things which must shortly come to pass

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FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

DR. RON BAITY Sunday, June 23, 2013

Week 7

THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS A STUDY OF REVELATION—PART 7 Today, we come to the last of the seven churches, the church of Laodicea. These seven churches are the things which are. (Revelation 1:19)

I. THE CITY OF LAODICEA (3:14) A. The church at Laodicea was the last and worst of the seven churches. 1. Laodicea was located about 40 miles from Philadelphia. 2. Colossae was located about 10 miles to the east. B. It was a wealthy city with three primary industries: 1. Banking 2. Wool 3. Medicine C. What the church of Laodieca was to the people: 1. It was a fashionable church. 2. It was an elitist church. 3. It was a rich man’s church.

II. THE CHRIST OF THE CHURCH (3:14) A. He is called the “Amen.” (3:14) 1. “Amen” comes from a word which means “truth”. 2. Jesus is the affirmation of truth. 3. Jesus will tell the truth about the condition of Laodicea. B. He is called the “faithful and true witness” (3:14) 1. He is the reliable source of what is to be said. 2. As the Faithful One, He will not dilute the truth. 3. He communicates the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 4. Jesus Christ is true to His Word because His Word is His bond. C. He is “the beginning of the creation of God.” (3:14) 1. As such, Jesus is the source of all creation: a. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (22:13) b. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” (Colossians 1:16) 2. Gnosticism taught that Christ was a created being, one in a series of emanations from God. 3. Jesus could not be the Creator and have been created at the same time. (John 1:1)

FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

DR. RON BAITY Sunday, June 23, 2013

Week 7

III. THE CRISIS IN LAODICEA (3:15, 16) A. What Jesus knew about them was not good. 1. They were not cold. 2. They were not hot. B. Being a Christian was like a holy hobby to them. 1. They were in a state of compromise. 2. They were in a state of complacency. 3. They did not care. 4. The cross did not matter. 5. The Bible was just another book. 6. Sin was a joke. 7. They were fence-straddlers. 8. They had become a country club with a steeple. C. Jesus, with his eyes as a flame of fire, sees their “lukewarmness.” (3:16) 1. His language draws from Laodicea’s water supply. a. Their water traveled several miles through an underground aqueduct. b. The water arrived dirty and warm. c. The water was not hot to relax in. d. The water was not cold and refreshing. 2. Jesus was greatly affected by their condition. (3:16) a. Some churches make the Lord weep. b. Some churches make the Lord angry. c. The Laodicean church made the Lord sick. d. Jesus depicts the church like the local drinking water in Laodicea. e. The church was tepid. f. They were sitting in a lukewarm bath of religion. g. They had an anemic religion. 3. He Who is Truth speaks the truth of the sad news. (3:16) a. Rejection was in their future: “I will spew thee out of my mouth.” b. The Laodiceans were hypocrites playing games!

IV. THE CONCLUSION OF THE LAODICEANS ABOUT THEMSELVES (3:17) A. Had you asked the Laodiceans about themselves, you would have received a compelling religious statement. (3:9) 1. We are “rich”. (3:17) 2. We are “increased with goods”. (3:17) 3. We have “need of nothing”. (3:17)

FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

DR. RON BAITY Sunday, June 23, 2013

Week 7

B. The Laodiceans were living in self-deception. C. Their outward wealth led them into a state of spiritual complacency.

V. THE CONCLUSION OF CHRIST ABOUT THE LAODICEANS (3:17) A. Two tragic words are voiced by the Son of God: “knowest not”. B. What the True One knew about their deception (3:17) 1. They were “wretched”. (3:17) 2. They were “miserable”. (3:17) 3. They were “poor”. (3:17—it is possible to be poor in riches!) 4. They were “blind”. (3:17) 5. They were “naked”. C. Their prosperity blinded them to their true spiritual state.

VI. THE COUNSEL OF THE LIVING CHRIST (3:18) A. The wise counsel of Jesus Christ to the Church of Laodicea B. Jesus alludes to the three main sources of income and makes a spiritual application. 1. “Gold tried in the fire” (3:18) a. Laodicea was rich in possessions. b. Laodicea was a large banking center. c. Their gold blinded them into spiritual poverty. d. They needed a gold free from impurities representing the priceless riches of true salvation. e. Only Jesus could give them true gold which could withstand the refining fires of hostile persecution or spiritual corruption. f. Laodicea needed a gold that the bankers could not give them. 2. “White rainment” (3:18) a. Laodicea was known for their expensive wool garments. b. Laodicea exported their garments throughout the world. c. Laodicea’s famed black wool symbolized the dirty, sinful garments that clothed the unsaved. d. Laodicea needed a covering only Christ could provide. e. They symbol of white is a depiction of righteousness. f. That symbol is used throughout Revelation. (19:8) 3. “Anoint thine eyes with eyesalve” (3:18) a. Laodicea was well-known for a special eye salve. b. The eye salve was exported in tablet form. c. The tablets were ground down and applied to the eye. d. These people who could see physically were spiritually blind. e. They needed the scales lifted from their eyes so they could see. f. Jesus stated that He could enable them to “see”. (3:18) .

FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND A 52-Week Study of the Book of Revelation

DR. RON BAITY Sunday, June 23, 2013

Week 7

VII. THE CHASTENING OF THE CHRIST (3:19) VIII. THE CHALLENGE OF THE CHRIST (3:20-22) A. B.

The wooing Saviour outside a woeful church The invitation is given. (3:20) 1. The invitation is given to all (“If any man”, 3:20) 2. The invitation can be rejected. (“and open the door”, 3:20) 3. The doorknob is on the inside of the door (freewill agents) C. The invitation can mean Divine fellowship (3.20) 1. Jesus desires to come in (“I will come in to him”, 3:20) 2. Jesus desires fellowship with His creation (“sup with him and he with me”) 3. The word “sup” is the word we get our word “dine” from (3:20) 4. The word indicates the evening meal before darkness arrives 5. Christ urges the people to repent before the night of judgment falls

IX. THE CHARGE OF CHRIST (3:21) A. B. C. D.

We move from the supper room to the throne room A promise to the overcomers is given This verse establishes the fact that we will reign with Him Note the position of believers: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (5:10) 1. This verse teaches that we shall reign on this earth 2. That means a kingdom is coming E. The Bible also teaches that we shall reign beyond the millennial kingdom: “And there shall be no night there and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (22:5)

X. THE CONCLUSION (3:22) A. The Spirit is trying to get a listening ear B. We must remember that the Spirit is God (Acts 5:4, 5) C. Every Christian is called to hear these words and obey what is written.