The Church of Thyatira

18 “Write to the angel of the church in Thyatira: Thus says the Son of God, the one whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like fine bronze:

19 I know your works—your love, faithfulness, service, and endurance. I know that your last works are greater than the first.

20 But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols.

21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality.

22 Look, I will throw her into a sickbed and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction. Unless they repent of her works,

23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who examines minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

24 I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who haven’t known “the so-called secrets of Satan”—as they say—I am not putting any other burden on you.

25 Only hold on to what you have until I come.

26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations—

27 and he will rule them with an iron scepter; he will shatter them like pottery—

28 just as I have received this from my Father. I will also give him the morning star.

29 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

What kind of place is Thyatira

City over taken by Romans, used to protect Pergamum

Industrial - Many craftsman

many different guilds - each guild had a different god that they would worship or represent

they would have feasts where they would sacrifice to these gods, then as we talked about last week, eat at a big event filled with drunkeness and sexual immorality

to be a part of the guild, you had to take part in the festivities

if you were not a part of the guilds, you did not get work in your craft

What kind of Church is this

Revelation 2:19 (CSB)

19 I know your works—your love, faithfulness, service, and endurance. I know that your last works are greater than the first.

We are not sure how the church started

we know Lydia was from there, who sold dyed fabrics

We read in the book of Acts how Paul shared the gospel with her in Philippi

Probably a smaller church, it is a smaller community

though it is the longest of the letters

This would be what we call an alive church

they proclaim Christ, and more people are coming

they have an active ministry

they have a growing ministry

Our trust in worldly ways and systems reveals our lack of desire for Christ.

The Tolerance of Jezebel

Tolerance - the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with

tolerate - allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of (something that one does not necessarily like or agree with) without interference

we have changed this a little today, to say that we must validate, agree with the person that we are tolerating

I have become much more tolerant

there are things that I do not agree with, that I think that should be done a different way, but when it is your grandkid, they can do no wrong!

Revelation 2:20–23 (CSB)

20 But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols.

21 I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality.

22 Look, I will throw her into a sickbed and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction. Unless they repent of her works,

23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who examines minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Who is Jezebel

Wife of Ahab who made Baal worship a prominent thing in Israel

Highly unlikely that this woman is named Jezebel

but like the queen in the OT, this woman is leading God’s people astray

She is not a prophet or prophetess

pay close attention to the wording - “who calls herself”

meaning she does not speak for God, but claims to

there will be a higher price paid for those who claim to speak on behalf of Jesus and lead people astray

James speaks on this in his letter, that those who teach will be held to a higher standard

What is tolerance

tolerate - allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of (something that one does not necessarily like or agree with) without interference

maybe this is a good thing when dealing with others, it is not good inside the church

why? because we welcome all who want to come, but we teach the ways of Christ

we do so unapologetically, knowing that it will be offensive to some, because it is confronting the sin in your life and calling you into obedience

some might call this stepping on your toes

We have seen this in denominations in our country

the acceptance and teaching of the LGBTQ community in our churches show that some denominations are bending toward fitting in with people, trying to fit into the world than conforming to Christ

Some may say that my teaching is unloving, but I would rather make you uncomfortable in your sin then see you tormented for all of eternity

It is odd that this woman was allowed to lead the church

maybe she is not the pastor, but she obviously has been given a position of authority, claiming to be a prophetess and is leading people astray

but it looks like in Thyatira, that was what was going on also

the church was tolerating this false teacher

accepting the ideas that she had and living those out as well

What does tolerance do to the church

allowing, tolerating false ideas being taught leads the people of God living in sin

we lead people to think God is ok with sin

God hates sin! If you want to see how much God hates sin, look to what happened to Jesus on the cross

it leaves the church of God looking more like the world when the church is supposed to be holy

set a part and set a side for the glory of God

It brings judgement

God’s desire is that all would come to repentance

He has given this false teacher a time to repent, but her time is coming to an end

he will throw her on a sick bed… an play on words to the fact that he has called her an adulterous

so is the time of those who follow her

God will bring her children to death

he is not speaking of literal children, we see that word and we think of an innocent child,

God is speaking about those who follow her teaching

There is a call for tolerance in the church but we cannot be tolerant of the things that God is intolerant of. We become tolerant when we have false expectations of the world.

The Expectations of Jezebel

Though we say it all the time, we still live with this idea that things should be fair

these are based on our idea of what is fair

We have expectations on how things should work

if I live a good life, things might be hard for a time, but I will be blessed and things will get better for us

there is no such promise for the believers in Thyatira who have not followed this Jezebel

Revelation 2:24–26 (CSB)

24 I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who haven’t known “the so-called secrets of Satan”—as they say—I am not putting any other burden on you.

25 Only hold on to what you have until I come.

26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations—

Jesus says keep going

this does not run in accordance our sense of fairness

we expect the guilty to be punished and then the good as we see it to be rewarded

We see that this woman and her followers, who are doing the work of Satan, are being punished

but then we expect the good, the faithful followers of Christ to be rewarded

as in, I will remove them and elevate you

you will be in charge of the church, you will be elevated in the community, you will have work and be able to provide for your family

we want to hear that we won’t be overly wealthy, but that we will be without need

but there is no such promise in this

just hold on… keep going as you have been doing

The Expectations of Christ

Holding on tight can cause pain

this why we do things to protect ourselves like putting on gloves

we expect that when we holding on in the name of Christ, that we won’t get hurt

that we will not feel any pain

we will be put over the nations

this is not a promise to now, but to the future, after Christ’s return, when we will rule and reign with Christ

Revelation 2:26–29 (CSB)

26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations—

27 and he will rule them with an iron scepter; he will shatter them like pottery—

28 just as I have received this from my Father. I will also give him the morning star.

29 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

Who is this promised to… those who share his word, who point others to Christ

we let God play the role of God and punish those who need punished

vengeance belongs to him

it will be done in his perfect timing

we just continue to serve him, not ourselves

then we will rule and reign forever with him

we do this until he comes again

this is the first time in the book of revelation that he refers to the second coming

But wait there is more!

Those who hold on, who conquer, who continue to do the works of Christ when it is not easy, when you do not get an earthly reward will receive the Morning Star

Rev 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

we get Christ… the problem is that for so many, that is not enough

if that is not exciting news then your heart is not set on Christ, but is set on satisfaction of worldly things

you haven’t fully understood the grace that is available through Christ Jesus our Lord

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