MAN CAME TO A RESTRAUNT TO SELL FROG LEGS:. The Restraunt owner like the idea of putting frog legs on the menu so he agreed. "Where can you get so many?’ "The pond behind my house is overflowing with them. Their croaking is driving me up the wall. The owner agreed to take as many as the farmer could bring. The next week the farmer returned with an embarrised look on his face as he held up two scrawny frogs. ’I was wrong about a million frog legs. These two were making all that racket. I never knew two frogs could make such a racket’. ONE LADY ARMED WITH FALSE DOCTRINE COULD DO SUCH DAMAGE. ONE CHURCH ONE MINISTRY
THIS MORNING
1. Looked at Thyatira, the fourth of seven churches to whom Jesus sent a message regarding their condition. A church that allowed false doctrine to be taught. While one woman, Lydia, has possibly founded the church, yet another woma had confounded the church.
a. In particular a woman whom Jesus called JEZEBEL.
2. This church was an active, alive, loving, hard working fellowship BUT the world’s message was being allowed to be taught and to find acceptance in the body.
3. Tonight: What she taught and why it was something people wanted to hear.
a. Many ministries that make a living off of telling people what they want to hear instead of what God has said.
b. Jeremiah’s day.
What Jesus calls this message and what the dangers of embracing it are.
Hope: if we repent and turn back God’s direction.
THE PROBLEM (20) Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and beguile My servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
1. Backdrop of her teaching(atmosphere of society) City filled with guilds or trade unions. If a person wanted to work at a certain profession he would have to become active in these unions. Each had it’s own particular god.
WILLIAM BARCLAY: Activities of these trade-guilds were bound up with the worship of heathen gods. Workers of a certain profession came together around a common meal which would begin and end with a cup of win poured out as an offering to the gods. Heathen grace would be spoken after which meat would be eaten from that which had been sacrificed to this god’s idol.(a few hair thrown on altar fire and rest eaten: blood, fat,)
a. These meeting included not only idol worship but also often degenerated into times of sexual looseness.
2. JEZEBEL’S MESSAGE: business is business. It is a matter of making a living that is important. If you don’t accomidate these practices then you will end up with meanial jobs. Sometimes your principles have to be put on hold.
a. You can be the #1 sales person w/o stretching the truth.
b. You can win more clients w/o doings things they enjoy.(drink, carouse,..)
Taught how to compromise with Roman religions and to not lose their jobs. STOP MAKING HOLINESS & RIGHTEOUSNESS SUCH ISSUES: isn’t it all about loving people.
MAN WANTED TO SELL HIS HOUSE: Another man wanted to buy is badly but could only afford half the asking price. After much bargaining the man finally agreed to sell his house for half the price under one condition: he retained ownership of one small nail which protruded from just over the door. AGREED. After several years the original owner decided he wanted the house back but the new owner said NO. The man went out and found the carcass of a dead dog and hung it from the single nail that he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable and the family was forced to sell to the owner of the nail. WHAT JEZEBEL ASKED DIDN"T SOUND LIKE MUCH BUT NEVER LEAVE THE DEVIL WITH AN OPEN DOOR AND AN OPPORTUNITY.
THE PRESCIPTION (21) And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent. (22) 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) And I will kill her children with death.
TRAVELING TO CHURCH EACH SUNDAY in 1980 I passed a strip mall next to a freeway. In it was a bar with a bold name: SATAN’S. How long will God put up with such a bold fist in His face.
1. It is amazing that God had such grace for such a horrid offender: gave her space(time, opportunity) to repent…and she did not repent.
a. Some of you are living in that position in your life: God is allowing you time & opportunity to repent but you have not as of yet.
b. Know God will but have settle in your heart that things will stay as they are w/o change. Jezebel’s message has sunk in.
c. DANGER is seen in verse 22: consequences are not forever put on hold.
2. CONSEQUENCES:
a. HERSELF: cast her into a sickbed
1) Fitting judgment for one who had counseled others to such immoral behavior.
b. HER FOLLOWERS AT THAT TIME and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
1) Consequenses of following & supporting certain ministries.
2) They still given more time although her judgment is now.
STEDMAN: I have always thought that natural disasters -- earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods are opportunities being given men to think again, to stop and look at what we are doing, and to change our ways. It is opportunity to repent, a slap in the face that says, ’Wake up!’
c. OTHERS WHO FOLLOWER HER COUNSEL: (23) and I will kill her children with death(sickness, pestilence)
1) Many today who accept the same messages:
THE POSSIBILITES (23) 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. (24) But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as man as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they call them, I will put on you no other burden. (25) But hold fast what you have until I come.
(26) And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations. (27) He shall rule t hem with a rod of iron; as the potter’s vessel shall be broken to pieces - as I have received from My Father;
1. IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
a. No sin can be hidden(From His sight) And the churches shall know that I am He Who searches the minds and hearts.
1) One thing that churches should never forget is Jesus sees it all, not just the outside actions but the inside attitudes. Searches the minds and hearts.
2) In Greek reverse meaning: heart is mind in their thinking while word for mind is actually ’kidney’. I feel it in my kidney: game starts and child say, ’I have to go potty’. ’Don’t excite the dog or it will have an accident’.
3) POINT: He knows it all and the second point is we will be accountable for it all.
b. No sin will be hidden(from His judgement) And I will give to each one of you according to your works
2. IMPORTANT REWARDS
a. There is Encouragement for Today: (24) But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as man as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they call them, I will put on you no other burden. (25) But hold fast to what you have until I come.
1) A faithful group held strong against this teaching in spite of the headwind against them the struggle they experience in swimming against the current.
a) Ridiculed by elitest attitudes: These are the deep teachings. What God is saying that everybody else is missing. Jesus said they were deep but the deep things of Satan and not God.
WARNING SIGNS: 1) Placing experience equal to or over the Bible
2) Person’s ministry is more visible than Jesus’ Church. 3) Teaching degenerates to raising funds or building excitement rather than teaching God’s Word.
b) Burdened by the pressures: Jesus would not join others who were abusing them but would lighten their loads. Encouraging them to hold on until He came.
We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. HEB 2:1
b. THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS OF TOMORROW (26) 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; as the potter’s vessel shall be broken to pieces - as I 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.
1) POWER OVER THE NATIONS
a) Authority(exousia) rather than (dunamis) Power. Reminder that one day will will rule and reign with Christ according to our faithfulness. Comfort when the world way(guilds) seem to be calling all the shots for now.
2) THE MORNING STAR
a) Just before the dawn when the night is the coldest and darkest the morning star appears. Planet Venus is the first to appear with the dawn. Hope of the coming day.
b) Jesus is called the Morning Star: He is our hope. Knowing Him now assures us of the eternity to come
Dangers of losing the battles for truth. EVER WONDER WHAT A TARHEEL WAS? NC mascot but came out of the Civil War. During fierce fighting some Confederate soldiers fled leaving the N. C. soldiers to fight alone. A N.C. soldier supposedly threatened to put tar on the heels of soldiers so they would stick better in the next fight. THERE ARE BATTLE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE.
IF YOU WERE TO LINE UP ALL THE LOST PEOPLE in the world, one behind the other, they would circle the globe 30 times. That lines grows at the rate of 20 miles a day. IT IS TIME TO GET BUSY.
