This is the last church of the seven mentioned in Revelation. It is the “comfortable church.” It was a church that was described by Jesus as lukewarm. The city of Laodicea understood what lukewarm meant. This ancient city had a unique problem with its water supply. The nearby city of Hierapolis was famous for its hot therapeutic mineral springs, while Colossae, on the other hand, was known for its refreshingly cold mountain water. Laodicea was clustered close between these two cities. Laodicea had to pipe its water in through aqueducts, and by the time it reached the city, it was lukewarm, stagnant, and unpleasant to taste. They understood the term “lukewarm” when Jesus uses this image to show their spiritual condition.
Revelation 3:14-17 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
This church was not hostile towards God. But they also were not passionate, enthusiastic, and full of zeal to follow God. They were comfortable! They could probably quote scripture and tell you all the things that people did wrong. They were living in a state of compromise and self-sufficiency. They had taken God’s blessings as a stamp of approval on their lives while slowly drifting further from Christ.
Does this narrative sound familiar? This is where I believe most American churches are today. We live in a country where even the poorest is richer than the average person in a third-world country. When life goes smoothly and material needs are met, we can slip into thinking, “I need nothing.” But spiritual self-sufficiency is a dangerous illusion. In reality, a life lived without total dependence on Christ leaves us spiritually bankrupt and spiritually blind to the reality of our lives. We become deceived and convince ourselves we are okay.
Jesus was sickened by the state of the church of Laodicea. In verse 15, He says they are neither hot nor cold, but He wishes they were one or the other. Because of this lukewarm condition He will spue or spit them out of His mouth. While Jesus is disgusted with their spiritual condition, He does not leave them hopeless. He gives them the remedy for Spiritual blindness in verses 18-19.
Revelation 3:18-19 “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.”
He counsels them to obtain true riches in Him. He offers gold that has been refined through repentance. He offers white garments, which are an emblem of purity and salvation, so the shame of their sinfulness will not be on display. He offers a salve as a healing agent to help them see the truth of their condition before it is too late. He offers them a divine exchange that only God can give.
This counsel from Jesus, this discipline, expresses His deep love. He convicts them, just as He does us, not to abandon them, but to draw them back into a vibrant, zeal-filled relationship with Him. He offers to refine their faith so it is usable for the Kingdom.
This letter to the church at Laodicea ends with a beautiful invitation in verse 20. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Though they were far off base in their walk with Him, the way of repentance and hope was not closed to them.
In their current state, they were loathsome to Him, yet He was willing to receive them back if they would repent. He uses the beautiful analogy of someone coming to our door. First, He knocks. He does not break the door down; He seeks to be invited in. Knocking shows that He desires to enter. It also implies that He recognizes the person inside has the right to open the door or leave it closed.
Jesus will never force His way into our lives. He stands outside the door of our heart, inviting us into deep fellowship. He wants to move us from passive, lukewarm religion into a lively, personal relationship.
Now, what will we do with this passage? The Laodiceans had a choice, and so do we. We need to examine our hearts and see if there are areas in our walk with God where comfort or routine has replaced passion and dependence. Have you fully opened the door by surrendering all to Jesus so He fully rules your life? Surrendering fully is an ongoing process. It takes daily action on our part because it is easy to be on autopilot. Ask God today to renew your zeal for Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any area of your life that is lukewarm and to help you maintain a steady, loving commitment to His word and your obedience to it.
