Various Articles
Now getting into the praise Thyatira received: The church here was doing good work, and it seems that they were improving in this throughout their existence too! They are commended for their love, faith, service, and perseverance (v.19). This was a group of active Christians who clearly cared deeply for their community. They had a big focus on outreach and growth. Both great things to aspire for!
Love can be fickle and transitory. We “love” certain foods, music, books, and activities, but our preferences may change. Even love for a spouse can change in that nearly half of all marriages end in divorce. But, the love instilled in God’s people has basis for permanence in that it is based upon something not “perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” It is truly love that will endure because it is based, not on personal whim, but the living, enduring word of God.
From historical records, it has been concluded that a pastor at the church in Smyrna by the name of Polycarp, refused to worship Caesar and renounce the name of Christ. Because of his choice, he was burned at the stake. From these records, it is reported that when commanded to reject Christ, he stated “Eighty-six years have I served Him, and in nothing hath He wronged me; and how, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?”. From there, records indicate he was heard singing praises to the Son of God while being burned alive. It seems Polycarp truly took the words of Jesus to heart, not fearing what he was suffering, and being faithful to the point of death.
Life’s trials are not automatically beneficial. Unless we make the mental choice to “consider” them a source of joy, they will not be. The idea of joy amidst our most difficult times may see preposterous, but then perhaps we need to be sure we properly understand the word, “joy.” Often it is equated with happiness, and this is not necessarily so. A better understanding is that of abiding optimism - that there is ultimate benefit and a good outcome in spite of the pain of the moment. Joy is grinding through the difficulty with confidence in the results.
This church seems to have swung the pendulum to the side of practicing truth without love. While we can only speculate, I do think this likely looked like church leaders who were so focused on ensuring their church stood out from the worldly crowds, they lost the compassion for those outside of their own doors. They lost the zeal and vigor for spreading the gospel, and became too heavily focused on trying to maintain the doctrinal ‘purity’ they had built.
If you were going to teach that to a child, you would break it down, emphasize how God’s good far surpasses ours, and emphasize how amazing His love is – get them excited about it! As adults, I find we have heard those things so many times that we often gloss over them, but stop and think. The great, amazing, good God of the universe loves you, and that love is perfect, and lasts forever.
“the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 3:20-21.
The humanity of Jesus is appealing and comforting. He really does get us because He is one of us, as the writer earlier said: “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” Hebrews 4:15. He knows our human frailty and is well able to appropriate the needed resources to help us in our need.
James 1:22 – “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” You have to act. It is great to go to church, listen to sermons, classes, read the Bible on your own, etc. All great things. But if all you do is listen, it isn’t going to make a difference. You need to actively push the sin out of your life and pursue the good.
