SERIES: "WHAT CHRIST IS SAYING TO THE CHURCH" (Part 5)

DON’T MISS CHRIST TOLERATING JEZEBEL

SEARING OF MEAT

The main reason for searing meat is actually to introduce a complex combination of flavor and texture,

THE PROCESS

· A lot is done to the piece of chicken before it is actually seared so this is a process

o Take the chicken out of the fridge (that which kept it fresh) and put it at room temp

§ Start to disconnect people from the environment that keeps them spiritually focused and strong and put them in the temperature of the world

· All the while, the oven is heating up

o Then when the chicken gets to room temperature: you begin to pat it down and then season it

o Now it is ready for the flames

§ If you cook chicken too fast (crispy on the outside/red on the inside: not done)

§ So the FIRST STEP IS NOT THE OUTSIDE OF THE MEAT BUT TO COOK THE INSIDE

THEN, WHEN THE INSIDE TEMP IS RIGHT - YOU SEAR IT (LOCK IN THE FLAVOR BY CREATING AN OUTER CRUST.

PAUL – 1 TIM 4:1-2 (ABOUT THE FALSE TEACHERS AND WHAT THEY ARE SEEKING TO PRODUCE IN US

1 Timothy 4:1 ESV

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

1 Timothy 4:2 ESV

through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,

- Smyrna: Compromise

- Thyatira: Tolerate

The logical flow of the Lord: WHEN YOU COMPROMISE YOU PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO TOLERATE

THE LOW KEY DANGER OF COMPROMISING

You begin to TOLERATE what you compromised

Give my definition of tolerate

NOTICE IN EACH CHURCH WHERE THE LORD HAS A PROBLEM IT IS ALWAS RELATED TO THE TEACHING

· The greatest threat to the life of the church has never been from without – but always from within

· Paul Ephesian elders Acts

Acts 20:29–30 ESV

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

NO DIFFERENT HERE: THIS TIME IT IS PERSONIFIED: YOU TOLERATE THAT WOMAN JEZEBEL (V20)

· HER NAME IS NOT JEZEBEL – BUT HER ACTIONS MODEL THE JEZEBEL IN OLD TESTAMENT

WHO IS JEZEBEL

wife of King Ahab of Israel

Made the worship of the god Baal popular in Israel - TEMPLE PROSTITUTES; SPREAD IT WIDELY AMONGT 10 TRIBES - IT BECAME POPULAR

She herself supported over 800 prophets of Baal, who ate at her table

SHE WAS A STRONG TYPE A PERSON

SCARED ELIJAH TO RUNNING

Who IS THIS Jezebel

· SELF-APPOINTED (SHE CALLS HERSELF). WHEN PEOPLE CALL THEMSELVES CUTE AND NO ONE ELSE DOES!!! YOU’VE SEEN THOSE PEOPLE She apparently claimed absolute authority.

· She claimed to have special insights into the deep things of God.

o God is doing a new thing

o God gave me a Revelation

· She was perverting the truth as it was being taught.

JESUS SAYS in v 20

Revelation 2:20 ESV

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.

Tolerance is the uncontested acceptance of that which opposes the gospel

BUT NOTE, THOUGH THIS HISTORICAL ACCOUNT REFERS TO A WOMAN (A WHOLE LOT OF MALE JEZEBELS (FALSE TEACHERS)

A FALSE TEACHER IS NOT SIMPLY SOMEONE WHO TEACHES WRONG DOCTRINE – THIS IS TRUE

BUT GET THIS AND NOTE THIS: IT IS SOMEONE WHO TEACHES TRUE DOCTRINE BUT LIVES FALSELY (IMMORALLY) SEE 2nd PETER

2 Peter 2:1 ESV

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

2 Peter 2:2 ESV

And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

2 Peter 2:19 ESV

They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

SEE, WE TOLERATE CHARISMATIC PREACHER WHO ARE WHOREMONGERS BECAUSE THEY “PREACH THE WORD!”

I. DON’T BE SEDUCED BY JEZEBEL OR THE OTHERS

Revelation 2:22 ESV

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,

Revelation 2:23 ESV

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.

TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE MENTIONED HERE IN THE CHURCH

Those who commit adultry with her

her children

A. SHE WILL TRY TO SEDUCE YOU TO TRADE TRUTH FOR RELATIVISM

Relativism: The belief that truth is not universal but is whatever a person wants it to be

a. They seduce you so that you begin to see things the way they want you to see it

b. To do this they cannot be overt; they must be subtle – moving ever so slightly in the direction of their choice such that you don’t even know you shifted positions (like the earth rotating on its axis: it’s happening, but not only can you not fell it; they are absolutely no signs that you are moving

d. We see this in churches today people being deceived, that God is there to serve them.

e. JEZEBEL’S GOT US THINKING AND BELIEVING THAT THE GOOD OF THIS COUNTRY AND HEART OF THIS COUNTRY RESTS IN THE HANDS OF WHAT PARTY IS IN THE WHITE-HOUSE

i. OHH, THAT’S JEZEBEL KIND OF THINKING

1. NOW, BECAUSE WE THINK THE COUNTRY IS IN BETTER HANDS WITH BIDEN, WE TOLERATE DEMOCRAT – SIN

2. WHEN IT WAS THOUGHT THAT TRUMP WAS THE MAN – MANY TOLERATED REPUBLICAN -SIN

ii. CAN’T YOU SEE THOSE WHO PROPOGATE SUCH NONSENSE ARE JEZEBEL’S

1. CAUSING DIVISION AND CONFUSION AND ALL KINDS OF UNGODLY PASSIONS TO EXIST WITHIN PROFESSING CHRISTIANS AND PREACHED FROM PULPITS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

f. YOU ARE NOT TO DEPEND ON PAST DEVOTION

BUT HERE IS THE DEAL

i. TRUTH MATTERS

Do not be seduced by the “deep things of Satan” (v24)

ii. TRUTH IS UNIVERSALLY EXCLUSIVE

iii. BECAUSE Jesus is the Son of God

Revelation 2:18 ESV

“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.

B. SHE WILL TRY TO THEY SEDUCE YOU TO TRADE GODLY PIETY FOR EARTHLY PROSPERITY

a. Trade Guilds

i. Wild parties

ii. Sexual orgies

iii. Etc.

b. But to be a part of the union and to advance materially you had to join the union and when you joined the union – because only did you know what the union involved you were going to tolerate it.

c. IN FACT - The name Thyatira means “Unceasing Sacrifice”:There is nothing that will not be sacrificed for prosperity; position; somebodiness, etc.

d. The teaching goes like this: It’s your body, you can do what you want to

i. You not only get what you tolerate

ii. You become what you tolerate

BUT HERE IS THE DEAL

i. MORALITY MATTERS

ii. WATCH THOSE WHO SAY IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

iii. DON’T DEPEND ON PAST DEVOTION.

ALL OF MY GOOD IS ONE TOLERANCE AWAY FROM DISASTER

JESUS PUTS IT THIS WAY:

Matthew 24:12 ESV

And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:13 ESV

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Revelation 2:25 ESV

Only hold fast what you have until I come.

1. It not about those who run, but those who endure to the end

2. It is not about what used to be but about what is

a. What Have you done for me lately?

b. Let me be clear: Salvation is not about what you do for the Lord

c. But the truth of our salvation is how we live

PRINCIPLE: The present life we live is THE proof of who and what we follow

MORALITY MATTERS:

iv. BECAUSE Jesus has eyes of flame

1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

1 Corinthians 6:20 ESV

for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

TO JEZEBEL AND TO ALL WHO ARE SEDUCED BY HER JESUS CALLS TO REPENTANCE

Revelation 2:21 ESV

I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

II. KEEP YOUR EYES AND GRIP ON JESUS

Revelation 2:24 ESV

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.

Revelation 2:25 ESV

Only hold fast what you have until I come.

A. It is the power to have daily, soul and life victory over the seduction of Jezebel

Revelation 2:20a ESV

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.

B. It is possessing the authority to rule with Jesus in the final battle against Satan

C. It is the promise of obtaining Christ

Revelation 2:28 ESV

And I will give him the morning star.

THEY SEDUCE YOU WITH CHEAP GRACE

a. Gave her time to repent but she would not

b. Gave her time – Giving us time

i. He does not have to – but it is sheer mercy that He does

Romans 2:4

c. But time, as MJ said – “Waits for no one”