Temple Baptist Church - 2-9-2020
Revelation 2:18-29
Introduction:
A. As we study the seven churches of Revelation, chapters 2-3, we find progressive compromise that always leads to apostasy.
B. The progression of the Church Age.
1. Ephesus - Dearly Beloved - The Drifting Church that left their first love.
2. Smyrna - Crushed - The Persecuted Church that felt the lethal effects of compromise.
3. Pergamos - Wedded - The Compromising Church that traded its Old Paths for peace with the state.
4. Thyatira - Continual Sacrifice - The Apostate Church that allowed apostates to teach and to seduce God’s people.
C. Now, the Church at Thyatira:
1. The Description of Christ – Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
a. His Deity – “The Son of God”
b. His Discernment - "Eyes like fire" - all seeing and all knowing
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
c. His Determination - "Feet like brass" - standing in judgment
John 5:25-27 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
2. The Description of The Church – Revelation 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
a. A Working Church. “thy works”
b. A Loving Church. “charity”
c. A Serving Church. “service”
d. A Faithful Church. “faith”
e. A Patient Church. “patience”
f. A Flourishing Church. “thy works; and the last to be more than the first”
3. The Detestation of The Compromise - Revelation 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
a. Her Flawed Authority (2:20) "Jezebel … prophetess" The Analogy of Jezebel and The End-time Church.
1) Jezebel was a Zidonian, a worshipper of baal. She was an extension of Babylonian worship who had power over government, Ahab her husband.
1 Kings 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
2) We find her in Revelation, chapter 17:
Revelation 17:1, 4-6 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters … And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: (5) And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (6) And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
3) Her flawed teachings described. “fornication, idols, adultery, depths of Satan”
b. The Church at Thyatira’s Compromise. “Sufferest … to teach (allowed to teach false doctrine) . . . Jezebel (the end-time church) … sufferest … to seduce my servants (to proselyte God’s people)”
4. The Determination of The Children - Revelation 2:22-23 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (23) And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
a. “I will cast her into a bed” (2:22) In bed together means of the same mind; in cahoots.
b. “I will kill her children with death” (2:23a) The end result of her damnable doctrines.
c. “I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” (2:23b) The ultimate judgment of her followers.
5. The Duty of The Believer – Revelation 2:24-25 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. (25) But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
a. The Directive. (2:24-25a) "hold fast" To those who follow the Bible and the Old Paths of the Fathers.
b. The Duration. (2:25b) "till I come" To continue to seek and stand in the old way wherein is the good way.
6. The Dividends of The Faithful – Revelation 2:26-29 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (27) And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (28) And I will give him the morning star. (29) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
a. The Condition. (2:26) "that overcometh, and keepeth"
b. The Compensation. (2:26-29) “and shall rule … and I will give”
1) The Reigning. (2:26-27) “I will give power … And he shall rule”
2) The Relationship. (2:28-29) “the morning star”
Conclusion: I will not spend a lot of time discussing Roman Catholicism but will give a simple overview of its flawed basis. Just a few of the dangerous doctrines of Roman Catholicism:
1. Roman Catholicism has a Flawed Authority: the church, the Pope, then the Bible. Notice that I placed the Bible last. The church and the Pope rule, not God’s Word.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
2. Roman Catholicism has a Flawed Worship: Mary and/or Christ. Mary is not the mother of God; she was the mother of the physical body of Jesus Christ. God has no mother! Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things, formed the womb in which He was to be born. He was before Mary, not Mary before Him!
a. Mary was called blessed among women because God chose her to bear His Son.
b. Mary had a normal marriage relationship with Joseph after the birth of Christ.
Matthew 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
c. Mary bore other children to Joseph.
Matthew 13:55-56 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? (56) And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
d. Mary was given to the care of John the Beloved after the crucifixion of Christ and remained in his care until her death.
John 19:26-27 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! (27) Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
3. Roman Catholicism has a Flawed Mediation: Mary and/or Christ. Roman Catholics pray through Mary to God. In the Catholic Church, Mary is Co-Mediatrix with Christ.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
4. Roman Catholicism has a Flawed Salvation: The church, Mary, baptism, sacraments, good works, Christ.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
5. Roman Catholicism has a Flawed Eternity: Purgatory instead of heaven or hell. There are no such places as Limbo or Purgatory in the Bible. It is either heaven or hell and, after death, the transition to one of the other is instantaneous!
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (7) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
The message to the Church at Thyatira is relative to our day as Protestant, Pentecostal, and Southern Baptist, etc. have developed a working relationship with Roman Catholicism. We see their observance of Lent, ecumenical worship services, “Holy Communion” etc. all around us. As Bible believers, we hold fast to the Word of God as our final authority and the Old Paths of our fathers, wherein is the good way!
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