Friday 27 July 2012

Background

This is the last of the seven heavenly words to the churches inAsia Minor (modern Turkey), and this time is addressed to Laodicea,a small town on the river Lycus. The message comes again fromJesus, who here is described as the "Amen, the faithful and truewitness, the origin of God's creation" (v. 14). Jesus is both firstand last, and the one who shows us who God is like. Jesus can betrusted.

The words themselves, like most of the messages to the churches,contain a warning and an admonition. The disciples are "lukewarm"(v. 16), suggesting their participation in other cultic practices.They are also a materially wealthy church, reflecting the wealth oftheir context. Spiritually, however, they are "wretched, pitiable,poor, blind, and naked" (v. 17).

Jesus' counsel, then, is to "buy from me gold... and whiterobes... and salve..." (v. 18). The images here denote arestoration to holiness and healing. They also represent a reversalof the state of the church at Laodicea - poor, they need gold;naked, they need clothes; blind, they need healing (verse 17). Ifthe church recognises its need, Jesus would love to clothe them,restore them, and grant them true sight.

Jesus calls the church to repent and return to the calling thatthey first received. The famous image here is of Jesus standingknocking at the door. Jesus will not knock the door down, nortrample over the threshold of churches, but gently makes hispresence known, asking to enter. If Jesus enters the church again,the result will be fellowship around the table. Can there beanything greater than sharing such fellowship with Jesus? Those whoconquer will also 'share their father's throne' (verse 21), aradical invitation into the presence of God.

Like all the messages to the churches, this one ends with theencouragement for the church to "listen to what the Spirit issaying to the churches" (v. 22). It is possible to hear withoutlistening, whereas true listening opens us up totransformation.

To Ponder

• What do you think the Spirit would say to your churchtoday?

• How can we cultivate spiritual humility in our churches?