Thyatira: The Corrupt Church
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Transcript
There were 128 runners in the field for the cross country race at the 1993 NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships. As they set out on the 6.2 mile run, they were following a course that had been marked for them by the race officials. Toward the end of the course, one of the runners in the middle of the group realized something was wrong. Mike Delcavo of Western State College in Colorado saw that the main pack had missed the turn. “I was waving for them to follow me and yelling ‘This is the right way,’” he told an interviewer after the race.
Delcavo was right—but only four other runners followed him. The rest continued on the shortcut, which allowed them to run a shorter distance and finish the race sooner. In a widely-criticized decision, race officials allowed the abbreviated route to stand as the “official course” and Delcavo officially finished 123rd.
The world does not always reward staying on track—literally or figuratively. But the path we follow is important to God. One day, those of us who have already trusted Christ for our salvation will appear before the Lord for an evaluation of our service. Our entrance to Heaven is sure—that was settled when we received Christ. But rewards—or the loss of them—for how we spent our lives are not so sure. When we stand before the Lord, no shortcuts will be recognized, and only those who have run the race by His guidebook will be honored.
Tonight Pastor Asked me to speak on The Church of Thyatira. Which means we have skipped one of the seven churches. But we will come back to it next week.
Thyatira was a corrupt church and it began out of a heart of compromise and as such they have gone off course.
Let’s read the text together.
And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
And I will give him the morning star.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Compromise will destroy a church. We live in a world of compromise where people seek their own interests as any cost. People sell their souls for the possessions, power, and pleasures of this world. People young and old alike will compromise and go along; they will do almost any: to get attention, to be popular or acceptable, secure their jobs, to get more money, a bigger house, or to gain more power.
This list could go on and on, but the point is clearly seen. People compromise what they know is right in order to get what they want.
We often do this with sin. We compromise what we know to be right, (That sin is sin) for what we want right now. We do this with food. Everyone knows what I mean. We say, “I know I don’t need this piece of cake but it looks so good.” “Or I know the doctor said I need to lose some weight but what does he know anyway?” “I know I shouldn’t but I just can’t help myself.”
But when we do this with God’s Word or doctrine we get ourselves into trouble. This was what the members of the church of Thyatira were doing. The church at Thyatira is a picture of the compromising church that led to corruption, a church full of believers who were compromising with the world in order to fulfill their own personal desires.
Introduction
Introduction
“Thyatira” means “theater”. The church represents the period from 500 to 1500 AD, from the beginning of the middle ages to the reformation.
Located in Asia, Thyatira was a very prosperous city. It was founded by Alexander the Great upon his return from his great victory over the Persians in 331 B.C. Thyatira was a small but very rich city. It was surrounded by fertile, agricultural ground and had a prosperous dyeing industry. Acts 16:14 tells us that Lydia, the seller of purple, was from Thyatira.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
The church of Thyatira represents the fourth age in the history of the church. This period known as the Middle Ages. It is also referred to as the Dark Ages because it was characterized then by the spiritual darkness and violent oppression of the nominal Christian church over the true believing Christian church.
Thyatira was a city in the province of Asia, located about forty to forty-two miles east of Pergamos, on the boundary of Lydia and Mysia. It was not a great city, yet it was an excellent trade center, with many trade guilds or labor union networks. No doubt this played a prominent role in the social, political, economic, and religious life of the city. Each guild had its own deity, feasts, and seasonal festivals that included sexual sins. Such situations, in a trading community, strengthened temptation to compromise.
Some Christians and churches today feel a need to be all-inclusive when it comes to spiritual and moral boundaries. Evidently, the church in Thyatira felt that was a well. On the surface, the church was commendable for its love, faith, service, and patience. But Christ, with “eyes like a flame of fire,” recognized their problems. (verse 18). The one who sees every heart sees right to the problem here of immorality. According to verse 20, it only took one person, a self-proclaimed “prophetess,” to corrupt the church.
The role of women in Thyatira was strong; women like Lydia and Jezebel were prominent. Lydia's role was positive and constructive in the founding of the church of Philippi while Jezebel's role was negative and destructive. Jezebel was an unknown person in the history of the church. She might have been the wife of one of the pastors of the church. Or she might have been a strong-willed woman within the church. Jezebel might have been her real name, or it may have be used to liken her to Jezebel of the Old Testament the wife of Ahab who was an evil king and queen of Israel. She was a wicked woman who was deep in the worship of Baal. She lead the people to evil and immoral sins against God.
The Jezebel in our text used this self-given title to convince those in the church to commit immorality.
This could be the cause of why Jesus speaks more severely to Thyatira than the other churches, causing John to see the Lord Jesus as a stern Judge.
What does Christ say to a church that tolerates immorality in its midst?
The Warning of Discipline
The Warning of Discipline
Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
When the prophetess refused an opportunity to repent, Christ warned of His judgment: “I will cast her in a bed.” Whether taken figuratively or literally, those words are cautionary. Meaning to cast her into a sickbed. the word bed there means “bed, couch, or stretcher. God is holy and will not tolerate rebellion forever. As Hebrews 10:31 says:
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Before Christ gives this warning of discipline to the Church and to Jezebel He offer her and those who have followed her a way to repent. as we see in verse 21.
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
God always offers a way of repentance when we sin. Whether you believe your sins are to great your not, God offers you a way back to Him, He offers forgiveness.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I love studying the life of David. Not only did he have great battles and victories. We get to see David defeat the giant, but we also see that he was a man who failed and made big mistakes. But what I enjoy must about the life of David, was that he was quick to confess that he has sinned. He kept short accounts with God.
Compromise and corruption will always creep in when we allow unconfessed sin to dwell. God tells us to let go of those sins, confess them, ask me to forgive, and I will forgive.
No matter what you have done tonight, no matter how big you believe you have messed up, Christ has the power to cleanse your heart of the sin you have been holding on to. He just wants you to willingly lay down before Him and He will forgive you.
Why? Because your sin separates you from God.
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
If you are hear tonight and you have trusted in Christ as your personal saviour, you can be sure that you are on your way to heaven that is clear. Nothing can separate you from that. But your sin brings the fellowship with God and your relationship becomes strained. God will only allow that for so long before the discipline comes to you.
Jesus who gave Jezebel a chance to repent and to return to him. There is nothing more difficult than stubbornness in a heart. When coldness creeps into the heart and believer’s love for Jesus grows weak; the believer becomes rebellion, mutiny, and an insistence on sin Grows. The whether your life is pointed towards him, like in the case of Abraham, or away from him, as was the life of Lot. The Lord Jesus asks you to repent and return to him. (Verse 22).
In case there is no repentance, the penalty of the Lord begins. Then the Lord Jesus begins chastising.
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
No one enjoys being punished. No one as a kid or an adult in the work place sets out on their looking for a chance to be corrected or punished. But there also comes a point in our rebellion and God’s punishment that God will say it is enough and bring you home.
We see here and Christ gives that warning as well.
The Warning of Death
The Warning of Death
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Again, Christ’s warning weather figurative or literal is quite serious. His promise to kill the woman’s children may have referred to children born of her immorality or the spiritual children she seduced into her practices. This warning was not just to her but also to “those who commit adultery with her.” Christ was prepared to judge anyone associated with the woman’s immorality. Without repentance, they would fine themselves in “great tribulation.”
I know of a couple of people, that rebelled and fought God and fought God, until God said enough is enough. Why? Because sin when it is finished brings forth death.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Sin is why there is death in our world to begin with, but if you have never trusted in Christ in as your saviour you are living in your sins and they will be held to your account when you stand before your maker. And you will experience the death that separates you from God forever.
Let me ask you tonight, ask Christ to forgive you of your sins and be your saviour! don’t wait.
The Christian who is living in a state of sin after sin, after sin the warning if clear tonight, God wants you to repent and come back into fellowship with Him again, but if not God is prepared to punish and even bring you home if you don’t.
But the message tonight and to this church isn’t all negative. Christ also, gives message to the Christians who haven’t been seduced or swayed by the false teacher.
The Message to the Christians
The Message to the Christians
But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Not every believer in Thyatira was immoral however. Some knew God’s standards and would not budge from them. The message for those who did not engage in the cult of immorality was to stand their ground - “hold fast till I come.”
I love this thought. This hit home with me, that in the midst of all the problems, the immorality and sins of this church there were some who, no matter what would get involved.
This age of church history that Thyatira represents known as the dark ages, it began about A.D. 500, around the time when the bishop of Rome began officially to be called the pope. At that time the Roman church was supreme over all churches and the bishop of Rome was supreme over all bishops. The Roman Catholic Church transformed grace, from the unmerited favor of God, received by faith in Christ, to a quality infused into man through participation in the sacraments, whereby man is enabled to do good works and thus earn his own salvation. People went to amazing lengths to merit their own salvation. They sought forgiveness of sins through extreme acts of penance. Many bought indulgences were allowed for a price by the popes. Even purgatory was instated at this time as a place of fire where the souls of sinners remained after death, to be purged of sin, and rendered fit for heaven. and In June of A.D. 431, the church officially proclaimed Mary "The mother of God” bring her to be equal with Christ.
Even in the midst of all that in history there were men and women who would not fall for this heresy. Who many we are proud to call our fathers of the faith. They paid a high price as the stood firm.
There were many during this time that stood faithfully for the Lord Jesus Christ and some outstanding products of this period we owe a great deal to. Men like John Wycliffe, and John Huss, and many others who earned the martyr’s crown because they refused to give up their adherence to the Word of God and to Jesus Christ.
The message to us today in the same that it was for these here in the church of Thyatira, the same as for those who gave their lives in the dark ages, “Hold fast till I come!”
Don’t quit! Don’t give up the what you know to be right for the pleasures of this world right now. Our world today has made it really easy for you to conform to the image of this world instead of the image of God. But on hold fast. Be strong against the pull of the sins immorality that can be easily at your figure tips today.
And if you do you will be a conqueror an overcomer.
The Message to the Conquerors
The Message to the Conquerors
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
And I will give him the morning star.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
All who would choose faithfulness “until the end” would become overcomers or conquerors. Christ promised that they would rule the nations with Him during the Millennium, and they would be raptured to heaven with Him - “the Bright and Morning Star” - before the Tribulation.
Christ's Challenge to the overcomer "And he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him I will give power over the nations." There are two aspects of the challenge of our Lord to the individual overcomer of this period:
(1) He will give him a position of leadership and authority during the millennial age if he is faithful in this age;
(2) "and I will give him the morning star." This beautiful title is clearly understood in the light of our Lord's word in Revelation 22:16, where He explains that He is the “bright and morning star.”
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
This promise is clearly the promise of Christ to come and “abide" if you "overcome.” Who is an overcomer? 1 John 3:17 clarifies that it is “whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ!"
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Conclusion
Conclusion
In most of these warnings to the churches Christ says,
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
What is the point of hearing the warnings of Christ if you are not listening? Christ says let him hear what the Spirit says! Listen tonight to the warning of discipline and death to those who will not repent of their sins and listen to the message of standing your ground so that you will be a conqueror, and overcomer!
Every person has ears but the question is, are you a hearer or have you stopped your ears from hearing? The Lord is trying to obtain an answer from you whether you are going to work according to these words or not?
Will you live a life of service the brings lost souls to Jesus: “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The Word of God counsels us to: “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14); and as Paul the apostle affirms: "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1)!
Won’t you come and do business with God night. If you have never trusted in Christ or you are stuck in this state of sin in your life. Christ is pleading with you, come and ask and I will forgive.