0:00:00.334,0:00:03.306 I met with a brother the other day 0:00:03.306,0:00:05.373 and I was talking to him [br]on just this very subject 0:00:05.373,0:00:08.132 and I got home and I [br]started studying for this, 0:00:08.132,0:00:10.825 and I saw many of the [br]same things I told him, 0:00:10.825,0:00:13.107 I see Christ telling [br]this church right now. 0:00:13.107,0:00:15.955 And I realized, there's a [br]number of you, undoubtedly 0:00:15.955,0:00:18.196 in this church that need to hear this. 0:00:18.196,0:00:19.726 We all need to hear this. 0:00:19.726,0:00:22.962 Listen, as I say these things, [br]you look at your own life. 0:00:22.962,0:00:24.749 We don't need to think about others, 0:00:24.749,0:00:26.780 we need to think about ourselves here. 0:00:26.780,0:00:28.517 But what I see is this... 0:00:28.517,0:00:32.536 Well, it reminds me of Bunyan. 0:00:32.536,0:00:34.407 In Pilgrim's Progress, he talked about 0:00:34.407,0:00:39.234 Mr. Facing Both Ways. You remember a guy like that? 0:00:39.234,0:00:41.002 He had two faces. 0:00:41.002,0:00:42.737 You look at him this [br]way, and it looked like 0:00:42.737,0:00:43.751 he was looking at you; 0:00:43.751,0:00:45.352 and you come around [br]back behind him, 0:00:45.352,0:00:46.599 and it looked like he had a face. 0:00:46.599,0:00:48.308 It's like those Indians that [br]used to wear the masks 0:00:48.308,0:00:49.517 on the back of their heads. 0:00:49.517,0:00:51.325 I'm talking about the Indians in India. 0:00:51.325,0:00:52.937 They would wear masks [br]on the back of their heads. 0:00:52.937,0:00:55.045 They'd be out there in the tea fields, 0:00:55.045,0:00:57.478 and they'd wear a mask [br]on the back of their heads 0:00:57.478,0:00:59.401 to make it look like they [br]were looking both ways, 0:00:59.401,0:01:01.204 so that when a tiger [br]would come, he would see 0:01:01.204,0:01:05.012 that face looking at him, and [br]he wouldn't come after them. 0:01:05.012,0:01:07.735 Because tigers are smart, and [br]they'll stalk you from behind. 0:01:07.735,0:01:09.267 But they'd wear a mask on [br]the back of their heads, 0:01:09.267,0:01:11.369 so it would ward off the tigers. 0:01:11.369,0:01:13.455 I guess it worked. 0:01:13.455,0:01:14.862 But you know what? 0:01:14.862,0:01:16.429 That's great if you're [br]working the tea plantations, 0:01:16.429,0:01:18.278 over by where John works. 0:01:18.278,0:01:20.283 But that's not great [br]if you're a Christian! 0:01:20.283,0:01:22.557 If you're Mr. Facing Both Ways. 0:01:22.557,0:01:24.364 You've got these people in the church, 0:01:24.364,0:01:27.094 that they can howl and [br]bark with the wolves, 0:01:27.094,0:01:29.532 just as much as bleat with the sheep. 0:01:29.532,0:01:32.133 They've got no backbone. 0:01:32.133,0:01:34.803 The wind blows one way [br]and they go that way. 0:01:34.803,0:01:37.366 The wind blows the other [br]way and they go that way. 0:01:37.366,0:01:38.718 They don't stand for anything. 0:01:38.718,0:01:40.718 They're in the workplace, [br]and they'll laugh 0:01:40.718,0:01:43.371 and smile at the smut there, 0:01:43.371,0:01:44.935 and then come into [br]the church and smile 0:01:44.935,0:01:46.760 with the same tongue, the same lips, 0:01:46.760,0:01:49.429 they'll sing the hymns [br]and they'll sing the trash. 0:01:49.429,0:01:51.989 They're going both ways. 0:01:51.989,0:01:54.521 And what Jesus is saying [br]is that it makes Me sick. 0:01:54.521,0:01:57.160 He's says I would rather you were cold. 0:01:57.160,0:01:59.455 I would rather you were against Me. 0:01:59.455,0:02:01.979 I would rather you were decidedly not 0:02:01.979,0:02:05.547 claiming to be a Christian, [br]decidedly for the world, 0:02:05.547,0:02:07.687 decidedly for the devil. 0:02:07.687,0:02:10.491 Stop playing the middle ground. 0:02:10.491,0:02:12.853 And some of you are that way. 0:02:12.853,0:02:17.312 You come to church, but you're divided; 0:02:17.312,0:02:19.988 you're facing both ways, [br]and you don't have any backbone. 0:02:19.988,0:02:23.024 You basically go the way the wind blows. 0:02:23.024,0:02:25.965 You sway over here, you sway over there. 0:02:25.965,0:02:28.502 You do nothing well in life. 0:02:28.502,0:02:31.263 Because a person like this, [br]they're not a good Christian, 0:02:31.263,0:02:32.781 because they're lukewarm. 0:02:32.781,0:02:34.939 They're not sold out, they're not hot. 0:02:34.939,0:02:36.779 Listen, if this is true, 0:02:36.779,0:02:39.765 give yourself to it with a whole heart. 0:02:39.765,0:02:41.339 Quit playing games. 0:02:41.339,0:02:45.195 The reality is this, I never [br]could figure this out. 0:02:45.195,0:02:47.338 I guess God didn't bring [br]me down this road, but 0:02:47.338,0:02:48.981 I could never figure it out. 0:02:48.981,0:02:53.018 When I was lost, I lived [br]in my sin, I had fun, 0:02:53.018,0:02:56.539 I climbed mountains, and I rafted rivers, 0:02:56.539,0:03:01.147 and I got stuff, and I [br]drank, and I lived it up, 0:03:01.147,0:03:02.655 and it was fun! 0:03:02.655,0:03:06.433 And I gave myself to it with a vengeance. 0:03:06.433,0:03:07.929 But when I saw what Christ was, 0:03:07.929,0:03:11.090 I said, no, I want that. 0:03:11.090,0:03:13.564 And I want Him with a vengeance. 0:03:13.564,0:03:15.168 And I want to be sold out. 0:03:15.168,0:03:19.368 And you know what, if what He is, 0:03:19.368,0:03:21.454 what He says He is, what He offers, 0:03:21.454,0:03:23.874 if it's true, isn't that worth having, 0:03:23.874,0:03:26.376 wholeheartedly? 0:03:26.376,0:03:28.080 I mean, I just don't [br]understand people that 0:03:28.080,0:03:29.541 want to play the middle ground. 0:03:29.541,0:03:33.562 Look! If sports are better than Christ, 0:03:33.562,0:03:37.305 then sell out for it and quit with Christ. 0:03:37.305,0:03:38.895 I'd rather you were cold. 0:03:38.895,0:03:41.747 If a woman's body is better than Christ, 0:03:41.747,0:03:44.791 then sell out for it, go get all you can, 0:03:44.791,0:03:46.997 and quit playing the game! 0:03:46.997,0:03:49.916 If money is better, go after it. 0:03:49.916,0:03:52.397 If the world is better and drink is better 0:03:52.397,0:03:55.530 and drugs are better - sell out for it. 0:03:55.530,0:03:57.894 Go after it! Get all you can! 0:03:57.894,0:04:00.898 Live it up, because [br]this is all you've got! 0:04:00.898,0:04:03.268 And if Christ is better than all that, 0:04:03.268,0:04:07.125 then go after Him with abandon! 0:04:07.125,0:04:09.256 All out! Sold out! 0:04:09.256,0:04:11.256 Listen, that's what Christ wants. 0:04:11.256,0:04:13.555 He says be decided. 0:04:13.555,0:04:17.813 Quit playing these silly games where you 0:04:17.813,0:04:21.484 claim to be this, but in [br]your heart, you're really this. 0:04:21.484,0:04:23.303 And you do nothing well. 0:04:23.303,0:04:24.973 You're not being a Christian well. 0:04:24.973,0:04:27.227 You're not serving the world well. 0:04:27.227,0:04:29.850 You go out in the world, and [br]you claim to be this Christian, 0:04:29.850,0:04:31.981 and they know you go to church on Sundays, 0:04:31.981,0:04:35.810 they see through it, [br]but you're a sell out. 0:04:35.810,0:04:36.885 You're not really one of them. 0:04:36.885,0:04:39.377 My wife talks about the fact [br]that her friends had to come 0:04:39.377,0:04:41.455 and pick her up from church to take her 0:04:41.455,0:04:44.333 out to the beach to go drink. 0:04:44.333,0:04:47.723 I mean, what was that? 0:04:47.723,0:04:51.174 That's the kind of thing that makes Him sick! 0:04:51.174,0:04:54.325 Trying to play between the lines here. 0:04:54.325,0:04:56.765 Doing nothing well. You're lukewarm. 0:04:56.765,0:04:58.810 You're lukewarm to everything. 0:04:58.810,0:05:02.229 You're lukewarm to the world. [br]You're lukewarm to the devil. 0:05:02.229,0:05:06.960 You're lukewarm to Christ. 0:05:06.960,0:05:10.339 And He says it sickens Him. 0:05:10.339,0:05:11.811 Just quit! 0:05:11.811,0:05:14.645 I hope you see this. 0:05:14.645,0:05:16.570 Look: these people are in trouble. 0:05:16.570,0:05:19.756 What you have to realize is this, 0:05:19.756,0:05:21.622 He says if you continue in this way, 0:05:21.622,0:05:23.204 I'm going to spit you out of My mouth. 0:05:23.204,0:05:25.222 I'm going to vomit you out of My mouth. 0:05:25.222,0:05:27.671 You can take that and turn that into: 0:05:27.671,0:05:30.435 "that means I'm going to heaven." 0:05:30.435,0:05:34.329 If I'm lukewarm, that says I'm going there. 0:05:34.329,0:05:36.673 You can make that conclusion if you want, 0:05:36.673,0:05:38.593 but I don't think that's what it means. 0:05:38.593,0:05:40.277 I think being spit out of [br]His mouth is something 0:05:40.277,0:05:43.831 you and I ought to realize is not good. 0:05:43.831,0:05:45.452 And that's He's saying [br]to these Laodiceans, 0:05:45.452,0:05:48.234 if you continue in that path [br]you are in, it will not end well. 0:05:48.234,0:05:50.417 It is an unacceptable state, it sickens Me, 0:05:50.417,0:05:51.997 and I will vomit you out. 0:05:51.997,0:05:56.725 Being vomited out of Christ's [br]mouth, I can hardly imagine, 0:05:56.725,0:06:02.403 is any kind of symbolic [br]representation of getting to heaven. 0:06:02.403,0:06:06.049 Not in what I know of [br]Scripture and symbolism. 0:06:06.049,0:06:07.935 That is bad. 0:06:07.935,0:06:10.851 That is not good. 0:06:10.851,0:06:13.817 And some of you are [br]not sold out for Christ. 0:06:13.817,0:06:15.775 You're running with [br]the world and you know it. 0:06:15.775,0:06:17.894 You'll come into church [br]on Sundays, but your heart 0:06:17.894,0:06:19.537 is after the world. 0:06:19.537,0:06:21.720 And listen, if that's what you want, 0:06:21.720,0:06:24.259 quit playing the games and go after it 0:06:24.259,0:06:27.848 with all the gusto. Just go! 0:06:27.848,0:06:34.369 And be a good party-er, [br]be a good worldling. 0:06:34.369,0:06:38.109 Stop Mr. Facing Both Ways, and listen, 0:06:38.109,0:06:40.126 people like this, they can come in, 0:06:40.126,0:06:41.978 they can sing "It Is Well" with their soul, 0:06:41.978,0:06:44.427 but it is not well with your soul. 0:06:44.427,0:06:47.552 You know, as I was looking [br]at this thing, I would ask 0:06:47.552,0:06:50.300 myself sometimes how does [br]this differ from Ephesus? 0:06:50.300,0:06:55.444 Ephesus lost its first love. [br]These people are lukewarm. 0:06:55.444,0:06:58.096 I think about losing first love, 0:06:58.096,0:07:01.029 doesn't that mean [br]that I'm growing a little 0:07:01.029,0:07:04.595 cold towards Christ. [br]There's a lukewarmness. 0:07:04.595,0:07:06.930 I mean, yes, we could look at that way, 0:07:06.930,0:07:09.054 but you know what the [br]big differences are here? 0:07:09.054,0:07:11.684 Those people over there, [br]they were not weary, 0:07:11.684,0:07:14.546 they were not tiring out, [br]they were biblically discerning, 0:07:14.546,0:07:17.568 they were people that were pressing on. 0:07:17.568,0:07:20.425 Twice, they were told that [br]they were enduring people, 0:07:20.425,0:07:22.165 they were patiently enduring. 0:07:22.165,0:07:24.179 These are people that [br]have a lot of good works. 0:07:24.179,0:07:26.821 These are people that are [br]pressing on for His name's sake. 0:07:26.821,0:07:29.851 Yes, it's true, that Christ [br]didn't like the fact that 0:07:29.851,0:07:33.072 the level of their intimacy [br]had fallen off a little bit, 0:07:33.072,0:07:34.735 and it was a serious thing, 0:07:34.735,0:07:37.609 but listen, when you compare [br]that over against Laodicea, 0:07:37.609,0:07:40.490 Laodicea has nothing good said about it, 0:07:40.490,0:07:43.499 and Ephesus had a tremendous [br]amount of good said about it. 0:07:43.499,0:07:45.144 You know what the problem is? 0:07:45.144,0:07:48.214 These people are lukewarm [br]when it comes to weariness. 0:07:48.214,0:07:50.032 They're lukewarm when [br]it comes to patience. 0:07:50.032,0:07:52.645 They're lukewarm when [br]it comes to doing good. 0:07:52.645,0:07:55.315 They're lukewarm when it comes [br]to attending the services. 0:07:55.315,0:07:57.717 They're lukewarm when it comes [br]to attending the prayer meetings. 0:07:57.717,0:08:00.032 They're lukewarm when it [br]comes to prayer and fasting. 0:08:00.032,0:08:01.787 They're lukewarm when [br]it comes to giving. 0:08:01.787,0:08:03.935 They're lukewarm when [br]it comes to evangelizing. 0:08:03.935,0:08:06.475 They're lukewarm when [br]it comes to reading their Bible. 0:08:06.475,0:08:10.152 They're just lukewarm. They're [br]just not committed to anything. 0:08:10.152,0:08:13.149 It's sad. Once in awhile [br]they might get in the Word, 0:08:13.149,0:08:15.256 but half the time they're [br]giving themselves to the 0:08:15.256,0:08:17.104 things of the world. 0:08:17.104,0:08:19.692 They're split. They're Mr. Facing Both Ways. 0:08:19.692,0:08:21.710 And they don't do anything well. 0:08:21.710,0:08:24.026 The Ephesians were doing lots well. 0:08:24.026,0:08:26.524 They had fallen off with [br]their intimacy with Christ, 0:08:26.524,0:08:28.162 and they needed that restored, 0:08:28.162,0:08:30.350 but these people are in bad shape. 0:08:30.350,0:08:32.904 And Jesus says to them, [br]Look, you think you're rich, 0:08:32.904,0:08:35.586 you think you're doing [br]well, you think you're ok, 0:08:35.586,0:08:38.833 you think everything is alright, [br]you think you have no need, 0:08:38.833,0:08:40.914 but He says to them, you are wretched, 0:08:40.914,0:08:44.256 you are miserable, you [br]are blind, you are naked, 0:08:44.256,0:08:47.345 brethren, those are terms for lost people. 0:08:47.345,0:08:49.573 Those are terms for people going to hell. 0:08:49.573,0:08:52.086 Those are terms for people in trouble. 0:08:52.086,0:08:55.938 Lukewarmness is an indication of lostness. 0:08:55.938,0:08:59.586 That's what you see here [br]in this letter. It's serious. 0:08:59.586,0:09:07.048 Very serious to be vomited. 0:09:07.048,0:09:15.132 Brethren, Jesus wants you hot or cold. 0:09:15.132,0:09:18.784 You say, really? Jesus wants me cold? 0:09:18.784,0:09:23.892 He'd rather have you that than lukewarm. 0:09:23.892,0:09:28.041 He's saying, show your [br]colors. Just show them. 0:09:28.041,0:09:32.831 Be committed to something in life. 0:09:32.831,0:09:37.204 I mean, if you're going to [br]give yourself to something, 0:09:37.204,0:09:40.317 give yourself wholeheartedly to it. 0:09:40.317,0:09:45.200 I think sometimes about the text there 0:09:45.200,0:09:48.573 where Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 0:09:48.573,0:09:52.436 he says, if the resurrection - [br]we sang about that glorious 0:09:52.436,0:09:55.661 song about the resurrection. 0:09:55.661,0:10:02.952 Brethren, if that resurrection [br]we sang about isn't true, 0:10:02.952,0:10:06.293 the Christian of all [br]people is most miserable. 0:10:06.293,0:10:07.941 Isn't that what Paul taught? 0:10:07.941,0:10:13.620 However, the resurrection is true. 0:10:13.620,0:10:16.599 We of all people are not most miserable. 0:10:16.599,0:10:20.196 We are if the resurrection isn't [br]true, but the resurrection is true, 0:10:20.196,0:10:24.630 so we of all people are [br]the most to be envied. 0:10:24.630,0:10:27.621 But you know who the [br]actual people are in this world 0:10:27.621,0:10:33.405 most to be pitied? 0:10:33.405,0:10:39.083 Most miserable of all? 0:10:39.083,0:10:43.882 It's Mr. Facing Both Ways. Because [br]he doesn't do anything well. 0:10:43.882,0:10:46.923 He doesn't play the Christian part well, 0:10:46.923,0:10:48.478 because the true [br]Christians smell him out. 0:10:48.478,0:10:50.609 They're always aware, [br]there's something unspiritual, 0:10:50.609,0:10:54.881 unsound about him. [br]They can see through him. 0:10:54.881,0:10:56.843 Look, you don't have to [br]be around a person long 0:10:56.843,0:10:59.335 before you figure out what they love. 0:10:59.335,0:11:04.139 True Christians have a [br]nose for sniffing that out. 0:11:04.139,0:11:06.156 So they don't really fit [br]in well with the church, 0:11:06.156,0:11:09.307 and they don't fit entirely [br]well with the world, 0:11:09.307,0:11:12.228 because they're always [br]playing the part of a Christian. 0:11:12.228,0:11:14.818 They're like Ruby's friends: [br]Come with us all the time! 0:11:14.818,0:11:16.803 Why is it we always [br]have to interrupt our thing 0:11:16.803,0:11:18.483 and take you home at a certain time? 0:11:18.483,0:11:21.831 I mean, here we are drinking on the beach 0:11:21.831,0:11:24.264 and we've got to go [br]pick you up from church. 0:11:24.264,0:11:28.937 Just come with us all the [br]time, that's what your heart is. 0:11:28.937,0:11:31.724 Well, she had to do [br]that to appease her father. 0:11:31.724,0:11:36.445 It's that half-hearted thing. 0:11:36.445,0:11:39.325 Of all people, you're most miserable. 0:11:39.325,0:11:42.711 You know why? You try to [br]play the part of a Christian, 0:11:42.711,0:11:44.471 and you didn't do it well, 0:11:44.471,0:11:46.234 you try to play the part of a worldling, 0:11:46.234,0:11:48.965 but even there you kind [br]of had a foul smell about you, 0:11:48.965,0:11:51.078 because you associated with the Scriptures 0:11:51.078,0:11:53.022 and with God's people, with the church, 0:11:53.022,0:11:55.472 with Christ. 0:11:55.472,0:11:58.207 And in the end you're [br]going to lose your soul. 0:11:58.207,0:12:00.463 I mean, the guy that [br]just sold out abandoned, 0:12:00.463,0:12:03.850 let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die! 0:12:03.850,0:12:05.662 Right? That's what [br]they said in Scripture. 0:12:05.662,0:12:07.584 They just sold out! 0:12:07.584,0:12:11.464 I mean, come on, if sin is [br]worth abandoning Christ for, 0:12:11.464,0:12:14.358 if you'd rather have sin, quit [br]playing the little church deal, 0:12:14.358,0:12:17.840 because if you do that, you're [br]going to get spit out of His mouth. 0:12:17.840,0:12:19.428 Be cold. 0:12:19.428,0:12:24.064 If that's what your inclination is, [br]do it with your whole heart. 0:12:24.064,0:12:26.458 If you've truly looked at Christ, 0:12:26.458,0:12:30.302 and you've said, this is it. 0:12:30.302,0:12:33.291 I have found the desire of my heart. 0:12:33.291,0:12:35.674 I see in Him forgiveness. That's what I want. 0:12:35.674,0:12:37.815 I see in Him something altogether lovely, 0:12:37.815,0:12:39.668 and altogether desirable. 0:12:39.668,0:12:41.563 I see in what He did on that cross, 0:12:41.563,0:12:43.274 that is for me, that is perfect. 0:12:43.274,0:12:45.312 I want to follow Him. I want [br]to follow Him to the end. 0:12:45.312,0:12:46.900 Then do it well. 0:12:46.900,0:12:48.466 That's what Jesus is saying. 0:12:48.466,0:12:52.282 Be hot! Or be cold, but don't be in the middle, 0:12:52.282,0:12:54.335 because He can't stand it. 0:12:54.335,0:13:01.965 Brethren, if this is true, if it is, 0:13:01.965,0:13:05.879 then isn't it worth our all? 0:13:05.879,0:13:08.787 Brothers, sisters, let us [br]be men, let us be women, 0:13:08.787,0:13:13.319 let us be decided, all for [br]Christ or all for the world. 0:13:13.319,0:13:15.124 Don't play games. 0:13:15.124,0:13:18.293 Don't sing songs claiming Christ is all, 0:13:18.293,0:13:20.482 and then go out and live a different way. 0:13:20.482,0:13:23.245 Because your words give you away. 0:13:23.245,0:13:25.818 They're a dead giveaway. 0:13:25.818,0:13:31.280 Brethren, decided! Be decided! 0:13:31.280,0:13:34.493 If truly the things that [br]the world offer are better, 0:13:34.493,0:13:36.493 then give yourself to them, 0:13:36.493,0:13:37.727 and quit it. 0:13:37.727,0:13:39.711 Quit playing.