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