Well, I want to begin with a question this morning, and it's a simple question.
What is it that can kill a church?
What can kill a church?
What is it that can set a church's destiny toward failure?
We often think of church ministries in that kind of context, using that kind of terminology
as either a success or as a failure.
Of course, we want to achieve success, and of course, there are many who do not do that.
They fail.
But what is it that actually does that?
What actually brings a church to the point of death?
What can kill it?
And people have come up with all kinds of answers for that, and depending on what your passion
and context is may affect how you would answer that question.
A marketing strategist might conclude that what will quickly kill a church is poor messaging,
or maybe in our context, a weak presence on social media or on the web, that those are
the things that will quickly kill a church.
If you don't get those things right, nobody's going to come.
Nobody's going to take you serious, and there's no way you can succeed.
Church growth experts might take a different direction.
They may say, well, that's probably important, but it's not just that.
Maybe it's an insistence on a lack of contextualization that you are not enough like the community that
you're in in order for you to succeed as an organization.
Or perhaps your programming is not as elaborate as maybe it should be to actually be attractive
to people, or maybe you're not providing engaging experiences that are helpful and encouraging,
and those things will surely lead a church to fail.
Of course, historically, those outside of the church for many times throughout history have
said, well, the best way to kill a church is to actually literally kill it.
And that's what the people in these churches that were studying in Revelation 2 and 3 were facing.
The fight against them was actually a fight for their very lives.
And so we could answer that in a lot of different ways.
But here's how we want to frame the question for us this morning.
What does Jesus say will kill a church?
What does Jesus conclude makes a church destined for failure?
And as we come to the messages to these seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, we find really,
generally, Jesus is giving two answers to that question.
The first thing that Jesus says will kill a church is spiritual complacency.
Spiritual complacency.
And the early stage of this complacency is embodied in the first sermon to the church at Ephesus.
A church that, while remaining steadfast in its doctrine and morality, had abandoned first love.
That's the early stage of this complacency.
And then we find that abandoning first love results in a church like Laodicea,
which is the final church that we'll study in chapter 3.
Laodicea was self-deceived.
They thought themselves to be prosperous.
They thought everything was grain.
But Jesus presents himself as on the outside of the church looking in.
And so we see spiritual complacency is the first thing that will surely kill a church.
If you don't get the first love right, you're going to end up with Jesus on the outside,
and you're not even going to know it.
But then Jesus says,
spiritual compromise is the next thing that will kill a church.
Spiritual compromise.
At the center of these seven sermons is a grouping of three churches,
and all of them are at different levels of compromise.
Pergamum, that we studied last week in verses 12 through 17,
adopted a subtle form of compromise,
where the congregation as a whole was generally faithful.
They were doing what was right.
The problem in Pergamum is that they were tolerating some of their members
who had subscribed to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
They were involving themselves in idolatry,
and with that idolatry came sexual immorality.
But the church in Pergamum wasn't doing anything about it.
They weren't disciplining the members.
They weren't confronting the members.
They were just deciding,
okay, we're going to be faithful.
They've got their thing.
We're just going to agree to disagree on this.
It's a subtle form of compromise.
Well, then the final stage of this compromise
is in the church at Sardis,
which we'll study next Sunday, Lord willing.
We find that in the first six verses of chapter three.
It represents the final juncture of compromise,
where Jesus declares that that church is dead.
Meaning that almost all of the members in Sardis,
in the Sardis church, were unbelievers.
But at the center of this grouping is this church in Thyatira,
which was not yet guilty of a deadly compromise,
but it had moved beyond the subtle compromise
to an overt compromise, a blatant compromise.
So that in contrast to Pergamum,
the church in Thyatira had moved from tolerating errant members
to legitimizing false teachers.
So they've taken the step down the road toward further compromise.
As a whole, the congregation was accomplishing some noteworthy work
in the name of Christ, as we read here.
But it had become doctrinally and morally factious.
Some of the people remained faithful to the Lord,
while many were being seduced into problematic doctrines.
But even the faithful remnant in the church
was not fulfilling its responsibility
to discipline and exclude the false teacher and her disciples.
Things are starting to spiral out of control in Thyatira,
and Jesus comes in as that great eschatological king
prepared to unleash his judgment on this church
and on all of those in the church
who remained in a state of unrepentance.
Now for Lakeside, Lakeside Bible Church,
to succeed in the biblical sense of that word,
we're going to have to learn what truly matters
and what truly doesn't matter.
We can be grateful for marketing strategies.
We can be grateful for programming
that would be honoring to the Lord
and helpful and encouraging to people.
We can be grateful for all of those things.
But at the end of the day,
those are not the things that ultimately matter.
At the end of the day,
what matters is that we are faithful,
faithful to the word,
faithful to the Lord and to our Savior.
And this complacency and compromise
that we see in five of the seven churches,
if we don't get a hold of it in our own church,
it's going to kill us.
It's going to kill us.
Now, in all the sermons,
there's a glorious promise that we get to at the end
for all of those who conquer.
But then what we find overwhelmingly true
in this particular message
is that the church that compromises
sets itself up as an enemy of Jesus,
destined for death.
Okay?
So let's dig in.
Let's first look at the church's identity
in the Christ title here in verse 18.
Would you read it with me?
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.
So Thyatira is the city which,
as we understand it,
was not an incredibly significant city
in terms of politics or religion,
different from some of the churches
that we've studied thus far.
They participated, of course,
as all of these cities did
in the imperial cult of Rome.
But the patron god of Thyatira was Apollos,
who was known in Greek mythology
to be the son of Zeus.
But the city of Thyatira was really identified.
They found their identity economically.
Textiles and metalwork
were the primary resources produced by this city.
In fact, the most famous Thyatiran person
in the scripture,
you'll find in Acts chapter 16,
it was a lady named Lydia.
Do you remember?
She was in Philippi at the time.
Paul goes on.
She is worshiping with a group of Jewish women.
And what is it that Luke tells us
as an identifying marker of this woman, Lydia?
That she is a seller of purple from Thyatira.
She was a seller of fine linen.
That was what her identity was wrapped up in
at that point in her life.
Well, why was her identity wrapped up in that?
Because the identity of her community
and her culture in Thyatira
was wrapped up in the economics
of fruitful business.
The city was known for its prevalence
of trade guilds,
which were common in all of the cities,
but especially in Thyatira.
These trade guilds were like business networks
akin somewhat to a modern labor union.
There were a vast array of guilds
that a person could join.
Brian could join the floor layers guild
if he wanted to.
And some of you tech engineers
could enjoy the guild
of whatever it is that you do
that I don't understand.
And there's all kinds of vast arrays of this.
Here's the thing with the trade guilds.
Each one has a deity
attached to its business.
And a part of the guild feast
and celebrations that were routine
in order to belong to this club
or this membership
for your business to succeed
involved pagan worship
that led to pagan ritual and practices.
That's the dilemma
that the people in Thyatira
begin to face.
At the heart of the sin
that Jesus confronts in Thyatira
is probably the dilemma
that these Christians are facing
with the trade guilds
where they have to make a decision
at some point in their life.
Am I going to commit
to being successful in my business
and providing a good living
for my family
which means that I've got to go
and be a part of these feasts
where I'm participating
even reluctantly
in pagan worship of idolatry
that in those days
immediately would lead
into public displays of immorality.
Am I going to do that
in order to put food on the table?
Or am I going to stay faithful to Christ
refuse those things
and face the threat
not only of death
in terms of persecution
but I'm going to be an outcast.
I have no way
to be successful now
in the culture of business
in which I live.
That's their dilemma.
So it would be easy
to come to a passage like this
and think
how could this church do that?
How could they be so guilty
of such terrible sin?
And then you find out
what some of the men
in that church
probably were facing
was the very fact
of whether or not
they were going to be able
to put food on the table.
And is your worship
worth that type of struggle
in your life?
That's what they were facing.
Well let's think about
the Christ titles here.
Jesus in self-revelation
this is not the titles
that John is ascribing to Jesus
but Jesus is telling
through John
this is who I am.
He says
that he is the son of God
that he has eyes
like a flame of fire
and his feet
are like burnished bronze.
Well what is that all about?
Well it's partially
a polemic
against the culture
of Thyatira.
They worshipped Apollos
and the Caesars
who viewed themselves
as sons of gods.
Jesus comes to them
as the actual
son of God.
The one with true authority
over the people
and the cities
and the nations.
But these titles
are also an allusion
to two Old Testament texts.
One is a messianic psalm
Psalm 2
the other is a messianic prophecy
from Daniel chapter 10.
Now we emphasize messianic
because that's the purpose
of those passages
and that's why Jesus
is using them here.
Let me just read them to you.
Psalm chapter 2
and verse 7
says this
The Lord said to me
you are my son
today I have begotten you.
That is not a reference
to David.
That is a messianic psalm.
It's a reference
to the future king
that will come
the serpent slayer
from Genesis chapter 3
that will come
and will redeem his people.
Okay?
Then we see
in Daniel chapter 10
again speaking
of this coming Messiah
his body was like barrel
his face
like the appearance
of lightning
his eyes
like flaming torches
his arms and legs
like the gleam
of burnished bronze.
So Jesus is using
the Old Testament
as his own self-revelation
here to basically
turn the minds
of the people
back to these passages
and to say
that's me
I am the son of God
I am the one
who is
who was
proclaimed to come.
Now that his eyes
are like flames
of fire
refers to his omniscience
that he sees all
that he knows
all things.
That his feet
are like
burnished bronze
probably has
somewhat to do
with the city
of Thyatira
and their businesses
and dealings
with metal work
but it also reflects
his absolute purity
especially
in terms of judgment.
Absolute purity
absolute righteousness
as the righteous judge.
So what is it
that Jesus wants
the Thyatirans
to know?
He wants the church
to know
that he
is the eternal king
who sees all
and perfectly
judges all.
He sees their hearts
he knows their sin
he knows their righteousness
and he will judge them
in righteousness
at his coming.
So whenever these
Christians were tempted
to participate
in the pagan rituals
of their culture
they were to remember
who the true
son of God is.
When facing
the threat
of persecution
from those
who demanded
their loyalty
they were to think
of Jesus
as the one
who will judge
the entire world
at his coming.
You see
the only way
we'll ever stay
the course
in this life
is to keep
our mind set
on the person
of Jesus.
no other
motivation
is ever going
to keep us
from falling
into the sins
of idolatry
and immorality
as some of the people
in this church
were falling.
Why is it that
Jesus constantly
describes himself
he's constantly
with these churches
turning their eyes
to him
because he
is the motivation
we have.
He
is the one
who keeps us
on course.
Well let's look
at the commendation
here in verse 19
I know your works
your love
and faith
service
patient endurance
and that your
latter works
exceed the first.
Now works
throughout the Bible
is used in both
a broad
and a narrow sense.
Broadly
works can refer
to works
of faith
that is
referring to
the things
that we believe.
Works could refer
to things
that we do
as matters
of obedience
to the law.
Works could
refer to things
that we do
for others
and good works
and actionable
things that we do
in our lives.
Given the context
of this particular
passage though
Jesus is using
the term
narrowly
and he's referring
primarily
to outward
acts
of good
and that's
further supported
by the way
he describes
their works.
He says
I know your works
namely
your love
your faith
which could be
translated
faithfulness
to these works
your love
your faith
your service
your ministry
and your patient
endurance.
Now I want to suggest
that what Jesus
is really getting at
in this commendation
involves
primarily
mercy
ministry
acts
of good works
directed
toward other people
both inside
the church
and outside
of the church
so that despite
the severe sin
that Jesus
is about to
confront
in the congregation
he finds
that there were
some things
that they were
getting
exactly
right
and it wasn't
only that they
were getting
it right
but they were
growing
in the fruitfulness
of this kind
of loving service.
He says
their latter works
are even better
than their first works.
This is an amazing
thought from Jesus
isn't it?
That what he sees
as being true here
is that this church
is a church
of love
love for people
that comes
from a love
for Jesus.
In this sense
they are the
anti-Ephesus
the anti-type
of Ephesus.
Ephesus
had great discernment
but no love.
Thyatira
has great love
but no discernment.
Both circumstances
are a recipe
for a disaster
for any church
that sets us
on the path
to death.
Now I want you
to remember
that there is
no deceit
or guile
in Jesus
whatsoever.
He is perfectly
honest and just
in everything
that he says
and everything
that he does
which means
that we cannot
come to this
commendation
and pass it off
as if it's
a superficial
commendation
as if it's not
really as important
as what some
other commendation
might be
because that
would be to say
that there's
some type
of deceit
or guile
in Jesus
that cannot
possibly belong
to our perfect
Lord.
Now those of us
who are
particularly concerned
with doctrinal
clarity
and precision
and I am
one of them
we tend
to devalue
the importance
of acts
of service
and compassion
toward others.
We may even
snarl
a little bit
at those churches
that seem
a little extra
committed
to community
engagement
volunteering
caring for the
oppressed
and so on
and we need
to be careful
that we don't
diminish
what Jesus
values
and if you
find yourself
rightly committed
to doctrine
but rarely
engaging
in service
to others
your doctrine
isn't doing
what God
intends
for doctrine
to do.
It's not
meant to give
you a fat head
and an empty
heart.
The doctrine
and the things
that we believe
about God
and what his
desires are
for us
will motivate
us to action
and the overflow
of what we see
to be true
of God
and believe
to be true
of Christ
will overflow
into this
kind of love
that is exemplary
in the church
of Thyatira.
And isn't it
amazing also
that despite
their sin
Jesus still
commends them
on what's good
and right
and this
just shows
you how
un-Christ
like I
can be
because if
I'm looking
at a church
like Thyatira
out of spiritual
pride
there's nothing
good I will
ever find
in the church
not so with
Jesus.
It's amazing
this church
he's threatening
severe judgment
on this church
and yet before
he gets to
the judgment
he acknowledges
that there are
some things
that are good
there.
No one is
ever so just
as Jesus is.
He justly
condemns
and he justly
commends
something we'd
all do well
to acknowledge
and also mimic
his example
because the church
down the road
or the person
across the aisle
from you today
they may have
some serious
issues that
must be confronted
but that's no
excuse for
ignoring
what's truly
good and right
in their lives
and can't
you be thankful
that this is
the way that
Jesus treats
you
the way he
treats us
let's look at
the complaint
verse 20
I have this
against you
Jesus says
that you
tolerate that
woman Jezebel
who calls
herself a
prophetess
and is teaching
and seducing
my servants
to practice
sexual immorality
and to eat
food
sacrificed
to idols
there's
two categories
of complaint
correction
and consequence
one is focused
on this
Jezebel figure
and the other
is focused
on the church
as a whole
typically
the faithful
that remain
in the church
the complaint
against Jezebel
has to do
with what she
is doing
and teaching
the complaint
against the church
is about
their tolerance
of Jezebel's
influence
so that even
though the
official position
of the congregation
was not in
alignment
with this
influencer
they allowed
her to continue
teaching
and seducing
the people
in the church
that's the synopsis
of the two
complaints here
now let's get
into the
details of it
just like the
sermon in
Pergamum
Jesus uses
an Old Testament
allusion
to express
his complaint
the woman
influencing
the church
in Thyatira
was not
named Jezebel
she was acting
like the infamous
Jezebel
of first and
second kings
and you can read
all about her
if you like
when you get
home today
Jezebel
was a
Phoenician
princess
who married
Ahab
who at the
time was
the king
of Israel
after it
had split
from Judah
so Ahab
is the king
of the northern
kingdom
the northern
ten tribes
and he marries
this Phoenician
princess
named Jezebel
who taught
the northern
kingdom
to worship
the Baals
and all that
came along
with that
kind of worship
she fought
against God's
prophets
you'll remember
the famous
story of
Elijah
and the
prophets
of Baal
Jezebel
is intertwined
in all that's
happening there
she seduced
the people
into all
kinds of
sin
she did
not belong
to the
people
of God
but she
infiltrated
and led
people of
God
into
idolatry
such was
the case
with the
woman
in Thyatira
she might
have been
a part
of that
Nicolaitan
sex
which is
probably
what I
would say
she probably
identified
with
which we've
talked about
in Ephesus
and in
Pergamum
either way
she has
infiltrated
the people
of God
and she
is now
leading them
astray
and I want
you to notice
what she
calls herself
look back
at the
verse
you tolerate
that woman
Jezebel
who calls
herself
a what
a prophetess
she's claiming
that her
teaching
not only
contains
divine
revelation
but possesses
divine
authority
this is
significant
to this
the problem
of false
teaching
always
boils down
to the
issue
of
biblical
authority
always
the
Thyatiran
influencer
claimed to
speak for
God
and that
this new
revelation
or gnosis
or knowledge
that was
coming from
her
negated
and replaced
any
previous
revelation
so that
at any
point
that
Jezebel's
teaching
was in
conflict
with other
scriptures
her
position
as a
prophetess
would say
that my
teaching
absorbs
that
it
replaces
it
negates
it
this
is
always
the
problem
with
false
teaching
it
boils
down
to
this
and
it's
not
just
an
ancient
problem
at
the
heart
of
Mormonism
is
the
belief
that
God
gave
Joseph
Smith
a
new
revelation
that
is
superior
to
any
former
revelation
in the
Bible
so they
do not
deny
the
Bible
but
they
say
what
revelation
was given
to
Joseph
Smith
is
greater
than
and at
whatever
point
it
conflicts
with
the
scriptures
we
lean
to
Joseph
Smith
because
of
the
new
revelation
okay
it's
a battle
of
biblical
authority
and
inerrancy
the
Roman
Catholic
Church
they
do
the
same
thing
with
the
priority
of
tradition
and
the
magisterium
that
has
the
final
word
over
the
scriptures
this
type
of
error
is
prominent
in
the
charismatic
movement
where
you
will
routinely
hear
things
like
I
know
what
the
Bible
says
but
God
told
me
to
fill
in
the
blank
if
anyone
is
telling
you
or
claiming
to
speak
for
God
without
expounding
the
scriptures
they
are
a
false
teacher
that
must
be
excluded
not
tolerated
that's
the
issue
with
this
Jezebel
she's
coming
in
she's
saying
I'm
a
prophetess
and
you
need
to
listen
to
me
because
I'm
speaking
for
God
now
what
she
was
teaching
most
likely
had
to
do
with
this
dilemma
with
the
trade
guilds
claiming
some
type
of
special
knowledge
she
led
the
believers
to
embrace
the
idolatry
and
the
immorality
of
their
culture
while
trying
to
maintain
a
Christian
identity
this
is
why
we
call
it
compromise
because
it's
not
a
complete
turning
away
from
Christianity
it is
a type
of
syncretism
where
they
want
to
be
named
as
Christians
they
want
to
carry
the
identity
of
Christianity
but
they
want
to
embrace
the
culture
around
them
all
at
the
same
time
and
this
Jezebel
figure
is
coming
in
and
she's
offering
them
a
solution
to
their
dilemma
why
would
you
not
go
to
the
feast
God
wants
your
family
to
be
taken
care
of
God
wants
you
to
be
happy
go
to
the
feast
those
gods
aren't
real
anyways
go
do
the
things
no
big
deal
you're
a
Christian
you're
a
Christian
of
course
we
understand
that
trying
to
marry
Christianity
with
the
world
never
works
there's
a
clear
line
of
demarcation
between
following
Jesus
and
conforming
to
the
world
around
us
the
Bible
makes
that
absolutely
clear
and
to
try
to
merge
the
two
ultimately
will
lead
us
to
forsake
the
gospel
altogether
and
we
may
embrace
the
world's
philosophies
with
Christian
terminology
but
we
will
not
be
Christian
and
this
is
a
serious
kind
of
compromise
that
will
kill
a
church
and
how
do
we
see
this
playing
out
we
see
this
in
the
way
that
some
churches
are
embracing
the
sexual
revolution
of our
culture
where they
want to
try to
hang on
to their
Christianity
while
endorsing
the
word
would
be
affirming
things
that
the
Bible
clearly
stands
against
it
doesn't
work
and
if
you
try
to
do
that
even
with
the
best
of
intentions
if
you
begin
to
try
to
do
that
it
means
that
you're
going
to
stop
calling
sinners
to
repentance
and
if
you
stop
calling
sinners
to
repentance
then
you'll
tell
them
that
they
really
have
no
need
for
a
savior
and
if
you're
telling
them
that
they
have
no
need
for
a
savior
you've
lost
the
gospel
you
can
have
all
the
works
that
Thyatira
had
you
can
have
all
the
spiritual
emotion
and
fervor
that
you've
always
have
but
if
you
lose
the
gospel
you're
dead
and
that's
what
was
happening
in
Thyatira
and
that's
what
will
happen
to
us
if
we
fall
into
this
kind
of
compromise
now
notice
that
Jesus
fully
claims
these
people
whom
Jezebel
was
leading
astray
as
his
own
isn't
that
interesting
look
back at
the
verse
with
me
verse
20
she's
teaching
and seducing
what
my
servants
my
servants
his
people
is
this
even
possible
is
it
possible
for
someone
who
belongs
to
Christ
to
fall
into
idolatry
and
sexual
immorality
like
these
people
did
here
we
have
to
say
yes
because
Jesus
said
yes
and
what
we'll
find
is
that
it's
not
the
act
of
sin
that
says
we're
not
a
Christian
it's
the
refusal
to
repent
that
says
we're
not
a
Christian
that's
the
distinction
we're
going to
get to
that
again
in
just
a
moment
but
let's
think
about
this
for
just
a
moment
what
will
cause
us
to
fall
into
something
like
this
spiritual
pride
has
to be
part
of
the
answer
right
we
think
that
maybe
we're
above
compromising
truth
and
righteousness
in
this
way
but
then
Galatians
5
makes
it
clear
that
there
is
this
spiritual
war
raging
inside
of us
it's
a
war
between
the
spirit
of
God
and
the
spirit
of
our
flesh
and
the
spirit
of
God
does
his
sanctifying
work
through
the
word
of
God
so
at
the
moment
that
we
begin
to
abandon
the
word
of
God
we
effectively
silence
the
spirit
of
God
in
order
that
we
might
follow
after
the
spirit
of
our
own
flesh
!
And
before
we
know
it
we
are
a
Christian
that
lives
nothing
like
a
Christian
and
we
need
to
be
mindful
of
it
let's
look
at
the
correction
and
consequence
so
again
Jesus
is
providing
two
different
dynamics
of
corrections
the
first
one
is
to
Jezebel
the
second
one
is
to
the
rest
of
the
people
in
the
church
and
we
are
going
to
deal
with
them
separately
but
we
need
to
at
least
acknowledge
up
front
that
is
repentance
like
I
said
a
moment
ago
to
commit
a
sin
does
not
mean
a
person
is
unsaved
to
refuse
to
repent
does
okay
to
commit
a
sin
does
not
make
you
an
unbeliever
to
refuse
to
repent
of
that
sin
does
mean
you're
an
unbeliever
because
those
who
belong
to
Jesus
repent
of
sin
when
confronted
by
the
word
and
the
refusal
to
repent
identify
someone
as
unregenerate
Jezebel
and her
followers
are
commanded
to
repent
of
their
idolatry
and
immorality
the
church
was
commanded
to
repent
of
its
tolerance
of
not
disciplining
the
group
when
they
had
refused
to
repent
so
let's
look
at
them
separately
Jezebel
and
her
children
first
look
at
verse
21
I
gave
her
time
to
repent
Jesus
says
but
she
refuses
to
repent
of
her
sexual
immorality
behold
unto
a
sick
bed
those
who
commit
adultery
with
her
I
will
throw
into
great
tribulation
unless
they
repent
of
her
works
and
I
will
strike
her
children
dead
now
we know
that
sickness
is not
always a
punishment
for
sin
that's
clear
in
the
scripture
what's
also
clear
in
the
scripture
is
that
sometimes
it
is
a
punishment
for
sin
such
is
the
case
for
this
Jezebel
the
mention
of
children
here
is
not
to
be
understood
as
actual
biological
children
but
as
those
who
had
embraced
her
teaching
in
the
church
so
what
Jesus
is
addressing
or
who
Jesus
is
addressing
is
this
Jezebel
figure
and
those
who
had
subscribed
to
her
false
teaching
and
were
living
in
her
same
immorality
and
because
they
refused
to
repent
Jesus
was
going
to
afflict
her
and
her
followers
he's
going
to
throw
her
onto
a
sick
bed
and
then
at
the
end
they
will
all
be
struck
dead
now
this
judgment
seems
harsh
doesn't
it
but
it's
actually
full
of
mercy
we
find
mercy
all
over
it
because
the
truth
is
that
God
owes
us
nothing
he
owes
us
nothing
the
moment
that
we
rebel
against
him
we
deserve
the
full
punishment
of his
wrath
as
our
creator
that's
what
we
deserve
immediately
the
fact
that
he
lets
us
take
a
breath
beyond
that
is
a
sign
of
God's
mercy
that
he
gives
us
any
time
at
all
to
repent
of
our
sin
is
an
amazing
mercy
but
make
no
mistake
judgment
will
come
and
some
of
you
right
now
may
be
enjoying
a
season
of
mercy
God
is
giving
you
time
to
turn
from
your
sin
he's
giving
you
time
to
trust
in
Christ
as
Lord
and
Savior
but
his
mercy
might
have
made
you
comfortable
things
are
somewhat
good
life
hasn't
been
all that
hard
you
feel
no
real
urgency
to
respond
to
his
word
you
are
continuing
in
sin
and
rebellion
but
I'm
telling
you
better
repent
before
it's
too
late
because
this
call
to
salvation
has
an
expiration
it
has
an
expiration
turn
from
sin
before
the
judgment
comes
that's
the
message
here
that
God
is
merciful
he
even
gives
this
Jezebel
figure
lots
of
time
to
repent
but
she
refuses
and
even
in
his
refusal
he
gives
her
another
opportunity
through
the
message
itself
to
repent
and
some
of
you
are
coming
to
church
Sunday
after
Sunday
after
Sunday
and
you're
hearing
the
gospel
message
you're
being
confronted
by
your
sin
the
spirit
is
doing
his
work
in
your
life
and
you
still
won't
!
repent
!
and
believe
you're
enjoying
God's
mercy
but
you're
wasting
God's
mercy
now
why would
Jesus
use a
plague
to
afflict
this
Jezebel
instead
of just
dealing
with her
and her
followers
swiftly
this is
what seems
so unfair
in justing
God
doesn't
it
but
the answer
is just
another
statement
of
mercy
look at
verse
23
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
now
Jim
Hamilton
has this
great
little
book
it's
not a
little
book
actually
it's
a big
book
on
biblical
theology
where
he
insists
that
the
central
theme
of
the
Bible
is
that
God
is
glorified
in
salvation
through
judgment
that
God
is glorified
in
salvation
through
judgment
God
threatens
this
judgment
on
Jezebel
so
that
his
judgment
would
lead
others
to
salvation
do you
see
that
God
is
glorified
when
people
turn
to
Jesus
after
hearing
and
seeing
his
righteous
judgment
on
others
and
the
Christians
in
Thyatira
and
the
churches
throughout
Asia
were
to
see
God's
wrath
against
Jezebel
as
a
purging
by
which
Jesus
meant
to
bring
his
own
people
to
repentance
and
such
is
the
case
for
us
as
well
the
one
who
searches
mind
and
heart
will
judge
each
of
us
according
to
our
works
those
who
have
turned
from
sin
to
trust
the
work
of
Christ
will
receive
salvation
those
who
continue
in
sin
will
receive
God's
wrath
and
it
is
God's
mercy
that
you
hear
this
warning
again
this
morning
so
don't
waste
it
turn
and
believe
and all
of the
mercy
that is
in
God
will
conquer
all of
the
sin
that
is
in
you
don't
waste
the
warning
then
we
see
the
consequence
and
the
correction
for
the
rest
of
the
church
verse
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
only
hold
fast
to
what
you
have
until
I
come
Hamilton
says
by refusing
to
repent
Jezebel
declared
that she
did not
belong
to the
people
of
God
once
she
made
this
plain
the
church
in
Thyatira
had a
responsibility
to tell
her
the
truth
that
she
was
not
right
with
God
they
had
a
responsibility
to
protect
the
flock
they
had
a
responsibility
to
exclude
her
from
the
church
instead
they
were
tolerating
her
and
as
a
result
of
the
church's
failure
to
act
she
was
leading
into
sin
so
Jesus
in
his
correction
he
tells
Jezebel
and
her
followers
repent
or
die
and
then
he
tells
the
rest
of
the
church
repent
of
your
toleration
or
die
very
happy
about
the
church's
obedience
in
other
areas
Jesus
had
no
further
burden
for
them
but
to
properly
discipline
those
who
would
not
turn
from
their
sin
he
says
only
hold
fast
what
you
have
until
I
come
well
what
is it
that
they
had
to
hold
fast
to
the
gospel
they
had
the
gospel
they
had
not
abandoned
the
gospel
holding
fast
to
the
gospel
means
living
it
out
as
Christ
commanded
and
part
of
living
it
out
is
drawing
a
clear
line
between
those
who
repent
and
those
who
do
not
the
repentance
that is
necessary
for the
faithful
remnant
in
Thyatira
was to
exclude
this
Jezebel
and her
children
and to
do
anything
less
was an
overt
compromise
that would
inevitably
lead
to the
death
of the
church
and so
we come
to it
as
a church
ourselves
and we
say
whenever
and if
ever
a Jezebel
is exposed
in our
church
our only
course of
action
according to
the scripture
is to
lovingly
discipline
that person
in hopes
that they
will turn
from their
sin
to trust
Christ
and be
restored
but if
they do
not turn
they must
be excluded
because the
result if
they're not
excluded
is that
the
servants
of
Jesus
in
our
church
will
be
led
astray
well
let's
look at
the
call and
conquer
as we
finish
verse 26
the one
who
conquers
and who
keeps
my
works
until
the
end
to him
I
will
give
authority
over
the
nations
he
will
rule
them
with
a
rod
of
iron
as
when
earth
and
pots
are
broken
in
pieces
even
as
I
myself
have
received
authority
from
my
father
and I
will
give
him
the
morning
star
he
who
has
an
ear
let
him
hear
what
the
spirit
says
to
the
churches
as
always
Jesus
closes
the
sermon
with a
promise
to
those
who
conquer
now
notice
how
conquering
in
all of
these
sermons
is
synonymous
with
perseverance
he's
just said
it in
the
in the
previous
verse
look
with
me
at
verse
25
only hold
fast
what you
have
until
I
come
perseverance
the one
who conquers
who keeps
my works
until
the end
to him
I will
give
authority
over the
nation's
perseverance
just like
repentance
proves a
person to
be
regenerate
so does
perseverance
those
who
continue
in the
faith
despite
the
spiritual
war
that
rages
against
us
prove
that
they
have
truly
conquered
through
Jesus
the
conqueror
and
look at
the
wonderful
promise
that's
given
us
it's
mysterious
here
for us
but
it's
helpful
it's
another
allusion
to
psalm 2
here's
what the
passage
in
psalm 2
says
so again
in the
promise
Jesus
is
proclaiming
to the
church
I am
the
son
of
God
I
am
the
Messiah
and
what
I
said
in
psalm 2
I
say
to
you
now
those
who
conquer
will
reign
with
me
so
that
in
the
messianic
kingdom
Jesus
promises
that
his
people
will
reign
with
him
and
exactly
how
this
takes
shape
is
a
mystery
don't
ask
me
after
the
service
how
I
think
this
is
going
to
work
and
which
nation
you're
going
to
get
to
rule
over
because
I
have
no
idea
I
don't
know
how
that's
going
to
work
but
consider
what
it
would
have
meant
to
these
early
Christians
rule
of
Rome
the
promise
is not
that we
will be
able to
exercise
vengeance
on those
who have
wronged
us
that's
not
the
promise
the
promise
is that
we
will
enjoy
the
kingdom
of
Christ
with
his
perfectly
righteous
rule
where
all
who
belong
to
him
are
blessed
and
all
who
rebel
against
him
are
perfectly
righteously
judged
so put
it in
practical
terms
for just
a moment
do you
ever
see the
brokenness
and injustice
of the
world
around
you
and
long
for
something
greater
of
course
if
you
don't
you've
got
some
serious
problems
you're
blind
there
is
brokenness
everywhere
we
long
for the
restoration
of
God's
kingdom
we
long
for the
perfection
of
Christ
rule
and that
something
greater
is coming
when
Christ
returns
and all
who conquer
through faith
in him
will enjoy
it for
all
eternity
to the
one
who
conquers
you
will
reign
with
me
in
perfect
righteousness
and
then
he
says
that
the
one
who
conquers
will
be
given
the
morning
star
what's
that
all
about
Jesus
is
the
morning
star
he
is
the
son
that
gives
light
and
life
to
his
people
and
the
greatest
reward
for
the
believer
in
eternity
is
Jesus
himself
to
be
with
our
savior
to
be
with
our
lord
forever
is
the
prize
that
cannot
be
measured
as we
talked
about
last
week
in the
appeal
to
Pergamum
Jesus
is
that
treasure
in the
field
he
is
that
pearl
of
great
price
nothing
in
this
life
is
worth
holding
on
to
in
order
to
forsake
him
and
the
one
who
knows
Christ
knows
that
the
best
thing
about
eternity
is
not
streets
of
gold
or
pearly
gates
or
disease
free
life
even
though
we're
going
to
enjoy
all
of
those
things
the
most
wonderful
thing
about
eternity
is
to
be
in
the
presence
of
Christ
he
says
I
will
give
you
myself
Jesus
says
and
to
experience
his
perfect
love
and
rule
and
power
will
be
unlike
anything
else
we can
ever
begin
to
imagine
now
and
that
is
what
is
promised
to
the
one
who
conquers
through
Christ
he
who
has
an
ear
let
him
hear
what
the
spirit
says
to
the
churches