Rev 2:18-29

The Church of Thyatira

V.19

Their deeds are qualities that every Christian should have.

Love, nothing greater

Faith. their continual trustful reliance on Christ

Service, What the Master expects us to be doing

Endurance, steady progress is better than a bright beginning

Many times, people have a great start, but they don’t finish, they don’t have endurance.

Over the years, I have had many students who seemed promising, but instead of succeeding, they just left God.

You can have the greatest start, but means nothing if you don’t endure.

As a believer, your life needs to be progressing with Christ.

You need to be growing, if not you won’t get anywhere.

V.20-21

There was this woman in their church that was called “Jezebel.”

Now, that probably wasn’t her name, but more of word association.

Like we call someone Judas, or Hitler.

Jezebel was one of the most evil people in the Bible.

She attempted to combine the worship of Israel with the worship of Baal, and she killed the prophets of God.

This woman at Thyatira claimed to be a “prophetess” but she wasn’t. However, there were Christians there who received her as one.

We see a lot of false teachers around the world today. What’s sad is that these false teachers are being accepted as GREAT preachers.

Jezebel, this woman, was immoral and an ungodly influence on others. She led these people into sin.

She got these church goers, she influenced them to practice sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols.

At this time, in Thyatria, there would be Guilds… If you didn’t belong to a guild, you wouldn’t have a job. So, it would be hard for Christians to have a job, since they wouldn’t take part of the guild.

God gave her time to repent from her wrongs, but she hasn’t.

God gives time people to repent, but if they don’t comes judgment.

We see both Mercy and Judgment...

Time to repent = Mercy

Did not repent = Judgment

My spirit won’t strive with man forever, God said in

This is a great church, but they allow corruption. They allow their people to be led by this false prophet who teaches them to practice sin.

V.22-25

Before Jesus told the church what to do, He told them what HE would do.

Sick - Could be literal sickness… Or it could be an image of affliction.

God can use sickness as a away to chastise His people.

Why does Jesus chastise them?

So they would repent from their deeds.

They wouldn’t listen to Jesus before, so now they might listen from their sickbeds.

I am he who searches...

Jesus knows your every thought and every feeling.

Kill her children..

Some believe this is her closest followers.

Hold Fast...

There were many uncompromising Christians in Thyatira.

Jesus just tells them to “hold fast”

They must not stop doing what is good.

They must not become distracted or discouraged from what Jesus wants them to be and to do.

Same goes for us today… With all this garbage going on around this world, we have to hold fast until Jesus comes.

V.26-27

Here Jesus says, “He who keeps my works...”

There’s a contrast here..

We saw that those who did Jezebel’s works were lead into sickness and death.

However, those who do the works of Jesus, will be given authority.

The life that we live is supposed to be different.

The Christian life is not a battle, it’s a war, it’s a campaign.

You will be in this campaign until the day you die.

When a believer dies and goes to be with Christ, one day we will reign with Christ… We will have authority to rule just as Christ does.

1 Corinthians 6:2–3 NKJV

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

2 Timothy 2:12 NKJV

If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

Revelation 3:21 NKJV

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Revelation 20:4 NKJV

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:6 NKJV

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

V.28

Christ referred himself to the “bright morning Star” so this likely means that they will be in the presence of the Lord.

the ultimate reward for every believer is to be with Christ himself.

Conclusion:

Love, Faith, Service, and Endurance is all about the Christian life.

If you are not progressing as a Believer, you are not doing much for God.

There are many false teachers, so it is important to know God’s word so that you don’t fall into worshipping the wrong God.

If you continue to have victory over the world, you will reign with Christ and be in His presence.