Burning Hot Zeal

We open the letter and read: “I know your deeds.” We skim down to the sender and see it’s from Jesus. How eager would we be to read this letter? I imagine my heart would be racing in anticipation. How are we doing Lord? On the edge of my seat, I would carefully read and reread this letter.

In Revelation 3, we finish the seventh letter to the seven churches. Two churches (Smyrna and Philadelphia) were commended without any rebuke, while two other churches (Sardis and Laodicea) receive only a rebuke and no commendations. The five churches receiving a rebuke are commanded to repent. They are appropriately warned if they fail, but encouraged to overcome and receive the promise to eat of the tree of life in paradise (Ephesus), eat the hidden manna and a have a new white stone with a new name on it (Pergamum), receive the morning star (Thyatira), be dressed in white with their name in the book of life (Sardis) and sit with Jesus on His throne (Laodicea). Sit with Jesus on His throne (3:21)? Sit face to face with the most holy who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Ex 34:6)? This last promise of the seven letters is made to those whom Jesus loved (3:19), those who overcome and repent. Sign us up! We want to be with JESUS!

Ancient Laodicea was a prosperous city, a banking center, a producer of black wool clothing and the location of a famous medical school known for a substance used to treat ailments of the eye. The city’s water supply originated from hot springs six miles away. By the time the water got to Laodicea, it was warm, tepid water. Jesus alludes to all of these attributes of this city as he warns them. He accuses them of being wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. He compares the spirituality of their church to the nauseating tepid waters of the city. The church had become lukewarm which nauseated Jesus to the point of vomiting them out of His mouth. What is cold? What is lukewarm? I have heard descriptions of “cold” here as atheism (God does not exist) or useless (hot water cleans, cold water preserves, lukewarm does neither, useless). With the command to be zealous and repent (some versions translate “earnest”, Greek zēlóō 3:19), the more likely metaphor of lukewarmness is their diminished zeal for Jesus. He’d rather them be hot (zealously serving Him) or cold (zealously opposing Him) than lukewarm. The ultimate insult would be affirming his existence (being a “church”), but not taking Him seriously.

How did the church in Laodicea become lukewarm? There is no explanation, but we can speculate. Jesus exposes their inner thoughts, that they say “ I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing ” (3:17). Prosperity breeds self-satisfaction and complacency. Comfort and prosperity undermines zeal for spiritual blessings. And so we face the question: How is our zeal for Jesus? God’s zeal for us is unfathomable as proved by giving us His one and only son for the atonement of our sins. How is our zeal for His Son Jesus? How often do we think of him, express our gratitude for him, love those whom he loves, obey his words and brag about him to others? How is our zeal for Jesus? Do we have burning hot zeal for Jesus? Personally, I can see my zeal waning for Jesus in a variety of ways.

How do we increase our zeal? In His letter to the church, Jesus stokes their zeal (and ours!) with a wake up call of reproof. He calls us to appreciate our spirit deficit that can only be filled by Him. As prosperity can breed complacency, a deficiency can breed desire. An inventory of past sins forgiven as well as current sins continually being washed away can help us become aware of how pitiful we can be. Reflecting on these sins and confessing them will bring true prosperity (Prov 28:13). When we remember how perfect, how righteous and how holy Jesus is, we see that we ourselves are not close in comparison. We then can better appreciate the grace of God through Jesus. “Be zealous and repent!” Jesus is knocking on the door. For those that overcome, we can feast together on Jesus’ throne. Sign us up!