Exiled to the island of Patmos by Emperor Domitian, John has a vision of the glorified Jesus.
Jesus explains that the seven stars that surround him represent the angels (messengers) of the seven churches and the seven lampstands symbolize the churches.
REVELATION 1
Chapters 2 and 3 consist of messages from Jesus to the seven churches in Asia. Each church receives praise, criticism, and a call to action based on its spiritual condition.
These letters highlight themes of faith, repentance, endurance, and the consequences of spiritual complacency. Each message concludes with promises to those who overcome.
REVELATION 2-3
No.
CHURCH
PRAISE
REBUKE
1
Ephesus
Hard work, perseverance, doctrinally sound
Left first love
2
Smyrna
Persecuted, materially poor but spiritually rich
3
Pergamum
Lived where Satan had his throne but remained true to Jesus’ name
Intermingling with false religion
4
Thyatira
Love, faith, service and perseverance. Some did not hold to Satan’s “deep secrets” doctrinally
Some tolerated pagan corruption & influence
5
Sardis
A few people who had not “soiled their clothes”
Reputation of being alive, but were dead
6
Philadelphia
Little strength, yet they kept Jesus’ word and did not deny his name
7
Laodicea
Lukewarm, materially rich but spiritually poor
THE SEVEN CHURCH AGES
While being 7 literal churches, each church also represents a period in church history, from the early church through to the end times.
No.
CHURCH
+/- PERIOD
CHURCH AGE
1
Ephesus
AD 30 – 100
Apostolic Church
2
Smyrna
AD 100 – 300
Persecuted Church
3
Pergamum
AD 300 – 600
State Church (Constantine)
4
Thyatira
AD 600 – 1500
Papal Church (Roman Catholic)
5
Sardis
AD 1500 – 1700
Reformation Church (Protestant)
6
Philadelphia
AD 1700 – 1900
Missionary Church
7
Laodicea
AD 1900 –
Apostate Church
Jesus also taught 7 consecutive ‘kingdom’ parables in Matthew 13. The parables, if understood, reveal the “knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 13:11).
The 7 parables of Matthew 13 have a parallel with the 7 churches of Revelation 2 and 3. They are also typical of the 7 periods of Church history.
Like the other kingdom parables, the “Dragnet” parable also represents a period in Church history from 20th to the 21st century.
No
PARABLE
PERIOD
CHURCH AGE
1
The Sower
AD 30-100
Apostolic Church
2
The Wheat and Weeds
AD 100-300
Persecuted Church
3
The Mustard Seed
AD 300-600
State Church (Constantine)
4
The Leaven
AD 600-1500
Papal Church (Roman Catholic)
5
The Hidden Treasure
AD 1500-1700
Reformation Church (Protestant)
6
The Pearl of Great Price
AD 1700-1900
Missionary Church
7
Dragnet
AD 1900-present
Lukewarm Church
The parable of the DRAGNET
Some points on this parable representing a church age:
This will be the church that sees the “end of the age”.
The age will end with the removal of the wicked by the angels and their subsequent punishment.
REVELATION – chapters 2-3 (CONT):
THE LUKEWARM CHURCH – Part 2
The Church of the Laodiceans presents to us the 7th and last Church. It is characterized by:
Materialism
Lukewarmness
Self-sufficiency
Lack of introspection
The Roman historian Tacitus relates that when Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in 60 AD, they refused aid from the Emperor, choosing rather to rebuild from their own wealth. (Annals, 14:27) Similarly, this church age has self-sufficient churches which see no need of help from Jesus.
Like the Laodiceans, it’s easy for us to have a sense of self-sufficiency when we are financially secure. We push God away, while leaning on our wealth to save us and to satisfy us.
Riches and worldly comforts have brought them to a place where they claim Christ but no longer depend on him.
Sadly, the church actually resembles the harlot Babylon with the “the glory and luxury she gave herself,” and who similarly boasts in her self-sufficiency, “I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.” (18:7)
So this church, which should find sufficiency in Christ, sounds more like the beastly kingdoms of the world - who find their satisfaction in wealth and luxurious living.
Recently when fires swept through Los Angeles in California, some firefighters
faced a nightmare situation: fire
hydrants that had run out of water.
Many went dry as at least 10,000
homes and buildings were engulfed in flames. It was reported that up to 20%
of the city's hydrants were dry.
The fire hydrants probably gave many residents a false sense of security.
Although the costly equipment
and well-placed outlets may
have seemed adequate, they
lacked the most important
thing - WATER!
Likewise the Laodicean church lacks the most important thing needed in a church – Jesus! He is outside the door because he is not needed. They say, “I do not need a thing.” (Rev 3:17)
Now I realize that this text (with Jesus outside and knocking on the door) is often used to prompt unbelievers to “open the door of their hearts” and invite Jesus in. But in reality, its primary application is not to unbelievers, but to the church!
THE CHRISTLESS CHURCH
2 Tim 3:1-5 (NIV) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud… ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, … not lovers of the good… conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Paul says that in the last days people will “have a form of godliness but denying its power,” i.e. occupied with religious ritual which has lost the significance.
Like Laodicea, in many
Western churches
today there are a lot of
programs but no Christ!
Kevin Turner writes, “When a Chinese Christian visiting churches on a US tour was asked what he thought about American spirituality, he answered, ‘I am amazed at how much the church in America can accomplish without the
Holy Spirit.’ …” *
* https:// charismamag.com/ spirit/ revival/ 1474-why-isnt-the-american-church-growing
He continues, “As a church, we are power-hungry and covet top positions as if we are climbing a corporate ladder.
“We place value on large churches with even larger programs and budgets.
“Those who are invited into leadership positions are the rich and the influential.
“We forget that spiritual authority is not given to the savvy businessman or the sports hero but to those
who have carried the
burden of the Lord.”
Laodicea was extremely prosperous due in part to 3 things:
It was associated with the production of a world-famous eye salve known as “tephra Phrygia,” reputed to cure certain kinds of eye diseases.
According to Strabo, “The country around Laodicea breeds excellent sheep, remarkable not only for the softness of their wool, in which they surpass the Milesian sheep, but for their dark or raven colour. The Laodiceans derive a large revenue from them…” (Geography 12:8:16)
According to Cicero, Laodicea was a regional banking centre. (Letter to Appius Claudius Pulcher)
But the lukewarm church of the modern era is blissfully unaware of their condition: “you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (Rev 3:17)
There are two serious problems in this church:
There is something wrong with their commitment (they are lukewarm).
They lack self-awareness and introspection. There is a big contrast between their view of themselves and Jesus' view of them.
They think they are doing well, but they aren’t. They are unaware of their spiritual bankruptcy.
“The loss of a sense of need, as the drowsiness that besets a freezing man, is fatal.” (William Newell)
They are blissfully unaware of their condition (“you do not realize”). Jesus gives 3 ironic criticisms:
In a city noted for its wealth, Jesus says “you are poor.”
Famous for their healing eye salve, Jesus says “you are blind.”
Renowned for their export of abundant wool for fine clothing, Jesus says “you are naked.”
a) YOU ARE POOR
They saw themselves as rich and prosperous, but Jesus saw them as poor.
One cannot help but contrast Laodicea with the persecuted church at Smyrna - who were materially poor, but spiritually rich, “I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich!” (Rev 2:9)
In contrast, despite their material wealth and sense of self-sufficiency, Jesus says that the Laodicean church is “wretched, pitiful, poor…” (Rev 3:17)
While outwardly this church is prosperous and wealthy, in reality they are spiritually bankrupt.
The lesson from the Laodicean church is that outward appearances and material wealth do not equate to spiritual health.
True spiritual richness comes from a genuine relationship with God, humility, and a fervent faith.
B) YOU ARE BLIND
They are spiritually blind. Materially they are rich and claim to be self-sufficient. But spiritually their condition is wretched and pitiful, made all the worse because they are self-deceived and cannot see their need.
“We might say that it all began with their spiritual blindness. If you are blind, you can’t look at yourself
and see that you are wretched, miserable,
poor… and naked.” (Guzik)
“The Laodiceans are typical of the modern world,
which revels in that which the natural eye can see
but is untouched by the gospel and does not see
beyond the veil of the material to the unseen
and real eternal spiritual riches.” (Walvoord)
Nakedness here signifies spiritual vulnerability, helplessness, humiliation, shame and disgrace.
Nahum 3:5 (NASB) “… I will … show to the nations your nakedness And to the kingdoms your disgrace.”
It is associated with a sinful state.
Lamentations 1:8 (NASB) Jerusalem sinned greatly, Therefore she has become an unclean thing. All who honoured her despise her Because they have seen her nakedness …
c) YOU ARE NAKED
So what is the special word Jesus has for our materialistic, lukewarm churches?
Rev 3:16 “So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
He rebukes them and warns about the consequences of
continuing in this condition. As we might do with lukewarm
water, he says he would spit them out of his mouth (not just
disgust – but rejection) if they did not repent.
1) A REBUKE AND a WARNING
2. STILL LOVED
Despite his severe rebuke, they are still loved.
Rev 3:19 “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline…”
His rebuke is born not from animosity but from love.
The word for love here is not agape, but phileo – the love between friends.
Jesus’ heart to this church is, “Even though I rebuke you and chasten you, I am still your friend. I love you deeply as My friend.” (Guzik)
With such a sharp rebuke, had Jesus lost His love for this errant church? Not at all. Jesus’ great love was expressed in His rebuke. “It is, in fact, God’s final punishment to leave a man alone.” (Barclay)
Proverbs 3:12 “My son, do not despise the LORD’S discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves…”
He rebukes and disciplines those whom he loves.
Rebuke (Greek “elegchō”) means “to expose, convict, reprove” while discipline (“paideuō”) means “to train children, to chasten, correct.”
So Jesus is not just simply talking about a verbal rebuke but implying that he will take action against the person.
We might think to love someone is to never rebuke or correct them. But the opposite is true.
Prov 27:6 (NKJV) Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
To a church who were enduring hardship, the word is that at times hardship is used by God as a form of discipline:
Heb 12:5-6 (NIV) It says, “My
son, do not make light of the Lord’s
discipline, and do not lose heart
when he rebukes you, because
the Lord disciplines the one he
loves, and he chastens everyone
he accepts as his son.”
So discipline in the form of should
be seen as a sign of sonship and
as evidence of having a
Father who loves us.
Similar to our earthly fathers, our heavenly Father disciplines us. At times, he may use a trial or a physical affliction to discipline his wayward children.
Heb 12:7-8 (NIV) Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.
For what children are not disciplined by their father?
If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.
Our heavenly Father “disciplines
us for our good, in order that we
may share in his holiness.” (12:10)
Although discipline is painful, it
doesn't last forever, and it will
have a long-term benefit.
Heb 12:11 (NIV) No discipline
seems pleasant at the time, but
painful. Later on, however, it
produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace
for those who have been trained by it.
So when you undergo discipline, don’t think
God has abandoned you. On the contrary, he is investing time in your spiritual education.
When a person is blind, it is not loving to watch them fall into a pit. When someone is acting shamefully, it’s not loving to overlook their sin.
Genuine love will always have an affection for another’s spiritual well-being. Christ loves not only by redeeming us from sin but also by rebuking us when we return to sin.
His purpose is not to make us bitter - but better.
3. BE AN OVERCOMER
It is still possible to be an overcomer in a lukewarm age or church. But in order to overcome you need to hear and heed what Jesus is saying to the church.
Rev 3:21-22 “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.”
4. EXHORTATION TO CHANGE
v19 (NIV) … So be earnest and repent.
v19 (NKJV) … Therefore be zealous and repent.
The desired response to Christ’s rebuke was zealous change. He is willing to restore them, but they need to repent (turn around and move in the opposite direction).
Don’t waste any time. Turn from your complacency and self-reliance and start investing deeply in your relationship with Jesus and your obedience to him in the world. Get serious about following through with repentance. *
* Ibid.
Rev 3:18 “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.”
Jesus gives three pieces of godly advice very relevant to the Laodiceans:
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.
a) GOLD REFINED IN FIRE
Proud of their wealth, Jesus said they were spiritually poor. In response to their smug self-assessment, he counsels these spiritually poor and bankrupt Christians to buy pure gold from him.
This speaks of a faith more valuable than their wealth – a faith that trusts God even in trials and suffering.
1 Pet 1:7a (NLT) These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.
Jesus offers true spiritual riches, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich”.
Spiritually speaking, they are bankrupt. How can you buy anything when you’re bankrupt? The imagery recalls God’s invitation to Israel in Isaiah.
The Israelites had bankrupted themselves by chasing after false gods, and wasting their money on idols. God says to them (Isaiah 55:1-2):
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
“Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy?
“Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (NIV)
b) WHITE CLOTHES
Famed for their fine black wool used for making clothing, Jesus called them spiritually naked. He offers “white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness.”
This speaks of righteousness and salvation.
Rev 19:8 “Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
Isaiah 61:10 (NIV) I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his
righteousness…
Jesus tells us to get white clothes from him, much like a bride preparing herself to meet her groom.
This means not only coming to him for salvation but also performing righteous deeds.
When you live unrighteously, your actions leave you exposed and naked, much like Adam and Eve after they disobeyed God.
However, when your actions are godly,
you are clothed with righteousness.
Will your actions leave you exposed,
or will they demonstrate the depth of
your desire to be united with
your heavenly Bridegroom?
c) EYE SALVE
Renowned for their eye salve, Jesus said they were spiritually blind and now counsels them to get “salve to put on your eyes, so you can see”.
Without Jesus opening our spiritual eyes, we cannot see ourselves, the world, or Jesus clearly. Are we like those in the Laodicean church who were blind to spiritual realities?
Is our focus on earthly comforts and material prosperity?
Do we see ourselves favourably but
are actually blind to our pitiful state?
Are we like those Israelites, who looked
at God’s words but lacked the ability to
perceive the right path (Isaiah 42:18)?
Are we like those blinded by Satan
who are incapable of seeing the light
of Jesus’ glory (2 Cor 4:4)?
Are we like the man in Deuteronomy
16:19 who is so blinded by a
bribe that he subverts justice?
To gain true spiritual perception, Jesus offers
salve that could cure spiritual blindness.
Metaphorically speaking, if the Laodiceans applied
the eye salve Jesus offered, they would be able to see their
lukewarm condition and repent.
He alone can heal the eyes of your heart. He has the medicine you need to view the world as he does, to correctly perceive God’s ways.
Ointment speaks of the anointing of the Holy Spirit:
so that you can see how
spiritually destitute you are:
“When he comes, he will
convict the world of guilt
in regard to sin and
righteousness and
judgment” (John 16:8).
so that you can see and
discern spiritual truth:
“But when he, the Spirit of
truth, comes, he will guide
you into all truth” (John 16:13).
5) THE INVITE
Jesus desires a personal relationship and fellowship with them:
Rev 3:20 “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.”
Jesus is pictured as standing outside the church at Laodicea and knocking at its door. He does not force his way in, but patiently waits to be invited in.
“Why did He knock? Why did He wait until someone opens the door? He had every right to break down the door, or enter some other way on His own accord, but He didn’t. The sovereign, omnipotent Jesus lowered Himself to work out His eternal plan by wooing the cooperation of the human heart.” (Guzik)
The occupant must open the door.
Remember how the risen Christ Jesus travelled with two of his disciples to Emmaus (Luke 24:28–32) although his identity was hidden from them.
When they arrived Jesus gave the impression that he was going further.
Yet when the disciples requested him to remain with them, he readily accepted the invitation. All he wanted was an invite.
The Lord promised to ‘dine’ (‘sup’ KJV) with the one who would hear his voice and open the door.
v20 “… I will come in and eat [deipnein] with that person, and they with me.”
The word translated eat is “deipnein” and its corresponding noun is “deipnon.”
THE EVENING MEAL
William Barclay notes that the Greeks had three meals a day. *
There was akratisma, breakfast, which was no more than a piece of dried bread dipped in wine.
There was ariston, the midday meal. A man did not go home for it; it was simply a picnic snack eaten by the side of the pavement, or in some colonnade, or in the city square.
There was the deipnon which was the evening meal; the main meal of the day; no hurried meal, but where people lingered in fellowship, for the day’s work was done.
* The Revelation Of John, Vol. 1, pp. 147-148
This was the evening meal; the main meal of the day; no hurried meal, but where people lingered in fellowship, for the day’s work was done. This speaks of fellowship. This speaks of a depth to the relationship. *
* Ibid.
It was the deipnon that Jesus would share with the man who answered his knock. If anyone opens the door, Jesus will come in and linger in fellowship with them.
Despite his sharp rebuke and threat of rejection, Jesus graciously and lovingly offers intimate fellowship with them.
“Rebuke and chastisement are no signs of rejection from Christ, but of His abiding and pleading love, even to the lukewarm and careless.” (Alford)
But it would only happen if they respond to his knock.
Today, there are churches that are nominally Christian, but Jesus himself has been locked out.
Rather than turning his back on them, he knocks at the door like the lover in the Song of Solomon (5:2), seeking someone to acknowledge the need and to open the door.
If they would hear the knock, open the door and invite him in, he would come in and take his rightful place in the church.
Only then can they be rescued from their lukewarmness, have fellowship with him, and embark on a “zealous” relationship.
A CALL TO INDIVIDUALS
But note that Jesus extends the invitation to individuals (“If anyone hears my voice”).
“We must not talk about setting the church right, we must pray for grace each one for himself, for the text does not say, ‘If the church will open the door,’ but ‘If any man hear my voice and open the door.’ It must be done by individuals: the church will only get right by each man getting right.” (Spurgeon)
A GENERAL EXHORTATION WITH A PROMISE OF REWARD
v21 (NIV) To the one who is victorious…
(NKJV) To him who overcomes …
It is still possible to be an overcomer in a lukewarm age or church. The “overcomer” refers to any believer, and the promise is that he will share Christ’s future kingdom.
v21 … I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Jesus continues his promise to whoever responds to his call for a cordial welcome, thereby overcoming lukewarm faith.
He promises to give that repentant overcomer the honour of sitting with him on his throne just as he sat down with his Father on his throne. (Heb 10:13)
In the future, at the Second Advent, Jesus will leave his throne in heaven to occupy a throne on earth (in Jerusalem).
The angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would “will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32).
The promise to the repentant overcomer at Laodicea anticipates the promised privilege of participating in the administration of Jesus’ millennial kingdom on earth.
Rev 20:6 (NIV) Blessed and holy
are those who share in the first resurrection… they … will reign
with him for a thousand years.
A general exhortation to all who will hear
v22 “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Jesus extends his final challenge to the seven churches of Asia Minor. The challenge extends to us, too. We should heed Jesus' messages to the seven churches.
A promise is made to overcomers. But in order to overcome you need to hear and heed “what the Spirit says to the churches.”
ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY BLIND?
Take an honest assessment. Are you spiritually blind like the Laodiceans?
Without spiritual sight, you cannot see things as Jesus sees them. You cannot understand the things of God.
Ask Jesus to give you spiritual eyes to see yourself, your surroundings, the world, and Jesus, in the same way that God sees them.
ARE YOU SELF-SUFFICIENT?
Have you settled into a self-sufficient complacency without realizing your true need of and dependence upon Christ?
We must hear what the Holy Spirit says here, because He speaks to the churches – including us. May God deliver us from the self-reliant, compromising lukewarmness that marked the church of the Laodiceans! (Guzik)
What does your pursuit of the Lord in prayer look like? Maybe you haven’t uttered the words, “I need nothing.” But if someone looked at your prayer life, would they see a desperate need for Jesus? Or would they see someone who doesn’t seem to need Jesus very much? Prayerlessness is the result of self-sufficiency. *
* Ibid.
CONCLUSION
Those who overcome the battle against indifference, compromise, and self-reliance, receive a special reward.
They enjoy a place with the enthroned Jesus (“as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne”).
AUTHOR: Gavin Paynter
For more sermon downloads: https://agfbrakpan.com
For more sermon downloads by Gavin Paynter: https://agfbrakpan.com/free-sermon-downloads-by-speaker/Gavin%20Paynter
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