Sermon Archive

“The Amen”

Revelation 3:14-22
Bob DeGray
April 11, 2010

Key Sentence

The tepidness of your Christian life is probably a lack of Jesus.

Outline

I. The Amen (Revelation 3:14)
II. The Tepid (Revelation 3:15-16)
III. The Supply (Revelation 3:17-18)
IV. The Supplier (Revelation 3:19-20)
V. The Overcomer (Revelation 3:21)

Message

Michael and I went on our first Boy Scout camping trip last month. We’ve camped often, of course, but being with the Boy Scouts made my habit of getting up early to work a bit harder. The problem wasn’t getting up and finding a place to work; that I could do. The problem was getting a cup of coffee at four in the morning. I’m enough of a coffee addict that sometime in those first hours, while everyone else was asleep, I was going to need a cuppa.

But the Boy Scout motto is Be Prepared, and I’ve tried to practice that over the years. So I brought an emergency container of Hazelnut coffee powder – not real coffee, but close enough for desperate times. All I needed was hot water – which was the problem. The adult campsite was packed, and if I’d lit a fire or a stove there I’d have disturbed everyone. My only recourse was the shower building, which didn’t have a very warm supply of tap water. But you gotta do what you gotta do, so I dumped a bunch of powder in the bottom of my mug, added tap water, mixed thoroughly and took a swig.

And it wasn’t too bad. Though of all the coffee I’ve had in my life, it was definitely in the lowest one percent. The taste was not good, but it was the temperature that almost made me spew. It was at that almost undrinkable stage where it’s not warm enough to be warm and not cold enough to be cold. Most drinks are unpleasant at that temperature. In English we have two words for it – lukewarm, and tepid, which I think is a better sounding word for the circumstance. There is nothing worse than a tepid drink.

In our text for this morning, Jesus agrees. He says that the church in Laodicea is living their Christian lives in a way that is so tepid, he just wants to spew. They’re neither hot nor cold. They’re lukewarm, and it’s disgusting to their Lord. And the question we obviously need to ask ourselves today is whether by the same standards of the Christian life, Jesus would find us tepid – as a church or as individuals. Revelation 3:14-22 teaches us that the tepidness of our Christian lives may be due to a lack of Jesus.

Let’s read the text and see how this is so. Revelation 3:14-22 “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. ¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

¹⁷You 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. ¹⁸I 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.

¹⁹Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. ²⁰Here 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. ²¹To him who overcomes, 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. ²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

I. The Amen (Revelation 3:14)

This is the last of the letters from Jesus to the churches in Asia. It begins like all the others with the ‘to’ and ‘from’ fields. Laodicea may have been the most prosperous city and prosperous church among the seven. It was located at a crossroads of trading routes about 40 miles southeast of the church at Philadelphia. To the northeast was Hieropolis, to the southeast, Collossae.

The apostle Paul apparently wrote a letter to this church, a letter which no longer exists. But at the end of Colossians he says “Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. ¹⁶After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.” We’ll see in a minute that there is good evidence the Laodicieans had read Colossians.

Jesus describes himself to this church as “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.” I’ve been especially struck that Jesus is ‘the’ Amen. This is the only place in Scripture this word is used as a title. It basically means ‘so be it.’ Jesus uses the same word twice whenever he says ‘truly, truly’ or ‘verily, verily.’ Paul uses it of Jesus when he says ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.’ As the Amen, Jesus is the affirmation of all that God has promised.

He is also faithful and true. We’ve already seen both these words Revelation, but together they reflect one of the most profound Old Testament descriptions of God’s character: chesed va emeth, the combination of his loving kindness, or covenant faithfulness and his truth, his utter reliability in word and deed.

Finally, given that this church had also read Colossians, it’s interesting that Jesus describes himself as the ruler, or literally the ‘firstborn of God’s creation’, using a word that implies that he is pre-eminent over creation.

The letter they had read, Colossians, taught this clearly: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

II. The Tepid (Revelation 3:15-16)

So Jesus is addressing the church at Laodicea as their sovereign Lord, by right of creation and with the power of decree, but also as the one who fully embodies God’s loving faithfulness and reliability. And yet only here and to the church in Sardis does Jesus speak no word of affirmation or commendation. He literally has nothing nice to say about this church, not even ‘you have some who have resisted,’ which was at least true in Sardis.

Here he says “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” The word spit could literally be translated ‘vomit,’ or as I’ve been saying ‘spew.’ You can hardly imagine a stronger rebuke than having Jesus say to you ‘you make me vomit.’ And yet, as he’ll say in a moment, it’s those he loves he rebukes.

It’s interesting to figure out what Jesus means by hot and cold. One understanding is ‘burning with passion for God’ or ‘icy cold toward God.’ And that’s a legitimate scale for self-examination: am I on fire for the Lord, or just going through the motions?’ The problem is Jesus says he’d prefer cold to luke-warm, which I’m not sure he’d say if cold meant icy deadness toward God.

Another way of seeing this hinges on the word ‘lukewarm’ or ‘tepid.’ Most people strongly prefer a drink that is either hot or cold. Jesus may be saying that the Christian lives and deeds of these Laodiceans are not a blessing to anyone, neither refreshing cold water, nor healing hot waters, but distasteful tepid waters, like the drinking water at Laodicea. These people are not ‘giving a cup of cold water in my name’ nor helping others be ‘warm and well fed.’

But whatever the nature of tepidness, it’s clear that its source lay in self-deception. The Laodiceans thought they were rich and wise and rightoues, and we’ll see in a minute that they were far from it. So this lukewarmness describes those who think they’re doing well spiritually and serving God when they are not.

This is the tepidness we need to look for today in our Christian lives. It takes a serious, Biblically informed self-examination to discern where how I think I’m doing falls short of the Biblical standard,whether in something as concrete as my use of time or my giving, or as subtle as taking responsibility for stresses in relationships or self centeredness in my thinking.

III. The Supply (Revelation 3:17-18)

So let’s agree that tepidness is principally a description of spiritual self deception. Verse 17: “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.” Man, this is powerful stuff. They think they are rich and don’t need a thing. That may have been true of them materially, in that prosperous city, as it usually is for us in our prosperous suburbs. Jesus taught his followers to “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."

Just as material wealth can mask spiritual poverty, so also settling for a minimum of spirituality, a just-getting-by attitude toward the Christian life will lead to the spiritual weakness. Jesus says the self-deceived are pitiful and wretched. Sadly, I’ve met way too many people who would describe themselves as pitiful or wretched, but who are still too content to actually change anything.

Jesus uses three local illustrations to call the Laodiceans to repentance. He says they are in reality poor, blind, and naked. Remember, Laodicea was famous for its riches, its medical expertise, including an eye-salve renowned world-wide, and for its luxurious black wool, especially when made into cloaks. But Jesus says don’t count on worldly advantages. Instead, look to me.

Jesus knows that he himself is the only answer to spiritual need: “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.” Probably the most important words in that verse are the words ‘I counsel you’ and ‘from me.’ You see, the source of spiritual reality, the thing that makes us hot spiritual, and not lukewarm, is Jesus himself. Jesus is saying you need more of me and my wisdom.

So, buy from me gold refined in fire. But the spiritually impoverished Laodiceans had no resources to buy anything from Jesus. It was only by his grace they could receive what they desperately needed. God said this clearly in Isaiah 55: “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.” We buy from Jesus not based on our riches, but his: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so you through his poverty might become rich.”

So by grace they are to buy ‘gold refined in the fire.’ This is probably a picture of the value of faith and perseverance. These are areas of the Christian life in which it’s easy to get lukewarm and self deceived, because I’m not really interested in persevering through the difficulties of life through faith.

But Peter says “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” God-given faith, evidenced by perseverance in trial and temptation, is of greater value than the treasures of the world.

Next, Jesus counsels the Laodiceans to buy from him ‘white clothing.’ Black cloaks they could buy at the local market, but white clothing, especially in Revelation, stands for purity and righteous deeds; these can only be found in the blood of the Lamb. Revelation says of believers “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Another verse says that fine linen “stands for the righteous acts of the saints.” The problem is that tepid believers are not really interested in purity. We don’t want the kind of growing other-focused righteousness Jesus wants to give us.

Finally they are to buy from Jesus “salve for the eyes.” The famous Laodicean eye salve was supposed to prevent or reverse blindness. But spiritual blindness, self-deception, can only be prevented or reversed by Jesus. He said he came into the world as light, so that those who followed him would no longer walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” He came so that the blind would see. One biblical example of receiving light and sight is in the exercise of God-given wisdom. So often we refuse the wisdom Jesus offers to pursue the foolishness the world promotes. That too is the tepidness that dismays Jesus. We need more Jesus because only in Jesus is true light for our path.

IV. The Supplier (Revelation 3:19-20)

But how do you get more Jesus? Verses 19 and 20: “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. ²⁰Here 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.” We’ve already noted that the stinging rebuke of verse 17 is given in love. Proverbs 3:11-12 teaches the same thing: “My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, ¹²because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”

These verses are also quoted in Hebrews 12, which explains that “We have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

The desired response from the Laodiceans, therefore, is that they repent. The Greek form implies that they turn from sin in one decisive act and then make it their ongoing practice to live zealously for the Lord. What are they to repent from? Tepidness, half-heartedness, lack of faith and perseverance and lack of zeal for purity and Godly wisdom. What are they to repent to? Jesus, the provider of perseverance and righteousness and sight!

How are they to do this? Verse 20: ‘Behold, 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.’ The tepidness of your Christian life is probably a lack of Jesus. The repentance he desires is that you and I invite him in more. He is happy to be with us, to fellowship with us, to eat with us, just as he did with the tax collectors and sinners and all those who turned to follow him. When you and I need more Jesus, he makes himself available in an unlimited way.

Now it’s true that verse 20 has often been quoted as an invitation to faith. And that’s not completely inappropriate, Jesus is waiting for non-believers to trust in him and his salvation; he’s knocking, through the Spirit. Nevertheless, in context, it is the self-deceived people of the church who are being addressed. In their blind self sufficiency they had excluded the risen Lord from their fellowship. So in an act of unbelievable humility, he requests permission to re-enter and re-establish that communion. And he continues to knock, wait, offer himself as the solution to your tepidness.

V. The Overcomer (Revelation 3:21-22)

Verses 21-22 close these letters with a classic promise: “To him who overcomes, 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. ²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." The overcomers, those who gain victory, are promised wonderful things: to eat from the tree of life; escape the second death, receive the hidden manna, the white stone, the secret name, to rule the nations, receive the morning star, be dressed in white, be pillars in God’s temple. These victors will also sit with Jesus on his throne in the presence of the Father. In fact all these promises are part of the ultimate promise of Revelation and all of Scripture – that of eternity in God’s presence.

But where does this come from? Jesus says ‘you overcome because I overcame’ I’ve won the victory, and because I’ve won, you too will win. It’s all from Jesus. You can never have too much Jesus. This is why Hebrews 12 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

So are you lukewarm in some areas? Not good. Your tepidness indicates that you need more Jesus. This passage shows four areas in which you need Jesus. ‘Buy from me gold refined in the fire.’ Is your faith and your perseverance lukewarm? You’ll persevere as long as it’s not too much trouble. Invite Jesus to refine you, to give you the desire to trust and to persevere.

Is your purity tepid? You’d like white robes but a little impurity doesn’t bother you. And I’m not just talking about sexual purity, but about all the areas of morality and behavior where you indulge your characteristic sins. What you don’t realize is that this impurity leaves you spiritually naked, and you need more Jesus. Invite him to cloth you in righteousness and to give you righteous deeds, so that you can walk beside him dressed in white.

Is your vision tepid? Sometimes you see things God’s way, sometimes you’re just as happy to try to do things man’s way, whether in your finances or your relationships or your attitudes. But Jesus says if you want to see, you have to get that sight from him. He alone is light for your path, light for your heart, and he is the giver of wisdom. He invites you to get your sight straight from him – and to fix your eyes on him the author and perfecter of your faith.

Finally, is your fellowship, your worship tepid? When you spend time with God, all you get is dry? You need more Jesus. He’s standing at the door every day wanting to come in and fellowship with you, feast with you, rejoice with you. How can you expect to be on fire for him if you’ve left him out of your daily life? You need more Jesus. Life should be an ongoing conversation with this Savior – and life that is such a conversation is never tepid.

In an evangelistic meeting in Ireland, the speaker was explaining what it means to abide in Christ and to trust Him in every trial. Concluding his message, he repeated several times, “It means that in every circumstance you can keep on saying, ‘For this I have Jesus.’” The meeting was opened for testimonies, and one young woman said, “Just a few minutes ago I received a message. It says, ‘Mother is very ill; come home immediately.’ When I saw the words, I knew tonight’s message was meant for me. My heart looked up and said, ‘For this I have Jesus.’ Instantly a peace and strength flooded my soul.”

Three or four weeks later the evangelist received a letter. It read, “Thank you again for the message you gave that day. My life has been changed, for I have come to realize that no matter what life brings, for this I have Jesus.”

The answer to your spiritual tepidness and self-deception is simple. In every area of your life, for this you have Jesus. You need more Jesus. So do I.