One group accepts they are bad and one group continued to think that theyre good. They cannot be said to be cold and so utterly disregardful of religion, or of christian faith and custom. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. Laodicea has become the laodicean churchs most memorable legacy. The seventh and last study about the seven churches of revelation is concerning the letter to the church at laodicea. Laodicea was known as the richpoor church, high on reputation, low on substance. Most importantly they didnt recognize their own state in gods eyes. Knowing that even the shocking and sobering part of christs message to laodicea applies to the church of god throughout the ages, lets see what we might learn from it. As many as i love, i rebuke and chasten, he thundered, therefore be zealous and repent. Church members bring the worlds ways into the body.
Today we are looking at the lukewarm church of laodicea. When paul wrote his epistle to the church at colosse, he instructed the brethren to pass the letter along to the brethren at laodicea, and that you likewise read the. These things saith the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of god. A message needs to come to laodicea, and when it does, as we read in early writings, there will be a shaking. Though materially wealthy, they are spiritually poor, blind, and naked. The church of the laodiceans is mentioned in colossians 4. There is no doubt that apostle john wrote this one book for seven churches and he included the messages for churches. By its lukewarm condition, the church in laodicea, had shut christ out. Christs message to his church at laodicea was direct and unyielding. This is the last letter out of seven that jesus dictated and it is perhaps the saddest for it highlights how easy it is for all of us to get complacent and satisfied with the status quo. Written at laodicea, metropolis of phrygia pacatiana. Lesson 89 the letter to the church in laodicea discipleship. Eng601211e the laodicean church age vgr voice of god.
The church was established in the apostolic age, the earliest period of christianity, and is probably best known for being one of the seven churches of asia addressed by name in the book of revelation rev. To receive this reward, it is necessary for repentant laodiceans to. It was on the banks of the lycus, and was about 90 miles east of ephesus. Regarding this condition, macarthur has given us an accurate picture. Johns vision of the holy spirits message to the church at laodicea is a message of chastisement for lukewarm faith that had compromised with a pagan world. This city was one of the most politically important and financially flourishing cities in asia minor. In the eyes of the lord, the characteristics of laodicea are lukewarmness and spiritual pride. The record of the church in laodicea is found in revelation 3. The age of laodicea has arrived next comes the rapture and. Notice what else the spirit of prophecy says about laodicea and the seventhday adventist church. This is the eighth and final part in the bible study series. This lesson will study seven aspects of the cultural history of laodicea and how it influenced the church of laodicea. Sermon notes for march 22, 2020 the lukewarm church. There was no praise for the church in sardis and there is no praise for the church in laodicea.
The lukewarm church of laodicea free grace resources. Revelation 10 and the laodicean church bible tools. Two of them were in good standing, but the other five had major problems. The problems began in ephesus, as she lost her 1st love and have continued to worsen as we come to laodicea, the lukewarm. Colosse, hierapolis, and laodicea church of christ in. The city of this name mentioned in scripture lay on the confines of phrygia and lydia, about 40 miles east of ephesus revelation 3. Laodicea was a wealthy, industrious city in the province of phrygia in the lycos valley.
The seventh and final letter to the churches of ancient asia minor is to the church in the city of laodicea. Colosse, hierapolis and laodicea epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of god. The city of laodicea today is nothing but rubble and half buried tombs that have long ago had their contents rifled through. For i bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in laodicea, and those in hierapolis. Being saved from lukewarmness and spiritual pride, the. Revelation 10 and the laodicean church prophecy, seven thunders, and laodicea. Open your bible to revelation chapter 3 and we will look again at our text, verses 14 to 22, the final of the seven letters to the churches in asia minor, namely the letter to the church at laodicea. I believe that one of the legitimate interpretations of rev. Now lets open our bibles to revelation chapter 3, and we come to the last of the letters to the seven churches, the letter to the church at laodicea, the church that made the lord jesus christ sick. What was jesus message to the church in laodicea in revelation. Cumby it is most disturbing to the person who tries to live life according to the precepts and moral values set out in the word of god and who genuinely understands gods grace to see a so. And to the angel of the church of the laodiceans, write.
What they needed was not this medicine but spiritual sight. It was not far from colossae, and is mentioned several. Revelation is the book of end time things, but in the inauguration of its chapters, apostle john mentioned about seven churches. Pastor mark preaches on jesus words to the church in laodicea from the ancient city itself. Manuscript releases, volume 19, page 176, 1898, if the church of god becomes lukewarm thats laodicea, it does not stand in favor with god any more than do the churches that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of.
To the church in laodicea the lord said, i know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. The church at laodicea is typical of a modern church quite unconscious of its spiritual needs and content with beautiful buildings and all the material things money can buy. Since most of my neighbors had replaced their plumbing, i knew it was time for me to do the same. After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from laodicea. What was jesus message to the church in laodicea in. Everyone who repents will receive a reward far greater than that offered to any who have gone before. Churches should heed pauls warning because changing the values of the church to please men, instead of god, is exactly what the homosexuals and interfaith ministries are trying to do. Laodicea lay on the south bank of the river lycus, approximately 100 feet above the valley floor on a flat plateau.
Robert baralepistlespaperon the lukewarm church at laodicea 2032006 adpage 4 abstract st. The church of laodicea in the bible and archaeology. Relate the setting and church history of each city to the settings of the universal conflict between good and evil. I want to draw your attention especially to the plural churches. Today we will look at the last church of the seven churches of the book of revelation and the most despised of the seven churches. And this is the shaking thats being created in ancient israel in the time of christ. Laodicea was a wealthy city during the roman period. Pdf a historical and spiritual view of the seven churches of the. They were pictured as utterly abhorrent to christ because they were lukewarm. Does christ aim this message directly to the church in our timethe most critical moment in world history. I am not saying that laodicea was ever part of his body to start with but only that this church type was identified with his body. The amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of gods creation says. They deceptively use christian principles, but only in part, in an effort to waterdown. My friend, monte, had just repiped his house himself and offered to help me.
Lukewarmness in the church introduction all of the messages to the churches of asia are extremely practical, but perhaps none fits the conditions in both europe and in north america as does the message to laodicea, the church that had become so lukewarm in its deceptive selfsufficiency. Laodicea is the final church age before jesus comes for his church. When christ comes for his spiritual body he vomits this laodicean church out of his body into the tribulation. The laodicean church was a christian community established in the ancient city of laodicea on the river lycus, in the roman province of asia, and one of the early centers of christianity. Relate jesus titles in the letters to his role in the battles and in victory. This city was located in the confines of phrygia and lydia. Enormous amounts of property were bequeathed to the city by prominent citizens. Pauls epistle to the laodiceans reluctant messenger. Laodicea which offered a special salve to heal common eye troubles of the middle east. Perhaps not surprisingly, the church of laodicea is noted as being wealthy in the bible see revelation 3.
Introduction to the letter to the church at laodicea rev. The church of laodicea is one of the seven see ramsay, the seven churches of asia minor, london, 1908 to the bishops of which are addressed the letters at the beginning of the apocalypse apoc. The church in laodicea was the seventh and last of seven churches in asia minor who received a spiritual evaluation directly from god through jesus christ. These are the words of the amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of gods creation. Being saved from lukewarmness and spiritual pride, the characteristics of laodicea. Jesus tells themand usto accept discipline, be zealous, and repent.
Robert baralepistlespaperon the lukewarm church at laodicea2032006 adpage 4 abstract st. A nd so with this bit of historical background in mind, we now turn to christs letter to the church in laodicea, where we find a very familiar pattern. How many churches, and how many churchgoing people, may, and probably have, seen their portraitures in this sad letter to the church at laodicea. The word of the lord to the church of the laodiceans is needed in the. We are at present at the end of the age of the laodicean church which is described in revelation 3. Not only was laodicea located on major trade routes that connected it to important cities like ephesus, smyrna and sardis, but also it was a center of textile production and banking. In this view thyatira is the catholic church, sardis represents denominational protestants, philadelphia is the evangelical church and laodicea is the apostate church. Lessons from the church of laodicea prophecy for today. Pdf letter to the church at laodicea jim macgregor academia. The lord rejects such churches and christians, for christ does not compromise with men. Epistle to the laodiceans did you know that for centuries bibles used to contain a small epistle from paul to the laodiceans. So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, i. However, hiring a plumber to do this would cost thousands of dollars. Since the church as a whole might not have responded, he appealed to individuals in the church also.
1317 1016 378 870 817 741 1219 425 1432 1192 750 1237 585 911 396 101 857 1118 1296 356 37 1142 1218 1096 421 285 749 776 966