Revelation 3:14-22 – “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 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. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 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 that person, and they with me. 21 To the one who is victorious, 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. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
“15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” In V14 Jesus reminded them who was talking to them. He reminded that He is their creator (John 1:3), the one who holds all things together (Colossians 1:16-17), that He is THE Faithful and True Witness (V4). What He says is truth and what He says will happen (Ezekiel 12:35, Isaiah 14:24). Then He says to them “I know your deeds.” To most of us who honestly assess all the things that we do, and all the things we don’t do, these four words could be very chilling. As we honestly assess all of our priorities, let’s reiterate the two words “honestly assess” and add “fully assess”, how do our actions stand up? How does our obedience stand up? What are our priorities and what we profess as our priorities, are they lived out? Laodicea, of all the seven churches that Jesus addressed in this book, most represents the modern church. We must remember that the letters are not written only to the churches as a whole, but they, all of them, are also written to all us as individuals. Jesus wrote to these seven churches and gave them a report card. If He individually sent us report cards how would we individually do? What is it that we know we should not do but that we continually do? What is it that we should be doing, but do not do? When we do good works, when we minister, do we do them out of obligation, duty or because it is our job? Are the things that we do the best plans that we can come up with? Are we self-reliant on our education, experience, intelligence or resourcefulness and so we have plans, systems, processes but we leave Jesus out of it. Oh, maybe we say a habitual or obligatory prayer. Do we do good works that genuinely are well intentioned good works, but are planned out, and carried out without the love of God genuinely empowering the work through the Holy Spirit? Family, that very way is the way of the church of the Laodiceans. They were educated, wealthy and self-reliant. It is not that they did not do good works, meaning things that were good things to do. The problem is that the good works generated from self and not from God. They judged and pronounced judgement, action, without consulting God or allowing His great love to flow. They felt themselves self-sufficient. They probably affirmed to each other all of their great abilities and told each other “You got this!” They moved in self-reliance. Self-reliance is arrogance and foolishness (Luke 12:20). In all our ways we are to know that in self we are weak, but in God we are strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). All means all. We never “have this” except through the abilities and blessings God provides (Proverbs 3:4-5). Are there good deeds that benefit people, that are done by man, without seeking God? Absolutely! The questions are: Has God ordained the work? Are they done with the love of God? Is God glorified? Does the Word of God confirm it? The Laodiceans were self-reliant. They were their own idols. Disciples of Christ are called to serve only God and have no room in their hearts or minds for any other (Exodus 20:3). The Laodiceans had lost their fire, relied on their own selves, and trusted only their own selves. They served their gods that were themselves, and they left very little room to serve God. In fact, His voice had become very strange to them.
The Lord spoke with “tough love” to the Laodiceans. He told them that they were “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Family, if God wrote each of us a letter would He have to correct us for self-reliance? Would He have to say to us that we started out a good ministry with Him, but then we excluded Him from the meeting invites? Do we push forward without Him and His Word? I pray it not be so. I fear it is more prevalent in our lives than we prefer to admit. Let us go on with Jesus, who desires to equip, provide for and bless all that we do in His name. If we minister, may every single act of ministry we do be as the Word of God and as God Himself leads us. Then the ministries we do will be blessed. Then they will glorify God. Then He will bless us. God is the great I AM, the great Provider in all things (Philippians 4:19). Let us do all things within His will and by His blessing. “Where God guides, God provides.” Family, we want it no other way. Praise our God who loves us so. Praise our God who loves us so much that He will correct us (Hebrews 12:6, Proverbs 3:12). Thank you Lord for the great love and blessings you shower us with (2 Corinthians 9:8). We are immersed in Your love and desire to be nowhere else (Psalm 23:6). Please keep us obedient. There is no better place to be then in Your gaze (Numbers 6:25-26). We need you! We love you!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.