Bible Tuesday - Revelation Part 10

Last week we talked about how Jesus sees everything that is being done in the church.  And in the case of the church at Thyatira, he was impressed. But there are some things going on in this church that Jesus ain't happy about.

“But why do you let that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet mislead my dear servants into Cross-denying, self-indulging religion? I gave her a chance to change her ways, but she has no intention of giving up a career in the god-business. I’m about to lay her low, along with her partners, as they play their sex-and-religion games. The bastard offspring of their idol-whoring I’ll kill. Then every church will know that appearances don’t impress me. I x-ray every motive and make sure you get what’s coming to you.
Revelation 2:20-23

Uh oh...

When people talk about the book of Revelation being 'scary', they are generally talking about the stuff we will read much later.  But this is the scary part right here.  If this passage doesn't scare the tinklies outta you, you might need to read it again.

How about this part?

Then every church will know that appearances don’t impress me.

I am about to start cross stitching that verse on pillows for every dang preacher in America.  Try to remember this.  Jesus is not impressed with your building program.  He is not impressed with your new sanctuary which doubles as a skate park.  He is not impressed with your 52 ft statue.  But just a few verses ago, Jesus told us what impresses him.

I see everything you’re doing for me. Impressive! The love and the faith, the service and persistence. Yes, very impressive! You get better at it every day.

Love
Faith
Service
Persistence

Jesus makes it simple.  We make it hard.

“The rest of you Thyatirans, who have nothing to do with this outrage, who scorn this playing around with the Devil that gets paraded as profundity, be assured I’ll not make life any harder for you than it already is. Hold on to the truth you have until I get there.
Revelation 2:24-25

I think I can simplify this a bit.  Jesus is really upset with some of the believers in Thayatira.  They have turned God into a business and a career.  They 'play around with the Devil' and pretend the whole deal makes them smarter than the rest of us.  Here's an easy way to tell if a preacher or church is doing this today.  If they agree with all the good stuff in the bible but dismiss anything that speaks of judgement then they are playing around with the devil.  Likewise if they make up arbitrary rules for behavior that have no biblical foundation but are based upon the notion that something 'doesn't look right', then they too are probably playing with the devil.

I know this is not a popular topic.  But it's pretty important.  People assume that satanic activity will include Ozzy Osbourne music, black clothes and a cauldron of some sort.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Satan was an angel.  The most beautiful of all the angels.  Wanna know the best sign that satan is influencing a person or place?

"Did God really say...?"
Genesis 3:1

As soon as you hear something like this, it's time to pack up the mini van and find another church.  That doesn't mean that honest study and discussion of the Bible will not lead to differences of interpretation.  But if you worship with people who are continually saying that large parts of the Bible are not true or cannot apply to the modern world, then stay if you want to, but remeber who you are playing with.