To the Church in Laodicea

The church in Laodicea was marked by wealth. The letter mentions Laodicea’s infrastructure (water ways) and industry (medicine) in a warning against lukewarm complacency. This text has long been a helpful warning to churches in wealthy areas like our own. Let this text challenge and speak to you, today.

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REFLECTION

The Church at Laodicea

By Jeff Morlock

Laodicea means “lukewarm.” The water of this ancient city was undrinkable, so they had hot water pumped in from the nearby city of Hierapolis, and cold water from Colossae. But by the time it reached Laodicea, it was lukewarm and hard to stomach—just like the faith of the Christian community there.

Compromise, conceit, and complacency are unflattering adjectives. But they accurately describe the church at Laodicea, which had lost its first love, and was in deep denial about their spiritual condition. Through John of Patmos, Jesus gives this congregation a reality check that serves as a warning for the entire body of Christ today. Churches can grow large in terms of members, programs, and buildings that serve their agenda, which can easily be mistaken for the agenda of Christ. How sad it would be if Jesus found himself outside of such churches - knocking on their door when he comes again!

Laodicea was famous for three things; their substantial wealth, the development of a unique eye balm containing healing properties, and popular tunics or outer garments called trimata, which were manufactured there. It’s likely that members of the Laodicean Christian community worked in these industries, and perhaps became affluent as a result. So when Jesus declares, “But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked,” it’s a painful rebuke that strikes at the heart of their identity. And that’s the problem. Their identity is in these things, instead of in Christ. Yet Jesus - lover that he is - pleads for repentance, returning, and change. And he does so in terms of five admonishments that offer a spiritual prescription for healing.

1. Seek riches from above, such as character and virtue - refined in the fire of suffering (3:18). The church that knows that its true treasures are eternal will use its wealth, not as a tool to build themselves up, but as a resource for loving God, blessing others, and bearing fruit for the kingdom. 
2. Seek the righteousness of Christ (not blaming, excusing, denying, hiding, or trying harder) to cover sin and shame (v. 18)
3. Seek divine healing to open spiritual eyes blinded by rebellion and deceit (v. 18). 
4. Seek repentance to overcome compromise and zeal to overcome complacency (3:19). 
5. Seek to conquer distractions and listen for the knock (voice, word, leading) of Jesus himself (v. 20).

Which of these admonishments might UALC need most right now? Because the church is made up of individual disciples, which part(s) of this prescription do you need to appropriate today?

Lord God, your love for us is never tepid. Please forgive our tendency to trend lukewarm and give us hearts that burn with holy zeal for you! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, give us victory over anything that would prevent us from being the sort of disciples your Son deserves, and the kind of community that is a foretaste of your eternal kingdom. In the name of Jesus, the King. Amen.

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER - FRIDAY

FAITH -  Pray for faith instead of fear, that many would come to faith in Jesus and that we would all trust God more deeply during this time.