A church doesn’t die overnight. It happens slowly, quietly, almost imperceptibly. And often, the church doesn’t even realize it is happening. Proverbs 29:18 warns us: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” This is not a slick slogan for a capital campaign—it’s a spiritual indictment. It’s what happens when God’s people lose sight of Him, lose passion for His Kingdom, and lose their commitment to worship, fellowship, and disciple-making. It’s not that churches have no vision at all—many have great mission statements and strategic plans. The problem is when a church has its own vision but not God’s vision.
In Revelation 3:14–22, Jesus addresses this exact issue with the church in Laodicea. It was a wealthy city, proud of its banking, clothing industry, and famous medical school. After an earthquake in AD 60, the city rebuilt itself without Rome’s help—a statement of self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, the church reflected the city’s attitude: self-sufficient, self-satisfied, and spiritually blind.
Jesus’ words are sobering: He is outside the church, knocking on the door (v. 20). That means they were holding services, singing songs, and going through religious motions—without Jesus actually being present. That’s how a church dies.
Jesus Is Our Judge
In verse 14, Jesus calls Himself “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.” This means He is completely trustworthy, He sees all, and He is uniquely qualified to judge His church.
If that sounds uncomfortable, it’s supposed to. Jesus sees past our polished appearances, our impressive programs, and our busy calendars. He sees our true spiritual condition—whether we are passionately pursuing Him or simply coasting.
Jesus Is Sufficient
Laodicea’s biggest problem wasn’t persecution but complacency. Their wealth had seduced them into thinking they didn’t need anything—including God.
Jesus uses a vivid picture to describe their condition: lukewarm water. Laodicea had aqueducts bringing hot water from Hierapolis (known for healing baths) and cold water from Colossae (refreshing to drink). But by the time the water reached Laodicea, it was tepid—neither hot enough to heal nor cold enough to refresh. That’s how Jesus describes a complacent church: spiritually bland, ineffective, and useless.
Their self-assessment was, “We are rich; we need nothing.”
Jesus’ assessment was the opposite: “You are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”
This is the danger of material prosperity—it can blind us to our true spiritual poverty. We can pray less, give less, and feel less urgency for God’s presence because we assume we’re fine.
Jesus Is Gracious
Here’s the good news: Jesus doesn’t just diagnose the problem—He offers the cure. He invites the church to:
- Buy gold from Him (true faith)
- Wear white garments (His righteousness)
- Apply eye salve (spiritual sight and discernment)
He rebukes because He loves. He disciplines because He cares. And He graciously calls us to “be zealous and repent.” Repentance isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a daily habit of turning back to Him.
Honest Evaluation for Spiritual Restoration
These letters to the seven churches in Revelation are for us, not just for first-century believers. Every church—and every Christian—needs to ask hard questions:
- Ephesus: Has my love for Jesus grown cold?
- Smyrna: Am I willing to suffer for Christ if necessary?
- Pergamum: Am I compromising in ways that hurt my witness?
- Thyatira: Have I been seduced by voices that minimize sin?
- Sardis: Do people think I’m more devoted to Jesus than I really am?
- Philadelphia: Am I walking through the doors Jesus has opened to share the gospel?
- Laodicea: Has my comfort and prosperity dulled my spiritual hunger?
A Prayer for Revival
If we want to see God restore His church, we must begin with prayer. Here are eight prayer commitments you can make today:
- God, open my eyes to see my church as You see it. Use me as an instrument of spiritual health—whatever the cost.
- God, help me be part of the solution, not the problem.
- God, give us a heart for our community. Make us willing to do whatever it takes to reach people with the gospel.
- God, teach me that all my money is Yours. Give me a generous heart to invest in Kingdom work.
- Lord, open my eyes to the needs of others. Make me a servant.
- God, strengthen our pastors and leaders. Help me encourage them, not discourage them.
- Lord, teach me to pray—regularly, passionately, and boldly.
- Lord, make me sing out in worship, declaring Your praise with joy.
A church doesn’t die because of a lack of resources, staff, or programs. A church dies because it loses sight of Jesus. The good news is that Jesus is still knocking, still inviting, still ready to restore.
The question isn’t, “Is God speaking?”
The question is, are we listening?
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MichaelStovall 