For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Jesus of Nazareth
The last book in the Bible is called Revelation because it opens with the words, ‘The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place’. An older name for the book is Apocalypse, a word that today is associated with catastrophe but really means an unveiling or the discovery of something mysterious. What is the mystery? It’s how creation operates and Jesus Christ’s role uniting together all things in heaven and earth; it draws back the curtain to reveal what’s ‘behind the scenes’ and show how events will ultimately pan out. I’ve written about this in the series of Reflections called ‘Babylon and the Beast’ and the relevance to us today in ‘Sooner or Later’.
The book is not, as some people call it, the Revelation of John, although he was the person Jesus entrusted it to. I believe it was what John saw in these visions that prompted him to write his Gospel, preserving important information about Jesus that was at risk of being lost as the Church drifted away from the true faith.
I think this view is substantiated by the things written in Jesus’ letters to seven churches at the start of Revelation. One interpretation of these is that they represent seven phases of church history, with the church at Laodicea being representative of churches in the days immediately before Jesus returns. I think there is merit in this understanding, although I’m also sure that those seven churches are also representative of churches that have existed in various places at various times in the past 2,000 years. But, as the English saying goes, ‘If the cap fits, wear it’. Whether you believe that Laodicea represents the very last days or not, and whether or not you think we are living in those last days, it’s a sad fact that there are many churches today just like the group of Christians at Laodicea who received the original letter.
The quotation at the start of this Reflection is remarkable! It’s not possible that someone who is ‘wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked’ could believe themself to be prosperous, needing nothing. I’ve done only a little work among people who are homeless but I’ve met a few who like their way of life and don’t want a permanent home. But, as content as they are, they don’t kid themselves that they are materially rich!
But while such complete self-delusion isn’t possible for people it is, sadly, possible for churches. The Christians at Laodicea thought they were rich because they had accumulated material wealth: they had treasures on earth but none in heaven. And so, in Jesus’ eyes, they were not just poor but destitute.
How true is that of Christians and churches today? There’s nothing at all wrong in owning good, comfortable buildings that people find welcoming; nothing wrong in owning vehicles to help get people to and from meetings and so they can enjoy days out together; nothing wrong with seeker-friendly messages that people who have never before been to church can understand and social networks to help them feel welcome. All these things are good and helpful. But if the teaching is shallow or is compromised in order to keep people coming, so that Christians are not encouraged to live as disciples, adopting the lifestyle Jesus described, then it’s all only treasure on earth.
One aspect of modern evangelism that perturbs me is the guidance often given to people who turn to Christ. They are (quite rightly) encouraged to put aside time each day to read the Bible and pray, to attend services regularly and to give financially to support their churches. They may also be encouraged to get involved with church activities, such as youth groups and lunch clubs for older people. All these things are right and good. But, if the person’s lifestyle is left otherwise unchanged, so that the ways they get and use money continue as before, unexamined and unsanctified, then they cannot really be considered to be disciples. At best, they continue to accumulate treasure on earth.
I expect this was something like the situation in Laodicea. Their spiritual life was lukewarm, neither discipleship nor licentiousness, superficially respectable but profoundly negligent. They were so complacently self-satisfied that Jesus wanted to 'spit you out of my mouth'. I think it's going too far to say that Jesus probably prefers sincere atheists to undiscipled Christians (as some preachers do) but this sounds even worse than the judgement on the five foolish virgins in the parable who heard him say that he never knew them!
Jesus’ advice was ‘to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see’. How do we buy from Jesus? By living as he described, not influenced by the financial cost or consequences, but faithfully using money in the ways that he said are important.
Gold is a symbol of persistent faith, making the hard lifestyle choices that cost us money, both refusing to earn it in a way that compromises our allegiance to the lifestyle Jesus taught and spending it in ways that he wouldn’t approve of. White clothes illustrate sanctified lifestyle, a seeking the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness above all other priorities. Ointment is a form of healing oil representing the Holy Spirit, the only way to leave behind the ways of capitalism and consumerism, to heal the mental and emotional wounds it inflicts and to live in healthy discipleship. To those who do this, Jesus promises fellowship and responsibility in the Kingdom:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
© All Souls Clubhouse Community Centre & Church and Philip Evans 2014.
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