Articles, Bible Questions and Discipleship Guides

Many years ago, I traveled with other pastors to India, where we were honored to be hosted by a gracious, welcoming local church. As a sign of appreciation, our hosts brought us three folding chairs— the only three chairs in the entire church—for us to sit on and rest.

While we were sitting, a young man approached us with something surprising and familiar: three bottles of Coca-Cola. In the parts of India we were visiting, a soft drink was a costly and rare luxury! Of course, here in America, we have them at every vending machine and convenience store. We’re so bored we need a dozen different flavors to keep us interested in Coca Cola. But for many, like our new friends in India, this glass bottle of soda would have been a special treat.

Even after realizing the treasure of this gift, I still had difficulty drinking it because it was warm. There was no refrigeration in the church and the Coke was “room temperature”— in summertime in India! While the other pastors and I dutifully drank our Cokes, with every eye on us, had I been back home, I would have remarked how terrible it tasted. 

I remembered this event when I reread John’s dictation of a letter from Jesus Christ to the church in Laodicea. This is the last of the seven letters written to seven churches in the first century— and for the benefit of millions of believers to this day.

Laodicea was the luxury vacation resort of the Roman Empire. The city offered gambling venues, sporting events, hot springs, gift shops, and theaters. In addition, Laodicea was the hub of two vital industries in the empire: banking and medicine. All of which made Laodicea a wealthy, fashionable, physically fit, established city, bustling with amusement and recreation. 

But to the Christians in this city, Jesus says “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, … I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, … I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:15-17). 

To Jesus, the church in Laodicea left a taste in His mouth much like that warm soda in India did in mine: I wanted to spit it out of my mouth. 

Now upon closer inspection, this first-century church had two major problems: 

First, they had become comfortable in the lifestyle of their culture. Rather than stand out for their generosity, stewardship, and restraint, the Christians in Laodicea were blending in with their world. They were playing religious games while the world around them pursued empty dreams. In fact, many of the Christians were chasing the same transient dreams of wealth, comfort, and influence. And a church that chases the same things as the world is nothing more than a weekly social club. 

Second, the church in Laodicea gave themselves credit for their affluence. Notice, Jesus describes how these Christians are thinking, “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17). Rather than view their wealth as a blessing from God and an opportunity to steward, this church viewed their wealth as the fruit of their own labor, as evidence of their own self-sufficiency. 

To this day, the temptation remains for wealthy Christians to think they no longer need God, that they can take care of themselves. The truth is, whether you have $200 to your name or $2 million, your attitude toward God should be the same: dependency, not self-sufficiency. 

Now you might think Jesus would offer a complicated, 15-step plan to recovery. But His prescription for them is actually quite simple: 

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see” (Revelation 3:18). 

In several places in the Bible, faith is referred to as gold being refined. Just like the purity of gold is revealed under intense heat, genuine faith is revealed through pressure and persecution. 

Jesus completely redefines for this church what makes someone truly “rich.” They mistakenly believed material wealth was their source of value, but Jesus said that faith is where true riches are found. 

Jesus saw the church in Laodicea as a compromising church, similar to several other churches in this region who received divinely inspired letters. This church had cozied into their culture; they were indistinguishable from their world. They were, in a word, lukewarm. 

Beloved, the power of the gospel, when operating in its truest sense, will evoke profound emotion. Some will be saved by the power of the gospel, others will be offended and enraged by it, but the worst place a person can be is apathetic. 

As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.” 

So the question is, how important is Christ Jesus to you?