American Idols: Looking at Ourselves and Our Loyalties Through the Eyes of Jesus**
The Idol of Tolerance: Thyatira
Revelation 2:18-29
Sermon Objective: We will seek to address the question: “how is a congregation to express and practice its faith in the midst of the genuine cultural challenges that it faces?”
Supporting Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:16-17; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9
Series Intro
We began a series earlier this month called “American Idols: Looking at Ourselves and Our Loyalties Through the Eyes of Jesus”
There are two categories of idols:
{1} an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed.
{2} any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion.
Our concern is with the latter. There are a myriad of “things” which could be classified as an idol … they are limited only by the passions of the individual in question. But there are certain dispositions or demeanors that our culture serves and pursues as an end in themselves … they have become idolatrous.
What we discover in “The Revelation” is that they are not just limited to our culture but that others have also pursued these with “blind devotion”. We have looked at Ephesus’ fallacy of superiority and Smyrna’s temptation to shop for a more convenient faith, and Pergamum’s tendency towards compromise. Others will include:
• Leisure – The Church in Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) • Stoicism – The Church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) • Independence – The Church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22)
Today we will look at the church in Thyatira and the danger of “Tolerance”. It is found in Rev. 2:18-29.
Intro
Last week I received a call asking me about the podcasts of our sermons. The caller was having some problems listening to them. I helped him get it figured out but, in the process, I had to listen to a few seconds of a few of the sermons. I learned something while listening to those few seconds of a few sermons … I have an accent!
Who knew!?
As far as I was concerned I sounded just like “you’se guys” up here in the northeast but, lo and behold! I sound like someone from Oklahoma!
Now while that little discovery is humorous and relatively insignificant, it reminded me of what is happening in these messages to these churches … Jesus is helping each of them discover some things about themselves they did not know. However, whereas my accent does not require me to eliminate it in order to honor the Father, what Jesus is showing these churches (in most cases) is not only those things about them that he applauds but those things about themselves that are distancing them from Him.
They require response and reaction.
Thyatira:
On the inland route about forty-five miles due east of Pergamum was the city of Thyatira. It was located at a significant crossroads; it began as a military outpost to protect the afore-mentioned capital of Asia-Minor; Pergamum.
Although not a great city, it was nevertheless important through commerce in wool, linen, apparel, dyed stuffs, leatherwork, tanning, and excellent bronze work. In fact, it was conspicuous for having access to the natural materials necessary for manufacturing bronze; the artisans of the city became well known for making impressive weapons.
Associated with its commerce was an extensive trade guild network which played a prominent role in the social, political, economic, and religious life of the city. Like a modern-day chamber of commerce or trade union, these various guilds represented all the different industries of the day. There were more trade-guilds in Thyatira than in any other Asian city. Historians and archaeologists are aware of guilds existing in Thyatira for wool workers, linen workers, garment manufacturers, dyers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave dealers, and, of course, bronze smiths.
Not only was there a thriving economy in Thyatira, there was a Christian church there too. It has been suggested that some of Paul’s converts at Ephesus evangelized Thyatira. Acts 19:10 might give credence to this and it is certainly plausible.
By the time of John’s writing the city would have been growing rapidly and so were the challenges faced by this young church. Most of those challenges would center around these blue collar trade guilds. One had to belong to one of these guilds to participate fully in the economic life around Thyatira.
The guilds were both secular and religious in nature. They were also dedicated to particular pagan deities. In Thyatira it was Apollo – the son of Zeus – the son of the High God.
I cannot stress enough how impossible it would be for the citizens of Thyatira to participate in the economy of the city without also participating in the guild meetings.
And these guild meetings were more than just places to network and secure business. They were known for their moral and sexual laxity. They were mirrors of the Roman culture. The phrase “what happens at the guild stays at the guild” easily applies to these meetings. That, coupled with their dedication and worship of an idol, was quite a struggle for a young Christian … or any Christian who possessed a craft and wanted work.
The difficult decision for Christians in a city like Thyatira was how much of pagan society to accept and how much to condemn. These everyday, pragmatic questions were difficult, urgent, and significant. Not surprisingly, almost every New Testament epistle addressed some of these everyday questions.
Here’s the rub: The Christians of Thyatira faced a very real problem regarding the guilds. As William Barkley states, “The problem which faced every Christian in Thyatira was whether they were to make money or to be Christians.”
And my friend’s, Thyatiran dilemma is not isolated to the first century or the Roman’s culture. In many ways, the tension between the church and the culture of Thyatira reflected many of the (post) modern day tensions we face.
Let’s read Jesus’ words:
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. 19I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20Nevertheless, 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. 21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So 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. 23I 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. 24Now 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): 25Only hold on to what you have until I come. 26To 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. 28I will also give him the morning star. 29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Over the years in ministry every pastor has prayed with Christian restaurant owners struggling with the fact that they not only need to permit but also need to push liquor sales to make a profit, with employees conflicted about the ethics of their companies, with woman and men dealing with sexism and a high level of inappropriate sensuality in the workplace, musicians who wonder whether they should sing a certain type of music of play in a certain kind of club, on and on.
Christian young people deal with questions of clothing styles, parties to attend, and entertainments to participate in or to avoid.
These are Thyatira questions. Is life spiritual, or is it business? Is it possible for us to divide life in such a way that the sacred and secular can be separated from each other so that faith can be a private matter and business a public one?
These are real issues that require real answers. And that is the point of the narrative in Thyatira.
how is a congregation to express and practice its faith in the midst of the genuine cultural challenges that it faces?
1. The answer is NOT total isolation and separation.
• Joining the guild may not be a problem … but participating in its sacrifices, drunkenness and other elements of slack morality certainly was! Besides, they met in the temples.
• Example: Jesus Christ is recorded as attending social events.
• Example: Lydia the seller of purple was a Christian and also very much a part Thyatira.
o Acts 16:14-15 -- 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.
• Example: Paul was a tent-maker and thus had to interact with the economic life of the communities he ministered in. It is very possible that he had to work through the tensions related to guilds and culture.
• There is nothing to suggest that the answer to the dilemmas is found in isolation. But there is a difference in one choosing not to be isolated and one choosing not to be “separate from the world.”
1. The answer is NOT total isolation and separation.
2. The answer is NOT in complete immersion with culture either.
There is an example given of one who loved and embraced the world without restraint. She is also associated with “the deep things of Satan.”
She is called "Jezebel".
“Jezebel” probably described her character
• When she became Queen of Israel (Ahab’s bride) she brought her gods with her.
• She was not wanting to replace Yahweh’s religion just add to it.
• She persuaded Ahab and company to worship Baal in addition to Yahweh.
• She defiled the life and worship of Israel.
• She left behind a reputation for whoredom and sorceries (2 Kings 9:22)
Just as this wicked and deceptive woman in the OT led Israel astray and persecuted the true prophets of God, so this woman at Thyatira was enticing the servants of God to abandon their exclusive loyalty to Christ.
• Her teaching was no doubt similar to that of the Nicolaitans and Balaamites at Ephesus and Pergamum.
• The tolerance of the Jezebel would include Satanic practices and Gnostic understandings of the human body (experience sin since the body and spirit are not the same).
o Gnosticism is referred to by the church fathers as “deep things of Satan.”
o The Church Fathers tell us that Gnosticism almost always manifested itself in practicing and rationalizing sexual immortality and flirting with idolatry via banquet feasts and food sacrificed to the idols.
o Just like here and in Pergamum.
• The rationale is that the only way to confront Satan was to enter into his strongholds (temples?).
o By experiencing the depths of paganism ("Satan’s so-called deep secrets “), one would better be equipped to serve Christ, or be an example of freedom to his brothers (cf. 1Cor 8:9-11).
• But it is never okay to flirt with sin in order to gain a hearing. We are to be a peculiar people ( Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:9) and above reproach.
1. The answer is NOT total isolation and separation.
2. The answer is NOT in complete immersion with culture either.
3. The answer is found in Holiness.
What an honor to have said about you “19I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. ”
But where there is generous praise there is also high expectation!
Holiness is expressed in a Social context:
• God works in social environments – John Wesley said, “there is no holiness but social holiness”
• It must impact your world or its is asceticism not holiness – being dedicated to God means being in God’s service … into all the world.
Holiness is expressed in knowing / discerning righteous limits and never violating them:
• Acceptance and love do not equate to tolerance. You can love and accept someone without condoning their life-style.
• "Tolerance" is a buzz word of our culture and time. When defined and used by moral relativists and post-modern philosophy it becomes militant and insists that all behavior and thought is equal and immune to judgment.
• It suggests there is no absolute right and wrong and that circumstances must dictate our behavior. But the Scriptures teach otherwise.
Holiness is expressed in trusting God’s faithfulness even in the midst of threat:
o As I suggested earlier, it is as the seven churches drift from Jesus Christ and towards other things that they find themselves under judgment.
Wrap-Up
The idol of the Thyatiran church was tolerance for that which was sinful and evil. It is a real threat in your world too. Yet, it is seen by many as the virtue above all virtues.
• Such tolerance grieves God
They are called to repent of the tolerance. It was too late for the Jezebel … she had tolerated so much that she had become part of it. But the message to Thyatira informs us that God has limits to tolerance. 20Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate …
And one should ask themselves some very sobering questions:
• Does my lifestyle accommodate and tolerate sin?
• What is my real motive for rubbing shoulders with the world? Is it to be a light of the Gospel and show the power of righteousness or is it to participate in their sin?
• When is it too late to repent? And do I want to test God like that?
Finally, Jesus’ message to Thyatira makes it clear that you do not have to struggle with sin. Many in the church were living victorious and righteous lives. And God was honoring them.
You, too can experience the overcoming grace of God.
Today.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
** I offer special thanks (for the background information regarding Smyrna and the church located there) to T. Scott Daniels book “Seven Deadly Spirits”, to William Barclay’s commentary on Revelation and to W. M. Ramsay’s archeological accounts given in: “The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia”.
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Contributing Scripture (All KJV this week)
2 Corinthians 6:16-17
16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
