Amen. All right, well we're there in Revelation chapter number two and we've
been going through this series on Sunday mornings on the seven churches of
Revelation and this morning we find ourselves in the fourth church. Of course
there are seven churches that Jesus gave seven messages to in the book of
Revelation and we've been making our way through dissecting those messages and
this morning we of course are in Revelation chapter 2 and verse 18. This
is the fourth church in the last church in this chapter. Chapter 3 has three
churches and we'll cover those as well over the next several weeks. If you look
at Revelation 2 and verse 18 the Bible says this, and unto the angel of the
church in Thyatira, and that is our church for this week, unto the angel of
the church in Thyatira write, these things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes
like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass. If you remember
the first week we were with the Church of Ephesus, the second week the Church
of Smyrna, last week the Church of Pergamos. This morning we're dealing with
the church in Thyatira. I just want to remind you that the way we are dissecting
these messages because they all kind of are outlined in a very similar way.
There's a few changes here and there but they are all very similar and this
church is the same way. It begins with an introduction which we read
there in verse 18 where Jesus introduces himself to the church and he always goes
back because in Revelation chapter 1 there's that description of Jesus and in
each one of these introductions he goes back to that description and pulls
something out that applies to them directly and we're gonna look at that
later on in the sermon. Then there's the condemnation where he explains to them
something that he's not happy about, something that he is not happy that they
are doing. There's the correction where he tells them how to fix it or what he
expects from them. There's also a commendation where he is praising them
and telling them here's what I do like about what you're doing and then of
course there's always a conclusion and I've said this every week in the series
and I'll continue to say it. This may not feel like what we normally do on a
Sunday morning. This may feel more like a Wednesday night Bible study because we're
literally just taking a few verses this morning and just gonna break them down
line by line, phrase by phrase and see what we can learn. So we'll begin there
in the introduction. Of course we read in verse 18 Jesus says to them these things
saith the Son of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet
are like fine brass. We'll come back to that in a little bit. Notice verse
number 19. He says I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy
patience. Now these are all similar things that have been said to some of
the other churches and this is a very impressive church. I mean there it seems
as they are accomplishing much. Notice he says I know thy works which is
referring to their work ethic and the things that are actually being
accomplished that are producing. Charity has to do with love but it's
more than that. The Word of Charity in our King James Bible has to do with love
but it's love being put to work. If you read 1st Corinthians 13 that great
charity passage you'll see how it's being put to work there and it's being
applied. Then there's service. The service of others and serving others and being a
servant. Then there's their faith. They had great faith in God and they believed
what the Bible said and they were practicing that and accomplishing that
and then their patience. They were a patient church and again if you've been
with us over the last several weeks you know that these are all familiar terms
to some of these other churches. He says I know thy works and charity and service
and faith and thy patience and thy works and this church was a very impressive
church in the sense when you look at what they were accomplishing they were
accomplishing much but what was truly impressive about this church was not
what they were accomplishing but the fact that they were accomplishing more
towards the end because notice verse 19 again he says I know thy works and
charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works. Now that's all
impressive. If the verse ended right there we would be impressed with this
church thus far. Here's what's truly impressive and the last to be more than
the first. He says you know what I'm really impressed about this church Jesus
would say is that yes they've they've accomplished much they've got charity
and service and faith and patience and work. He said but you know what I'm
really impressed about is that their last is more than their first. They're
actually accomplishing more and doing more as they go on in their history as
they go on in their Christian life than they are at the beginning. Now keep your
place on Revelation 2. That's actually obviously our text for this morning. Go
with me if you would to the book of 1st Corinthians chapter number 15. 1st
Corinthians 15 you've got Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1st Corinthians
1st Corinthians chapter 15 and when you get to 1st Corinthians do me a favor put
a ribbon or a bookmark or something there because we're gonna be going back
and forth between Revelation and 1st Corinthians a lot this morning. We're
gonna a lot of it's not the only place we're gonna go to but a lot of the
places we're gonna go to are gonna be in 1st Corinthians. So I'd like you to be
able to get there quickly if you can. 1st Corinthians 15 and notice verse
number 58. Notice what the Apostle Paul is saying to this church at Corinth. He's
saying this, therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast. That's of
course standing steady standing firm somewhere and then he says unmovable and
you're steadfast. Just make sure you're not being moved but then he says this he
says always abounding always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as
ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord and the Apostle Paul here is
telling this church at Corinth he says look I want you always abounding. Jesus
said about the church in Thyatira he said I like the fact that the last is
more than the first and what I have learned in my own Christian life and
what I've learned over the last decade of ministry is that usually usually this
is not the case in fact usually in the Christian life their loss the last is
less than the first. Whether you look at a church or an individual Christian
usually what you find is that the older they get the more mature they get the
longer they are in the faith the less they actually do. Now that seems
counterintuitive but all you need to do is look around and pay attention and
you'll find that to be true you know in a local church where do you get your
vast majority of volunteers your vast majority of workers your vast majority
of people that are jumping in and saying hey I want to help hey I want to do
something hey I'd like to be a part of this. You know who usually it is it's the new
Christians the new Christians that just got saved I'm not saying it's always
just the new Christians but usually it's the new believers who are getting
involved who are helping out or want to and it seems like the older more mature
the longer people are saved the more they know the less they do and Jesus
looks at this church he says you know what I'm really impressed about is that
your last is more than your first and you know for Verity Baptist Church and
for your personal Christian life you have to have a goal that Jesus could say
of your life that your last was more than your first. You don't want to get to
the end of your life and just just kind of you're just kind of coasting you're
just kind of I'm just not really accomplishing much I'm just not really
doing much I'm just kind of there and I'm kind of just trying to finish this
thing out hey you know in my personal life I want to be doing more I want to
be accomplishing more and you know the definition of backslidden you know what
the definition of backslidden is you say how do I know if I'm backslidden well I
mean it's very simple if you're doing less today than you were yesterday you're
backslidden. If you are less faithful to church today than you've ever been in
your life you are backslidden. If you're reading less of your Bible today than
you ever have in the past you're backslidden. If you're praying less today
then you've prayed in the past you're backslidden. If you're soul winning less
today then you've soul won in the past you're backslidden. You understand what I'm saying?
The Christian life is a life where God wants us doing more accomplishing more
Paul said always abounding in the work of the Lord and you know what your goal ought to be?
Your goal ought to be as I get older in the Lord as I get older in my Christian
I want to be reading more Bible today than I've ever read in the past. I mean I
want to be spending more time in prayer with God today than I ever did in the
past. I want to be accomplishing more for God and look it is normal for humans to
just kind of get tired and get worn out and say oh well I've done my tour and I
you know like a Mormon you've done your two-year soul winning ministry and now
you're done. Hey in the Christian life the Bible says always abounding. Jesus
said about this church he said I like the fact I like the fact that your last
is more than your first and I would encourage you you ought to take an
inventory of your Christian life and ask yourself are you doing more today? Are
you more faithful? Are you more right with God? Are you accomplishing more? Are
you working more? Are you praying more? Are you reading more? Are you memorizing
more? Are you accomplishing more today than you were in the past? If not then
get there and decide to be the type of Christian that it would be said of you
their last is more than their first. I hope the very Baptist look I hope that
our church are our greatest days I hope they're not behind us. I hope the
greatest days of this church and the things that this church will accomplish
are ahead of us. I was telling my wife this recently I really believe here in
September we will celebrate ten years of ministry and I really believe that we
spent the first ten years the first decade of this church's ministry
honestly and people are often complimenting our church for the
accomplishments and the things that we've done and the documentaries and
the conferences and the influence that we have and I appreciate all of that and
I appreciate the encouragement but honestly I feel like we spent the last
ten years kind of just laying a foundation. I feel like we spent the last
ten years kind of just making sure that this church is rooted and it's grounded
and it's secure and it's strong and we've got a good group of sold-out
people here that love the Lord. I honestly believe that the last ten years
was just us kind of laying the groundwork for what we'll accomplish and
then I think the next ten years are gonna be the most productive years of
this church's ministry. I'm hoping the next ten years will be the most
productive years of my ministry and of my wife's ministry. I hope that we'll
accomplish more and produce more and preach more and get more done and look
your goal ought to be hey abounding abounding more doing more accomplishing
more their last to be more than their first not to be doing less so we see in
this introduction that Jesus says to this church is this look I'm impressed
with what you're accomplishing but what I'm really impressed about is that
you're doing more so you're accomplishing more is that your last is
more than your first now keep your place there in 1st Corinthians we're gonna
come right back to it if you would go back to Revelation chapter 2 we see the
introduction an impressive Church accomplishing much but what was really
impressive is that they were accomplishing more then we see the
condemnation this is the negative aspect of the letter here's where Jesus is
going to give them a message about a couple things he's just not really happy
about I want you to notice the first thing we see is Jesus thoughts on women
preachers notice what he says in verse 20 he says notwithstanding he said I'm
glad I'm glad that your last is more I'm glad for your work and your patience
your labor and your charity I'm glad for all that I'm glad that your last is more
than your first but there are a couple of things I'm not very happy about Jesus
says he says notwithstanding he says I have a few things against me now it's
very interesting to me because today when a preacher like myself gets up and
preaches what I'm about to preach to you about women preachers Christians get so
offended oh I can't believe that you would say that I can't believe that you
would say that you know that that women shouldn't preach and that women shouldn't
be pastors and that women you know I like Joyce wires I can't believe that
you would you know bring her up well look I can't believe that you don't know
what Jesus look he says I have a few things against me he says there's some
things that I don't like about what you're doing about what's being done in
your church you say well what is it well notice he says notwithstanding
verse 20 are you there verse 20 I mean you see these right if you have a red
letter edition Bible is coming straight out look it's all the Word of God it's
all Jesus but this is coming straight out of the mouth of Jesus he says
notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest the
word suffer in our King James Bible it's an older definition it means allow he
says he says I'm not happy because you're allowing that woman Jezebel and I
don't know if this woman was actually named Jezebel or if this is just a
spirit I'm hoping it's just a spiritual thing that Jesus you know if you've
studied Jezebel in the Bible she's not a good woman and she's a wicked woman now
I'm hoping nobody actually named their kid Jezebel be careful about how you
name your kids you know sometimes people they pull out name they not every name
in the Bible is just a safe name you know it's like I I named my kid Judas
Iscariot I saw it in the Bible it's like well you mean you know you might want
actually read the story you know so be careful I'm hoping that they didn't
actually name this girl Jezebel but you know he says now suffers that woman
Jezebel which calleth herself a prop you know if you got twins don't name them
Cain and Abel that's all I'm saying that which calleth herself a prophetess notice
to teach he says you know what I have against you that you are allowing that
thou sufferest that woman Jezebel which calls herself a prophetess now on
Wednesday night we learned about prophets and prophecy in in the New
Testament and that's just that another word for preaching she calls herself a
preacher he says and you're allowing her to teach says that bothers me and look
at Verity Baptist Church go with me if you went to 1st Corinthians 14 if you
kept your place on 1st Corinthians 1st Corinthians 14 at Verity Baptist Church
you need to know this we are a Baptist Church which means that we are
biblicists what that means is that we allow the Bible to be our authority the
Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice Paul told
Timothy preach the word preach the word be instant in season out of season what
does that mean he says look I want you to preach the Bible whether it's popular
or not whether it's accepted or not whether people like it or not and look
this is what the Bible teaches about women preachers first of all we see
Jesus says hey I have a few things against thee because thou suffers that
woman Jezebel which calls herself a prophetess to teach 1st Corinthians 14
look at verse 34 notice what the Bible says 1st Corinthians 14 34 the Bible
says let your women keep silence in the churches let your women keep silence in
the churches look this is what the Bible says you say well why should they keep
silence in the churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they
are commanded to be under obedience as also sayeth the law and if they will
learn anything let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for
women to speak in the church so can the Bible be any more clear than that the
Bible here teaches that women are not to stand in the midst of the congregation
and teach or speak to a mixed crowd go to 1st Timothy chapter number 2 if you
can find the t-books they're all clustered together 1st 2nd Thessalonians
1st 2nd Timothy Titus 1st Timothy chapter number 2 let your women keep
silence in the churches for it is not permitted unto them to speak now let me
just go ahead and give this disclaimer because sometimes you got people who
like to take these extremes this is not this is this passage is not teaching
that you know because I've seen people literally take it to this extreme like
once their wife enters the building they're not allowed to speak it's like
they have to like do sign language to them or something you know it's like
that's ridiculous all right look the passage is obviously talking if you look
at the context of 1st Corinthians 14 he's talking about preaching and he's
saying hey women aren't allowed to preach okay it's not saying look this
church is not this building is not Verdi Baptist Church you know that this
building I'm in a building I'm in the church no you're in a building the
church is the congregation when we unite together and we're congregated and the
preaching of the word goes forth the Bible says the women are not to do the
teaching and preaching ministry you say well I don't like that well then you
don't like the Bible because that's what the Bible says 1st Timothy chapter 2
look at verse 11 1st Timothy 2 11 the Bible says this let the women learn in
silence with all subjection he says but I suffer remember the word suffer is
allowed I remember he Jesus was mad at the church at that time because thou
suffers that woman Jezebel which called herself a prophetess to teach here Paul
says but I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man but
to be in silence the Bible teaches look and look the Bible is not teaching that
women are less than men or they are inferior to men look the Bible says that
we were all created in the image of God and people often look at these passages
and say oh the Bible is just this male chauvinist book and it's saying that
women are inferior look the Bible was was uplifting women and women's rights
if you want to call it that before it was ever popular before it was ever cool
I mean you understand that the Apostle Paul writing in the first century the
book of Ephesians telling husbands to love their wives telling men to honor
their wives telling them to honor them to adorn them to take care of them I
mean at a time the Apostle Paul is writing at a time when women are seen as
no more than just a possession to a man and then Paul is telling no she's a
child of God she's a joint heir in Christ with you you treat her right
don't sit there and tell me all the Bible's a male chauvinist book and it's
against women you wouldn't know what women's rights was if it wasn't for the
Bible the only reason we even have the foundation of Liberty and and and and
freedom that we have in this country is because to some extent it was founded
upon the Word of God but with that said God designed there to be a difference
look I know our society is too crazy to understand this now when they think
there's 13 genders out there but let me tell you something there is a difference
between male and female there is a difference in positions and difference
in purpose and difference in work and God said look when it comes to the
leadership when it comes to the leadership of the home he says the man
is to be the head when it comes to a by the way when it comes to leadership of
government the Bible calls it a curse when a woman rules over you when it
comes to the the leadership in church he says look he says I suffer not a woman
to teach you say why because that's a usurping of authority nor to usurp
authority over the man but to be and silence and look by the way guys you
know what that means is that you need to be spiritual I mean at first Corinthians
14 says let your women keep silence in the churches where it's not permitted
unto them to speak but they're commanded to be under obedience as also say the
law and if they will learn anything and if they will learn anything and if they
will learn anything because they're not allowed to just raise their hand in the
middle sermon say pastor now I don't understand that you know I've got a
thought here or whatever it says if they will learn anything let them ask their
husbands at home you know what that means husband is that you better be in
your Bible you better be always abounding in the work of the Lord you
better and I'm not saying you need to understand everything or know everything
the Bible but you need to be knowing enough to be able to teach your wife and
your children hey she should be able to come to you and ask a question and and
you know the answer or you can find out the answer or let me text pastor real
quick and see what the answer that question is or whatever but hey you ought
to be spiritual your wife I don't mean she shouldn't be rolling I say oh my
husband's so lame when it comes to spirituality I can't even ask him
anything let me google it he says he says if they will learn anything let the
master husband at home for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church by
the way let me just go ahead and say is I'm gonna say this quickly and I'll move
on all right you know guys the ladies aren't allowed to speak in church so it
would help every once a while if you said Amen all right maybe I don't know
if you need to get permission from your wife to be able to say amen I don't know
if we need to get it in writing or get it notarized but every once in a while
you might want to actually just say amen you're you know you're upset about oh
yeah these women you know sometimes people women who don't know this they
haven't been exposed to this and obviously people that aren't supposed to
this we're patient with them and work graceful with them sometimes a woman
comes in here she's saying amen and guys get all frustrated I'm like well at
least somebody's excited about the preaching you know I can't believe that
woman say amen well I mean I wish you'd say we should get excited about what's
going on it says that your women keep silence in the churches go back to
Revelation to keep your place in first Corinthians 14 we're gonna come back to
it revelation to he gives us some thoughts on women's preachers and then
he gives us some thoughts on giving people time to get right notice what he
says first revelation to verse 20 notwithstanding I have a few things
against it because thou suffer is that woman Jezebel which called herself a
prophet is to teach and it's not just that he says and because remember he
said I have a few things against you here's something else he has against
them and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things
sacrifice unto idols I mean this is a pretty bad situation the Bible talks
about the Bible teaches this concept of church discipline and I'm not gonna take
the time to preach that I've got sermons on that you can look them up on YouTube
or our website the Bible teaches this concept of church discipline just not I
think not just a couple months ago I preached a sermon on how to get kicked
out of church and the Bible defines for us and tells us look we're all sinners
but there are some sins that are unacceptable in the congregation he says
a little leaven leaveneth the whole up one of them is fornication now I believe
look in our church we're biblices we believe the Bible we actually teach it
and we actually apply it and look if you're living in fornication and that
you know becomes clear to us and you're not willing to repent of that we will
ask you to leave and not come back now look if you're a new Christian we're
gonna be patient with you and have show you grace and all of that but here we
have I don't think this woman she's teaching all right she's been there for
a while and she's seducing my servants to commit fornication and to eat things
sacrifice unto idols now this is a big deal and in the next verse we're gonna
see how big of a deal it is so I'm not minimizing it at all but I want you to
notice something I find extremely interesting verse 21 and I gave her
space to repent of her fornication and she repented not now that shows you the
the heart of Christ that look there are there's church discipline there's
passages about throwing people out of church for certain sins but it shows you
that Jesus is not on this hair trigger to just throw something someone out of
church oh yeah I get rid of them no look he gave her space to repent of her
fornication and it isn't this is a pretty big deal I mean you've got a
woman preacher a woman preacher who stands up and preaches and teaches in
the congregation while at the same time she's seducing my servants Jesus says to
commit fornication she's actively living in fornication seducing the men of the
church to commit fornication with her I mean that would be a big deal I mean if
that happened here would be like whoa I mean that would never happen here
obviously over my dead body that would happen here but you know if that if we
heard about that I church would be like that's crazy but then Jesus says I gave
her space to repent of fornication I'm not saying that we should treat sin
lightly and I'm not saying that we shouldn't uphold the Bible I'm not
saying any of that it's a big deal it's a big deal to God but please understand
this when it comes to Church discipline the goal of Church discipline is always
restoration the goal of Church discipline is always restoration when
possible it is reparation and let me just make this clear obviously if we
throw someone out of here for being a reprobate for being rejected of God
there is no restoration but when someone's just in one of these things
that is that is unacceptable and we have to deal with it the goal is always
restoration you have to turn here Galatians 6 1 the Bible says brethren if
a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such in one in the
spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted see we should
always have this approach that I love how the Bible says about the Lord Jesus
Christ he was the perfect mixture of truth and grace he didn't pull any
punches he always told the truth he always upheld the truth but he's also
graceful I was says he was full of grace and truth he's truth and grace he he he
gave the truth but he was graceful with people and here we see that he gave her
space to repent of her fornication and she repented not so look as a church we
ought to know that the heart of Christ when it comes to church discipline is to
be graceful is to give people space especially new believers and new
Christians give them space to grow and to learn and I gave her space to
represent for fornication but less some of you think oh great so that means I
can get away with my sin no verse 22 he shows you how bad of a sin this was and
in verse 22 we enter into the correction phase because in verse 20 and 21 we see
the condemnation she's a woman preacher she's living in fornication and he gave
her space to repent but notice at the end verse 21 she repented not so here
comes the correction verse 22 behold I will cast her into a bed this is God
speaking and then that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except
they repent of their deeds now when he says I will cast her into a bed I
believe that is referring to I'm gonna physically hurt her to where she's bed
ridden you know she's living in fornication and God says I'm just gonna
I'm gonna stop you you're gonna be bedridden you're gonna be on this bed
notice verse you say huh what do you get that from or what do you think about you
know the physical ailment there well look at verse 23 he says and I will kill
her children to death look you need to understand this and most churches aren't
preaching this about our God and that's fine and you just need to get this God
God is graceful and God loves you and God will be patient and God will be long
suffering but God will punish you for your sins if you're saved you're not
gonna be punished in hell that had payment has been done but on this earth
I'm talking about spirit you say oh I'm safe okay great spiritually spiritually
you have nothing to worry about for the punishment of sin but you know what
physically on this earth God will physically punish you according to your
works he says I'm gonna kill her children with that he said I'm gonna
throw her into a bed I will cast her into a bed and then that commit adultery
with her into great tribulation except they repent of these he says I will kill
her children with that God God will physically will physically hurt you as a
child of God for sin go to Hebrews chapter number 12 Hebrews chapter number
12 towards the end the book of the Bible you got the book of Revelation if you go
backwards you have Revelation Jude 3rd 2nd and 1st John 2nd and 1st Peter James
Hebrews Revelation Jude 3rd 2nd and 1st John 2nd and 1st Peter James Hebrews
Hebrews chapter 12 this is a concept that we don't talk a lot about if you
don't like to talk about because it's a negative thing but God says that he will
physically hurt you he will physically punish you you say oh that's such an
unloving God no you you've been deceived by this world it's actually because he
loves you he's a loving God Hebrews 12 look at verse 5 he explains it Hebrews
chapter 12 verse 5 notice what he says and he had forgotten the exhortation
would speak it unto you as unto children now don't miss that you know what he's
saying he's saying look the writer of Hebrews is telling the listeners the
readers you forgot a certain exhortation and he's about to quote the book of
Proverbs here in a minute he says you forgot a certain exhortation that God
gives when he speaks unto you as unto children he says God the Father speaks
to you speaks to me speaks to us as unto children or as unto his children now
does that sound great that sounds loving right we can approach God as our father
which are in heaven we can cry Abba father we can go to God as our Heavenly
Father you say oh that's nice that's so great I kind of feel like I'm in a
liberal church right now I got that warm feeling he's my father he's gonna come
through for me well hold on a second see he's not like your father he's a good
father he's not like you are as a father he's a good father and you have forgotten
the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children my son despise not thou
the chasing of the Lord you know what a good dad does he chases his children he
corrects his children he spanks his children despise not thou the chasing of
the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him well that doesn't sound very
positive well here's the positive verse 6 for whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth
for whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth and scourgeth them that's like he
that's like he's beating you with a belt and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth you know that a good father chases his children he disciplines his
children you know that the reason that I discipline my children the reason that
my wife disciplines our children is because we love our children I wonder
why pastor doesn't you know spank the other kids in the church because they're
not my kids it's not for lack of opportunity I mean sometimes I look at
I look at kids and they're hitting their parents and they're slapping their
parents and they're lying to their parents they're just throwing a fit I'm
thinking myself man you know why I kids doing that because you don't spank them
do I step in and spank him for them no they're not my kids I love my kids I'm
not saying I don't love your kids but I don't love them as a father they're not
my kids and God says look the Bible says whom the Lord loveth he chaseneth
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth look at verse 7 if ye endure
chastening sound man I've been spiritually spanked by God I know how
that feels well look he says if you endure chastening God dealeth with you
as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not this is what I'm
about to tell you I'm not the type of guy that goes around doubting people
salvation and I think if you believe our Lord Jesus Christ you call upon
Christ to save you and he saves you praise the Lord for it but if you can go
around just sinning and sinning and sinning and sinning and sinning and
there's never a spiritual spanking that comes your way hey you might not be
saved because if you endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for
what son is he whom the father chasteneth not oh pastor I can't believe you to say
that look at verse 8 but if ye be without chastisement whereof all our
partakers you say oh I can just look the world it seems like the world just
do whatever they want they can just lie and steal and cheat and do all sorts of
bad things and nothing happens well look if you be without chastisement where of
all our partakers then are ye bastards and not sons you know what the word
bastard means it means without a father and people get up and on I can't believe
you say that word that's the Bible said it that's a Bible word and obviously
we're not we're not trying to make some little kid feel bad but here what God is
saying is this he's saying look if you aren't getting spanked by your Heavenly
Father maybe it's because he's not your father he says if you endure chastening
God dealing with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not
but if ye be without chastisement where of all our partakers then are you
bastards and not sons so look part of the deal when you got your Heavenly
Father is that he blesses you but he also corrects you and how does he do
that well he doesn't take away your salvation you know this verse would make
no sense if the doctrine of eternal security wasn't true people say oh when
you sin God takes away your salvation well then you're not a son of God why
would he chasing you this only makes sense if the eternal security is true
because hey he's like I'm you're my son you're I'm your father you're stuck in
this relationship I'm gonna correct you but look he says it's a physical
correction go to first Corinthians 15 first Corinthians 15 look at verse 1 and
on first Corinthians 15 we have that passage about church discipline and I'm
not gonna take the time to develop that I've done that in the past I don't have
time to do that this morning you can study that out on your own if you'd like
and I've got sermons on that but I want you to notice first Corinthians 15 1 it
is reported commonly says Paul speaking to the church of Corinth it is reported
commonly that there is fornication among you isn't that the exact same thing
we're talking about in Revelation 2 that she seduced my servants to commit
fornication it is reported commonly that there is fornication among you and such
fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have
his father's wife now I'm not gonna read all this just for the sake of time but
just to get the context look at verse 3 for I verily as absent in body but
present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him
that has so done this deed Paul says look I already know I don't have to
show up and tell you I already know I've already judged it I've got the facts
he's living in fornication and here's what needs to happen look at verse 5 and
there's lots of things he says throw them out of church all that but I want
you to notice verse 5 he says to deliver such an one unto Satan for the
destruction of the flesh to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of
the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus and that's
not talking about salvation you got to look at the context he's talking the
church of Corinth because what he's saying he's saying God will destroy you
physically to save you spiritually and not talking about save you like go to
heaven just save you from ruining your life and this is what he says look this
is tough love and I get it people don't get it people don't get it people don't
like it people don't like what I'm about to tell you but I want you to listen to
me and I want you young people especially to listen to me your pastor
loves you and your pastor's wife loves you and the reason we've invested time
into teen activities and things like that is because we want to help you and
we want to be there for you and want to try to guide you through this time and
difficult adolescence and all that but let me tell you something if you leave
this church and go live in fornication if you decide you're gonna go sleep
around and be a whore and be a whoremonger and live that way your pastor
that loves you will be praying for you every day your pastor's wife that loves
you will be praying for you so that sounds so nice you're gonna be praying
for us you don't you don't know what we're gonna be praying to deliver Paul
Paul is talking about a young man in church he says hey you know what I'm
praying to deliver such and one unto Satan for the destruction of the flag
Jesus said I will cast her into a bed he said I will kill her children with death
you know what we're praying we're praying Lord do what you must do to
them physically to save them spiritually do what you must do if you got a throw
them in a bed if you got to throw them in a prison cell if you've got to
destroy them physically if you got a hand them over to Satan I don't know if
you should preach this way welcome to the Bible you say are you graceful we'll
give you space to repent but it's not a joke
God what God will give you a spiritual spanking now let me just say this keep
your place on 1st Corinthians 10 go back to Revelation 2 every time something
happens to you physically does not necessarily mean that the judgment of
God is upon your life you ever read the book of Job all right and and look we as
believers should never look at something happening bad to somebody else and say
oh that's the judgment of God have you ever read the book of Job you say well
when do you know when do you know when it's you know the judgment of God or you
know well let me just Joe's are few and far between okay so let's just go ahead
and say that but but here's the thing we shouldn't judge other people in other
situations but you know this when something bad happens to you and the
first thing the Holy Spirit brings to your mind is odds cuz of this yeah it's
cuz of that it's got you know it's because of that when the Holy Spirit
brings a certain sin to your mind it's your forefront of your mind you're like
this happened because yeah then you God's dealing with you in regards to
that God's dealing with you and you need to get right with God you terrific look
he'll give you space to repent but just realize this just realize this he'll
spank you spiritually he'll spank you notice revelation 223 not only that but
he says the Bible says that God will allow the punishment of one to be a
warning to everyone revelation 223 and I will kill her children with death and
he says this and all the churches shall know that I am he with search of the
reins and hearts and will give unto every one of you according to your works
he says all the churches shall know you know this church what God Jesus wasn't
just sweeping something under the rug let me deal with this but let's make
sure we don't tell anybody now look obviously when we're dealing with
private sins when people are sinning against themselves or their family
privately we're gonna help them privately and we're never gonna put
their information stuff out there but when you're hurting the church when
you're trying to destroy a church when you came into a church and you brought
in damnable heresies you brought in heresies and things and you're actually
trying and you're doing it publicly I mean this woman was teaching publicly
wasn't she then God says look it needs to be dealt with publicly he says all
the churches shall know that I am he with search of the reins and hearts he
said well why is that why is that the case here's why that's the case because
of the fact because of the fact that he wants others to fear he wants others to
look at the situation and say hey I don't want to go down that road he wants
other teenagers other young people to look at the destruction of the flesh of
another individual and say I want to avoid that see the Bible teaches this
concept go back to 1st Corinthians if you would 1st Corinthians chapter 10 the
Bible teaches this concept that we can learn from the mistakes of others look
you can learn from your own mistakes and you should learn from your own mistakes
if you keep making the same mistake over and over and just reaping the
consequences I mean you're either an idiot or you're crazy or both there's
something wrong there you should learn from your own mistakes but you know
what's even better than learning from your own mistakes you know it's even
better learning from mistakes of others hey young people you could you could go
and do drugs and alcohol and let it destroy your life and and then come out
of it and and God will restore you and God will help you and you can come out
of the other end and say oh God praise the Lord God help me through that and I
got victory and I and look I will help you and we'll love you and we'll be with
you but you know what's even better you know what's even better than trying
drugs and alcohol letting it destroy you and then learning from that mistake I
never touched drugs and I was even better just to watch the people have
already done it just go out there and look at the homeless people on that
street talking to themselves crazy drugged out drunk down just look from
them just say hey I don't want to end up like that I don't want to end up there
I'm not look we want to help them and we can get them saved let's get them save
and we can get them cleaned up let's get them cleaned up we want to be there for
that but you don't have to learn from your own mistake look you don't have to
learn from how hard it is to get up your girlfriend pregnant out of wetlock and
having a kid when you're a kid and having to do you have to learn that
mistake on your own just learning from other people just look at it and
realize hey the way of the transgressor is hard and look and if you're here this
morning and that's when you and you've done drugs and you've done alcohol you
bad well I'm not trying to beat you up the Apostle Paul says forgetting those
things which are behind and reaching for them to those things but look at the
same time you young people that haven't ruined your life let's help you let's
really oftentimes my wife and I we're dealing with situations we look at
situations and we don't ever give our kids any private information but things
that are done publicly and they see publicly they see look my kid my kids
aren't stupid they can see and they're like oh you know they see things that
are happening with the certain individuals son learn this lesson the
way of the transgressor is hard hey honey learn this lesson the way of the
transgressor is hard you go ahead and transgress the Word of God it's gonna be
hard there's gonna be consequences you will reap what you sow God will give
you a spiritual swinging because he loves you see you can learn from the
mistakes of others are there first Corinthians 10 look over six now these
things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as
they also lusted he's talking about the whole test means that these things are
our example what what's the example look at verse 8 neither let us commit
fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty
thousand do you realize that the Bible tells us there's a story in the Bible
where in one day God killed twenty three thousand people for the sin of
fornication verse 9 neither let us tempt Christ as some of them are also
tempted and were destroyed of serpents we were sent neither murmur ye as some
of them also murmured and were destroyed of the strong God literally killed
people for complaining we were loving now all these things happen unto them
for in samples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the
world are come here's all I'm telling you God will allow the punishment of one
to be a warning for everyone and you can learn from your own mistakes and I hope
you learn from your own mistake but you know what's better than learning from
your own mistakes it's a learn from the mistakes of others and look and if you're
here this morning somebody needs to change your perspective because you know
I preach about divorce and then people are divorced I can't message preach
about divorce he's beating me up look obviously you can't change your past
okay but figure something out here's what I know I've never been divorced
but you know what I know about divorce you know what every research done in
this country on divorce people tell it is the most traumatic thing they ever
went through in their lives it's here's what I know about you you would not
wish it upon your children so when I'm up here preaching against divorce instead
of our pastors always pick it on me why don't you get up and say hey hey man I
can attest to the fact it's hard it's difficult and I want you young people to
when I'm preaching about drugs and alcohol passage beating up on me because
I've had drugs and alcohol why don't you say praise the Lord if somebody's trying
to raise these kids to not go down that road to not go down the road of
fornication did not go down the road of alcohol did not go down the road of
drugs did not go down the road of pornography did not go down the road
instead of sitting there I'll beat up why don't you say praise God you're
listening kids the way of the transgressor is hard I can attest to it
now praise the Lord I've learned from my mistakes but I want you to avoid those
mistakes that's love don't make it all about you it's not about you forgetting
those things which are behind and pressing forth look you can get right
with God you can do great things for God your last can be more than your first
but why don't we try to help some of these young marriages why don't we try
to save some of these young people why don't we try to warn them and sound out
the trumpet of warning and say hey that's not messing around notice first
revelation to look at verse 24 we saw the introduction this was an impressive
church they were accomplishing much but what was really impressive is that they
were accomplishing more then we saw the condemnation he gave us some thoughts on
women preachers and he gave us some thoughts on getting right the situation
was bad but he gave him space to repent then we see the correction God will
physically punish you according to your works and God will allow the punishment
of one to be a warning for everyone and I want you to notice a commendation
here's some things he likes about them notice what he says verse 24 but unto
you I say and unto the rest entire terror because he's talking to a small
group this woman Jezebel and those that are sinning with her he's talking to
that group and he's been focused on them then he says but unto you I say and unto
the rest entire terror he says as many as of not this doctrine and which have
not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none of the
burden but that which you have already hold fast till I come nobody's saying
he's saying this he's talking to the rest of the people the people that are
doing right and he's saying look because look isn't it true sometimes when you're
doing right and it feels like everyone else is doing wrong you're like well
where's my credit I mean I mean Jesus is focused on this bad group in this
church and everyone that's doing right and Jesus says look I want you to know
something I see you hey unto the rest entire area as many of us have not the
doctrine which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak he says I will
put upon you none of the burden he's like I'm not mad at you I'm not gonna
put a burden on you I'm not gonna throw you into bed I'm not gonna kill your
children with that I'm not gonna throw you into great tribulation you know
what's interesting is that in verse 18 if you go back to verse 18 he emphasizes
his eyes he says and unto the angel of the church in Thyatira right these
things saith the Son of God why this eyes like unto a flame of fire and his
feet are like fine brass and he's emphasizing to this church his eyes is
saying I see I see those that need to be punished and those that are living in
sin but he says you know what unto the rest of you I see you too those of you
which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak he said I see you he said
I see what you're doing you don't have to turn here Hebrews 6 10 the Bible says
this for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which
you have showed toward his name and that you have ministered to the Saints and
you minister and look sometimes it feels like everyone sometimes it feels like
everyone's doing wrong and you're doing right don't let that be an opportunity
for you to do wrong remember the story the prodigal son prodigal son goes out
waste he wastes his inheritance on harlots and rights his living he comes
back and the father is happy to welcome him back and they throw a great party
and nothing was wrong with that remember the elder son he said I've been here the
whole time he said you never threw a party for me and I'm not preaching on
that and there's a whole thing we could develop that and the father says you
have my inheritance this guy's not getting an inheritance again we'll
welcome him back but he has to pay the consequences of the decisions he made
he the father tells the son hey you're gonna be you're gonna have when I'm
gone all of it will be yours you're not splitting with your brother anymore he
wasted it so we should be happy that he's back but realize that the father
has not forgotten about you and he said and he says to these people he says he
says unto the rest entire as many as I'm not the document which I have not known
the depths of Satan as he speak I will put upon you none other burden I think
we should take the time to say this because in these passages there's an
emphasis upon Satan I don't know if you've noticed that look at verse 24 but
unto you I say and unto the rest entire as many as of not this doctrine in which
I've not known the depths of Satan I mean last week we saw that the church
there was where Satan dwell it we've seen the synagogue of Satan we'll see
the synagogue of Satan again there's an emphasis it's really interesting to me
that when you study the seven churches of Revelation these seven churches this
idea of Satan keeps coming up and and the idea is this and I'll just make the
application and we'll move on that Satan wants to destroy churches Satan wants to
destroy every church and and how does he do that the way you destroy churches by
destroying families because churches are made up of families and the way you
destroy families is by destroying individuals because families are made
up of individuals look the Bible says first Peter 5 a you have to turn now I
just read these for you the Bible says be sober be vigilant because your
adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour
Jesus said to Peter Luke 22 31 if you want to write it down and the Lord said
Simon Simon behold Satan has desired to have you but he may sift you as weeds
look you just need to understand this you need to get this in your head Satan
wants to destroy you young people get this Satan wants to destroy your life
Satan wants you to go down the wrong road Satan wants you to get bitter at
your parents Satan wants you to get bitter at your pastor say they want you
to get bitter at your church fellow church members saying once you get mad
and upset and go down and and and live the life that you want to live and you
think oh it's gonna be fun it's gonna be a party with Satan no he wants to sift
you as we he wants to destroy you he wants to devour you and when he's done
with you you have a life that's just destroyed now that doesn't mean we can't
help you that doesn't mean there's not victory after that doesn't mean we can't
recover you that doesn't mean we can't help you but wouldn't it be better to
not have those scars he says look Satan wants to destroy you hey look let me
tell you something Satan wants to destroy very Baptist Church I believe
it I see it okay and I'm not saying that I'm special or you're special by
the grace of God we are what we are but there's not a lot of places like this
place I'm not saying we're the only ones but there's just not that many churches
in the United States of America today that this type of preaching is being
done on a Sunday morning and Satan has his sights set on this church and
churches like it and you and I need to just wake up to the fact that we're in a
spiritual warfare and Satan wants to destroy our church and he says look that
there are some people in this church that have had down they've gotten down
into the depths of Satan like you notice lastly this morning the conclusion look
at Revelation 2 and verse 26 he concludes this message by saying this
and he that overcoming because remember he's talking to the people that have
done right he's talking to the people that that he says look unto the rest and
entire Tyra as many as of not this doctrine in which have not known the
depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden he says but
that would you have already hold fast till I come and then in verse 26 he says
this and he that overcometh now I haven't developed this over the last few
weeks maybe we'll get to it over the next three weeks but that word overcome
or overcometh is referring to someone who's saved someone who believes in
Christ faith is a victory believing and faith is how we overcome he that
overcome it but notice he says he that overcome it that's not my being saved
and I haven't proven that so you have to study that out on your own or I'll
prove it in another sermon I don't have time he that overcometh and then he says
and keep with my works unto the end see those are two separate things you know
that you can overcome the world through faith in Christ and not serve God and
look some people serve God and they haven't placed their faith on Christ
many shall say unto me in that day Lord Lord did we not prophesy in thy name and
then I named cast out devils and then I named do many wonderful works and he's
gonna say I never knew you I'm glad you did a lot of good works but you never
overcame by faith so notice he says he that overcome it is saved and keepeth my
works referring to the same person that is serving God that is working for God
that is accomplishing things for God he says he that overcome it and keepeth my
works unto the end he says to him will I give power over the nations now what is
that referring to go to Revelation chapter 20 we're almost done okay we're
gonna look at a couple verses in Revelation and in first Corinthians 15
and we'll be done all right we're almost there revelation chapter 20 this is a
reference to the millennial reign of Christ the millennial reign of Christ is
when Jesus Christ sets up his government upon this earth for a thousand years he
reigns over the nations of the earth and Jesus said in Revelation 226 and he that
overcome it and keeping my works unto the end to him will I give power over
the nations said I'm gonna give them power over the nations notice
revelation 20 verse 4 and I saw thrones and they that sat upon them he says I
saw thrones areas of rule and then I saw people sitting upon those thrones and
judgment was given unto them and I saw those souls of them that were beheaded
for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshiped
the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads
or in their hands notice and they lived and rained with Christ a thousand years
the millennial reign of Christ is when we will live and reign with Christ for a
thousand years you say well how do I get to be a part of that well look if you're
saved you're not going to hell praise the Lord for that but if you want to
reign with Christ if you want him to give you power over the nations then you
must overcome and you must keep his works and look being given to according
to your works can be a good thing it can be a bad thing right because look at
revelation 22 look verse 12 and behold I come quickly revelation 22 verse 12
notice what he says revelation 22 verse 12 and behold I come quickly and my
reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be see in
revelation 22 12 Jesus says I'm bringing my reward he says behold I come quickly
and my reward is with me and I'm gonna give to every man according as his work
shall be but if you remember in Revelation 2 23 he said and I will kill
her children with death and all the churches shall know that I'm he was
searched at the reins and hearts and will give unto every one of you
according to your works so like he says I can punish you according to your works
or I can reward you according to your works he said it's all dependent on you
it's all about you do you want God to punish you according to your works or
you want God to reward you according to your works and then he that's where the
context of verse 25 revelation 225 but that which you have already hold fast
till I come but that which you have already hold fast till I come go back to
1st Corinthians 15 if you would look at verse 58 1st Corinthians 15 verse 58
1st Corinthians 15 verse 58 the Bible says therefore my beloved brethren
remember we saw this verse earlier I want you to notice another part of it
therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast unmovable always abounding in
the work of the Lord and then he says this for as much as you know that your
labor is not in vain in the Lord he says hold fast till I come he said as many of
you as have not known the depths of Satan as they speak those of you who are
silently serving who are just being faithful who are he's talking to
children I tell you says look I know this Jezebel and her crews getting all
the attention right now but those of you who are serving just know just know I
see you and hold fast till I come because it will be worth it he says your
labor will not be in vain for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain
in the Lord he said there is coming a day there's coming a day when you the
millennial reign of Christ will rule and reign with the Christ and he will give
unto you rule over the nations and I'm gonna reward you for what you do so just
faithfully serve nobody notices just faithfully sir nobody's paying attention
just faithfully sir nobody's giving you credit hey look that's great when you
receive when you do things to be seed of man the Bible says ye have your reward
when you're boasting and bragging look at how much Bible I've read God says I
can't okay I can't reward you now you got your reward hope that was worth it
somebody was impressed for a second and then forgot when you're boasting and
bragging about your church attendance when you're boasting and bragging about
your soul winning when you're boasting and bragging about how spiritual when
you're boasting and bragging about how much money you give look God says when
you do it to be seen of men you have your reward if you're in the silent
those silently serving nobody notices you you don't get the credit you don't
get the recognition you don't get the accolade God says great I'm gonna reward
you according to your works and he says just know he says just know for as much
as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord he says it's not in
vain go back to Revelation chapter 2 we're gonna finish up right here
in the conclusion we saw the rewards of the millennial reign I wanted to show
you one more thing and then we'll be done not only do we see the rewards of
the millennial reign we also see the rule of the millennial reign notice what
relation 227 says and he shall rule them I heard I heard I think it's pastor
Anderson who said look it doesn't say he shall rule them with a feather duster it
says and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall
they be broken to shivers why does he have a rod of iron so he could break
something so you could break he says as the vessel of Potter shall they be
broken to shivers even as I received of my father and look by the way in the
book of Revelation there's this theme of how Christ will rule look at Revelation
12 look at verse 5 we're gonna look at Revelation 12 Revelation 19 and we'll
come back to Revelation 2 will be done in Revelation 227 he says he shall rule
them with a rod of iron as the vessel putters today she broke in to shivers
even as I received my father and he's talking about the fact that I'm gonna
give unto you I'm gonna get that he said he that overcome it and keep it my works
unto the end to him will I give power over the nation's and he shall rule them
with a rod of iron meaning us who he gives power relation we're gonna rule
the nations with a rod of iron revelation 12 and verse 5 is a allegory
of the birth of Christ it's symbolic of the birth of Christ revelation 12 5 and
she brought forth a man child that's Jesus Christ you can study that on your
context if you'd like later I have time to develop that who was but notice what
it says who was to rule all nations how's he gonna rule them with a rod of
iron and her child was caught up unto God and to his throne look at Revelation
19 Revelation 19 we have Jesus descending on the white horse to the
Battle of Armageddon Revelation 19 verse 15 and out of his mouth go with a sharp
sword we talked about that last week that with it he should smite the
nations notice and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treaded the
winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God the Bible says that when
Jesus rules and reigns on this earth he's gonna rule with a rod of iron look
please understand this some of the biggest pushback that churches like
ready Baptist Church get some of the biggest attacks and protests and
persecution that we've received is because of our stand on the Old
Testament laws and we talked about the Old Testament laws and we say look we
shouldn't uphold those those are not something that we should be enforcing I
should say we shouldn't enforce those that is not our job we're not
vigilantes that's government should be doing that they're not doing that that's
between them and God God's gonna punish them for that but we talked about the
fact if God ruled a nation when he ruled a nation the nation of Israel in the Old
Testament and he got to make the laws up these are the laws he made up he put the
death penalty on on homosexuality he put the death penalty on bestiality he put
the death penalty on human trafficking he put the death penalty on all sorts of
things that we have in this world today God said he put death penalty and here's
all I'm telling you the millennial reign those laws are coming back they're
making a comeback he's gonna rule them with a rod of iron the Bible says and
look he the law of the Lord is perfect we sang it this morning his loss perfect
he's God isn't looking at the Book of Leviticus and thinking ah man I can't
believe I wrote that I must have been so angry at that time no look his law is
perfect it's good it's complete and and and it's making a comeback just
realizing he's not ruling with a feather duster he's ruling with a rod of iron
he says and I will give him the morning star he says he that hath been here let
him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches this is my heart and I'm going
to pray family father thank you Lord for your word thank you for this message
Lord to the this church Church of Thyatira and Lord as we break it down
there's just so much there to talk about Lord I just pray you'd help us to get a
real clear view of who Jesus is and we see we see just his character he's
graceful and patient he gave her space to repent but he's also going to rule
with a rod of iron he's not messing around he's serious about his word Lord
I just pray you'd help us to learn from that help us to take heed to that help
us to learn these things and to incorporate them in our lives to apply
them where they need to be applied Lord I pray for all of us I pray for this
church and everyone gathered here this morning that we would all make it a goal
in our lives that our last will be more than our first that we will not do less
for God we will not do less for Christ we will not do less spiritually but we
will do more today and we've done in the past in the matchless name of Christ we
pray amen we're not really not come up