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Laodicea: Be Zealous. Revelation 3: 14-22. Laodice a : Be Zealous Rev. 3:14-22. Main crossroad, seat of government. Rich trading precious metals & gems. Known for black wool & black clothes. Medical school made good eye salve. Earthquake! No Imperial aid for us!
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Laodicea: Be Zealous Revelation 3: 14-22
Laodicea: Be Zealous Rev. 3:14-22 • Main crossroad, seat of government. • Rich trading precious metals & gems. • Known for black wool & black clothes. • Medical school made good eye salve. • Earthquake! No Imperial aid for us! • Water from hot spring 5 miles down aqueduct = warm & mineral filled. • Like city, church complacent, self-satisfied, & self-reliant.
Laodicea: Be Zealous Rev. 3:14-22 • “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” 3:17 • Jesus is “Amen”, “faithful and true witness” to ones who don’t see truth. • ‘Ruler’ of creation is also first/source. • Jesus knows they are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked…” • …and lukewarm, about to be spit out. • Jesus knows their true condition!
Laodicea: Be Zealous Rev. 3:14-22 • Better to be hot (Heirapolis) or cold (Colossae), lukewarm is worthless. • To fix this, Jesus says… • - buy gold from Jesus, to be rich. • - buy white clothes, to cover shame. • - buy eye salve to cure blindness. • Hit them between eyes! They were famous for these exact things! • Treasures from Christ, not self.
Laodicea: Be Zealous Rev. 3:14-22 • They need righteousness from Christ! • They need salve of Law and Gospel! • Jesus not cruel, “those whom I love I rebuke and discipline…” • …so ‘be zealous, and repent’. • He knocks on door of his own church! • This isn’t just evangelism… renewal! • Reward is feasting with Him. • Answer knock soon or they’ll go away.
Laodicea: Be Zealous Rev. 3:14-22 • Sit on throne with him – rule creation! • Church success is faithful to gospel. • Wealth not sign of faithfulness… • Preaching Gospel truth, stopping false teachers, true love, be true to him! • Worship invites Jesus through the door of our hearts into our lives! • “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”