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*Title:   Thyatira – The Liberal Church*
*Text:   Revelation 2: 18 – 29*
*Introduction:*
If there is a key that describes the American mind-set today, it is the word Liberal or Tolerance.
·         The thought behind this is that right and wrong varies from situation to situation.
·         What’s wrong for me may be right for you and vice versa.
·         It teaches that all views are equally valid and there are no absolutes.
·         The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.
·         We tolerate everything except intolerance.
·         As a result, we are killing truth and values have no value.1
But this is just society’s worldview, right?
Wrong!
Last year, the Los Angeles Times quoted Christian pollster George Barna’s research that only 44% of born-again adults are certain that absolute moral truth exists.
·         Barna also discovered that only 9% of born-again teenagers believe in absolute moral truth.2
·         This is frightening!
God’s Word, the sharp, two-edged sword is being replaced with the Devil’s pitchfork.
Our worldview is now defined with a Burger King philosophy, “Have it your way,” rather than by heaven’s King3 who says, “Have it My way!”
So what can we do to remedy the situation that we find ourselves in?
Jesus has some choice words to a church teetering on the edge of disaster.
The city of Thyatira was the smallest of the seven cities mentioned in the letters to the churches.
It is also the city about which the least is known.
Yet, it is to this little known church in a little known city that Christ addresses His longest letter.
While not a lot is known about ancient Thyatira, some things are known and they are worthy of mention.
1.      Thyatira was probably founded by Alexander the Great some 300 years before Christ.
2.      The name Thyatira means “*/Unceasing Sacrifice/*”.
3.
It probably received this name because it was a military buffer city.
4.
It was located some 40 miles south east of Pergamos, the capital city of that province.
5.
When enemies invaded, they would naturally come to Thyatira first.
6.
While its location did not allow it to defend itself very well, its mission was to hold the enemy just long enough for Pergamos to prepare itself for battle.
7.
As a result, Thyatira was destroyed and rebuilt many times during its history.
It was somewhat famous in its day for commerce.
There was main trade route that went through the city.
Thus, tradesmen from around the world bought and sold there.
1.      Thyatira was known for its woolen industry, especially for the dyes produced there.
2.
They manufactured a very expensive purple dye that was valued by royalty and the wealthy of that era.
3.
This dye was obtained from a certain shellfish.
4.
This little creature was brought up by divers; its throat was slit open; and a single drop of this dye was obtained.
5.
That dye, coupled with the chemical composition of the water of Thyatira, made colors possible there that could not be reproduced anywhere else on earth.
6.
This industry is mentioned in the Bible.
7.
We are told about a woman named Lydia who is called “*/a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira…/*”, *Acts 16:14*.
Thyatira was also known for its trade guilds.
1.
These were like the ancient unions of the day.
2.
Workers from the various industries of the city, bakers, wool worker, dyers, bronze workers, potters, and others, all banded together to set prices, guarantee work.
3.
To refuse to join a guild was to give up all prospects of work.
4.
This little fact will become important as we move through these verses.
Thyatira was also a center of occult worship.
1.
There was a temple in the city dedicated to fortune-telling.
2.
It was presided over by a female oracle named */Sambathe/**/´/*.
If there is one word that describes the situation we find at Thyatira it is the word “*/Liberal/*”.
This is a church that has left its founding principles
Remember, these letters can be views three ways: *Practically* – They are literal letters to real churches with real issues.
*Prophetically* – They speak to the church in different periods of church history.
The church of Thyatira speaks of the period between */600 AD to 1500 AD/*.
The time known as the Dark Ages.
Many practices here similar to Roman Catholicism.
*Personally* – These letters have a message for every church and every believer who will hear and heed.
A church just like every one of these seven churches can still be found in the world today.
Folks, there is a word here for us if we will receive it today.
*I.
The Personality of Christ as He addresses Thyatira (2:18).
*
The letter to the church in Thyatira is the longest of the seven letters.
It may have been the lengthiest letter because Thyatira was the most corrupt of the churches.
·         The title, *“Son of God”4* declares Christ’s absolute deity.
o       He is equal with God the Father.
o       He is the eternally existent One who has been designated to rule.5
Jesus then refers to His eyes and His feet (head to toes).
·         He says His eyes are like a *“flame of fire,”* indicating that He is able to see into the secret places of our hearts.
o       The word *“fire”* also suggests discerning and severe judgment (cf.
Rev 1:14).
o       Everything yields to fire.
o       Fire consumes all that it touches.
o       Nothing escapes.
·         Jesus moves from his head to his toes and says that His feet are like *“burnished bronze,”6 *meaning that He will pursue evil and stamp it out.
*Illustration: *Stop for just a moment and think back to a time when you sinned or unintentionally did something wrong and got in trouble.
·         Do you remember that feeling when your parent, spouse, friend, or teacher stomped into your presence and stared you down with eyes of fire?
·         It’s scary, isn’t it?
In the same way, the glorious Jesus Christ is also to be taken seriously because He is the holy and righteous Judge.
·         He is not “brother” or “the man upstairs.”
“the guy in the sky”
·         He is the Son of God and our coming Judge.
* *
*II.
The Praise of Thyatira was Positive (2:19).
*
These are the strongest words of commendation given to any of the churches.
·         But before He confronted her weakness He affirmed her strengths.
·         Jesus realizes something His people often do not: Christians need encouragement as much as they need rebuke.
·         We should follow this practice: first affirm the positive and then rebuke the negative.7
Jesus begins His commendation with the phrase *“I know your deeds” *(Rev 2:2; 3:1, 8).
He then affirms the church in four ways.
* *“Love” *(/agapen/).*
*
* Love is a sacrificial commitment to God and others.
* Of the seven churches, Thyatira is the only one singled out for their love.8
* *“Faith” *(/pistin/).9
* Faith is a conviction or persuasion based upon hearing.
NOT FEELING!
* *“Service” *(/diakonia/).*
*
* Service is* *a voluntary* *ministering to others.10
* Service is exhausting, and it’s very easy to become weary and even resentful because others may seem like they aren’t pulling their weight.
* Are you a servant?
* In what ministry context do you consistently serve?
* Whom do you sacrificially serve?
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