God's message to the church in Laodicea

Revelation 3:14-22

Revelation was written to seven churches in what is today eastern Turkey, and the book begins with a message to each of them. Laodicea was a wealthy banking center known for manufacturing clothing and carpets and for its medical school. God did not say anything good about the prosperous and powerful Laodicean church, but condemned it for being lukewarm. Verse 20 (“Behold I stand at the door and knock. . . .”) inspired the immensely popular painting by Warner Sallman, Christ at Heart’s Door.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
   
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.