04 Jesus Calling-Hold Fast to What You Have

River Church Sermons

Jesus Calling

Pt. 4 Hold Fast to What You Have

By Louie Marsh, 11-24-2024

1) Jesus sees it ALL.

“18“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” (Revelation 2:18, ESV)

2) Jesus COMMENDS them for growing their witness.

“19“ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. (Revelation 2:19, ESV)

3) Jesus will not TOLERATE sin or evil.

20But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” “21I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:20–21, ESV)

ἀφίημι aphiēmi; from 575 and ἵημι hiēmi (to send); to send away, leave alone, permit:—abandoned(1), allow(5), allowed(2), divorce(2), forgave(2), forgive(23), forgiven(23), forgives(1), gave … permission(1), leave(7), leaves(2), leaving(8), left(38), let(9), let … alone(6), let him have(1), neglected(1), neglecting(2), permit(6), permitted(1), permitting(1), send … away(1), tolerate(1), uttered(1), yielded(1) - Robert L. Thomas, New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998).

This verse reveals Jesus' complaint against the church at Thyatira: it "tolerated" a false prophet named Jezebel. This dangerous woman was persuading members of the church to practice immorality and idolatry. Apparently, she promoted certain pagan sexual practices. Also, she condoned a common practice at trade union banquets, namely the eating of food dedicated to idols.

· If a “prophecy” contradicts God’s Word, it is FALSE!

“19God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19, ESV)

“19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–21, ESV)

· Doing good doesn’t BALANCE OUT my sin,

“10For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (James 2:10, ESV)

“21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21–23, ESV)

4) Jesus will JUDGE false prophets & their followers.

22Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.” (Revelation 2:22–23, ESV)

5) In my struggle I must not LOSE what I have.

“24But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25Only hold fast what you have until I come.” (Revelation 2:24–25, ESV)

· I must focus on not sliding BACKWARD when I can’t move forward.

6) The conquer receives INCONCEIVABLE gifts!

“26The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28And I will give him the morning star. 29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” (Revelation 2:26–29, ESV)

· The conquer will RULE with Jesus.

“12if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;” (2 Timothy 2:12, ESV)

· He gives us ALL His royal character.

“16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”” (Revelation 22:16, ESV)