The church in Thyatira is
an interesting contrast to the church in Ephesus. Here, the church is praised
for its love and faith. However, false teaching and immorality are doing damage
in the church. It seems that gentile Christians in this congregation were
getting pulled back into old, gentile ways of life. As you read, consider how
false teaching and immorality are a temptation to for Christians today.
STUDY THE SCRIPTURE
Click here to access the reading
from Revelation 2:18-29
REFLECTION
The Church at Thyatira
By Katie Borden
Last summer, my family
took a vacation to the beach, where my oldest nephew and I went wave-jumping in
the majestic Atlantic Ocean. He was so enthralled with the wonder of the moment
that he was paying no attention to the strength of the ocean current, but I
noticed that we were slowly being carried further and further down the coast.
When he finally looked toward the beach to see if anyone in our family was
admiring his impressive aquatic acrobatics, he was shocked to discover that he
didn’t recognize any landmarks on shore. We had drifted far enough that, as far
as he could tell, we were in completely unfamiliar territory. I think he said
something to the effect of, “How did we end up here?”
What a great question,
buddy.
How did we end up here?
How did we end up here?
When we read about the
way the church in Thyatira was tolerating false teaching and encouragement into
“less-than-best” living, we can imagine the community may have essentially been
in a sort of “drift” away from the kind of life that God had intended for them
to live.
Do you experience any
“drift” in your life? These past few months of isolation, difficult as they’ve
been, ended up being the vehicle God used to break many of us out of the
“less-than-best” patterns of living we had been tolerating in our lives—for me,
it was patterns of busyness and “shallowness” that aren’t healthy, yet are
all-too-common in our culture. Reading today’s text reminds me of how
detrimental that “drift” can be to both individuals and communities, carrying
us into territory that we neither recognize nor welcome. I don’t want to allow
patterns of sin and unhealth to creep back into my life, but I am also afraid
that I’m not able to push back against the pressure around me—the force of the
“culture current” sometimes just seems too strong. I need Someone stronger to
anchor me. So, I fall yet again at the feet of Jesus, the Son of God, the One
with the authority and power to fight on my behalf, and I cling to Him.
What are the “false
teachings” of the world you are led into believing? Where are you drifting? Ask
the Holy Spirit for revelation and insight into what you are tolerating in your
life that is less than God’s best. Consider making these words from songwriter
Andi Rozier your prayer: “Reveal to me what sin remains, then lead me to the
cross again.”
WISDOM Pray for wisdom in these times as we all
work toward protecting lives. Consider the livelihoods of millions hurt by the
economic impact.
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