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Oct 16, 2022

7 Letters - 4 - Jesus Minus (Thyatira) (click for resources)

Passage: Revelation 2:18-29

Speaker: Brian Land

Series: Seven Letters

Category: Grace Brevard

Keywords: faith, temptation, stand, compromise, hold, strong

Theme: It is deceitfully easy to overlook overt sin within Christian community. We might do it in the name of grace, love and acceptance; we may do it because we don’t want to hurt the other person or come across as holier-than-thou; we may do it because we are scared and don’t like confrontation; we may do it because we are biblically illiterate and don’t know what The Word says; or we may do it because we think the Bible is outdated and “everybody else is doing it.” Jesus gives us abundant grace in the midst of our wanderings, failures and compromise while simultaneously, and patiently, calling us to live a life that glorifies Him while also blessing ourselves and others (even though it may not seem like it at first).

Theme: It is deceitfully easy to overlook overt sin within Christian community. We might do it in the name of grace, love and acceptance; we may do it because we don’t want to hurt the other person or come across as holier-than-thou; we may do it because we are scared and don’t like confrontation; we may do it because we are biblically illiterate and don’t know what The Word says; or we may do it because we think the Bible is outdated and “everybody else is doing it.” Jesus gives us abundant grace in the midst of our wanderings, failures and compromise while simultaneously, and patiently, calling us to live a life that glorifies Him while also blessing ourselves and others (even though it may not seem like it at first). 

 

CENTRAL TEXT: Rev 2

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

 

Prayer

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28
Merciful and mighty, Lord Jesus, you know our weariness, heartaches, and burdens.
You also know we are tempted to deny our need,
dance around the issues,and despair of our “this-is-too-much-ness.”
Thank you. Thank you for not calling us to greater resolve and effort,
but to yourself.You are nearer than we realize,and all we have to dois collapse on you.
By faith, we do so.
Grant us the rest only you can give, Jesus.

Rest from forgetting Whose we are, and who we are in You
Rest from thinking you’re disappointed with us or don’t care
Rest from fears we can’t control and regrets we can’t redo
Rest from the cult of capability and self-sufficiency
Rest from the lies and condemning voice of the accuser
Rest from posing and pretending, and avoiding people who truly love us
Rest from the exhausting cycle of blaming others and making excuses
Rest from nursing grudges more than we drink living water
Rest from shouldering the uncertainties of a future you claim as yours
Rest from trying to be the 4th member of the Trinity to our kids

Just as we are—not as we think we should be, we come to you Jesus.
Thank you for your welcoming heart and promised rest.
So Very Amen.