THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA
Revelation 2:18-29
Many people have a mistaken idea as to the definition of a “worldly church”. Often we paint with broad strokes and label any church that doesn’t look or operate like ours as being “worldly”. We are certainly considered “traditional” and there is nothing wrong with that. But we must understand that modern does not always mean worldly. There are some churches with colored lights, black ceilings, acrylic podiums, worship bands and praise teams that are having a tremendous impact for the Kingdom of God. On the other hand, there are many churches with brick buildings, tall steeples, chandeliers, stained glass windows, pews and pipe organs that are completely focused on themselves and are not the least bit concerned with Jesus, discipleship, or lost souls.
My point is that aesthetics do not determine whether a church is worldly or godly. Our God is powerful enough that He can change lives in storefronts, old warehouses, repurposed barns, state of the art facilities and even run down brick churches that have been neglected for decades.
The important thing to remember is that the building is not the church; it is merely where the church gathers. Rather than focusing on how the church down the road or across town operates, we must take a long honest look within the walls of this building where Stockdale Baptist Church gathers and see if we are what God wants us to be.
Are we focused on exalting our Savior? Are we making disciples? Are we sharing the lost with the people within our sphere of influence? Is Christ our focus, or are we more concerned with having things our way?
- I found an article written by James Cagle that does a great job of describing a worldly church, he says:
“A secular or worldly church is a church that has compromised and capitulated with the world. It’s a church that has lost its identity with Christ the Bridegroom, before a lost world, has committed spiritual adultery and identified with the enemy. It has an ever-developing friendship with the world, but has no fellowship with Christ. A secular church is a fallen church, and in America is the biggest problem there is, because she has rejected the authority of God’s Word, is out of the will of God and is serving the world instead of Christ.
The evidences of a worldly church are described in: 2 Timothy 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. from such people turn away!
At first glance we might think Paul is describing lost people. But he is actually describing professing Christians who live like lost people. They have a form of godliness (religion with all the tapestry, ritualism, and ceremonials) without the power of the Holy Spirit. A secular church is one operating in the power of the flesh instead of in the power of the Spirit. James H. Cagle - https://bainbridgega.com/2021/04/the-marks-of-a-secular-worldly-church/
Our Lord confronted a church that fits this description in our selected text. I would like to examine these verses and preach on “The Letter to the Church at Thyatira”. Let’s begin by considering:
THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS LETTER
v18a "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
The name “Thyatira” means perpetual sacrifice or continual offering. Thyatira was located halfway between Pergamos and Sardis. It was situated in a long forty-mile valley and unlike Pergamos that was a city built on a hill, Thyatira had no natural defenses. As a result, this city had been built, destroyed, and rebuilt several times. Thyatira was what we would call a “blue collar” town. There were many trades such as metal work, cloth making & dying and pottery.
Paul’s first convert in Philippi was a woman named Lydia who was a “seller of purple”; she was from the city of Thyatira. For the most part, Thyatira was a secular city with no particular religion. However, in this working-class secular society there was an assembly of Christ followers. This church was one of the seven that received a letter from Jesus.
- This leads us to:
THE AUTHOR OF THIS LETTER
v18b 'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:
The letter that this church received came directly from the “Son of God”. He is described as having “eyes like a flame of fire” & “feet like fine brass”. The “eyes like a flame of fire” refer to the piercing vison of Jesus. As we have seen in previous letters, the “feet of brass” speak of His judgment and authority.
- John MacArthur describes this verse this way:
“Like two lasers, the eyes of the exalted Lord look with penetrating gaze into the depths of His church”. “His glowing hot, brass feet are a clear reference to divine judgment. Jesus Christ with feet of judgment is moving through His church to exercise His chastening authority upon sin.” (MacArthur Study Bible: Notes on Revelation)
Though this letter contains a harsh rebuke, the fact that Jesus loved them enough to confront their sin is an amazing thing. With those eyes that were focused like lasers, Jesus saw everything there was to see within this church and as a result of His mercy; He gave them the opportunity to correct what was wrong.
- Though there were clearly some issues that need to be addressed within this assembly, there were several positive attributes as well. Notice:
THE PRAISE IN THIS LETTER
v19 I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
Thyatira was a church that exhibited good works, love, service, faith, and patient endurance. Jesus went on to point out the fact that their works were increasing rather than decreasing. People were not just being added to the church, they were growing in their faith. This is one of the marks of a successful, Christ honoring church.
In the Great Commission, Jesus did not just command His Disciples to evangelize, the instructed them to go and “make disciples”. This involves more than conversion; discipleship requires and investment of time, effort and energy. It is not enough for us to lead people to Jesus; we must do what is necessary to help them grow in their faith. This is something that the Christians in Thyatira were doing, and their fruitfulness did not go unnoticed by the Savior.
- However, there were some major problems within that church, and Jesus addressed them specifically. Notice:
THE REBUKE IN THIS LETTER
v20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
Jesus rebuked the Church at Thyatira because they were tolerating impure doctrine to be propagated within their assembly. Anytime false doctrine is allowed to thrive, immorality and idolatry will follow. There was a woman who proclaimed to be a “prophetess” by the name of “Jezebel”. Her actual name may have been Jezebel or John may have used Jezebel as a metaphor to describe the wickedness that she had been promoting. You probably remember the pagan queen of Israel who caused Elijah and the people of God so much trouble in the books of I & II Kings. She is considered by many to be the most evil woman who ever lived. This false “prophetess” in Thyatira taught that immorality was not a serious issue.
Just as Jezebel in the Old Testament had corrupted God’s people with fornication and idolatry, this woman taught that Christians could engage in this evil practices. Jesus said that she has “seduced My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols”. These activities are identical to the sins that Jesus confronted in His letter to Pergamos. It was bad enough that this woman committed such grave sins, but an additional problem was that the members of the church allowed her to continue to have an influence within the church.
- Though the church tolerated this blasphemous heresy, Jesus would not! This leads us to:
THE WARNING IN THIS LETTER
v22 indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Jesus had given this woman ample opportunity to repent of her wicked deeds and she refused. As a result of her rebellion, He was going to “cast her into a sickbed”. This speaks to the judgment that she would face because of her wickedness. There is also a reference to those who “committed adultery with her”, this speaks of the followers of this “Jezebel”; they too would face the judgment of God. Those who committed adultery with her would be thrown into a bed of great tribulation and death unless they forsook her and escaped from her wicked deeds. However, being the loving, merciful and gracious God that He is, Jesus gave them time to repent.
This “sickbed” and “tribulation” were imminent “unless they repent of their deeds”. Their refusal to turn to Jesus would result in them being judged by their works. This was not just the case for this false prophetess and her followers; all who refuse to repent and turn to Jesus will stand before Him at the Great White Throne and be judged according to their works. Later in this Book John said:
“Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. (Revelation 20:11-13)
Salvation is always based on God’s grace; judgment comes based on man’s works. Jesus goes on to say that “all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts”. Jesus searches the mind and the heart; He knows all there is to know about every single human heart, nothing you do can be hidden from Him. He declares that He knows us, and He will judge us according to our works. We are not saved by works, but genuine salvation always produces good works.
Jesus knows if you are genuine follower or if you are merely a pretender, this was the case in Thyatira as well. The Lord had a message for the hypocrites, and He also had a message for the faithful remnant in Thyatira. In verse 24, Jesus shifts His focus to those genuine, faithful Christians who refused to follow the teachings of this false prophetess.
- We have seen the praise, the rebuke, and the warning, now let’s consider:
THE COMMAND IN THIS LETTER
v24 Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come.
There was a group of Christians in this church who had not been deceived by the blasphemous heresy of Jezebel, referred to here as “the depths of Satan”. Jesus called on them to hold fast to the truth until His return. Even in the midst of such wickedness and evil influence, there were some faithful Christians who remained devoted to the Lord.
The church today is filled with deceivers and hypocrites, but thankfully there are some who are authentic Christians who are living for the Lord even when it is not easy. Be encouraged brethren, Jesus sees all; He knows all and He will reward those who are faithful to Him!
- This leads us to:
THE PROMISE IN THIS LETTER
v26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations-- 27 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'-- as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '
Throughout these 7 letters, those who remain faithful until the end and continue to please God are described as “overcomers”. Jesus says that one day they will rule over His enemies and reign with Him as He judges evil. As we observe and endure such wickedness, it is encouraging to know that one day all sin will be punished, and the enemies of God will be destroyed.
The overcomer is promised that he will receive the “morning star”. In the last chapter of the Bible, Jesus says that He is the “Morning Star”. A morning star appears just before dawn, when the night is coldest and darkest. Things are bad and getting worse, but we can rest in the hope that when the world is at its bleakest point, Jesus will burst onto the scene, exposing evil with his light of truth and bringing his promised reward. This truth should motivate us to be “overcomers”.
Thyatira was a church that had been established with the purpose of bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost, pagan population in their city. For a time they were successful at this task, but somewhere along the way they compromised and if they refused to repent they would pay a high price for their sin. They allowed a false teacher to preach and promote pagan idolatry. This idolatry brought with it iniquity and immortality, even worse is the fact that the true Christians within the church allowed this to happen and did nothing to combat it.
We cannot allow our church to go down the same path as Thyatira. Our church has many positive attributes, but so did they. Thyatira was a church that was praised by Jesus Himself as having good works, love, service, faith and patience, but there were some major problems. They were involved in sin and tolerating it within the church. I’d say that we are in pretty good shape as far as guarding against sin within our assembly. As far as I know our leaders and active members are all faithful, holy and righteous servants of God. But the fact is I only know what I see when we gather a couple of hours a week. And we must not overlook the fact that this church body is made up of many individual Christians.
If there is any rebelliousness and sin in the lives of our congregants it will be addressed, I have had to have some hard conversations with certain members in the past and I’m sure I will have to do it again. For us to be the church that Jesus wants us to be, each one of us must do a spiritual assessment of our own lives.
Jesus makes it clear in this letter that the evidence of being a true believer is not succumbing to false doctrine, not succumbing to immorality, but holding fast to the faith. Those who hold to the faith and stay close to Christ are called “overcomers” and this passage gives a great promise to the overcomer; Jesus says that the kingdom and the King will be yours.
Would you tolerate false doctrine and sin if it were to infiltrate this assembly? If so, then you are likely not a true believer! It is even more important for you to ensure that sin and rebellion does not infiltrate your own life. If you can live one way within these walls and another outside of them, then you have a major problem.
This letter makes it clear that there are disastrous consequences ahead for those who refuse to repent; so I encourage you to heed the message of Jesus in these verses and repent while there is time. I pray that we will listen and learn from the truths revealed in “The Letter To The Church At Thyatira”
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