Saturday, November 11, 2006
Revelation 2:18-29 ~ Jeff Ludington
Emerge October 14, 2006:
Revelation 2 - Thyatira
“Eyes Like Fire”
Read Revelation 2:18-29
Pray!
RECAP:
· Ephesus:
o Great theological church
o Lost their first love
· Smyrna:
o Church under persecution
o Persevering
· Pergamum:
o Lot’s of Love for others
o Not strong in theological stance
o Permitting too many false ideas to creep in
Thyatira:
“the largest letter written to the smallest church”
INTRO:
· These 7 churches exist in a postal route that go in the order it is written
· This would be the 4th church in the route
· 40 miles southeast and inland of Pergamum
Acts 16:13-15
On the Sabbath (Paul & Luke) went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Lydia:
· Paul’s first convert in Philippi
· Perhaps, Lydia, newborn in Christ helped Paul start a church in Thyatira
Vs. 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.
· Jesus tells the church about two of His own attributes here
· Eyes like fire, and feet like bronze
Feet like bronze:
· Just like the bronze in the temple was where the blood was poured out
· Judgment is what is symbolized here
· Jesus is the Judge of all the Earth
Can you worship the Jesus that is able to judge the living and the dead?
Eyes like fire:
· This is an attribute of God not endemic to only this passage
You think this would have been news to Peter?
Luke 22:60-62
Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
How about the prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 17:10
"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
Two more times in Jeremiah, God is called:
Jeremiah 20:12, 11:20
“You who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind”
God is said to know the heart in Acts: KARDIAGNOSIS
Acts 1:24
Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart.”
Acts 15:8
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
That is what Jesus is referring to here.
· God knows the heart
· Jesus sees straight through the Christian façade we put on
o Straight to our hearts
· That can be good!
o Or Bad!
· Remember the feet of bronze are still a part of this!!!
Vs. 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.
· I know your deeds
· I know you have love, faith, service, and perseverance
· I know your hearts
Remember: to whom is Jesus speaking?
- The church!
· Deeds are not the way into heaven
· Deeds are not the way into the church
· Deeds are what we are made for inside of relationship with God!
Ephesians 2:8-10
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
First off, Jesus tells them, I know your deeds
· Unlike Ephesus, they are loving
· Just like Smyrna, they are faithful and persevering
· Unlike Pergamum, they are doing more for the kingdom than when they started
This is really a good report card!
· Of course, there is more…
Vs. 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.
· That woman Jezebel
· Funny: the name Jezebel actually means purity/chaste
But I thought they were doing well:
· They had faith, and love, and action
· But they were lacking in holiness – much like many of our churches!
Jezebel:
· The first Jezebel was nearly 1000 years earlier (see 1 Kings 16-19, 2 Kings 9)
o Married to a weak Jewish king of Israel
o She mislead most of Israel
o She was truly their demise
· This Jezebel-like-woman was in some ways gnostic
o The considered their ways “a mature experience of life”
o This was very Gnostic-like in that they could do what they wanted, because God was spiritual, and the flesh had nothing to do with it
Similarities:
· It appears like the Jezebelites of Revelation are a lot like the Nicolaitans and the Baalamites
· They are all involved in sexual immorality and idol worship
· The problem here is tolerance.
Not too different from the church today, right?
· We tolerate the immorality in the church
· We tolerate the sin in the church
· We tolerate the divorce in the church
· WE are amazingly tolerant of many things
· But we are amazingly rough on others!!!
I am not going to teach you about tolerance tonight.
· Why?
· Because tolerance on both sides of the coin is a joke
o One side is the intolerant:
§ They seem to be only intolerant of the things that they ARE NOT GUILTY OF
§ The ones coming out against homosexuality, are still found having affairs and viewing porno!
o The intolerant are equally inconsistent:
§ They are only tolerant of those who are tolerant!
§ As soon as you say that there is a solid truth, they don’t like you
So, how do I not teach on tolerance, either to be tolerant, or not to be tolerant: and still get the message out?
IF you have pen and paper, write this down:
Be a REVOLUTIONARY not a REACTIONARY:
· We need to not react to those who are leading our church astray today and come out against them in a reaction
· We need to be a church that is already standing FOR things, and not just against things.
Example:
· Song of Solomon series
· I didn’t spend 12 weeks teaching against sexual sin
· I spent 12 evenings with you, teaching FOR PURITY!
Matt 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Salt and Light:
· Salt wasn’t just used for flavor in NT times
o It was used as a preservative
o To keep things from rotting they would put salt on them
· Today you put salt on the road in the snow
o This salt keeps you on the path
o It keeps you from sliding off the path/road
· Light is pretty self-explanatory
o You don’t want to get lost in the woods
§ You bring a flashlight
o You don’t want to fall down
§ You turn the light on in the dark
We are called to be just like this!
· We are called to be a preservative and keep people from rotting
· We are called to be a people that help keep others on the path
· We are called to keep others from getting lost
· We are supposed to be able to shine our lives before men and women, and keep them from stumbling!
Be salt and light!
Be a revolutionary!
· Don’t just be a reactionary
Vs. 21-23a
I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 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. I will strike her children dead.
· God’s patience amazes me
· I am truly grateful for it, but it amazes me
· God is patient
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Ezekiel 18:32
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
What a good and patient God we worship!!!
Vs. 23b
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.
· He says to the churches:
o I know
o I know it all
o All that you do is seen!
· I will repay you
o Good for good
o Bad for bad
Vs. 24-25
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): Only hold on to what you have until I come.
· There were those in Thyatira that were not consumed with this
· They were not trying to get the “mature” gnosis of Jezebelites
· He says, I am not going to ask more from you
· Just do what you were taught!
Jesus always taught us:
· That His yoke was easy, and His burden was light
· Simply, live the life God has called you to.
· Be a revolutionary
· That isn’t as tough as trying to combat all the evils of the world
Vs. 26-29
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— '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. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
· Stay the course now Thyatira
· They were be a place for you later
We don’t know a lot about how we will “rule in heaven”
· Jesus did say, “well done my good and faithful servant, you have been faithful with a little, now I will make you ruler of a lot”
· We just don’t know how it will look
My favorite “Blazing eyes of Jesus” story:
John 8:3-12
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus , "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman , where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
The one who can condemn you chooses not to!
· He is patiently waiting for you to come back to Him
· He is not tolerant of immorality
· But He didn’t react to her sinful lifestyle
Very next words:
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
· The reason Jesus didn’t react …
· …is because He was starting a revolution!!!
· A revolution of
o Purity
o Holiness
o Faith
o And forgiveness!!!
Revelation 2 - Thyatira
“Eyes Like Fire”
Read Revelation 2:18-29
Pray!
RECAP:
· Ephesus:
o Great theological church
o Lost their first love
· Smyrna:
o Church under persecution
o Persevering
· Pergamum:
o Lot’s of Love for others
o Not strong in theological stance
o Permitting too many false ideas to creep in
Thyatira:
“the largest letter written to the smallest church”
INTRO:
· These 7 churches exist in a postal route that go in the order it is written
· This would be the 4th church in the route
· 40 miles southeast and inland of Pergamum
Acts 16:13-15
On the Sabbath (Paul & Luke) went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Lydia:
· Paul’s first convert in Philippi
· Perhaps, Lydia, newborn in Christ helped Paul start a church in Thyatira
Vs. 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.
· Jesus tells the church about two of His own attributes here
· Eyes like fire, and feet like bronze
Feet like bronze:
· Just like the bronze in the temple was where the blood was poured out
· Judgment is what is symbolized here
· Jesus is the Judge of all the Earth
Can you worship the Jesus that is able to judge the living and the dead?
Eyes like fire:
· This is an attribute of God not endemic to only this passage
You think this would have been news to Peter?
Luke 22:60-62
Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.
How about the prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 17:10
"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
Two more times in Jeremiah, God is called:
Jeremiah 20:12, 11:20
“You who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind”
God is said to know the heart in Acts: KARDIAGNOSIS
Acts 1:24
Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart.”
Acts 15:8
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.
That is what Jesus is referring to here.
· God knows the heart
· Jesus sees straight through the Christian façade we put on
o Straight to our hearts
· That can be good!
o Or Bad!
· Remember the feet of bronze are still a part of this!!!
Vs. 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.
· I know your deeds
· I know you have love, faith, service, and perseverance
· I know your hearts
Remember: to whom is Jesus speaking?
- The church!
· Deeds are not the way into heaven
· Deeds are not the way into the church
· Deeds are what we are made for inside of relationship with God!
Ephesians 2:8-10
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
First off, Jesus tells them, I know your deeds
· Unlike Ephesus, they are loving
· Just like Smyrna, they are faithful and persevering
· Unlike Pergamum, they are doing more for the kingdom than when they started
This is really a good report card!
· Of course, there is more…
Vs. 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.
· That woman Jezebel
· Funny: the name Jezebel actually means purity/chaste
But I thought they were doing well:
· They had faith, and love, and action
· But they were lacking in holiness – much like many of our churches!
Jezebel:
· The first Jezebel was nearly 1000 years earlier (see 1 Kings 16-19, 2 Kings 9)
o Married to a weak Jewish king of Israel
o She mislead most of Israel
o She was truly their demise
· This Jezebel-like-woman was in some ways gnostic
o The considered their ways “a mature experience of life”
o This was very Gnostic-like in that they could do what they wanted, because God was spiritual, and the flesh had nothing to do with it
Similarities:
· It appears like the Jezebelites of Revelation are a lot like the Nicolaitans and the Baalamites
· They are all involved in sexual immorality and idol worship
· The problem here is tolerance.
Not too different from the church today, right?
· We tolerate the immorality in the church
· We tolerate the sin in the church
· We tolerate the divorce in the church
· WE are amazingly tolerant of many things
· But we are amazingly rough on others!!!
I am not going to teach you about tolerance tonight.
· Why?
· Because tolerance on both sides of the coin is a joke
o One side is the intolerant:
§ They seem to be only intolerant of the things that they ARE NOT GUILTY OF
§ The ones coming out against homosexuality, are still found having affairs and viewing porno!
o The intolerant are equally inconsistent:
§ They are only tolerant of those who are tolerant!
§ As soon as you say that there is a solid truth, they don’t like you
So, how do I not teach on tolerance, either to be tolerant, or not to be tolerant: and still get the message out?
IF you have pen and paper, write this down:
Be a REVOLUTIONARY not a REACTIONARY:
· We need to not react to those who are leading our church astray today and come out against them in a reaction
· We need to be a church that is already standing FOR things, and not just against things.
Example:
· Song of Solomon series
· I didn’t spend 12 weeks teaching against sexual sin
· I spent 12 evenings with you, teaching FOR PURITY!
Matt 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Salt and Light:
· Salt wasn’t just used for flavor in NT times
o It was used as a preservative
o To keep things from rotting they would put salt on them
· Today you put salt on the road in the snow
o This salt keeps you on the path
o It keeps you from sliding off the path/road
· Light is pretty self-explanatory
o You don’t want to get lost in the woods
§ You bring a flashlight
o You don’t want to fall down
§ You turn the light on in the dark
We are called to be just like this!
· We are called to be a preservative and keep people from rotting
· We are called to be a people that help keep others on the path
· We are called to keep others from getting lost
· We are supposed to be able to shine our lives before men and women, and keep them from stumbling!
Be salt and light!
Be a revolutionary!
· Don’t just be a reactionary
Vs. 21-23a
I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 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. I will strike her children dead.
· God’s patience amazes me
· I am truly grateful for it, but it amazes me
· God is patient
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Ezekiel 18:32
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
What a good and patient God we worship!!!
Vs. 23b
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.
· He says to the churches:
o I know
o I know it all
o All that you do is seen!
· I will repay you
o Good for good
o Bad for bad
Vs. 24-25
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): Only hold on to what you have until I come.
· There were those in Thyatira that were not consumed with this
· They were not trying to get the “mature” gnosis of Jezebelites
· He says, I am not going to ask more from you
· Just do what you were taught!
Jesus always taught us:
· That His yoke was easy, and His burden was light
· Simply, live the life God has called you to.
· Be a revolutionary
· That isn’t as tough as trying to combat all the evils of the world
Vs. 26-29
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— '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. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
· Stay the course now Thyatira
· They were be a place for you later
We don’t know a lot about how we will “rule in heaven”
· Jesus did say, “well done my good and faithful servant, you have been faithful with a little, now I will make you ruler of a lot”
· We just don’t know how it will look
My favorite “Blazing eyes of Jesus” story:
John 8:3-12
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus , "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman , where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
The one who can condemn you chooses not to!
· He is patiently waiting for you to come back to Him
· He is not tolerant of immorality
· But He didn’t react to her sinful lifestyle
Very next words:
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
· The reason Jesus didn’t react …
· …is because He was starting a revolution!!!
· A revolution of
o Purity
o Holiness
o Faith
o And forgiveness!!!
