The Sick Church: Laodicea-Rev 3:14-22

Revelation 3:14-22; Key Verse: Rev 3:19

“So be earnest [zealous]…”

Do you know what makes God sick? It is the church at Laodicea (Rev 3:16). Why? [This is the last of the seven letters to the churches. Briefly, Ephesus was a loveless church, Smyrna, a suffering church, Pergamum, a compromising church, Thyatira, an elitist church (Thyatira), Sardis, a dishonest church, and Philadelphia, an inclusive church.] Laodicea, the seventh church, may be the worst church of them, because she was neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm (Rev 3:15-16). Jesus was not just grieved or angry; he wanted to spit them out. He was nauseated. The church made him sick. Why is being lukewarm so horrible?

Zeal. Everyone loves zealous, enthusiastic, passionate people in every arena of life. Chicagoens love Michael Jordan forever because of his zeal whenever he plays basketball. Whether he is practicing during the pre-season before the NBA season begins (that nobody watches), or playing in the NBA finals (with countless millions of viewers), he plays in the exact same way—with an all out, intense, passionate, do or die zeal. His zeal lifted the performance of every Bull’s player during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls when they won 6 NBA chapionships. Now we are fortunate to have another NBA player–Derrick Rose–who is similarly as zealous, intense and passionate as Michael Jordan. The whole world loves zealous people, such as Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Albert Einstein (Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration), Steve Jobs (Apple), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), and countless other people.

The zeal of Christians. Similarly it is the Holy Spirit, working through the zeal of Christians, that has propagated and spread Christianity over the last 2,000 years. Even facing their own death through martyrdom, Christians kept their zeal, passion and love for Christ to their very last breadth. In Revelation, Christians face the persecution and seduction of the Harlot and the two beasts representing materialism, political power, and religious establishments (the False Prophet). Despite such opposition on all fronts, Christianity has continued to thrive to this day. Why? It is because of the zeal of countless Christians who gave of themselves wholeheartedly to the cause of Christ.

In contrast, “Christians” without zeal, such as those in the church at Loadicea, will not advance the kingdom of Christ. That is why she made Jesus nauseated and sick. In this sermon, let us consider:

1. Nausea: What makes Jesus sick/nauseated (Rev 3:14-17): Lukewarm (no zeal, neither hot nor cold).
   1. Deeds: Good outward Christian deeds are deceptive (Rev 3:15a).
   2. Lukewarm: The worst state (Rev 3:16a).
   3. Hot: But not for Christ (Rev 3:15b, 16b).
   4. Self: Self-satisfied and self-glory seeking (Rev 3:17a).
   5. Ignorance: Not knowing that one is wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked (Rev 3:17b).
2. Normal: How to be a “normal” zealous Christian (Rev 3:18-22): Realize, reflect, remember, respond, repent, return, restore, renew.
   1. Realize your true condition (Rev 3:17).
   2. Respond to counsel (Rev 3:18; Isa 55:1).
   3. Repent when rebuked (Rev 3:19).
   4. Respond to God knocking at the door of your heart (Rev 3:20).
   5. Remember the promise of God (Rev 3:21).

Definition of zeal. “Zēloō” is translated “earnest” (NIV), “committed” (HSCB), “diligent” (NLT), “zealous” (KJV, ESV, NASB, RSV), “live at their best” (MSG).] Zeal has the meaning of wholehearted, full-throttle, all-out, sixth gear. Bishop J.C. Ryle, archbishop of Liverpool, an Anglican bishop in the nineteenth century wrote: “The definition of zeal in this text (Rev 3:19) is to be a person of one thing. A zealous Christian is one who sees only one thing, cares for only one thing, lives for only one thing, is swallowed up by only one thing, gets pleasure and joy from only one thing.”

A zealous Christian does not care whether he lives or dies (Ac 20:24), whether he is healthy or sick, whether he is rich or poor, whether he is popular or offensive, whether he gets blame or gets praise, whether he gets honor or shame. None of these things really matter. He only cares about one thing: to bring joy to the heart of the Savior who gave of himself to him, to honor his Savior, to please his Savior.

Fanatics are not committed to Christ but to themselves. But when we think of Christians who come across as being fanatical (or “zealous”), we are often put off by them. Fanatics are usually rude, offensive, defensive and insensitive. They demand and insist on their own way. They are counterproductive because he or she tries to get his or her opinion across in the most distasteful ways and does the opposite of what is intended. Fanatics may be cruel, bigoted and proud. Most people think fanaticism is proportional to their degree of commitment to Christ. Not so.

Not fanatical enough; not like Jesus enough. Are fanatical Christians too extreme? Or are they not extreme enough? The problem with a fanatic is that the reason he/she is so offensive is not they are too fanatical, but that they are not fanatical enough. They are fanatical like Jesus in some ways, but not in most ways. Usually they are fanatical about judgment, but not about love. They are fanatical about truth, but not about grace. They are not fanatically sensitive, like Jesus. They are not fanatically loving, or self-sacrificing, or humble (they never are), or fanatically wise. Mt 12:20 says about Jesus: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Isa 42:3). What does that mean? Look at the diamond cutter. The diamond cutter is fanatical–fanatically careful. A diamond cutter never approaches a diamond recklessly. No. They are fanatical, though. The diamond cutter is extreme, radical and fanatically careful. Instead, “fanatical” Christians tend to break bruised reeds and snuff out smoldering wicks.

Not zealous enough. A person who is considered fanatical, offensive, insensitive and rude is not being too zealous for Christ, but not zealous enough. They are not totally sold out.If you are around someone who is totally sold out, they make you feel like a million bucks. They listen to you. They care about you. They are like Jesus. The prostitutes liked him. The children liked him. Only the falsely zealous religious leaders hated him. The zeal of the early Christians were genuine like that of Jesus. Thus, Jesus is saying to the church at Laodicea, “If I do not see your zeal being full throttle, I feel sick and nauseated and want to throw up.”

Using the template and pattern for all 7 churches, an overview of the church in Laodicea may be:

1. The Church: Lukewarm/Not Zealous (Rev 3:16).
2. The Christ: The True Witness tells the truth (Rev 3:14).
3. The Commendation: NONE.
4. The Condemnation: Lukewarm, wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked (Rev 3:16-17).
5. The Command: Buy gold, clothes, salve, be earnest, repent, hear my voice, open the door (Rev 3:18-20).
6. The Caution: Spit you out of my mouth (Rev 3:16b).
7. The Consummation: “I will give the right to sit with me on my throne” (Rev 3:21).

I. Nausea: What Makes Jesus Sick (Rev 3:14-17): Lukewarm (no zeal, neither hot nor cold)

The tendency of every church is to become lukewarm. Charles Spurgeon said, “The actual church of Laodicea has passed away, but other Laodiceas still exist—indeed, they are sadly multiplied in our day, and it has ever been the tendency of human nature, however inflamed with the love of God, gradually to chill into lukewarmness. The letter to the Laodiceans is above all others the epistle for the present times.”

What an inaccurate self-assessment. Interestingly, the church in Laodicea thinks of itself as quite self-sufficient; they were wealthy, very well-off, and without any apparent needs (Rev 3:17a). But the reality is far different. She has an exalted opinion of herself. She might even think of herself as zealous. But Jesus knows “her deeds” (Rev 3:15) and describes her as “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Rev 3:17b). This church is lukewarm and is about to be spit out of Christ’s mouth (Rev 3:16). This is the only church about which Jesus has nothing good to say. Sardis, the dishonest church, also received no word of praise, though they had a few undefiled Christians (Rev 3:4). To Laodicea Jesus expresses his love with the harshest rebuke and the most severe denunciation.

Jesus knows our true condition. People may think well of us. But Jesus says, “I know you,” “I know your deeds” (Rev 3:15). People can only hear about or read about what we do. But Jesus sees for himself. Jesus not only knows what we do, but also how we do and especially why we do what we do. Jesus is never impressed with outward piety or glitter or showiness. Our opinion of ourselves and Jesus’ opinion of us may be very different. It is very sad when it is. Churches are very apt to show off to others their best parts. But Jesus says, “I know your true condition.” This is so not only of churches as a whole but also of individual Christians.

Partly dishonest, mainly self-deceived and conceited. The church may once have been very good and healthy. Perhaps in the time of Paul it was (Col 2:1; 4:13, 15, 16). But over several decades she degenerated to lukewarmness, being neither hot nor cold (Rev 3:16), while the church may still be filled with all of the display of Christian service and activities, including Bible studies, prayer fellowship, weekly gatherings, etc. They never missed Sun service or church meetings. They never denied the gospel. But what excited them most (being hot) was not Christ, but the gladiator games, the opera, and their nice homes and amenities. All the right Christian things were done on the surface. So they thought very well of themselves. Very likely, she continued to live on the basis of her past reputation of goodness and health. Partly, she was dishonest. Mainly, she was self-deceived and in grave danger of self-conceit.

Ease, wealth and no threats. In Laodicea, as in Sardis, Jesus mentions no coercion or seduction from idolatry, imperial cult, or synagogue. Nor does he identify any theological or ethical threat from within. Laodicea’s boast in its wealth reveals how seduced this church has been by the harlot Babylon, who enriches the earth’s merchants with her immoral wealth (Rev 18:3) and boasts, “I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn” (Rev 18:7). What Jesus finds repugnant–as repugnant as the city’s tepid, polluted, nauseating water sources (Rev 3:16)–is the church’s superficial complacency, resting on the delusion that their fiscal affluence insulated her from need. Laodicea’s hallucinations of wealth are symptoms of potentially terminal “affluenza.” [This is the result of consumerism and has become an epidemic. It is driven by an obsession for a “better life.” Yet those who succeed and attain wealth feel unfulfilled and still driven to acquire and achieve more. It is an array of psychological maladies such as isolation, boredom, passivity and lack of motivation engendered in adults, teenagers and children by the possession of great wealth. It is an unhappy condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.]

This is the seventh and final letter addressed by Jesus Christ to his churches in western Asia Minor, the letter to the church in Laodicea. With this letter we come to the end of John’s opening vision of the resurrected Christ which began in Rev 1:12 and which ends with Jesus’ words of encouragement, admonition and rebuke to those churches struggling to remain faithful in the face of idolatry, persecution from the state, as well as from those Jews who lived in several of these cities.

Successful by worldly standards, but… Laodicea is 40 miles south of Philadelphia and 100 miles east of Ephesus. Given its material wealth and prosperity this church has likely become complacent, self-satisfied and self-reliant. By worldly standards, this church was a huge success. It is probably well-attended and had much money (Rev 3:17a). By Christ’s standards, however, this church is absolutely poor and wretched (Rev 3:17b). It has lost interest in the gospel and the kingdom. This church thinks it has everything it needs–therefore, it has nothing.

Jesus sees their true condition. As with each of the 7 letters, Jesus instructs, “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). This makes it clear that Jesus who is Lord of his church. He possesses full authority over his church, and speaks to his churches in this capacity. Jesus is also “the Amen” and “the faithful and true witness” to this church that has such a false estimation of their own standing before God. Each of these terms reminds them that Jesus is God’s word of “Amen,” the faithful witness, that One who alone testifies about the true condition of things on earth before his Father in heaven. As Jesus was a faithful witness when testifying about his Father during his earthly ministry, so now, after his resurrection from the dead, Jesus is a faithful witness to his heavenly father when testifying about the condition of this church. He sees what the Laodiceans do not.

The self-reliant may turn to Jesus’ inexhaustible resources as the eternal God. Jesus is “the ruler of God’s creation” (NIV). A better translation may be the ESV: “the beginning of God’s creation” (Col 1:15, 18; Prov 8:22). In Revelation “the beginning” with its complement “the end” expresses the eternity of God, who stands sovereign over history’s whole span as “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Rev 22:13; 21:6). Jesus calls himself “the beginning” to shame their self-reliance and to turn them to his inexhaustible resources. In Christ’s resurrection, the new creation has begun. God removed the curse by breaking the power of sin and death through Christ’s sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection. To Laodicea–which trusts in itself, its money and its success–Jesus confronts them with the truth that he alone brings true spiritual renewal–“the new creation,” undoes the effects of sin, raises the dead. They must look to him, in whom creation is renewed, rather than rely on temporal and worldly things.

Seduced by the world. Jesus reminds them that as the faithful witness he knows their true condition. “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!” (Rev 3:15) Anyone living in Laodicea was familiar with the lukewarm and tepid water which came through the cities’ aqueduct. They would have immediately grasped what Jesus was saying. Jesus knows their true state of affairs. They thought of themselves as wealthy and without need. These same sentiments are echoed by the Harlot in Revelation 18. She enriched the world’s merchants with her wealth, and all the while seducing them into unbelief (Rev 18:3, 7). In reality, this church is just like the tepid and bitter water the people of Laodicea were forced to drink on a daily basis.

Lukewarm = compromise + complacency. Jesus warns her for being lukewarm. He says that it would be better if they were either hot or cold. Why? If the church is cold, it will see the gospel as a kind of refreshing spring like that which watered the city of Colosse to the east. If the church is hot, it will see the gospel as having medicinal value like the springs of Hierapolis to the north. To remain lukewarm then, is a metaphor for continuing to compromise with the spirit of the age in order to attain material success, rather than seeking to please God by remaining faithful to the gospel, which is to be hot or cold.

Being lukewarm is like drinking flat Coke at room temperature. “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Rev 3:16). The complacency toward the things of God and the interest shown in things of the world renders the church a bitter and disgusting taste in Jesus’ mouth. Unless this church repents, Jesus will spit them out from his mouth. How can such a church be an effective witness to those around them? They cannot. They compromised to the point that they no longer offend anyone and in the process, sadly, have become an offense to the Lord of the church. They may be a success in the world’s eyes, but they are a failure in Christ’s estimation.

Equating material blessing with God’s favor. They were self-deceived and complacent. Perhaps “lazy” applies, because of their wealth and success. Jesus describes her self-assessment before pointing out the stark reality of their situation: “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Rev 3:17). Because of their success in terms of their wealth and prosperity, this church thinks it has no needs. Its members have equated material blessing with God’s favor. Since they have acquired great wealth and have no apparent material need, they mistakenly assume that they are pleasing God by their conduct.

Thinking one is rich when they are poor. Thinking of themselves as rich when they are poor, is based on the OT, especially where Israel had come to believe that the nation’s economic prosperity was supposedly evidence of its healthy spiritual condition. The Jews mistakenly assumed that material prosperity was proof that they were faithful to the covenant. But material prosperity was their human accomplishment instead of a blessing from God. So it was with the church in Laodicea.

The rich think that wealth covers their sin. In Hosea 12:1-14, Ephraim became overly confident because of Israel’s wealth. “Ephraim,” who is Manasseh’s brother, is symbolic of the nation of Israel as a whole. She “feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt. The LORD has a charge to bring against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel; as a man he struggled with God. He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there—the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is his name of renown! But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always. The merchant uses dishonest scales; he loves to defraud. Ephraim boasts, ‘I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin’” (Hos 12:1-8).

Seemingly having everything but in reality having nothing. Like the church in Laodicea, “Ephraim boasts, `I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin.’. . . But Ephraim has bitterly provoked God to anger; his Lord will leave upon him the guilt of his bloodshed and will repay him for his contempt.” Israel [Ephraim] became a merchant with no problems with dishonest gain while defrauding her neighbors for the sake of earning a greater profit. So too, the church in Laodicea boasts of its wealth, thinking that its money will cover up its sins. Jesus exposes the truth. This church is not rich and without need. In fact, it is “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” What is worse, their members have not the slightest clue as to their true condition. They compromised with the spirit of the age to the point where they are blind to their true condition. In the eyes of the world, they were prosperous. But what was lost in the process is the real treasure–the gospel! Without the gospel this church has nothing and is wretched.

Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor. The Laodicians thought they were rich and that they had no needs when they were in fact pitifully poor and in desperate and dire need. But Jesus was truly rich and had no needs, yet he willingly became like one who was pitifully poor and in dire need. He did so for us, that we might come to know the true riches that satisfies our souls (2 Cor 8:9).

II. Normal: What is a “Normal” Christian (Rev 3:18-22): Zealous

Material prosperity is ultimately worthless. How can they be rectified from this deplorable condition? Jesus said, “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.” The remedy Christ prescribes must be a shock to them. They must to come to their senses andgive up trusting in their own material prosperity which is ultimately worthless. They must look to Christ, whose ability to supply them with what they truly need is inexhaustible.

Come eat only when you can’t pay. Isaiah depicts the true prosperity of the messianic age: “Come, all you who are thirsty; come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isa 55:1). This transaction is not a conventional purchase, for only those who cannot pay may partake. Everything we need must be the free gift of the Ruler/Beginning of God’s creation In Christ are found all of the riches and treasures of heaven. This treasure is freely offered to us, if we humbly receive it with the empty hands of faith.

Refining fire is needed. They need to participate in the new creation through faith in Christ’s victory over sin and death. They forgot what constitutes true riches of which Christ is speaking. The imagery of refining by fire suggest that they must be purified by removing all worldly influences which led to their complacency. They need the salve of the Law and the gospel to open their eyes so that they might see their true condition–wretched, not rich–come to their senses, and repent, before it is too late.

Punishment is love. Jesus, the Lord of his church, will punish all who do not repent. This does not mean Jesus is cruel or unloving. On the contrary, Jesus says, “those whom I love I rebuke and discipline” (Rev 3:19a). If Christ cared nothing for his people, he would simply leave this church in its wretched condition and come to them in judgment without any word of warning. Paul says it is God’s kindness which leads sinners to repentance (Rom 2:4). Since Jesus loves his people, he rebukes and disciplines them. Jesus says, “be earnest, and repent” (Rev 3:19b). These are words of love. They are a final word of warning before he comes in judgment.

Invitation. The warning to repent is followed by an amazing invitation: “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 him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20). It is truly an act of grace for Jesus to invite the members of this church to renew their fellowship with him which they claim to enjoy, but which in reality is all but gone.

An invitation to Christians, not non-Christians. Rev 3:20 is often quoted, as though the context was an evangelistic one: Jesus stands outside the door of the human heart waiting for the person to open the door of their heart to him if only they will accept Christ as their personal savior. But this letter is written to professing Christians in the church of Laodicea who are rebuked about their relationship with Christ which must be renewed or face the judgment of Christ. Rev 3:20 echoes an ancient canticle (song) of a bridegroom who stands outside the door of the bedchamber, knocking, waiting for his wife to admit him. Likewise Christ is asking this church to invite him in so that his relationship with this church might be renewed in all of its fullness. Indeed, having accepted Christ’s gracious invitation, Christ will dine with his people, which may be a reference to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. This invitation must be heeded immediately. Jesus is even now standing at the door of our church, knocking, waiting for his people to repent and invite him in to renew their fellowship and intimacy.

When Jesus knocked on heaven’s door. Jesus is willing to dine with us despite our true condition that nauseates him. Jesus knocking at the door of our hearts is the marvelous expression of God’s mercy and grace to sinners. Yet, on the cross, as Jesus cried out to his Father (Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34), there was silence and no response. The Father had to shut out the excruciating cries of his Son and could not respond to him, so that he can respond to us.

Overcome and be victorious. “To him who overcomes/To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Rev 3:20; NIV 1984, 2011). Those who acknowledge that Christ is the faithful witness, and that his testimony about this church’s spiritual condition is true, Jesus grants them the right to rule in his messianic kingdom, a kingdom which dawned at his coming, and which will be fully realized at the end of the age, when Jesus returns to judge the world, raise the dead and make all things new.

Success? The success of a church is not measured by its size, property, buildings, or wealth. It is measured by its faithfulness to the gospel. The world sees success in terms of numbers, programs, buildings, endowments and bank accounts. But these often breed complacency and compromise. The church in Laodicea obtained wealth but compromised the gospel it proclaimed so as to make peace with the prosperous unbelievers around them. Her prosperity was a false success and led them into their lukewarm and pitiful condition.

Seek not success but faithfulness to the gospel. What Jesus asks of his people is that we seek not success, but that we seek to be faithful to the gospel which he has entrusted to us. All good things come from our Father’s hand and God chooses to bless some churches with great prosperity. But never mistake or assume that wealth is the sign that we are faithful to God. Faithfulness to God is rather measured by the things seen throughout these seven letters:

• whether or not a church preaches the gospel (Rev 3:18),
• whether or not a church drives out false teachers from its midst (Rev 2:2, 14-15),
• whether or not a church loves the brethren, not forsaking its first love (Rev 2:4), and
• whether or not its members will refuse to take the mark of the beast by acknowledging someone other than Christ as Lord, even if it costs our lives or livelihoods (Rev 3:8, 12).

This is what Christ expects of us as he walks in our midst, and as we seek to be a witness of the gospel to those around us. Let us open the door and invite Jesus in our midst through his word, so that we can dine with him and renew our fellowship with the Lord of the church.“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev 3:22).

The most zealous One. When the disciples saw Jesus clearing the temple, they remembered Ps 69:9: “Zeal for your house will consume me” (Jn 2:17). Jesus’ entire life was a life of whole-hearted zeal in his love for God and the world. His zeal attracted the worst of sinners–like prostitutes and tax collectors–to come to him. His zeal also exposed those with “false zeal”–the Pharisees and religious leaders–to crucify him. Yet to the very end of his life, his zeal never waned. When he had no strength left, dying in excruciating agony on the cross, his zeal was manifested in love and forgiveness toward all who hated him and were killing him (Lk 23:34). Because of the zeal of Christ, the early Christians lived with the zeal they saw in their Lord and Master, and conquered the world with the Gospel. To Christ, a life of zeal is the normal Christian life. But when the Laodiceans lacked zeal, Jesus was naseated and sick and ready to throw up (Rev 3:16). Are you zealous as a normal Christian should be?

Questions:

1. Explain Christ’s three titles that span His entire career (Rev 3:14; 22:13; 21:6;Jn 1:2-4;Col 1:15-18;Heb 1:2).Why is there no commendation in this letter? Is there any persecution or trial? What does this suggest? Why does God prefer that we are either “cold or hot” (Rev 3:15)? Why would “cold” be better than”lukewarm”?
2. Why is lukewarmness so distasteful to God (Rev 3:16)? Are you lukewarm toward God? What is its appeal? Why do some live lukewarm lives? How can you avoid lukewarmness?
3. The Laodiceans think they are rich when they are, in fact, poor (Rev 3:17). What dangerous mindset develops as a result of wealth? What does this have to do with being lukewarm?
4. What does it mean to “buy gold refined by fire” (Rev 3:18)? How is refined gold used in the Bible (Job 23:10;Prov 27:21;Mal 3:2-3;Zech 13:9;1 Pet 1:6-9)? What might be the purpose of “eye salve” (John 14:26;1 Cor 2:14-16)?
5. How does God treat those he loves (Rev 3:19;Prov 3:11-12;13:24;Heb 12:5-6)? Is God all cookies and smiles? How doesRev 3:20 relate to being lukewarm? What is God’s remedy for the tepid soul? Is this verse a call to salvation or fellowship?
6. Although Jesus’ sternest rebukes and condemnation are directed toward Laodicea, he reserves for her the most glorious and precious promises given to any of the seven churches (Rev 3:21). What is so significant about reigning with Christ (2 Tim 2:12;Phil 2:6-11)?

 References: 

1. Johnson, Dennis E. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Pillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company. 2001.
2. Sermons on the Book of Revelation. Kim Riddlebarger, Sr. Pastor, Christ Reformed Church. Anaheim.
3. The Letter to the Church at Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) Sam Storms.
4. Letter on Discipleship (Rev 3:14-22). Tim Keller.
5. An Earnest Warning about Lukewarmness. Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892).