Cold? Hot? or Lukewarm? Part 1

Great new listeners and welcome to the sound of faith shall not thanking you for joining us today because we know faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God's revelation John seventh letter from Jesus was to the church of Laodicea. Jesus indicted that I would that you were either cold or hot because you are neither cold nor hot. But Luke warm.

I will spew you out of my mouth. Did he mean it's better to be cold, backslidden or hot on fire for God, then to be mediocre or a hypocrite. Find out in today's message cold hot or lukewarm. So let's begin this morning in the book of Revelation the third chapter of Revelation 3 and we know that the first couple of chapters of Revelation are red letter words.

If you have a Bible that prints the words of Jesus in red. You'll see a whole lot of red in the first three chapters of Revelation.

Because Jesus, the risen Lord is speaking to his church. A man is speaking to his chart which is his body, every born-again believer is part of the body of Christ and a part of his church. But this is broken down into seven letters. There were seven churches that were located in ancient Turkey on this one particular route and they were all nestled their close together and Jesus wrote a letter to each one of them.

We know that unfortunately five of the letters were very stern rebuke and to our home were not a man, and as we look at each church we see different characteristics of churches throughout the church age, beginning with Jesus, that upon this rock I will build my church until our day and we can see a little bit of all of us in the seven letters. However, when we get to the final letter of Laodicea, we can truly see the church age that were in now so let's look at chapter 3 verse 14 and under 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 and I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew the out of my mouth and let's stop here for a moment when he said I know your works. He said that all seven churches. There's certain things that he said every church and this is one of those statements. I know your works.

Amen. You know, we have a tendency sometimes our opinion of our own selves and of our own works times gets inflated. Amen we have an inflated opinion. Sometimes, of ourselves, or even on our church may be, you know the Scripture says don't think more highly of yourself than you ought, and taking when you think your standard is not altogether that you don't fall. Amen. And this was the condition that we find the Jesus found this church of Laodicea in one thing about the Lord is even his rebukes her with love, which we will see in a moment, and when he says I know your works, he knows the good and bad. He knows our weaknesses and our strengths. Amen. And the strands that we have are gifting and abilities that God is given to us when we give them back to him. He anoints them fully and he uses them for the advancement of the kingdom, but he also knows our weaknesses and we all have them.

We all have them. Amen when the Lord makes me acutely aware of my weaknesses. Yes, you may feel like squirming a little bit but I get over that part because then I say Lord, you said that your strength is made perfect in my weakness now Lord I'm giving it over to you, and I believe that you can transform the through your word and that weakness instead of being a liability to me. Can actually become an asset because there's nothing that the Holy Ghost can't do in your life.

There is no problem he can solve. There's no situation. He cared fix and not only fix the button get a trial copy of his glory and his grace. Amen. So he said I know your works, and he said here's the thing I have to say to you, you are neither cold nor hot. Now I would think you were called, or I would that you were either one of those choices he said is okay with me but because he or lukewarm. I will spew you out of my mouth. You know when I was growing up I heard a lot of ministers minister on this and you may have heard it to and their interpretation of this is that God said he would rather you be an outright world. You know cold to the things of God or being born again. A Christian saint in the church rather than be a hypocrite in the middle. How many never heard that before and this is something that I thought that meant that for a long time but then the Lord showed me some information. I begin to study what he was saying and what it meant and realized it didn't mean that at all because child of God there is no circumstance, there is no situation in which God were once anybody at any time to be a center in the world. It makes no sense does it. There is a reason that he would prefer someone to be in the world, a center lost a backslider lost.

It goes against everything that the gospel is about, isn't that right now. It's true he doesn't want you to be a hypocrite.

That's true. He never had anything nice to say to hypocrites reading kind, compassionate works to save sinners. Amen. And even when he had to rebuke his children. He always did with love, but I tell you when it came to hypocrites. He let it fly hated mince words. Then if you don't believe me on your own time later. Read Matthew 23 and you will find out that he had nothing nice to say to them he called them a bunch of snakes anymore, and then you better flee the judgment that's coming so we had no patience.

He had no kind words for hypocrite. So why is Mary true that he doesn't want you to be hypocrite. That's not what lukewarm means here.

Amen. So he doesn't want you to be cold as in being a sinner because we know that Peter said in second Peter 39 that God is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance.

We know that Paul wrote to Timothy that God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth so it cannot mean that he wants you to either be called a sinner out in the world were hot Christian and the church. Do you agree with that many agree that that that's true. Well, if that's true then what did he mean what was he talking about when he said I rather you be cold or hot.

I don't want you to be lukewarm, because if you are I'm going to spew you out of my mouth. Let's go in and read a couple more verses, verse 17 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. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, amen.

I counsel you to buy a gold tried in the fire, that thou may us be rich and white raiment, that thou meas be closed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with my sad that thou may essay as many as I love I rebuke and chasten the zealous therefore, and repent. I like verse 19 a lot, don't you, because he's really read the right act in them, but still he comes back and says I love you I love you and because I love you. Like any good parent does chasten a child that needs to be corrected. Amen.

So we said yes I not been on your tiles and I want to tell you how I feel about your condition and it's not good, but I want you to know that I love you and here's what I'm hoping that you will repent. Amen. So what does he mean here what an indictment and you know everything that we read here that he calls them has a physical correspondent, an attribute about the city itself. Now he's talking about their deplorable spiritual condition. But why is he saying what he's saying because he's referencing the city of Laodicea, the city of Laodicea was a city located on the Lycan's River and being on that major trade route it brought in a whole lot of different people and a lot of different cultures and it was a thriving city. Amen. Anytime you have a port city like Baltimore or New York you're going to find out that ships come from other nations and other countries and so it brings in different cultures, which brings in different ideas also brings in money money to help the city and the city prospers.

Amen. There were times when Baltimore was in a tug-of-war with Northlake over different contracts where different ones were going to come. Were they going to go to the port of Northlake with a going to come to the port of Baltimore and we won some and we lost some, and every time we would lose something in Norfolk we knew goodbye there goes some $float down the Chesapeake Bay. Amen.

So being a city on a river on a major route that that this was a thriving city with many cultures and many rich people were there and the people rich that they built a lot of fine buildings and monuments all over Laodicea and yet Jesus said you are poor. Did you know that Laodicea was a major banking city, a major banking city now today when we think of major baking cities off the top of my head. I think of New York and Wall Street. Amen.

And you know over in Europe you have London have Zürich and then in the Far East you have Tokyo there are others, of course, but it was like these. It was like saying Wall Street in New York. It was a major banking city. Amen. And yet Jesus said you are and I counsel you what you do is you go from seat he was alluding to their actual physical situation of what they were in the natural but he was also referencing in the spirit you may have a nice bank and you might have a NASDAQ Auriga Standard & Poor's or exchange.

That's what you may boast of, but I see your spiritual condition and I'm telling you, you are poor and the great work for poor.

It doesn't just mean that you know your kind like struggling to make it just barely get by. You don't have any access to you admitting prosperity, but you're making it known.

This port means you are destitute, it means you have no resources.

It means you had nothing of yourself know where with all to help yourself. And that's the time to poor, he's talking about. Amen.

But you got to see yourself as that and they didn't posted. We are rich so then Jesus told them. He said you are naked now what was he talking about what was he referring to Laodicea was also a fashion center when we think of fashion centers today. We think of usually right off the bat we think of local United States. New York, that's where all the designers go amen in design all of their and we also think of Paris immediately think of Paris because we know that every year the big names the top names travel to Paris for the runway shows and they have all of these models come out. Amen. And they introduce their new spring line and the rich people go there and the people that are into the fashion world go there. Amen. So they were like this. They were a fashion center while there are banking city there a fashion center and not only that they were famous for producing a particular black cloak that was made out of a particular type of wool that was a glossy black wool and the coats that they made were very unique. You couldn't go on Amazon and order one and have it sent to your house. Amen know you could. You had to go to Laodicea if you wanted one of those beautiful clothes. They were famous for and they were very proud of their maiden Laodicea label. Amen. They were proud of that label, you know, some people are really into labels and other people could care less how many know some people are very impressed if they see a particular designer's name label.

There think it oh wow that is a Christian Dior or some other famous person you know I just like what I like. I do like this one designer Bob Mackie is the one who in the world is Bob Mackie were back in the 70s and 80s. He designed a lot of the costumes and clothing that were worn on your variety shows like when Sharon Sonny had their show and Carol Burnett had her show different. Once Heather shows he designed a lot of their clothes and so he is a designer is well known why I like them so much is because his clothes always had this openwork. Another words, not just embroidery but words cut open. It looks lazy but it's cut open unit. You probably know, I wear a lot of jackets like that and said that Bob Mackie jackets now look I get his L cheapo line on QVC okay.

He has aligned with them, which of course he's the prices come way down from what it would be if you went to a boutique to carry his stuff and then I got even smarter, I find what I like when QVC is it I want that jacket that's the jacket I want and I'll go on eBay and a lot of times I'll find it on eBay and I'll get it for like 20 bucks cheaper see because I'm not impressed with labels.

I just like him because I like his unique style of that open. Lacey looked at otherwise the name would mean nothing to me, but these people were proud of their label made in Leo to see amen and rich people that came therefore, the purpose of purchasing their clowning their fashions from this fashionable city. But what Jesus said is you know what, let me give you some counsel, I counsel you buy them like claimant from me and you won't mean yours will be wow why don't you hate the most fashionable clown talking and people got the bar to buy, but you're not only 19 Years Old Way in the Bible is symbolic of righteousness.

We know were going to get clothed in the white linen of the righteousness of the saints. Amen. And Jesus not them is you to cover up with my righteousness because your shame is showing.

Amen. So what else could he say to them. He said you are blind. Now we know there are banking city. We know there a fashion center.

You know what else they were. They were a famous medical Center. They had a healing school and they had healing clinic where people came and they were especially renowned for and I sat that they made. Therefore, that healing of the eyes, no, I think about Baltimore. We had the worldwide renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital in University writing Baltimore. Amen.

And they had pioneered many chores and protocols throughout the years they had pioneered new protocols and new chores that other hospitals then do the same that they learned their you know doctors that are in learning they love to be a resident Johns Hopkins and you know later on when they are you know looking for different positions in different jobs. Boy did they like to put on their resume. I was a resident Johns Hopkins University or I went to school with Johns Hopkins school.

They want that on their resume because that definitely gives them an advantage. Amen. That gives them an advantage as soon as someone sees Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins medical school.

They are impressed. Amen. And I know a lot of doctors that I've had to see through all the situation I was in the last year, the majority of them had put some type of residency in a Johns Hopkins and that makes you think to yourself, will they probably know what they're doing. You have hospitals like Johns Hopkins, there will the cutting edge of things.

They're the ones that pioneered everybody else catches up to them. Amen.

Well, that's kind of how Laodicea was well are you impressed with the city banking center fashion center Medical Center. Amen. And so people come from all around the country today to come to Baltimore they bring in from overseas.

They bring little children that have incurable diseases and money is raised to bring those children. Johns Hopkins and often they're able to reverse the disease even cure the disease. Amen. Or fix some sort of terrible congenital birth defect. Amen. And so this is how it was for Leon to see they were known as a medical center. Not only that they had this particular sad medication that they produced for eyes. You know, again, Johns Hopkins has the Wilmer eye clinic and if you have a problem that can't be solved in your local doctor's office. A lot of times if you have a rare condition or a condition that they don't feel comfortable treating they will send you to the Wilmer eye clinic because they are you going to have those that are at the top of their game in that field. The best of the best. Amen when you are facing a serious illness you want to go to the best of the best in that field don't you is because no one you know you're not their first patient you have done and what is the success rate. You might even go so far as to say, do you think that you could give me the name and numbers of someone you you operating on that would be willing to talk to me coming. Talk about serious business.

Amen. Were not talking about just getting your toenail text of an ingrown toenail were talking about serious things and so this is how it was for Leon to see people came from far and near to their medical facility to be treated and especially for their eyes. But Jesus said you are blind. Can you imagine you putting the two things together putting together all the things they boasted it and then how Jesus came at them. Amen.

He said you're not only blind, he said you are wretched and miserable. Wow your wretched and miserable, wretched, there's that word that word sometimes gets me prickly you say what you talking about I'm talking about when these singers start singing amazing Grace, and they get to the part that says saved a wretch like me and they say now I'm not saying that that might offend somebody I'm going to say that saying the soul like the Bible says your wretch.

Amen Paula match what the problem the day to be used to be.

Amen.

New terms for said and the same thing. I think what you call them a wretch.

I was right. I was religious, but I wasn't born again and all the good things I wanted and I and the worst thing is the thing that I would do that.

I I am not doing those very things he said wretched Paul and really know what you want to talk about the Jews I will just tell you my pedigree.

I'm not boasting that that would impress you, I'm telling you the fact I was an elite group. I was a Pharisee of the Pharisees.

He said I said at the feet of the Bailey Allen that was one of their most deemed rabbis. Amen. But he said you know what I Breaking the law that I was so zealous to preach to teach and demand that people doing it and we know that he said I would have never known sin except that the law said to me, thou shall not covet.

So we don't know what pulses were, but we know that at least one of them was he had a covet your spirit and we know for sure that he was proud. Amen.

Because we know later on, even after being born again. He said that so it wouldn't get a big from all the things that God was giving him for the church, God sent a messenger of Satan to buffet him and attempt to get this messenger out of my way buffeting me is vexing. These authority must sign a thought in God said no I'm not move him, I would leave them there and give you grace. Amen. Because, he said, lest I be exalted above measure. That's what Paul said twice. Amen.

So we see that this is the mindset that Leon just have a Jesus that you are wretched and you are miserable and I looked it up in the Greek and the same great word for wretched and miserable. It was used twice twice by the Bible writers. So any time something is doubled its two emphasize it. Amen.

So what does all this have to do with. I want you to be hot or I want you to be cold now.

I have shown you that they were a major city on a major trade route which brought all kinds of cultures and rich people in important people in the because the city to prosper financially, culturally, the city was prospering. We saw that it was a banking center we saw that it was a fashion center we saw that it was a medical center. What has all this got to do with being hot or cold. Well, another thing that Laodicea boasted of was an architectural marvel. And that was that they had built an aqueduct in above ground aqueduct to bring drinking water into the city from nearby areas and cities how they understand when aqueduct is, you know, when we went on our holy land tours. We actually saw one up close in Caesarea.

The ruins are still standing. I would tell you what it kinda looks like to me just give you an idea if you ever go in Brooklyn and see the Hanover Street bridge. It's that old style architect that has those arches that hold up the bridge. Now think about that idea. But instead of it being a road on top that you would walk or drive one. Think of it as being a trough that water would flow through and you have a general idea of what an aqueduct look like, and so they had built this aqueduct and you know that meant that they had water coming straight all the time. Water was just coming right into the city now.

Really, it was an engineering marvel, and it was one single been a great idea that whatever name seemed to be on the cutting edge of things, but there was a problem because it was above ground quite a bit above ground. It was always exposed to sunlight. So that meant.

However, many hours a day. The sun was shining, it was beaming down on that aqueduct and that meant the waters were always lukewarm, always being warmed up by the sun and how many know there's nothing quite as distasteful as lukewarm water. Amen some I mean when you are really thirsty, you been working on the treadmill you've been jogging you been lifting weights.

I didn't hear very many a man's but I'm totally ignoring that identifying another illustration so human walking and exerting yourself and sweating and your becoming the hydrated body is screaming from and so you want to drink some I never jogging or running around on the different recreational playgrounds around the city. Remember as a kid growing up was what one Federal Hill and they had a water fountain. There, but sometimes he would go in turn that water fountain north and you'd spend because it was lukewarm.

Amen. Stay and you lukewarm. Amen.

At home to get a drink of water and you turn on the faucet has been turned on and you and you stick and you take and you spit it out because it lukewarm.

We will either call so we can make something with it, but we are doing you know when you need that bottled water in your car you left it in your car couple days and now your bike down the road you are and you Rachel that bottled water that's been sitting there in that little component and you take a drink of it, and it is just dusty amen when sunlight attention friends of sound the faith. September is radio month and we want to send you a free gift. It could be a CD or a book and it's coming to you free if you write in with the call letters of this radio station written on the bottom left corner of your envelope. This will help us determine where a program is blessing people like you write to sound the faith PO Box 1744, Baltimore, MD 21203 don't forget those call letters on the front of the envelope and