Revelation 2:18-29
The first week of our Month of Stillness was devoted to repentance.
We listened to God’s warning to our church, and then He gave us the example of Ephesus. They were the backslidden church. They were in need of repentance.
If looked at from Jesus standpoint, Ephesus was the bride who had become so consumed with cooking, and cleaning, that she had actually forgotten to spend time with her husband.
We learned, that if we are to repent, then we must overcome hypocrisy, and get real with God about what we really are. We must come to Him, in loyalty, and not through religious exercise.
Last Sunday was a day or redemption. The church is to be set free.
We saw first the church at Smyrna.
Smyrna was the bride who had found that marriage was hard and was contemplating calling it quits.
The enemy had her in the bondage of fear, having attacked her with deliberate intimidation.
We saw next the church at Pergamum.
Pergamum was the bride who had made friends with some people she shouldn’t have, and she was in danger of having an affair.
The enemy had her in the bondage of compromise, having attacked her with deceitful influence.
We learned that if we want to be a church that is set free, then we must overcome fear, and we must overcome complacency. If we want to walk in freedom, then we must nullify the enemies two biggest weapons of intimidation and influence.
The Bride of Christ is to be devoted to a relationship with her husband.
The Bride of Christ is to be committed to her husband, even when it is hard.
The Bride of Christ is to be alert, and not prone to being seduced away from her husband.
This is what we have learned so far.
Repentance, and Redemption.
Today we will approach a new theme.
May today be a day of REVIVAL
Having realized what we are and repented, having desired to be set free from the attacks of the enemy.
May today be the day when we return to the place where God intends us to be.
Today, may we be RE-VIVED!
In order to return to where we should be, in order to be revived, it is imperative that we overcome some more.
If we have determined to overcome fear, and determined to overcome compromise, then we are being set free from the enemy.
Therefore, the things we must overcome in order to be revived, don’t have as much to do with overcoming him, as they do with overcoming ourselves.
You see the enemy attacks with intimidation, he attacks with influence, but these are not the only barriers that we face.
James 1:13-16 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”
I know it would be convenient to blame every mistake we ever make on the enemy. It would be convenient if it were always the devil’s fault. But sometimes we give him more credit than he is due.
Every time we mess up, ever barrier we face, is not always the devil.
Sometimes it is us.
Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.
And because this is the case, if we truly want revival, then not only do we have to overcome the enemy, but we also have to overcome ourselves.
We have to learn to overcome the things that cause us to miss revival.
Let me see if I can explain to you the difference.
Suppose God comes through with a command, and you know you are supposed to obey it. You know this is from God, and you must do it.
Now, if you want to obey it, but fear stops you.
Or if you want to obey it, but you are persuaded otherwise.
THAT WAS THE ENEMY.
But that is not all that keeps us from obeying God.
So suppose God gives you a command, and you know you are supposed to do it.
If you just don’t want to do it, so you don’t
Or if you just put it off, until you never obey.
THAT IS NOT THE ENEMY – THAT IS YOU.
DO YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE?
To be the bride that Jesus intended. To be the bride that Jesus deserves, not only do we have to overcome the enemy, we must overcome our own sinfulness.
That is what we are going to see in the two churches today.
Thyatira had a problem that kept them from revival – they loved the world too much.
Sardis had a problem that kept them from revival – they were lazy.
These are not attacks of the enemy, these are character flaws within us.
So today, we seek to overcome these character flaws, and be a church that is revived back to where God wants us to be.
So let’s look at the church at Thyatira.
Thyatira was different from the previous 3 cities.
Ephesus and Smyrna were very immoral – Thyatira was not.
Smyrna and Pergamum were steeped in emperor worship – Thyatira was not.
They weren’t all that pagan, they weren’t all that idolatrous.
Thyatira had only one passion. They were a working man’s town.
The thing that fueled Thyatira were “Guilds”
They were like a modern day labor union. And they had a guild for everything.
The problem was that each guild had it’s own deity they served.
And each guild had banquets.
Common practice at these banquets was sacrificing food to these deities, and committing acts of sexual immorality.
The temptation was, if you wanted to keep your job, you had to participate in these guilds.
Sounds awful, but in reality it may not have been much different than many modern day “Company Pickicks”.
The concept was there was a certain worldliness that was expected of you if you were to remain successful in your job.
In the middle of this city was a church, and it is this church we examine today.
We look at Thyatira – “The Worldly Church”
There are 6 things we see in our text this morning.
#1 THE COMPOSER
Revelation 2:18
Again we see that Jesus reveals Himself in a very specific way to the church at Thyatira.
“The Son of God”
No doubt this is a title that demands authority. You wouldn’t risk angering your boss’s son, how much dumber would it be to anger God’s Son?
John 5:21-22 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,”
“Who has eyes like a flame of fire”
We have all seen people before with a fire in their eyes. Guys, if I told you your wife was looking for you and she had a fire in her eyes, you know what I mean.
It isn’t a peaceful easy feeling.
Here it denotes someone who sees what you have done, and is extremely unhappy about it.
“And His feet are like burnished bronze”
If the eyes spoke of His awareness, certainly the feet speak of His action.
Isaiah 63:1-6 “Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment. “For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. “I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. “I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
We are talking here about knowledge of sin, and punishment for it.
So let’s look at this.
To Ephesus He was the One who is with you to guide you.
To Smyrna He was the One who knows your problems and has the power to overcome it.
To Pergamum He was the One who knows and protects you.
But to Thyatira He is:
“The One who sees your sin and has the authority to punish you.”
I think we had all better pay attention to this one.
#2 THE COMMENDATION
Revelation 2:19
Now this part of the letter gets very interesting. It seems as though He is commending Thyatira. But what you notice is that His praise seems very half-hearted.
He doesn’t list any specifics whatsoever.
He commended Ephesus and mentioned their stance against false teachers.
He commended Smyrna and mentioned their willing poverty.
He commended Pergamum and mentioned their perseverance even when Antipas was killed.
But to Thyatira, there are no specifics.
It seems to me that His praise is more of a half-hearted agreement to soften the blow of His critique.
Picture it like this.
My dad has a wood shop and he hires people to build furniture. Suppose he was about to fire a person.
“Leo, I appreciate you being on time, and you do work well with others, you have tried to do all that I asked you, and your skills with a tape measure have gotten better, BUT…”
You can see the commendation may be true, but compared to the critique it holds no weight. Such it is with Thyatira.
It is not that everything they do is wrong, it is just that the wrong far outweighs the right.
When evaluating the church, they were far more costly than they were beneficial.
We learn from them.
They had deeds, but it wasn’t enough.
They had love, but it wasn’t enough.
They had faith, but it wasn’t enough.
They had service, but it wasn’t enough.
They had perseverance, but it wasn’t enough.
WHAT THEY HAD WAS THE BARE MINIMUM OF EACH.
AND THE BARE MINIMUM IS NOT WORTHY OF REWARD.
Luke 17:7-10 “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? “But will he not say to him, ‘ Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? “He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'”
Many times in church we do the bare minimum and expect Jesus to pat us on the back for it. But He won’t. You don’t get praise for the bare minimum.
Good deeds aren’t rewardable, good deeds while suffering is rewardable.
Love isn’t rewardable, loving the unlovable is rewardable.
Faith isn’t rewardable, faith to move mountains is rewardable.
Service isn’t rewardable, going the extra mile is rewardable.
Perseverance is rewardable, enduring to the end is rewardable.
Luke 6:27-36 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, less those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. “If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. “If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. ut love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Thyatira had a half-hearted commendation because they were only doing the bare minimum.
I must however point out, that this does at least prove they were a church, unlike Laodicea who was fake. They weren’t worthy of reward, but they were at least a church.
Paul described this truth
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Let us work for more than the bare minimum, let us seek the reward.
#3 THE CRITIQUE
Revelation 2:20-21
As you read this critique, there is one word that describes why Jesus is angry at Thyatira, and that word sort of jumps off the page at you.
TOLERATE
I don’t know who first taught that Jesus wanted His church to tolerate sin, but it wasn’t Jesus.
John 17:14-19 “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.”
Jesus wanted His bride to be pure, not tolerant.
Thyatira had a tolerance problem. They tolerated Jezebel.
Well, let’s look at Jezebel for just a second.
3 things.
1) Jezebel had a Phony Title
“who calls herself a prophetess”
Despite the fact that women are forbidden from teaching men in the Bible, this woman still approached the church claiming to be God’s spokesman.
She either held a position, or created a position, by which she actually pretended to be one who had a word from God. She may have even served as the pastor of this church.
But here we are reminded that her title did not come from God, she gave it to herself. Her teaching did not come from God, it originated in her mind.
But Thyatira didn’t do anything about it.
2) Jezebel had a Persuasive Teaching
“and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”
Here we see the danger.
It wasn’t as though the only people affected by Jezebel’s false prophecy were lost people. She actually deceived and led God’s people astray. She was hurting the bond-servants, and she was successful.
She was probably teaching that it was ok to participate in the worldliness of the guilds if it meant keeping your job.
She was probably teaching that it was ok to partake in the things of the world.
After all, a person needs those things.
How often have we heard that message.
It doesn’t matter how many different passages of Scripture tell us to forsake the world, there always seems to be a Jezebel who says it is ok.
2 Peter 2:1-2 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;”
Jezebel was leading God’s people away from God and Thyatira didn’t do anything about it.
3) Jezebel was a Persistent Temptress
“I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.”
In other words, even though God was patient with her, she liked her lifestyle, and had no desire to change her ways.
2 Peter 2:12-14 “But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;”
This was Jezebel.
A false prophet who was deceiving others, and who had no intention of stopping.
And Thyatira didn’t do anything about it.
That was their critique.
And as we learned last Sunday night, when God’s people refuse to do something about it, Jesus will.
#4 THE CHASTISEMENT
Revelation 2:22-23
Jesus was about to rain judgment on her.
He was about to throw her on a bed of sickness.
To those who had been deceived by her, and had followed her, they were about to have great tribulation.
And to those who were ready to lead in her absence, they would be killed.
In other words, the war was over.
Jesus was stopping the problem, punishing the followers, and not even taking a chance on her protégé.
And there was a reason.
“and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”
Since the church in Thyatira would not deal with her, and proclaim the glories of God, and lift high the standard of holiness and truth, Jesus was about to do it.
Remember what we read earlier.
Isaiah 63:1-6 “Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment. “For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. “I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. “I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
Jesus was taking matters into His own hands.
His church would be pure.
His bride would stop having an affair.
Her immorality would be tolerated no longer.
#5 THE COMMAND
Revelation 2:24-25
Now we have already seen one aspect of the command. He had told those who had been deceived by Jezebel to repent or they were getting tribulation.
But there is more to the command than that.
There were some in Thyatira who hadn’t succumbed to her temptation. There were some in Thyatira who hadn’t migrated back to the world.
There were some in Thyatira who hadn’t had a love affair with the world.
They hadn’t known the deep things of Satan.
WHAT ARE THESE DEEP THINGS OF SATAN?
Satan’s ultimate motivating force is prideful love of self.
Remember why he was cast from heaven.
Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.”
When he spoke through Peter, was it not to put his focus on man’s interests?
When he used Judas was it not for worldly possessions?
When he tempted Eve, was it not for selfish reasons? (be like God)
When he tempted Jesus, was it not for power?
The deep things of Satan is simply to follow your own desires over God’s.
This was the major sin in Thyatira, but there were some who hadn’t fallen prey to it.
To them, Jesus commands, “hold fast until I come”
DOES THIS NOT SEEM STRIKINGLY FAMILIAR TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO?
Jesus has declared the war is over.
He is about to come and deal with the problem.
And to those who have sought His face, He said:
Isaiah 40:31 “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”
The message is the same today.
I am coming, just hold on and wait for Me.
#6 THE CONNOTATION
Revelation 2:26-29
This is for us all.
The simple understanding is, if you reject the world now, you will rule it later.
If you forsake the world now, you will get Me (the morning star).
But this is for him who overcomes.
OVERCOMES WHAT?
Worldliness.
Thyatira had traded the things of God for the things of the world.
Instead of living for God, they had decided to get what their own heart was lusting after.
Church, if we are to experience revival, we must overcome worldliness.
We must learn to forsake the things of the world, and seek only the things of God.
Satan is not the one telling you to be worldly.
Satan isn’t the one telling you to get rich, and store money.
Satan isn’t the one telling you to live in comfort and complacency.
THAT COMES FROM INSIDE OF US.
James 1:13-16 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”
We have to overcome that, if we want to be a church that is where God wants us to be.
If we want revival, we must overcome worldliness.
1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
Pray
Again, we will just have a silent time of response.
READ ISAIAH 51:1-8
