Thyatira: The Tolerant Church
Most of, you know, we have been looking at a series out of Revelation Chapter 2 and 3 called letters from Jesus and these are literal letters that Jesus wrote to literal churches in Asia Minor which is modern-day turkey. And we have looked at this far Ephesus, which was the lovely Church they had left their first love and then we looked at Smyrna, the struggling church. And then last Sunday we saw pergamus which was a compromised church. And today, we're looking at the fourth letter, which is Tyra Tyra. The tolerant Church ferretera the tolerant Church. Let's pray before we get started, Our Father. We thank you Lord. So much for the blessing of already. Just being here, hearing your word read to us. Singing the songs of Zion hearing the children sing about you, and they're the great need that you give us. You give us that thirst and you give us that hunger for you more grateful or for that. And father we come before you Lord right now asking you Lord to meet with us in a very special way as we dive in deep into this letter. That's your son. Jesus wrote to this Pacific church and Lord help us to apply this letter to our lives individually, as well as our church corporately. Lord help us to strive for holding it Holiness and strive for purity. Father, I pray for the one who is here this morning cuz never been saved. Father. I pray that today would be the day of salvation. Father, we love you. We ask all these things in Christ, name. Amen. There is a great need in our time of people who are so gripped, by the truth of God's word to such a point. That they know. That they know the judge of right and wrong is not what they think is, right or wrong. But rather what God's word reveals as to being what is right or wrong, but unfortunately when it comes to morals, we as a culture have bought into the lie that right and wrong are really just relative term. What is wrong for you? May not be necessarily wrong for me. When it comes to religion, the world says that all religions are true. I've heard those who believe them to be true. And so in this atmosphere where there are supposedly no absolutes. The number one virtue is tolerance. Back today, intolerance is about the only thing that is almost universally considered to be seeing. Today tolerance means that you cannot tell anyone that they are wrong. To say that any religion is wrong is to commit. The unpardonable sin of intolerance to say that, any moral Act is wrong to say that. Any lifestyle, that a person lives is wrong is to be called arrogance, and intolerance by the world's standards. but in the midst of this,
Tolerance above all atmosphere in which we live in. We have a Bible, we have God's word that declares unto us, what is truth it claims to be and it is to be the inspired words of God. And God has revealed to us in his word. Just what is true. We have a savior who claims to be the only way to Salvation only way to the father and Heaven. I'll listen this God breathed book. Is very blunt. It is very playing concerning the absoluteness of what is morally, right? And what is morally wrong? There are no gray areas with God concerning morality. Everything's very plain on that point. As we read here, as we have read this morning this letter, we find that really the main points of the letter to the church at Tyra. Tyra is that they need to exclude that they need to excommunicate and this unrepentant. Jezebel. This passage indicates that this Jezebel has been called to repentance, but has refused to repent. And now the church is tolerating her in her unrepentant State. And now Jesus has promised to bring judgment to her and bring judgment to those who follow after her and ultimately judge the entirety of the church. And so it seems to be quite clear that the church in Zaire. Tyra needs to excommunicate or exclude Jezebel. And they should not fail to do so because she may be attractive. They should not fail to do so because she may be eloquent, or she may be very influential in the community. Now listen, they must do what they know is to be right and failing to do what they know is to be right, is to bring bring judgment upon the church. And so when we examine this church, By what Jesus says of this church. The church at Tyra Tyra doesn't seem like a great church at all. It doesn't look great at all. But listen to me. We must, we must Feast our eyes and our thoughts. Upon the one who is great. The one who is Magnificent, the one who is wonderful, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. And he tells this church of himself here and verse 18. And to the angel of the church and start Ira, right? These things says the Son of God, whose eyes, like a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass. Jesus. Here is called the son of God. And as the Divine Son of God as God's only begotten, son. He has eyes, the Bible tells us a 18 as flames of fire. That is his he has piercing laser-like Vision that is able to see y'all. Nothing can be disguised. Nothing can be covered up. Nothing can be hidden from him. I'll listen to church. May feel satisfied with itself. But having they may feel satisfied with themselves by having a good reputation within the community or even with other churches, but the penetrating eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ, see it as it really is.
Description of his feet. Are being like, fine, brass is so symbolic as it depicts his Purity and his holiness.
As he travels out in Purity as the righteous judge. Did you get imagine that this particular letter with cry? It was quite terrifying as the Lord Jesus describes himself. It must have created quite the shock and quite the sphere. When this letter was read to the congregation at this church. And no doubt. It came as a sober of a sobering realization to them, as it should to all sending Christians. That Christ will judge those who live in habitual continual, unrepentant, sin. And so the church as our Tara was sharply rebuked by the Lord because they were tolerant of some things that the Lord saw as intolerable. The truth is that shirt that I retire was being influenced by the world. More than they were influencing the world around them. Other three things I want us to notice this morning. Noticed number one, Jesus confirmed their service, Jesus confirmed their service. Verse 19 tells us. Jesus says, I know your works. Love service. Faith in your patience. And as far as and as for your works, the last are more than the first. And so Jesus starts out with encouraging words. And if you're listening to this this letter being read and you they start out there and verse number 19, you're quite encouraged by what Jesus Christ has said concerning the church. Jesus commands his chart for five good things, their Works their deeds their love service in faith and their patient endurance. And on top of that, he tells them as far as your works. The last are more than the first. That is your ladder, Works exceed, the fur that is, they are doing good things and they are apparently growing in doing good things. And so Jesus is encouraging the church. I guess this church has major problems, but those problems, don't keep him from seeing and commending, the fruits of the spirit that he sees with. In this particular Church noticed. Secondly, Jesus chastised their seeing Jesus chastised their sin. Despite the initial a good impression. If I retire there was a very very serious problem. For all its love for all its faith in service and perseverance. Notice. We did not hear one word. From the Lord, Jesus Christ about their holiness. We did not hear one word from the Lord Jesus Christ. That described the church is purity. And listen to me, Holiness is something with Jesus cares, very deeply about.
And we see this in his rebuke and warning over tolerated sins. and we see this as This particular letter here is a longest of his seven messages to the church. We noticed a 20 and 21 their disobedience.
Does. Nevertheless I have a few things against you because you allow that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. To teach and seduce my servants to commit, sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent. Unlike the previous cities that we have looked at this far, Tyra. Tyra was not an excessively large city. It was not a great City by way of population. It was however, a great Marketplace, a great Market City and as such the Power Tower was dominated by Merchants specifically. Merchant guilds are trade guilds, trade deals were an elite Association of skilled entrepreneur. Entrepreneur, is that work together and in so they could sell and a greater and have a greater impact and economically. And they oversaw various Industries, such as wool and linen and even bronze work since it's so much of an economic City. But notice that each Merchant pay special honor to pagan gods, especially the gods, the Greek gods of apollis of Apollo and Artemis. And these Merchant Freighters would attend the sacred festivals eating meals, and their temples, and participating, even in sexual immorality involved. In many, the Pagan rituals. But here is the issue. Christians, who refuse to honor pagan gods, those Christians who failed and refuse to eat meat. Sacrificed to an idol and engage in sexual immorality, jeopardized their material Necessities. They were regarded, then as social outcasts. And so it is in this, this context that we may understand, Jesus complaint here. Jesus says, I have this against you that you tolerate, that woman, Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess and she is teaching and seducing my servants to commit, sexual immorality, and eat things that are sacrificed to idols.
You say unlike pergamus, which was tolerating tolerating, a whole group of thoughts teachers. We saw that last Sunday here in ferretera. There was a persuasive woman in the church who claimed to possess prophetic gifts and who's teaching seduced, Christ's servants into becoming slaves of sin. Jesus called this woman Jezebel. However, this is not the woman's name, rather. He is describing her in terms of the famous. Old Testament. Villainous. The wicked Queen Jezebel. Let me quickly remind you who Jezebel was in the Old Testament. Jezebel was an unbelieving, princess from sidon. Israel's King Ahab, married for political reasons. They have she brought with her more than just her clothes and her makeup. She brought with her to is real or false gods. She brought with her many of those Pagan priests that spread the worship of Baal throughout the land of Israel. The Israelites were then seduced with the idea that these side only in God's male and female Bell. And ask her off would bring economic prosperity in the form of fertile lands and fertile wombs. A major part of Jezebel's idolatry involved, ritual prostitution at Pagan Shrine, which obviously totally corrupted. The people of God. And so, Jesus, use of the name Jezebel indicates. What's I retire as false prophets was teaching, At this second, Jezebel here in our text encourage, Christians to participate in the ceremonies, in Feast of the trade, Merchants, even to participate in the sexual sin and eat the food sacrificed to idols.
I'll listen just as the original Jezebel urge the Israelites to worship Baal and Ashfur off alongside the Lord, this new Jezebel or Christians who believe that their faith in Jesus did not mean that they had to exclude. The idolatry that was in there might be sent so for them to have a prosperous living. She no doubt said something like this.
Let's mingle with these people. Let's go to their religious services and participate in their feet. They will realize that we too want to know or have fun. They will realize that we're really not that judgmental after all. Jezebel's Doctrine stated that one might please, both God and the world. And that Christians do not have to be different from others just because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
This Woman's presence in an otherwise outstanding Church reminds us of the variety of attacks that Satan May launch against any church. One Rider said this, it's the devil cannot destroy the church by persecution or heresy. He will try to corrupt it with evil. This was the role played by The Jezebel Jezebel in the church at Tyra, Tyra. Jesus response to this Jezebel seductive Ministry, reminds us of two things, concerning sexual purity. First of all, the Bible associate sexual sin with idolatry. The Bible Associated sexual sin with idolatry not you may not associate sexual seeing with idolatry. But God does. As a matter of fact, the Old Testament is filled with verse, after verse comparing idolatry to sexual infidelity.
Hosea commanded Israel, saying the land of Israel. Has committed. Great. Whoredom. By forsaking the Lord. A Jeremiah complain that by worshipping at bails Alters, the Jews polluted, the land committing adultery with stone and tree. I'll listen to me this morning, 6. Is a gift from God, that is to be enjoy within the bonds of marriage. And it has a purpose and that purpose is for the procreation of children. And those who engage in sexual sin? Divorce or separate God's gift from God's holy purpose and in doing so make a god of their own desires. This is why Paul said in First Corinthians chapter 6, flee from sexual immorality. Why does he say that? He goes on his safe because your body is the temple of God, the spirit lives within you, you have been bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. S. Jesus emphasis here. Highlights the importance. Of sexual purity. To the Christian Life.
Listen, this idea that Believers in Christ. Those who name the name of Christ. May continue to live. Like the world is absolutely false. James wrote, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God there for whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy with God. I listen this principle here that James talks about is especially true when it comes to Christian calling when it comes to the Christian calling to sexual Purity through absence outside marriage and Fidelity within marriage. The Bible teaches that this is the will of God that you abstain from all sexual immorality. Jesus rebuked the church about our he said, I have this against you that you tolerate, that woman. Jezebel, who is seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality.
It is evident that Christ rebuked of sexual sin needs to be heard today by professing Christians.
Just a few years ago. a survey by a Christian magazine, reported that 80% Of unmarried Christians had sent sexually and two-thirds of unmarried Christian between the ages of 18 and 29 had been involved in a sexual relationship within the previous year. Listen Christians who have joined in with a sexual scene of our culture, have evidently forgotten that Jesus is a holy Lord. And he hates all seeing. Especially sexual sin. I believe a big reason why the numbers are so high. It's because so many pastors and churches are being quiet. On this issue.
Sex itself. Within the holy context to marriage is neither shameful nor sinful. Is being given by God to bond, a husband and wife emotionally and spiritually.
But here's a primitive what Jesus is saying? Jesus shows believers. What price. We must be willing to pay out our faithfulness to him in his comments about food sacrificed to idols. You see, if you wanted to be a successful Merchant in that City, it required for you to participate at Pagan feast in which false gods were worship and receive food after table. And by refusing to join these feast. They were cut off from all social Fellowship. In other words, Christian Merchants who chose to abstain from this requirement. It was like them committing economic suicide. And such a situation Christians were to be willing to suffer for Christ while trusting the Lord to provide for them in light of their refusal, to see Prosperity. By means of idolatry. The cost of being faithful to Christ was wonderfully and beautifully. Expressed when the early church leader 2 trillion rebuked, a Believer for participating in idolatry because of his business. The man defended is seeing by saying, well after all I got a live. In which tertullian answered do you? Do you? This time there is a there is no calling higher that are faithless to Christ including our very lives. James Boyce. Said this.
The early Christians. Knew that neither obeying the state. Getting along North sharing in the life of those around us justifies idolatry or immorality. When Paul argued that it was permissible to eat meats that have been offered to Idols. He did not say that it was right to do it in a pagan Temple as part of a pagan worship service. When Jesus told us to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, he limited that requirement by adding and sigard? What is dots? So we see you there. They're seeing their Disobedience, and I noticed their discipline. Their discipline. Speaking of their Jezebel. He writes a 22R Jesus says in verse 22. Indeed. I will cast her into a sickbed and Those who commit adultery with her into Great Tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am, he who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your works. As I said earlier, Christians may not easily accept the description of Jesus, that is found in the message here with our Tyra. This is particularly the case with the description of Christ as the Lord who judges his church. What would most even Jennifer Christian? Should they think if they were told not only that Jesus hates sin, but that He commands church discipline and threatens to strike their church members, who do not
The evidence suggests that most evangelicals would be appalled. By such a portrait of Christ.
But this is a portrait of Christ. And the world only want to see Christ as well. He just love and love and love is Mercy. Never judged. Really? You never read this letter. This is very difficult. It is hard. I could imagine being the reader. Of this letter to the congregation. I mean, it's difficult for me to preach it now. Couldn't imagine reading it into the situation in which this was a reality.
notice before judging his people, Christ. First, cause them to repentance. This shows that his purpose is not to harm, but to save his followers. Price has been wheel even for people in serious. Seeing like Jezebel. He says a 21. I gave her time to repent. This indicates that church leaders had previously, confronted her for her fault. Speech hanging Wicked Behavior. They had followed the, the outlining of church discipline out of Matthew chapter 18. But here we see the importance of loving and faithful church discipline Jesus, remind Christian to take biblical reproof. Seriously, especially when they come from, faithful pastors and says, not gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent. And therefore, because of that judgment was the only recourse. But the main point is that Jesus, judges people in pursuit of Holiness of his church. Even inflicting death on some for their sins. He says a 23 that he will kill her children with death, which presumably refers to her followers in cm. The principal for Christ's judgment, is giving a verse 23. I will give to each one of you according to your works. So those who persist in flagrant sin refusing to respond, to the biblical biblical calls to repentance, may suffer, strong chastisement from Christ, both for their own preservation and for the well-being of his church.
And if the Believers at Tower of Terror, had forgotten these truths about Jesus, how he is described in verse 18, as his eyes act, like flame of fire and his feet, like brass. If they had forgotten these truths about Jesus, his judgment on those two men again idolatry would remind them that Jesus is not some absentee landlord. But rather Jesus, is Sovereign ruler over over his kingdom. He says, in verse 23, that all the churches will know that I am, he who searches the mind and hearts and I will give to each of your cording to your works. Notice thirdly Jesus consoled the Saints, Jesus consoled, the Saints. even those our Tower was given over to horrible wickedness. Not all of them. Not the entire church was following after Jezebel. There was a faithful Remnant. We see this, we see their faithfulness and Brooke 24. Now, to you, I say into the rest and Tyra Tyra, as many as do not have this Doctrine who have not known, the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you, no other version. Jesus reminded them to stand on what they knew. What was true. They were to stand on sound Doctrine. They were to hold fast to those things that they newest true. According to God's word. It would have been very difficult for them to stand when so many had forsaken, the Lord, but Jesus encourages them to stay true and and to stay faithful to the end and listen to me church. We must do the same today. This is God's will for our lives as well. Even if everyone around us around to forsake the truth, we must always remain faithful and steadfast. God's truth is the foundation of Our Lives. And if we as a church forsakes, the truth who is going to stand for truth. We see their faithfulness. Notice their future. Verse 25, but hold fast to what you have till I come. Jesus also reminded them that this world was not all there was for the child of God. It may get dark here, but there is a brighter day coming. I notice a 26 and 27. His power. And he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end to him. I will give power over the nation's, he shall rule them with a rod of iron iron and they shall be dashed to pieces like the powers vessels as I have received from my father. Hear these verses Jesus is referring to the day when he comes again in power and sets up his kingdom here on this Earth To Rule and Terrain.
The string of phrases comes right out of Psalm chapter 2 and it reflects the authority. The father gave to the Son and the cause of this Authority that has been given to him. He will one day rule in power and Springs. I'll listen right now. Our world is dominated by seeing. Our world is dominated by wickedness. But Jesus will one day set things, right?
SS power. The notices person. First 28. And I will give him. The Morning Star. He that hath an ear. Let him hear what the spirit says. Enter the churches. And what is the Morning Star? Well, the Book of Revelation tells us in revelation 22 verse 16.
Says I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you. These things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David. The bright and Morning Star. Listen to The True Believers. Jesus has given himself to us. This is something that we must grasp, a hold of, this is something. We must cling to that in times of trial, in times of Temptation, in times of need. Listen, whatever. You truly need. Jesus is sufficient. Do you need answers? Jesus is truth. Are you hungry for the meaning of life? Jesus is the bread of life to satisfy that hunger. Are you thirsty for more of God and God's power? Jesus is the Living Water. Are you lonely? Jesus? Is that friend that sticks closer than a brother? Do you need forgiveness? He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Listen, what you truly need?
Whatever you truly need, he is sufficient.
I pray that we never become. A church as ferret, IRA. We must realize that serving God isn't just about doing good works. It also involves in keeping sound Doctrine. And keeping our lives pure and holy before. God. Let's pray together.