Sunday, June 3, 2018 am
NT CHURCH 2017-18 (61)
A Study of Churches (8)
7 Churches of Asia (5) – Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29)
Tonight, we want to present another lesson from our study of
New Testament churches that we have been engaged in for about 1 ½ years.
This has been our theme on Sunday mornings.
We are in the midst of examining some churches found in the New
Testament from which we can learn what it means to be part of the Lord’s
church in all that we do.
With a desire to complete this series before I leave for vacation, I am
including a lesson this evening.
Thus far we have addressed 3 of the 7 churches of Asia – Ephesus
(which had left its first love), Smyrna (the poor-rich church) and
Pergamos (the compromising church).
Tonight, we want to notice the church at Thyatira – the corrupted
church.
Both Pergamos and Thyatira can be described as either compromising or
corrupt because of error in their midst.
We noted this morning that the church at Pergamos had in their
midst those practicing error (probably associated with idolatry – eating
and engaging in fornication).
The church had not addressed these things adequately.
Tonight, in Thyatira, we find not only error practiced by some,
but it is even being taught and again tolerated.
Let us examine this church.
The letter to Thyatira is the longest of the 7 letters.
I.
The city of Thyatira
a.
The city is located
about 40 miles east, southeast of Pergamos and north of Sardis.
I was on a road between the two cities.
Viewed by some scholars as a secondary trade route.
b.
It was a small city and
politically least important of the 7 cities in our letters.
Its main purpose was as an outpost for Pergamos in case of
invasion. Designed to hold
off attackers long enough for Pergamos to prepare.
c.
The city was known for a
purple die available in the area, the color of royalty.
All that we know of this city from the Bible is our letter here
and Lydia in Acts 16:14. Recall that Paul meets here and some women by
the river in Philippi and she is converted.
She was a seller of purple from Thyatira.
Whether she was instrumental in
the start of this church we do not know.
Another feature of this city was its trade guilds (similar to unions)
for not only dying, but for wool, leather, bronze, pottery, etc.
d.
It was city that was
also pagan with a few temples within including Apollo and Artemis,
Askeplios, etc., as well a shrine to Sambethe, an oriental spiritual.
Trade guilds also factored into their idolatry as most would have a
patron god that they worshipped and celebrated.
To work, you needed to be in these guilds, thus Christians might
suffer for refusing to participate.
It is possible this was one of the areas of compromise with
brethren in this city.
a.
The Lord described
i.
The Son of God – as we examine the various descriptions, it becomes clearer that the
vision John saw was that of Christ instructing him to write to the 7
churches.
ii.
Eyes like flames of fire – He sees all and pierces through with His eyes (omniscient).
Proverbs 5:21, 15:3 – they eyes of the LORD are in every place.
Hebrews 4:12-13
iii.
Feet like fine brass – established and firm.
b.
Commendation
i.
I know your works
ii.
Love –
agape. There was a proper
love for God and one another.
The Lord took note of how they treated each other.
iii.
Service –
ministering. They were
generous and helped each other, and others as they could.
iv.
Faith –
they believed in Jesus and His teachings.
They TRUSTED Him – cf. Hebrews 11:6.
v.
Patience –
longsuffering. Steadfastness
and endurance. Hebrews 11
gives numerous examples of both faith and endurance.
vi.
As for works, the last are more than the first
– growing. This was a busy
and active congregation. They
were not simply “holding our own”.
It is very likely they were increasing.
c.
Condemnation
i.
I have a few things against you!
ii.
You allow that woman Jezebel – Jezebel is reference to the wicked wife of King
Ahab. He is known as one of
the most evil kings in Israel.
Jezebel was a Sidonian wife who brought with her Baal worship to
Israel. She persecuted and killed
prophets of God. She was
responsible for the death of Naboth.
It was during her time that Elijah challenged the prophets of
Baal.
Of her we read in 1 Kings 21:25,
But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the
sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.
iii.
Who calls herself a prophetess to teach and seduce my servants to commit
sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols
– whoever this Jezebel was in Thyatira, she professed to be a prophet of
God (clearly, she was not – cf. 1 John 4:1).
Her teaching made it obvious as well that she was false.
Based upon the activities (same as we read of in Pergamos), these were
related to idolatry. It is
likely she was advocating that it is acceptable to participate in the
pagan rituals, possibly
for the sake of maintaining their jobs or harmony (with compromise) in
the community.
And the congregation ALLOWED her to influence others as she did (this is
tolerance of sin).
iv.
I gave her time to repent – (but she had not) – there is a time for patience while we
teach and try to correct someone in error.
They needed to be given adequate time to change.
One might as, how much time?
We are not told and thus wisdom is needed in these circumstances.
And we need to understand that we are not God, and thus we err on
the side of patience.
BUT this does NOT mean we ignore such forever.
There comes a time when we MUST act!
Romans 16:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 – warn
the unruly…
v.
Her judgment
- she and those with her will be
cast into a sickbed with great tribulation,
UNLESS they repent of their deeds.
He children would be killed with
death and all the churches would know that “I am He who searches the
minds and hearts”
NOTE: You cannot deceive God, nor can you debate Him and win.
We are here reminded that we will stand in judgment before Him
and sinners will face His wrath!
d.
Call to action
i.
Repent! As
we have already seen – there was sin and there was need to change!
Luke 13:3, 5
ii.
I will give to each according to His works
– again we are reminded that our judgment is individual when we stand
before Him - Romans 2:6, 14:10-12, etc.
iii.
To the rest, who do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depts
of Satan, they will be burdened no more – this is the Lord’s promise to remember and protect
those faithful to Him. Much
could be said here, suffice this by being reminded of 1 Corinthians
10:12
NOTE: The mention here of “the depths of Satan” – which is somehow
related to the error being advocated by “Jezebel” and practiced by some.
This was the influence of Satan.
For those who advocate the tolerance of error (with no intent to
address it, but to just “get along”) I ask, is it ever acceptable to
tolerate the works of Satan in our midst? 1 Peter 5:8-9, Ephesians 4:27
– give no pace for the devil; 6:11 – stand against his wiles, etc.
iv.
Hold fast what you have till I come – don’t give up AND don’t give in!
Revelation 2:10, 14:13, Romans 2:7 – eternal life awaits those
who patiently continue…
v.
He who overcomes – whatever we face, we need to seek to overcome!
vi.
And keeps my works until the end – Hebrews 10:38-39, If anyone draws back, My soul has
no pleasure in him. But we
are not of those who draw back to perdition…
Luke 9:62.
e.
Promised reward
i.
To him I will give the power over the nations
(righteous judgment) – the righteous will ultimately pass judgment by
their godly lives.
ii.
He shall rule them with a rod of iron
(Psalm 2:8-9 quoted) – a psalm of a frustrated writer wanting to know
why the nations (kings and the ungodly) rage against God and He allows
it. The promise is, their
day is coming.
iii.
He will be given the morning star – the morning star is reference to a new beginning.
Consistent with the promises of he who overcomes point toward a
reward greater than this life.
They point us toward eternal rest with Him.
Revelation 22:16 – Jesus in inviting us calls Himself “the Bright and Morning Star.”
We will be with Him!
1 Thessalonians 4:17 – thus we shall always be with the Lord.
f.
He who has an ear, let him hear… May we, in whatever we do as His people, hear what He
has to say through His word!
a.
There are congregations
that are doing many good works and for the most part they teach
the truth. You might say,
their “official position” on a given subject is the truth.
BUT, they allow error not only to be practiced, but also taught
by some, by those of influence.
They have good motives in what they do.
The love each other!
BUT their faith is SHALLOW!
They compromise the truth in given areas.
They allow false brethren to teach and practice their errors and
compromise on matters of difference.
They may dismiss “absolutes” for the sake the unity.
The worldliness around them has influenced them and weakened
them as a group. Sometimes,
those who DO stand for the truth, say nothing about it and hope it will
resolve itself. RARELY does
that happen!
The Bible is clear that we cannot tolerate such!
b.
Worthy of note, in this
congregation we have some who are faithful.
This is a challenge to understand and requires wisdom to apply.
Congregations, per se, will not be condemned on the day of
judgment, but every individual Christian will.
What of faithful men and women who are in congregations with
doctrinal and moral concerns?
Does that automatically make them unsound?
What are they doing to remedy the situation and resist false
doctrine? How much time do
they take to try and keep the church pure?
These are concerns, but as we have established in our study of
the church – WHAT we do and HOW we do it IS important!
We CANNOT continue in sinful rebellion, either as individuals or
as a body of His people and think He will be pleased or that we will
remain in His favor. At some
point a decision needs to be made!
And
thus we find the church at Thyatira.
A church that was corrupt and compromising to the truth.
A church in danger unless they purified themselves.
What about us? Are we
like the church at Thyatira?