83 - we praise thee o God our redeemer
427 - Jesus lover of my soul
722 - wonderful words of life
667 - to God be the glory
268 - Christ is made the sure foundation
Scripture: Revelations 2:18-29
Pastor. Rev. Jn. Zwaan
Rev. 2:18-29
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servantsa]">[a] to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority 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.’
Sermon notes:
Compromise: a situation where each side makes concessions to each other.
Thyatira, a bustling little city, on a trade route. Had a small Christian church there.
This was a busy helpful church.:-)
There store churches today like this....helpful, serving churches who focuses on the wrong things in the bible. For instance the churches that see Jesus primarily as the son of Mary, rather than seeing Jesus for who he the Son of God.
God does not tolerate sin. There is no compromise with God in this.
V19...Christ was the heavenly psychologist. Pointing out the good before pointing out the faults.
This church was alive and doing good witness, but they were tolerating a sinful woman in their midst.
We are to love each other, but we are not to tolerate evil.
This evil woman was tolerated, and even gained a teaching position.
This toleration happens in churches today....a good giver is allowed to do as he would, a respected businessman is allowed to lead when he is scripturally not sound. This compromise is easy to make.
Woman can do it, men can do it. Look at the leaders of seventh day adventist, Scientology, eastern mysticism, Oprah Winfrey's religion of peace and feelings.
God gave this Jezebel time to repent, but she refused.
This shows God's patience with the church. God doesn't want people to perish, he wants them to come to him, but his patience has limits. Jezebel and her followers needed to be excised from the church, but the rest of the church was commended.
They were encouraged to hold to what they already had received.
We need to hold to the truth that we know.
Two promises given
1. Power over nations
2. Given the morningstar -- Jesus Christ himself.