Bible Study

Title: A Church That Made Jesus Sick
Date: May 21, 2012
Topic(s): Christian Living/Situational
Scripture: Revelation 2-3, Revelation 3:14-22

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The establishment of the first church in a region may bring a fresh outlook on life, a new message of everlasting promise and the example of pure moral standards to the community. Changes can come like a breath of fresh air as zealous Christians express their relationship to Christ and demonstrate His presence and love in their midst.

In His messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3, Jesus praises some of the churches for the way they maintained a clear testimony to their townspeople; but, unfortunately, other churches had slipped away from their moorings and lost touch with God's purpose for their local fellowships.

The churches that tarnished their testimony for Christ fell in various ways, but they also shared a common fault that hurt their witness for Christ. Namely, they all allowed the sins of the community to become the sins of the church.

It happened that way to the church in Laodicea.

Receive

Take a few minutes to read Revelation 3:14-22.

• What three names does Christ call Himself in 3:14?
• What characteristic of the church made Christ want to vomit (3:15)?

Laodiceans got their water by way of a man-made ditch from the town of Hierapolis and by the time it reached their city it was lukewarm and insipid. So, they should have known well what Christ was talking about when He called their spiritual attitude "lukewarm."

In Revelation 3:17, you see the Laodiceans' opinion of their church. What three things did they claim? Next, you find Christ's appraisal of their condition. What five words did He use to describe them?

Laodicea was a proud city, rich in material things and wealthy because of the banking industry there. The love of money and the good life had become the mark of the church as well. The materialistic life of the community infected their church to the point that they were spiritually wretched and impoverished.

Laodicea had three thriving businesses. First, financial institutions; second, beautiful clothing manufactured from black wool; and third, the medical preparation of a special ointment that was famous throughout the surrounding nations for healing eye diseases.

In Revelation 3:18-19 Jesus counsels the Christians in Laodicea to "buy" three items from Him. What are they? What assurance and warning does He give them in verse 19?

Christ presses them to turn their hearts back to the spiritual things that can save their church and to turn away from the worldly things that were destroying them. He offers them fine gold, the eternal riches of God, as compared to the worldly wealth of the community. He tells them to buy the pure, white clothing of heaven, in contrast to the luxurious material that made the city famous, and He offers the healing eye salve of salvation to cure their spiritual blindness.

Reflect

Revelation 3:20 is addressed to the church in Laodicea. It is sometimes used as an invitation of Christ to individual unbelievers to receive salvation. The famous painting, Christ Knocking at Heart's Door, fosters that idea. But in its context, the verse speaks of Christ calling at the door of a local church that has shut Him out and no longer fellowships with Him. He calls on all members of a church that has drifted away to repent and restore their zeal for the things of God, rather than the things of the world around them.

What does Christ promise to the conqueror (Revelation 3:21)?

Respond

Do you participate in a good local church? Every believer should. In the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor, you can see all varieties of churches--some fervent, some frigid, some lukewarm. In our day, you can still find similar local churches.

Take stock of your church. Try to see it through the eyes of God. Look for trends in your community that may be adversely affecting the attitudes of the church. Write down things that could be done to strengthen it spiritually. Pray for your fellowship and do your part to make it a local church that Christ can commend.

And memorize this great verse: Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."

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