O my soul,
How does a church completely and comprehensively lose its way?
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.’
― Revelation 3:14-17
O my soul, grieve with Jesus over this self-satisfied and delusional church. And grieve further over their complete and unmitigated failure and shame. Recall that even in that dead church in Sardis there were some who had not soiled their garments, who being worthy would walk with Jesus in white. In Laodicea no such are mentioned.
How could there have been such a gulf between how Jesus saw the church and how they saw themselves? Laodicea was a wealthy city and we may deduce that its church also was affluent and middle-class, seeing itself as rich in every way, lacking nothing. But how self-satisfied they were!
They thought they were rich, but they had failed to understand the currency of eternity. In reality they were paupers. And if they saw themselves as discerning, in reality they were blind.
Laodicea was entirely deception and delusion, but Jesus knew, and he knew they were wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. How had this happened? How does this happen to any church which seems to be richly blessed, which maybe even gives the appearance of delighting in the Lord? Perhaps they had simply made their lives all about themselves.
Isaiah prophecies against just such. Note well the nature of the offence.
Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
― Isaiah 58:1-2
See how the house of Jacob delighted to draw near to God. Everything was simply magnificent, wasn’t it?
No. No it wasn’t. O my soul, be appalled at their pride and listen to their self-justification.
Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?
― Isaiah 58:3a
The Lord thought otherwise.
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.
― Isaiah 58:3b
Notice how they were rebuked for their self-interest and lack of concern for others, and be dismayed with quite how much this contradicted what the Lord required.
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
― Isaiah 58:6-7
What did Jesus say later?
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
― John 13:34-35
Do you see? Loving one another is the barometer of discipleship.
And humility? In their pride and self-satisfaction, how many Laodiceans would have been able to identify with Paul in saying,
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
― 1 Timothy 1:15b
I’m pretty sure the answer would have been none. Certainly none are mentioned by Jesus in his letter. In all six of the other churches, Jesus found at least something to commend⸺even in Sardis. But here, nothing.
O my soul, wake up to this reality! Jesus’ warning is as urgent as it is vital.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
― Matthew 7:21-23
Now recall that those Philadelphians, with such little power, were commended by Jesus without reservation. Do we see in Laodicea a church condemned without reservation? No we don’t⸺at least not that terrible and final condemnation.
O my soul, marvel over the grace and generosity in Jesus’ lavish invitation to this prideful and delusional church.
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.
― Revelation 3:18-19
Jesus had not given up on this smug and self-satisfied church, and neither must you. They were wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked, and yet look what Jesus was offering. Was it not exactly what they needed? What they really needed? And all they had to do to receive these things was to repent.
Quite unlike that open door in Philadelphia, the Laodiceans had firmly closed their own door. But listen again to Jesus.
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
This is Jesus’ urgent invitation to prideful ones who have completely and comprehensively lost their way. Astonishingly, final condemnation is held back, and what is offered in its place is an invitation to repent.
Marvel at this.
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 3:21-22
O my soul, listen to what Jesus is saying, repent of self-interest and self-satisfaction, humble yourself, and reach out with love for others! 🙏