1 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:11,000 Book of Revelation chapter 2, verse 18 to 29. 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:17,960 We're in to tonight. Let's read the whole letter to 3 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,640 the Angel of the church and Thyatira write and these things 4 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:29,840 says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, his 5 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:35,600 feet like fine brass. So very powerful titles he gives 6 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,320 himself. It starts to tell you exactly 7 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,760 when he presents himself what's coming. 8 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:51,720 I know your works so he knows love, service, your faith and 9 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,680 your patience. As for your works. 10 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,600 The last are more than the first verse. 20. 11 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:05,440 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you because you 12 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:14,000 allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. 13 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,880 Remember Paul, whenever he would write Paul the Apostle and he 14 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:23,400 would say because Jesus had made him an apostle, a lot of people 15 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:29,040 today make themselves apostles. That's dangerous to teach, and 16 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:35,320 this is what she was doing to teach and seduce my servants to 17 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:42,400 commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 18 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:50,080 Now here we see God's grace, and I gave her even her time to 19 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:57,720 repent of her, but she did not of her sexual immorality and she 20 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:04,920 did not repent, so she refused. Indeed, because of that I will. 21 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:10,720 This is Jesus speaking, cast her into a sick bed and those who 22 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:16,280 commit adultery with her into great tribulation unless they 23 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:21,840 repent of their deeds, I will kill her children with death. 24 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,360 Now, that's not something you're kind of like, Oh yeah, Jesus was 25 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,160 at church the other day. He said I will kill her children 26 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,320 with death. So that's what we did in Sunday 27 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,280 school this last Sunday. We talked about Jesus killing 28 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:34,520 children with death. No. 29 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:39,840 So we understand the language here is powerful. 30 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,560 And he's saying those who follow this false prophetess who 31 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,800 followers who refuse to repent, they will suffer. 32 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:56,320 And the term, the language here is pestilence, sickness will 33 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,120 come upon them. And it's a judgement of God. 34 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:05,400 All the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds 35 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:10,680 and hearts. So God searches our thoughts and 36 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,800 our hearts. And he says, I'll give to each 37 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:15,880 one of you according to your works. 38 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,120 Now do you, I say unto the rest in Thyatir, as many as do not 39 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:26,640 have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, Wow, 40 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:30,760 how bad is it? As they say, I will put on you 41 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:36,960 no other burden, but hold fast what you have till I come. 42 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:43,000 And he, whoever comes and keeps my works until the end, to him I 43 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,520 will give power over the nations. 44 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,520 He shall rule them with a rod of iron. 45 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaking of Jesus, they shall be dashed to pieces like the 46 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,920 Potter's vessel. Second coming of Jesus. 47 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:03,400 He comes as a judge, as I have also have received from my 48 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,280 Father. I'll give him the morning star. 49 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:11,040 Now He says this, if you're listening, He wears an ear. 50 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,080 Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 51 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:19,480 Take note of what I said today there are many people who claim 52 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,640 to be prophets. We see them advertised all the 53 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,920 time coming here, prophets so and so prophetess. 54 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,320 It's a big thing. Today we have the travelling 55 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:33,320 minstrel show, people coming around and calling themselves 56 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,200 prophets of God and they tell us that God talks to them, gives 57 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:47,000 them special messages, and this is usually in addition. 58 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:52,480 No one else is getting that message, No one else is being 59 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,040 told this stuff. This is in addition to what God 60 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:02,040 has already given to us in His word, the Bible. 61 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:09,080 Hebrews chapter 1 says this, this one long ago God spoke many 62 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,480 times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 63 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,800 He used the prophets. Now in these final days you and 64 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,400 I live. He has spoken to us through His 65 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,440 Son. God promised everything to the 66 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,240 sun as an inheritance. Through the sun He made the 67 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,200 universe and everything in it. The sun reflects God's own glory 68 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,280 and everything about Him represents God. 69 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:32,840 Exactly. John 11. 70 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,280 In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, the Word 71 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:39,400 was God. Would you take note of this? 72 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:45,920 The Church of Fire Tyra fell to following, in this case, a false 73 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,200 prophetess. Jesus gives her a label Jezebel, 74 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:57,000 even though that's not her name. Later on, when Fire Tyra didn't 75 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:04,480 learn from this woman Jezebel, they followed another false 76 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:10,520 prophet, a guy who claimed to continue continue to receive 77 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:15,840 continuing and direct revelations from God apart from 78 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:17,680 Scripture. Now the Bible doesn't say this, 79 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:25,680 but God is telling us this. This is called the Monetarist 80 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,400 heresy. And what happened after 81 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:33,440 following that person? The Church of Thyatira 82 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,160 disappeared in the end of the 2nd century. 83 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,800 Gone. The danger of this should be 84 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,240 obvious. No matter how sincere the 85 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:51,360 individual may appear and be a giving, giving teaching is right 86 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,920 or wrong. How is teaching governed by you, 87 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,920 by us to be right or wrong? Well, it was just impact, man, I 88 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:00,280 felt this. Nope. 89 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,080 Well, they're popular. They're going around church, the 90 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,400 church, the church is going wow this, but oh wow should see what 91 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:14,600 happens. No, a given teaching is right or 92 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:20,600 wrong based upon the authority of the Bible, not the 93 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,920 personality, not the claims of an individual. 94 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:27,000 I know the Bible doesn't say this, but I'm telling you, God 95 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:28,800 has spoken to me. I've experienced it. 96 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:34,560 I felt it. No, no matter who they are. 97 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,320 Hear what Paul says in Galatians chapter one, verse 8. 98 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:43,880 Let God's curse fall on anyone, including myself, who preaches 99 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,240 any other message than the one we told you about what we have. 100 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:53,120 Even if an Angel comes from heaven and preaches any other 101 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:59,640 message, let him be forever cursed in the background of 102 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,400 Thyatira. Thyatira means continual 103 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:06,800 sacrifice. It's located again in Turkey, 40 104 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,560 miles southeast of Pergamos. It was a small city. 105 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,840 It was easily conquered over and over and over because it had no 106 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:19,280 natural defences, so the city was repeatedly destroyed and 107 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,520 rebuilt. It was a commercial, commercial 108 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,920 profitable location due to its location being on the 109 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,480 thoroughfare, a major route to most of the prominent cities. 110 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,880 Historically, this period of Fire Tyre and church history 111 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:41,600 covers from the time of 600 AD through to the 1500 AD. 112 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,560 Again today there are churches like this. 113 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:51,360 The flavour of Fire Tyre can be still seen in some quarters, the 114 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:54,680 city of Fire Tyre, as were many others. 115 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:58,640 In the day of John's writing, John's about 90 odd years old, 116 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,680 9293 old. He's on the Isle of Patmos. 117 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:05,440 He's been exiled, had many trade guilds. 118 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:09,000 Thyatira was a commercial city, so they had what they called 119 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:10,880 guilds. I don't know if they use that 120 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:18,240 term in England at all, and they operated throughout the city. 121 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:22,600 Guilds is the same as we what we would use the term a union. 122 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:24,560 You've got to be a member of the union. 123 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:32,160 Each Guild over a certain enterprise had a deity, had 124 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:36,040 their own God, the God of the carpenters, the God of the this, 125 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:40,720 the stone Masons, and so forth and so on, in whose honour 126 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:45,400 feasts were held. And the feasts included feasts 127 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:49,240 of meat that have been sacrificed to that idol. 128 00:09:49,680 --> 00:09:54,120 And then following that sacrifice, part of the worship 129 00:09:54,120 --> 00:10:01,480 of that idol would be to involve the prostitutes that were linked 130 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:05,720 to that Guild, to that union, to the, to that that God, that 131 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:10,120 deity. Now to hold a job or to be in 132 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:15,880 business in Thyatira, you had to belong to one of these guilds. 133 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:23,280 Christians didn't because they didn't couldn't work, couldn't 134 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:26,960 get a job, couldn't sell, couldn't buy, couldn't prosper, 135 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,840 couldn't have a business. So maybe you were like this as 136 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,840 many of them became Christians and you had this thriving 137 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:34,800 business. Well, the moment you receive 138 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,960 Christ, you found out I can't do that anymore. 139 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:43,400 And, and and so your monetary support and all those that were 140 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:49,360 linked to you gone cut off. It was from Thyatira. 141 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:53,200 You remember in the book of Acts chapter 16 that a woman called 142 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:57,680 Lydia came from and she was a seller of purple for the 143 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:00,800 Fremantle Football Club. That's where it's it's has this 144 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:07,000 and it's made out of these snails they use and, and, and it 145 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,680 was only purple was used for for royalty. 146 00:11:09,680 --> 00:11:13,280 So I just wanted to elevate again just which football team 147 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:18,520 you should be following. This letter is the longest 148 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,280 letter written to the smallest church. 149 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:26,720 The title Jesus always gives, gives it says this is it. 150 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,840 And then you go, whoa. He's saying that this is how 151 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,680 he's presenting himself gives us the flavour of the letter. 152 00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:37,160 Verse 18. It's the only place, the only 153 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,080 location in the entire Book of Revelation that we find the 154 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:45,840 term, the title the Son of God. John is about to write a letter 155 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:49,400 of great warning and impending judgement to this church. 156 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:54,520 That's the title Jesus gives himself to put on the opening of 157 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:59,280 the letter to this church is he who is saying these words is 158 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:01,720 none other than the Son of God himself. 159 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:07,800 Bit of a bit of white there. Jesus called for his church, our 160 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,360 church, to every church that names the name of Christ, to be 161 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:17,320 holy and to maintain its purity by dealing with sin. 162 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,480 Psalm 119, David tells us how not to keep sin in their heart. 163 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,880 Do you remember that as a youth? How do I not keep? 164 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,200 By by having your word, your word, by by hitting my heart 165 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:32,000 that I may not sin against you. And so by having the word of God 166 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:37,000 as the central theme in the Church of God, it's what sin 167 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,320 will keep us from this and this book will keep us from sin. 168 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:48,360 Jesus said in Matthew 18 verse 15, if another believer sins 169 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:53,120 against you, go privately point out the offence. 170 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,160 If the other person listens and confesses it, you've won that 171 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,240 person back. But if you're unsuccessful and 172 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:06,960 take one or two others with you witnesses, go back again so that 173 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,000 everything you say may be confirmed by two or three 174 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,360 witnesses. This is where the term where two 175 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,800 or more are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of. 176 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,600 It's in the context of actual church discipline. 177 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,120 If the person still refuses to listen, hear what Paul says. 178 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,160 Can you imagine this today? Take your case to the church. 179 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,400 Then, if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat 180 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,640 that person as a Pagan or a corrupt tax collector. 181 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:44,080 Wow. Imagine church discipline always 182 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:49,600 has two motives or objectives. One, to call sinning believers 183 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:54,720 to get the person who is sinning back to righteous living to get 184 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:56,680 them to come back. Look, hey, I know what you're 185 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:58,560 doing, but you, you can't live together. 186 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,400 It's just, it's not right. So you guys need to sort it. 187 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,200 You need to separate. You need to work out on this 188 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,200 relationship what you're going to do, get married and get 189 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:10,320 married. But you can't just live together 190 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,600 and come to church. We can't have that. 191 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,680 So it's the call sinning believers back to righteous 192 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:19,560 living. I'm using that as an example. 193 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:25,920 Secondly, it's to remove, if necessary from the church those 194 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:27,760 who stubbornly cling to this sin. 195 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,120 Well, I, I don't care what you say, we're still going to live 196 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:31,440 together and we're going to come to church. 197 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,040 It can't happen. We're sorry. 198 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:38,240 You know you, we love you, and Jesus died on the cross for you. 199 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:42,520 But you can't do that. We can't have you coming here 200 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,680 now and just staying here and just living immorally. 201 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,360 It's it's, it's fornication, it's wrong, it's wrong before 202 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:56,160 God, Thyatara made of blue. They tolerated sin. 203 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:00,240 That's all right. They had false teaching in their 204 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,040 midst. Spiritual and physical adultery 205 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,480 was occurring. Thus Jesus description of 206 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:10,200 himself at the beginning of this letter is titled the Son of God. 207 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,320 He comes to this church as the divine judge. 208 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,200 Look at the wording as he talks about has he ended this? 209 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,600 He talks about he he shall rule them with rod of eye and he's 210 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,240 not talking. You know, hey, you guys, we're 211 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,280 just going to hang out together and we'll negotiate things. 212 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:31,560 No, it's strong language. Look at the description of who 213 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,320 he says. We see that pick that up from 214 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,320 chapter 1, the description John saw of Jesus. 215 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:42,040 He says eyes like a flame of fire, eyes that are that see 216 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:45,160 everything I know, I know what's going on. 217 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:51,920 I see every thought, I see every mood, every motive, every 218 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,280 action. If you drop down to verse 23 for 219 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:59,560 a moment, remember Jesus says I am he which searches the reins. 220 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:03,800 That's the Greek word nephros. Those of you into medicine would 221 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:07,160 know the term kidney nephrons or the working of the kidney. 222 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,840 It's through that that's the that's the part of the kidney. 223 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:15,160 So it's it's a place where the range, the thoughts are are here 224 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:18,760 and your heart. It's the term cardia. 225 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,040 It's the Greek word cardia. It is I know your your nephros 226 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:26,320 and your Cardia, your thoughts and your motives. 227 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:28,920 The deep part. I know what's going on. 228 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:31,880 It says he's feet are like fine brass. 229 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:37,720 Brass is always through the Bible, symbolic with judgement. 230 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,160 After seeing all that we think, say and do, Jesus now says 231 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,040 judgement will come to those who reject the warning. 232 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:51,680 He says, I'm giving you time, but they didn't change. 233 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,880 He is about to give as though his feet were in a wine press 234 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,920 pressing out the wrath of God. Feet of brass. 235 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:06,160 Jesus is trampling out not wine, but impurity. 236 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:11,280 I'm going to crush it out. Why such a big deal over this 237 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,440 title? Why such detail on the matter? 238 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:18,000 Good question. Because the church, remember the 239 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,000 pastor of the church got this. Then he said, hey church got a 240 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,240 letter from John going to read it to you. 241 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:29,600 Everyone listen up. That'd be great because the 242 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:34,000 church needed to know who was about to examine every DNA 243 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,480 thread of this spiritual condition. 244 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,160 You know, the Bible searches our heart. 245 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,640 You ever sat there and gone? God's just nailed me. 246 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,600 I've sat there. And you know, David did that and 247 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,640 he tried to get away with a few things, tried to get away with 248 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,320 adultery, tried to get away with murder. 249 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:55,960 And Nathan said you're the man. You're the man God. 250 00:17:56,360 --> 00:18:01,040 God's word gets to us. The church needed to remember 251 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:06,920 His authority, who He is, was and is to come, and that He knew 252 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,600 everything about this church and every individual believer. 253 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:15,360 The question is this, is it possible to be a church that had 254 00:18:15,360 --> 00:18:19,160 love, They did, works they did, patience they did. 255 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,360 You'd still be easy or compromising on sin. 256 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,440 They did. You see, appearances can 257 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:32,920 deceive. It matters not what the church 258 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:34,960 thinks of itself. Doesn't matter what we think 259 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:36,520 about Calvary Chapel, Secret Harbour. 260 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:40,280 It doesn't matter what the community thinks of Calvary 261 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,400 Chapel, Secret Harbour or Thyatira. 262 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,560 It doesn't matter what other churches think about us. 263 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,880 What matters is what Christ thinks about us. 264 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:57,640 Only Christ's eyes see the church, this church fire, fire 265 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,560 as it truly is. I know your thoughts, your 266 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:06,280 motives. As I said, look to verse 19. 267 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,040 This church had a lot going for a lot of pluses, a lot of ticks. 268 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:13,200 They're a busy lot. They're involved in sacrificial 269 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,320 ministry for the sake of others, but it's still the works. 270 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,360 Programmes were on the increase and they had faith, love and 271 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:22,320 patience. This was not mere religious 272 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:27,960 activity, but Jesus. But I have this notwithstanding, 273 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:34,160 he doesn't just go, Oh yeah, you know, you know, isn't that the 274 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,360 problem with you and God? God doesn't allow you just to 275 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:42,760 bowl along. It's it's just a just carry on 276 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:44,320 as you are. He doesn't do that, does he? 277 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:48,080 No, because he's changing us from day to day to to be to be 278 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:53,560 more like his son. He says in verse 2420 to 24. 279 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:59,480 Notwithstanding God gave them in verse 21. 280 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:04,600 Jezebel and those who are following a time to repent, but 281 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,600 they refused. Sin had nestled comfortably in 282 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:13,200 the church and it was allowed to grow without eradication. 283 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,560 The church had love, faith, works and patience. 284 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:19,320 Patience, but it didn't have holiness. 285 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:23,360 One Corinthians 11, Paul says verse 12 to 14. 286 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:28,400 But I will continuing continue doing this to cut the ground out 287 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,920 from under the feet of those who boast that their work is just 288 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:35,360 like ours. Paul said these people are false 289 00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:38,400 apostles. They have fooled you by 290 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,880 disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 291 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,360 But I'm not surprised, Paul said. 292 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,600 Even Satan can disguise himself as an Angel of light, so there's 293 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,360 no wonder his servants can do it by pretending to be godly 294 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:55,840 ministers. In the end, they will get every 295 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:58,280 bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve. 296 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:04,600 In Matthew Chapter 7 verse 15 to 16, Jesus said beware of false 297 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:11,240 prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep. 298 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:17,600 But really, Jesus says, they are wolves that will tear you apart. 299 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:22,560 You can detect them how? By the way they act. 300 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,560 Jesus said. Just as you can identify a tree 301 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,840 by its fruit. You don't pick grapes from thorn 302 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:34,440 bushes or figs from thistles. So what's the fruit of a false 303 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:39,200 apostle? False prophecies, false 304 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,200 doctrine, false teaching. Soon as you hear that, you go 305 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,440 hang on a minute. What's going on here? 306 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:48,160 They're they're saying there's something ring, ring, ring. 307 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:53,080 There's something wrong here. God's love does not mean we 308 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,040 tolerate sin. Don't ever get that. 309 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,760 It's not tolerant. It deals with it. 310 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,400 Love requires and gives discipline. 311 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:16,800 Jesus says in Revelation 319. As many as I love parents, I 312 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:21,600 rebuke and chase them. Be zealous therefore and repent. 313 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:25,960 So if I don't discipline my child, it's a show that I'm not 314 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:27,640 loving them. Oh well, I know I let them go. 315 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:33,160 No, you're not loving them because you only discipline and 316 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,440 go the hard yards with someone to show that you love them and 317 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:42,240 you don't want them to get hurt. It's actually child abuse when 318 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,760 you don't discipline your child. No one wants to confront, rebuke 319 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:48,680 or discipline believers today, do they? 320 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:53,400 Paul said to Timothy on Timothy 520. 321 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:55,680 Those who sin should be reprimanded. 322 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:59,400 Hear what Paul said to Timothy in front of the whole church. 323 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,000 I got you guys line up. Imagine they have a liner. 324 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,880 Yeah, there's the mob. They're up here today. 325 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:09,960 This will serve a strong warning to others. 326 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,960 This is Paul writing to young Timothy while he was pastoring 327 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:17,800 an Ephesus. Thyatira was allowing one of its 328 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:22,320 members to teach outrageous licence, and apparently no 329 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,840 attempt was being made to restrain her. 330 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:31,320 She was let loose. Thyatira here was the opposite 331 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:36,000 to Ephesus, moral depravity and erroneous teaching. 332 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,680 Who is this Jezebel? A real woman? 333 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,400 Her name was not Jezebel, but she was a real woman. 334 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:46,640 Prophetess, self proclaimed title. 335 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:52,080 Jezebel who Jesus is referring her to that spirit. 336 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:56,280 In First and Second Kings we find about this woman called 337 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,440 Jezebel. She was the wife of Ahab, one of 338 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:04,080 the worst kings. Jezebel's father was F Bal, the 339 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:09,160 priest of Astarte, which was the same God as Aphrodite Venus. 340 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:14,200 Each one of those deities encouraged gross sexual 341 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,280 immorality under the guise of worship. 342 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:23,440 She personally supported 850 prophets, false prophets, and 343 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,400 haunted, down and killed the prophets of Jehovah. 344 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:32,080 I have her husband did absolutely nothing to stop his 345 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:33,720 wife. In her evil ways. 346 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,240 She wore the pants she dominated. 347 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:42,560 Why? Because he was weak, spineless, 348 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,240 and a tragic reflection of a man. 349 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:49,840 He was not a man. This woman in Thyatira, who was 350 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,960 operating in the same scandalous, bold and brazen 351 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:58,200 manner, was manipulating and beguiling the servants of Christ 352 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,800 to indulge in immoral practises. It's all right, It's all right 353 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:07,480 because God has revealed this to me and I'm revealing this to 354 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:08,800 you. This is what you can do. 355 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:10,840 Wow, can we? Yes. 356 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,720 Verse 24. This woman and her followers, 357 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:18,160 there are always those who will follow such a personality. 358 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,360 Bit like the suckerfish on the underbelly of a great white 359 00:25:22,360 --> 00:25:25,320 shark. They all prided themselves on 360 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,400 their mature experiences of life. 361 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,920 Well, I've experienced what I've learned, and this is what I 362 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:33,360 believe. It doesn't matter what you've 363 00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,320 experienced, what you've learned, or what you believe. 364 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,960 What does the Bible say? What does the Bible say? 365 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,480 Creating a spiritual aristocracy. 366 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,880 Her and her followers in Thyatira. 367 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,560 Jesus said this because he knew everything that was going on. 368 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:54,640 Remember, He just pulled it. This is what's happening. 369 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:00,080 He uses the term she's teaching the deep things of Satan. 370 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,520 It's the Greek word deep there bathos. 371 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:08,240 Remember as a kid reading about the bathosphere, the bathosphere 372 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:12,160 was remember the the thing always the, the, the 373 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,600 submersible. It just exploded. 374 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:19,560 Well, it was Bathosphere was the first machine, submarine, 375 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,120 submarine built to go down into the depths of the ocean. 376 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:29,440 And here, the Greek word here, bathos, this is the 377 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,520 profundities, the intellectually deep. 378 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:36,760 This is what she's teaching. Man, we had a great meeting. 379 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,640 She taught it the other night. Oh, man, we hadn't heard those 380 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,000 things. How deep? 381 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:42,520 Yeah, deep. All right. 382 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,600 Dark. Jesus says, oh, put on upon you 383 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,600 no other burden barrows, which means white. 384 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,760 These words come from the same Greek word basis. 385 00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:57,600 Jesus is saying. This woman is claiming to 386 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:02,440 profess some new deep things, but I cast upon you no other 387 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:04,600 deep things. There are no deep things. 388 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:12,240 Do you know that, that you already have a need? 389 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:18,000 Now we learn the Bible. We grow in our knowledge of the 390 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:20,080 Bible. We grow in our knowledge of God 391 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:22,160 through the Bible, but there's not parts. 392 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:23,920 Oh, that's only for certain people. 393 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,560 That's where during the dark ages was. 394 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:28,960 Just remember, only the priest knew this stuff. 395 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:35,320 This, this was in that period. Don't be fooled by this and this 396 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:39,440 academia, academia theology talk. 397 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,120 Well, you wouldn't know. You wouldn't understand. 398 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:49,160 Remember the Pharisee in the the public and that were praying 399 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,320 together and once in a while. I'm glad I'm like this guy. 400 00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:57,240 I'm I'm learning and I'm religious and the Republican 401 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,960 needs to beat his chest and say, oh God forgive me. 402 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:02,560 Who was closer to God? Who was more righteous. 403 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:11,480 Be careful what we have each one of us is all we need. 404 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,600 This is not a book about only certain levels of class can read 405 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:19,200 certain passages. There's no new thing. 406 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:24,480 Solomon said that there's no new mystery to be revealed. 407 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:28,040 Be careful because it's going to come in this day in which you 408 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,040 and I live. They'll be travelling, 409 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,600 travelling, proper tests and prophets, travelling, bringing 410 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:38,880 the next new thing. There's no new mystery revealed. 411 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:42,600 Jesus says beware of any who claim to have such. 412 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:45,680 Psalm 23. The Bible says the Lord is my 413 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:47,880 shepherd, you living translation. 414 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:59,560 I have everything I need. The Lord is my shepherd. 415 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:04,040 I shall not want this woman was teaching deep things. 416 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,920 Indeed Jesus said you know how deep they are. 417 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:09,680 They're the deep things of Satan. 418 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:15,080 Things you shouldn't talk about, know about or touch the church 419 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:19,160 like I have of the original. Jezebel was allowing this woman 420 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:23,800 to make to commit great sin. She was allowed to get away with 421 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:24,960 it. That was the problem. 422 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:31,840 Where were the leaders? Ephesus hated the works of the 423 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:33,920 Nicolaitans, could not endure them. 424 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,240 Pergamos had some who held the doctrine of Balaam and 425 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:41,360 Nicolaitans, but Thyatira, it allowed them. 426 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,760 They were part of the programme. So what's the application? 427 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:51,800 This church either had a poor conscience or a very feeble 428 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:57,240 courage like I have no spine. It did have very poor 429 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,480 leadership. Verse 20 because Jesus said 430 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,920 because you allow this woman shouldn't have been allowed 431 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:07,600 during this period of church history, as I said before 432 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:11,160 covered by Thyatira. The following things came into 433 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:14,680 being. The doctrine of purgatory, Latin 434 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,480 as the only language for prayer of worship, because who was 435 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:22,280 going to learn it? Only this group, prayer to Mary 436 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,600 was introduced. She was given during that 437 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:26,720 period, the title of Mother of God. 438 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,480 The celibacy of priests came into it. 439 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:35,560 This select secluded special group, the sale of indulgences. 440 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,920 That means you could buy indulgences and then when you 441 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:41,560 send you say, I don't worry, I've covered that. 442 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:43,280 Here's why I bought that off the church. 443 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:45,400 That's how the church was built and run. 444 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:50,080 The doctrine of transubstantiation came into 445 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:51,320 being. That means when you take 446 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:55,320 communion, the, the, the bread and the, the wine actually turns 447 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:57,320 into the body and blood of Christ. 448 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:02,400 They taught the Bible was forbidden to be read by lay 449 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:06,200 people. And in that during that time 450 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:08,240 came the infallibility of the Pope. 451 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:10,600 What the Pope said when not what this said. 452 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:15,120 Well, Keith, I'm not into any of that stuff, and that's good. 453 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,320 The fornication spoken of here in this letter also covers 454 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:24,000 idolatry, the worship of other things before God doesn't have 455 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:25,960 to be a God. You make it a God. 456 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:31,680 What or who gives you your cues, your passions, what directs your 457 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,800 life? I think many in Australia today, 458 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:38,720 their God is money. They, they, they work and throw 459 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:40,840 it. You know, we work now more hours 460 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:46,000 than the Japanese people did look at our our our society now 461 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,840 how how many the shifts of the hours that we're working, 462 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:55,880 working, working. We're driven can't serve God and 463 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:58,080 mammon. So there's another one that 464 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,880 they're serving. Jesus has told us intimately 465 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:06,240 that he searches our minds, our thoughts, our motives. 466 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:10,920 He tells us in verse 25 to hold fast till I come today this 467 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:12,960 evening. Are you looking for Jesus return 468 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,400 or does this return even figure in your thinking? 469 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,040 I pray that you think about it every morning when you wake up, 470 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,320 every night before you go to bed, hold fast to his word. 471 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:25,960 Jesus says. Jesus says in verse 28 he will 472 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:30,880 give you the morning star. That is the title of Jesus. 473 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:35,320 You get Jesus, you get him. His gift to you is he himself 474 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,400 because you stuck with him, you listen to his voice. 475 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:40,640 You did not tolerate false teaching. 476 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,920 Philip. One time, said Jesus, if you 477 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:47,000 could just show us a photo, What's God the Father like, man? 478 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:48,400 We just want to know what God's like. 479 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:53,280 Philip. It's the closest I think 480 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:55,400 anyone's coming to get in a slap across the face. 481 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:04,720 Jesus said to Philip, Philip, if you've seen me, you've seen the 482 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:09,840 Father. The Bible, God's Word, is for 483 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:14,960 you and I to keep straight, to keep our focus on Jesus, not to 484 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:23,560 be deceived. In November 18, 1978, there was 485 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:29,120 a massacre of 918 people. It was called the Jonestown 486 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:36,000 Massacre, the People's Temple. Guyana Jones was a minister and 487 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:41,240 then one time he got his Bible and he threw it to the back of 488 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:44,240 the stage where he was on. So I don't need that anymore 489 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:50,880 because God speaking now directly through me, 918 people 490 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,200 followed him, women, men, women and children. 491 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:03,040 Jones developed a belief called translation in which he and his 492 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:07,840 followers would all die together and would move to another planet 493 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:12,840 for a life of bliss. Mass suicides were practised in 494 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:16,679 which his followers pretended to drink poison and fell to the 495 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:21,280 ground. My question has I read that for 496 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,960 the first time? When it occurred was when he 497 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:29,560 threw the Bible to the back. When he stopped using that, 498 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,760 where were the people who sat there with Bibles in their 499 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:35,360 hands? Should all go up and walk down, 500 00:34:38,159 --> 00:34:44,360 but they stayed because they listen to someone over the word 501 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:50,400 of God. Jesus warns us of false 502 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:51,199 teaching.