Revelation 2:18-29 - How Far Are You Willing To Go For The Gospel?

Hey, I'm going to invite you to Revelation chapter two is where we're at together today. Revelation chapter two, as we are in the middle of this book of Revelation dealing with specifically with the seven churches. So if you remember, I told you in chapter one, the book of Revelation, the way the author describes for us, he says that this letter is written to what is and what is to come. And so the first three chapters of Revelation, we're dealing with the current context of the first century, what is and then and then chapter four and on. We're going to deal with what is to come. And this is that we're dealing with the fourth church of seven churches today. These seven churches are a picture of God's universal church throughout history and the battles that we face. But the joy that we have in being able to walk with Jesus despite circumstances around us, when it feels like the world is falling apart, we have a hope that endures through all circumstances. We, as God's people, should walk joyfully in the midst of a broken world, knowing that while Babylon continues to fall, our hope is for a greater king and a greater kingdom. And these seven letters to these individual churches is really like reading a diary. We're getting to see where these churches are struggling, where they're succeeding, and the Lord is trying to encourage them through all of it. And despite what might be happening around them, not to give in to the pressures of this world, but continue to walk with their head lifted high, knowing that they have victory already in Jesus.

And you know, I can't think of a more important message to say to you than really next dealing with next week. You know, however, however that shakes down, I don't I don't, when you think about America these days, I find a lot of people are more in the negative than the positive. But let me just remind you of, as God's people, you always have a greater hope. The greater the greatest days are still before you because of who you are in Jesus, and that God wants to use you to make a difference in this world because of what Christ has done for you and what God desires to do in you. And when we come to this fourth church today, we're very much seeing that as we read these letters to these seven churches, the Lord is really able to use this for us to begin to examine our own heart, the affections of our life, and really ask the question of ourselves do we love Jesus? And how much do you do you love Jesus? Because the things of this world can certainly test that love that you might have for Christ. And in examining the affections of our heart, we get the opportunity to ask that question do I do I really love God? And how deep is that love for him? I mean, Jesus was willing to give everything for me.

And is there? Is there an extent to my heart that I am not willing to go in order to follow Christ? Or how far would I be willing to go in order to follow Christ in this world? And, and I asked those questions dealing particularly with the church of Thyatira, which is what we're going to look at today. The city of Thyatira, out of all the seven cities that these letters are written to the city of Thyatira would be considered really more of one of the more insignificant cities of the seven cities, and not that they're not important. But in terms of size, Thyatira is the smallest of the seven cities. But when you read this letter, chapter two, starting in verse 18 to this particular church, you find that while they're small, the Lord wrote the longest letter to this group of people and his desires for the church to honor God where they are. And, one of the reasons I say that this city is one of the more insignificant cities among the seven is that each of the cities that we've looked up at to this point, they have had something prominent that has defined this, the particular cities. Some of them had one of the seven wonders of the world in Ephesus.

And some of them have very prominent temples that people would travel just to worship in. Thyatira really didn't have any of that. They had a temple dedicated to the god Apollo, which we'll look at in a minute. But the only thing that really made this city unique is that they were they were known for their guilds, which we would not use that word today. We would. More use the word unions. They were known for their unions. And if you wanted a job in Thyatira, it was expected that you would belong to a guild. But what was difficult for the church is that every one of the guilds that they had, and there were many prominent guilds. For example, they had a guild dedicated to purple dye. If you know anything about Rome during this time, purple dye was for the elite class, right? If you had something dyed purple, you were considered of the wealthy bunch of people in society. And when you read in the book of acts, you find there was one particular lady named Lydia who was who was from Thyatira, but at the time she was living in Philippi, and her trade was of the purple dye. And she was Paul's first convert in the city of Philippi, where the church began. So Thyatira was known for its purple dye. It was known for its bronze work. It was known for its leather, working, for its wool had different trades, and with every one of those trades there was a guild or a union, but each one of those guilds had dedicated themselves to a false god.

So every guild had a false god that represented it. And in each guild they often had festivals to celebrate those false gods. And in those festivals there was all sorts of debauchery and sexual activity that took place. And so the church was faced with a tremendous challenge here, because if they wanted to have a job, they had to belong to a guild. But in order to belong to a guild, they had to bow the knee to a false god. And the question was for the church, what were you going to do in the midst of that struggle? How would you respond? Would you choose to honor God and sacrifice income and maybe even possibly your career? Or would you compromise on your faith and bow the knee to another God just to save face and stay in the position that you were in? It was a very challenging position for the church to be in. But for us, it's similar things today that there are positions that we might find ourselves in terms of our own relationship with Christ, where we're faced with that same conundrum. And what are you going to honor with your life, and especially when it might cost you? How much are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel? I mean, that's the question we want to talk about today, because when you think about what it takes to make a change in the culture around you, it requires someone willing to give of themselves for the benefit of someone else.

You know, this is exactly what Jesus modeled for us with his own life. In order to bring about change, to produce change in your own heart, it required one willing to give up his life, that you could find freedom through him. And it's the same thing for our society today. You know, it's one thing to sit back and complain and grumble like an armchair quarterback about the way things are. If you don't like it. But God calls you to be something more than that. God calls you to lead as an individual of influence in this world. Not not casting stones. And it doesn't mean you can't call a spade a spade. But to live a life for the kind of change that you want to see in this world. And I think one of the most beautiful pictures that the Bible gives to us is one of a shepherd. You think about the image of what a shepherd is. It's not it's not someone who stands behind everybody and just demands them and moving forward. But it's one who gets out in front and leads by example, calling people to them. And this is the kind of influence that Scripture speaks to.

And what God desires for his people. Now, how much are you willing to give for the sake of the gospel where you are? What are you willing to sacrifice? Not not just in terms of making changes, but even in your own relationship with the Lord, do you think for the church of Thyatira? When they would compromise in their own relationship with the Lord? The thing that would happen is not only are people around them not seeing the purity of the gospel, but their own relationship with God is impacted because of it. And so maybe we could ask, how far is your love for Jesus willing to go as Jesus has given everything for you? Are you really willing to do the same for him? How much are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel in your own life? But then, in so doing, for the. For the benefit of others. When it comes to be a true biblical leader, it is a calling of sacrifice in your life. And it's that kind of sacrifice that God uses to make a change in this world. I mean, even next week, how you respond to that, whether you think you win or you don't, I don't know if anyone's going to win, but as far as us but if you win or you don't, how you respond in those moments is critical.

And it ultimately demonstrates what your life is truly given over to. You know, when you think about the early church and one of the things that I'm reminded of in the in the Gospel of John is how Jesus prayed for his own people in order to see change in this world. And so many people think that the Lord's Prayer is in Matthew chapter six. And that's the common vernacular for Matthew chapter six. This is how you pray. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done. That's a beautiful prayer, right? But that's not the Lord's Prayer. That's the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples when they came to him and said, Lord, how are we to pray? And he and he taught him that. That's the disciples prayer. If you want to know really what the Lord's Prayer is, it's John chapter 17. This is where Jesus prayed for his followers and how he desired for them to live. And this is what he said. And in John chapter 17, this is just a snippet of the prayer. Jesus praying to his father. He said, I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth as you sent me into the world.

So I have sent them into the world. And God doesn't want you to look at the world and be like, ew, gross, icky and run away and hide from it, right? Like he brought you out of darkness, and he's called you now as an ambassador in the midst of darkness to be a great light, that you would be an agent for change in this world, that not. And let me just say, when I say an agent for change, I'm not just saying outward performance of people I'm talking about in a heart transformation in the Lord. When we deal with change as God's people, I'm not primarily here for behavior modification. That's not what we're after as God's people. We're here for heart transformation in Jesus. And we know when Jesus has your life, he will begin to direct your steps. And so and so we talk about agents for change in this world. It's the gospel that becomes transformative in a culture. And then and then it changes how that culture lives in light of who Christ is. But the Lord wants to use you as that agent of change, as that change is first started to happen in your own heart and life. And so this is Jesus's prayer for us, that we would be lights in the midst of darkness. And God doesn't just care what you believe, he also cares in how you do it. Because we can take the truth and just bludgeon people over the head with it.

And that's not God's desire for us. In fact, throughout Scripture, over and over again, we're reminded of the kind of people we should be when we talk about leading as example as shepherds in this world, the kind of leaders he calls us to be. And these are in your notes as there's multiple verses you can look up. I just picked one of these passages, but these verses are important to think through because it not only talks about how we stand or the truth that we stand for, but also how we stand for that truth. And so it's important, if you read any of these verses, to think about the composure of God's people in the midst of a broken, fallen Babylon and Titus, chapter three, verse two, it says to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. This doesn't mean that you can't stand for truth. You need to stand for truth. But. But it does deal with how you interact with people who might oppose you, right? Verse three. Here's why. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us not because of works done by us in our righteousness, but according to his mercy.

And the reason that you're even where you are in your relationship with the Lord is not because you were impressive. It's because your God is. And he's reminding us that we all had a past, or we all have a past. And it's only because of the grace of God that we are where we are today. And because of that, it doesn't bring us with this attitude of devaluing people around us, but rather helping them discover their value in Christ because we know where we once were apart from Jesus, and we know where we are only because of Jesus. And the only way that change happens is in this world, is that we discover the truth that sets us free, and the only way people are going to discover that truth is through the compassion of God's people, sharing it with them. And so he's saying to us, look, he's acknowledging, look, you live in a broken world. And because of that, there is adversity. But how you choose to respond in that midst is what produces change. You become the agent that God desires to work through in this world. How far are you willing to go for the sake of the gospel in your community? Will you be inconvenienced? Are you willing to lay yourself down? Someone has got to lead by example, and more than anyone, it should be God's people, far and above anybody else because of the one that you follow.

That's the way he led. He gave everything that you might have freedom in him. So. So let me give you this point, point number one in your notes. What is crucial for us to do if we desire to live this way? Number one, know your God. No, you are God. When you read the seven letters to the churches, it starts off the same way with every church that God begins with the description of who he is and when he describes who he is, and he's basing it off of Revelation one. Right? Revelation one, he gave this grand introduction to his identity. And then, as he writes these letters to the churches in chapter two and three, he's writing about his attributes to begin with, according to where the church finds itself. So he's saying, here's how the attribute of who I am helps you understand how to move forward, because it's who I am that should guide you in the midst of your circumstances. So knowing your God becomes crucial. You know when you when you read these, the introduction to each of these churches, chapter two and chapter three, what we find is these churches aren't always impressive, but the one who is magnificent is the Lord. And it's when we're willing to take our eyes off ourselves and put our eyes on him that we really start to live for the purpose for which we were created, that we walk in the way in which God has called us to.

Not because we're great, but because he is. And our calling is based on who he is. Right. It's his authority that we walk with in this world. And so in the church of Thyatira, in the midst of the struggle that they are facing, because of the pressure around them in their society, God reminds them of who he is. And look at this. He says in verse 18, and 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. It's interesting. As he as he takes these ideas of who he is in light of their situation, what he, what he wants them to see is the purity and authority of God above all else. Right? Because in this society, the idea of the flame of fire is one that is a pure. It's an eye that can see everything, both external and internal. That the fire is one of purity. So God sees everything. He's not blind to it. And the idea of this bronze brass, this burnished brass, that is this statue of authority. Meaning out of all the authorities they could bow to, it's. It's God's pure authority that has power. And what's interesting is it describes God in this passage as it refers to him as the Son of God.

And when you go back and you look in Revelation chapter one of this description, it's laid out for you for the Lord. It doesn't use the term Son of God in that section, but rather it uses in verse 13 the phrase Son of Man. It's rather interesting, all these letters written to the churches as it as it draws from chapter one, and it inserts it in chapter two for each of these churches. It doesn't really change the description of God, except in this one passage where it refers to him rather than the Son of Man. It uses the term Son of God. And the question is, why in the world would it switch? And I think the reason is likely twofold. It doesn't come out and outright tell you. But I want you to understand. In first century, Caesar was often referred to as the Son of God, which is a term of deity and a term of authority. And not only that, they had the temple to Apollo in Thyatira, which was the sun god, and knowing they could bow down to Apollo, or they could bow down to Caesar. What is declaring here is that Jesus is the ultimate authority. He is the true Son of God. Now, when you want to understand terminology in the Scripture, what is important is that you don't define it according to your 21st understanding, 21st century understanding, but rather you go back to the terminology of the Bible and the way in which people would understand it during that time period.

And we looked at that phrase with the Son of Man. We talked about what made that unique because in, for example, Psalm chapter eight, we are all called the Son of Man in Scripture, right? But when it comes to Jesus, there was something unique about him that referred to him as the ultimate Son of Man. And what it means in Psalm eight, the Bible refers to the Son of Man as one who is given rule and authority over this world to represent God as we bless those around us. But what continue to happen in Scripture is that man, rather than live for God's glory. Live for his own. And so God ultimately promised a deliverer who would not be a son of man, but the Son of Man the one. And in Daniel chapter seven you're introduced to him, which is Jesus Christ himself, the. He's also described in Revelation as the Ancient of Days. So you see this picture of Jesus being deity who becomes flesh to give his life to deliver us. And so you have this idea of the Son of Man. But here in this verse, he describes him as the Son of God. And some people reading this in the 21st century mentality might look at it and say, well, what it's saying is that God had a kid, right? And let me just tell you, that's not what this passage is saying, right? And when you see this term, Son of God, this is this is a phrase that's again common to human beings.

In fact, Jesus used this phrase to refer to humanity in Matthew chapter five verse nine, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God, right? But there's also this distinguishment in the idea of the Son of God as being the one that while we're sinful and broken, there will come one, the Son of God, who will be our deliverer. And there are several verses in the Bible that you can look at to understand what this means. But one important one is John chapter one, verse 14. It says this in John chapter one. The first 18 verses of John. Chapter one is a declaration of the identity of Jesus. And the rest of John shows how that Jesus lived his life in light of who he was. But in verse 14 it says, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory. Look at this. The glory is the only son from the father, full of grace and truth. That phrase, the only son or in the King James says, the only begotten son. This phrase in Greek is monogenes or monogenes. And it's literally two words. In English it's mono one and genius, which is jean, or where we get the word genetic.

And what it's saying about Jesus is he is the only one of this kind or class. It's saying there's this uniqueness to him and the only one of this kind of class that's saying to you that he is made up of the same substance as the father. So who the nature of God the Father is the nature of Jesus. And when you read what Scripture says about the nature of Jesus, it tells you over and over again, He is God in the flesh. In Colossians two nine, the fullness of God dwells in him in the bodily form. And in Hebrews chapter one, he is the radiance of the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature. And so what he's saying is, if you want to know what God the Father is like, look at Jesus, because he is exactly the same. The nature of God is in him. And so to know God is to know Jesus. And so this becomes important for us to know our God. Because Revelation chapter two, everything that he's saying to the church of Thyatira is based on the power and authority of who this Christ is. So. So whatever God calls you to do in this world, it's important to understand that what God calls you to is not based on the power of who you are. It's not to say, Jesus, thank you for saving me. Now the rest is up to me. It's to say everything I do in this world, as I move as an ambassador for Christ, is not based on my authority and power, but based on him.

And the Bible tells you there's no temptation that's overcome you, that such as common to man. But God will make a way of escape. And what is saying that's first Corinthians 1013. And what it's saying to you and to me is that God will never disappoint you. Right. It's based on his power and authority that you're able to move in this world, even in terms of temptation, like Thyatira is facing right now, that if you remain faithful, God will not fail you. He will not disappoint you that God is not surprised by what you're going through. God. God already knows and God still calls you to pursue him. Not not because you're impressive, but because he is. No your god. It's when we become confident in who he is that we can become confident in what we're called to. Because everything we're called to do is not based on the power possessed within me, but rather in him. Number two, related to that, when you understand who God is and his authority and power, it gives us the opportunity to do this walk with godly courage and compassion. Walk with godly courage and compassion. Look at this. In verse 19, he talks to the church in Thyatira, and he's acknowledging, as he's done with each of these churches, some of the good things that they've done in the Lord.

He says, I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your letters, your latter works exceed the first. But then he says this, but I have this against you. And here's some of the beautiful things about God's people, is that the Lord still acknowledges where they're getting it. Right in him, right where their hearts might be surrendered, and at the same time, where he's about to acknowledge where they're struggling. You know, maybe if we're just honest with our own relationship with the Lord, we might feel like this often, this verse, this might be like the reoccurring theme of your life. Like, man, get it together, Nathaniel. Like, why do I keep falling in this area? You know, I just got this struggle and I can't seem to conquer it. But here's what it's saying in your life. Is that God? Why you might get on the struggle bus sometimes that God God sees where your heart is in him. God sees the things where you're given over to him, but he also sees where you're struggling. And this is he. While he wants to celebrate what the church is doing, that's great. What you celebrate, you replicate. You want to continue to look at that. Don't just look at where you're falling at life and make that like your whole life, right? You want to acknowledge where God's doing some great things in your life and then be honest where there's struggle.

And this is what he's doing with Thyatira. God's got you here to influence change. But there's this area where you're compromising. But I have this against you. And here's what he says to the church. He 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. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Here's what he's saying. Jezebel in the Old Testament married one of the kings of Israel, King Ahab, and she introduced idolatry to Israel. And through that idolatry came sexual immorality. And it became a temptation for Israel to move away from the true God and follow false gods. And it led to Israel's demise, right? The introduction of this false god and idolatry. And it destroyed the church. And honestly, let me be frank with Thyatira, by the end of the second century, Thyatira is gone. It's unique if you study Thyatira and Light of Ephesus. And Ephesus was a was a church that lived on truth. But if you remember, they left their first love. And the church of Thyatira, they have all kinds of love. But they've walked away from the truth. And God's people are called to live in both truth and love, courage, boldness, and the truth and compassion for the people around us.

We're not here to throw stones. We're here to use the truth to reach hearts. But Thyatira continued to walk in quote love. And by the end of the second century they were completely gone. They compromised. So Jezebel was a real woman in the Old Testament. But when it comes to the New Testament, I don't think we're talking about a particular woman named Jezebel again, doing the same things, but rather I think there's a as a group within the church that's introducing a false teaching. And in that false teaching, it's tempting God's people to compromise on the truth of who God is, after all, remember? And they could lose their jobs if they don't bow down to these false gods, or at least they don't participate Ticipate in and the behavior of these people as they go to these feasts to honor these false gods. And it's given over to all sorts of debauchery. And so the church is faced with this pressure to compromise. And Thyatira seems to be embracing this false teaching. But one of the things I want you to see in this passage, I think, is important for all of us, is the way God speaks to about Jezebel in this story? Because I think in a religious mentality, the default of people in a religious mentality is to look at Jezebel and think, what a, what a terrible thing, and just throw stones and curse her and cast her aside.

Right. But I want you to see what God says about Jezebel in verse 21. and let me just say, I think it's the same heart that he has towards this church right now that is being given over to this temptation. What it says in this passage is that I gave her time to repent. What it's saying is, Jesus didn't immediately look at Jezebel in this context and just cast her out and throw stones and say, what a terrible person. But his heart was that her heart would turn to him. And I think the same thing is true for Thyatira. There are some that are giving into this temptation right now. But God's heart is not to cast the church aside. God's heart is that their heart would turn to him, that they would. They would see the greatness of who he is. And as it says in this passage, repent. And this becomes important for all of us to think about. Because in a religious mentality, the tendency is when someone messes up, people judge, they devalue. They throw stones. And particularly in this particular, in this instance, they could do the same thing, that there's no redemption, no hope for Jezebel. In fact, in fact, even in our own culture, there was in the 80s and 90s in America there. I think there was the pinnacle of the purity culture movement.

There was this there was this need to among religious people to come before, especially younger crowds, a high school, college age and give the purity talk. And they would do it from a religious mentality and not from a gospel centric mentality. And the religious mentality left people in guilt and shame rather than in freedom. And who Jesus is finding redemption through him and the way it often worked was like this. You'd get a speaker, come before all these young people, and maybe they'd have a conference over the weekend. And one of those conference talks would be on purity. And I saw this example happen multiple times as a, as a young adult, where the speaker would come out and he would take a rose. And some of you already know where I'm going with this, because you've probably seen this, right? He would take a rose and he would hand it out to the crowd and he'd say, go ahead, look at the rose. Touch it, do whatever. Just pass it around. Everyone take a look at it. I want everyone to pass it through their hands. And at the end, just bring it up to me. Right. And so the speaker would start talking about the importance of purity. And then when we get to the end and come back on the stage, the speaker would hold up that flower, that rose, and he would say this, who in the world wants this, right? I mean, it's been touched.

It's been used. It's not even worth holding anymore. Who in the world would want this? And a religious mentality. That's what's communicated, right? You're broken. You're messed up. You can't get your crap together. And because of that, you're worthless. You're devalued. But I want you to understand that if you've grown up with that, you've ever heard that you've ever been taught that maybe you even think that right now, that the struggle in your heart is that you lack understanding of what the gospel even teaches. Because the answer to that question is Jesus does. Jesus wants that rose. Jesus loved that rose. Jesus gave everything for the brokenness of that rose so he could find freedom in him. This is what Christ is saying in his verses to the idea of Jezebel, that his interest is that her heart would turn because right now, where she is apart from him, is a place that we as a church should desire no one to be. I mean, that becomes what the importance is of your position in this world, that you find your identity in Christ so that you walk in the midst of brokenness, that there's always hope because of what Christ has done for us. Jesus wants that rose. I think one of the most beautiful stories in all of the gospel that brings this to light is in Luke chapter seven.

Luke chapter seven. Starting in verse 36, there is this dinner taking place where Jesus is among the elite religious leaders of his day. And here they are on their high horses, thinking they're so great because of their performances. And in this dinner party walks in this woman and she is weeping, and she comes before the feet of Jesus, and she washes his feet in her tears, and she takes this oil that she brought, and she anoints his feet and she wipes it clean with her hair. And the religious leaders look at Jesus in all their piety. And they say, this man can't be a man of God, because if he if he was a true man of God, he would understand that this is a sinful woman touching his feet, and he would never allow that to happen. Religious mentality. And at that moment, Jesus looks at Simon and says, it's interesting, Simon, when I came into this dinner party, no one gave me any water to wash my feet, and no one even anointed my head. But this woman washed my feet with her tears, and she anointed my feet and wiped them clean with her hair. And then he gives Simon an illustration. He says, suppose someone is forgiven of a debt. Two people are forgiven of a debt, actually, and the first person is forgiven of a debt of 50 denarii, but the next person is forgiven of a debt of 500 denarii.

Who do you suppose is more grateful for that forgiveness? And Simon looks at Jesus and says, I suppose as the one the person forgiven the most. And so he says who? He who is forgiven deeply, loves deeply. That woman, more than anyone, understood the transformation that only Jesus can bring. So when it comes to the idea of what it means to make a difference in this world, I know we can look at the brokenness of our life and we can despair and think, what can possibly be done? But can I tell you, the more you understand the greatness of who your God is, the more you walk in this world with courage and compassion to those around you. Because you know what Jesus has done for you and therefore you know what Jesus can do for others. And when you read this story of Jezebel, this is where God's heart begins, that he's called her to repent. But unfortunately, rather than, than than turn to him, they continued to tolerate what was destroying them. And can I tell you, for all of us, everyone in this room, in our society and American society, there's certainly a need for the Lord in terms of sexuality. God, where are you? In light of this. Everyone in this room has. As a as a component of their life. Your sexuality. All of us has something about our sexuality in which we are called to surrender to the Lord.

In fact, every aspect of your sexuality is called to be surrendered to the Lord and not just your sexuality. Everything about you is called to be surrendered to the greatness of who God is, because God calls you to look different in this world because of who he is. It's when it comes to live for God. We our body is distinct from our soul. But what you do with your body is not disconnected from your soul. That your body becomes this outward reflection of what your heart is truly given over to. And God's desire is that you discover who you are in light of who he is, and that it will affect change in your life, that you'll surrender to that completely and say, Lord, it's not about living for what it is. What I desire, but it's about living for your desires through me. God, what is it you want for me? How is it I can surrender my life for your glory in this world? And? And so Scripture calls all of us every aspect of our life given over to him and including our sexuality, to discover the purposes for which it was created in him. And there's, as I said in first Corinthians ten, verse 13, there is nothing unique to you that's uncommon to the rest of humanity. It's not a new temptation that we are facing. In fact, when you look at Roman society in the first century, we may look at America and think there's a change in sexuality today, but even in compared to Roman society, the things that the Romans did would cause Americans to blush.

If you if you read about it right, like you may look at us today and think, wow, we're kind of all over the place. Roman society even more. Right. But there was a change made in the first century through the power of the church that lived according to the way God had called them to. And it's the same thing for us today that God calls us to surrender all that we are to who he is because of the goodness of who he is. But when we don't do that, look at this. Verse 22, behold, I will throw talking about Jezebel onto a sickbed, and 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. And all the cultures will know that I am he who searches mind and heart. And I will give to each of you according to your works. Let me just say this now. What's happened in Jezebel has begun to impact the next generation. You're seeing through children, right? And it's not until someone is willing to give their lives over to Christ completely, and to be the leader, to be willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others to the glory of God, that any change or transformation is going to happen.

Now you look at this and think, well, this is terrible. These people are dying. But let me just tell you, this has been true from the beginning, from Genesis chapter one, Jesus's life and Jesus apart from Jesus, its death. And here they are lying on their sick bed because they're walking a life contrary to the reason in which they were created in Christ Jesus. And the production of that is nothing but death, because God Himself is life. And it's not until our lives are given over to him that we find ourselves made new and who Christ is. I mean, I think even this morning, like some of us could be sitting on our sick bed because our hearts aren't truly given over to him. But what God's desire for us is that you would flourish like that rose, that you would see the beauty of who you are not in your own strength, but in Christ's strength on your behalf. So point number three, let me give you this last point because I, I need to conclude here. But last point is that you would hold fast. Hold fast. Look at this verse 24. But to the rest of you at 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 what you have until I come. I love this about following Jesus. I mean, he's saying, look, you want to know what your life should be about? Really? It's one thing. It's one thing. God, may I enjoy your presence in my life all the days that you give to me. God, may my heart be surrendered to you. Apart from that, you can bow to so many different gods. Trying to please people, trying to find joy in the things of this world. But your heart was never made for those things. Your heart was only made for one who is the Lord. And it's not until your heart's given over to that you discover the reason you've been created. And this is what he's saying. I don't want to lay these burdens on you, is what he's saying. I really just one thing for your life and that you would cling to it with everything. That's what this Greek word hold fast is cling to with everything. Because this is where true transformation takes place in your life, and then through your life into the hearts of others, that you would be that living example of Jesus in this world. Because of this one thing, what Christ has done for you. Hold fast. I think part of the reason he's telling him to hold fast is because he knows they're going to continue to face adversity, but he wants them to walk in the richness of who he is.

You know, I think about church history. One individual that stands out to me more than any other in this, at least around the time of Revelation, is an individual by the name of Augustine. Augustine became a believer in the fourth century. I referred to him in the very first lesson we talked about in Revelation, because he wrote The City of God, which is a book that's connected to a lot of Revelation themes. But, Augustine, he said this it is no advantage to be near the light if your eyes are closed. And it's the same thing this morning for us. And here we are talking about the beauty of what Jesus does in our lives. But it's not going to affect any change in our hearts unless we really say to the Lord God, have your way with me. Augustine was a man who whose life was given over to a religious belief called Manichaeism. I mean, he followed the ways of the world to the fullest. His life was given over to his own personal pleasures until he met Jesus. And in meeting Jesus. Augustine said it like this. He said, there is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future. Isn't that true? I mean, it's what leads us to walk with humility in a broken world. That though I may be perfected in Jesus, it's only because of Jesus.

I am where I am. Thank God for it. And at the same time, because it's Jesus and what he's done in me, I'm not here to throw stones at people. I'm here to just simply point to the one who delivers freedom for them. And when a church walks in that grace proclaiming its truth with such courage, it only happens in truly understanding the power of the one that you follow with your life. But in so doing, God brings change. Church. Can I just say, God wants you to be an influence in our culture. But it's never going to happen if you look like the world. Maybe you could ask, what are our guilds today? Where is it that you might be compromising? Where is it? Do you make excuses? Maybe in particular in terms of your sexuality, where you say things like, well, I'm lonely and this is this is just what I need or. Well, we want to be married one day, so we'll just pretend like it now. You know what? Whatever it might be. And I don't know what you watch on your televisions, but can I just tell you it's an indication of something happening in your heart. It's a reminder of what your true God, what your true God really is. But God wants to use your life to make a difference in this world. And the way it happens is when it's completely surrendered to him.