Bible Study Materials

“IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE…”

by   05/13/2020  

Question


1. How is Jesus portrayed to the church in Laodicea (14)? How does Jesus assess and warn this church (15-16)? Why is it so serious to be lukewarm spiritually? 2. How does the church’s view of itself differ from that of Jesus (17)? What counsel does Jesus give them (18)? What do gold, white clothes, and salve imply? 3. In what ways did Jesus demonstrate his love for them (19-20)? What should be their response? How can we overcome being lukewarm? 4. What does Jesus promise to overcomers (21-22)? What does it mean for anyone to experience victory?


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Message


In the last lesson we thought abut the church in Philadelphia, a faithful church. With little strength, they kept Jesus’ word and did not deny his name. Jesus was so pleased with the Philadelphia church that he placed before them an open door, a door of opportunity for God’s soul salvation work. Because they kept Jesus’ command to endure patiently, Jesus promised that he would keep them from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. We were greatly encouraged to live a life of faith regardless of little human strength, obeying Jesus’ word very personally and remaining true to his name. Today’s passage is regarding the church in Laodicea, the last church among the seven churches. For the first time, Christ the Lord expressed his dislike of a church to the point of saying, “I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” It was because of their lukewarmness, being neither cold nor hot. Even in the Sardis church to which Christ said, “You are dead”, there was something good: There were a few people who had not soiled their clothes. But in the church of Laodicea, nothing was good. It was likely that except the two churches that received no condemnation from the Lord, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea were progressively degenerate. We remember the church at Ephesus had left its first love. Then the church at Pergamos tolerated sin. Then the church at Thyatira had engaged in full-blown compromise with evil. Then the church at Sardis was dead. And now the Laodicean church became the worst. Yes, Christ Jesus counselled the church with hope. First, you are neither cold nor hot (14-16). Verse 14 says, “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:” Laodicea became a significant city on the crossroads, north, south, east, and west. Because of this, it became a business hub and a banking center for people moving in all directions to put their funds. Tacitus, the Roman historian, wrote, “Laodicea arose from the ruins by the strength of her own resources and with no help from us.” And so the people were extremely wealthy. Laodicea was a great centre for clothing manufacturing. It was also largely established in connection with an ancient temple of Aesculapius, the god of healing. The god of Aesculapius is still around in old medical literature. The medical school had famous teachers, but the thing that was most prominent in the medical school was that they developed a certain salve for the eye. So as you look at the commercial aspect of Laodicea we see finance, black wool, and eye salve. All three of those industries play a major part in this letter and so does water supply. Verse 14 says continually, “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.” Isaiah 65:16 says, “Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth…” Here the word truth” is in Hebrew “’amen”, meaning “verily, truly, so be it.” As the God of amen, he is the God of truth. Whatever God says is true and certain and is to be done. He is the God of amen. Amen can further mean firm, fixed, faithful, confirmed, unchangeable. These are all words that surround the meaning of amen. 2 Corinthians 1:20 is significant. It says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are all “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” All the promises of God in Christ are amen. What does it mean? It means that all God’s promises and all God’s covenants are guaranteed and affirmed by the person and work of Jesus Christ. Everything that God ever planned or purposed for man - everything that God ever promised for man - finds its amen in Jesus Christ. God’s promises are all certain in him. They all become sure in Him. And so Jesus Christ is God’s amen, the one who confirmed all the promises. Not only is Jesus by his work the amen or the one who makes the promises of God certain, but every time he speaks, what he says is also true. His life is true. His person himself is the truth. He is the amen of God. Jesus is also the faithful and true witness. People of this world surrounded by lies really want to hear the true and truthful testimony. To be a faithful and true witness requires direct witnessing and honesty and courage. A few people can be true witnesses for the certain things they have seen. Yet, no human being can be a true witness for all things that happened in history. It is impossible. But Jesus can; he is the faithful and true witness. Jesus is also the ruler of God’s creation. In many other translations he is the beginning/origin of God’s creation. It is written in Colossians 1:16-18, “For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things…he is the beginning…” In short, he is the Creator. Apparently, there was a heresy in Colossae about Jesus Christ, and that heresy said that he was a created being and not at all God. It was inferred that the heresy that depreciated the deity of Jesus Christ had gone up the road a little bit and hit Laodicea. And when Jesus says here that he is the beginning of the creation of God, he is the arch? (first cause). The church in Laodicea had to know this. Here, Christ the Lord is saying, “You must understand who I am, I am the One who has confirmed all the promises and covenants of God, I am the One who speaks truth and only truth, and I am the beginning of the creation.” These are the ground of Christ’s message to the church in Laodicea, inclusively all his messages to the seven churches. Now this Christ says in verse 15, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Here Jesus expressed his deep emotion of his dislike of this lukewarm church. We hardly see Jesus show such a kind of disgust to the point of being about to spit them out of his mouth. Again, it is because of their lukewarmness. It is interesting that Hierapolis had hot water and that hot water was therapeutic and in Colossae, about 15 km south and east, there was a cold stream. It was known that the stream was perennially running and perennially cold, like typical water that flows from high mountains. That water was thirst-quenching. It was famous because of its cool, clear character. Laodicea did not have the hot therapeutic water of Hierapolis or the cold clear refreshing water of Colossae. Any visitor who came there who wasn’t used to the stuff would put it in his mouth and immediately emit it, spit it out. The Laodicean church made Christ vomit. It was a sickening church. Some churches make the Lord weep, some churches make the Lord angry – this one made Him sick. Back in chapter 2 and in chapter 3, we saw his anger toward some churches, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis. But here, he’s sickened. This church of Laodicea is not boiling, with no spiritual zeal or fervor for the Lord. Nor is the church openly, outright cold. It seems that lukewarm Christians are spiritually worse than those who honestly show their unbelief. Such unbelievers have more chances to be true Christians. Let’s think about lukewarm attitude. The Israelites were God’s chosen people. He showed them his power and deliverance time and again so that they might know that he is the LORD, the only true God. At the time of Elijah people of Israel were very much affected by king Ahab and queen Jezebel, who killed many of the servants of the LORD and fed 450 priests of Baal, a god of Sidon that they were lingering between the LORD and Baal. It was a national spiritual crisis. At this situation the LORD’s servant Elijah challenged the people. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). But the people said nothing. Then he had a confrontation against 450 Baal priests to prove who the real One is between the LORD and Baal. Then Elijah indeed proved that the LORD is God by letting fire come down from heaven through his prayer, while the 450 Baal priests could not. Like the Israelites at the time of Elijah, there are many people who are lingering between the two despite clear evidences. We are living in a very relativistic and adulterous generation. Everything seems to be permissible and people seem to have no concept of right and wrong. In this atmosphere, no religion is absolute and multi religion is welcome. People’s “Yes” or “No” is not clear. They habitually say, “Maybe.” The word, “Maybe” does not need any responsibility or commitment, while “Yes” or “No” does. This word does not sound displeasing or hurtful to anyone, whereas “Yes” or “No” does. This kind of lukewarm lifestyle is prevailing as convenient and safe in our society. In this circumstance, many Christians are not clear about what they believe and who they are. Their faith also becomes “maybe” faith. Jesus feels like vomiting at such attitude. One renowned pastor once wrote, “The Laodicean church was a half-hearted church. Perhaps none of the seven letters is more appropriate to the twentieth century church than this. It describes vividly the respectable, sentimental, nominal, skin-deep religiosity which is so widespread among us today. Our Christianity is flabby and anemic. We appear to have taken a lukewarm bath.” May we deeply recognize our Lord Christ Jesus’ dislike of lukewarm attitude toward him. Second, I counsel you (17-18). In verse 17 Christ continues, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’” Here we see what underlay their lukewarm Christian life. It was their complacency in material security and even in a disguised spiritual security. As we thought of at the beginning, Laodicea was one of the great commercial and strategic centres of the ancient world, because of its geographical location. It was a great banking and financial centre, and one of the wealthiest cities in the world. In A.D. 61, it was devastated by an earthquake; but its citizens were so rich and independent that they refused any help from the Roman government and out of their own resources rebuilt their city. Undoubtedly, the material influence permeated into the Laodicean church. Material affluence made them proud and complacent. We can also think further. When we study Colossians, we see that a heresy entered into the church and Paul helped the church to know the supremacy of Christ. The heresy in Colossae was a form of incipient Gnosticism, a sort of a preview to what later became known as Gnosticism. And Gnosticism comes from the word gn?sis, which means “to know.” In other words, there were people who believed that they had attained to the ascended knowledge. They thought that they were spiritually wealthy. They regarded simple faith in Christ as the belief of the uneducated and non-trained Christians. The Colossian church overcame this heresy and the heretical people. But Laodicea did not, rather was greatly influenced. That’s why they said, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” Jesus shockingly said, “But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Jesus is likely saying, “You may have a bank account in the physical and spiritual bank, you may be wearing the shiny black wool, and you may have the eye salve. But you are wretched and miserable. You are poor and blind and naked. You are a person to be pitied. You are wretched and miserable with no riches. no clothes, no vision, no sight.” In fact they were spiritually naked, blind, and bankrupt. They made Jesus sick. He could have turned them into cinders by the breath of his mouth. But the Lord is gracious to them. In his bountiful grace he counsels them. He said in verse 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.” Before bringing the church to repentance, Jesus counsels them as the good shepherd for them. Here instead of saying, “Come to me, and I will give you…” he said, “…buy from me…” Probably, the Laodiceans thought they were smart business people, knowing what to buy, where to buy and when to buy. They thought they were a very skilled in trade. As a result, they became rich with great wealth. But to Jesus, what they bought were not good things but all like junk. They spent their money and time on nothing, actually. So, they became pitiful and poor in Jesus’ eyes. They needed to know the true transaction. Jesus said, “buy from me gold refined in the fire.” This gold refined in the fire (1 Pe 1:7) stands for true faith, a pure faith, a saving faith, a confident faith. At the end of our life, nothing will remain except this true faith. Empty-handed all came, and with empty hands all depart. But one thing we can take is faith – faith in Jesus Christ which leads us to the eternal kingdom of God. And in this world, during life crises most people become very anxious and even panic. They think it is a natural response. But faith works. Faith enables us to overcome any and everything. Faith is the victory that makes us victors in life and thus we become truly rich. If one can buy faith with money, it will be great. But it cannot be purchased with money. Jesus said, “Buy from me…” He did not say the price. He just said, “Buy from me…” Actually, the price of faith is priceless. The price a sinner can offer is himself or herself in self-denying repentance. Jesus continues, “…buy from me…white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness…” In this world there is no way to cover one’s shame and guilt. In Genesis, Adam and Eve made coverings by themselves to cover their shame and guilt. But it did not work. Outwardly they were okay, but inwardly they were miserable with fear and anxiety. Laodicea was a great centre for clothing manufacturing. So Laodiceans thought their garment made of wool were really good and so they did not need any other clothes. But with wool-garments, they could not cover their shameful nakedness. A wonderful thing is that Jesus wants us to buy white clothes from him, for he shed his precious blood dying on the cross for man’s sins. His blood cleanses us of our sins and guilty conscience. Jesus is our holiness and righteousness and he himself is the white clothes, which we can wear. Anyone who comes to him and repent can buy the clothes and wear it. And then Jesus said, “…buy from me…salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” Laodicea was also a medical centre. It was famous for ointment for the ear and ointment for the eyes. So they thought they did not need any ointment from other places. They regarded their own as the best. But Jesus said that they were blind and they had to buy special ointment from Jesus. Otherwise they would be blind permanently. The words of God open one’s eyes. And Jesus gives the words of God. God’s word opens our eyes to see where we came from and who we are and where we are going. The words of God guide us to see how the world is and how we should live and to see the kingdom of God beyond this world. So, the Bible compares the word of God to a lamp and a light for our paths (Psalm 119:105). The Laodiceans had to see themselves and the world through the words of God. Jesus counseled them to buy from him salve to put on their eyes so that they could see. Jesus gives us the words of life when we come to him humbly and seek him earnestly. Third, If anyone hears my voice… (19-22). Now in verse 19 Christ the Lord says, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.” We need to understand correctly the word “love” here. The word “love” here is not agape, the supreme word for love, but phile?, a tender affection for the unsaved. When Jesus said to the church in Philadephia, “I will make them (fake Jews) come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.” Here the word for love is in Greek agape. We have seen the beautiful love relationship between Christ Jesus and the church in Philadelphia to the point of keeping Jesus’ word and command and not denying his name despite their little strength. Christian life is to build up the beautiful love relationship with Christ. The love here meant to rebuke and discipline to convict/expose their sins (Mt. 18:15; Ephesians 5:11; Jn 3:20; 1 Cor. 14:24) and lead them to repentance so that they might be saved. If there is no repentance, God will reprove or treat with contempt the unsaved. He will punish (Lk. 23:16, 2 Tim. 2:25) the unsaved. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, but to those who do not believe, he brings condemnation and punishment. No one should think that God is a loving God and he is not going to punish. He does punish unrepentant sinners into eternal condemnation, though he had no pleasure in doing that. So Christ said continually here, “So be earnest and repent.” (In the BBE version, “with all your heart have sorrow for your evil ways.”) There is no salvation without repentance. Earnest and sincere repentance matters in life. Then in verse 20 it says, “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.” Here Jesus’ attitude is not like, “Behold, I stand at the door ready to come in and destroy you. I reject you, I offer you nothing, you lukewarm believers.” This is Jesus’ gentle and earnest invitation to the opening of their hearts for him to come in. Jesus wishes anyone in Laodicea to hear his voice and repent and therefore open the door so that he can come into the church. It only takes one Christian in a church and Christ is there. It just takes one believer in a church for Christ to be there. Jesus is like virus, probably coronavirus in some way. He should abide in the heart of a man, in the centre of a man with his crown there. Then he promises, “I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Eating together means having fellowship, close fellowship, sharing life together in love and intimacy. Most probably Jesus is anticipating the wedding supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19:9 and the eternal fellowship in the eternal kingdom of God. Yet, the fellowship starts here and now. And in verse 21, “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.” What a promise to the Laodicean church, and surely to all the churches of all generations as the last promise among the seven promises to the seven churches. Then in verse 22, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” We thank God for the words of the Amen. Our Lord Jesus is very clear about what he dislikes and what he wants. May we accept his words and become zealous Christians with refined and whole-hearted faith in this lukewarm and unfaithful generation, growing in an intimate loving fellowship with the Lord in the expectation of the eternal fellowship in the kingdom of God.


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