Col 2:1 – I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally.

Col 4:13 – I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Col 4:15 – Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.

Col 4:16 – After you have read this letter, pass it on to the church at Laodicea so they can read it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote to them.

All four verses have something in common. It doesn’t take much to see it – Laodicea!
If that sounds familiar it’s because you recognize it from Revelation.

Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! Rev 3:14-16

It is the lukewarm church.

What happened to this church? It’s evident that Paul had something to do with it starting or the teaching of the Gospel within it.
He wrote a letter to the church and asked that the letter to the Colossians be shared with them.

Still by the time John began having his revelation, the church had become lukewarm.

I recently read about a huge, megachurch that is on the verge of closing. At one time there were close to 3,000 attending in an auditorium that can seat 5,000. Now there are only about 600 in attendance.

In both cases, the megachurch and Laodicea the answer is probably the same – they became so big-headed they thought, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!‘ Rev 3:17

It is at this point they have lost everything. They have lost their fire for the Lord. They may be big in size but they are small in Spirit.

I don’t believe my church family will grow to mega size but that will be just fine with me as long as we keep our minds and hearts on Jesus first and let Him always be our First Love.