“Lukewarm in Laodicea”

Scripture: Colossians 4:12-17, Revelation 3:14-22

Today is our last visit to some of the churches where Paul introduced the good news of Jesus Christ. His three journeys took him to nearly 30 cities that we know of, and he remained in many of them for several years at a time. Some of the people received him and his message with open arms, while others greeted him with clenched fists. But Paul and his followers were never deterred – they were beaten, charged with crimes, imprisoned, stoned, chased out of town, and worse, but they never denied the call that the Lord God Almighty had placed on their lives.

Laodicea was located in Asia – what we know as eastern Turkey, and while scripture doesn’t include a Pauline letter to this church, there is some evidence that a letter did exist. Whether it actually came from Paul, or one of his followers, or someone later in the faith, it contains an insinuation of a danger of heretical teaching in this city, as well as in Colosse.

So let’s see what’s up in these cities.

Read Colossians 4:12-17

Laodicea and Hieropolis were located in close proximity, and Colosse was about 10 miles away. The passage refers to Epaphras, who by this description, may have been the pastor of the house churches in all three communities. If so, that would be a reason for common problems that may have developed within them. In Colossians 2:8, we read of Paul’s admonition to be aware of those who promote “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” This will always be the primary danger to the Church.

There’s an old story about a time when Satan was meeting with some of his demons, where they were planning their attacks against the Church. Some suggested a campaign of violence against believers, others suggested destruction of all the Bibles in the world, and there were other similar thoughts on how to stop the spread of Godly ways. Finally, one demon offered the possibility of simply planting doubt and questions in the minds of humans, and it was then that Satan rejoiced. The other attacks would just make people more determined to follow Jesus, while doubt and questioning is already ingrained in our being.

That is exactly what Paul’s caution was about. “Hollow and deceptive philosophy” has always been the greatest enemy of the Church, and that is our problem today. It isn’t based on the word of God, it isn’t based in the teaching of Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit – it is all about “human tradition and the … principles of the world”. John Wesley’s teachings have inspired a way of study and learning that we know as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, which consists of “Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason”. Wesley always felt that scripture had to take first place, that it must be the primary source in all that we learn and do, and that the other three would be used to help us live within the Word. The world, in their deception, would have us believe that all four have equal standing, and that human tradition and earthly principles have just as much validity for us as does God’s will.

And this is what was happening to the churches, and is why Paul wanted letters to be passed around. He was in prison in Rome, awaiting his death sentence, but never shirking his responsibilities to the Church. He had apparently heard that false teaching was creeping into the faith, and he couldn’t let it continue.

His letter to the Colossians holds some very pointed teaching, and Paul wants that correction to be shared among all three churches – and the letter that Laodicea has received was to be shared in Colosse.

Read Revelation 3:14-22

In chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, there are “letters” to seven of the churches in Asia (Turkey). Two of the churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, receive praise for their faith, four others receive expressions of both praise and concern, but for Laodicea, there isn’t a single word of redeeming value. It was, as we saw with a number of other cities on Paul’s circuit, situated on a crossroads between the west and the east, and was, by its very nature, metropolitan. Banking and finance, commerce, philosophy, medicine – they all thrived and were vital parts of the Laodicean culture, to the demise of the church.

So what does this “letter” say about Laodicea?

It begins with “These are the words of the Amen”. John wants the church to understand that these aren’t his thoughts, and that they aren’t his condemnation, but that it comes directly from Jesus Christ. The word “Amen” implies trustworthiness and agreement, and when it is used in this context, it means that Jesus is the absolute authority and witness that cannot be questioned, and that it is his condemnation that is being handed down.

The first condemnation is that this church is “lukewarm”. Consider the example of coffee. People like hot coffee, and some even like iced coffee (I’m not one of them, though!), but have you ever drank lukewarm coffee? It’s not an especially enticing beverage!
In essence, the church is being charged with being indifferent to the faith. The Lord rejoices over those who love his ways, and keep them. And the Lord even sees those who are not with him as those who are at least honest, as they can still be won over to his truth. But those who are straddling the fence of faith, those who can take God’s word or leave it, those who think they can make the commandments mean anything they want them to – they will never have any place in his presence.

The next issue was their worthless dependence on worldly goods and ways. Remember the story about the rich young ruler who asked Jesus what he had to do to be saved? And when he heard that it could never be found through his wealth, he went away sad. Jesus reminds us in Mark 10:17-31 “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” And Laodicea’s worldly wealth has turned them into the pitiful poor who have no hope for heaven.

The words that God uses to describe their condition are abrupt and shameful. Wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked – life doesn’t get much worse than that! But true worth, true riches, will only come from true faith, in the one true God, and in the true words and ways that he has given us. And when we surrender our life to the fullness of the Lord’s love, we will be clothed in his grace, and our blindness will be healed.

And the Lord’s final word to the church is that he only disciplines and corrects those who he loves, which, incidentally, is the entirety of his creation! And correction comes when we honestly repent of our wayward ways. Jesus calls us in love, and he never demands that we love him back, but he will always be ready and waiting to be welcomed into our life.

And when we open the door of our heart to our Almighty King, he will come in, and nourish us, and we will be the joy of his eternal heart. And Laodicea was missing out on all that obedient faith in him could bring.

May none of us ever find ourselves rejected from the presence of Jesus.