Sermon Series: Revelation 1-3: Evaluate, Change, and Restore

Hold On!

Revelation 2:18-29

PSBC 3-11-01 AM

In a nutshell: Don't be influenced to follow another god of any kind. Hold on. Those who hold on, will reign with Christ.

I. Introduction–two pieces of background

This morning, we come to the fourth church that Jesus, the Lord of the Church, is taking through a process of evaluation, change and restoration to effectiveness. It's called the church of Thyatira, and it's located more inland and north in Asia Minor, than the first three churches we have previously looked at in this series of sermons based on the first three chapters of Revelation.

But before we get into our study, I need to give you two pieces of background information, so we are all on the same page in our thinking and understanding, this morning.

A. Sexual Immorality

The first has to do with sexual immorality. Sexual immorality is a "catch-all" phrase in the Bible that means any sexual practice that is not moral, in the view of God. This would include things like incest; the physical act of adultery; the mental act of adultery; sex outside of marriage; sex involving shameful lusts, as described in Romans 1, which would include "unnatural acts" with someone of the same sex; and involvement with a prostitute. All these things are forbidden by God in...

1 Cor 6:18-20
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

So, just to make sure we are all on the same page, according to the Bible, practicing sexual immorality dishonors God, and conversely, refraining from sexual immorality honors God.

B. Idolatry

A second area we have to understand at the outset, is that idolatry in any form, is forbidden for a follower of God. This prohibition is found in one of the 10 Commandments that God gave the Israelites from Mount Sinai. And it is strongly talked about at least 16 times in the New Testament, as being something Christians should stay away from and keep from participating in.

Saying all that, you need to know that one of the practices associated with idol worship in New Testament times, was eating the food that was sacrificed to idols in pagan temples. In essence, there were meat markets set up inside most pagan temples in most parts of the Roman empire. In these markets, the public could buy the leftover meat that had been offered to the idols, but was not actually burned up in the sacrifices of the day.

At the beginning of the church, there was a big controversy as to whether or not a Gentile person could become a Christian. When it became evident that God was bringing non-Jews into a relationship with Him, the apostolic leaders in Jerusalem, under the authority of the Holy Spirit, wrote these guidelines for these new Gentile converts...

Acts 15:23-29
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul- 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.

The apostle Paul later said in one of his letters, that there was nothing physically wrong with eating the meat offered to idols, but it was the appearance of Christians participating in idolatry by eating this meat, that concerned him. It could lead a weaker Christian brother or sister to stray from the faith. And that's why he encouraged Christians to refrain from doing it.

I tell you about these two things because sexual immorality and eating food offered to idols will come into prominent play in this message to the church at Thyatira. If you have your Bibles, please turn to Revelation 2, and we'll start reading at verse 18...

II. Judgment and Approval

Rev 2:18-19
18 "To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

A. The city

Thyatira was an inland city in Asia Minor. It wasn't nearly as large as Ephesus, Smyrna or Pergamum, that we've studied so far in this series. This was a blue collar city. This was a city known for its trade guilds. A trade guild in Thyatira looked after apprenticeships, licensing, enforcement of standards, advertising, and the assignment of tradesmen to different jobs.

In Thyatira, there were trade guilds that oversaw weavers, linen workers, clothing makers, dyers (Lydia, a convert to Christianity in Philippi, through the apostle Paul, was involved in the dying of purple. She was from Thyatira.). But also, leather-workers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave-traders, and metal smiths. Basically, if you were a tradesman in Thyatira, and didn't belong to a trade guild, you didn't work!

B. Son of God

Now, in these first verses we have the only time in the book of Revelation where Jesus uses the title, "Son of God" to describe Himself. This means that He is emphasizing His deity to this church.

He describes Himself as having "eyes like blazing fire". That means Jesus can see through the facades of people. He can see through the disguises that people like to hide behind. Jesus can see the pretenses and motives of people, and get right down to the heart of what they are doing, and why they are doing it.

He also has "feet of burnished bronze". That means that when He sees sin in those motives, He will trample that sin under foot. In other words, He will severely punish His followers for the wrong and the willful disobedience they display. As you might guess, this evaluation isn't going to be a picnic for the Christians in Thyatira!

...But before He gets to the bad stuff, He tells them, "You guys are doing some things right, just like Palm Springs Baptist Church!" Well, it doesn't actually use those words, but that's the thought.

C. The church commended

First, Jesus commends the church for its deeds that are being brought on by love and faith. And the church is being congratulated for their service and their stick-to-itiv-ness. That's just like us!

-There isn't a church anywhere that can out love us. It's one of the four things we specifically mention in our purpose statement..., and we do it very well.
-We also have faith. We build budgets based on faith. We hire staff based on faith. We look toward building in the future based on faith.
-Plus we serve. Many of you more "seasoned saints", have set a great example, and continue to set a great example of service for the younger adults in our church. Many of you younger adults are doing so much that we really need to relieve you of some of your responsibilities and find others to help shoulder the load. But you all have hung in there.
-We're growing at a very exciting rate of growth in our church right now, but that's because many of you have stuck it out through the difficult times of years past.

Well, that's exactly what was going on in Thyatira, too.

But Jesus doesn't leave it at that. The blazing eyes and the feet of brass, now start doing their thing. Look at the next few verses...

D. The Church condemned

Rev 2:20-23
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

1. Jezebel in their midst

Evidently, there was a woman who was a very dominant leader in the church in Thyatira. Jesus calls her "Jezebel", even though that's not her real name. Rather, that's her character.

-The Old Testament Jezebel was the daughter of the pagan king of Sidon, in Phoenecia.
-She married the Israelite King, Ahab, to seal a deal between Israel and the cities and nations on Israel's western boarder, that would protect Israel from war and guarantee them free access to the trade routes of the Phoenicians.
-She introduced the worship of Baal to the Israelites, which was a religion based on idol worship and sexual immorality.
-She killed many prophets of the Lord.
-She tried to kill the prophet Elijah;
-She ordered her neighbor Naboth killed, in order to take his farm, and
-She urged her husband, Ahab to do continual evil in the sight of God.
-And the bottom line to her life and legacy was that she was known as a continual negative influence against God and His values, for as long as she lived.

The Jezebel in Thyatira was doing "Jezebel-like work" in the church. She was influencing the Christians in Thyatira to indulge in sexual immorality and idolatry, while they were claiming to be disciples of God.

2. Tie in of the trade guilds and the two sins

Now, here's the tie in between Thyatira–the city of trade guilds; this woman, Jezebel; and the two things I told you about at the beginning of this message–sexual immorality and idolatry.

In order to work in Thyatira, you had to be part of a trade guild. Trade guilds controlled the entire business community in Thyatira. So, Christians had to join a trade guild in order to work. Now, the meetings of the guilds were devoted to debauchery, immorality and licentiousness that were connected to the worship of the erotic gods of the Greek world. Let me show you something that the New Testament scholar, William Barclay wrote about this situation...

These guilds met frequently, and they met for a common meal. Such a meal was, at least in part, a religious ceremony. It would probably meet in a heathen temple, and it would certainly begin with a libation to the gods, and the meal itself would largely consist of meat offered to idols. The official position of the church meant that a Christian could not attend such a meal.

So, you see the problem that these Thyatiran Christians faced was that in order to make a living they had to belong to the trade guild. But to attend the guild meetings meant that they had to be involved in sexual immorality and idolatry. So the Christians in Thyatira were faced with a moral dilemma. And apparently, "Jezzie" had begun to teach that it was all right for Christians to go along with the requirements of the guild, and submit to the pressures of pagan society, rather than remaining pure before God.

After all, you had to make a living, right? Today we would say, "Business is business." In other words, if business practices collide with your Christian principles, then your principles have to go–because you have to make a living.

Now friends, listen very carefully to this, and understand the logic. I don't want you to miss the central message the Lord of the church wants you to know this morning...

If people deliberately reject the Lord's authority, He is no longer their God. The result is, they must find another god. You see friends, it is impossible for the human spirit to live without something to live for. That is what a god is.
-Whatever you are living for, or
-whatever makes life worthwhile to you,
...becomes your god. It may be the god of pleasure, or sexual immorality. It may be the god of wealth. It may be the god of power, or lust, or ambition, or comfort. It may be the god of fame or recognition. But don't kid yourself. Whatever you're living for, that's your god.

One of my favorite preachers, Ray Stedman, added to this idea in one of his sermons (front of your information guides...) The point that is being made here is that wherever you work is the place of greatest temptation. Right here this morning there are businessmen and businesswomen, stockbrokers, professional people, clerks, secretaries, and various laborers in the marketplace and in shops. It is right where you work that you will be under pressure to compromise and to go along with the standards of the world around you. (Stedman, message on the Church at Thyatira).

Friends, that's the sin of Thyatira. Christians following another god. And the Lord of the church won't tolerate that. So, He pronounces judgment on three groups of people in this church.

E. Three judgments

1. First, there is Jezebel, herself. Jesus says, "I will cast her on a bed of suffering." This is a statement full of irony and sarcasm. He is saying, in effect, "She likes beds for her sexual pleasures, O.K., I'll give her a bed–but it'll be one of pain and suffering." We don't know what that was, but it was probably similar to what we see in the next group.

2. The next group are those in the church who listen to Jezzie, and who actually practice sexual immorality and idolatry with the trade guilds. Jesus says, "I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways." The suffering that Jesus refers to, very likely had to do with sexual diseases. Think about it. What generally accompanies sexual immorality? Some form of sexually transmitted disease. Gonorrhea and syphilis were well know diseases and wide-spread diseases of that day. Add to those diseases our modern day disease of AIDS, which results largely from sexual immorality, and you see the kind of judgment that the Lord of the church is able to effect. If you have a sexually transmitted disease or you know of someone who has such a disease, you know how devastating it is to the quality and length of human life. So you can see what serious business this issue of God's jealousy really is.

3. Finally, there is the third group. To this group, Jesus says, "I will strike her children with death." The term Children represents those who not only practice immorality but who teach it as well–like Jezebel was doing. The "death" that Jesus talks about is what the letter to the church at Pergamum called "the second death". This is the terrible destruction that is mentioned toward the end of Revelation, and is described as the "lake of fire". I'd have to believe that this third group of people in the church are people who have never really known a relationship with God. They are in the church to make trouble and lead others astray from the living God.

But, notice this. All three groups have a life-line. Jesus says, "unless they repent of her ways." This is the marvelous thing about our Lord Jesus. Yes, He is God and pronounces judgment on sin. Yes, He can bring about terrible consequences to a person because of their sin. But Jesus always gives the opportunity for repentance. Stop the sin. And start in the opposite direction by entering into a relationship with Him. That puts you on the road that will save you from the judgment. Now, look at the next verses for instructions to Christians in that church, and to us, who have not followed the teachings of Jezebel, and remained true to God, alone...

III. Hold On

Rev 2:24-25
24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25 Only hold on to what you have until I come.

A. Don't accept a substitute for God's authority

Anytime someone teaches or someone follows something contrary to scripture, they have to claim another authority from God's Word, the Bible.
-Our local anti-Christian voice in the newspaper, William Edelen, claims his authority from human reason, his own arrogance, and men he refers to as "scholars" in the secular world.
-Mormons claim the book of Mormon and Joseph Smith's writings as their authority.
-Jehovah Witnesses claim their "New World" translation of the Bible as their authority.
-And most people who are caught up in sexual immorality claim their personal feelings and society's norms as their authority.

But Jesus tells us, "Hold fast to what you have." In other words...
–Don't let go of God's authority in your life.
–Don't accept degrading moral standards.
–Don't go along with sexual immorality
–Don't accept the idea that sexual lust is just part of a healthy libido.
–Don't accept the idea that adultery is only a minor sin
–Don't replace the God who proved His love for you on Calvary, for a god of your own choosing or your own making.
"Hold on until I come." says Jesus. If you do, here's two promises...

B. Conclusion: Two promises to those who hold fast

1. Ruling With Jesus

First, we will rule with Jesus. Look at the next two verses...

Rev 2:26-27
26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations- 27'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'-
just as I have received authority from my Father.

Verse 27 is a quote from Psalm 2. This is a promise to rule with Christ in an earthly kingdom that we call the "Millennium". This is not the new heaven and new earth at the end of time, but a thousand year period that the Bible teaches will take place before that new heaven and new earth are set up.

I can't tell you exactly how this will look, but I can tell you that faithful followers of Jesus Christ will rule the nations with Jesus during this thousand year reign. We will have a place of privilege as well as responsibility. This is the period of time that Paul describes to in...

Phil 2:9-11
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

2. Morning Star

The second promise is in verse 28...

Rev 2:28
28 I will also give him the morning star.

Now, Revelation 22:16 tells us who this "morning star" is...

Rev 22:16
16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

Have you ever seen the morning star? This is the star that appears in the sky, just before the sun comes out. Keep that in mind, and look at what the Bible says about the sun...

Mal 4:2
2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.

Most Bible scholars agree that this is a reference to the coming back of Jesus at the end of time. Malachi calls Him the "sun of righteousness". But before the sun comes at the end of time, we are promised the morning star. The morning star is ours if we hold on to an exclusive faith in Jesus, on His terms, and under His authority.

So, understand what He's saying about the morning star. Before Jesus comes back again at His second coming, He will appear to His faithful followers. Friends this is a reference to what Christians down through the years, have called "the rapture". This is a reference to what Paul wrote about in

1 Thess 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Jesus will come for His own–but as we see from this message to Thyatira, that means only those who are true followers and faithful followers. They will be the only ones to meet Him as their morning star.

Friends, I hope you grasp what the Lord of the church is communicating this morning. Christianity is far more than fire insurance from Hell. The message to the church at Thyatira tells us that Christianity is following a new Lord –a new leader for your life. True Christianity is not a faith that mixes the values of this world with faith in God. You can't follow Jesus on your own terms. God is a jealous God. And He will not share His rule of your life with another god.

The message from the Lord of the church to you today, is this... don't give in to the pressures of the world around you. Hold on to your faith in Jesus, and Him alone. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Amen.