Corrupted Church
Notes
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Intro:
Intro:
Tonight, we look at Jesus’ message to Thyatira.
1/2 way between Pergamum and Sardis
It had been under Roman rule for 3 centuries.
It had no natural defenses and had often been destroyed and rebuilt.
“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.
“ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
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.
I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
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,
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.
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.
Only hold fast what you have until I come.
The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,
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.
And I will give him the morning star.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Christ Revealed
Christ Revealed
“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.
Son of God
eyes like a flame of fire
Penetrating gaze: focused like lasers
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
No saint or church can hide anything from His gaze.
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
Rev. 19:12
feet like burnished bronze.
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
feet like burnished bronze.
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
Glowing hot brass feet brings His divine judgment to mind.
What His penetrating gaze finds, His feet trod.
He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. Five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth. It was square, and three cubits was its height.
He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.
And he made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its utensils of bronze.
And he made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending halfway down.
He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating as holders for the poles.
He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze.
And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar to carry it with them. He made it hollow, with boards.
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Rev. 19:
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
Praise
Praise
“ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
Their works
love- agape unconditional love
Jesus said they were a loving church!
faith
they trusted God
They believed Him and took Him at His word
Jesus challenged the faith of His disciples often
But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
service- They served God
And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
They ministered to others
service
They met needs
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Later vs First
This is high praise!
Usually, the longer we do something, the more mundane it becomes and it starts to wane
They maintained their zeal to serve God
More so at the end than at the beginning.
They were doing more!
Problem
Problem
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.
I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
SIN!
They may have kept doing the right things, but they didn’t stop people who were doing the wrong things.
They tolerated Jezebel
Probably a pseudonym for a woman who rose to influence in the church
describe her lack of morals and idolatry by linking her to Jezebel of the OT.
she taught and seduced people into sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols.
Wait, remember this morning?
For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
Acts 15:
Acts 15:
The church at Thyatira had become morally corrupt in the name of tolerance
I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
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,
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.
Jesus warned of coming judgment to this corrupt church.
He had given her time
Since she and the church had not repented, Judgment was coming.
The church was about 40 years old
2nd generation believers were present.
2nd generation corrupted ones were there as well.
God searches every heart
We see only what our eyes behold
God’s gaze penetrates our entire being
He knows our motivations
He knows our secrets
NOTHING is hidden from Him
Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous— you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?
While deeds do not save, we are responsible for our actions and they will lead to judgment in this life!
He will render to each one according to his works:
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
Matthew 16:
They were exploring the depths of depravity as they went through the deep things of Satan.
Final Word
Final Word
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,
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.
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.
Only hold fast what you have until I come.
The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,
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.
And I will give him the morning star.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
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.
Only hold fast what you have until I come.
The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,
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.
And I will give him the morning star.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
To the rest- hold on!
Jesus wasn’t forsaking the righteous remnant
He encourages them to hold on and not slip
The one who conquers:
will receive authority over the nations.
Believers will rule with Him
Morning star
“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.”
He promised Himself!
Warning
Warning
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
A Psalm for giving thanks.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.