David Green's sermon, titled 'Have You Gotten Cold,' delivered at an unspecified church, explores the theme of spiritual coldness as referenced in Matthew 24:12, highlighting how iniquity in the world leads many to lose their love and fervor for God. Green uses personal anecdotes and biblical examples to illustrate how societal changes and moral decline have contributed to this phenomenon. He reflects on the conditions described in 2 Timothy 3, noting that the world is becoming increasingly perilous, with examples such as the challenges to traditional marriage and the rise of the gay rights movement. Green urges believers to self-reflect, using Psalms 139:23-24, to ensure they have not grown spiritually cold. He emphasizes the importance of loving God with all one's heart and soul, as outlined in Matthew 22, and encourages a life of separation from worldly influences, maintaining a strong connection to the church and fellow believers. The sermon concludes with a call for revival and a renewal of love for God and others, drawing on Revelation 2's message to the church at Ephesus to return to their first love.

A good conference. I've enjoyed the preaching and the singing. I've had a good time and appreciate all of the effort that's been put into this conference. Those that have spent and been spent in preparation and in the conference itself. And I certainly always appreciate The opportunity to be able to stand behind the pulpit of any of the Lord's churches.

Always good to be back at King's Edition Baptist Church. Go ahead and open your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 24. Bring you greetings from Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Mansfield. And it's a hundred and sixty miles about something like that north of here.

And notice you all have blooming daffodils, grass that almost needs cut already. And Our daffodils are about that big up there. So y'all are that much further ahead of us in springtime, but that's alright. We'll get there. But y'all pray for us up there.

We pray for you all as well. Matthew chapter 24, we'll take one verse as our text. Verse 12 says, and Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold." This winter that's just passed got really cold in a lot of places in the country. And I know cold is a relative term. Cold to us up in the great Arctic north of Mansfield or even where Brother Sam's at, further north, close to the North Pole, Michigan.

Cold is really, really cold, but someone down in Florida, it might have got down to 40s and they might have froze to death in those temperatures. But it got cold this winter. And I don't know what it got where Brother Prater lives. I'm almost glad I didn't ask him because he might not have experienced the cold weather this winter. But the fact is that it did get cold in a lot of the country.

And during one of those nights that it was somewhere in the 20 something below zero, and I was awake and checking the pipes to make sure that we didn't have any frozen pipes and that sort of thing. I was up studying and looking up everywhere that the Bible talks about cold and winter. You know, this verse came up and I got to thinking about it. Of course other verses came up as well. I understand passages like Job 37 verse 10 says, by the breath of God frost is given.

But still, I prefer warmer weather. But I get to thinking about Matthew 24 verse 12. And the title of my message is, Have You Gotten Cold? Have You Gotten Cold? I believe the scriptures here, our Lord is speaking of a time which when when iniquity abounds that's what he says because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall act cold." We look at our world today and indeed iniquity abounds.

When we look at the last days and we know that the world is going to get worse and worse, things are going to happen going on into the time right before the Lord comes back. And I believe we're right there. The Lord could come back in any moment. The rapture of the saints could happen any day now. And that's what we're looking forward to, or should be looking forward to, as children of God.

The tribulation period will happen after that and iniquity is going to abound in those times. I joked when I introduced Brother Prater and I said he comes from the far left coast. But you know those far left problems that we used to think of as being only happening in California are happening now in our states. Battles over Sodomite marriages that we thought wouldn't be a problem in places like Michigan are. It's coming a problem in Ohio.

A judge is posed to strike down our ban of same-sex marriage, strike down our Our ban of of same-sex marriage Which has been in place since 2004 Which was put in by a vote by the people. You see, and things are happening, you turn on the television in the daytime and you see things that used to not even be shown at night. And it's happening in the day. Iniquity is abounding. What does he mean by iniquity?

Well, Webster's Dictionary of 1828 gave three definitions that I thought were relevant here. Iniquity, the first definition was injustice or unrighteousness. As the iniquity of war or the iniquity of the slave trade. He also said a sin or crime, wickedness, any act of injustice. And then he quoted from Isaiah 59 in verse 2, which says your iniquities have separated between you and your God.

Then the third definition is the original want of holiness or depravity. As in Psalms 51, I was shaping in iniquity. Turn over with me to the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 3. 2nd Timothy chapter number 3. Begin at verse 1, This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truth-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce despisers of those that are good, traitors, Heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away.

For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive, silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Living in this world, We see that when we read 2 Timothy chapter 3, the Bible speaks of a time which was then future, but I believe that it's now present. And he says that there would be a time when it would be dangerous. Now God's people, I believe that we have maybe thought of this as not being a dangerous world, but folks it is. And it's going to be more dangerous as time goes on until the Lord takes us home to be with him.

And I believe this so-called gay or homosexual movement in this country is going to open up the floodgates to persecution for the Lord's churches. I believe this is the way it's going to come in. Watch it. It's coming. Men are lovers of their own selves.

They're without natural affection. Fierce lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. You can take this laundry list, so to speak, and compare it with the newspapers. If you read the newspaper, if you pull it up on the internet, however way you want to read your news, and it fits very, very closely to what we've got going on in our world. Perilous times, dangerous times, is what we have in this world.

Just the other day it was reported that the newly elected or newly put into place CEO of Firefox, a web browser, was forced to resign because of his support of Proposition 8 in California. That was supporting traditional marriage. That happened several years ago. The man had donated $1, 000 to the cause to support traditional marriage They got him and tossed him out, forced him to resign over his support of marriage. They're becoming bold in this thing.

It's not going to be too much longer until something happens in which something's going to happen when a church or a preacher gets into trouble over this. In 2 Corinthians chapter 6, 2 Corinthians chapter 6, beginning of verse 14, being not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light with darkness, and what concord hath Christ with Belial, Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell with them I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Living in this world, A person can either get caught up in the world's wickedness or live a wholly separated life. Now, we can Turn on the TV and watch the filth in the trash.

We can watch the pornography that's on there. Or we can live a separated life. The choice as a child of God is really ours. Iniquity does abound in this world. And because it abounds, the love of many will wax cold." How caught up in the world are we?

Do we blink a blind eye to what's going on around us? Do we say to ourselves or do we say or do we think, well, it's not my business what's going on out in the world? Do we share the gospel with others as has already been preached? Or do we hold hands with the world? How caught up are we in the world?

Have we gotten cold? Psalms 139 verses 23 and 24, the psalmist said, Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Every one of us needs to be like the psalmist, have that kind of a desire for the Lord to search us, to know our heart, to know our thoughts, to shed any light on our hearts, on any wicked way that that might be there. Because we may have gotten cold.

Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. One of the things I noticed in those bitter cold temperatures, There was a time or two when I was out and and I had to sit in my car and try to get it to warm up a little bit. I had to take my gloves off to do some other things for just a few moments and it didn't take too long before spots appeared on my hands Didn't take long for for for things to happen The cold to affect me They warned against that stuff on the news. It doesn't take long for the cold to affect us. That's why we need the Lord.

That's why the psalmist said, search me oh God and know my heart. That's why he didn't say let me search myself. Because what happens when we search ourselves? A lot of times we say, well, I'm not as bad as so and so. A lot of times we would say, Well, I would never hang out with the homosexual crowd.

I would never do those things. I'm better than Sister so-and-so. I'm better than Brother what's-his-name. At least I do this, or at least I don't do what he does or she does. But we need to be like the psalmist.

Search me. Know my heart. Try me. Know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me and lead me into the way everlasting because as Jesus said, iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold.

What kind of love should we have? As I said before, cold is a relative term. Someone in Florida might think they're freezing to death when it's 40 degrees, maybe even 50 degrees. Poor old Justin Meyer used to think that 50 degrees was cold. He learned some things when he moved up close to me.

I'm glad of that. It does my heart good to see that. So what's the standard? Well, for us spiritually it's the Bible. What kind of love should we have?

Matthew chapter 22, Matthew chapter 22 and verses 36 through 40. 6-40. Master which is the great commandment and the law, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. So first of all, we need to ask ourselves, all right, do we love the Lord with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind? In other words, do we love the Lord with all our life, with all our intellect, and with all our strength? Is Jesus the Lord, Is he your first love above everything else? Do you love him more than your family?

More than your possessions? More than anything else in the world? That's what the Lord demands. You can read it there in Luke 14 and verse 26, we won't turn over there, but also in Matthew 10 verses 37 through 38. That's the kind of love that the Lord demands.

The Lord must be our first love. He loved us before we loved him. He loved us before anybody else ever did. He is our most important above anybody else. Do we love him more than anything or anyone?

Do you love his word? How much time do you spend in it? Are we like Job who in chapter 23 and verse 12 of the book of Job said, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. How many days have you gone without eating your food? Now we're all Baptists.

You all have seen me. I've seen you eat at the dinner table. We like to eat. I would imagine that none of us ever forget to eat physical food. None of us ever say, oh, I didn't have time to eat all last week How many times have we said oh I forgot to read my Bible or I didn't have time to read my Bible Do you love his word how much do we really love him?

How much do we love the Lord if we don't love his word? How much do we really love him? How much do we love the Lord if we don't love his word? How much do we love the church? Are you a member of the Lord's Church?

Do you attend the Lord's Church? Do you attend faithfully? It's a sad thing. I'll never understand poor church attendance. I'll never understand it.

I don't know, I don't see in the scriptures where a pastor should have to beg church members to come to church but sometimes it seems it seems that that's what people expect us to do. My five-year-old, bless his heart, A couple people come into the church, members that hadn't been there for a while, and he handed them visitors cards. He embarrassed the two that walked in, but you know, hey, that's what happens sometimes. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together is the manner of some is, but exhorting one another so much the more as you see the day approaching." The next verse after that says, "'For if we sin willfully, after that we've received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and firing indignation which shall devour the adversaries." But you know You could be at church every Sunday morning, every Sunday night, every Wednesday night, but that doesn't necessarily mean you love the Lord's Church. Do you support the Lord's Church?

Faithfully? Tithing? Do you pray for the Lord's church? Do you so discord? Do you cause trouble?

The Lord loved this church so much that he died for it. And I'm talking about the local church, you understand, but how much do you love the Lord? And how much do you love church? We think about love, how much? The second part to that is thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Do you love your neighbor? Now, we like to think of our neighbor as the person next door, the house on either side of us. But Who is your neighbor? Someone asked the Lord that one time. In Luke chapter 10, Luke chapter 10 beginning of verse 29, But he willing to justify himself said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. And likewise the Levites, when he was at that place, came and looked on him and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him, Take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee.

Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, he that showed mercy on him, then said Jesus unto him, Go and do thou likewise. Now let's be honest here and I'll be honest when I first when I first read this passage of scripture myself and really really studied this out and thought about it. Would we really be like the Samaritan? Or would we rather be like the priest or the Levite?

How cold are we? How cold are we? The love of many wax cold. Now we talk about days gone by where neighbors used to help neighbors, but how much do we really help those who are in need now? Let's bring it a little closer to home here in Galatians chapter 6 verses 9 and 10 says, let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." So maybe we wouldn't be the Samaritan helping the stranger out in the street, but what about a brother or sister in Christ? How cold are we? Ask yourself, when was the last time that you checked on someone who was sick? When was the last time that you checked on someone who was sick? When was the last time that you visited a brother or sister in Christ outside of church time?

We used to fellowship some outside of times of church, but it seems like anymore we ain't got time for that anymore. We're too busy. The love of many has waxed cold. When was the last time that you were invited and accepted the invitation to go visit someone else or invited someone over to your house, to your own house, or just picked up the phone and called the brother or sister, sent a note or a card to a missionary. I know they would appreciate it.

How cold have we got? Ask yourself, would you rather be with the saints of God or with the world? At the end of the church service, when you do get to church, Do you spend time fellowshipping with your brothers and sisters, or do you rush on home to go and watch whatever's on TV or do whatever it is you want to do? Did the thought of the conference and all the preaching make you nauseous. Five sermons in one session.

Some of y'all were here for that. Did you enjoy it? Did you enjoy it? Or did you think to yourself, oh we've got to get through this. With every next preacher did you sigh and say oh no not another one.

How cold are we? Does the idea of church get you excited at all? The church service. Is it a matter of we've got to go to church? We have to go to church?

Or praise the Lord? We're privileged to go to church this morning. How cold are we? To share the gospel with someone else. Is it a joy or not?

Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold. But you know, as I bring this to a close, Revelation chapter 2 verses 4 and 5 says this, says this, Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come quickly unto thee or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent." One thing I notice out of the letters to the churches in Asia, the only church that the Lord threatened to remove the candlestick was the church at Ephesus. And it was because of love. They had left their first love.

The love had grown cold, But it gives them space To repent The love of many has waxed cold, but I believe there's room, time, space to warm up. I'm praying for revival, for a warming of God's people, myself included. We need a warmth. I hear people talk about the way things used to be, the great times of times gone past. Those don't have to be the way it used to be.

They can be the times of now as well. The love of many wax cold, he says, but not the love of everybody. May God help us to be, to have the kind of love that we ought to have. The kind of love that he has for us. May the Lord bless you.

Thanks for watching! Thanks for watching!