The Unimportant Church in an Unimportant City The Church at Thyatira

Thyatira was located about 35 miles southeast of Pergamum. It was a very small city, but a busy commercial center. It was on a major road of the Roman Empire, and, because of this, many trade unions had settled in this city. Everyone who worked there was a member of one or more trades. There were carpenters, dyers, sellers of goods, tent makers, etc. In the church at Philippi, which the Apostle Paul began, there was a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, who came from Thyatira. It was difficult to make a living as a Christian in Thyatira without belonging to the union. This is a factor which will bear upon the interpretation of this letter, as we will see. Our Lord's first words to this church indicate both judgment and approbation.

Thyatira was the smallest of the seven places. It’s 40 miles southeast of Pergamum. Blue-collar town known for trade guilds, potters and bakers and leather craftsmen, bronze smiths as well as the manufacturing of purple dye. Sentinel town. Advancing army would have to pass through it first to get to the big city. The town was a “sitting duck”, if you will. It would be destroyed but it would at least slow the army so the large town could be ready for the invasion. Pliny the historian describes Thyatira as “unimportant”. But it is not unimportant to the Lord. In fact, the longest of the seven letters is written to the church in the most insignificant place.

I. Who does Jesus say that He is? a. The Son of God-perhaps in contrast to the local deity known as the son of Zeus, b. Eyes like blazing fire—emphasizing all that he sees c. He has feet "like burnished bronze" which can trample sin under foot and severely punish that which is wrong, if need be.

II. What his eyes see. a. Their works: love, faith, service, and perseverance This is what Jesus looks for in his people. Not only that, but Jesus added, “...and that your later works exceed your first” (v. 19). In other words, they were moving forward and making progress in their Christian faith.

The guilds met frequently, and they met for a common meal. Such a meal was, at least in part, a religious ceremony. It would probably meet in a heathen temple, and it would certainly begin with a libation to the gods, and the meal itself would largely consist of meat offered to idols. The official position of the church meant that a Christian could not attend such a meal. This was the problem these Thyatiran Christians faced. In order to make a living they had to belong to a union, but to attend the union was to become involved, or to be sorely pressured to become involved, with the worship of idols and with licentious and lascivious debauchery. So they had to make a choice. It was difficult to live in Thyatira for this very reason.

b. What he has against this church: 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. Apparently Jezebel had begun to teach that it was all right for them to go along with the requirements of the guild, that they needed to submit to the pressures of the world around in order to make a living, and that God would understand and overlook this. Jesus calls a specific woman in the church Jezebel. Jezebel was the daughter of the king of Sidon, a town in Lebanon that is often in the news these days. She married Ahab who was a king of Israel, and he reigned BC. We read about Jezebel and Ahab in 1 Kings 16-21

It was an awful time in Israel’s history, and Jezebel and Ahab were the main reason why. Jezebel led Israel to compromise its commitment to Yahweh, the one true God, and to become syncretistic in their beliefs and practices. She encouraged the worship of the Canaanite gods Baal and Asherah. Jesus calls a specific woman after the historic queen She had spiritual influence in the church—a self- proclaimed prophetess Idolatry and sexual immorality

c. What Jesus will do to her and to those who continue to follow her. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. 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. But notice the good news here: "unless they repent of her ways." Our Lord always gives an opportunity for repentance.

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." (Revelation 2:23b NIV) The result of judgment and discipline within the church is that the church is purified, strengthened, and helped. The churches will come to understand, our Lord says, that he searches the hearts and minds. Literally, "the kidneys and the hearts." Kidneys were in ancient times regarded as the source of feelings. If your kidneys are not working, you do not feel very well! They saw them as the source of feelings. Hearts were viewed as the source of choices, the decisions we make, the will in exercise.

III. What Jesus promises to those who hold fast—the path of overcoming and doing Jesus’ will: a. Authority- even as I myself have received authority from my Father. b. The morning star-- Jesus says of himself: "I am the bright and morning star." So what he is saying here is that there will be an appearing of himself for his own before he comes in power and glory, visible to the world.

The Lord of the church can be against things in the church. The Lord of the church can come against individuals in the church. 2. Sexual immorality “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two- edged sword…I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 3. Repent Partial faithfulness is unfaithfulness Partial obedience is disobedience

The Lord’s reward 1. The hidden manna 2. The white stone- with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it. The verdict of a jury The winner of a contest was awarded a white stone with his name inscribed on it. This served as his “ticket” to a special awards banquet.