The Letter to the Church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22)

Outline: The Letter to the Church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22)

1. Rebuke (vv.14-17)
2. Correction (vv.18-20)
3. Promise (vv.21-22)

Summary:  We now focus our study on Jesus' final letter, His letter to the church in Laodicea.  Laodicea, of all the churches, was perhaps the most unhealthy.  They were so self-deceived and so self-reliant that they failed realize just how disgusting their spiritual condition had become.  In a word: Laodicea was lukewarm and Jesus was sickened when he "tasted" the stagnant waters of their halfhearted devotion. Jesus counsels them to come to Him as the true source of all value, security and vision.  Jesus then lovingly urges them to repent in earnest, so that they can again enjoy Him in genuine fellowship.            

Main Point:  All churches and Christians are called to conquer their lukewarmness by earnestly repenting of it and by coming to Jesus as the source of all value, security, and vision.

Discussion Questions:

• How does Laodicea's witness compare to Jesus' track record as the "faithful witness"? 
• What is it about Laodicea that Jesus finds so repulsive? (vv.15-16)
• How do lukewarmness (v.16), self-sufficiency and self-deceit (v.17) relate to one another?  
• What is Jesus counseling the Laodiceans to do in v.18?
• Reread 3:14-22.  Do Jesus words strike you as loving? Explain (cf. v.19; Heb. 12:5-11).  
• What does the picture of Jesus knocking at the door teach us about what Jesus is like? (v.20)
• What promise does Jesus motivate the church with in v.21?

Application Questions:

• Do I consider Jesus words in 3:14-22 to be loving? Why or why not?
• Is there any evidence of self-sufficiency or lukewarmness in my life? Explain.
• Am I looking to Jesus as the source of value, security, and vision in my life? Explain.
• How does Jesus want me to respond if I have been lukewarm?
• According to v.20, how willing is Jesus to fellowship with me after I have sinned?

Prayer Points:

• Confess any self-sufficiency or lukewarmness God has exposed in your life
• Praise Jesus for loving us enough to say hard things to us and to call us to repentance
• Praise Jesus for loving us enough to pursue fellowship with us after we have dishonored Him 
• Acknowledge Jesus as the true source of value, security, and vision
• Ask God to help you conquer lukewarmness and to be faithful in our devotion to Him

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit (Matthew 5:3)

                                                                                                                       Visit fbcpierz.org/sermons to listen to this sermon. 
Outline: Matthew 5:3

1. What does Jesus mean by "poor in spirit"?
2. Why does being "poor in spirit" bring true happiness?

Summary: The Beatitudes are invitations to experience more of God's blessing, joy, and favor in our lives (Matt. 5:3-12).  Each Beatitude is a pointed description of Christian character, that is, what every Christian's character should be like.  And these character qualities attract the blessing of God and, as we shall see, also enhance our witness in the world (Matt. 5:13-16).  The first Beatitude ("Blessed are the poor in spirit") is intentionally placed first, for it is the key that opens all of the other doors of God's blessing.  What does it mean to be "poor in spirit"?  Jesus points at material poverty as a picture of spiritual poverty.  Generally speaking, the materially poor recognize their neediness, their weakness, their helplessness, the insufficiency of their resources and their need to rely on others to support them.  Similarly, the child of God who attracts their heavenly Father's blessing is one who recognizes their neediness and continually and habitually relies on God.  Such a person gets to taste kingdom joy in this life and will most certainly enjoy the fullness of that joy in the age to come.   

Discussion Questions:

• What is the meaning of the term "blessed"?
• In what sense should we look at the Beatitudes as invitations? Invitations to what?
• Discuss this idea: "Each Beatitude describes what every Christian's character should be like."
• What is the meaning of "poor in spirit"? [Hint: it may be helpful to recall two analogies from the sermon (the poor beggar and the newborn infant)].    
• Why do you think Jesus places this beatitude first? [Hint: try to recall the water sack analogy]
• What is the significance of Jesus emphasizing the present reality of the kingdom when he says blessed are...theirs is the kingdom of heaven? 

Application Questions:

• Do you lack real joy in life? What ways do you see self-confidence, self-reliance, self-sufficiency present in your life? Ponder how self-reliance is a joy-killer in your life.
• What doors of blessing, joy, and favor would be opened to you if you were to regularly recognize your neediness and consciously rely on God?
• Why do you think being "poor in spirit" attracts the heart of God?

Prayer points:

• Confess your self-reliance to God and the pride that acts like you don't need Him. 
• Thank Jesus for becoming a man, for perfectly relying on His Father, and for dying on the cross to erase the sins of arrogant and self-reliant people like us.  
• Acknowledge how much you truly need Him.
• Pray that God would help you regularly see your utter need for him.
• Pray that God would help you regularly turn away from self and to look to him for help.