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Sermon #B673 -
Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church
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Dr. Byrd: I want to invite you
if you will to take your bibles
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there at home or wherever
you might be to the Book of
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Revelation. We want to go to
Revelation chapter three and go
into verse number fourteen.
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Revelation chapter
three verse number fourteen.
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I am going to read from the
King James Version of the bible
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Revelation chapter three verse
number fourteen. You are hearing
today the word of God,
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Jesus himself speaking. He
says, "And unto the angel of the
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church of the Laodiceans write;
these things saith the Amen, the
faithful and true witness,
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the beginning of the creation
of God. I know thy works,
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that thou art neither cold nor
hot: I would thou wert cold or
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hot." In other words, I
wish you were cold or hot.
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Verse sixteen, "So then
because thou art lukewarm,
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and neither cold nor hot, I
will spue thee out of my mouth.
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Because thou sayest, I am
rich, and increased with goods,
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and have need of nothing;
and knowest not that thou art
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wretched, and miserable,
and poor, and blind, and naked:
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I counsel thee to buy of
me gold tried in the fire,
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that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest
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be clothed, and that the shame
of thy nakedness do not appear;
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and anoint thine eyes with
eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
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As many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten: be zealous therefore,
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and repent."
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Verse twenty, "Behold, I
stand at the door, and knock:
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if any man hear my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to
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him, and will sup
with him, and he with me.
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To him that overcometh will
I grant to sit with me in my
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throne, even as I also overcame
and am set down with my Father
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in his throne. He that hath
an ear, let him hear what the
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Spirit saith unto the churches."
Today, we preach on the seventh
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and final church, Laodicea, The
Lukewarm Church. Laodicea, The
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Lukewarm Church. Let us talk to
the Lord. God, bless us now.
Have your way in this place,
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Lord. Speak over the
airwaves of the internet,
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over the
television waves right now.
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God, I pray that your power
be made manifest to your people,
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all your people who you
speak through this preacher.
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I pray that, God, souls will be
touched, hearts will be pricked,
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and people will make a decision
to make a change for thee.
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Forgive me of my sins. I
pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church.
We have come now to the seventh
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and the final church of
the churches in Revelation.
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We have preached on Ephesus, The
Working Church. We have preached
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on Smyrna, The faithful Church.
We have preached on Pergamus,
The Compromising Church.
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We have preached on Thyatira,
The Adulterous Church. We have
preached on Sardis,
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The Dead Church. We have
preached on Philadelphia, The
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Enduring Church. Now, we have
come to Laodicea, The Lukewarm
Church. Out of the seven letters
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to the seven churches,
this letter is probably the most
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popular one, but it is also the
harshest one. Now, let me remind
you that these letters are
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written to the church, the
household of faith, the body of
Christ, followers of Jesus,
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believers of God. While there
may or could have been some
unbelievers in the mix,
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Jesus is addressing believers
in this text. He is addressing a
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city that is rich. Laodicea was
so rich that when it was hit by
an earthquake in AD 60,
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the entire city was
virtually destroyed.
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When the Roman Empire offered to
rebuild the city for the people,
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the people were so rich
they said to the government,
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"We do not need your money. We
will build our own city back by
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our own selves." I guess they
operated by the philosophy that
God blessed the child who has
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his own. Do I have a witness in
this place? Laodicea had a
renowned medical school that was
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known for the development
of eyesalve to treat blindness.
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There was also a wool industry
in Laodicea where they made
beautiful black wool,
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but their wealth, the wealth in
Laodicea came from banking. They
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were, if you will, the Wall
Street of Asia Laodicea was
rich. Laodicea was wealthy,
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but their problem was not their
wealth but what their wealth had
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done to them. Laodicea was
situated on a major highway
located about 40 miles southeast
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of the city of Philadelphia and
about 100 miles east of Ephesus.
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It was the leading
commercial city in that area.
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Now, you need to also know that
Laodicea had two sister cities.
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Hierapolis was one of those
sister cities, and Colosse was
the other sister city.
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Hierapolis was located 6 miles
north of Laodicea and was known
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for its hot water. Hot water as
you know is healing water. Hot
water as you know is soothing
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water. Hot water is
medicinal in nature.
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Colosse which was located about
10 miles southeast of Laodicea
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was known for its cold
water. Cold water is pure and
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refreshing. Laodicea unlike
Hierapolis and unlike Colosse,
Laodicea had awful water.
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Why did Laodicea have awful
water? Because of its wealth,
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Laodicea grew so fast that the
two nearby rivers were unable to
supply its need for
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water. Engineers had to develop
an aqueduct system, if you will,
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for Laodicea to receive its
water. By the time this water
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reached Laodicea, it was
lukewarm. It was neither hot nor
cold, so it did not have
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medicinal qualities, neither
did it have refreshing pure
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qualities. It was lukewarm.
It was good for nothing.
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Jesus tells the church at
Laodicea that they had become
just like their water,
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lukewarm and good for nothing.
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Jesus said, "You are neither
cold, which is refreshing, nor
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are you hot, which is
healing, but your temperature is
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lukewarm." In other words, you
are straddling the fence. You
are in the river and your own
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bank. You are neither hot
nor cold. You are lukewarm. Your
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taste is terrible. The aqueduct
water system is not working and
there is nothing left for me to
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do but to spit you out.
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How had this church become
lukewarm, how had its spiritual
flavor become so awful?
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Well, there are three ways and I
am going to share them with you.
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Three reasons they became
lukewarm. Number one, the church
at Laodicea was indifferent.
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Now, remember, they
had no viable water source.
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Hot water was piped in
from the north in Hierapolis
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and cold water came
from the south of Colosse.
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By the time the water reached
Laodicea, it was neither hot nor
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cold. Jesus is saying that the
lives of the Laodicean church
members mirrored the water that
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they drink. They were not hot,
which is they were not on fire
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for the Lord. They were not
cold, which means they were not
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spiritually dead. They were
lukewarm, which means they were
not completely cold.
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They were attending church
but they were not hot either
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because they had no zeal for the
Lord and no desire to live for
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the Lord. They were a miserable
temperature of lukewarm.
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They were satisfied with their
church and they had no desire to
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change. This is a good
description of the church today.
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This is a good description
of the universal church today.
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Too often, the church comes
together on a regular basis with
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no desire to really serve the
Lord. Their attitude is this is
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their church. They have no
desire to change. They are just
going through the motions.
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We are no longer moved by the
sacrifice of Christ, the
redemption of the soul,
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or the wicked
state of the world.
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I mean, let us be honest today.
Let us be transparent. Let us
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get real today. When was the
last time you were moved by the
message of an old familiar hymn?
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When was the last time
you wept over Amazing Grace,
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how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me?
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When was the last time you were
overwhelmed by the power of the
twenty-third Psalms?
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When was the last time
you felt the joy of God just
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because you were able to get up
on Sabbath morning, put on some
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clothes, come out of the house
when we were not under
coronavirus, get to church,
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get out of your car, step into
the sanctuary and walk up before
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Christ? When was the last time
you rejoiced in the depths of
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your heart not because you heard
a great sermon or listened to a
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great song, or came to a great
church but because you know a
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great savior, enjoy a great hope
and serve a mighty God? Are we
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flunking the test because we are
too familiar with the material,
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more concerned
about tradition and truth,
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more caught up in
formality than spirituality,
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more concerned about custom than
creativity, more concerned about
policy than people,
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more concerned about do's
and don'ts than deliverance,
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more concerned about the way it
used to be than the way it ought
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to be? The goals of God has for
us are often too often arrested
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and handcuffed by
tradition and the status quo.
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We have learned as much as
about God as we think we need to
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learn. We are happy and content
to be just left alone going
through the motions week after
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week. No growth. No development.
No change. No power. No nothing.
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Just going through the motions,
going through another cycle of
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prayer meetings, another cycle
of church anniversaries, youth
days, senior adult days,
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children's days, education days,
revivals, Revelation seminars,
communion services.
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Just going through the motions,
singing the same songs, hearing
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the same sermons, praying the
same prayers, reciting the same
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testimonies. Going through the
motions unresponsive to God's
call, unmoved by God's claim,
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and unchanged by God's
spirit. No Holy Ghost fire. No
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Pentecostal zeal. No enthusiasm.
No energy. No excitement. Just
going through the motions.
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We do not want to take any risks
because being safe is easy. It
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is not hard work. Do what we
always have done but you will
never see new oceans unless you
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have the courage to lose sight
of the shore. Only dead fish go
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with the flow. You are neither
hot nor cold. You are neither on
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fire for the Lord nor are you
dead for the Lord. Just
lukewarm. Indifferent.
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Apathetic. Unconcerned. Unmoved.
Lukewarm. The Lukewarm Church
argues with each other about
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petty things. What color should
the carpet be? How should the
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deacons walk in? Should we play
drums or not in church? What
time should church start?
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What color should the be
ushers wear? The Lukewarm Church
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become so wrapped up in their
predictable service and their
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traditions that there is no
room left for God's blessings.
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What does Jesus say? He says, "I
have no more use for you," and
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he spits you out. Have you ever
been offered something to drink?
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You did not know what it
was but you offered to drink it.
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When you drank it, you
immediately spat it out because
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it tasted so bad. It made
you sick. That is what Jesus is
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saying to us here. He is saying,
"Laodicea, you taste so bad, I
have to spit you out."
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The word here for "spit"
can also be translated "vomit".
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When you vomit, my
friends, you are sick.
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There are too many Laodicean
churches making Jesus sick.
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Empty praise makes him sick.
Empty, woeful, unenergized
worship makes him sick.
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Singing that sounds good but
does not involve the heart makes
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him sick. Lack of commitment
makes him sick. Lack of
evangelism and witness makes him
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sick. Laziness makes him sick.
Complacency makes him sick.
Complaining makes him sick.
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Pleasure preaching that pleases
people instead of glorifying
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God, edifying the people,
and persuading sinners to change
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makes him sick. Church that is
more concerned about stuff than
it is about salvation makes him
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sick. Churches that prey on
people instead of praying for
people makes him sick.
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I do not know about you, but I
do not want to make Jesus sick.
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I do not know about you,
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but I do not want to be a part
of a church that makes Jesus
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sick, that turns God's stomach.
I do not ever want to turn God's
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stomach. I do not want God to
vomit me out. I do not want God
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to spit me out. I do
not want to be indifferent.
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Number two, Laodicea was
lukewarm because the people had
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become arrogant. Look at verse
number seventeen. Jesus says in
the text, "You say you are rich,
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and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing." Now, stop
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there. The operative word here
is "you say". I wish I had time
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but I am going to come back
to that in a minute. "Say." Now,
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remember,
Laodicea is a wealthy city.
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They refused Rome's help
in rebuilding it after the
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earthquake hit. They were
arrogant people. They had all
they needed and were not
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interested in help or input from
anybody else. While they were
financially wealthy,
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they were spiritually bankrupt.
They were arrogant, haughty,
conceited, big-headed,
00:16:05.89\00:16:15.40
proud. Let me remind
you that God hates pride.
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The bible says, "Pride goeth
before destruction, and a
haughty spirit before a fall."
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Do not get it twisted because a
lot of people say they are
confident, not prideful,
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but you better know the
difference. If we ever
accomplished anything in this
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life, it is the result of
what Jesus has done for us and
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through us. I am very clear in
my ministry. God has blessed me
to be able to do a lot of
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things. God has been able to use
me and I am grateful to do a lot
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of things, but I am also clear
it is not anything of what I
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have done but it is
all about what he has done.
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Do not get the big head just as
soon as we get something, my
brothers and sisters.
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God can take it away.
We are nothing without God.
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Let me say that again. I said,
"We are nothing without God."
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Do not be arrogant.
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Then, the third point. The third
reason that the church at
Laodicea is lukewarm is
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their ignorance. First, it is
their indifference. Second, it
is their arrogance.
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Third, it is their ignorance.
What am I talking about? Go back
to verse seventeen.
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Revelation chapter three verse
number seventeen, the word of
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God says, "Because thou sayest,"
not somebody else but you are
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saying, "I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have
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need of nothing." That word
again, sayest. You say, not
somebody else, but you say you
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are rich. You say you are
increased with goods. You say
you have need of nothing,
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but then Jesus
finishes it, "And knowest not,"
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you do not even know that you
are wretched, miserable, poor,
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blind, and naked. Laodicea,
Jesus says, "Laodicea, you think
you are all that and then some,
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but you do not even realize
you are pitiful and pathetic."
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You see, their perception
and their reality were totally
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different. They thought all was
well, but Jesus saw a much
different point of view.
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They were proud but Jesus said
they were wretched, miserable,
and in need of pity.
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They were wealthy but they were
actually poor and spiritually
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bankrupt. They thought they
looked fine but they were blind
with no spiritual vision.
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They had the highest fashion of
the day but they were naked,
uncovered before God
00:18:47.46\00:18:52.79
and unclothed in his
righteousness. That is just like
00:18:52.83\00:18:58.23
us today. That is just like
Laodicea today. We think we are
00:18:58.27\00:19:02.50
doing something and we are doing
nothing. We think we are singing
and we sound a mess.
00:19:02.54\00:19:07.41
We think we are preaching
and our sermons are a mess.
00:19:07.44\00:19:10.55
We think we are
dressing and we look a mess.
00:19:10.58\00:19:13.55
We think we are cooking
and our food tastes a mess.
00:19:13.58\00:19:16.92
We are talking about stuff,
we do not even know what we are
00:19:16.95\00:19:19.59
talking about. Listen, have
several seats. Sit down.
Laodicea thought they had
00:19:19.62\00:19:25.69
everything but they were so
wrong. They were ignorant.
Ignorant means unaware.
00:19:25.73\00:19:29.50
They were unaware of their true
spiritual condition. They lack
00:19:29.53\00:19:34.77
self-awareness. Too many
of us lack self-awareness.
00:19:34.80\00:19:37.04
As a result, they were apathetic
in their relationship with God.
00:19:37.07\00:19:40.64
Laodicea lost their love for
Jesus and found themselves
denying Jesus' lordship.
00:19:40.68\00:19:45.48
There are so many professed
Christians who think they are
00:19:45.51\00:19:49.48
spiritually rich when actually
they are bankrupt. They think
they are beautiful when they are
00:19:49.52\00:19:53.99
wretched. They think they are
need to be envied but really
they need to be pitied.
00:19:54.02\00:19:58.03
They think they see everything
clearly when they see nothing
and are stone-blind.
00:19:58.06\00:20:02.46
They think they are clothed
but they are really naked.
00:20:02.50\00:20:05.43
The church in Laodicea is
proud. They are rich. They are
00:20:05.47\00:20:10.41
prosperous. They are
self-sufficient in their own
eyes. To Jesus, in Jesus' eyes,
00:20:10.44\00:20:16.44
they are poor, they are
blind, and they are naked.
00:20:16.48\00:20:18.45
There are too many churches who
are out there today trying to
thrive on their own
00:20:18.48\00:20:23.85
accomplishments, but you better
believe that all that I am or
00:20:23.89\00:20:28.29
ever will be is by the grace of
God. All that you are or you
ever will be is by the grace of
00:20:28.32\00:20:34.20
God. Grace woke me up this
morning. Grace started me on my
00:20:34.23\00:20:40.07
way. Too many churches, too many
Laodiceans are thriving on what
they feel are their
00:20:40.10\00:20:45.27
own accomplishments. They
have a packed house but they are
00:20:45.31\00:20:49.51
spiritually empty. They have
money in the bank but they are
spiritually bankrupt.
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.51
They are known for their singing
but they are spiritually silent.
00:20:52.55\00:20:55.88
They are clothed in
fine clothing but they are
00:20:55.92\00:20:59.42
spiritually naked. They are
preaching in the pulpit but they
are sounding brass and tinkling
00:20:59.45\00:21:04.09
cymbal. They have
their name on a marquee sign
00:21:04.13\00:21:06.59
but their names are not in the
Lamb's Book of Life. They are in
00:21:06.63\00:21:10.60
different. They are
arrogant. They are ignorant.
00:21:10.63\00:21:15.04
Jesus says, "This church makes
me sick, and I will spit them
00:21:15.07\00:21:22.61
out. I will vomit them out."
In verses fifteen, sixteen,
00:21:22.64\00:21:26.68
and seventeen of
Revelation chapter three,
00:21:26.72\00:21:28.65
Jesus has addressed the
problems of indifference,
00:21:28.68\00:21:31.69
the problem of arrogance,
the problem of ignorance.
00:21:31.72\00:21:34.89
Now, in verse
eighteen, he offers a solution.
00:21:34.92\00:21:39.89
He says, "I counsel thee to buy
of me gold tried in the fire,
00:21:39.93\00:21:47.04
that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, and thou mayest
00:21:47.07\00:21:50.31
be clothed, and that the
shame of thy nakedness does not
00:21:50.34\00:21:53.84
appear; and anoint thine eyes
with eyesalve, that thou mayest
see." I am almost done,
00:21:53.88\00:21:58.65
but here, Jesus tells the
Laodiceans after he has told
them about themselves,
00:21:58.68\00:22:03.45
he tells him three things. He
tells him three areas where they
00:22:03.49\00:22:08.86
need to invest. Number one,
he says, "Invest in those things
00:22:08.89\00:22:13.43
that are eternal. Invest in
those things that will last."
Buy gold that has been tried in
00:22:13.46\00:22:21.00
the fire. Physically, they were
rich and increased with goods,
00:22:21.04\00:22:23.77
but they had not invested in the
Lord. You all do not hear what I
00:22:23.81\00:22:27.61
am saying. Jesus said in Matthew
chapter six verse twenty,
00:22:27.64\00:22:30.71
"But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven,
00:22:30.75\00:22:34.58
where neither moth
nor rust doth corrupt,
00:22:34.62\00:22:37.49
and where thieves do not break
through nor steal." Friends of
00:22:37.52\00:22:41.92
mine, we are living in a culture
today that is spiritually
00:22:41.96\00:22:46.46
bankrupt. Many may be
financially secure but they are
00:22:46.49\00:22:50.63
lacking in Christ. What good, my
friends, will wealth, what good
00:22:50.67\00:22:54.80
will homes and land do
for our souls at the judgment?
00:22:54.84\00:22:58.37
What shall it profit a man
to gain the whole world and lose
00:22:58.41\00:23:03.14
his own soul? That is why
you can do what you want to do,
00:23:03.18\00:23:05.38
but choose this day
whom you are going to serve.
00:23:05.41\00:23:07.78
As for me and my house, we
are going to serve the Lord.
00:23:07.82\00:23:11.32
Invest in
permanent, eternal things.
00:23:11.35\00:23:14.82
Number two, Jesus says, "Invest
in the right garment. Invest in
the right clothes."
00:23:14.86\00:23:22.03
He says, "Buy white raiment
that thou mayest be clothed,
00:23:22.06\00:23:25.80
and that the shame of thy
nakedness does not appear."
00:23:25.83\00:23:29.20
Now, throughout Revelation,
white garments symbolize those
who are justified through
00:23:29.24\00:23:34.81
faith in Christ and have
confirmed their salvation. We
say it all the time.
00:23:34.84\00:23:39.91
When we get to heaven, when we
get to the kingdom, I am going
00:23:39.95\00:23:44.62
to put on my robe. I am going
to tell the story how I made it
00:23:44.65\00:23:48.36
over, but Jesus also in the text
speaks of covering our shame
because back in the day,
00:23:48.39\00:23:53.80
the greatest humiliation
was to be stripped naked.
00:23:53.83\00:23:57.57
It started with Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eden.
00:23:57.60\00:24:00.44
After they sinned,
they needed a covering.
00:24:00.47\00:24:03.00
The greatest humiliation back in
the day was to be stripped naked
00:24:03.04\00:24:08.31
whereas the greatest honor
was to be dressed in the finest
00:24:08.34\00:24:11.15
clothes. God says, "I want to
put a long, white robe on you."
00:24:11.18\00:24:13.68
Number three, Jesus says,
"Invest not only in eternal
00:24:13.72\00:24:18.22
things. Invest not
only in the right garments,"
00:24:18.25\00:24:20.92
but Jesus says, "Invest
in the right anointment."
00:24:20.96\00:24:24.53
Jesus says, "Anoint thine eyes
with eyesalve, that thou mayest
00:24:24.56\00:24:29.73
see." Jesus tells the
Laodiceans to purchase eyesalve.
00:24:29.76\00:24:33.57
Now, this works out good
because remember now, Laodicea,
00:24:33.60\00:24:36.50
they had an eyesalve that
was known to cure blindness.
00:24:36.54\00:24:40.11
Jesus tells them to
purchase the right eyesalve.
00:24:40.14\00:24:42.91
The Laodiceans had developed
an eyesalve that cure blindness
00:24:42.94\00:24:45.98
but it did not prevent the
church from being spiritually
00:24:46.01\00:24:50.45
blind. Many today are just like
that. They are going through the
00:24:50.49\00:24:54.86
motions. They know the language
but they are blind to what is
happening around them
00:24:54.89\00:24:59.63
spiritually. We need to ask God
to open our eyes that we might
00:24:59.66\00:25:04.17
see. We need to see ourselves as
we truly are. We need to see and
have some self-awareness.
00:25:04.20\00:25:10.77
We need to see this
world as it truly is.
00:25:10.81\00:25:13.94
We have lost our vision.
Where there is no vision,
00:25:13.98\00:25:17.65
the people perish. Helen Keller
was asked, "What could be worse
than being born blind?"
00:25:17.68\00:25:22.48
She said having
sight with no vision.
00:25:22.52\00:25:24.99
We need a vision for repentance,
a vision for holy living,
00:25:25.02\00:25:28.32
a vision for humble service,
a vision for lost souls.
00:25:28.36\00:25:32.19
There is far more to our
relationship with Jesus Christ
than just coming to church.
00:25:32.23\00:25:38.93
There is a life to live and work
to do outside the four walls of
00:25:38.97\00:25:46.47
the church. Dr. Byrd: What I
love about Jesus, Jesus always
00:25:46.51\00:25:52.38
gives hope. Even though this
letter is harsh, is tough. is
rough, is condemning,
00:25:52.41\00:25:59.49
there is also tenderness in the
words of Jesus when we look at
00:25:59.52\00:26:03.26
verse nineteen. He says,
"As many as I love, I rebuke and
00:26:03.29\00:26:08.23
chasten," which means he
chastens those whom he loves.
00:26:08.26\00:26:10.43
If Jesus ain't chasing you,
there might be a problem. "As
00:26:10.47\00:26:14.70
many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten: be zealous therefore,"
and he says, "Repent."
00:26:14.74\00:26:18.64
In other words, I am going
to get you told but I still love
00:26:18.67\00:26:26.92
you. I am going to get you told
but you still need to repent.
00:26:26.95\00:26:33.22
Then, we come to verse
twenty, I am almost done,
00:26:33.25\00:26:35.99
which is probably one of the
most well-known verses in the
Book of Revelation.
00:26:36.02\00:26:41.50
The word of God says, "Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock:
00:26:41.53\00:26:46.74
if any man hear my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to
00:26:46.77\00:26:49.70
him, and will sup with him, and
he with me." I do not know if
you have ever seen it,
00:26:49.74\00:26:56.21
but when I was a little boy
and I see those nice slides of
00:26:56.24\00:27:02.88
Jesus, I love the picture of
Jesus standing outside of the
00:27:02.92\00:27:09.42
door and waiting to come into
the heart of whoever is on the
00:27:09.46\00:27:14.36
other side. Do I have a witness
in this place? Jesus is standing
00:27:14.40\00:27:22.54
and knocking. These verbs are
in the present tense, meaning,
00:27:22.57\00:27:29.68
continuous action, which means
Jesus continues to stand and
continues to knock in our hearts
00:27:29.71\00:27:40.36
today. Thank you very much for
tuning in to this week's Breath
00:27:40.39\00:27:44.36
of Life broadcast. We hope and
pray that you've been blessed by
Dr. Byrd's inspirational
00:27:44.39\00:27:49.20
message. If you would
like to hear this sermon in its
00:27:49.23\00:27:51.40
entirety, please feel free to
visit us at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:27:51.43\00:27:57.37
Or, call us at (256) 929-6460.
00:27:57.41\00:28:10.35
When I was eight years old,
I was diagnosed with Crohn's
00:28:10.39\00:28:16.46
disease. When I was fifthteen, I
had my first surgery. When I
think about the time that I lost
00:28:16.49\00:28:27.27
during my adolescent years, I
just can't seem to put it
togther. Even now I'm doing
00:28:27.30\00:28:37.18
treatment for my disease.
Everyone experiences loss. It's
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00:28:37.21\00:28:51.86
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00:28:59.33\00:29:14.42