(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

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