Thank you very much, Jamie and the band.
And welcome, everyone.
Let me add to Graham's welcome this morning.
It's great to have you here.
Why don't we pray?
Father God, as we approach your word,
will you open our hearts and minds
to what you have to say to us?
And Lord Jesus, as we think of you
as the speaker to this church so long ago,
will you give us a bigger view of who you are, Jesus?
And let us listen to your voice to us today.
Amen.
So as Graham mentioned,
we're continuing to look at these letters to the churches.
You've got mail, we're halfway through,
and we're looking at the message to the church in Thyatira.
You'll find it in Revelation chapter 2 and verses 18 to 29.
And if you can get hold of a Bible,
please get hold of one or see it on your phone or whatever.
Revelation 2, 18 to 29.
Let's read it together now.
To the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
these are the words of the Son of God,
whose eyes are like blazing fire
and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
I know your deeds,
your love and faith,
your service and perseverance,
and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Nevertheless, I have this against you.
You tolerate that woman Jezebel,
who calls herself a prophet.
By her teaching,
she misleads my servants into sexual immorality
and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
I have given her time to repent of her immorality,
but she is unwilling.
So I will cast her on a bed of suffering,
and I will make those who commit adultery with her
suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways.
I will strike her children dead.
Then all the churches will know
that I am he who searches hearts and minds,
and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira,
to you who do not hold to her teaching
and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets,
I will not impose any other burden on you
except to hold on to what you have until I come.
To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end,
I will give authority over the nations.
That one will rule them with an iron scepter
and will dash them to pieces like pottery,
just as I have received authority from my Father.
I will also give that one the morning star.
Whoever has ears,
let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
And it's been my prayer as I've read and prepared for this over recent days
that quite simply God would have something to say to each of us.
And that as that passage finishes by saying those who have ears,
let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
So we would be discerning of what God
and God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
have to say to us this morning as individuals,
perhaps as families and also as a church today.
My title for Thyatira is that Thyatira is both committed and compromised.
I wonder if it seems often that we would have to either be one or the other.
And so either you'd be expecting to be hearing about those who are fully committed
or those who are in some ways at compromise,
those who are no longer following Jesus.
But Thyatira is an interesting church
because it seems that they are both committed to following Jesus,
but they are also living in a way which for many of them amounts to compromise.
And so that's my challenge.
It's been a challenge to my own heart this week
about whether it's quite possible for me as an individual
and for us as a church not to desert the faith.
That's not what this church had done.
They were still carrying on.
And at least superficially and externally,
they appeared utterly committed.
But yet the Spirit, Lord Jesus himself,
speaks to that church and says,
I commend you for your commitment,
but I look and I also see real compromise.
So we want to get into that.
And in three very simple sections,
I want to look first of all at the speaker
because I think it's important that we try to understand more
about who is speaking to this church
and how he describes himself.
I want to look at their situation
and I want to look at the solution to that situation.
So first of all, the speaker here.
And my question as I've reflected on the speaker
is whether my view of Jesus is far too small.
And it's my question of you today as well.
As you look at Revelation chapter 2
and look at this and look at how the speaker,
Jesus himself, describes himself.
I wonder if we've made our view of Jesus far too small.
Let's look back to chapter 1 so we get the context.
Chapter 1, we also have a revelation of Jesus.
Verse 5, Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
the firstborn from the dead
and the ruler of the kings of the earth,
to him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood
and has made us to be a kingdom and priest
to serve his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever.
Amen.
So there's that revelation of Jesus
as he's described as the faithful witness,
the firstborn from the dead,
the ruler of the kings of the earth,
and crucially as he's described as him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood.
I want us to take a few minutes
to recapture perhaps for some of us
a real picture of who Jesus is
as the speaker here this morning.
He is the one who loves us
and if we're following him,
he is the one who has freed us from our sins
by his blood.
But specifically, what aspects of his person
does he emphasize to the church at Thyatira?
Well, look at chapter 2, verse 18.
He says,
The words of the Son of God,
whose eyes are like blazing fire.
So we hear about his eyes,
whose feet are like burnished bronze.
Still in verse 18.
Verse 19,
I know your deeds,
your love and faith,
your service and perseverance.
So we know about his,
we hear about his mind,
his knowledge,
not only his eyes,
not only his feet,
but also his knowledge,
his mind.
I know your deeds.
And then we hear more about who he is
and what he's doing.
And when we look on to verse 23,
where he says,
I am he who searches hearts and minds.
So something there about his eyes,
something about his feet,
something about his mind,
and something about his activity
as he searches hearts and minds.
I wonder if we've grasped
and continue to grasp
that Jesus sees us,
knows us,
he sees us,
he knows us.
Do we,
it seems such a basic truth,
doesn't it?
It's,
and maybe,
maybe you've got a greater awareness of it
than I have,
but I've just reminded myself
as I've looked at this passage time and again,
Jesus,
you're the one who sees me
and who knows me.
I wonder if we look at our own limited vision
and our own eyes
and how little we can see.
Most of us can see around
everybody who's in the room,
but we certainly can't see what's going on
in the houses across the road even.
And our vision is so,
so limited as human beings
that does that in some way
cause us to have a limited sense
of what it means
when Jesus says,
I see you
and I know you.
Have some of you been to see
the great new film,
Finding Dory,
yet?
I'm not seeing a sea of hands.
Some of you have been,
I'm glad to see,
one or two of you have been to Finding Dory.
Well,
I apologise if any of you
are marine scientists here today.
I'm not,
but I learned something
about the ability of whales
from watching the film,
Finding Dory,
because it tells us
quite a bit about echolocation
and the fact that whales
have got skills
to sense what is going on,
potentially miles away in the ocean,
much greater skills
than we would have on earth
or if we were in the sea.
And according to Finding Dory,
and I'm sure the very accurate science
portrayed therein,
those whales can detect
even the slightest movement
miles away in the ocean,
thanks to that great ability
they have of echolocation.
Or think about eyes
of some of the animals.
Think about the eyes of a hawk,
which I understand
flying at 1,500 feet
could detect a rat or a mouse
down on the ground
and could swoop down
at 100 miles an hour,
maintaining its focus
on that rat the whole way
in order to grasp it
and have it for supper.
So even in the animal kingdom,
there are animals,
creatures of our God
which have got abilities
to see and to sense
way, way, way greater
than ours can ever be.
And why is it then
that I suppose we sometimes
have got such a limited,
narrow view of Jesus,
somehow or other,
making him in our own image
and thinking that we can live life
in some ways away from his gates?
Because I suspect
if you're anything like me,
that's how we sometimes
seem to act.
Jesus says,
he sees us
and he knows us.
Of course,
our knowledge
and our sight
is so imperfect,
not just physically,
but in terms of our ability
to discern
what is right,
in terms of our ability
to work out
how we should live,
in terms of our ability
to make good judgments.
We read about that
in 1 Corinthians chapter 13
where we read that
now we see
only a reflection
as in a mirror,
then we shall see
face to face.
Now I know
only in part,
then I shall know fully
even as I am fully known.
And perhaps this morning
we can come to Jesus
and can acknowledge
his perfect sight
and perfect knowledge
and acknowledge
our great imperfections
and therefore
our utter dependence
on him
for him to guide us,
for him to lead us,
for him to show us
how to live.
I've been particularly struck
by the need for that
as I've done a bit of reading
this week
into the views of
those who claim
to follow Jesus
in America
and who are pronouncing
somewhat diametrically
opposed views
on who
the US
country,
the country of US
should vote for
come the US election.
Isn't it remarkable
that you can read
impassioned,
in some ways
well argued
and thought out
arguments
from Christians
as to why
it's absolutely
essential
that you vote
for Trump
or why voting
for Trump
would be an
absolutely heretical
thing to do
and certainly
I've read both of them
and thought
yep you've got some
quite strong arguments
both ways.
I'm happy to discuss
later which ones
I found the most compelling
but certainly
it's just brought home
to me again
our incredibly
limited sight,
our incredibly
limited vision
and I trust
causes us
to turn all the more
to Jesus
as the only one
who sees
and knows
and searches
our hearts
and minds.
Will we invite him
this morning
to say Jesus
I'm glad that you see me
I'm glad that you know me
I'm glad that despite
all that you see
you love me
I'm glad
that you have
freed me
and forgive me
from my sins
through your blood
and I invite you now
to search me
to know me
to try me
and see
and to work
in my life
and to conform me
more to your image.
I pray that that might
be our attitude
to the great Lord
Jesus Christ
this morning.
So he sees
he knows
and he looks at this
church in Thyatira
with his eyes
of blazing fire
with his feet
of burnished bronze
speaking I think
of his strength
and his control
and says
I've got some really
some really great words
of commendation
for you
I know your deeds
your love
your faith
your service
your perseverance
and that you're doing
more than you did
at first
those hearing it
must have been thinking
this is fantastic
Jesus is looking at us
with his perfect vision
and he's seeing
all of this great stuff
that we're doing
now Jesus is seeing us
today as well
and I'm sure
as he looks down
on this
gathering of
followers of Jesus
all in different
situations
he looks
and maybe
for some
the word
to you
today
is simply
that Jesus
sees
your perseverance
maybe it's just
that Jesus
sees the fact
that you're still
clinging on
and he wants
to commend you
for still
hanging on
I see
your perseverance
I see the difficulties
that you've been
subjected to
I know
intimately
all about the
difficulties
of your
family life
about all
that's going
on in your
work
about all
that's going
on in your
own heart
about your
ill health
about financial
worries
and you're
persevering
you've chosen
to come here
today
once again
to meet
with God's
people
you're not
giving up
you're
hanging on
I see it
and I commend
you for your
perseverance
take that word
of encouragement
if that's for you
this morning
maybe for others
you've done
more than
persevere
maybe your
life this week
has been full
of deeds
love
faith
and service
in which case
Jesus sees it
and he knows it
maybe some of you
are gearing up
for a busy
busy week
with the holiday
club at Brunsfield
and again a word
of encouragement
for you
Jesus sees
what you're doing
he sees
and appreciates
your love
your faith
your deeds
and your perseverance
and he assures you
this morning
no matter what may
happen
no matter what
physical
or immediate
results you may
see from that
holiday club
he assures you
through his word
1 Corinthians 15
58
let nothing
move you
give yourselves
fully to the work
of the Lord
because your labour
in the Lord
is not
in vain
it's never in vain
it's never wasted
you're never laboring
for the Lord
for no reward
or for no reason
it's not
in vain
so folks
those of you
the great team
that will be
assembling this week
throw yourselves
wholeheartedly
into that work
not serving the kids
first and foremost
but serving the Lord
knowing
knowing for sure
that it is not
in vain
so that's the situation
that we see
in Thyatira
but of course
there is a very big
but coming
in terms of what
Jesus sees
and verse 20
says
nevertheless I have
this against you
you tolerate
that woman
Jezebel
who is not
leading
she is
misleading
and we see here
a real challenge
about those who are
not leading
effectively
but who are
misleading
so what's going on
here
what's going on
in this church
at face value
all that we're told
is that a woman
Jezebel
has come into the church
she's calling herself
a prophet
and she's misleading
servants
into sexual immorality
and the eating of food
sacrificed to idols
she's been given
time to repent
she's unwilling
and she's about to be
cast on a bed of suffering
and those committing
adultery with her
are also going to
suffer intensely
we need to understand
a little bit more
about the context
I think
to fully
get to grips
with what's going on
here
so first of all
Jezebel
rings bells
I'm sure
for many
Jezebel
was the wife
of Ahab
we read about her
in 1 Kings
one of the most
wicked women
who had ever lived
and she was a woman
who not only
terrorised the prophet
Elijah
you remember
after his great victory
in Mount Carmel
Jezebel was the one
who got a message
to Elijah
to say
I'm going to have you dead
and we saw Elijah
running for his life
a trembling wreck
thanks to the power
and fear
that Jezebel
could conjure up
but particularly
interestingly
is that Jezebel
it seems
from what we read
in 1 Kings
didn't necessarily
say to the Jews
you must stop
worshipping your God
no no
it's okay
you can continue
worshipping your God
but also
here's a whole heap
of idols
the prophets
the Baals
you should worship
them too
and so she introduced
idolatrous
worshipping
worshipping practices
to the people of God
and we read about
the hundreds of Baals
and idols
that she introduced
and so I'm not sure
there necessarily was
a literal Jezebel
maybe that was
or was not
the name of those
who were misleading
the people in Thyatira
it doesn't really matter
but I think we're being
encouraged
to think back
to the characteristics
of that woman Jezebel
who has come along
and has done similar things
to this church in Thyatira
what was their situation
well they were in a town
which we don't know
an awful lot about
but we do know
that they had lots
and lots of trades
do you remember
the story of Lydia
Lydia the seller of purple
well she was from Thyatira
so Lydia was a woman
incidentally
who could hardly stand
in sharper contrast
to Jezebel
if you want to do
a wee character study
between the two
but Lydia was the seller
of purple
who had come from Thyatira
so her trade was in cloth
and in dyeing cloths
and equally we understand
there were people
who dealt in copper
in bronze
in other fabrics
in leather
and in that town
in order to succeed
in business
it seems as though
you had to be part
of some of the very
powerful trade guilds
effectively the unions
for the particular
types of employment
that you were dealing with
and associated with
those unions
was a whole lifestyle
it wasn't that
you just had to
be there to try
and purely help
with the trading
of those goods
but rather it was
a whole lifestyle thing
and there were all sorts
of rituals
there does seem
as though
within those unions
there would be
all sorts of
deviant sexual practices
going on
and indeed
there would be
idolatrous worship
and the eating of foods
offered to these idols
and the Christians
in that church
had heard clearly
the word of God
as it had been brought
to them
and they'd heard
clearly the instructions
that they were not
under a whole heap
of rules and regulations
as followers of Jesus
if you look back
to some of the
book of Acts
and the instructions
that were given
to the church
we don't have time
to look at them
in detail
but those instructions
were saying
you know you don't
have to be
those of you
who are not Jews
and are now Gentiles
you don't have to be
circumcised
not all about
following the law
you're under grace
it's all about
just following Jesus
but there are some
instructions that we've
got for you
avoid sexual immorality
and avoid the food
that's been offered
to idols
that was very inconvenient
for these Christians
in Thyatira
because it meant
that they couldn't
really be part
of the trade guilds
it was potentially
going to have an impact
on their livelihood
it was potentially
going to have an impact
on their income
and so along comes
this Jezebel
or the Jezebel
and says to them
no no no no
that's far too strict
you've been drawing
up the rules
far too tightly here
of course you should
be worshipping Jesus
and of course
I'm one of you
and I also am a follower
of Jesus
but it's absolutely
fine to be
worshipping Jesus
and in fact
work hard
serve others
in the church
be involved
but at the same time
you can be part
of the trade guilds
and Jesus won't mind
if you participate
in those rituals
because you're free
you're free
you're not under law
so no no
don't describe
that as
idolatry
or immorality
it's absolutely
fine
and some of them
some of the people
in that church
had followed
Jezebel's teachings
they hadn't departed
from the faith
but they had
compromised
they were committed
and compromised
they'd got back
involved
in all of
the immorality
the sexual immorality
and idolatry
of their past life
they thought
they could worship
God
and follow Jesus
and continue
to live
as they liked
and the solemn thing
is maybe for many
of them
they've been doing
that for quite a while
and it didn't seem
to be a problem
maybe for some of them
they've been living
that way for years
and years
and they've grown
increasingly confident
that it was
absolutely fine
to follow Jesus
and live as you like
and then
the eyes
of him
who had been
seeing them
all the time
he reminds them
that he's been
watching them
he's been seeing
and knowing
he's been urging
them to turn
from this
he's been urging
them to repent
and many of them
have been refusing
to do so
and now
he's going to come
to them
in punishment
and so how are we
going to apply
this ourselves
because we know
that we don't just
read God's word
simply to be informed
but for our lives
and hearts
to be moved
and changed
and as I've thought
long and hard
about what the
application of this
is for my life
and potentially
for our church
I've got three things
to offer you
this morning
three risks
that I think
we can get into
that might arise
and that might be
linked directly
or indirectly
to the sorts
of ways
in which
the church
at Thyatira
were going
astray
and the first
one it's right
there
and it is
sexual immorality
and idolatry
do we think
that we can
continue in the
church
and follow Jesus
while actually
adopting the same
sexual practices
that are widespread
among us
in our world
and idolatry
in all of its forms
actually seek
thinking we can
worship two gods
Jesus spoke quite
clearly about that
didn't he
you cannot serve
two masters
you can't serve
God and money
you'll either
love the one
you'll hate
the other
and you know
you can't do it
and I pause
there lest any
of us feel
that as individuals
what we've done
is swallowed the
lie of the Jezebel
who said it's okay
to continue to be
a follower of Jesus
while also engaging
in sexual immorality
and idolatry
but I think there
may be other risks
for some of us
who perhaps
think yeah
are there other ways
in which we might
be committed
but compromised
well I think
sexual immorality
and idolatry
will be the risk
for some
I think self-preservation
and isolation
may be a risk
that we could also
fall into
as a church
and as individuals
self-preservation
and isolation
what do I mean
I think it's easy
to think
well actually
we will worship
God
and we will focus
on Jesus
but you know what
we're a bit scared
of the world
out there
and so we're going
to separate ourselves
from it
we're going to
isolate ourselves
from it
we might even
seem a little bit
angry about the
world out there
about all that's
going on
and actually
our whole approach
to life and faith
will be one of
self-preservation
and isolation
it's all about me
it's all about my
family
it's all about my
church
it's about trying
to stand up
against the
terrible government
out of there
this is fairly
close to my heart
as one who works
for government
and at times
I have to say
I observe in
the Christian church
an awful lot
of self-preservation
and isolation
I don't think
I observe
an awful lot
of we are
absolutely praying
for you
as lawmakers
we are with you
we want to support
you
we want to stand
with you
whether that's
in protecting
the most vulnerable
whether that's
in welcoming
the orphan
and supporting
the poor
and the needy
rather I think
what I sometimes
observe among
the church
is self-preservation
and isolation
and I suggest
that if that's
the route we go
down
then we may be
swallowing the
lie of the
Jezebel
in the same way
as if we went
down the route
of sexual immorality
and idolatry
but I suppose
I've been challenged
by a third way
in which we might
be swallowing
a lie
in which we might
be committed
but compromised
today
it's maybe not
self-preservation
and isolation
I wonder if it's
maybe silence
and indifference
and this is the one
that comes closest
to me to be honest
where actually
we think that we
can be committed
to Jesus
and fully engaged
in the life
of the church
and in service
in the church
but when it comes
to the world
out there
when it comes
to the spiritual
well-being
of our neighbours
of our colleagues
when it comes
to the spiritual
health of our nation
actually we have
nothing to say
we are silent
and we are
indifferent
might that be
the mark
of some of us
and might that
at times be
the mark
of the church
we'll worship
God
but we don't
feel we've
really got a
message
for those
who we are
coming into
contact with
who do not
know Jesus
his love
and forgiveness
his power
and his all-seeing
and all-knowingness
and we are
silent
and we are
indifferent
may you
reflect
on what it is
Jesus might
have to say
to you
in your
life
is it about
sexual immorality
and idolatry
is it self-preservation
and isolation
is it silence
and indifference
if it's any
of these things
then there is
an invitation
given to us
by Jesus
as he speaks
to the church
in Thyatira
verse 21
I have given
her time
to repent
of her
immorality
isn't it great
here
that Jesus
reminds them
again
that he is
gracious
that he is
loving
and that despite
all that
Jezebel
had done
she has had
opportunities
to turn
and to leave
behind her
rejection of
God
and to turn
again
to Jesus
and I trust
that as we
reflect
on this
letter
to the church
for some of us
we might feel
the call
and know
the need
to repent
to leave
behind
the areas
of
compromise
and to turn
again to our
loving
powerful
Jesus
and to serve
him
wholeheartedly
some were to
repent
and the message
to others
was to
remain
verse 24
I will not
impose
any other
burden
on those
of you
who do
not hold
to her
teaching
and who
have not
learned
Satan's
so-called
deep
secrets
just hold
on
to what
you have
until
I come
let's
ensure that
this morning
we are
ready
and before
God
ready to
repent
and also
ready to
remain
to cling
tightly
to him
and to
do his
will
to the
end
we're
almost
done
but before
I finish
there is
also a
promise
given
to
these
Christians
if they
truly
turn
from the
Jezebel
if they
repent
and if
they cling
tightly
to Christ
there's a
promise
that they
will be
given
authority
that there's
a great
future
for them
verse 26
to the
one who
is victorious
and does
my will
I will
give
authority
over the
nations
again
they're
encouraged
to see
just beyond
the
immediate
to look
to the
long
term
to
recognize
all the
plans
that
Jesus
has
in store
for them
to realize
all of
his
purposes
and to
look to
the long
term
future
as they
commit
to Christ
and then
this
slightly
curious
word
towards
the
end
I
will
also
give
that
one
the
morning
star
what does
that mean
as Jesus
speaks to
that church
and leaves
them with
this
promise
that those
who
turn from
their
lack
of
those who
turn from
their
compromise
will be
given
the
morning
star
well let
me turn
you to
Revelation
chapter 22
and to
verse 16
Revelation
22
verse 16
I
Jesus
have
sent
my
angel
to give
you
this
testimony
for the
churches
I
am
the
root
and
offspring
of
David
and
the
bright
morning
star
Jesus
himself
describes
himself
as
the
morning
star
I
think
that's
where
we'll
leave
the
church
in
Thyatira
today
we'll
leave
them
with
this
great
promise
that if
they turn
from their
compromise
in whatever
way that
might be
they will
not only
know
blessing
from
Jesus
they will
not only
know what
it is to
be doing
the will
of Jesus
but they
will have
Jesus
he
who describes
himself as
the bright
morning star
will be
theirs
they will
live their
life
in
intimate
fellowship
connected
to
and
knowing
Jesus
that promise
is available
for us
isn't it a
great one
that we
can know
Jesus
he will
give to
us
the morning
star
he'll give
us
himself
his
presence
his
power
his glory
all that
he promises
all that
he is
he offers
that to
us
but invites
us to
reflect
and maybe
to repent
if there
has been
compromise
alongside
commitment
in our
lives
let's pause
and pray
now
Lord Jesus
we just
want to
turn our
eyes
to you
albeit
we know
that if
we could
see you
we would
scarce be
able to
look at
you face
to face
as we
think of
your eyes
of blazing
fire
as we
think of
the fact
that you
tell us
that you
see us
you know
us
and you
search our
hearts
and our
minds
and as
we linger
for a few
minutes
together
as we
sing
as we
have this
opportunity
to take
bread
and to
take
this
cup
we
simply
open
our
lives
and our
hearts
to you
Lord
Jesus
as the
one who
sees us
knows us
searches
our hearts
and minds
and yet
the one
who says
again today
I love
you
and I've
laid down
my life
as the
perfect
sacrifice
for your
sin
thank you
Jesus
Amen