Cecil A. Fayard
Elliott Baptist Church
March 7, 2004
Thyatira: The Church That Permitted Sin
Revelation 2:18-29
INTRODUCTION: The City of Thyatira was established by Alexander the Great about 290 B.C. after the fall of the Persian Empire. It was a military outpost designed to protect Pergamos, located forty miles away.
This small thriving town, located in a rich agricultural area, was famous for the manufacture of purple dye. The city was well-known for its many trade guilds, somewhat equivalent to our labor union, which included linen workers, dyers, leather workers, tanners, bakers, makers of outer garments, bronze smiths and slave traders. It is likely that Lydia was representing the trade guild in Philippi when God opened her heart to the Gospel (Acts 6:14-15).
Most of the pressure that the Christians of Thyatira faced was from, the trade guilds. The guilds had their patron deities and members of the guilds were to attend feats given in honor of their guild god. These feasts included meat sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality. The believers in Thyatira faced the possibility of losing their jobs if they did not attend.
I. VS. 18, CHRIST DESCRIBED
A. "The Son of God"
1. The emphasis here is on the deity of Christ, that He is God, one in essence with the Father, "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30).
2. In Revelation 1;13 Christ is described as "the Son of Man." Christ came to suffer, once for all, for our sins, in a body prepared for that purpose (Heb. 10:10-14).
a. Christ does not have to be crucified afresh the Son of God became the Son of Man to die for our sins.
b. The name Thyatira means "continual suffering." As seen in Heb. 10:10-14, Christ, the High Priest, is seated in glory, His work finished.
B. "Eyes like unto a flame of fire."
1. His eyes see all that goes on. We can hide mothing from Christ (Rev. 19:12).
2. Christ is able to look into the church body and discern whether it is pure or not. He will righteously judge (I Cor. 3:13).
C. "His feet are like fine brass."
1. This pictures pure judgment of the Son of God as He tramples out impurity (Rev. 19:15).
2. Christ is reminding Thyatira to take heed and cleanse the church of sin (I Pet. 4:17).
II. VS. 19, THE COMMENDATION CHRIST GIVES TO THYATIRA
A. "I know thy works." He was mindful of their labor. Christ does not forget our deeds of righteousness.
B. "Charity."
1. They had love for God and for each other. They love without expecting anything in return.
2. Thyatira proves to us that we can have love yet not be right in all things. The church that does not get right will lose its godly love.
C. "Faith." They were commended for their "faithfulness." The Greek word used for "faith" here is pistis meaning that the true Christians at Thyatira were reliable, faithful, consistent and dependable. Charity and faith are often linked in the New Testament.
D. "The last to be more than the first."
1. Their love and faithfulness were even more consistent than it had been at the first.
2. They were a church that was growing in grace (II Pet. 1:8).
3. Overby says, "Their work was missing the element of judging or disciplining." (15).
III. VSS. 20-23 CHRIST'S CONCERN FOR THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA
A. Vs. 20, The church at Thyatira had an internal problem, grievous wolves had entered in not sparing the flock, namely Jezebel (Acts 20:29-31).
1. They were allowing a woman names Jezebel to teach.
a. The Thyatira church id not heed I Tim. 2:12 were women are not to teach or preach.
b. The Bible is plain on to who is to preach the Gospel (Titus 1:6, "…The husband of one wife").
2. It was had enough that she was teaching what made it worse was that she was teaching in error.
a. Pergamos tolerated false doctrines, Thyatira allowed them to be taught.
b. "Sufferest" means "to permit." The permitted Jezebel to corrupt the church.
3. She led the members of the church into spiritual and physical error.
a. Doctrinally they committed spiritual adultery (James 4:4-6).
b. Physically they committed fornication. The Bible says "flee fornication."
c. Jezebel and her followers advocated compromise with the ungodly trade guilds and their practices.
d. This Jezebel was much like the Jezebel of the Old Testament who led Israel into idolatry through Baal worship (I Kings 16:30-31).
4. Some in the church at Thyatira compromised so they could keep their jobs or so they could advance their positions. There are those in our day who join churches for social and business reasons rather than spiritual ones.
B. The Lord gave her space (time) to repent but she refused.
1. She was given time to repent of her false teaching and fornication.
2. The Lord is gracious but be assured, He will judge sin.
3. It is sad to be proud and unrepentant as she was.
C. Vs. 22, The "bed" here probably refers to death and hell. God would throw her into hell because she was lost.
1. Those who "Commit adultery with her into great tribulation…"
a. Tribulation as used here is not the tribulation of Revelation 4-19, this is speaking of distress and trouble.
b. Remember, these were sinning Christians, not lost folks as she was.
2. "Except they repent of their deeds."
a. Chastisement is promised if they do not get right.
b. Folks today are compromising, living in sin, in order to get housing discounts or to get more social security.
D. VS. 23, These children are not biological, they are spiritual.
1. The Bible teaches us to repent and be right. Some in the New Testament died because they took the Lord's supper unworthily (I Cor. 11:30). I John 5;16 speaks of sin unto death. This was written to believers who had gone astray.
2. The Lord knows out innermost thoughts, He searches deep within us. We, believers, will be judged according to our works (I Cor. 3:11-15); Rom. 2:6).
III. VSS. 24-25, THE COMMAND OF CHRIST TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA
A. Vs. 24, Those who have been faithful to Christ, faithful to "the faith once delivered unto the saints" will not be saddled with the burden those who follow false teaching will be saddled with.
1. Thank God for the faithful few who do not hold to false doctrine.
2. "Have not known the depths of Satan."
a. We do not need to know the things of Satan, we need to stay away from them. There are those who wish they had never plumbed those depths.
b. The child of God needs to know the deep things of God as taught by the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 2:10).
B. Vs. 25, Jesus is coming again and believers are to hold fast to what he have.
IV. VSS. 26-29, THE COUNCIL TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA
A. Vss. 26-27, In the millennial reign faithful believers will hold positions of authority (Rev. 20:6).
B. VS. 28, True believers will have Christ and His glory throughout eternity, He is the morning stars (Rev. 22:15).
C. VS. 29, We need to hear what Christ says about His judgment upon those who condone and practice sin.
CONCLUSIONS: Church, hold fast to the truth.
For additional copies of the sermon CD's, please contact the church office:
Elliott Baptist Church
566 Nat G. Troutt Road
Elliott, Mississippi 38901
Phone: 662-226-4425
Pastors Email: cecilafayard@msn.com