Title Unchanging Faith Life (Revelation 2:18-29)
As you get married, your home, your furniture, and the school your children attend may also change. But love is a factor that cannot be changed. The same is true of the religious life. Some people change with the wind like a weather vane. However, even if the circumstances of your life change, your faith and love in God must not change. In today's text, I hope that the Lord praises, rebukes, and exhorts the church in Thyatira (one of the early churches in the middle of Pergamum and Smyrna) so that we can decide to live a life of faith without change.
First, let's think about praised deeds.
Verse 19 says, “I know your work, your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance, that your last deeds are greater than the first.” There are five things that were praised: business, love, faith, service, and perseverance. Here's a closer look at those things:
① Business refers to work done for the Lord and for the Lord. In Revelation 2:2, 'Know your deeds and your labors' refers to working hard for the Lord. That work is truly worthwhile and can be a commendable undertaking. Like the members of the Thyatira Church, we must all strive for the Lord's work in the life that God allows.
Even if it seems the smallest thing, if it is the Lord's work, please participate with joy. The Lord is praising it.
② Love is not a matter of words. True love has value when it has actions and actions, and it is said that giving one's life is the highest level of love. It is written in 1 John 3:18, 'Children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth.'
④ Serving. It is not important what position we hold, but how we are fulfilling our service. Rather than clinging to the office of the church, you must discover what is valuable and have an attitude and heart to serve.
⑤ It is a matter of persevering and persevering. It is that there was patience and continuous service in the work of the Lord that the church in Thyatira did. The Lord is blessing it. It is because there is a figure that is becoming more and more mature.
Dear saints,
We need to think deeply about what God will praise when he sees me, whether we have faith in us, and whether we have the patience to participate in the work of the Lord until we go to heaven.
Second, let's look at reproof.
Verse 20, “But I have a rebuke to you, that I tolerate a woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, who teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols.”
Jezebel was the wife of Ahab, the 7th king of northern Israel. She was from the Kingdom of Sidon, a Mediterranean maritime nation that worships Baal idols. Jezebel teaches idolatry to Ahab, his servants, and all the people. It is to serve idols strategically and politically. Jezebel intends to kill the prophet Elijah who not only points out and opposes idolatry but also idolatry. The shape of that sin is also shown in the name of Jezebel. This woman loves money so much that she uses her royal power to plunder the people's property. So the dynasty of her husband, Ahab, was completely destroyed by this woman.
But the church in Thyatira tolerated Jezebel. That is idolatry. The Lord rebukes this. We must stay away from Jezebel. We must oppose the culture and ideology of idolatry. First, we must live while enjoying the joy and blessings that the Lord gives to the people who seek the kingdom and righteousness.
The text says that there are three judgments when Jezebel is tolerated. ① Throw it on the bed. This means that you will be disciplined through disease, which is God's judgment. Jezebel is an unfortunate woman who is thrown out of the window by the enemy and is subjected to a terrible judgment and death (2 Kings 9:33). ② It means being thrown into the great tribulation. Pain, disaster, sorrow. ③ It is a terrible judgment to kill his children by death.
There are three judgments in Jezebel's culture, or idolatry. But believe that there is life, joy, and blessings in following Jesus Christ.
The third is giving the words of exhortation.
So, how can we live a life of unchanging faith?
First, when we look to Jesus, He fills us with unchanging grace, truth, and the Holy Spirit. We are changeable human beings. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” Next, we must look to the risen Lord after overcoming Satan's temptations and the power of death. To believe in Jesus and be baptized is to become one with Jesus. Please believe that we have the power of God and the life of resurrection through faith that we live with Jesus Christ. And we must run while confessing to our unchanging life of faith.
An archer named Seo Hyang-soon won a gold medal at the Olympics in high school. And his game impressions were introduced in some articles. She says you have to shoot three arrows in two and a half minutes while playing. However, for 1 minute and 30 seconds, the player held the arrow and bow, bowed his head, and prayed. And for the rest of the minute, if the mind, action, posture, and body did not change and the arrow continued to shoot, it was able to hit continuously for one minute without fluctuation of focus.
Dear Chungnam Jeil Church members,
There is victory when we go to a life of unchanging faith until we go to heaven. There is a reward for those who live such a life. The first reward is God-given authority. With this authority, we must overcome the temptations and challenges of sin and Satan. And when the Lord returns on the last day to judge all nations and the universe, we have the authority to share in that glory. He said that he would give the morning star the second time. In Revelation 22:16, Jesus is said to be the bright morning star. Jesus Christ gives me the glory to live in me. We must believe that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter of Jesus, dwells within us. And there are all the benefits and gifts that come through Jesus Christ. All these blessings are given to those who have unchanging faith. I hope you will always win through your unchanging life of faith.