Your Works Matter
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
Good evening. Turn with me in your Bibles to Revelation 2.
Your actions matter.
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, seems to understand this. He seems to present in his book that our habits determine who we become and advocates tiny changes in our routines that compound into lasting change. One of his most famous quotes from the book is this:
"Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
What’s he saying? Your actions reveal who you are and who you want to be.
The letter to Thyatira reveals that Christ cares about our works. The actions of the Thyatiran church revealed who they were.
Christ knows and sees our works, and judges us according to our works. Jesus’s words to the church at Thyatira are meant to encourage the faithful and warn the wicked.
Using the words of Jesus: To those who have a pattern of good works, hold fast till Christ comes. To those engaged in idolatry, repent before impending judgement.
18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
This message to the church, recorded by John, comes not from each local pastor, not from John himself, not from a disgruntled church member, but comes from the very Son of God. Our passage contains the only place in Revelation where Jesus is referred to as the Son of God. As Jesus is speaking to the church, he invokes the very authority that comes from being God’s Son as he encourages and warns those in Thyatira.
As Psalm 2 prophetically writes: (which is referenced at the end of the letter)
6 Yet have I set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee.
Our letter opens by stating that, Jesus is the Son of God and is the King reigning on high whose eyes are like flaming fire and his feet are like fine brass. Meaning: Christ knows and sees your works. Christ judges according to your works. (these are the two main points of our message tonight)
CHRIST SEES AND KNOWS YOUR WORKS.
CHRIST SEES AND KNOWS YOUR WORKS.
To the church he writes,
19 I know thy works…
Wherever you’re at right now, Christ sees your works. If you’re living in hidden sin, Christ sees. If you’re tired because of sacrificial love to others, Christ sees. If you’re taking a bold Christian stand at work, Christ sees. Believer/Unbeliever, Christ sees your works. For the faithful, this is an encouragement. For the wicked, this is a warning.
CHRIST COMMENDS THEIR WORKS
CHRIST COMMENDS THEIR WORKS
Jesus commends the Thyatiran church for their works — for their charity (love), service, faith, patience, and honor towards one another.
The fruit of the Thyatiran church as described here almost mirrors the fruit of the Spirit as described by Paul in Galatians. Theirs works even modeled the “one anothers” in Paul’s letters.
It seems that Christ links these works in vs.19 to his works in vs.26 and instructs these faithful believers to continue steadfastly in these works.
APPLICATION: So to the child/teen who obeys and honors their parents, Christ sees your works and encourages you to continue in that good work. To the believer who provides meals to families in our church who have experienced loss, are hurting, or have just welcomed a new child into the home, Christ sees your works and encourages you to continue in that good work. To the senior saint who faithfully intercedes for others through prayer, Christ sees your works and encourages you to continue in that good work. To the parent who tirelessly points their toddlers to Christ or patiently disciples their children, Christ sees your labor of love and works and encourages you to continue in that good work. To the spouse who faithfully witnesses through word and action to your unbelieving spouse, Christ sees your works and encourages you to continue in that good work.
Your actions matter, seen or unseen. And Christ commends those committed to good works and encourages you to continue in those works.
But why does Christ seem to care so much about our works? Our works (seen or unseen by men) are a manifestation of our heart.
Remember what Jesus said in his most famous sermon?
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
You works matter, not for justification, but for identification.
Our good works expose a good heart. Our evil deeds expose a corrupt heart.
Unfortunately, the Thyatiran church did not heed Jesus’s words. The tone of the letter moves quickly from commendation to condemnation.
CHRIST CONDEMNS HER WORKS
CHRIST CONDEMNS HER WORKS
Jesus commends good works, but condemns evil works — and this is the main thrust of the letter.
Look at vs.20
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
CONTEXT OF JEZEBEL AND THE SIN OF THYATIRAN CHURCH.
CONTEXT OF JEZEBEL AND THE SIN OF THYATIRAN CHURCH.
Thyatira was the least known, least important, and least remarkable of the seven cities in Revelation. With their ordinary lives, they had ordinary struggles.
The economy of Thyatira was such that most people worked in the trades. Specifically, the textile trade. Remember Lydia, the seller of purple? She was from Thyatira.
In working the trades, their was a significant economic advantage to joining a trade guild or as we know it, a union. However, with joining the trade guild came many temptations — eating things sacrificed to idols, and fornication.
This “prophetess” was teaching and leading those in the church to join these trade guilds. She advocated for a compromise of morals in order to gain economic advantages.
So many in the church at Thyatira had followed her “teachings” and succumbed to committing idolatry which led to fornication.
Similar to the letter to Pergamum, John appeals to the Old Testament to illustrate the unrepentant sin of the church at Thyatira using Jezebel as the illustration.
Here’s what the Old Testament says about Jezebel:
31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
Jezebel led the children of Israel into idolatry.
This was exactly the sin Christ was condemning the church or Thyatira for committing — Idolatry: serving that in which you trust.
Christ condemns the church for their idolatry.
Christ condemns the church for their idolatry.
For the financially struggling Thyatiran believers, joining a trade guild offered financial security and peace at the cost of a mere spiritual compromise. Trade guilds operated on premise that there would be open worship to idols through meat sacrifices and pagan meal sharing.
The issue Christ has against the church in Thyatira is one of trust. Those who followed the false teachings of Jezebel seemed to trust the trade guilds for financial security rather than God.
APPLICATION: To whom or what do you look to for your well-being? Do you identify with the Thyatiran believers and look to your job for peace and security that can only be found in Christ? Is that seen in the endless overtime you consistently work, or the constant worry over the amount of money in your bank account? Teen or Young Adult, do you look to your spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend for peace and security that can only be found in Christ? Is that seen in you compromising your spirituality to date someone? Do you look to the White House for peace and security that can only be found in Christ? Is that seen in the worry and anxiety caused by watching the news or the pleasure or disdain you have for the current governmental leaders? Parents, do you look to your kids for peace and security that can only be found in Christ? Is that seen by replacing family church attendance and discipleship with filling theirs and your schedule with endless sports practices/games, music lessons, and other extracurriculars so they “turn out right or are successful”?
The amount of idols we create on a daily basis is endless. For the Thyatiran believers it was money, for you it may be different. Anything we look to for peace and security, anything we trust more than God… is an idol.
But their idolatry wasn’t the only sin Jesus condemned them for…
Christ condemns the church for their adultery.
Christ condemns the church for their adultery.
I believe there’s a significant link between Jesus’s words to Thyatira concerning idolatry and fornication. Many commentators are split concerning the fornication mentioned in vs. 20 — whether it’s spiritual or physical. But I believe the principles we can extrapolate are the same either way.
First, Idolatry is a gateway sin.
Think back in the Scriptures to one of the most concrete examples of idolatry: the Golden Calf incident in Exodus 32.
Here we have the children of Israel engaging in explicit idolatry — they fashioned a golden calf and worshipped it. What did this lead them to do? The Bible tells us they engaged in sexual immorality (Exodus 32:6), blasphemy (Exodus 32:4-5), rebellion against authority (Exodus 32:1,22-24), and broke God’s covenant (Exodus 32:19).
What happened? Idolatry led the children of Israel to commit other sins.
Similarly, in Thyatira, their idolatry led them to fornication. Those who attended the trade guild parties, festivals, and initiations regularly engaged in fornication often associated with worship to a false god/idol. Their idols of comfort, security, or money led them to commit other heinous sins.
APPLICATION: But that may not be far off from our lives. If someone idolizes popularity, they may compromise their convictions, lie, or join in sinful behavior to avoid losing acceptance. Idolizing success leads to arrogance, self-reliance, and a judgmental attitude toward others. Idolizing comfort can lead to gluttony, laziness, pornography, or escapism. Idolizing appearance can lead to envy, vanity, or insecurity. Idolizing relationships can lead to jealousy, manipulation, or anxiety when we fear losing someone. Idolizing achievement can cause someone to neglect family, hurt friends, or treat people as obstacles.
This is why it is extremely imperative that we know the Scriptures (as was mentioned last week in Pergamum). Look at vs. 24.
24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
“Jezebel and her followers claimed to be plumbing the very depths of Satan’s domain and remaining spiritually unscathed.” — John MacArthur
The problem with Thyatira was that those who belong to the Lord, those who were committed to doing the Lord’s will, are deceived by Jezebel, taking her revelations to be the Word of God, and the church at large is tolerating such a state of affairs.
She was teaching they could test and try different sins all while worshipping God. For believers who know their Bibles this should be a huge red flag!
If we’re talking about money, remember Jesus’s very clear words:
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
APPLICATION: So, you cannot worship the paycheck and God. You cannot worship your relationship and God. You cannot worship comfort/security and God. You cannot worship entertainment and God. You cannot worship your independence and God. Fill in the blank, you name it, you cannot mess around with sin and worship God.
It’s even clearer in James:
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Idolatry is adultery against God.
Here’s where the spiritual adultery comes in and where the illustration of Jezebel finds its completion.
Jezebel led (stirred up) Israel to worship Baal, which ultimately was leading Israel to commit spiritual adultery against God. To put it in popular level language: Idolatry causes us to cheat on God.
22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?
The book of Hosea is an illustration of this truth. Hosea is instructed to marry a prostitute who was continually unfaithful to him and chased after other lovers. Hosea is meant to illustrate the profound truth that Idolatry is Adultery against God.
12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, And their staff declareth unto them: For the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, And they have gone a whoring from under their God. 13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, And burn incense upon the hills, Under oaks and poplars and elms, Because the shadow thereof is good: Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, And your spouses shall commit adultery.
You would never think about it this way. You would never say it out loud. But when you love something (boat, car, house, money, kids, spouse, job, comfort, entertainment, vacations, etc.) more than you love God, you are committing spiritual adultery.
Now the way we view physical adultery and the way we view spiritual adultery is often very different. Physical adultery results in church discipline (essentially stating we don’t believe this person to be a Christian or at the very least acting like a Christian), disgust, disappointment, etc. While spiritual adultery often goes unpunished, unnoticed, or excused.
But not according to Christ. Look at vs. 23:
23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
CHRIST JUDGES ACCORDING TO YOUR WORKS.
CHRIST JUDGES ACCORDING TO YOUR WORKS.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Before we look at Jezebel and her followers, I want you to notice one crucial aspect of Christ’s character:
CHRIST OFFERS FORGIVENESS TO THE WICKED.
CHRIST OFFERS FORGIVENESS TO THE WICKED.
This is the good news of the Gospel. Christ forgives! Christ forgives all sin!… even adultery!
“Christ gives space and room for repentance which signifies his grace and mercy. Punishment for evil isn’t swift but comes only after an extended period of time, showing that God doesn’t delight in the death of the wicked but desires them to repent and live.
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Friend, church member, fellow sinner… Christ stands ready to forgive.
And here’s the reality. Everyone in this room flirts with idolatry. Jeremiah the prophet reflects on this in his musings about the heart in Jeremiah 17.
APPLICATION: So if you’re living in hidden sin, you’ve compromised your morals because of idolatry, or you confess you serve things other than Christ, know this — Christ stands ready to forgive the repentant.
This is the essence of the Gospel. Once we recognize our sin, reach out to God in confession, and forsake our current pattern of sin, Christ will forgive.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If you’re sitting here today, and you don’t know God, don’t have a relationship with God, or aren’t familiar wit what it means to be a sinner, there’s good news and bad news for you: Here’s the bad news — Christ will judge you according to your works, and only the righteous will be spared. Unfortunately, Scripture tells us…
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
But there’s good news!
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Christ lived the perfectly righteous, sinless life and took the penalty we deserved by dying in our place. This is the great exchange. Christ exchanged his perfectly good works for our bad works. Meaning that…
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If you’d like to know more about what this means, come see myself, any one of the pastors, or any church members, we’d love to share more with you!
But as mentioned before, the thrust of this letter is condemnation…
Look again at vs. 21.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
CHRIST WARNS THE UNREPENTANT.
CHRIST WARNS THE UNREPENTANT.
For those who continue in their sin in an attitude of unrepentance… there will be judgement.
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
The judgement Jezebel and her followers received were according to their works. Jesus is warning those following Jezebel and even Jezebel herself that if they continue in their idolatrous and adulterous ways that they would be judged. The judgment as described here entails any number of things (as per commentators): Believers will be severely punished and chastened (whom the Lord loves, he chastens). Unbelievers will receive death and hell — the ultimate judgement for sin.
So Christ reminds the churches (not just Thyatira) that he searches the minds and hearts. As we learned in the Gospel Project today, God knows your motives. He sees your idolatry even if no one else does. And he rewards according to your works.
Again: To those engaged in idolatry, repent before impending judgement.
To those who have a pattern of good works, hold fast till Christ comes.
CHRIST REWARDS THE FAITHFUL.
CHRIST REWARDS THE FAITHFUL.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star.
This is one of the great paradoxes of Scripture — Those who remain faithful to Christ despite being beaten and despised in this life will rule with Him in His earthly kingdom.
The faithful will gain a crown.
The faithful will gain a crown.
In those days, Rome ruled the nations, and the church suffered accordingly. Today you may feel and/or see oppression from earthly kings and rulers. But know this, there will come a day when Christ will finally put all nations under his feet and we will rule with Him.
Psalm 2 as referenced in these verses instructs accordingly.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling.
If we want to rule with Jesus in the future we have to be faithful to Christ in the present.
Those who faithful subjects of Christ now, will one day reign with Christ over the nations.
The faithful will gain Christ.
If you make it your aim to pursue money, you will always want more. If you make it your aim to pursue status, you will never attain it. But, if you make it your aim to gain Christ, you will never be disappointed.
The ultimate reward for the faithful is not a kingdom, not subduing the nations, but is gaining Christ.
Christ is the morning star.
If we look to the end of Revelation, Christ refers to himself as the morning star.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Believer, nothing should thrill our soul more than to gain Christ. All idols pale in comparison to Christ.
Christ’s judgment will fairly reflect each person’s deeds — a reality that should bring fear to those who teach and practice idolatry, but comfort and hope to those whose faith is genuine.
CONCLUSION:
CONCLUSION:
What’s interesting about Thyatira is its geography.
Located halfway between Pergamum and Sardis, Thyatira had been under Roman rule for nearly three centuries (ca. 190bc). Since the city was situated in a long valley that swept 40 miles to Pergamum, it had no natural defenses and had a long history of being destroyed and rebuilt.
You and I are much like Thyatira. We are going to be ruled by someone or something. The question is, are we going to ruled by any and everyone because we are defenseless and flirt with every idol? Or are we going to be ruled by one master, which is Christ.
The message is clear:
To those who have a pattern of good works, hold fast till Christ comes. To those engaged in idolatry, repent before impending judgement.
29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
