Revelation 6

LAODICEA—The lukewarm church.

1.    The identification of Who is speaking.

a.    Revelation 3:14 

b.    Jesus identifies Himself in three ways.

c.     Amen: We use the word Amen as, so be it. It is true, I agree, I accept it.

d.    The Faithful and True Witness: Jesus faithfully speaks truth into our condition. 

e.    The Beginning of the creation of God: The One who created the church has the authority to evaluate the church.

f.      John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-16 

2.    Their spiritual thermostat was broke. 

a.    Revelation 3:15-16

b.    They had become spiritually distasteful.

c.     They had lost their spiritual urgency.

3.    The confidence the church had was misplaced.

a.    Revelation 3:17

b.    They confused material prosperity with spiritual prosperity.

c.     Their greatest danger was that their physical prosperity had produced spiritual self-sufficiency.

d.    1 Corinthians 10:12 

4.    The counsel Christ gave is the counsel He is still giving today.

a.    Revelation 3:18-19 

b.    Jesus does not simply expose their condition. He offers them a way to recover.

c.     1 Peter 1:6-7; Ephesians 1:18 

5.    Christ tries to re-enter the church at Laodicea. 

a.    Revelation 3:20

b.    The answer to lukewarmness is not more activity; it is renewed surrender to Christ.

c.     Revelation 3:21-22 

Recap of the Seven Churches:

1.    Ephesus: We can be faithful in our activities but lose our affection for Christ.

2.    Smyrna: Faithfulness to Christ is more valuable than earthly comfort or security.

3.    Pergamos: We cannot hold firmly to Christ while making room for worldly compromise.

4.    Thyatira: Love and service must never come at the expense of biblical truth and holiness.

5.    Sardis: A reputation for spiritual life is not the same as possessing spiritual life.

6.    Philadelphia: God honors those who remain faithful, even when their strength seems small.

7.    Laodicea: We can become so satisfied with what we have that we lose our dependence upon Christ.