Laodicea: Listen to the Voice of Jesus (Rev. 3:14-22)

[Sung Psalm: 103]

The seven letters reveal the church of Jesus Christ in all her frailty and weakness – and not just frailty and weakness – but even sin, rebellion, and death.

There are lots of ways in which the churches of Revelation 2-3 fall short! But all of those shortcomings are overturned in Revelation 21-22!

Here are a few:

• There are false apostles in the church of Ephesus (2:2). There are twelve apostles of the Lamb in the heavenly city (Rev 21:14).
• The church of Pergamum dwells where Satan's throne is (2:13). The heavenly church dwells before the throne of God and of the Lamb (21:1)
• Some in the church of Sardis are dead (3:1). All in the new Jerusalem are written in the Lamb's book of life (21:27).
• Jesus may remove the lampstand from Ephesus (2:5). God and the Lamb are the lamp of the eternal city (21:23, 22:5).
• The church of Smyrna (and others) are filled with lies and idolatry (2:9, 14-15, 20, 3:9) Nothing unclean, detestable, or false will enter the holy city (21:27).
• Trial and tribulation characterizes those in the seven churches who rely on God's promises. The heavenly city is characterized by the fulfillment of those promises!!

All of the promises to "the one who conquers" in chapters 2-3 are fulfilled quite explicitly in Revelation 21-22.

All of the letters are about hearing Jesus – but this final letter to the church in Laodicea highlights that theme.

And again, at the beginning every letter, Jesus starts by telling us about himself. If you are going to hear Jesus rightly, then you need to understand who Jesus is!