November 17, 2024

The Church in Laodicea – Revelation 3:14-21

Ice Breaker

1. Read Revelation 3:7-13. If you have not prayed as a group, pause to pray now.
2. What are some foods or drinks that taste better cold or hot than at room temperature? Discuss your answer with your group.

Loving God Unreservedly

3. How did the exalted Christ describe himself to the church? (vs. 14; Rev. 1:5; 22:20; )
4. What sense is indicated by the title Amen for Christ? (Is. 65:15, cf. 2 Cor. 1:20)

Loving People Sacrificially

5. How did Jesus describe the church at Laodicea? (vs. 15) Does Christ actually prefer even outright spiritual hostility or rejection rather than half-heartedness? (vs. 15^c) What promise did Jesus give them because of their behavior? (vs. 16)
6. In what ways was the Laodicean church deceived? (vs. 17) How about our society?
7. What did the Lord tell the Laodiceans that they needed? (vs. 18) What reason did Jesus give for his stern warning? (vs. 19)
8. Take some time and identify the invitation, the promise if accepted by the Laodiceans, and what was promised to them that overcame (vv. 20-21)

Making Disciples Purposefully

9. What does it mean that Jesus “stands at the door and knocks”? How can a person “invite Jesus in” and eat with Him?
10. What possession or portion of money can you use to buy gold from Christ? (vs. 18; cf. Is. 55:1; Is. 52:3; Rom. 3:24; 11:6; Eph. 2:4-8)

Dig Deeper (optional/personal study)

11. Research: Paul had stayed in Ephesus for some time and the Scriptures described that the gospel had spread throughout Asia (Acts 4:19). There is a possibility that the church in Laodicea had been started by Epaphras (Col. 1:7; 4:12). Paul had not been to the Lycus valley (Col. 2:1). The believers of Laodicea knew of Paul (Col. 4:15) and Paul knew some of the Laodiceans by name (Col. 4:16).
12. a) Insight: The nearby city of Hierapolis had well-known medicinal hot springs. The nearby city of Colossae had pure, cold, drinkable water. Laodicea had bad water, and when it tried to bring water in through the aqueduct from modern-day Denizli, all it could get was tepid water. This may be the background for these words. (vv. 15-16) But we do not need that kind of archeological trivia in order to get Christ’s point. The church in Smyrna was hot—flaming with zeal. (2:9) The church in Sardis was cold, as a corpse is cold. (3:1) Laodicea was neither hot nor cold. It was alive, but sadly apathetic.
13. b) What steps can you take this week to keep from being indifferent to what God wants?