Revival: Our Great Need Read for This Week’s Study: Rev. 3:14–21, Heb. 12:7–11, Matt. 25:1–13, Zech. 3:1–5, Song of Sol. 5:2–5. Memory Text: “ ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me’ ” (Revelation 3:20, NKJV). Laodicea is the last church in Revelation’s sequence of seven churches. The name means “a people judged.” It is also a fitting symbol for God’s last-day people. Laodicea was located in an open valley in southwestern Turkey. It was an important financial capital, a fashion mecca, and an educational and medical center. Its inhabitants were independent, self-confident, and rich. The one vital natural resource that the city lacked, however, was water. The water was piped in via Roman aqueducts from a spring that was five miles south of the city. By the time the water reached Laodicea, it was lukewarm. Jesus uses that symbolism to represent the lukewarm condition of His last-day church, described as self-confident, complacent, apathetic, and spiritually indifferent. It is a church that has lost its passion. It is a church that needs a spiritual revival. Nevertheless, the Laodicean message is filled with hope. Christ speaks to His people in love, offering to meet their heart needs and revive their deepest spiritual longings. Hope for Lukewarm Laodiceans Jesus addresses each of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 with a title of Himself that is appropriate for their spiritual condition. The titles He uses in His message to the church of Laodicea ring with the assurance of spiritual renewal for all those who will heed His call. Read the following Bible passages (Rev. 3:14, 15; 2 Cor. 1:20; John 3:10, 11; Col. 1:13–17). Why do you think that Jesus uses the titles “the Amen,” “the faithful and true witness,” and “the beginning of the creation of God” to address the Laodicean church? Revelation 3:14-15 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 2Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. John 3:10-11 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. Colossians 1:13-17 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. In Revelation 3:14, the Greek word for “beginning” is arche. It can mean “beginning,” in the sense that the one to whom it refers is the beginner of the event or action. In this context, arche refers to Jesus as the Beginner, or the first cause of all creation. In other words, He is the Creator (John 1:1–3; Eph. 3:8, 9). John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Ephesians 3:8-9 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: This is extremely significant. Jesus, the One who spoke and worlds came into being, the One who created the earth, the One who spoke life into existence—this same Jesus speaks hope to Laodicea. The all-powerful Creator can create new life. He can re-create new spiritual longings in our hearts. He can transform our spiritual lives. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:14, 15. What do these texts mean to you? 2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Galatians 6:14-15 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Why is the Laodicean message a message of hope? What is it about the introduction to this message of strong rebuke that encourages you? Which of the three titles of Jesus do you identify with the most, and why?
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 00:42:13 +0000
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