Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church

My dear friends in Christ,

Do you recognize these men? [Vince Lombardi, Bud Grant, Mr. Zimmerman] What do they have in common? They are coaches. What is a coach’s job? They have a team to teach, to lead, and to motivate.

What happens when a group of players with tons of talent go into the game with a “who cares” attitude? They play poorly and usually lose the game. How does a coach react when his team isn’t playing up to its potential and plays very poorly? He gets fired up, and he uses his words and his emotions to motivate players to a higher level of competition.

In our text for today, Jesus sounds a lot like a coach who is trying to wake up his players and motivate them. Does Jesus ever get after people? Yes. He got after his disciples when they tried to keep little children from coming to him. He got after the merchants when they treated the temple, his Father’s house, like a marketplace.

Does Jesus ever have to get after us? Let’s take a closer look at his words to the congregation in Laodicea. We’ll hear Jesus say, “It’s time to get in the game!” First we’ll see that we are members of a great team that really struggles. Second, we’ll see that when Jesus gets after us, he still loves us.

Revelation 3:14-17 “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. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 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.

1. To whom is this letter written? To the angel of the church in Laodicea.

Laodicea was located in the Lycus River valley, close to Colossae and Hierapolis. It was founded in 260 B.C. by Antiochus II and named after his wife, Laodice. Laodicea was the last of 7 churches addressed in Revelation. The other six were Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia.

2. Who is the “angel”? The word angel also means “messenger”, here it is the one who brings the church God’s Word—the pastor.
3. Who is the author of the letter? The Amen. The faithful and true witness. The ruler of God’s creation. It is Jesus!
4. What was the problem he was writing about? The congregation is lukewarm—neither hot nor cold.

Today, the city of Laodicea lies in ruins—a place for tourists to visit and explore. When Jesus spoke these words, the city of Laodicea was a thriving metropolis. It was so wealthy that when an earthquake destroyed the city in AD 62, the citizens rebuilt it without help from Rome. Laodicea was a well-known banking center with its own mint. Laodicea was famous for its wool industry, and they exported their woolen cloth could be found in markets around the empire. They also produced a special eye-salve prescribed by doctors all over the empire.

The team to whom Jesus spoke was part of this thriving economy. He had blessed them with high paying jobs, wealth, and security. The people said it themselves: “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing” (Revelation 3:17).

They also had the riches of the gospel. They knew all about Jesus. They had heard the wonderful news about his perfect life, his death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead. They believed in him. They were rich beyond their wildest dreams.

Every member of the Laodicean congregation played an important role on God’s team. He had blessed them with everything they needed. His players should have been motivated and excited to get out and play!

Sound familiar? We have an incredible team assembled here in Stillwater. God saw a bunch of nobodies, or, as the Bible describes us, “objects of wrath,” (Ephesians 2:3). Instead of destroying us and starting all over, he set his plan in motion. He sent Jesus to redeem this lost world. Jesus bought us with his precious blood that he gave on the cross. His death paid the price for God’s wrath. We’re no longer objects of wrath. Through faith in Jesus we are valued members of his team!

We are just as blessed as the Laodicean congregation. Think of the wealth we possess. In your mind’s eye look around your home. The floors aren’t dirt. The roof keeps out the rain and snow. The refrigerator has more than a bowl of corn meal and a bucket of water. God has blessed us with more than we deserve!

We are also blessed to be part of a church body that holds to the truth of God’s Word. We have well-trained pastors and teachers that are the envy of many church bodies. We have missions spread across the world. We have congregations that believe and teach the same thing with a consistency that is comforting. We are players, just like the Laodiceans, that are motivated to get out and play hard for the team!

The Coach saw that his team was having some troubles. He said, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other!” (Revelation 3:15). Jesus wanted them to be on fire for the gospel, or so coldly opposed to it that everyone could see how much they hated it. Instead, they were indifferent—lukewarm. Despite the gift of the gospel and the incredible physical blessings they possessed, they came off the bench with a ho-hum attitude. They didn’t care much about Jesus one way or the other.

What kind of attitude does our team have here at Salem? What does our coach get from us? Sometimes we’re lukewarm about practicing with the Word. We treat Sunday mornings casually, and hope that we get a little bit out of them. If we’re lukewarm about the Word, we start looking for performance enhancing substances that will make us feel good, feel accepted. We read a book that lists seven steps to follow that will make us better Christians. We look for a different team because they have better programs or different pastors. We choose a lifestyle opposes God because it feels good. We may even forget to talk to our coach, and limit our prayers to the hour we spend at church on Sunday morning.

It’s halftime of the game. Jesus sees our great team struggling with that lukewarm attitude. He sees our indifference. Imagine him pacing in front of the locker room benches, we’re all looking down because we know we haven’t played well. We know he’s going to get after us. The motivational speech begins:

Revelation 3:17-20 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. 18 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.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 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.

1. How does Jesus describe this wealthy congregation? Wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
2. What is his advice? Buy gold, white clothes, and salve from him to make ourselves rich, cover our nakedness, and help us to see.
3. Whom does Jesus rebuke and discipline? Those he loves.
4. Where is Jesus standing? What is he doing? At the door. Knocking!

Sometimes coaches have to get after their teams. They want their players to live up to their potential and be the best they can be. Jesus wanted the same for the Laodiceans and for us. He wants us to look beyond our earthly wealth and examine our hearts. He described our spiritual condition: wretched, pitiful, poor, naked, and blind. Without Jesus and the gospel, we have nothing. Once we realize that, then Jesus can build us up. The coach’s advice is simple. Come to him. Buy what you really need. The psalmist tells us about the gold we need: "The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold" (Psalm 19:9-10). Isaiah tells us about the white clothes: “[The LORD] has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10). Paul tells us about the eyesalve of the gospel: "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). We already have these gifts, thanks to God’s gift of faith!

Have you ever seen a coach walk up to one of his players, put his hand on his head, and offer the player personal advice. That’s the way Jesus approaches us. He gets after us and disciplines us because he loves us. He said, "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" (Revelation 3:20). Jesus wants us to repent of our lackadaisical attitude. He knocks on the door of our hearts. He wants us to hear his voice and answer. We can use the words that we use in our confession of sins, “We have sinned against you in thought, word and deed.” Then, the faith that Jesus gave to us when he called us to be part of the team kicks in. It opens to the door to the Savior. It trusts his forgiveness. He promises to come in, spend time with us, and re-ignite the fire of his Word in our hearts.

A good coach helps keep his team focused on the prize. Listen to Jesus’ final words:

Revelation 3:21-22 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. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

1. What promise does Jesus make? Whoever wins the victory will sit with Jesus on his throne.
2. What does he use to back up his promise? He won the victory and sits with his Father on the throne.

Jesus wants more than a good team here on earth. He wants us to be part of the team forever. That’s why he wants us to get in the game now! When we walk out those doors today, Jesus wants us to be in the game and ready to go. He wants us to live in his forgiveness, and be on fire for the Word every day. Let’s get in the game. Let’s give fighting against temptation 110%! Let’s give serving others whenever we have the opportunity 110%! Let’s follow our Coach through our lives, accept his loving discipline, and play for him until he can finally say, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). Amen.