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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000673S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:08 Sermon #B673 - Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church 00:20 Dr. Byrd: I want to invite you if you will to take your bibles there at home 00:24 or wherever you might be to the Book of Revelation. 00:26 We want to go to Revelation chapter three and go into verse number fourteen. 00:33 Revelation chapter three verse number fourteen. 00:36 I am going to read from the King James Version of the bible Revelation chapter 00:40 three verse number fourteen. You are hearing today the word of God, 00:45 Jesus himself speaking. He says, "And unto the angel of the church of the 00:50 Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, 00:57 the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, 01:05 that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot." 01:12 In other words, I wish you were cold or hot. 01:15 Verse sixteen, "So then because thou art lukewarm, 01:19 and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 01:26 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, 01:28 and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, 01:31 and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 01:34 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, 01:38 that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, 01:41 and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; 01:46 and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 01:51 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, 01:55 and repent." 01:56 Verse twenty, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: 02:02 if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, 02:06 and will sup with him, and he with me. 02:08 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, 02:12 even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne. 02:18 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto 02:25 the churches." Today, we preach on the seventh and final church, 02:32 Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church. Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church. 02:38 Let us talk to the Lord. God, bless us now. Have your way in this place, 02:42 Lord. Speak over the airwaves of the internet, 02:45 over the television waves right now. 02:47 God, I pray that your power be made manifest to your people, 02:52 all your people who you speak through this preacher. 02:55 I pray that, God, souls will be touched, hearts will be pricked, 02:59 and people will make a decision to make a change for thee. 03:04 Forgive me of my sins. I pray in Jesus' name, amen. 03:12 Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church. We have come now to the seventh 03:20 and the final church of the churches in Revelation. 03:25 We have preached on Ephesus, The Working Church. We have preached on Smyrna, 03:34 The faithful Church. We have preached on Pergamus, The Compromising Church. 03:43 We have preached on Thyatira, The Adulterous Church. We have preached on Sardis, 03:52 The Dead Church. We have preached on Philadelphia, The Enduring Church. 04:01 Now, we have come to Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church. Out of the seven letters to the 04:09 seven churches, this letter is probably the most popular one, 04:15 but it is also the harshest one. Now, let me remind you that these letters are written 04:22 to the church, the household of faith, the body of Christ, followers of Jesus, 04:25 believers of God. While there may or could have been some unbelievers in the mix, 04:31 Jesus is addressing believers in this text. He is addressing a city that is rich. 04:40 Laodicea was so rich that when it was hit by an earthquake in AD 60, 04:45 the entire city was virtually destroyed. 04:47 When the Roman Empire offered to rebuild the city for the people, 04:51 the people were so rich they said to the government, 04:54 "We do not need your money. We will build our own city back by our own selves." 05:01 I guess they operated by the philosophy that God blessed the child who has his own. 05:07 Do I have a witness in this place? Laodicea had a renowned medical school that was 05:14 known for the development of eyesalve to treat blindness. 05:18 There was also a wool industry in Laodicea where they made beautiful black wool, 05:25 but their wealth, the wealth in Laodicea came from banking. They were, if you will, 05:33 the Wall Street of Asia Laodicea was rich. Laodicea was wealthy, 05:42 but their problem was not their wealth but what their wealth had done to them. 05:48 Laodicea was situated on a major highway located about 40 miles southeast of 05:54 the city of Philadelphia and about 100 miles east of Ephesus. 06:00 It was the leading commercial city in that area. 06:04 Now, you need to also know that Laodicea had two sister cities. 06:10 Hierapolis was one of those sister cities, and Colosse was the other sister city. 06:16 Hierapolis was located 6 miles north of Laodicea and was known for its hot water. 06:23 Hot water as you know is healing water. Hot water as you know is soothing water. 06:30 Hot water is medicinal in nature. 06:33 Colosse which was located about 10 miles southeast of Laodicea was known for 06:38 its cold water. Cold water is pure and refreshing. 06:45 Laodicea unlike Hierapolis and unlike Colosse, Laodicea had awful water. 06:53 Why did Laodicea have awful water? Because of its wealth, 06:57 Laodicea grew so fast that the two nearby rivers were unable to supply its need for 07:04 water. Engineers had to develop an aqueduct system, if you will, 07:09 for Laodicea to receive its water. By the time this water reached Laodicea, 07:15 it was lukewarm. It was neither hot nor cold, so it did not have medicinal qualities, 07:23 neither did it have refreshing pure qualities. 07:27 It was lukewarm. It was good for nothing. 07:32 Jesus tells the church at Laodicea that they had become just like their water, 07:38 lukewarm and good for nothing. 07:41 Jesus said, "You are neither cold, which is refreshing, nor are you hot, 07:46 which is healing, but your temperature is lukewarm." 07:50 In other words, you are straddling the fence. You are in the river and your own bank. 07:56 You are neither hot nor cold. You are lukewarm. Your taste is terrible. 08:02 The aqueduct water system is not working and there is nothing left for me to do 08:07 but to spit you out. 08:10 How had this church become lukewarm, how had its spiritual flavor become so awful? 08:17 Well, there are three ways and I am going to share them with you. 08:20 Three reasons they became lukewarm. Number one, the church at Laodicea was indifferent. 08:29 Now, remember, they had no viable water source. 08:33 Hot water was piped in from the north in Hierapolis 08:38 and cold water came from the south of Colosse. 08:42 By the time the water reached Laodicea, it was neither hot nor cold. 08:50 Jesus is saying that the lives of the Laodicean church members mirrored the water that 08:57 they drink. They were not hot, which is they were not on fire for the Lord. 09:02 They were not cold, which means they were not spiritually dead. 09:08 They were lukewarm, which means they were not completely cold. 09:12 They were attending church but they were not hot either 09:16 because they had no zeal for the Lord and no desire to live for the Lord. 09:21 They were a miserable temperature of lukewarm. 09:25 They were satisfied with their church and they had no desire to change. 09:31 This is a good description of the church today. 09:34 This is a good description of the universal church today. 09:38 Too often, the church comes together on a regular basis with no desire to 09:43 really serve the Lord. Their attitude is this is their church. 09:46 They have no desire to change. They are just going through the motions. 09:51 We are no longer moved by the sacrifice of Christ, the redemption of the soul, 09:56 or the wicked state of the world. 09:58 I mean, let us be honest today. Let us be transparent. Let us get real today. 10:03 When was the last time you were moved by the message of an old familiar hymn? 10:08 When was the last time you wept over Amazing Grace, 10:12 how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me? 10:15 When was the last time you were overwhelmed by the power of the twenty-third Psalms? 10:20 When was the last time you felt the joy of God just 10:23 because you were able to get up on Sabbath morning, put on some clothes, 10:27 come out of the house when we were not under coronavirus, get to church, 10:31 get out of your car, step into the sanctuary and walk up before Christ? 10:36 When was the last time you rejoiced in the depths of your heart not 10:40 because you heard a great sermon or listened to a great song, 10:43 or came to a great church but because you know a great savior, 10:48 enjoy a great hope and serve a mighty God? Are we flunking the test 10:55 because we are too familiar with the material, 10:58 more concerned about tradition and truth, 11:01 more caught up in formality than spirituality, 11:04 more concerned about custom than creativity, more concerned about policy than people, 11:09 more concerned about do's and don'ts than deliverance, 11:12 more concerned about the way it used to be than the way it ought to be? 11:15 The goals of God has for us are often too often arrested 11:21 and handcuffed by tradition and the status quo. 11:25 We have learned as much as about God as we think we need to learn. 11:29 We are happy and content to be just left alone going through the motions week after 11:34 week. No growth. No development. No change. No power. No nothing. 11:41 Just going through the motions, going through another cycle of prayer meetings, 11:45 another cycle of church anniversaries, youth days, senior adult days, 11:50 children's days, education days, revivals, Revelation seminars, communion services. 11:57 Just going through the motions, singing the same songs, hearing the same sermons, 12:03 praying the same prayers, reciting the same testimonies. 12:07 Going through the motions unresponsive to God's call, unmoved by God's claim, 12:13 and unchanged by God's spirit. No Holy Ghost fire. No Pentecostal zeal. 12:20 No enthusiasm. No energy. No excitement. Just going through the motions. 12:27 We do not want to take any risks because being safe is easy. It is not hard work. 12:32 Do what we always have done but you will never see new oceans unless you have the 12:36 courage to lose sight of the shore. Only dead fish go with the flow. 12:41 You are neither hot nor cold. You are neither on fire for the Lord 12:46 nor are you dead for the Lord. Just lukewarm. Indifferent. Apathetic. Unconcerned. 12:55 Unmoved. Lukewarm. The Lukewarm Church argues with each other about petty things. 13:03 What color should the carpet be? How should the deacons walk in? 13:08 Should we play drums or not in church? What time should church start? 13:13 What color should the be ushers wear? The Lukewarm Church 13:16 become so wrapped up in their predictable service and their traditions 13:23 that there is no room left for God's blessings. 13:26 What does Jesus say? He says, "I have no more use for you," and he spits you out. 13:33 Have you ever been offered something to drink? 13:36 You did not know what it was but you offered to drink it. 13:38 When you drank it, you immediately spat it out because it tasted so bad. 13:43 It made you sick. That is what Jesus is saying to us here. 13:48 He is saying, "Laodicea, you taste so bad, I have to spit you out." 13:54 The word here for "spit" can also be translated "vomit". 13:59 When you vomit, my friends, you are sick. 14:02 There are too many Laodicean churches making Jesus sick. 14:09 Empty praise makes him sick. Empty, woeful, unenergized worship makes him sick. 14:17 Singing that sounds good but does not involve the heart makes him sick. 14:22 Lack of commitment makes him sick. Lack of evangelism and witness makes him sick. 14:29 Laziness makes him sick. Complacency makes him sick. Complaining makes him sick. 14:36 Pleasure preaching that pleases people instead of glorifying God, 14:41 edifying the people, and persuading sinners to change makes him sick. 14:46 Church that is more concerned about stuff than it is about salvation makes him sick. 14:51 Churches that prey on people instead of praying for people makes him sick. 14:56 I do not know about you, but I do not want to make Jesus sick. 15:00 I do not know about you, 15:02 but I do not want to be a part of a church that makes Jesus sick, 15:05 that turns God's stomach. I do not ever want to turn God's stomach. 15:10 I do not want God to vomit me out. I do not want God to spit me out. 15:14 I do not want to be indifferent. 15:18 Number two, Laodicea was lukewarm because the people had become arrogant. 15:26 Look at verse number seventeen. Jesus says in the text, "You say you are rich, 15:35 and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." Now, stop there. 15:41 The operative word here is "you say". I wish I had time 15:46 but I am going to come back to that in a minute. "Say." Now, remember, 15:50 Laodicea is a wealthy city. 15:53 They refused Rome's help in rebuilding it after the earthquake hit. 15:57 They were arrogant people. They had all they needed and were not interested in help 16:01 or input from anybody else. While they were financially wealthy, 16:05 they were spiritually bankrupt. They were arrogant, haughty, conceited, big-headed, 16:15 proud. Let me remind you that God hates pride. 16:20 The bible says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." 16:25 Do not get it twisted because a lot of people say they are confident, not prideful, 16:30 but you better know the difference. If we ever accomplished anything in this life, 16:36 it is the result of what Jesus has done for us and through us. 16:41 I am very clear in my ministry. God has blessed me to be able to do a lot of things. 16:45 God has been able to use me and I am grateful to do a lot of things, 16:48 but I am also clear it is not anything of what I have done 16:52 but it is all about what he has done. 16:54 Do not get the big head just as soon as we get something, my brothers and sisters. 16:59 God can take it away. We are nothing without God. 17:02 Let me say that again. I said, "We are nothing without God." 17:07 Do not be arrogant. 17:10 Then, the third point. The third reason that the church at Laodicea is lukewarm is 17:16 their ignorance. First, it is their indifference. Second, it is their arrogance. 17:25 Third, it is their ignorance. What am I talking about? Go back to verse seventeen. 17:30 Revelation chapter three verse number seventeen, the word of God says, 17:32 "Because thou sayest," not somebody else but you are saying, 17:37 "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." 17:41 That word again, sayest. You say, not somebody else, but you say you are rich. 17:46 You say you are increased with goods. You say you have need of nothing, 17:49 but then Jesus finishes it, "And knowest not," 17:54 you do not even know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. 18:04 Laodicea, Jesus says, "Laodicea, you think you are all that and then some, 18:12 but you do not even realize you are pitiful and pathetic." 18:16 You see, their perception and their reality were totally different. 18:21 They thought all was well, but Jesus saw a much different point of view. 18:27 They were proud but Jesus said they were wretched, miserable, and in need of pity. 18:34 They were wealthy but they were actually poor and spiritually bankrupt. 18:40 They thought they looked fine but they were blind with no spiritual vision. 18:47 They had the highest fashion of the day but they were naked, uncovered before God 18:52 and unclothed in his righteousness. That is just like us today. 18:58 That is just like Laodicea today. We think we are doing something 19:02 and we are doing nothing. We think we are singing and we sound a mess. 19:07 We think we are preaching and our sermons are a mess. 19:10 We think we are dressing and we look a mess. 19:13 We think we are cooking and our food tastes a mess. 19:16 We are talking about stuff, we do not even know what we are talking about. 19:19 Listen, have several seats. Sit down. Laodicea thought they had everything 19:25 but they were so wrong. They were ignorant. Ignorant means unaware. 19:29 They were unaware of their true spiritual condition. They lack self-awareness. 19:34 Too many of us lack self-awareness. 19:37 As a result, they were apathetic in their relationship with God. 19:40 Laodicea lost their love for Jesus and found themselves denying Jesus' lordship. 19:45 There are so many professed Christians who think they are spiritually rich 19:49 when actually they are bankrupt. They think they are beautiful when they are wretched. 19:54 They think they are need to be envied but really they need to be pitied. 19:58 They think they see everything clearly when they see nothing and are stone-blind. 20:02 They think they are clothed but they are really naked. 20:05 The church in Laodicea is proud. They are rich. They are prosperous. 20:10 They are self-sufficient in their own eyes. To Jesus, in Jesus' eyes, they are poor, 20:16 they are blind, and they are naked. 20:18 There are too many churches who are out there today trying to thrive on their own 20:23 accomplishments, but you better believe that all that I am or ever will be is 20:28 by the grace of God. All that you are or you ever will be is by the grace of God. 20:34 Grace woke me up this morning. Grace started me on my way. 20:40 Too many churches, too many Laodiceans are thriving on what they feel are their 20:45 own accomplishments. They have a packed house but they are spiritually empty. 20:49 They have money in the bank but they are spiritually bankrupt. 20:52 They are known for their singing but they are spiritually silent. 20:55 They are clothed in fine clothing but they are spiritually naked. 20:59 They are preaching in the pulpit but they are sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. 21:04 They have their name on a marquee sign 21:06 but their names are not in the Lamb's Book of Life. They are in different. 21:10 They are arrogant. They are ignorant. 21:15 Jesus says, "This church makes me sick, and I will spit them out. 21:22 I will vomit them out." In verses fifteen, sixteen, 21:26 and seventeen of Revelation chapter three, 21:28 Jesus has addressed the problems of indifference, 21:31 the problem of arrogance, the problem of ignorance. 21:34 Now, in verse eighteen, he offers a solution. 21:39 He says, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, 21:47 that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, and thou mayest be clothed, 21:50 and that the shame of thy nakedness does not appear; 21:53 and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." I am almost done, 21:58 but here, Jesus tells the Laodiceans after he has told them about themselves, 22:03 he tells him three things. He tells him three areas where they need to invest. 22:08 Number one, he says, "Invest in those things that are eternal. 22:13 Invest in those things that will last." Buy gold that has been tried in the fire. 22:21 Physically, they were rich and increased with goods, 22:23 but they had not invested in the Lord. You all do not hear what I am saying. 22:27 Jesus said in Matthew chapter six verse twenty, 22:30 "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 22:34 where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, 22:37 and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Friends of mine, 22:41 we are living in a culture today that is spiritually bankrupt. 22:46 Many may be financially secure but they are lacking in Christ. 22:50 What good, my friends, will wealth, what good will homes 22:54 and land do for our souls at the judgment? 22:58 What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? 23:03 That is why you can do what you want to do, 23:05 but choose this day whom you are going to serve. 23:07 As for me and my house, we are going to serve the Lord. 23:11 Invest in permanent, eternal things. 23:14 Number two, Jesus says, "Invest in the right garment. Invest in the right clothes." 23:22 He says, "Buy white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, 23:25 and that the shame of thy nakedness does not appear." 23:29 Now, throughout Revelation, white garments symbolize those who are justified through 23:34 faith in Christ and have confirmed their salvation. We say it all the time. 23:39 When we get to heaven, when we get to the kingdom, I am going to put on my robe. 23:44 I am going to tell the story how I made it over, 23:48 but Jesus also in the text speaks of covering our shame because back in the day, 23:53 the greatest humiliation was to be stripped naked. 23:57 It started with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. 24:00 After they sinned, they needed a covering. 24:03 The greatest humiliation back in the day was to be stripped naked whereas the 24:08 greatest honor was to be dressed in the finest clothes. 24:11 God says, "I want to put a long, white robe on you." 24:13 Number three, Jesus says, "Invest not only in eternal things. 24:18 Invest not only in the right garments," 24:20 but Jesus says, "Invest in the right anointment." 24:24 Jesus says, "Anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." 24:29 Jesus tells the Laodiceans to purchase eyesalve. 24:33 Now, this works out good because remember now, Laodicea, 24:36 they had an eyesalve that was known to cure blindness. 24:40 Jesus tells them to purchase the right eyesalve. 24:42 The Laodiceans had developed an eyesalve that cure blindness 24:46 but it did not prevent the church from being spiritually blind. 24:50 Many today are just like that. They are going through the motions. 24:54 They know the language but they are blind to what is happening around them spiritually. 24:59 We need to ask God to open our eyes that we might see. 25:04 We need to see ourselves as we truly are. We need to see and have some self-awareness. 25:10 We need to see this world as it truly is. 25:13 We have lost our vision. Where there is no vision, 25:17 the people perish. Helen Keller was asked, "What could be worse than being born blind?" 25:22 She said having sight with no vision. 25:25 We need a vision for repentance, a vision for holy living, 25:28 a vision for humble service, a vision for lost souls. 25:32 There is far more to our relationship with Jesus Christ than just coming to church. 25:38 There is a life to live and work to do outside the four walls of the church. 25:46 Dr. Byrd: What I love about Jesus, Jesus always gives hope. 25:52 Even though this letter is harsh, is tough. is rough, is condemning, 25:59 there is also tenderness in the words of Jesus when we look at verse nineteen. 26:03 He says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten," 26:08 which means he chastens those whom he loves. 26:10 If Jesus ain't chasing you, there might be a problem. "As many as I love, 26:14 I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore," and he says, "Repent." 26:18 In other words, I am going to get you told but I still love you. 26:26 I am going to get you told but you still need to repent. 26:33 Then, we come to verse twenty, I am almost done, 26:36 which is probably one of the most well-known verses in the Book of Revelation. 26:41 The word of God says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: 26:46 if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, 26:49 and will sup with him, and he with me." I do not know if you have ever seen it, 26:56 but when I was a little boy and I see those nice slides of Jesus, 27:02 I love the picture of Jesus standing outside of the door 27:09 and waiting to come into the heart of whoever is on the other side. 27:14 Do I have a witness in this place? Jesus is standing and knocking. 27:22 These verbs are in the present tense, meaning, continuous action, 27:29 which means Jesus continues to stand and continues to knock in our hearts today. 27:40 Thank you very much for tuning in to this week's Breath of Life broadcast. 27:44 We hope and pray that you've been blessed by Dr. Byrd's inspirational message. 27:49 If you would like to hear this sermon in its entirety, 27:51 please feel free to visit us at www.breathoflife.tv. 27:57 Or, call us at (256) 929-6460. 28:10 When I was eight years old, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. 28:16 When I was fifthteen, I had my first surgery. When I think about the time that I lost 28:27 during my adolescent years, I just can't seem to put it togther. Even now I'm doing 28:37 treatment for my disease. Everyone experiences loss. It's not of matter of if but when. 28:51 www.breathoflife.tv 28:59 [END] |
Revised 2020-06-29