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It is not unusual to hear about someone causing trouble in the Church. Some members are like the old man that had been a member of the church for 65 years. The new pastor said to him one day, "Being that you have been a member here for 65 years, I guess you have seen some mighty big changes here." The old man answered, “Yep, sure have, and I've been against all of them."
A farmer asked a restaurant owner if he could use a million frog legs. Desirous of putting frog legs on the menu more frequently, the owner asked the farmer where he could get so many. The farmer said, "My pond is overflowing with them. Their croaking is driving me up the wall." The owner told the farmer to bring him as many as he could. A week later the farmer returned with an embarrassed look on his face. He held up two scrawny frogs and said, "I was wrong about a million frog legs. These two frogs were making all the racket. I never knew two frogs could sound like a million." Many a congregation has a couple of croakers who complain enough for a hundred people.
The church at Thyatira had a member that was causing problems in the church. She was causing both personal and doctrinal problems within the Church. The problems that she was causing were so serious and severe that the letter the church received a stern rebuke and called for a swift reply.
It is interesting that a woman had probably founded the church. Of all the seven churches, this one we know the least about. We do read in Acts 16 about a convert of Paul named Lydia. She was called a seller of purple and identified as being from Thyatira.
The city of Thyatira was famous for its making of a purple dye that was used to dye the garments of Kings, Queens, and emperors. It came from a shellfish in which one would slit its throat and from the throat of that shellfish they would get a drop of the purple dye. It was very expensive and in most cases used only by royalty.
It is possible that Lydia after her conversion returned to Thyatira and was instrumental in founding the church. In the letter the church received from Jesus, we see that also a woman confounded the church. As we continue our studies let consider the letter Jesus sent to this church.
First, we see in the Church at Thyatira:
1. A WORK THAT WAS UNCEASING IN THE CHURCH
As we have seen in each of the letters, Jesus began by commending the positives of the Church. It was the works of the Church at Thyatira the Lord commended. To each of the Churches Jesus said, “I know thy works,” but to the Church at Thyatira, Jesus twice spoke of their works (Vs.19). Thyatira, like Ephesus, was a working Church.
Notice how Jesus spoke of:
A. The Motive Of Their Works
Jesus said, “I know thy works, and charity” (Vs.19). The motive behind their works was love. There was an internal love in the Church. They loved one another. For the most part, the members got along with one another. The majority of the members were not at each other's throat but on each other's heart.
A motorist asked a young fellow how to get to a certain location. He said, “Go one block south and you’ll see a Church on the corner. That’s the United Church. Turn left and then go two blocks and you’ll see a Church that is not united. It’s just past it.” Sounds familiar doesn't it.
There was an external love in the Church. They loved sinners and wanted to see people saved. They looked upon the lost with great interest and not with indifference.
There was a supernal love in the Church. For the most part, there was a deep love for the Lord. Jesus was more than a fire escape from hell and a passport to heaven. He was loved and was Lord of their life.
All they did was motivated by love. They loved the saints, the sinner, and the Savior. This internal, external, and supernal love moved them and motivated them to work. As someone has said, love is a verb, not a noun. When we love as we should, we will work as we should.
Also, notice how Jesus spoke of:
B. The Ministry Of Their Works
Jesus also spoke of their “service” (Vs.19). The word “service” is diakonia that speaks of ministry. It is descriptive of giving attendance to certain needs. The works of this Church were more than activity. It was ministry. Churches can be very busy. They can have many activities but very little ministry. We Bowl for Blessings on Monday night, Jog for Jesus on Tuesday night, eat in the kitchenette and endure a sermonette on Wednesday night. We have Home runs for Heaven on Thursday night, Golf for Glory on Friday, and spread the table to stay able on Saturday.
Jesus is not impressed with activity. He commends ministry. I think it is great that the Church provides activities for its members. We try to provide many things for the members of the Church I pastor. I am not against such things, but I must remind myself that the things we do should be a means to an end, and not an end to our means. Every program, gathering, and function should have as its purpose the edification of the saints, the salvation of the sinner, and the glorification of the Savior.
As well, notice how Jesus spoke of:
C. The Maintenance Of Their Works
Jesus spoke of their “faith” and “patience” (Vs.19). The word “faith” has the ideal of faithfulness and loyalty. The word “patience” means to abide. It describes someone that is unmovable when circumstances are unfavorable. Most of the members were faithful not fickle. They stayed faithful and kept at their works.
Being from North Carolina, I am often asked, “What is a Tarheel?” I first want to answer, “The greatest basketball team in the world!” Yet I know that is not what they are asking. There have been several explanations but it is believed that the nickname came from the Civil war. During a fierce fight some Confederate soldiers fled leaving the North Carolina soldiers to fight alone. The Carolina soldiers threatened to put tar, a product plenteous in North Carolina, on their heels so they would stick better in the nest fight.
Can I say with a bit of pride; “God wants everyone to be a Tarheel!” God wants us to stick. We are to be working believers and we are to stay at our work and ministry.
Also, we see how Jesus spoke of:
D. The Measure Of Their Works
Jesus spoke of “Thy works; and the last to be more than the first” (Vs.19). In most cases, the older one gets in the Lord, the colder they get. Many start out like a torrent but end up like a trickle. Jesus said that these believers were doing more now than in the beginning.
In every Church the story is the same. You have members that one time served God and were good workers. But in time they began to back off and back out of service. How rare to find someone that has not lost their zeal and fire through the years. A believer should not seek retirement but refirement.
Secondly, notice:
2. A WOMAN THAT WAS UPSETTING TO THE CHURCH
All of our Churches owe much to the women in the Church. The Church could not do without its women. Thank God for those dear ladies that keeps the nursery, teach classes, and do so many other things that are important to the Church. But in the Church at Thyatira, there was a woman that instead of helping was hindering.
First, we see:
A. Her Description
Jesus spoke of her as “that woman Jezebel” (Vs.20). When Jesus called her Jezebel it was a description rather than an identification. Jesus was describing her nature rather than giving her name. Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab. She was a wicked woman that was the epitome of evil.
I heard about a couple that pulled into a gas station. The wife had trouble hearing. The gas attendant walked up and asked the husband, “Fill it up?” “Yes,” said the husband. The wife said, “What did he say?” The husband answered, “He asked if I wanted to fill the car up with gas.” The gas attendant said, “I like your car. What kind is it?” The wife asked, “What did he say?” “He asked what kind of car we have,” answered the husband.
The gas attendant asked, “Where you from?” “Atlanta,” said the husband. “What did he say,” asked the wife. The husband answered, “Honey, he asked where we were from.” “Atlanta,” said the gas attendant. “I used to know a woman from Atlanta. She was without doubt the meanest, hardest, bitterest, coldest woman I have ever met in my life.” “What did he say,” the wife asked once again. The husband replied, “Darling, he says he thinks he knows your mother.”
Jezebel was without any doubt the meanest woman in the Bible. This woman in the Church at Thyatira apparently was an evil and wicked woman.
We also see:
B. We See Her Doctrine
Jesus said she “calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols” (Vs.20). Jesus called her teaching a “doctrine” (Vs.24). We noticed that the Church at Pergamos was letting the world in the Church. In this case, they were getting into the world.
The committing of fornication was probably figurative. It is most likely descriptive of unfaithfulness to God. This is a language that is used in the Bible to speak of a believer being unfaithful to God. James said, “Ye adulters and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). We read in 1 Chronicles 5:25, “And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land.” They were having affairs with the world. Instead of being faithful to God, they were unfaithful. They were living in the world and as the world.
The statement, “to eat things sacrificed after idols” (Vs.20), is another way of saying they participating in the things of the world. This woman was teaching that it was alright to go out into the world and live as the world. The condemnation Jesus had of the Church was “thou sufferest” (Vs.20), her to teach this doctrine. The word means “tolerate.” They were allowing her to teach such things. They did not like what she was teaching, but they were allowing her to teach her doctrine anyway.
There are two great dangers the Church faces. One is going too far to the right (legalism) and the other is going too far to the left (liberty). Everything is not wrong, but we must never forget that everything is not right.
In 1912, Mark Twain declared that he was running for President. When asked about his position by the press, he said, “I am in favor of anything and everything anybody is in favor of.”
The Church can never allow this attitude to exist in the Church. In this age of being broadminded, we act as if nothing is wrong and everything is right. The Church is to be distinguished from the world. There is right and there is wrong and the Church must draw the line between the two. God never planned for His Church to be a part of the world but be apart from the world. Anyway, I have never understood why anybody wants to be a part of what is going down instead of that which is going up. The Church is going up someday. We must never let the world in the Church and the Church must never get in the world.
Thirdly, we see:
3. A WORD THAT WAS UTTERED FOR THE CHURCH
Jesus said, “Not withstanding, I have a few things against thee” (Vs.20). What the Church was allowing was very disturbing to the Lord. The Lord spoke factually and firmly with the Church over the matter.
First, He spoke of:
A. A Correction That Would Identify God
Jesus said, “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” (Vs.21-23).
God made it clear that He would deal with the woman and those that were in bed with her (followers of what she taught). It was a promise of judgment. He was giving them an opportunity to make things right, but if they failed to repent, He would judge them.
He declared that when His judgment came, all would know Him as the One who searches the reins and hearts of men and rewards them according to their works. He would be made know in His acts.
Jesus also spoke of:
B. The Commitment That Would Glorify God
Jesus said, “But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not know 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” (Vs.24-25). To those that had been faithful, he encouraged to remain faithful. They were to hold fast till He returned. There would not be judgment but blessing.
A little boy was selling his horse. A man asked him, “Son, can that horse run fast?” The little fellow replied, “No, but he can standfast.” That’s what the Lord required of these believers. They were to deal with the woman that was causing problems in the Church and to standfast.
We should never let the world in the Church and never let the Church get in the world. |
