By Captain Michael Ramsay
We’ve been walking down ‘Romans Road’ this summer in the hopes that as a congregation we may memorise some of the verses we’ve looked at and use them as a tool to share our faith with people. The verses we’ve looked at – the stops we’ve made along Romans Road - are as follows.
(We remember that the first one we looked at wasn’t exactly on Romans Road but I thought we needed to have it before we embarked on this journey.)
1) Romans 1:16: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”[1]
2) Next stop, Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”[2]
3) Then we stopped at Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
4) This was followed by Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love for us, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”[3]
5) Others stops on the road include Romans 10:13: "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved", and
6) Romans 10:9,10: "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation".
We also made a couple of extra stops that aren’t usually made on the Romans Road, such as Romans 5:3-5: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”[4] And Romans 13: 11-14: “… The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed … clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”
Today we are not looking at Paul’s letter to the Romans at all. Actually, we aren’t even looking at anything even written by Paul. Today, we are looking at letters within a letter ascribed to ‘John the Revelator’: in the book of Revelation. But in so doing, as strange as it may sound, we actually are continuing our walk down Roman’s Road today. (The seven churches mentioned in Revelation are along a physical Roman Road in the Roman province of Asia).[5]
7) The last stop on Roman’s Road is in Revelations 3:20: “Here 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.”
One thing you’ve probably already noticed is that every once and a while parts of scripture remind me of comics that I used to read as a kid and that now actually my own children read. I thought I would share some comics with you here from Bill Waterson’s ‘Calvin and Hobbes’. These comics we’re about to look at how the boy Calvin reacts when he is expecting his babysitter, Rosalyn (whom he doesn’t like) to come spend the evening with him. This is quite a long story line and where we pick it up is after Rosalyn has already arrived at the house and has been knocking at the door, ringing the doorbell for quite a while….
Revelations 3:20 (Like Rosalyn): “Here 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.”
These comics are not actually too far off from what today’s passage of scripture is talking about. We’ll come back to that in a little bit. First, I think we need a little context for the book of Revelation and even more so the pericope in which this verse is included. Revelation is an account of the apocalyptic vision of ‘John the Revelator’ (Rev 1).[6] It is full of imagery. Some people consider that its prophecies relate either to John’s time or even to the ultimate end of times. Others see it quite reasonably as a critique of the superpower of John’s day (Rome) or even a condemnation of any earthly empire or superpower for that matter.[7] It certainly contains elements of this but one thing that is for certain is that Revelation is meant as an encouragement to the faithful (Rev 2:2, 19; Rev 3:10; Rev 13:10; Rev 14:12; cf. also Luke 8:15; 21:19; Rom 2:7; 1Cor 13:7; Col 1:11). Revelation is meant to spur us on to be faithful to the end – even unto death[8] - so that indeed we can claim the prize (see also 1 Corinthians 9:19-27, Philippians 3:14, Colossians 2:18).
When Revelation, the Apocalypse, begins after a brief introduction, in verse 4 John receives a message from our Lord Jesus Christ in the form of letters for seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia is modern day Anatolia (Turkey) (Revelation 1:4-20).
These seven letters written to the different churches all have some basic features in common: each letter is addressed to an angel (even though John was asked specifically to address them to the churches); each letter mentions the city to which it is addressed; each one follows a prophetic messenger formula; each contains a Christological ascription; followed by praise and a promise or blame and a threat; each then has a call to obedience; and an eschatological promise for the victors.[9]
Some of the recipients of these seven letters fair better than others: Good things are said about six (6) of the seven churches (Revelation 2:2, 10, 13, 19; 3:4, 10): Laodicea is the seventh. Smyrna and Philadelphia even receive significant praise (Revelation 2:8, 3:7)! Laodicea, however, receives the most negative of all the letters. Laodicea receives no praise at all. It is the angel and the church of Laodicea that it seems are in the most trouble and it is the angel and the church at Laodicea that we are looking at today.
Revelations 3:20: “Here 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.”
Laodicea was a city of Asia Minor situated in the Lycos valley in the province of Phrygia. It was founded by Antiochus II (261-246 BC) of Syria, who named it for his wife Laodike, and populated it with Syrians and Jews from Babylonia. Though Laodicea stood on the great highway at the junction of several important routes, it was a place of little importance until the Roman province of Asia was formed in 190 BC. It then suddenly became a great and wealthy centre of industry, famous especially for the fine black wool of its sheep and for the Phrygian powder for the eyes that was manufactured there (compare Rev 3:18). In the area was a renowned medical school. In the year 60 AD, the city was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake but as (the Roman senator and historian) Tacitus records, its citizens were so wealthy that they actually rejected the aid offered by Rome and quickly rebuilt at their own expense (compare Rev 3:17).[10] Loadicea was a city of great wealth, with extensive banking operations (compare Rev 3:18).[11] Rich, cultured, pluralistic - this church became so self-satisfied and worldly that it seems to have ostracised Christ completely.[12] It was neither cold nor hot; it was nauseous to God: it was a church which considered itself rich and in need of nothing but that was instead wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.[13]
This was the church to whose angel John wrote the letter (3:14-18):
…These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 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. 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.
Let me interrupt the letter here. This is significant. What is the sin of the angel of Laodicea? They are rich but they are poor (v. 17, cf.1 Timothy 6:3-10). This is not unlike our own nation today. We know that one cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13; cf. Hebrews 13:5, 1 Peter 5:2). We know that our country has an economic system (capitalism) that by definition serves money (and we have seen some of the serious temporal consequences of that in the last 100 years: depressions, wars, recessions, crime, unemployment, etc.) We know that it is more difficult for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:23, Mark 10:23-24, Luke 18:24-25) – and when was the last time we saw that! We know that even the poorest of Canadians today are amongst the wealthiest people who have ever lived on this earth. King Solomon could never have even dreamed of the luxuries that we have today: cars, microwaves, centralized heating and air-conditioning, TV, food and junk food galore!
Laodicea had become so rich in the things of this earth (Luke 12:21) that they did not realise that they were spiritually ‘wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (V.17; cf. 1 Timothy 6:17, James 2:5).’ In Canada we were founded (arguably) as a direct rebuke of the earlier atheistic/deistic revolutions: we were intentionally founded upon scripture (Psalm 72) but as we have grown richer in this country, complacency, crime, pornography, atheism, and self-reliance have sprung up like so many weeds attempting to choke out the Word of God and in Canada. Like Laodicea, we have become so complacent and so trusting in our earthly riches it seems that we are turning further and further away from God.
Laodicea was rich in material wealth but Laodicea lacked the good water that her neighbouring cities had: Hieropolis had great hot mineral springs and there was also the clear cold waters of Colossae in contrast to the poor water of Laodicea, which was piped to the city through crusty aqueducts. Laodicea was rich in money but poor in the water it needed to survive. [14] Likewise, Laodicea was rich in temporal wealth but was poor in living water, which we all need to survive. If only Laodicea was spiritually as hot as the waters of Hieropolis or as cool and refreshing as the waters of Colossae! (Important: This passage is NOT referring to ‘spiritual hotness’ and ‘spiritual coldness’ as we would think of those terms today. That idea would have been a foreign analogy in the first century!) [15]
This is what John is talking about. Loadicea may have wealth but they lack spiritual wealth. They have both the good hot water and the good cold water being poured into them but when they mix together in their wealthy city this becomes useless lukewarm water. John doesn’t stop here; he continues (vv. 19-22). This is significant.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here 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. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
.
Even in this state of wallowing in their riches while people in their world starve to death; even in our state of wallowing in our riches while people in our world starve to death; even in this state of not having spiritual strength equivalent to relaxing hot springs of Hieropolis or the religious zeal equivalent to the clear, cold waters of Colossae, God does not give up on them. God does not give up on us. It says that he stands at the door and knocks. This is significant. It isn’t a casual knock at the door and seeing that the people of Laodicea are too busy to hear him, he goes away – this is a persistent knock. The word here in the Greek refers to a continual knocking[16] but the people of Laodicea seem to be hiding. It is like this – Calvin and Hobbes again:
Even in this state of wallowing in their riches while people in their world starve to death; even in our state of wallowing in our riches while people in our world starve to death; even in this state of not having spiritual strength equivalent to relaxing hot springs of Hieropolis or the religious zeal equivalent to the clear, cold waters of Colossae, God does not give up on them. God does not give up on us. It says that he stands at the door and knocks. This is significant. It isn’t a casual knock at the door and seeing that the people of Laodicea are too busy to hear him, he goes away – this is a persistent knock. The word here in the Greek refers to a continual knocking[16] but the people of Laodicea seem to be hiding. It is like this – Calvin and Hobbes again:
Calvin is hiding but Mom doesn’t give up. It is also like this after his parents had gone and he had locked his babysitter out of the house: 
The Laodiceans – like Calvin and not unlike many Canadians - are even taunting the Lord and deceiving themselves into believing that we can survive on our own without Him. But we can’t; there are consequences. Here is Calvin and Hobbes while they are ignoring their babysitter who is locked outside:
There are consequences…
There are consequences for not opening the door but God doesn’t give up (cf. Romans 3:3,4). He is more persistent than the babysitter. He is more persistent than an unwanted salesperson or a family member that you just don’t want to see. He is like the person with a political pamphlet, vacuum, or encyclopaedia set who is pounding on our door and not going away. With Him, He has His Word of Truth and He is calling out. He is crying out. “Hello. Is anybody in there? Hello, is anybody in there?” And the more he yells for us in this country to open the door, the more we seem to turn up our TV sets so we can’t hear him. “Hello, Hello, Hello,” He still yells because he wants our attention, “Is anybody in there?” But we – in this country - seem to duck beneath the window and hide ourselves in our work or our entertainment or even in our sin that we keep deep inside ourselves because we don’t want to see Him. We turn up our radios, we put on our washing machines; we do anything we can to ignore our Lord and Saviour it seems. But He is still calling. He is still calling at the door because He loves us. He knows that we are in here. He knows that the Angel is hiding behind the door of Laodicea. He knows that you and I are tucked away behind the affluence of Canada and He is calling. He is calling us each out by name, ‘Susan’, ‘Michael’, ‘whoever’… He is calling us, begging us to turn down the distractions provided by our wealth and let Him in. Please let us let our dear Saviour in because we know, that just like the six year-old Calvin can’t survive without the protection of his babysitter, mother, or father so also no matter how self-sufficient we think we are, in reality we cannot survive without the protection of our own Heavenly Father.
So let us today, as Jesus is still knocking, let us look out the windows of our own souls, let us see Him and let us invite Jesus into our own lives to eat with us so that indeed we can all dine with him in His Kingdom to come forever and ever. Amen.
Let us pray.
www.sheepspeak.com
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[1] Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 1:16: I am not ashamed of the Gospel!" Presented to Swift Current Corps, 05 July 2009. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/07/romans-116-i-am-not-ashamed-of-gospel.html
[2] Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 3:22b, 23:There is no difference, for all have sinned…" Presented to Swift Current Corps, 12 July 2009. Available on line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/07/romans-322b-23there-is-no-difference.html
[3]Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 5:8: while we were still sinners Christ died for us…" Presented to Swift Current Corps, 26 July 2009. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/07/romans-58-while-we-were-still-sinners.html
[4] Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 5:3,4: Hope and an Angel on the Downtown Eastside", Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on 20 April 2008 and Swift Current on 09 August 2009. 2008 version available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/04/romans-534-hope-and-angel-on-downtown.html Also Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 9:30-10:4: The Law through the Looking Glass", Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on 04 May 2008 and Swift Current on 02 August 2009. 2008 version available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/05/romans-930-104-law-through-looking.html
[5] Revelation 2:1-3:22 even though it is not in the book of Romans, addresses seven churches whose address as it were are on the same physical Roman Road.
[6] Cf. Alan F. Johnson, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Introduction to Revelation/General Nature and Historical Background of Revelation, Book Version: 4.0.2: Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the body of nonbiblical Jewish writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature (some nineteen books) is derived from the word "revelation" (apocalypsis) in Revelation 1:1 (q.v.). The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 B.C. to A.D. 200.
[7] Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, ‘Revelation as a Critique of Empire’ Vol. 63 no 1, January 2009, has a number of really good articles on this topic.
[8] Cf. Alan F. Johnson,The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Introduction to Revelation/General Nature and Historical Background of Revelation, Book Version: 4.0.2
[9] M. Eugene Boring, ‘Revelation’ (Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching: Louisville, Kentucky: John Knox Press, 1989), 86-90.
[10] Tactius ‘Annals’ 14:27: “One of the most famous cities of Asia, Laodicea, was in the same year overthrown by an earthquake, and without any relief from us, recovered itself by its own resources.” Cited from Simon J. Kistemaker, ‘Exposition of the Book of Revelation’ (New Testament Commentary: Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2007), 167.
[11] Cf. also Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c) 1998 by Biblesoft. Available on-line:http://www.pilgrimtours.com/greece/info/laodicea.htm
[12]M.F.U. (From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.) Available on-line: http://www.pilgrimtours.com/greece/info/laodicea.htm
[13] 'For Deliverance and Freedom: The Biblical Doctrine of Repentance' by WILLIAM DOUGLAS CHAMBERLAIN Interpretation 4 no 3 July 1950, p 271-283
[14] John E. Stanley, Interpretation 42 no 2, April 1988, p 212. Review of: Hemer, Colin J, d 1987. Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting. 338 p. Sheffield : JSOT Pr, 1986. Journal for the study of the New Testament supplement ; 2.
[15] Alan F. Johnson, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Exposition of Revelation/II. Vision of the Son of Man Among the Seven Churches of Asia (1:9-3:22)/B. The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1-3:22)/7. To Laodicea (3:14-22), Book Version: 4.0.2 : Their deeds were "neither cold nor hot." The expression "cold nor hot" may refer to their lack of zeal (v. 19) or their uselessness, for Christ says, "I wish you were either one or the other" (lit., "either cold or hot"). There is good reason why we should not try to take both of these words as if Christ meant I wish you were either spiritually cold (i.e., unsaved or hostile) or spiritually hot (i.e., alive and fervent). In the first place, it is inconceivable that Christ would wish that people were spiritually cold, or unsaved and hostile. Furthermore, the application of "hot" and "cold" to spiritual temperature, though familiar to us, would have been completely foreign to first-century Christians.
[16] RCH Lenski, ‘The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation’ (Minneapolis Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1963),162.
[1] Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 1:16: I am not ashamed of the Gospel!" Presented to Swift Current Corps, 05 July 2009. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/07/romans-116-i-am-not-ashamed-of-gospel.html
[2] Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 3:22b, 23:There is no difference, for all have sinned…" Presented to Swift Current Corps, 12 July 2009. Available on line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/07/romans-322b-23there-is-no-difference.html
[3]Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 5:8: while we were still sinners Christ died for us…" Presented to Swift Current Corps, 26 July 2009. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/07/romans-58-while-we-were-still-sinners.html
[4] Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 5:3,4: Hope and an Angel on the Downtown Eastside", Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on 20 April 2008 and Swift Current on 09 August 2009. 2008 version available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/04/romans-534-hope-and-angel-on-downtown.html Also Captain Michael Ramsay, "Romans 9:30-10:4: The Law through the Looking Glass", Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on 04 May 2008 and Swift Current on 02 August 2009. 2008 version available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/05/romans-930-104-law-through-looking.html
[5] Revelation 2:1-3:22 even though it is not in the book of Romans, addresses seven churches whose address as it were are on the same physical Roman Road.
[6] Cf. Alan F. Johnson, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Introduction to Revelation/General Nature and Historical Background of Revelation, Book Version: 4.0.2: Revelation is also commonly viewed as belonging to the body of nonbiblical Jewish writings known as apocalyptic literature. The name for this type of literature (some nineteen books) is derived from the word "revelation" (apocalypsis) in Revelation 1:1 (q.v.). The extrabiblical apocalyptic books were written in the period from 200 B.C. to A.D. 200.
[7] Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, ‘Revelation as a Critique of Empire’ Vol. 63 no 1, January 2009, has a number of really good articles on this topic.
[8] Cf. Alan F. Johnson,The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Introduction to Revelation/General Nature and Historical Background of Revelation, Book Version: 4.0.2
[9] M. Eugene Boring, ‘Revelation’ (Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching: Louisville, Kentucky: John Knox Press, 1989), 86-90.
[10] Tactius ‘Annals’ 14:27: “One of the most famous cities of Asia, Laodicea, was in the same year overthrown by an earthquake, and without any relief from us, recovered itself by its own resources.” Cited from Simon J. Kistemaker, ‘Exposition of the Book of Revelation’ (New Testament Commentary: Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2007), 167.
[11] Cf. also Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c) 1998 by Biblesoft. Available on-line:http://www.pilgrimtours.com/greece/info/laodicea.htm
[12]M.F.U. (From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.) Available on-line: http://www.pilgrimtours.com/greece/info/laodicea.htm
[13] 'For Deliverance and Freedom: The Biblical Doctrine of Repentance' by WILLIAM DOUGLAS CHAMBERLAIN Interpretation 4 no 3 July 1950, p 271-283
[14] John E. Stanley, Interpretation 42 no 2, April 1988, p 212. Review of: Hemer, Colin J, d 1987. Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting. 338 p. Sheffield : JSOT Pr, 1986. Journal for the study of the New Testament supplement ; 2.
[15] Alan F. Johnson, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Exposition of Revelation/II. Vision of the Son of Man Among the Seven Churches of Asia (1:9-3:22)/B. The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1-3:22)/7. To Laodicea (3:14-22), Book Version: 4.0.2 : Their deeds were "neither cold nor hot." The expression "cold nor hot" may refer to their lack of zeal (v. 19) or their uselessness, for Christ says, "I wish you were either one or the other" (lit., "either cold or hot"). There is good reason why we should not try to take both of these words as if Christ meant I wish you were either spiritually cold (i.e., unsaved or hostile) or spiritually hot (i.e., alive and fervent). In the first place, it is inconceivable that Christ would wish that people were spiritually cold, or unsaved and hostile. Furthermore, the application of "hot" and "cold" to spiritual temperature, though familiar to us, would have been completely foreign to first-century Christians.
[16] RCH Lenski, ‘The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation’ (Minneapolis Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1963),162.
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