Tag: Revelation 3

Dear Church in Laodicea – and You

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 43-45

POETRY: Psalm 119:73-80

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 3:14-22

Rev. 3:14-22 – Letter to Laodicea

You’ve made it to the last letter!   Thank you, as always, for joining me as we grow in our faith walk.  It is always a pleasure and a growth experience for me as well!

Laodicea is one church briefly mentioned outside of these Revelation verses.  While writing to the Colossians, Paul also mentions the church in Laodicea, encouraging them throughout his letter there, and reminding the Colossians that this letter was meant for the Laodiceans as well (Colossians 4:16).  By some verses, it seems that Paul himself did not travel there, but did have fellow believers he was connected with that traveled there on his behalf and supported the ministry.  There is some scholarly debate as to if Paul ever wrote Laodicea a letter directly that may be hidden in one of the other New Testament books, or lost, or simply is a misunderstanding of translation.  A mystery you could choose to explore yourself… but not our main point for today.

Laodicea was a very wealthy, abundant city.  When destroyed by an earthquake, they refused to take Roman funds but instead paid themselves to rebuild it back to its prosperous state.  It was full of strong, independent, rich people.  And yet, it is listed as a church with no positive attributes and only rebuke from Jesus. In fact, Jesus writes of his desire to spit or vomit them out (v.16). Ouch.  

So, what’s so bad about being lukewarm?  At least they weren’t called spiritually dead like in Sardis, right?? Well, Sardis was at least doing something, and there were a few members still actively living out the truths of Jesus’ ministry.  It seems that Laodicea was truly doing nothing… they weren’t being useful in any capacity, and were so inflated with their own sense of self that they didn’t even notice they were really poor, blind, and naked (v.17)!  They had turned their hearts so far towards their own wealth and recognition, that they truly just abandoned their faith.  Maybe they still met at church for a social gathering, but there was no discussion, no action, no edification, no growth.  They weren’t doing one thing wrong, they were doing absolutely nothing.

To correct this, Jesus gives them advice to buy gold from him that has been refined by fire, clothes to cover their nakedness, and salve to heal their blindness (v.18).  In the context of this particular church and city, this probably felt a bit like a slap in the face.  They had their own gold, they made their own beautiful linens, and they even were known for their medicinal salve! Why would anyone tell them they needed to go anywhere else to get those things?  Well, Jesus was trying to point out the fact that what he was “selling” was nothing they could find in their own material possessions. He was intending to knock them down a few notches and realize what they needed was God’s grace, and that wasn’t something they could just buy at one of their various stores around town!

In verse 19, Jesus reminds this church that he rebukes and corrects the people he loves.  One thing this church has going for them, that really every single person has, is that Jesus loves them enough to call them out!  In this letter he reminds them that he is present, he is knocking at their door, calling for them, with an invitation to spend time with him (v.20).  Jesus is actively pursuing this group of people with a desire to include them, to lift them up to a place of majesty (v.21).  He deeply wants them to be part of the Kingdom, but they needed to first recognize how much they needed him to get there.  There is a destruction coming that they aren’t going to be able to pay for themselves… and Jesus wants them to be on the side of redemption instead.

When we experience worldly wealth and success, we run the risk of becoming lukewarm in our faith, because we lose the recognition of our true need for God.  We must have a level of humility and respect (or fear!) for the Creator of all things in order to really put our faith in action daily!  We are dependent on God for so much more than we may consciously think throughout our days, but when we ignore how we desperately need His Grace, His Son, and His plan for salvation, we miss out on the opportunity to be in His Kingdom.  Not to mention so many other blessings we could experience in this current life!

My prayer for anyone reading these devotions this week is that you were able to find something that spoke to you.  Whether it was conviction, encouragement, or an idea for how to apply it in your home and church, I hope you found something in it for you.  I pray it was a blessing and that you continue to dive deeper in Scripture to continue strengthening your faith!  

Reflection Questions:

  • Have there been seasons in your life where you “forgot” to rely on God?  Have there been seasons where you were reminded of just how much you needed Him?  What were the biggest differences in your life at those times?
  • What barriers do you see in your life that prevent you from relying on God, and may get in the way of you focusing too much on your sense of self?
  • If you’re anything like me, you probably saw a bit of yourself in each letter.  When reflecting on each letter, which do you resonate with the most?  Re-read Jesus’ correction for the church you feel most like, and see how you can apply that rebuke to your life this week. 

-Sarah Johnson

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Dear Church in Philadelphia – and You

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 40-42

POETRY: Psalm 119:65-72

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 3:7-13

Rev. 3:7-13 – Letter to Philadelphia

We are nearly through our seven letters!

In today’s passage, we read about the church in Philadelphia, the church that (most people agree) had ZERO correction from Jesus.  What an honor they had earned!!

Jesus comes in with powerful encouragement for this church in “Little Athens”, where it was surrounded by temples to other gods.  This church was the youngest in comparison to the rest of the churches listed here, and experienced many physical challenges, specifically earthquakes, throughout its entire existence.  The city itself was smaller and less populated, but was strategically built as a gateway city for the larger areas around them.  This unique geographical location placed the church in a vital position for supporting the growth of Christianity.  They truly had an open door if you will… 

Most scholars believe that this open door to evangelism is what Jesus is referencing in verse 8 – reminding this church of their opportunity to spread the Gospel to a whole new group of people, that could continue growing and spreading in new cities.  And of course, right before this in verse 7 he introduces himself as one who holds the keys to open what no one else can, and to shut what no one else can.  Some people debate if this was a way that Jesus was correcting this church, by putting them in their place to remember who really was the one to give them such a successful ministry. 

This church received praise for holding fast to Jesus Christ, his teachings and his name.  Jesus acknowledges that he has seen their works, knows they don’t have much strength, and yet they have persevered (v.8).  His encouragement to them was focused on condemnation for their enemies, and validating his love for them to those who may have been persecuting them (v.9).  He also describes how their patient faithfulness will save them from later suffering when the world is experiencing testing and trials (v.10).  Not only would this serve as encouragement for those believers, but it would have also served as a strong reminder of what they needed to continue doing in order to experience those promises!

So, what is this young, tiny, faithful, and weak church to do with the abundant opportunity they have received?  They are to hold on to what they have, knowing that Christ is coming again (v. 11).  

Living in today’s day and age, we all have abundant opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Whether it’s in-person, virtually, maybe even through online devotionals… (I’m sure Marcia would love a few more writers next year – or even next week has a few holes 🙂)  we all have ample chances to tell people about the Kingdom, and to know and uphold the Word.  We are probably just as weak and tiny as the church in Philadelphia felt, and maybe as young!  Yet we have the same chance to claim this same victorious message when we hold firmly to Jesus’ teachings and his name.  

Here’s the thing: we already know how the story ends.  We know who the winner is of this constant war and messed up world. And, we know HE IS COMING SOON!  That message should excite us, energize us, and encourage us daily!  It can be so challenging when we are bogged down by the many woes of this life.  We live in an incredibly imperfect world, full of yucky people, horrific disasters, and overall just depressing moments.  I’m sure the Philadelphians were probably sick of seeing all these pagan gods, constantly rebuilding their homes from earthquakes, and being picked on by everyone around them.  If they can withstand life’s challenges so well that Jesus is shouting their praises, maybe we can too. 

Reflection Questions:

  • How would you feel to receive a letter like this from Jesus?  What things in your life right now do you think Jesus would be praising?  What would he be correcting?
  • In Psalm 119:71, David writes about how his afflictions helped him learn God’s decrees. In Jeremiah 40, we read about Jeremiah finally getting some freedom back after being confined and imprisoned, and continuing to spread God’s messages.  What challenges have you experienced in your life that you have come to see as a blessing or an opportunity to grow in your faith?
  • What is one way you can seize an opportunity to share Christ in your world today? What doors do you see that Christ has opened in your life?

-Sarah Johnson

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Lukewarm Warning!

Revelation 3

Friday, November 18, 2022

A few weeks ago, we got to experience an up-close view of a bit of a twist on the classic caterpillar to butterfly spiritual analogy. Maybe you’ve heard the classic version in youth group, Bible School, or a devotion book….the idea that we are all new creations if we are Christians. That we start as these creepy, crawly, fuzzy little beings and then as a gift of God, through faith in Christ….voila….we are made completely new into creations of beauty and wonder like a butterfly.

Thanks to our friend, Terri Tschaenn, and her milkweed stash….we have gotten to watch this truly amazing experience of God’s creation several times, and it hasn’t gotten old yet. We’ve gotten to feed those adorably cute little caterpillars as they grow at amazing rates each day. We’ve watched the miraculous chrysalis formation, and we’ve gotten to hold brand new monarch butterflies on our pinky fingers before they fly off. It is amazing. It is beautiful. And, it certainly is representative of the hope of new life and transformation God tells us about in 2 Corinthians 5:17.

But. . .does every caterpillar turn into a butterfly? Hmmm.

Terri told us the unfortunate story of one of her baby caterpillars that accidentally met a predator while she was trying to keep it safe in her school classroom….and….chomp. All gone. No butterfly.  And, recently, we watched our caterpillar which we had been watching grow for several weeks, for some unknown reason, never develop his chrysalis at all. Instead, he slowly wasted away and died. It was rather depressing to watch. He had eaten milkweed like all the rest, had gotten to full size, and had looked “just right” to us from the surface. But, inside….something was wrong. He never experienced the stage of transformation. And, instead of achieving beauty and new life, he died a caterpillar. It is common. It is sad. And, it is also certainly representative of what God tells us about in scripture whether or not it makes for as many Sunday School craft ideas on Pinterest.

The Bible warns us about the Christians who look like Christians, but who haven’t experienced a transformation through repentance and faith in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. These Christians are lukewarm. Just like the caterpillars who die, they lack something inside. But mind you, these aren’t atheist caterpillars or caterpillars who don’t go to church. These are Christian caterpillars. Ones who look just like us. Ones who go to church with us. Maybe us. They haven’t achieved the transformation of repentance and faith in Christ which leads to obedience. And their demise if they don’t repent? “I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16, NASV).

Truth can hurt, but it matters. It matters because God and Jesus love us. And true love includes speaking honestly and intentionally. It also matters because unless we repent, at the judgment day, we do not become “butterflies” to live eternally with God and his son Jesus in the kingdom of God. The alternative to that option is death. Today, we live in a world telling us that almost any belief imaginable is “Christian”, and it can get quite confusing as we seek to be on the narrow road and not in the lukewarm masses. It requires diligent searching of scripture and faithful prayer on our parts. We cannot rely alone on our teachers, our families, our churches, and traditions of men. We must not just believe “in” God and Jesus, but know what they say and apply those words to our lives. So, if we find ourselves lukewarm and amongst lukewarm believers. . .what does Jesus say to us?

“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. 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.” (Revelation 3:19-21, NASV).

Let’s seek and pray to be more than lukewarm this week and to be victorious in Christ.

-Jennifer Hall

(posted originally for SeekGrowLove – then named Grow16 – on June 24, 2018)

Reflection Questions

  1. What good things were the churches of Revelation 3 doing? What needed to be changed in these churches?
  2. What do you think Jesus would want you – and your church – to repent of?
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Pillars

Revelation 3

Revelation 3 12 .png

I live and work in Louisiana and the land down here is often very wet and soggy. Most of it in fact, is considered to be swamp land.  But nevertheless, people build on this land close to rivers and lakes. For my day job I work on building shorefront and boat houses. In order to do so we must use “piles” or otherwise known as oversized telephone poles and we drive them with a machine into the ground. When we drive 4 to 8 of them for a boat house, they create a pillar like effect which can support up to and if designed well over 15,000-pound boats. Each pile is driven with the machine with over 20,000+ pounds of force. That is really strong.

One of the most encouraging verses I can think of in the Bible is located in Revelation 3:12

“’He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God; and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.”

The one who overcomes this world and all of its false hopes and temptations and focuses on Jesus will be like a pillar of faith in the temple and in the New Jerusalem. They will have written on them his own name YHWH. This is something I strive to have every day –  to allow myself to represent the LORD almighty everyday by carrying his name through my actions. Although I fail sometimes with this, I learn a little bit everyday how I can overcome my shortcomings.

Today I want you to focus on how you can be a pillar of faith in your communities and how you can carry the name of God with your actions. Also don’t forget to keep looking up phrases you see and don’t understand!

Jesse Allen