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THIS WEEK’S BIBLE INSIGHTS ARE BY:
Toby Hole and are based on Revelation 3:14-21
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE ON THIS WEEK’S MAJOR THEME:
Daniel 5:1-9, 17-24; Luke 9:1-6; Philippians 2:4-11
To the Church in Laodicea
14“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 realise 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 20 discipline. So be earnest and repent. 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.”
Sunday January 25 - Lacklustre in Laodicea
“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.” Rev 3:14
You can still visit the ruins of the ancient city of Laodicea. The fabled wealth of the city can be seen in the impressive amphitheatre, temples and colonnades. When John gave this message to the angel of the church, Laodicea would have been a thriving merchant city, awash with gold.
As with all seven letters to the churches, the letter to Laodicea combines local and specific knowledge about the city with a message that is applicable to everyone. In this verse we see both the microscopic – the specific letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea – and the telescopic: the letter comes from the ruler of God’s creation, Jesus Christ, the Amen.
As we will see, there is a gaping hole at the heart of the Laodicean church’s life. Where there should be Jesus, there is instead complacency and pride. There is a spiritual apathy in the place of zeal. The Laodiceans that think they have it all, when in fact they are to be pitied for their poverty. It is the only one of the letters to the seven churches where Jesus has nothing good to say.
Perhaps we might wonder what the ruler of God’s creation might say to our small church and community? Nothing, I hope, as devastating as the words he uses here; but perhaps this week might prompt us to have an honest look at ourselves.
Lord Jesus, faithful and true, ruler of all, may I hear you speak clearly to me this week. Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY