His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): Grace comes before judgment. A pattern we see throughout scripture, including the book of Revelation. Here's Pastor Matt.

Matt VanderVen: Do not miss this. Jesus is saying grace comes before judgment. It always has and it always will. Grace comes before judgment. Jesus gave her an opportunity. This woman and those that were following this false doctrine to repent, to turn away from that. Otherwise, the sick bed and the judgment and all these things were going to come. But it didn't need to be if they would just repent and his perfect work was done because reconciliation was achieved.

Guest (Male): All around us today, we see people engaging in immorality and idolatry. False teaching is in our midst and there's a toleration of unrepentant sin even in the church. What I just described was actually occurring in the church of Thyatira, as we'll discover today on His Perfect Love. And the Lord's message to them is the same as it is to us today. Join us at the tail end of Revelation chapter 2 and see what it is. Here is Pastor Matt Vanderven with a message recently delivered at Calvary Chapel, Harrisburg, West Shore.

Matt VanderVen: The Lord Jesus is going to tell us as you we're going to read, he's going to cast her into a sick bed along with all those who committed idolatry with her. The end for those who succumb to a Jezebel spirit is always death and destruction both in the physical and spiritual sense and that's exactly what you see and every time I've ever seen that happen in the church where someone is corrected, maybe there's a rebuke or something given because you love somebody, God loves them and wants to cry. When that kind of spirit happens, it's usually a slow fade.

It's a downward spiral and it's it's so difficult for all of us to watch that in someone we love. If they would just repent, if they would just turn, right? It's so difficult because we don't stop loving them, do we? We never stop loving them. But it's a heartbreak and we want to see the Lord not have to remove that covering so the judgment comes. We don't want that, but even in 1st Corinthians, Paul very clearly said they need to that person that was committing that section, they needed to go because they were unrepentant so that they could be what?

Buffeted by Satan. And that's really difficult. That's really really hard for a pastor, for all of us, people we love. And it do it should never be con in my opinion, it should never happen. I believe scripturally in a repentant heart. If there's a repentant heart, there there's no reason for that because reconciliation's taken its place. It's only the unrepentant heart. Cuz doesn't Paul in 2nd Corinthians then rebuke that same church of Corinth because they repented and got right and then what did they do? They left them out there to be destroyed. Remember that? And Paul says call that one and bring them back under the covering of the church lest that person be devoured out there and destroyed.

The goal is not to beat the bride. The goal is not to beat someone like that. It's to cause judgment, uncomfortability, to cause repentance, to bring in reconciliation, to bring back right relationship. That has never changed and will never change. That's God's ultimate desire. Can people get saved during the tribulation? We're in the book of Revelation. Some of you know and read this book, so you know Revelation 7 and you know the answer is yes. But it's going to be terrible to go through that great tribulation. Billions of people are going to die. Better to accept Jesus Christ now.

Today's the day of salvation. But just something to think about that even then when God is bringing judgment to a Christ rejecting world, there's still an opportunity for someone on this earth to humble their heart and say yes Jesus. You are mine and I'm yours. Be my Lord and savior. And even in that moment, I'm not saying they're not going to be a consequence. They're going to go through that great tribulation. They're alive at that time. But more than likely, what's going to happen to them? They're going to be martyred. Perhaps the best way to define the Jezebel spirit is to say it characterizes anyone who acts in the same manner as a Jezebel did, engaging in immorality, engaging in idolatry, putting your own ideas and opinions above God's word, false teaching, right?

Which means a apparent teaching or a teaching that goes against God's authority or his word. And really all defined is unrepentant sin. I I don't want to oversimplify it, but if that's really what Jesus is saying here. To go beyond that or to engage in conjecture, you know, I I have tons of like you, tons of books by scholars and and I can go through and opine on all these different things of what this Jezebel I just want to take the word literally and keep it that simple. You know, I believe you lead to false accusations, you lead to divisiveness with the body of Christ.

You go on a sin hunt when you're trying to drill into this Jezebel, you start making it something it wasn't. I think it's simple. Morality, idolatry, false teaching, and unrepentant sin. That's what we're seeing here. That what was going on. That's what Thyatira is guilty of or those that were practicing this in Thyatira. These conditions are not foreign to our church today. So the body of Christ said God's church today. Idolatrous practices fall so pervaded the church through rituals and traditions and worship services. The Lord's church needs a cleansing. Amen? The Lord's church needs a cleansing.

I believe it's safe in a respectful way to say that the conduct of many is not consistent with the scriptures. Were those attending the church of Thyatira partaking of pagan love feasts, celebrated with gross immorality and feasting maybe? Apollo worship. Those believers may not have simply been buying meat in the marketplace. Maybe they were attending idolatrous festivals and joining in the sin of the idolaters. We really don't know. Jesus severely reprimands this adulterous church. But he first gave them an opportunity to repent. Please look at verse 21. This is everything to know your Jesus, that I know me know my Jesus.

And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality and she did not repent. Please don't miss this here this morning. Do not miss this. Jesus is saying grace comes before judgment. It always has and it always will. Grace comes before judgment. Jesus gave her an opportunity. This woman and those that were following this false doctrine to repent, to turn away from that. Otherwise, the sick bed and the judgment and all these things were going to come. But it didn't need to be if they would just repent then his perfect work was done because reconciliation was achieved.

Look at verse 22. Indeed, I will cast her unrepentant because she refused to is I will cast her into a sick bed. It's exactly what it sounds like, right? Affliction is going to be brought upon her in judgment because she's unwilling to repent. And those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death and all the church shall know that I am he who searches the minds and the hearts and I will give to each one of you according to your works. God is sovereign and we need to respect him.

It is not the democracy or republic of heaven. It is the kingdom of heaven and we got a king. Amen? We got a king. And that's what he's talking about here and and this stuff is unpopular to be talked about today. People don't want to come to churches with itches in the ears to hear these things because everybody wants Jesus on their terms, want ministry on their terms. That's not the authentic true scripture and anyone who leads you to an understanding of that in any other capacity is failing you. They're not being faithful to the word of God.

They're being faithful to men and women and they're violating the book of James, which is do not be a respecter of persons. God commands this of the pastor, of the under shepherd. You're going to respect either people's opinions more than God or you 're going to respect God more than people's opinions. We will judge ourselves individually. So Jesus pronounces this judgment on this Jezebel and calls the church of Thyatira to repent of their sin. And the Lord promises severe torment for those who followed the wicked leadership of this church. Trials, tribulation, death would come upon them and those remaining would would know the Lord was still sovereign.

God is on the throne. The great lessons to be learned from this message of Jesus to this church. First, and I hope we all get this right away is that sin is horrible and heinous in the sight of God. And sooner or later, Jesus is going to deal with that sin. Although many churches today again don't invoke church discipline when sin is flagrant and rampant, unrepentant, God will not allow sin to go unpunished. And I think that's significant cuz we see so many churches closing today and I've often wondered why. During COVID, so many churches closed and yet we watched the body here, two services grow and just continue to grow ever since because the people that have come in here have said, man, we just we just want to we just don't know the word God.

We just want to we just want to be with like-minded believers. We don't care. It's not fancy. You don't got rug. You don't got cement cold floors. You go for like 2 hours. Our butts get numb. But you lay it down hot and you don't compromise with the word. We're seeking truth. We've had enough tickling of the ears. We're getting close and we don't want to be pawns. Amen? It's why we're here. Jesus. It's all about Jesus and his word. And he's faithful. He's faithful. The challenge is for Christians to keep short accounts in their walk with the Lord and mindful of our thoughts and our hearts in the light of the biblical wisdom and commands of God.

If we just do that, then Jesus would not need to bring judgment because we would judge ourselves and turn from our sin. Verse 24 and 25. Now to you I say unto the rest of Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine. Now we're speaking to the people that have not fallen in sin in this church, who have not known the depths of Satan as they say. Apparently, that was a saying that was going on. You're walking in the depths of Satan. I will put on you no other burden but hold fast what you have till I come.

Now Jesus encourages those who remain faithful. The faithful believers did not fall into Satan's trap. You see that? And they're and they only needed to remain faithful until Christ return. He says I give you no other burden. What was Satan's trap? What was Satan trying to do in that church through this Jezebel? Through the deception, the the false teaching, the false doctrine. What was he trying to do in that church? Divide it. He wanted them to in fight. There's nothing more effective for Satan when the people in the body of Christ attack each other. God never wins that in that state.

He does in the end. But God never wins that and Satan is laughing the whole time because he is manipulated, deceived, and allied to people no matter what. Even if there's cause by the way, even if there's cause. Paul talked about that. You know, put on love over liberty. Even if there's cause to not turn around. And it's the simple premise that that that's helped me. Maybe this will help you here this morning. Jesus told me that my sin past, present, and future is forgiven. Has he not told you the same thing in the word of God?

Right? He does that if you're sitting here this morning, I don't know where that is. When he is he says tell us die or teleo in the Greek, which means it's finished. It's counting term. But in the Greek, the conjugation of teleo is in the present perfect tense of the Greek. What does that mean? I have no idea what you're talking about. The present perfect tense in the Greek means it is done, it is doing, and it continues doing. We would call continue doing future, right? In our English grammatical past, present, future is the way we would translate it in tense.

So when Jesus used that word and the conjugation of that word in the Greek, he was communicating a whole lot to us. I have forgiven you. I will forgive you and I'll keep on forgiving you if you just come to me and ask for forgiveness and stick with me and believe in me that I'm able to forgive you, Jesus Christ, and that I was resurrected from the dead. That's what he's communicating to us. And so this is very very important because if we understand that, the very next thing he tells us is he says I no longer see your sin as far as the what?

He's you're biblically taught as far as the east is the west. You know your Bibles. You all know your Bibles. What does that mean? If he said north and south, what would you sit there and go wait a minute. That means hang on, timeout because poles, we get to the north and then we go to the south it stops. But east to the west if how far east can you go before you get west? You just keep going east, don't you? You that's the whole point of why he said east to west because you never actually hit a pole.

You just the point is is that Jesus never ever remembers our sins. Now he didn't just say he forgives our sins, but he no longer what? Remembers, which means he doesn't even recollect 30 seconds ago when you thought when's this guy going to get done? I 'm tired. He didn't even remember that. When you're thinking about that Big Mac and those french fries or whatever you 're going to eat, he didn't even go, you know what, you heathen, couldn't you wait another 10 minutes for me? He didn't say any of that. You get the point.

I'm being funny here with you. This is a serious matter, but I'm being funny because the reality is once we understand that doctrine Oh my gosh. Thank you, Jesus. The freedom, the set free that I'm talking about, when I can go and cry to my Jesus in my prayer closet and know that he has forgiven me and that Satan's got nothing on me. He's got nothing on you. You've been forgiven and washed by the blood of the lamb. Hallelujah. I mean, thank you, Lord. Can't think of anything greater. And so because of that, here you and I stand righteous, holy, perfect before a holy God.

Doesn't mean we don't blow it. He wants us to repent. But that's who he sees us as. He sees us as that perfected work. We only see dimly lit in a mirror right now, it says in scripture. But he sees us perfectly and and and what he's seeing and telling us is is that if I don't remember your sin, why do you remember your brother's and sister's sin? What? What did I just do? You mean you just strung a pearl? He says I say to you hangs on all the laws and the prophets. These two things, love God with your heart, mind, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.

He says on these two things all the law and the prophets. What's that in the Old Testament? That's all they had at this point. They didn't have the New Testament when Jesus spoke those things. He's talking about the whole council of God. He says on these two things, the whole council of God may be represented. So when we remember other people's sin or when we hold a grudge against other people, when we turn around and don't forgive and forget, and I didn't just say forgive, when we don't forget, who are we kidding? Who are we pretending that we're in right relationship?

We're not. Because Jesus forgave me of everything and doesn't remember anything. What right dare I to remember anybody else's sin? I don't have any right. I don't have any leg to stand on. And that brings about humility because it puts my eyes back on Jesus where they belong because God helped me do it, helped me not to remember. And number two, your grace. It really is sufficient. It's really mind-blowing. Wow. This is how the church is supposed to live. This is who we're supposed to be as Christians, really. But we're to fulfill that calling is to walk like you walked.

You are our example. And I know it's difficult. I I sometimes I think the most holy and sanctified thing we can do is clean a toilet. Cuz it takes more courage to do that than do a whole lot of other things where we draw attention to ourselves and we're lifted up when nobody else is looking. And we're in there doing the work for the Lord with all diligence and nobody else sees it. Probably not a holier thing. But Jesus sees it all and he knows the hearts and the minds. He's good. He's good, isn't he?

He's good. His word's good. Then what's he say here? Look at what this would be here. Versus 26 through 28 but but but he says and he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations. He shall rule them with a rod of iron. They shall be dashed into pieces like the potter's vessels. And I also have received from my father and I will give him the morning star. This is really really cool. Those who didn't compromise but would hold fast till he comes. Jesus Jesus promised what?

The right to be co-heirs to rule with him. That's the first thing we see there. Maybe the people in the church of Thyatira at that time were feeling oppressed. Maybe they're feeling beaten down. Maybe some of you feel beaten down here. But Jesus promised that they would rule with with the Lord of Lords. So to recap, they're going to have authority over the nations, victory over all enemies, and given he's going to give them the morning star. Who is the morning star? How do you know that? Turn to Revelation 22:16. We're going to close with this.

Revelation chapter 22:16. What is Jesus saying to you and I? He talking about his revelation. It's him. Jesus will give himself to his church and they will fellowship together with him forever. And that makes sense. An overcomer, one who stays faithful to Jesus and the M is going to receive the greatest inheritance and reward. And that's to be with Jesus forever. Is there anything better than that? If you're here this morning and you can answer any other any of the question about anything better than you you don't know Jesus, I want to I want to introduce you to him.

He's the greatest, most loving God, most gentle spirit, compassionate, forgiving. He'll meet you right where you're at and lift you up and put you on a rock. He'll take you from where you've been doing stupid things and bring you to a place where you see those stupid things for what they are. And bring you to a place where all you want to do is do good things for him, live a life for him. He is God. What a wonderful promise is to be given to the believer who remains steadfast in his walk with the Lord in spite of corruption both outside and inside the church.

Our Lord placed no further affliction on them, but told them to hold fast to that which he had. And they were true believers with many burdens to bear, so the Lord did not load them down with them anymore. Maybe there's somebody here feeling like you got a lot of burdens on you. He's not weighing you down. He just said to you, hold fast till I come. Again in verse 25, you remember what did he say? Encourage them with this, uplifting them with the promise of what? His second coming. And that's exactly what he wants to do and he says I give them a morning star and he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

And again, the Lord promises the select group, this faithful group of believers surrounded by idolatry, surrounded by sin, surrounded by a leader who wasn't even handling things correctly in the church. No excuses. He says you're going to you're going to be with me and you're going to rain in the morning and you'll rain with me. Jesus is a promise keeper. He keeps his promises. If Jesus was sharing this with the church of Thyatira, what do you believe he would say to the remnant here today? What do you think he'd say to you? Again isn't he what's he he's the ancient of days.

Those faithful to his church today, that's right. Everyone of you know what it is. It's what the 1st century church used to do. Many times they would say shalom shalom, which is peace peace, the Hebrew greeting. Right? Grace, the Christian greeting or what we call the Gentile greeting. But often they would come up and they would give a kiss and they would say maranatha. It was the greeting for the 1st century church and it's been the greeting from much of the church since that point. He's teaching us hold fast till I come. He encourages us, uplifts us with a promise of his second coming and he says come, Lord Jesus, come.

And that's what we say come, Lord Jesus, come. Yeah, maranatha.

Guest (Male): Pastor Matt Vanderven on His Perfect Love. Thanks for taking part in today's study of Revelation, a book that comes with a blessing attached to those that read and study it. If you are blessed and encouraged by the Lord, we'd like to know. Email us while it's fresh on your mind. They're at our website hisperfectlove.org. Be sure to include your prayer requests. Also at our website, you'll find an archive of these studies in Revelation, making it easy to replay a message you enjoy or catch what you miss on the radio. Again, we're at hisperfectlove.org and now at oneplace.com as well.

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Matt VanderVen: His Perfect Love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Harrisburg, West Shore.