Revelation | Pt. 9 The Church of Laodicea

7 Churches of Asia Minor
Today = Laodicea
Laodicea was incredibly rich
Banking Center = Wall Street
Had 4 marketplaces (most had 2)
4500 shops
Not 1 but 2 theaters
60,000 seat stadium
It had everything except its' own source of water
Laodicea was located in-between 2 cities; Colasse & Hierapolis (10 mi)
Colasse = Cold Water
Hierapolis = Hot mineral springs
Laodicea channeled these waters
Upon arrival they were neither hot or cold but lukewarm
Geography is important to understand Christ's message
Revelation 3:14-16
Well known passage but confusing
Rather you be hot or cold
Isn't lukewarm better than cold?
What is Jesus really saying?
Hermeneutics
Context determines meaning
I would rather you be hot or cold
Cold = freezing cold water
Hot = boiling hot water
Laodicea is positioned in-between 2 cities with 2 types of water
Colasse = resort town
Snow would melt and freezing, refreshing water would flow
Hierapolis = hot mineral spring water
Cleopatra & Mark Antony
Water from Hierapolis = healing virtues
Water from Colasse = refreshing
Jesus had this mind
Context determines meaning
Laodicea had everything but water
Engineering was creative & innovative
Built 1st channel to get water to Laodeicea
From Colossae cold water traveled through stone aqueducts
From Heirapolis hot water traveled through clay pipes
Only problem is during the 10 mile travel it lost its' value
Temp changed
Hot water cooled off
Cold water heated up
Upon arrival it was neither hot or cold but lukewarm
Picked up minerals from stone and clay; chalky water
People were so excited to have the hot and cold water come but when they tasted they spit it out
It was chalky, lukewarm water
No longer hot with healing attributes or cold and refreshing
Take this context and add to what Christ said
"I wish you were hot like the water from Hierapolis that bring healing or cold like the waters from Colasse that are refreshing"
What is Christ saying? You are not what you are advertised to be
Indifferent waters
No longer refreshing or healing
Christ no longer found this church enjoyable
They had a name, sat on a hill, had money
But like the waters that traveled that lost their purpose
Spiritual temp was lukewarm
They were disgusting spiritually
Indifferent churches are repulsive to the Lord
Why was this church so disgusting that Jesus said he would spit (vomit)?
Revelation 3:17
So wealthy they thought they no longer needed God (Like America)
Silver & Gold we have
We also have a bunch of church houses filled with Lukewarm Christians
2nd Timothy 3:1-5
It will get difficult
Talking about the church
Lovers of self
Most people they don't love themselves enough (You kinda do)
St. Augustine definition of sin = curved inward
Millennials = Most self centered gen ever
We are super self centered
Think its normal to have shrine to ourselves online
Paul says the self-centeredness will creep even in the church
Also lovers of money
Huge problem for Laodicea and America
Money is not evil; love of Money is
Laodiceans and Americns love money and self more than God
Also lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
Love what God can do for us more than actually loving God for who He is
People who love the gifts of God more than the God of gifts fall away
Any wonder why so many pray the prayer but never come back?
It was the riches they were after and not God himself
Message of the world = Love yourself, grab all that you can, follow your hearts desire
Message of Christ = Deny yourself, grab a cross, and follow Him
Very different messages
Christians of Laodicea had become self-focused, self-reliant, self-centered
Selfish hypocrites going through the motions of their faith
Wasn't genuine faith; it was disgusting
Pride crept in and God wasn't happy
Jesus knew He had to shake things up like flipping tables in the Temple
Americans don't like the table flippin Jesus
Jesus goes to Temple and we see a different side of Him
Background to the Temple
Temple most important thing in Jewish faith
Temple hosted the presence of God
In the temple the Almighty met with humanity
Over time the temple got corrupted
John 2:13-14
Distracting environment
Money changers were needed to exchange coins with Caesar's face
Ripping ordinary people off
Jesus doesn't like the environment
Jesus is fired up; literally flips tables
Not the pacifist Jesus
Not the Jesus I like = I brought a visitor
This story is recorded in all 4 Gospels
Why did Jesus get so mad?
Had a passion for God's house because it hosted the presence
Sometimes I am afraid we are too lax