This Gregory, history remembers him as a good man, actually, a good Christian. And he would not have liked that title, Pope, from what we know about him. He was opposed to the corruption in the church. Try to do things about it. If all the popes Quote unquote.
were as he was, it would be a different history for them. But they just got worse as time went on. The absolute power corrupts absolutely, has a lot of truth to it. You're listening to Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.
Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Revelation. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross-reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. But for now, let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Revelation chapter 2 as he begins his message, Thayatira, love counterfeited.
Well, moving from the church at Pergamos, That married the world. through the church at Diatira that married Satan. There's a devolution. These churches started out loving the Lord and they have devolved to this. This Church, just like the other six, were targeted just like every other church.
It starts out loving the Lord. The light attracts the bugs. It is a philosophy of ministry. And anybody entering into the pastorate should learn that right away. The sin of Siratira Was that she allowed?
Someone worse than Balaam. to preach. gave them a platform And Balaam, of course, he taught seductions, how to seduce the church to do wrong. Jezebel God her people. to kill people.
The historical Balaam, the historical Jezebel. The New Testament spirit of Balaam and the New Testament spirit of Jezebel were at work. in the churches where they are named, Pergamus and Thyatira. Both of them tolerated what should have been treated with contempt and expelled. All right, that's Esther Bible study part of those comments.
The reality is. There are a lot of churches that haven't learned anything from this. I don't even know if they care.
Well, let's open it up and see if we find more of it. But no church should consider these seven churches. Casually They should all cause us to examine ourselves, our churches, And certainly for the glory of our God. Verse eighteen. And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write.
These things say the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass. This city wasn't that much of a city when you compared to the other churches. the least important as cities go, However, Jesus wrote the most words to this church. Which makes it a challenge to preach within the 20 minutes that I have. that go over the other forty minutes that I have.
Not so many of those early Christians from Pentecost. In the days of Peter and Paul, There are not so many of them around anymore. This is the third, fourth generation now, and they've. This is a new people. Largely.
Peter and Paul have long been gone. We were probably 30 years after their death into the church by the time this letter was circulated. And yet the Lord still has John. to write these words down.
Now, according to an ancient inscription in ancient Thyatira. There were many guilds there. There were those who worked with linen, wool, baking, slavery. There were those that worked with leather and bronze and pottery. That's what was going on in Thyatira.
And that contributed to the pressures that surfaced in this church. In fact, one of the major Industries there was The dyeing textiles, dyeing colors and garments. Lydia, if you remember from Acts 16, she was a dealer in the color of purple, where Paul met her in Philippi. We'll reference her again. But these skills were Very much involved in their religions and in the religious life of the city.
Each guild had a patron god. See the paganism that was working there, how it worked its way into the Catholic Church, all these pagan saints' ideas, and they're they're just not the saints of the Bible. There Um Their corruptions is what they are. And as we get into the Pope's, my goal is not to pick on Roman Catholicism, but also not to excuse her behavior. And so we'll be coming to that soon.
Anyway, the Christians here in Thyatira they experience pressure to participate in these many festivals. You know, if you want to Keep your job. You better help. us with our pagan activities. And that Influenced some Christians to look for ways to lessen the pressure by merging with the world.
and not condemning it. Paganism left its mark on everything in that ancient world.
Now, we talked last session about Progamus. Historically, Constantine, he claims to be a Christian, he claimed at one point, and that caused peace between the Roman Empire and the Christian Church. And this happened around 312, 313 years after the birth of Christ. Questionable whether he was a genuine Christian. He certainly was more interested in unity within the kingdom than the truth of Christ.
Well the corresponding age that goes with Thiatira is the age of the PAPL Uh authority, the popes. From about 590 to 1550 or so, like that, when the Reformation then kicks in. And so, in each church, we find parallels that are inescapable.
So, boy, you can see a history. In this church's behavior, and what they're rebuked for or applauded for. And this one matches very nicely, unfortunately, with the age of the popes. And so we're going to spend a little time talking about the corresponding age before we get into. The actual words to the actual Christians before.
That um uh Papal period began. And there is a lot in history. that we have to Make it easy to believe. These parallels, for example. Diatira was located on the road between Pergamos and Sardis.
Well Pragamus was that Age right before the popes when the church and the state. Had peace with each other, and the church began to become more leavened than ever. But Sardis matches the Reformation.
So between these two, here's this church that you find things in it to say, boy, that's just like. What happened under the popes? And as papal authority in church history, Is located between Constantine and the Reformation, so is Pergamus and Sardis on the ends of. This city, Diatira, the Dark Ages. That's when this is taking place.
By the ninth century, The popes and the cardinals usurped the power of the church. And really, went off the rails at that point. And the popes are still Still In cahoots, with their Jezebels. Mary, for example, of the Rosary is not the Mary of the Bible. There in fact, has someone dared pray to Mary?
while she was alive, she would have charged them with blasphemy. There was in Jerusalem This prayer meeting. and there was Mary in the meeting. And the people in that meeting We're not praying to Mary, they were praying with Mary. Acts chapter 1, verse 14.
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. You would think You would think somebody would say, okay, that's the word of God. Let's stick to that. How did they get away?
Well, they brought paganism in. And they reassigned the names of their pagan gods to Christian and biblical characters.
So no one prayed to Peter or Mary until Papal Paganism introduced Mariology into Christendom. And the Bible condemns the worship of Mary. But the Roman Catholics love it. The first pope is who we should talk about now. And I'm going to quote Henry Haley's Bible Handbook.
And if you don't have that book, I would strongly recommend it.
However, you have to get the 23rd edition. Because everything after that has been Zondervanized, and it is just not what it used to be. But Haley, just this section. His brief section on Christian history is worth it, and I'll give you a taste right now. Here's Haley.
He says the word Pope means papa, father. At first, it was applied to all Western bishops about 500 years after Christ. it began to be restricted to the Bishop of Rome. and soon, in common use, came to mean universal bishop. The Roman Catholic list of popes includes the bishops of Rome from the first century onward, but For 500 years, bishops of Rome were not popes.
The idea That the Bishop of Rome should have authority over the whole church. was a slow growth. bitterly contested at every step and never has at any time been universally recognized. The Christians didn't just say, okay, we want one that just rules over all of us in our faith. That never happened.
Categorically I reject. all of Roman Catholicism's view On everything. It is largely said that Gregory was their first pope. They'll dispute that. Of course, they say Peter, and Peter would have none of that.
They have they are revisionists to make it to make it work. This kind of history is available. It is not my view. These the facts are there. You have to look at both sides if you want to, but I just go with the scripture, and that pretty much fills in the blanks for me.
Well, this Gregory histori history remembers him as a good man, actually a good Christian. And he would not have liked that title Pope from what we know about him. He was opposed to the corruption in the Church. Try to do things about it. If all the popes quote unquote.
or as he was, it would be a different history for them. But they just got worse as time went on. The absolute power corrupts absolutely, has a lot of truth to it. Anyway. By the late 9th century, 890, something like that.
Romanism established the infallibility of their Pope. And it got even worse after that. And by the 13th century, they established themselves, the popes, as the supreme authority across Europe and were infallible now.
Well, of course, biblical Christianity rejects all of that. But we see these similarities taking place in Thyatira. Where Satan really got his hands on the church. Even getting a pulpit.
So now we go out of the corresponding age and we come to the text. And if you say, well, I don't agree with that. Corresponding age approach. That's fine. There are others that don't agree with it also.
But I do see it. And um th you can leave it at that. It's not a doctrinal thing. It's just one of those Hmm. Look at that.
That's a perfect fit. These things says the Son of God Not Mary. This is Jesus Christ and not the Pope's. John, of course, shows the divinity of Christ more than any New Testament writer. He brings it out the most.
They all believed it, they all were just as passionate about it. But that was One thing that the Holy Spirit really Emphasized through John's writings, who has eyes like a flame of fire.
Well, what's making these eyes flame like fire? That's pretty frightening. Picture of a being confronted by the Lord and his eyes were like a flame of fire.
Well, the church letting the devil preach. If you can say that set him off. His feet like fine brass.
So he arrives as a judge. to the crime. This is a crime, and that's why he's showing up this way. Brass is an emblem of judgment in Scripture. And so he is dressed for the occasion.
So that's the introduction to Thyatira's church, verse 19.
Now, I should, very important reminder. Remember, there's not one central church in any of these cities. They are cells of churches. Churches weren't allowed to meet in buildings at the time that this letter was published. Uh uh from John.
Soon after his Time on Patmos, more likely. But anyway, after it was released, the churches again met still in homes.
Some of them may have rented areas, but not very likely.
So there were pockets of them, and they had an overseer who oversaw the churches in that region, and that would be a bishop.
Well, verse 19, I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience. And as for your works, the last are more than the first.
Well, the believers in Thyatira. We're helpers of people. What could be wrong with that? Deeds characterized Their faith and their love and their patience.
Now If there were indeed cells of Christians in that city, and As we'll find out, there would be pockets of true believers who had not succumbed. to Jezebel's influence. And Christ will point them out. But at this point, overall the churches there were very busy helping people. Still there were loyal Christians.
In fact, Jesus had only one charge against this church, but that charge had tentacles attached to it. And it was colossal. It wasn't a little thing. Not that any of them were. But this was pretty big.
And that rendered their deeds meaningless before God. That's how big it was. Jesus was saying to those who were involved in their works and their love and their service and faith, some of them were right there where they needed to be. Their love was true, their faith was right on, all of that was good. But that element that was listening to Jezebel Approving it.
tolerating it That would void out everything. And so he mentions, I know your works, I know your love. He's always mindful of what true followers are doing. and also the false ones. And we know from history, in spite of the dark ages under the popes, there were still many genuine believers outside of the Roman Catholic Church.
the Albadensians, the Waldensians. There were men like the Wycliffe's and the Jan Hus. There were others. They came later, but there were uh there were lot of Christians that held true. to the faith.
in the dark ages, but they were in the minority and they paid for it. They were persecuted. by the popes.
So what Thyatira aloud. no amount of love and sacrifice Could undo In fact, about to be written on the door of this church was Ichabod. The glory departed. That awaited them. Malachi talks about those Jewish believers before the church age, in the days of Israel.
After Israel had come back from her captivity, Malachi. Mm-hmm. Just disgusted at the fake religion that was being practiced in Israel. He writes, Who is there, even among you, who would shut the doors so that you would not kindle a fire on my altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you, God speaking to the prophet.
Says Yahweh of hosts, No, nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
So God says, is there anybody here? that can stop these fake sacrifices. And how many times you say, is there anybody here that could stop these false prophets, these people telling you, you just give me money and God will bless you, a seed offering?
So they can get rich. They are false prophets, they are satanic in that regard. They are called the prosperity. teachers and there's a prosperity movement and God wants you rich.
So if you are privy to that, make sure you stand up against it. God had a single charge, as I mentioned, against this church, and that was Satan in God's house, in Jesus' name. Teaching things that God forbade, teaching that sin was fine. Wherever today you see that six-fingered rainbow church flag. They are worse than thy attire.
Because They know better.
Now, all the Bible was written at this time except the Revelation. When this was finally given to the churches, they had Paul's writings, they had Peter's writings, they had all that we have. The churches today that behave this way. Where sin is taught as a service to God. have cornered themselves into an inexcusable position.
The Balaam-esque influences Taught in Progamus on how to mix The world and disobedience in the church And now the Jezebel-esque influences taught a thyrotyra, How? To replace Jesus, because that's where that was going. And this is what Jezebel of the Old Testament was all about. Diatira's Jezebel was a nickname. There's a real woman there doing these things.
We don't know her real name, we don't need to. The nature, the name given to her, the nickname. speaks of her nature, how she behaved there.
Now, her namesake, the historical Jezebel. was an idolatrous Phoenician princess. who became a queen in the northern kingdom. And she introduced hardcore idolatry to Israel. 1 Kings chapters 16 through 19.
She lost a fight with gravity. That's how she died. Jehu threw her out of a tower window. and then the dogs ate most of her. Her corruptions appealed To the weak in this church.
The churchgoers and Thyatira thought she was onto something. They lack discernment. Because you know, the Word of God can get, you can become so familiar with the Word of God, you crave something else. And that's Those tickling ears is what will get you in trouble.
So this church And the love for Christ that they started out with was targeted by Satan, and the service that they offered. in most, or those who listened to her, was contaminated. She may have impressed The people. But it drew God's ire. In fact, the service of the people who were corrupted in their theology.
They may have impressed themselves as well as others. But God's Anger was aroused, and this is evident from the intensity of his responses found in verses 22 and 23. Don't look yet. Yeah. We'll get there.
No fast forwarding. Anyway, faith is next mentioned.
Well, there were those with faith. This was the hope. In Christ, which Jezebel exploited. She needed to have people interested in Christ. in order to have somebody to corrupt.
Faith is an absolute essential. But genuine Christianity. There's no becoming a Christian without faith. It stands at the entrance of salvation. And this makes, again, true Christians targets as they were.
You young Christians, you teens, don't you for one minute think that Satan has forgotten about you? He knows you by name. He's had 2,000 years to develop his menu and he has got some flavor for you. Don't you devalue expository Bible teaching. Don't be the foolish one that goes and finds a church that doesn't teach the Bible because you just want to experience something new, because sitting under the word is difficult.
By the sweat of your brow. Everything is hard in life that is good for you. At some point it becomes difficult. It's worth it though, so pay attention. Try to grasp the things that are being said.
What you don't understand, let those pass. Hold on to the things you do understand. He continues here in verse 19, and your patience.
Well, patience has learned the benefit of waiting. It's to the advantage of the one that learns that benefit. But Satan knows how to wait too. He's patient also. Patience can morph into cowardice.
Well yeah, I'm just waiting when you should be acting And these things happen here in this church. They ended up with more patience than sound doctrine. They had patience to a flaw. Love, service, faith. Were rendered subordinate to tolerance of that which should have been bounced out from the beginning.
As for your works, The last are more than the first. With a chilling observation, it says your Christianity is fading. It's not what it used to be. You're dying. And Ichabod will be written across your door, if not your life, if you're not careful.
This has been Cross-Reference Radio with Pastor Rick Gaston. This program is a radio outreach of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Pastor Rick has been teaching through the book of Revelation, but if you're interested in learning about a different book of the Bible, we have hundreds of past episodes available to listen to on demand. Just visit us online at crossreferenceradio.com and you'll find an archive of Pastor Rick's past teachings. While you're there, you can also find links to follow our program on your favorite podcast app, as well as links to get connected with us on Facebook and YouTube.
There's also an interviews tab where you can learn more about Pastor Rick's heart for ministry.
Well, we hope you'll join us next time here on Cross Reference Radio. Yeah.
