that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.“ In this metaphor either hot or cold would be good. Christ’s desire was that one or the other would be true of his people. The problem was that they were neither.

Two, notice that Christ does not rebuke them because they lack passion. This is not primarily about emotion. This would also be a typical, but incorrect, interpretation. The thought is that hot is good and cold is bad, and that these two descriptors describe the level of our passion or zeal. To be hot is to feel passion for Jesus. To be cold is to lack passion. Again, this does not fit with the text, for Christ says, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot.” This was about the works of the Christians, not their emotional state. In other words, it was about the churches way of life – that was what Christ was concerned with.

I really wish that we would stop measuring our spiritual health – our spiritual maturity – by the question, am I experiencing intense emotion or passion for God and for Christ. By no means am I denying the importance of emotion in the Christian life. I’m simply saying that it is a poor gauge for measuring spiritual maturity or heath. A mature Christian is one who trusts God and obeys him in this world. A mature Christian is one who knows the truth of God’s word and lives according to it. A mature Christians is one who walks by faith and in wisdom. I promise you, I’ve met Christians who, although very “passionate”, are really immature and foolish in their way of life.

Emotion is not unimportant, friends. It is right that you feel love for God. It is right that you feel gratitude. It is right that you feel joy and peace. Emotions are a wonderful thing, and we should never suppress them or disregard their significance. How could you not feel emotion when considering the glory of God and all that he done for us in and through Christ Jesus? But we must allow emotions to take their proper place. Emotions follow where obedience leads. They arise when knowledge grows. Godly emotions accompany a godly way of life. You know this to be true in your human relationships. If you are mean to your spouse – if you speak harshly to him and neglect him – do not be surprised when the feelings of fondness disappear from your heart and his. But if you love him and are kind to him – if you love him with your words and actions – do not be surprised when the feelings of fondness grow.

I emphasize these things only because Christianity in America today tends get it really wrong when it comes to emotion. Passion for Jesus is made to be the goal. Emotion becomes the test of maturity. Having a “spiritual experience” has taken the place of loving God. And what did Christ say? “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV). Friends, the mature Christian is one who trusts God and obeys him. The mature Christian is the one who knows God’s word and lives according to it.

This passage is often misinterpreted, the thought being that when Laodicea was called lukewarm it was due to their having lost their passion for Christ. In fact, they were called lukewarm because they had compromised in their way of life. They had lost their zeal for him. They had lost their edge. They had become just like the world around them. They were no linger Christlike. Instead, they were just like the world.

This interpretation is the one that fits perfectly with the analogy of the water, doesn’t it? The waters of Colosae were cold. They descended from mountain springs made cold by winter storms. The water was enjoyed by them before it could acclimate to the warm temperatures. It was cool and refreshing because it was different from the surrounding environment – the air was hot but the water was cold. The same was true of the hot water of Hierapolis. It bubbled up from deep within the earth where tectonic powers made it hot. And it was hot and refreshing because it was different from all that surrounded it. The hot waters of Hierapolis would have been most soothing on a cold day, and perhaps even useful medicinally. Both the hot and cold waters brought life. They were refreshing because they maintained their distinction from the surrounding environment. They had not yet acclimated to the environment into which they emerged. Not so with the waters of Laodicea. Their water was lukewarm, room temperature, tepid and murky. Their water, instead of maintaining its refreshing characteristic, had given in to the surrounding environment.

And so it is with the Christian. A church is full of life and is pleasing to Christ when she is different from the sinful world around her. Never should a Christian acclimate to the world. In the moment they acclimate – in the moment they become, neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm – they become useless and disgusting to Christ, who is Lord of the church.

You know how easy it is to acclimate. You know how easy it is grow comfortable and complacent. It is so easy for Christians to become just like the world in which they live. We live our lives in the world, and the world is fallen. The world worships the wrong things. The world loves and serves the wrong things. The world lives in disobedience to God and his word. The world is in darkness and walks according to that darkness. But the Christian is worships God alone. The Christian is to love and serve God supremely. The Christians is to know God’s word and obey it in every arena of life. We are to walk according to the light of God and his word. So we have this constant conflict, don’t we? We have these two “worlds”, these two ways, these two kingdoms – they couldn’t be more different – and the one is constantly pulling upon the other, trying to make it just as it is. Gravity functions like this. Anything that is high, gravity wants to bring low. And the earth functions like this. It possesses the power of decay. Anything that sits upon the earth that is alive and whole, the earth seeks to break down. So it is with everything in this fallen world. The sinfulness of the world is forever pulling down upon the kingdom of God and the people of God. The world’s desire is that we would conform to it. The world wants us to acclimate to it. The world would love for us to become just like them – lukewarm – indistinct in both doctrine and life.

So how do we stay hot or cold, and not grow lukewarm? Or, if we are lukewarm, how to grow hot or cold? That is this question.

As I was thinking about this question, an illustration came to mind. You know, today it is really easy for us to take things that are lukewarm and to make them either hot or cold. If we want to make something hot we put it in the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave. And if we want to make something cold we put it in the refrigerator or freezer. It is easy for us to make things that are lukewarm either hot or cold. That is because we have invented devices that are able to create an environment that will, over time, pull something that is room temperature in one of those directions – either to hot or to cold. But what must we do with those devices – the refrigerator or the stove – in order for them to work? We must plug them into power! Power has to be involved. The whole process must be empowered. Everything naturally tends to acclimate to the world around it. If that power is to be resisted or reversed power from without must be applied. Go home and unplug your refrigerator and see what happens over three days time. Or go home and unplug your stove, turn the dial to 350, put a turkey in it, and check back three hours later. You’ll be disappointed, I’m sure. You’ll find that everything is room temperature, neither hot nor cold, because there is no power. But when those devices are plugged in, not only do the they themselves become hot or cold, but they have the power to make other things hot and cold too.

So it is with us, friends. If you disconnect from the power that God has provided, do not be surprised if over time you become just like the world around you. If you neglect to maintain your spiritual life do not be surprised if you become lukewarm. And if you become just like the world around you, you can forget having an impact upon anyone else for good. Things that are hot have the potential to make other things hot. Things that are cold have the potential to make others things cold. Lukewarm things can only generate lukewarm things. And Christ takes no pleasure in that, for his people are to be either hot or cold in this world. More than that they have been called to affect others – to serve as witness to lead others to Christ.

But where is the power found for the Christian life? That is the next question. We know where the power  it is found for the refrigerator and stove, but where does the Christian go to be empowered according to the Spirit?

The answer, friends, is that the Christian is to run to the means of grace that God has provided. We are to go thoughtfully and full of faith to the word of God, to prayer, and to the Lord’s Supper. And these things are to be consumed and enjoyed, not as isolated individuals, but in the church. These are the ordinary means of grace that God has given to us. What the outlet is to the refrigerator – what the gas line is to the stove – the word of God, prayer, and the Lord’s Supper are to the Christian. These are the means of grace – the conduits of power – that God has given to his people so that they might be strengthened to live in this world as he has called them to.

However, it is very important to remember that the power does not come from these things. The power does not originate in the words of scripture, in the act of prayer, or in the elements of the Lord’s Supper itself. The power, friends, is in God himself, and in Christ. He is our life. He is the one who has made us alive, and who sustains us day by day. The outlet and the copper wires that run through the walls of your house are not the source of power, but the conduit of it. So too the word of God read and heard, prayer, and the Lord’s Supper are not the source of power, but the conduit of it. Indeed we are to read and hear the word! Indeed we are to pray! Indeed Christians are to partake of the Lord Supper! But why? Because it is in this way that we enjoy communion with the living God, who is the source of our life, both physical and spiritual.

Friends, I’m sure that you understand that these conduits of grace – the word, prayer, and the sacraments – function as a conduit of grace only when we partake of them thoughtfully and with faith. In other words, they do not convey grace or power automatically. Another way to say it is that is possible to read the word, but not read it. It is possible to hear the word, but not hear it. It is possible to pray, but not pray. And it is possible to eat the Supper, but not eat it. There is a kind of religion that is merely external. There is kind of faith that only goes through the motions. It is possible to be in the church but not be the church, it is possible to name the name of Christ, but to in the end hear him say, “depart from me, I never new you.

I’m afraid this was the situation in Laodicea. Their’s was a merely external form of religion. The had the appearance of godliness, but denied its power. They named the name of Christ, but were in fact far from him. They lacked authentic faith.

Notice that Christ was speaking, not to non-Christians, but to those who claim to be Christians when he said, “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). The langue here suggests that the observance of the Lord’s Supper is in mind. The image is this: the church is gathered and is observing the Supper, but where is Christ? He is out in the cold, knocking on the door requesting to come in so that he might commune with them. The people bore the name “Christian”, but there hearts were very far from Christ. Clearly the situation in this church was bleak. The church was so compromised and so worldly that Christ himself is portrayed as standing outside, asking to come in.

Notice also in chapter 3 verse 18 Christ counseled the Laodiceans  “to buy from [him] gold refined by fire, so that [they] may be rich, and white garments so that [they] may clothe [themselves] and the shame of [their] nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint [their] eyes, so that [they] may see” (Revelation 3:18, ESV). In other words, you have looked to the world for satisfaction, comfort, health and security. You’ve fallen in love with the world. You’ve done business with the world. Now come and do business with me! I have what you really need, Christ says.

It is well known that the city of “Laodicea was a prosperous banking center; proud of its wealth… It was also known for its textiles (especially wool) and for its medical school and production of ear medicine and undoubtedly the highly reputed Phrygian eye salve.” Do you see what Christ does here? He capitalizes on this fact and says, you’ve been banking with the world, now come bank with me. You’ve clothed yourselves with the luxuries of this world, now come and be clothed by me. You’ve anointed your physical eyes, now come and anoint your spiritual eyes so that you might truly see.

These Christians were compromised. They had fallen in love with the world and had become just like the world. And notice this: they were completely blind to all of this. If asked to assess their health, here is what the Laodiceans would have said. We are rich, we have prospered, and we need nothing. But what did Christ think of them? “You are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17, ESV).

This is the terrifying thing about sin. When we are caught in sin we tend to be blind to the severity of the situation. We have a tendency to justify ourselves. We tend to rationalize our behavior. We tend to compare ourselves to others and think, I’m not as bad as him. We tend to minimize the urgency, thinking, I will change tomorrow, but not today. In short, sin not only entraps us, it also binds. Sin has away of lulling us to sleep so that it might devour.

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12–13, ESV).

What do we need, then? We need God’s word. We need to learn to reflect upon it deeply with the Spirit’s help. We need to come to worship with hearts prepared. We need to check ourselves before we partake of the Supper. When we pray we must pray humbly, asking that the Lord would be glorified in us, advance his kingdom through us, make us able and willing to keep his will, forgive all of our sins, and keep us from evil. Thoughtfulness is what is needed. We are to look to God and his word as a mirror. We are to inspect ourselves with it, asking, does my life look like the kind of life that God, in his word, has called me to live. His word is a mirror by which we can examine and assess all of our thoughts, words, and deeds.

The Laodiceans were going through the motions. Their Christianity was Christ-less – the church gathered but he was standing out in the cold. Their faith was really faith-less – though they claimed to believe, it was not authentic faith. They trusted in the world, not in Christ. The loved the world, not Christ. The lived according to the world, not the words of Christ. It is no wonder Christ was disgusted with them and threatened to vomit them out of his mouth.

But here is some good news. Listen to how Christ spoke to this degenerate church. He comforted him with these words: “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19, ESV).

It may be that you are feeling conviction this morning. The conviction ought to draw you to Christ, not cause you to run from him. He rebukes those he loves! I rebuke my children from time to time. And why do I do it? Because of love for them! So it is with Christ.

And do you see that an open door remains? “Be zealous and repent!”, Christ says. There is always room for repentance. It is never too late. To repent is to turn from your sin and to Christ. He is always willing to receive the one who repents and believes upon him.

And then there is this promise: “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).  The Laodiceans were in love with this world. The wanted to be rich in this world. They did whatever it would take to prosper in this world, even bowing the knee to false god and running with the wicked in their wickedness. Christ held before them the prospect of being prosperous in the world to come. Friends, we are to store up treasures in that world, not this one.

And then we have this familiar conclusion: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:22, ESV). My prayer for you each Lord’s Day is that you would really hear the word, and not just hear it. This is one of the reasons that the Lord’s Day should be set apart as holy. It should be a day set aside for worship and to reflect deeply upon the things of God.

May the Lord give us grace. May he refine us day by day so that we be a church that brings a smile to our Saviors face.