1

Supplemental Sermon Notes: Revelation 2:18-29 (page 1029)

Removing the Land Mines

Introduction: An illustration of three timeless truths:

  1. We are able to rationalize even the most obvious of sins.
  2. We tend to involve others in our sins to make them normal & acceptable.
  3. We can easily be talked into sin as long as we think it benefits us.

I. Thyatira

  • Longest letter, written to least known, least important, & least remarkable city.
  • Little is known about the city.
  • 40 miles SW of Pergamum on the road to Sardis
  • ½ way around the circle of churches.
  • It is on the plain.
  • Not easy to defend, was a much-conquered city.
  • Made it important as an outpost to slow down invading armies.
  • After Rome took over in 190 B.C.
  • It was still an important frontier outpost
  • Roman domination was a time of peace very profitable for Thyatira.
  • Located on trade routes, supplied Roman garrison – business was good!
  • A “bull market” prosperity by 90 A.D. that peaked 200 years later.
  • Everyone wanted their share of the business!
  • Business and manufacturer guilds were powerful.
  • Joining was the key to economic success.
  • Guilds were the heart of civic & social life.
  • Each guild controlled a section of the city.
  • Guilds also impacted the religious life of Thyatira
  • Each guild worshipped their own patron god or goddess.
  • Syncretism – blending different religions – was a way of life.
  • No record of a Jewish community.
  • But there was a church faithful to Jesus.
  • No persecution from community, but guilds put on a lot of pressure.
  • To do business, Christians were expected to join guilds & worship patron god/goddess.
  • Refusing meant becoming a social & religious outcast, unable to make a decent living.
  • Yet joining made them idolaters!

II. Introduction of the letter (v. 18)

  1. Address & commission – like all the others, proclaims Jesus’ sovereignty.
  2. Prophetic messenger & character of Christ.
  • Contrasts Jesus with the idols of the guilds.
  • “Son of God,” as opposed to Apollo of the guilds, the “son of Zeus.”
  • “Eyes like a flame” as opposed to dull eyes of lifeless idols.
  • “feet like burnished bronze” – pure brass produced by an Apollo-worshipping guild.
  • Point: Jesus is the true Son of God; Apollo of the guilds is nothing!
  • Jesus is to be feared, not the guilds of Apollo.
  • Matthew 10:28: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
  • Application: Jesus is still on His throne…
  • And we must recognize the peril of walking away from Him!

III. Strengthsof the Church in Thyatira – Found in their “Works”(v. 19)

  1. Love – The foundation of all the rest of the “works.”
  • They love God AND their neighbors – the two most important commands.
  1. Faith – Their trust in the Lord.
  1. Service
  • Action taken on behalf of others
  • Reflects the love Jesus has for us as well as our love for Him.
  • Includes many diverse activities.
  • It MUST take place – in us, and in our church!
  • The life of the Christian is service.
  1. Patient endurance – continue to follow Jesus no matter what.
  1. All done on an increasing basis.
  1. Point: What they believe is visible in the way they live, and Jesus commends them for it because that’s the way it’s supposed to be!
  1. WE are to do the same!

IV. Weaknesses of the Church in Thyatira (vv20-23)

  1. They “tolerate that woman Jezebel…”
  • “Tolerate” = “allow” or “permit”
  • “Jezebel” – symbolic of a real woman, though we don’t know who.
  • Calls herself a prophetess
  • A leader in the church
  • Claims to bring teaching directly from God.
  • Teaching and seducing servants to practice sexual immorality & eat food sacrificed to idols.
  • In Kings, Jezebel was the Phoenician wife of King Ahab.
  • Led Israel to worship Baal, which included sexually immoral acts.
  • Same 2 sins in the letter to Pergamum.
  • Most likely, Jezebel teaches Syncretism – worshipping “Jesus AND…”
  • Point: Just as the first Jezebel led the People of God away from Yahweh into immorality and idol worship…
  • …THIS “Jezebel” is leading the People of God (Christians) away from Christ into immorality and idol worship.
  1. What makes this so serious in Thyatira
  • Though the church in Pergamum had Nicolaitans in the church…
  • …Thyatira accepted this Jezebel!
  • She’s important to the church.
  • Perhaps even a leader!
  • She’s rationalized her sin.
  • Invites, seduces, deceives… other believers to join her!
  • They, in turn, participate and rationalize their sin as well.
  • It happens all the time today.
  • We are constantly pulled toward compromise.
  1. vv 21 & 22 – Jesus describes the consequences of the deceiver & the deceived.
  • This “Jezebel” refuses to repent – nothing is left but judgment.
  • There is a price for sin, & God is not obligated to remove it (though He often chooses to do so).
  • Though God is loving, kind, and patient, we can reach a point where there is nothing left but to pay the price that is demanded.
  • Dan doesn’t think the judgment in this case is loss of salvation (though we have to wonder if this “Jezebel” has a saving faith in Christ).
  • In this case it’s an illness.
  • Not all who get sick are sinners.
  • But sometimes God uses sickness or even death to discipline His children (see 1 Cor. 11:30)
  • The purpose is for our benefit.
  • 1 Cor. 11:32, “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”
  • Dan believes the illness Jesus speaks of is intended to bring this “Jezebel” to repentance.
  • “Those who commit adultery with her”
  • Those in the church who have been drawn in by her teaching…
  • …But have not yet refused to repent.
  • They are given another chance to repent.
  • Yet they will face “tribulation”
  • Not the “Great Tribulation…”
  • …But trouble.
  • This is a warning and a call to repent.
  • “her children”
  • Not her natural children, but a metaphor for her “spiritual children”
  • Those who are committed to her teaching & now live like she lives.
  • Their consequences is death! God takes them home.
  • Why such a severe consequence? Last part of v 23:
  • Jesus is concerned about the integrity of the church.
  • He doesn’t want the church corrupted.
  • So He is going to remove those who refuse to follow Him.
  1. This is a warning for at least 4 groups of Christians.
  1. Those who teach (with our words or our lives) are to be careful to teach what the Bible says.
  • James 3:1:“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
  1. Those who learn (which includes all of us) vv 24 & 25:
  • Be students of the Bible.
  • Pray and strive to draw close to Jesus.
  • Evaluate what people teach according to Scripture
  • If there’s a difference, hold to God’s Word rather than man’s teaching.
  • Be careful of drifting into compromise.
  1. Those who discover they’re following a false teacher & false teaching
  • Repent.
  • Turn from the false teachers and the way they’re leading you.
  1. To churches: We must be careful to teach the Bible and the Gospel accurately, and live to reflect the love of Christ to the world. Both are essential.
  • “No man has a right to lead such a life of contemplation as to forget in his own ease the service due to his neighbor; nor has any man a right to be so immersed in active life as to neglect the contemplation of God.” Augustine

VI.Challenge to overcome and Call to Listen (vv26-29)

  • The last 4 letters put the call to listen at the end.
  • Challenge to overcome (vv26-28)
  • “One who conquers” = The one who continues to do Jesus’ will to the end.
  • By definition, that’s the Christian.
  • He/she is not sidetracked with false teachers or false teaching.
  • Reward – vv 26-27 is a paraphrase of Psalm 2:8-9.
  • In the Psalm, Jesus as the Messiah, has the authority over the nations.
  • Here that authority is promised to those who overcome.
  • Somehow Christians participate in Jesus’ final victory.
  • “Morning star” – in Numbers 24:17, speaks of the Messiah
  • But in the Roman culture, Venus, the “morning star,” was a symbol of Roman power.
  • Jesus seems to be reinforcing the promise of vv 26-27.
  • Those who overcome will join in His final victory.
  • Point: Not only will Christians see the world set right…
  • …We’ll have a hand in setting it right!
  • Until Jesus returns, we have an obligation to watch our teaching…
  • …And at the same time, strive to grow in love, faith, service, & perseverance…
  • …To strive to reflect the love of Christ to each other and to the world.

“He who has an ear. Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”