A series of strong storms went through Minnesota yesterday.  Large hail damaged many cars in some communities about a hours drive south of where we live.  And further south, a couple of strong tornadoes did significant damage.  Our son-in-law, who lives in Rochester, MN, called to say that they had 5 inches of rain there yesterday.  We did not get nearly that much at our home, but enough that I should not have to pay the city for water for a few days.  And thankfully we were spared the hail.  The sun is coming out as the cloud begin to vanish.  I think it will be a good day for Marlys and me to go to the State Fair. 

 

So, how are things in the world?  Reports that I get from various sources in Israel indicate a great deal of dissatisfaction with the Olmert government.  His coalition with the Labor Party is beginning to unravel as people grow increasingly dissatisfied with both the Kadima and Labor parties.  Whether new elections will be called for remains to be seen.  But it looks as if the people of Israel are beginning to swing back to a more centrist position.  Perhaps the war with Lebanon has opened the eyes of many Israelis.  We can only hope.  The Iranians blew steam this week in saying that they were proceeding with their nuclear plans.  The Syrians continue talking about war unless Israel cedes the Golan Heights back to them.  And French have decided that they should take seriously their role as the peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon.  At home, the political season is heating up.  Only about 70 days until election day in November.  This will be a critical election for us...I think it has the potential to determine the direction the United States will go for the next decade.  But I will share my thoughts on that subject as we get closer to election day. 

 

Two pieces of medical ethics news made headlines this past week.  First, the federal government approved the over-the-counter sale of a drug called "the morning after pill" or sometimes called, "plan B."  It is a contraceptive that is taken up to three days after unprotected sex.  Many Christian groups opposed it as being a form of abortion.  I look for this decision by the FDA to be appealed and ultimately decided in a court.  But, for the now, the debate rages as to how young a girl could be and still get this medication - some argue that any sexually active girl should have it available, while, at least for now, the FDA has said it is only for those 17 and older.  And so, our permissiveness in sexuality continues to go.  I read the stories in the Old Testament and hear God's prophetic judgments and my heart cries out.  The piece of medical ethics news was the announcement by a private laboratory that they have successfully extracted stem cells from embryos with destroying the embryo.  Will this make embryonic stem-cell research more available and less controversial?  Only time will tell.  But, as Christians, we cannot afford to be ignorant of what is happening in the medical research community. 

 

Well, we are now ready for that final section in Revelation 2:18-29, where the focus of attention is upon the Church located in Thyatira.  This is the longest of the seven letters and is sent to the least significant and least known of the seven churches.  One of the great problems of this church was its doctrinal practice that it made no difference what you believed as long as you believed in something.  Today we might describe it as religious toleration.  And, my friends, this doctrine is growing rapidly today within many Christian circles.  It is a threat that is to be taken seriously.

 

I.  Thyatira: A Description of the City

    

     A.  Physical description

 

          1.  Thyatira was located 35 miles southeast of Pergamum.

          2.  City was a "blue-collar" town.

          3.  Known for its numerous trade guilds (guilds of tanning, pottery making, baking, and bronze-smithing)

          4.  Also known for its wool and dyeing industries

          5.  It was the hometown of Lydia, a seller of purple cloth (Acts 16:14)

 

     B.  Spiritual description

 

         1.  No temple to either the emperor or major Greeks gods located here, although emperor worship was practiced as you had to be part of it in order to be a part of the guilds)

          2.  City had its own god, Tyrimnos.  His image of riding on a horse and holding a battle-ax appeared on the city's coins.

 

 

      A.  It was a good church

 

           1.  They worked hard - "deeds"

           2.  They served each other well

           3.  They persevered in the midst of difficulties

           4.  They had faith - This church had everything the church at Ephesus had, plus they had love for each other and for the Lord.

 

    B.  It was a growing church - they were doing more than they had at first.

 

          This was a congregation that would have caught our attention.  It was warm and friendly and caring.  It was also growing numerically.  But looks can be deceiving.  All was not right within this church.

 

 

     A.  Condemned for permitting the false teaching of a prophetess who openly advocated apostasy

 

          1.  She is likened to Jezebel, the godless wife of King Ahab

 

              a.  She was a ruthless liar and cold-blooded killer (1 Kings. 21:1-13)

              b.  She worshiped Baal (1 Kings 16:32-33)

              c.  She tried to destroy the true prophets of God (1 Kings 18:4)

              d.  She practiced witchcraft (2 Kings 9:22)

 

          2.  Teachings of Jezebel

 

              a.  To be broad-minded about religion - it makes no difference what you believe, as long as you believe; there is good in every religion

              b.  This idea led to the prostitution of our marriage to Christ (references to marriage found in Ephesians 5:32 and 2 Corinthians 11:2)

 

                    When you are married you take vows that state that you will cleave only unto your husband or wife as long as you both shall live.  It is a vow of exclusiveness.  It is a vow of faithfulness.  It is a vow of love and care.  When I became a Christian, I told Jesus that I would be loyal only to Him, not to Him and Joseph Smith, or to Rick Warren, or to Billy Graham. 

 

              c.  There is a grave danger, in our fears of stepping on others' toes, that we will commit prostitution with the world (references in Jeremiah 3:6 and James 4:4), resulting in Christ being no longer the one we are exclusively in love with.

 

    B.  They not only permitted this woman to preach, but tolerated what she said - they did not contradict her.

 

          1.  Nothing disturbs God more than for believers to tolerate sin.  Now the word "tolerate" means "to allow or permit".  It is the "failure to expose sin."

          2.  Look at what the Church of Christ tolerates today in the name of acceptance:

 

              a.  Ecumenism - we just accept everyone

              b.  New Age Movement and its visualizations of Christ.  Even the concept of contemplative prayer can lead one astray in his or her walk with the Lord.

              c.  A shallow gospel that states that as long as believe then we can live as we please.

 

          3.  We have lost our ability to differentiate between right and wrong, between good and evil.  (Important reference in Isaiah 5:20)

 

              William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, was prophetically true when he said: "I consider that the chief dangers which will confront the twentieth century will be: Religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, Forgiveness without regeneration, Morality without God, Heaven without hell."

 

    C.  Two dangers described

 

          1.  Lead our children astray - verse 23

 

              Remember: our children are imitators of us; whatever is important to us will become important to them.

 

          2.  Cover up of sin - verse 18

 

              a.  Christ is described as having "eyes like a flame of fire", referring to His all-knowing and discerning mind.

              b.  You cannot cover up sins forever:

 

                    - Achan tried...and failed

                    - Moses tried...and failed

                    - David tried...and failed

                    - Ananias and Sapphira tried...and failed

                    - Jim Bakker tried...and failed

                    - Jimmy Swaggart tried...and failed

                    - I tried...and failed

 

            Look up this powerful truth in Numbers. 32:23.  A Church that attempts to cover up sin is a doomed church.  God does see through our religious facades. 

 

            I close with a rather simple, yet powerful story.  A man frequently prayed this prayer in a prayer meeting.  "O God, clean out the cobwebs from my mind."  One night, another followed the old man in prayer, and prayed thus, "O God, don't clean out the cobwebs!  Kill the spider!"  I guess many of us need to daily pray that God would kill the spider that might cause our relationship with God to be compromised by the presence of sin.

 

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: All publicity is good, except an obituary notice.  (Brendan Behan)