Authority of the Shepherd

Address to the Congregation

We have all heard the phrase “have your cake and eat it too…”

This phrase simply means that if you eat your cake now it will be gone therefore to cannot have the benefits of having the cake and eating it.

The secular world understands this but the Christian body seems to have trouble with this concept.

From the time Jesus declared you cannot serve two masters he made clear He will not tolerate one who is playing house with the Body.

The same can be said about His word… We should consider an honor to have His word in our hands. We should furthermore be jealous for the right division of His word.

Some where along the way we lost sight of the blessing it is to have (a) His word, (b) the Holy Spirit to bring understanding, and (c) Sound in depth teaching by those who lead.

1 Pet declares the posture we are to have in the face of a world the is devolving into depraved immorality.

1. Prepare your minds for Action

2. Be Sober-minded

3. Set you hope on the Revelation of Jesus Christ

4. DO NOT conform to the passions of the old self

5. Be holy for I am Holy...

This is not legalism as legalism believes that you can earn salvation… rather it is the constant pursuit of holiness, being set apart, to not partaking in the things of this world, and having the intestinal fortitude to take action against those who teach the body falsities.

What this means for us is this… the congregation has suffered being sold out for comfort, and compromise. Decades of this have left the congregation anorexic, powerless, looking more like the secular world than it does the body of Christ.

It seems the Christian body today wants to have its cake (the pleasures of this world) and eat it too (the riches of the kingdom to come.)

Be Holy as the Lord is Holy, that you may receive the authority of the shepherd.

Revelation 2:18–29 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. “ ‘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.’

This address is to the sold out congregation and not so much the sold out leader.

it appears to be the follow on to the message to Pergamum

Figurative Language, Symbolic Language , as well as, Literal Language.

At its core this letter addresses the need to be set apart

Finally an address of the gift that carries significant weight for the believer.

Revelation of Christ

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.

In the address to the church in Pergamum we noted the Lord’s Anger as He stood before them as judge

In this address sentence has been passed on the leaders but now He will address the congregation.

Jesus as Righteous Judge

Sun of God vs Son of God

Makes clear He is “THE SON of God “ not the sun god which many of them had professed.

References the book of Daniel as the one in the oven who protected

His eyes like a flame of fire

Purifier

judges metal or work

Feet burnished bronze

speaks of the work

He is ready to pass judgement on Thyatira and to protect those who are persevering.

Commendation for Advancement

Revelation 2:19 ESV

“ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

Intimate knowledge of the Work

Love

Faith

Service

Patient Endurance

This congregation is different than Ephesus they pursued greater than before

The body can advance even when the leaders are being corrected.

Rebuke for Embracing False Teaching

Our God is a jealous God.

Revelation 2:20–23 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. 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.

Literal may imply Sexual Immorality

this is something that is spoken about time and again

does not sit complete

Symbolically

Not against a woman who teaches but against leaders who are teaching the congregation false doctrines,

teaching people the things that will tickle their ears and leads them to behave like the world

The teachers had been given time to repent but they refused; now the congregation is being told to wake up or risk suffering the same consequences.

Sickbed speaks of the tribulation and punishment

She (the false teachers) and her children (spiritual offspring) struck dead

The next verse speaks affirms this thought as it speaks of learning the deep things of satan. (false doctrine intended to mislead the people)

Exhortation to Advance and Not to Regress

Revelation 2:24–25 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. Only hold fast what you have until I come.

Grace continues to be extended… its a call to repent of following after false teachings

A call to continue seeking to advance in the things of the Lord

2 Corinthians 6:14–18 ESV

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Yes you are a temple, You Decide what to fill it with

If you want God to fill your temple then you must come out from among the secular… its a command to be different… only then does the Lord fill our temple.

Reward for Seeking Holiness

Revelation 2:25–29 ESV

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.’

Authority over the Nations

Keeps His Works He is the one examining our works

Rule them with iron rod speaks of Shepherding

compares our ruling to His ruling

Morning Star

Progressing glory

Morning Star Identified as Jesus

Speaks of Ruling With Him.

Be holy for I am Holy, separate yourselves from the secular… get away from false teachers… as you are found persevering it is Jesus who places His authority in you in the now and the promise in the future speaks of how the one who will overcome will shepherd the nations in His kingdom.