NEVER SING ROCK-A-BYE BABY AGAIN!

WE’VE GOT MAIL #4/7 Stockwell Road MBC
August 2, 2009 MW
NEVER SING ROCK-A-BYE BABY AGAIN
Revelation 2:18-29

INTRODUCTION:
A. These two chapters in the Book of Revelation contain 7 letters written to 7 Churches located throughout Asia. They are love letters written by the hand of John from the heart of God. Jesus had a word for each of these churches and He also has a word for us as well. You see THEY GOT MAIL and today WE’VE GOT MAIL. There are 3 ways that we need to view these letters this morning.
1. PROPHETICALLY…each one represents a different time period in Church history; Thyatira represents the time from 500 AD to around 1500 AD. This is perhaps the darkest period in the history of Christianity…often called the Dark Ages…during this time, according to the Trail of Blood, over 50 million Christians were martyred.
2. PRACTICALLY…a letter to the Church at Thyatira is a letter to Stockwell Road MBC.
3. PERSONALLY…Churches are made of individuals, of families of people.

B. As you hold a newborn baby in your arms you are apt to hum or sing a soft lullaby to them in order to whisk them off to dreamland. But I would hope that Rock-a-bye baby is not one of those lullabies. Consider the words of abandonment, fear and the unnecessary phobias that we invite to our little ones. Rock-a-bye baby in the TREETOP…who leaves their child in a tree? When the wind blows the cradle the rock…then we wonder why they are scared to death when a storm is coming through? And down will come baby cradle and all…your child will never climb a tree again! Of course you know I am kidding, but there are some lullabies that we should NEVER listen to and if we do we will find ourselves lulled to sleep by Satan’s song…like the Church at Thyatira.

C. Now, Thyatira was never a very important city. It was known for its many trade guilds and more specifically the dying of purple that was done there. Lydia, Paul’s first convert in Philippi, was from the town of Thyatira. What makes Thyatira so important was that it was the center of the Nicolaitans and a place where Satan was at work. Satan is the power behind the throne in such ungodly and immoral places, remember what Paul said in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Thyatira was such a place and the little Church there had allowed itself to be lulled to sleep by Satan’s lullaby. The Lord comes to them and confronts the problems of the sinful but also offers comforting words of promise to the ones who were holding on in the midst of the ungodliness and unrest.

BODY:
I. THE SAVIOR vs. 18, Luke 22:61
note: When the Lord comes to the Church at Thyatira He introduces himself to them as the Son of God! Jesus often referred to Himself as the Son of Man. Perhaps, Jesus felt that because of the seriousness of the charges against this Church, He wanted them to know who they where dealing with! So He uses a the very authoritative name of “the Son of God”! He uses two descriptions of Himself as the Son of God and both deal with His Judgment.
A. His Judgment is Piercing—eyes like unto a flame of fire
Luke 22:61, “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”
B. His Judgment is Precise—his feet are like fine brass

II. THE SERVICE vs. 19
note: As He has done with the other Churches, the Lord acknowledges the works of the Church. He notes the things done whether they be good or bad. However, with Thyatira He goes a little farther and individually notes the works.
A. The Good Deeds
1. charity—love
2. service—ministry—same word as deacon or servant
3. faith—belief in the promises of God’s Word
4. patience—calm endurance—trusting God through life’s storms
B. The Growing Disciples
1. we begin as babes in Christ—know the stories
2. we grow to maturity in Christ—applies the stories

III. THE SIN vs. 20-23
note: After all of the good that these folks had done, the Lord must point out and confront the sin that has been allowed to run rampant among this congregation.
A. The Confrontation v. 20
1. of the teacher
2. of the teaching
3. of the tricking
B. The Conviction v. 21
C. The Consequences v. 22-23

IV. THE SUPPORT v. 24-29
A. He Offers Rest to the Faithful
B. He Offers Reward to the Faithful

CONCLUSION:
This Church represents a very dark period in the history of the Lord’s Church…I believe dark times are coming again for the Lord’s Church but it isn’t dark yet! John 9:4, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
Friends, it is still day today…let’s be commended by God not confronted by Him.