To the Church…Part 5: Enticed

INTRO

3 or 4 Years ago, the Kid’s Cookie Challenge was a big online craze.

You sat a cookie in front of a kid with a promise that if they don’t eat it while the parent was out of the room, they would receive another cookie when the parent came back (about 5 minutes later).

Two brothers - one took it immediately then enticed his brother to eat his.

Thyatira was a church enticed.

They were found to be pure by God’s standards in a lot of ways, but there was great temptation to be content with the godlessness around them, even with pressure coming from among their own leadership ranks.

Revelation 2:18–29 ESV

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

1) Displaying Genuine Faith (v.18-19)

Christ has a perfect perspective of our circumstances and our hearts (“eyes like a flame of fire”)

His standards are pure and immovable (“feet like burnished bronze”)

He sees the genuine faith and faithfulness of the Church of Thyatira:

In Know…Your works

(James 2:17–18 “17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” )

…your love

…and faith

…and service

…and patient endurance

…and that your latter works exceed the first

Maturity

Christ was aware and attentive to the genuineness of His people’s faith!

Because they genuinely loved Him, held fast to Him, and obeyed Him, He protected them by giving them a very stern and serious warning!

2) Danger of Tolerance (v.20-23)

The Church was tolerating a woman who was known to entice others to compromise to the godlessness around them.

Jezebel in the Old Testament was King Ahab’s wife who led much of Israel astray during the time of the prophet Elijah.

Jesus compares this woman of Thyatira to that of Jezebel for enticing His people to be led astray by tolerating the idol worship and practices of the day.

Not much is known about Thyatira, except that it was a large producer of fine linens and fabrics.

The work in Thyatira was very much centered around trade guilds.

These trade guilds would align and associate themselves with false idols and cult practices, in order to attain blessing for their business practices.

The enticement in Thyatira was, most likely, telling the Church that if they wanted success in their livelihoods they would have to bear the godlessness and engage with the trade guilds’ social and idolatrous practices.

The Church of the genuine faith was being enticed to tolerate and give some leeway to the culture rather than remaining fully faithful to Christ.

The “Jezebel” among their midst was probably justifying her own practices and giving a bad example for others to do the same.

God’s response to tolerating this practice and tolerating this temptress was tribulation and destruction!

God sees and knows our hearts.

If we are prone to tolerate the sin of our culture because we think that’s just what we have to do to get by, we are compromising our faith and heading towards hardships and destruction.

If we give an ear to those who promote such dangerous stances then we will also face hardships and destruction.

God gives us time to repent, but that time is not forever.

Our hearts must be exclusively committed to Christ and to Christ alone.

He calls us out from the dying world and we can trust Him to sustain us.

We do not have to tolerate the evils of this world and compromise our faith!

3) Determination Brings Blessings (v.24-29)

But to the R.O.Y. group… Hold fast!

Christ, who sees all and stands pure and strong, will likewise establish us in Himself and give us authority to rule with Him in His eternal order.

Furthermore, He will give us the “Morning Star”.

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

Lamentations 3:22 “22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;” (New Every Morning)

When we are determined to hold fast to Christ, we will experience more of Him and the depths of His mercies upon our lives.

Furthermore, He will show us the real authority we have in Him to not be restrained by this world.

CLOSING

We must Display a Genuine Faith

We must understand the Danger of Tolerance and compromise and flee such things.

We must remain determined and be encouraged by the blessings Christ gives to those who “hold fast” and “conquer”.

Will you commit to genuine faith that displays faithfulness to Christ?

Will you commit to not tolerate tolerance?

Will you commit to hold fast to Christ no matter the culture around you?