SERIES SUMMARY
At Fellowship Greenville, we desire to reintroduce people to Jesus and the life that He offers. We realize that each of us growing as disciples of Jesus is imperative to us being about God’s mission of redemption in our circle of influence. Therefore, as we continue to grow with more and more people joining us, we want to take several Sundays this summer and articulate our discipleship values, while also inviting everyone to the discipleship pathway available to them here at Fellowship Greenville.
PASSAGE GUIDE | Intimacy: Our lives are marked by being with and enjoying God.
The message to the church in Laodicea presents a powerful rebuke to a wealthy but spiritually bankrupt community. Positioned in a prosperous trade hub known for banking, black wool, and medicine, the Laodicean church mirrored its city’s pride in self-sufficiency. Yet Jesus, introduced not with imagery from Revelation 1 but with titles such as the Amen, faithful and true witness, and ruler of creation, confronts them with their true condition. These titles emphasize Christ's supreme authority, faithfulness, and role as the one through whom God’s promises are fulfilled, setting the stage for His stern words to a church that had lost sight of Him.
The well-known accusation of being “lukewarm” is often misinterpreted. Rather than contrasting passion with apathy, the metaphor likely draws on Laodicea’s own water supply—neither the hot, healing waters of Hierapolis nor the cold, refreshing waters of Colossae. Lukewarm water, especially with high mineral content, was unpleasant and essentially useless. Jesus uses this imagery to highlight the church’s failure to produce meaningful, Spirit-filled actions. Their faith lacked vitality, and their complacency made them unfit for Kingdom usefulness. It’s not their emotional temperature, but their fruitless deeds that provoke Jesus’ warning.
The force of Christ’s disgust is conveyed in His threat to “vomit” them out of His mouth. This harsh image mirrors Jesus’ frequent criticism of hypocritical religiosity—those whose actions do not reflect their beliefs. The Laodiceans saw themselves as wealthy and self-sufficient, but Jesus reveals them to be spiritually “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” This ironic reversal directly critiques their reliance on the very things—wealth, textiles, and medicine—that gave their city renown. Their worldly success blinded them to their true spiritual poverty and need for Christ.
Yet the tone turns gracious as Jesus offers the solution: to receive true wealth, righteous clothing, and spiritual sight from Him alone. This invitation echoes Isaiah 55—buy without cost—and underscores that transformation must come from divine grace, not human success. The call to repentance is fueled by love, not judgment. Jesus disciplines those He loves and urges the Laodiceans to respond with zeal and repentance. The imagery of eye salve and white garments is both contextually rich and spiritually symbolic, highlighting the need for vision and holiness.
The letter culminates in one of the most intimate pictures in Revelation: Jesus standing at the door and knocking. Though the letter is addressed to the whole church, the appeal becomes deeply personal—“if anyone hears my voice…” This portrays Christ’s desire for restored fellowship, not just institutional reform. His promise to dine with the one who opens the door evokes deep relational connection. For those who overcome, Jesus offers the astonishing reward of sharing in His throne, just as He shares His Father’s throne—a promise of profound authority and unity with Christ for those who faithfully respond.
| Intimacy: Our lives are marked by being with and enjoying God.
The message to the church in Laodicea presents a powerful rebuke to a wealthy but spiritually bankrupt community. Positioned in a prosperous trade hub known for banking, black wool, and medicine, the Laodicean church mirrored its city’s pride in self-sufficiency. Yet Jesus, introduced not with imagery from Revelation 1 but with titles such as the Amen, faithful and true witness, and ruler of creation, confronts them with their true condition. These titles emphasize Christ's supreme authority, faithfulness, and role as the one through whom God’s promises are fulfilled, setting the stage for His stern words to a church that had lost sight of Him.
The well-known accusation of being “lukewarm” is often misinterpreted. Rather than contrasting passion with apathy, the metaphor likely draws on Laodicea’s own water supply—neither the hot, healing waters of Hierapolis nor the cold, refreshing waters of Colossae. Lukewarm water, especially with high mineral content, was unpleasant and essentially useless. Jesus uses this imagery to highlight the church’s failure to produce meaningful, Spirit-filled actions. Their faith lacked vitality, and their complacency made them unfit for Kingdom usefulness. It’s not their emotional temperature, but their fruitless deeds that provoke Jesus’ warning.
The force of Christ’s disgust is conveyed in His threat to “vomit” them out of His mouth. This harsh image mirrors Jesus’ frequent criticism of hypocritical religiosity—those whose actions do not reflect their beliefs. The Laodiceans saw themselves as wealthy and self-sufficient, but Jesus reveals them to be spiritually “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” This ironic reversal directly critiques their reliance on the very things—wealth, textiles, and medicine—that gave their city renown. Their worldly success blinded them to their true spiritual poverty and need for Christ.
Yet the tone turns gracious as Jesus offers the solution: to receive true wealth, righteous clothing, and spiritual sight from Him alone. This invitation echoes Isaiah 55—buy without cost—and underscores that transformation must come from divine grace, not human success. The call to repentance is fueled by love, not judgment. Jesus disciplines those He loves and urges the Laodiceans to respond with zeal and repentance. The imagery of eye salve and white garments is both contextually rich and spiritually symbolic, highlighting the need for vision and holiness.
The letter culminates in one of the most intimate pictures in Revelation: Jesus standing at the door and knocking. Though the letter is addressed to the whole church, the appeal becomes deeply personal—“if anyone hears my voice…” This portrays Christ’s desire for restored fellowship, not just institutional reform. His promise to dine with the one who opens the door evokes a deep relational connection. For those who overcome, Jesus offers the astonishing reward of sharing in His throne, just as He shares His Father’s throne—a promise of profound authority and unity with Christ for those who faithfully respond.
*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace, passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.
SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION
Remember, these are “suggested” questions. You do not have to go through every single one of them. You do not need to listen to both sermons at both campuses to participate in the discussion.
OPENING PRAYER
Thank God for His consistent pursuit of intimacy with you. Give Him praise because He is the giver of good gifts and wants you to receive the ongoing, personal, and spiritual renewal He offers.
READ THE TEXT
Take some time to read Revelation 3:14-22
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What stood out to you from the text or the message on Sunday?
- How does Revelation 3 help us better understand intimacy with God as a Disciple of Jesus?
- What does the image of Jesus standing at the door and knocking reveal about His desire for a personal relationship with us?
- In what ways can you personally respond to Christ’s call for intimate communion in your daily life?
- Why is it significant that Jesus’ invitation is directed to individuals, even within a failing community?
- What does it mean to you that Jesus offers not just correction but also to share His throne and His presence?
- How does the metaphor of lukewarm water help you understand the difference between fruitless religiosity and Spirit-filled living?
- In what ways might self-sufficiency or worldly success be hindering your spiritual growth?
- How would you define spiritual maturity after reading Revelation 3?
- Why does Jesus prefer honest rejection over false or inactive faith, and how does that shape your understanding of discipleship?
- What role does repentance play in restoring both personal fellowship with Christ and corporate health in a church community?
- In what ways is your community group living out God’s call for spiritual zeal and repentance (v.19), and in what ways is there room for growth?
PRACTICE OPTIONS
Life in Community: Let your community group be a place of real spiritual renewal. Speak truth, share honestly, and sharpen one another in love as you meet with others both within and outside of your CG this week.
Life with Jesus: Carve out unhurried time with Jesus away from noise, agenda, or performance and simply be present with Him. Give yourself grace to just be with Jesus.
Life on Mission: Take a moment to think of someone in your sphere of influence who has been coasting in their relationship with Christ. Pray for them by name and find the right time to encourage their spirit into deeper intimacy with Him.
CLOSING PRAYER
Invite the Lord to renew your intimacy with Him and to open your eyes and heart to encounter His presence this week.