TRUTH. DOES IT EVEN EXIST ANYMORE TODAY? IN OUR WORLD THAT IS SWIRLING IN AN EDDY OF "TOLERANCE" IT SEEMS THAT YOU CAN BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO, SO LONG AS YOU DO NOT CLAIM IT TO BE THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
IN FACT, YOU CAN EVEN PRACTICE YOUR BELIEFS SO LONG AS YOU DO NOT GO AROUND CLAIMING THAT YOUR PARTICULAR BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ARE THE "BETTER" WAY.
THE SAME IS TRUE WITH RELIGION. YOU CAN BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU WANT AND IN WHOMEVER YOU WANT, NO MATTER HOW ABSURD OR RIDICULOUS IT MAY BE, WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING CHALLENGED, SO LONG AS YOUR "RELIGION" DOESN’T INCLUDE ANY REFERENCES TO JESUS CHRIST.
TOLERANCE HAS DAWNED A NEW ERA OF "SELF" GLORIFICATION AND WORSHIP. AN ERA THAT HAS GIVEN US SUCH PHRASES AS SELF-DETERMINATION, SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-HELP AND EVEN DO-IT-YOURSELF.
IN THIS CLIMATE, THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY CAN BE LOST OR MISUNDERSTOOD. WITHIN THIS CLIMATE, THE CHURCH, REGARDLESS OF DENOMINATION, NO DOCTRINE IS SAFE, NO DECREE ACCEPTED WITHOUT SCRUTINY.
THE STANDARD OF BELIEF TODAY IS THE INDIVIDUAL, NOT THE INSTITUTION. ANYONE WHO DARES TO CHALLENGE ANY SUCH STANDARD OF "INDIVIDUAL BELIEF" IS SEEN AS "INTOLERANT" OR A "BIGOT."
WE FIND OURSELVES IN A "BUFFET LINE" OF BELIEF SYSTEMS WHERE, JUST LIKE IN A CAFETERIA, YOU ARE SERVED EVERYTHING BUT ALLOWED TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHATEVER YOU WANT, IN WHATEVER SIZED PORTIONS YOU WANT, WITHOUT BEING FORCED TO TRY THE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE.
THIS SAME TYPE OF BELIEF SYSTEM HAS EVEN CREPT INTO THE CHURCH. I CALL THOSE WHO ADOPT THIS MENTALITY "CAFETERIA CHRISTIANS."
THESE ARE "CHRISTIANS" WHO THINK THEY HAVE THE OPTION OF PICKING AND CHOOSING WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO BELIEVE FROM GOD’S WORD. ACCEPTING ONLY THAT WHICH JUSTIFIES AND DISREGARDING THOSE THINGS THAT CONVICT OR EXPOSE.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA WERE GUILTY OF ADOPTING THIS TYPE OF INDIVIDUALISM. INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO THEIR RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN THE CHURCH THEY CHOSE "THEIR WAY" BY PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO JEZEBEL BECAUSE SHE TOLD THEM ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR.
THYATIRA, WHICH MEANS CONTINUAL SACRIFICE, WAS A UNION CITY AND HEADQUARTERS FOR THE TRADE GUILDS, SUCH A TANNERS, POTTERS, WEAVERS, DYERS AND ROBE-MAKERS. A VERY INDUSTRIAL CITY TO SAY THE LEAST!
THIS IS WHY RELIGION IN THYATIRA WAS CONNECTED TO MATERIAL PROSPERITY AND PARTICIPATION IN THE TRADE GUILDS. SADLY, RELIGION SEEMED TO HAVE TAKEN A BACKSEAT TO COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE IN THIS CITY.
YET, DESPITE IT ALL THE CHURCH IS COMMENDED FOR THEIR GOOD WORKS, LOVE, SERVICE, FAITH AND PATIENCE. BUT DESPITE THIS NICE IMPRESSIVE LIST OF MINISTRY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THERE WERE ALSO SERIOUS PROBLEMS EMANATING FROM WITHIN THIS CHURCH.
A POWERFUL WOMAN, SYMBOLICALLY CALLED JEZEBEL HAD SUCH A POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON MOST OF THE CHURCH PEOPLE THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THE CHURCH CONGREGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMITTING FORNICATION AND EATING THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS.
WHAT DOES ALL THAT MEAN? IN SIMPLE ENGLISH IT MEANS THAT NOT ONLY DID THE CHRISTIANS LACK ENTHUSIASM FOR GODLY DISCIPLINE AND CORRECT DOCTRINE; THEY ALSO ACCOMMODATED THOSE WHO ERRED IN THESE WAYS AND THEN OVERLOOKED THESE ERRORS.
JUST AS THE OLD TESTAMENT JEZEBEL, THE PAGAN WIFE OF KING AHAB, LED THE ISRAELITES ASTRAY, SO THIS NEW TESTAMENT "JEZEBEL" WAS DOING THE SAME THING. HER COMPROMISE WITH THE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE IMMORALITY OF THE TIMES IS DESCRIBED BY THE SAVIOR IN VERSE 24, AS PLUNGING INTO THE "DEPTHS OF SATAN."
THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT FASHION THAN FAITH. THEY PREFERRED SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE TO SPIRITUAL INTEGRITY. THEY WANTED TO TOLERATE SIN IN THE NAME OF CULTURAL ACCOMMODATION OR AS WE WOULD SAY TODAY, "TOLERANCE."
IS IT ANY WONDER WHY THIS WOULD BE THE LONGEST OF THE SEVEN LETTERS? IMAGINE THAT! THE LONGEST LETTER FOR THE SMALLEST TOWN.
THE BOTTOM LINE OF CHRIST’S APPEAL TO THE BELIEVERS AT THYATIRA WAS ETHICAL AS WELL AS DOCTRINAL. JESUS THREATENS TO CAST THIS IMMORAL WOMAN ONTO A BED OF GREAT TRIBULATION.
THIS MEANS THAT HER COMPROMISE WITH SOCIETY WILL BE MADE EVIDENT FOR EVERYONE TO SEE. HER CLAIM TO BE A WOMAN OF GODLINESS AND DIVINE INSPIRATION WILL BE EXPOSED AS AN OBVIOUS COUNTERFEIT.
THOSE WHO FOLLOWED HER TEACHINGS AND ENGAGED IN THE ACTS OF COMPROMISE ALONG WITH HER ARE REFERRED TO AS "HER CHILDREN." THESE "CHILDREN" ARE THREATENED WITH DEATH. NOT JUST A PHYSICAL DEATH, BUT AN AGONIZING SUFFERING OF THE SECOND DEATH AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE OF JUDGMENT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE CALL TO REPENTANCE WAS ISSUED AND THERE WAS STILL TIME TO REPENT. THE BAD NEWS WAS THAT THE DOOR OF DIVINE OPPORTUNITY WAS ABOUT TO BE CLOSED.
ANYONE WHO WOULD "OVERCOME" AND "KEEP" THE WORKS OF JESUS CHRIST UNTIL THE VERY END WOULD RECEIVE A ROD OF IRON AND THE POWER AND TO HELP RULE OVER THE NATIONS.
THE WORD "RULE" MEANS "TO SHEPHERD" WHICH INDICATES THAT THOSE WHO OVERCOME WILL JOIN CHRIST IN HIS MILLENNIAL RULE TO HELP ADMINISTER JUSTICE AND LIKE A SHEPHERD, DEAL WITH AND PROTECT HIS PEOPLE.
A SECOND PROMISE TO THOSE WHO OVERCOME WOULD BE THE INHERITANCE OF THE MORNING STAR. THE MORNING STAR IS OBVIOUSLY JESUS CHRIST.
MORNING STAR WHEN REFERENCED TO THE ONE WHO CONQUERS LITERALLY MEANS THEY BECOME A "LIGHT-BEARER" OR A "TORCH-BEARER" TO SIGNIFY THAT THE LIGHT THAT SHINES FORTH FROM THEM IS ACTUALLY THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST IN THE WORLD.
THE COMMENDATION IS PRESENTED, THE WORDS OF CONDEMNATION ARE HEARD, AND THE CALL OF REPENTANCE HAS BEEN SOUNDED. NOW, THE MESSAGE IS DELIVERED AND THE INVITATION IS READ, "[THOSE] WHO HAVE AN EAR, LET [THEM] HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES."
WHAT IS THE SPIRIT SAYING TO THE CHURCH TODAY AS IT RELATES TO THIS MESSAGE GIVEN TO THYATIRA? THE MESSAGE IS A CLEAR ONE: THERE’S TOO MUCH WORLD IN THE CHURCH AND NOT ENOUGH CHURCH OUT IN THE WORLD!
LOOKING AT THE GREEK MANUSCRIPTS OF THIS PASSAGE WE SEE THAT THIS WAS TRUE OF THYATIRA. WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR A DEEPER MEANING OF FORNICATION IN VERSE 20. WHAT DOES THE VERSE REALLY MEAN BY "SEXUAL IMMORALITY?"
WE CAN’T LET THE WORD "SEX’" THROW US HERE. THIS IS, IN A SENSE, A METAPHOR FOR SOCIAL INTERCOURSE, RATHER THAN A REFERENCE TO SINS OF A SEXUAL NATURE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE CHURCH HAD ALLOWED THE TEACHINGS AND BELIEFS OF THE MODERN CULTURE AND SOCIAL STANDARDS TO TAKE OVER AND EVEN REPLACE CERTAIN PARTS OF THEIR DOCTRINE. DOCTRINE IS LATIN MEANING "TO TEACH." DOCTRINE IS THAT WHICH IS TAUGHT AND BELIEVED TO BE TRUE BY A CHURCH."
THYATIRA HAD STARTED FLIRTING AROUND WITH THEIR WRITTEN DOCTRINE. CHANGING A SENTENCE HERE AND THERE AND ’RE-WORDING’ THINGS INTO AN AMBIGUOUS CESSPOOL OF DOCTRINAL AND THEOLOGICAL CONFUSION.
2 CORINTHIANS 6:15-18, "WHAT HARMONY CAN THERE BE BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE DEVIL? HOW CAN A BELIEVER BE A PARTNER WITH AN UNBELIEVER? AND WHAT UNION CAN THERE BE BETWEEN GOD’S TEMPLE AND IDOLS? FOR WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD.AS GOD SAID: ’I WILL LIVE IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY WILL BE MY PEOPLE. THEREFORE, COME OUT FROM THEM AND SEPARATE YOURSELVES FROM THEM, SAYS THE LORD. DON’T TOUCH THEIR FILTHY THINGS, AND I WILL WELCOME YOU. AND I WILL BE YOUR FATHER, AND YOU WILL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.’"
GOD TELLS US THAT HE WANTS US TO COME OUT AND BE SEPARATE FROM THE WAYS OF THE WORLD. THE WAY THE WORLD THINKS, THE WAY THE WORLD ACTS AND BELIEVES.
WE HAVE ALLOWED THESE "WAYS" TO GET SO DEEPLY INGRAINED INTO OUR LIVES THAT THEY HAVE NOT ONLY TAKEN ROOT INTO OUR VERY HEART AND SOULS, BUT THEY HAVE BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE AND CHURCH LIFE.
JUST THINK OF OUR CHURCH DOCTRINE AND THE THINGS WE ONCE HELD AS SACRED IN OUR HEARTS THAT HAVE BEEN SACRIFICED UPON THE ALTAR OF "SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE" OR "HARMLESS FUN!"
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHRISTIAN YEAR BEGINS WITH ADVENT. IT IS THE TIME OF PREPARATION TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE COMING OF THE CHRIST CHILD. NOW, ADVENT IS ALMOST MISSED DUE TO THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF CHRISTMAS. OUR PREPARATION IS NOW CENTERED ON SHOPPING, OFFICE PARTIES AND FAMILY VACATIONS.
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS NEXT TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF THE SAVIOR. NOW, THE SAVIOR IS OVERSHADOWED BY A MAN IN A RED SUIT AND PEOPLE FOCUSING THEIR THOUGHTS ON ALL THE GIFTS THEY’RE GOING TO GET.
LENT IS CLOSE BY TO REMIND US THAT WE ARE BUT DUST AND WILL ONE DAY RETURN TO DUST. IT REMINDS US OF OUR HUMANITY AND THAT WE ARE NOT IMMORTAL BEINGS.
WE SHOULD BE SACRIFICING A PART OF OUR HUMANNESS AS A LOVE GIFT TO GOD. LENT IS NO LONGER A TIME OF "GIVING UP" BUT A COMICAL CHALLENGE TO SEE IF WE CAN "DO WITHOUT" FOR AN ENTIRE FORTY DAYS.
THEN THERE’S EASTER. EASTER IS SUPPOSED TO BE A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION. THE TIME OF REMINDING OURSELVES THAT JESUS HAS CONQUERED SIN, DEATH AND THE GRAVE.
NOW, MORE EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON A RABBIT WHO CAN HIDE CANDY. INSTEAD OF LOOKING INTO THE TOMB TO SEE THAT CHRIST ISN’T THERE, WE WOULD RATHER LOOK AROUND IN THE YARD FOR COLORED EGGS AND SWEETS.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, IS PENTECOST. HERE WE COMMEMORATE THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. PENTECOST IS THE 50TH DAY FOLLOWING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS FROM THE DEAD.
WE REJOICE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WITH US AND WITH THE CHURCH.
NOW, PENTECOST JUST COMES AND GOES WITH LITTLE, IF ANY, FANFARE. SINCE MOST PEOPLE AREN’T LIVING SPIRIT FILLED LIVES IT HAS BECOME EVEN EASIER TO FORGET THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PART OF THE TRINITY. NO WONDER SOME PEOPLE REFER TO HIM AS AN "IT!"
LET US REMIND OURSELVES HOW EASY IT IS TO GET SIDE-TRACKED FROM OUR ORIGINAL MISSION AND PURPOSE AS A CHURCH. CAN WE HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCH TODAY TO GET OUR PRIORITIES BACK IN ORDER?
AS IN THE CASE OF THYATIRA AND JEZEBEL, CHRIST’S STRONGEST THREAT TO THE OFFENDERS IS NOT IN REGARD TO THEIR SIN, BUT TO THEIR RELUCTANCE TO REPENT.
THE LORD IS WALKING AMONG HIS CHURCHES. HE JUDGES EVIL; BUT HE ALSO OFFERS DELIVERANCE TO THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN, IF THEY REPENT AND STOP DOING THE DEEDS OF JEZEBEL.
LET US COVENANT TOGETHER THIS DAY, THAT WE WILL NOT ALLOW OUR WEAKNESSES TO SHAME OR EMBARRASS US, BUT TO ALLOW OUR STRENGTHS TO SHINE FORTH IN HONOR TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.
LET US BECOME INFLAMED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD, AND LIVE BY A LIVELY WORKING FAITH. CAN WE ARISE AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER WITH A PURE HEART FERVENTLY, AND BEARING UP UNDER AND HEARTILY FORGIVING EVERY WRONG?
MAY WE SUFFER JOYFULLY FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST AS WE STUDY TO DO GOOD WHILE WALKING INOFFENSIVELY AND HARMLESSLY IN THE WORLD. LET US GO FORTH QUICKLY, YET READY, TO BE SERVANTS TO ALL HUMANITY FOR THEIR GOOD.
MAY WE BE PREPARED, ALWAYS, TO BECOME ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE IN ORDER TO WIN THEM TO CHRIST. MAY WE ALSO BE JUST AS QUICK TO ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCES OF EVIL WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, BE FOUND SEASONING ALL OF OUR ACTIONS WITH THE SWEET MIXTURES OF PRUDENCE, HUMILITY, ZEAL, AND HEAVENLY MINDEDNESS.
THEREFORE, FROM THIS DAY FORTH, MAY WE BE AN HONOR TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. MAY WE BECOME AN ORNAMENT TO THE CHURCH YET SERVICEABLE TO GOD AND THE WORLD. AMEN.
