Revelations 2 Part 3
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I want to start with the same scripture I used last week.
All Scripture is inspired
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
So far we have covered 3 churches - we have 4 to go.
Each has a very important theme attached to it.
Ephesus - the apostolic or the loveless church
Smyrna - the persecuted church
Pergamos - the compromised church
Church in Thyatira
“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.’
Thyatira- the corrupted church
Background
- situated in a valley
no natural fortifications
Trade center - wool linen, leather, pottery etc
had a a strong trade guild- ( If your not in the guild you would have an impossible task to do business or make a living.
It was a very idolatrous and immoral city.
Jesus Descriptor Used - Eyes a flame of fire and feet of burnished bronze - Jesus will judge and his judgement will be true and everlasting.
The Good
Deeds - Love -faith - Service - perseverance - growth - was stellar. In today's world this would be the church to go to. We would call it a healthy , vibrant, growing church . a model church that you could write books about. Some churches would love to get just one of those qualities on the upswing.
The Bad
It had a challenge and that was to conquer sin, one must be thoroughly acquainted with it. ( How many of you know this is not true?)
Tolerates the women Jezebel
She is a picture of Jezebel in the OT who is seen as seductive, idolatrous, immoral, full of witchcraft and murder.
she was Ahab's wife in 1 kings 16.
She enticed the king to worship Baal
She tried to kill the prophets of God
Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him.
She considered herself a inspired teacher (Prophetess)with special revelations from God. This infected the church.
In the church before this one we see the same situation. The people were influenced by a false teacher
Immorality and eating food dedicated to idols ( meaning involved in pagan rituals, and feasts) and living a immoral lifestyle. What is immoral? adultery, homosexuality, fornication, - everything that does not bring about a pure relationship.
She said the opposite of this
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
“The deep things of Satan” is attributed to teachings that to know evil - you must know it intimately.
Paul says the only thing he wanted to know is “ Christ Crucified”
The Solution
Repent - Interesting to note- Jesus gave this person time to repent. That is the mercy of God. She was probably rebuked by leadership but decided not to repent.
Some people when you pull them on the carpet - they get meaner and twice as loud.
Don’t tolerate False teaching - They did the opposite of the church in Ephesus.
Overcome the persecution that follows
Remember - You have authority over Nations in Jesus name. God has given you the authority to smash into pieces false teaching and anything that sets itself up against God.
It is funny John uses the word earthen pots - why because they are easy to break.
Jezebel thought she was invincible but God dealt with her.
Interesting to note
When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?”
There was no peace.
Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him.
He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot.
Throw her down can be translated - let her fall - release her - don’t hang on to her.
WOW - not much of a battle - just dealt with.
Hold fast to the truth and overcome AMEN
Sardis- the feeble church
Revelation 3:1–6 (ESV)
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.
Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Jesus Descriptor - To Him who has the seven spirits and stars
Background
50 miles east of Ephesus
on a trade route
strategic military fortress
It also had a temple to Diana ( artemis)
It produced wool
In of itself it was a city on the decline - Like a Yukon gold rush city when the gold ran out.
The people were arrogant and overconfident leading to the city being breached
They had the attitude that we are ok , don’t worry about it.
They lived a loose luxurious lifestyle.
The Good
No good news to speak of
The Bad
It was once alive but now it is dead
The church did not effect the community. ( you don’t here of any persecution going on STRANGE)
They were living in the past glory. Fifty years of History 9 that was there life cycle)
All the churches programs produced nothing.
It seemed that it did not have a lot of problematic theological or doctrinal issues
It became comfortable and content living in the past.
It was also comfortable and content living in the world
They ignored the present and became complacent in ministry.
They were about to have Christ come against them if they didn’t wake up.
The Solution
Repent and wake up.
This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
Strengthen what remains- get to work - make the necessary changes - don’t die like the city.
Faith produces life and fruit.
The Holy Spirit can revive a dead work.
You can be alive in the world but dead to God
The Promise
Those who conquer - those who forge ahead will be clothed in white ( seen as pure and there name will not be blotted out of the book of life)
What can we conclude from these churches?
How do you live in this world without shaking hands with it?
Understand this is not your home.
How do we flourish and not die
Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
Be a shining light in the midst of a dark world
Keep your clothes unstained by the world
Remember it is not to late. Jesus is aware of the situation and we can do something about it
Colossians 3:1–3 (NASB95)
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
This cannot be done without Love.
God loves you enough to die for you while you were yet sinners ( Messed Up)
He can put loe in you so you can love others - AMEN