We can learn from the problems the churches in Revelation faced. In this sermon, we will discuss the problem in the 6th church - Thyatira - faced.

Rev 3:10-11
What did the Thyatira church face? Someone wants to take away their crown. This crown we have is the crown for eternal life that was prepared through the shedding of the Lord’s blood. It can’t be bought by wealth or power. Hence we have to hold fast to our crown so no one will take it away.

A saying: It’s not easy to keep our careers (originally in Chinese)

It’s the same with faith. When the Israelites exited from Egypt, it was so difficult. They thought they’d have a peaceful stable life. But they weren’t able to hold on to their faith and tested God. They saw God’s works for 40 years but were clouded in their hearts and often wanted to return to Egypt. God in His wrath swore that these people shall not enter His rest.

Today we have been saved by the Lord to receive this crown of eternal life. But are we able to hold fast to this crown to the day we enter the heavenly kingdom.

We may have many possessions today. Some are very precious and make people envious of us. But when death comes upon us, all these comes to nothing. Only when we keep the crown of eternal life will our lives be a legend and not a joke.

Who will take away our crown? The devil? Not just that, the devil through the hands of men. These are people of the synagogue of Satan.

v9
“Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”

In the church of God, there’re the people of the synagogue of Satan. The church in Philadelphia and Smyrna had people of the synagogue of Satan. They’re liars; they belong to the Father of lies - Satan. They call themselves the people of God but God calls them sons of the devil. They’re part of the church of God but are actually sons of the devil. They slander and harm the church.

2 Cor 11:13-15
Paul says some people in the church transform themselves into apostles of Christ. But actually they’re false prophets. Their behaviour seems righteous. They seem like good Christians. But Paul says they’re actually ministers of Satan. If they’re ministers of Satan, how are they still able to perform good works that makes them seem like good Christians? Paul said not to be surprised because even Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. We often have a shallow understanding. We think darkness is the devil, light/brightness is an angel. We forget the devil can transform himself into an angel of light. We cannot just assume an angel is from God. If he doesn’t preach according to what the apostles’ preached, he should be accursed. How is Paul so audacious to curse the angels? Because he knows they may be devils in disguise. When people knocks on the door and show they’re police, would you open up to them? In the past, we would. But today, not so because there’s so many of these deceptions going on. We’d ask, “Which police branch are you from? Ok I’ll go check first.” And then we find out he’s run away. He wears a police uniform and shows evidence of his past but he may not actually be one. In terms of our spiritual life, we may get deceived too. Satan himself transforms into an angel of light. So it’s no surprise if ministers transform themselves into ministers of righteousness.

The servants of God have reminded us once and again. We can’t say we don’t know. So we have the responsibility to discern.

Rev 3:9
The Lord says, “I will make those of the synagogue of Satan come and worship at your feet that they may know I love you.” The Lord wants opposers of Him to worship before His feet; the church, to be obedient to the church. That they may know the Thyatira church is loved by the Lord. They won’t be destroyed even though the opposers enter. Those who try to destroy the church but actually submit/add to the church.

In the church of the apostles is a very clear example. Paul had great power in destroying the church. He was zealous to do so too. But later on the Lord appeared to him and forced him to submit to the church. And he added to the church.

We not only need to hold fast to our crown but also know our Lord is coming quickly. This is a comforting reminder to us. Because when we try to hold on to our faith, we find it difficult. Why’re there people in the synagogue of Satan that brings about destruction? We just want to worship peacefully in church but such people bring about destruction and cause divisions. They start doubting each other and asking who is of Satan. Who is able to be peaceful and joyful? But the Lord Jesus tells us that not only the Thyatira church but also the Smyrna church faced these. Most of the churches had rebuke and praise. But only these two churches received praise only. Because they held on to their faith, which pleased Jesus. So Jesus told them to hold fast to their crown.

Some people say, “Lord Jesus don’t come so quickly!” Because they think that means more time to prepare. But actually the longer He takes to come, the more danger there is to us.

Matt 24:22
“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”

If Jesus doesn’t come quickly, those that die will be even more. Hence we need to be like John to want the Lord Jesus to come quickly. After reading so much of the Bible and listen to so much of the word of God, do we hope the Lord comes quickly? If we don’t, it shows we are sleeping in our faith. Jesus says the day He comes will be like a thief in the night. We need to be watchful otherwise the things in our house will be stolen. We have to be watchful in our faith and not sleep or our crown will be stolen away. We are reminded that the Lord is coming quickly. Have we prepared? When we wait for the Lord to come, what do we have to prepare?

Rev 3:8
“I know your works, you have a little faith.”
Through this little strength, they still obeyed His word. So we can’t use our little strength as an excuse that we can’t keep His word or not have the ability to work for God. The problem doesn’t lie in how much strength we have but whether we are able to use this little strength to keep His word and work for Him. The Philadelphia church only had a little strength but through it kept the word of God. If we’re willing to use this little strength, the Lord Jesus will help us. This is grace that is strength upon strength. The first strength is the strength that we have. Even though it’s little, if we’re willing to use this strength, the Lord will add to our strength. But if we’re unwilling to use it, how can God add to our strength? When we ask God to add to us grace upon grace and strength upon strength, have we put in our own grace and strength? If we’re not gracious and don’t want to use our strength for the Lord, how can we receive grace and strength from the Lord?

The Lord Jesus knows how much strength we have. Even if it’s just a little bit, He knows. Like the boy who offered five loaves and two fishes and received the praise of the Lord, and the poor widow who offered two mites. Jesus doesn’t look at how much we have offered but whether we’re willing to put in what little we have. We are often able to hazard a good guess on how well off a person is. If we are able to do that, what more God?

The speaker saw a post on Facebook. It showed a list of goals one hope to achieve. One, higher salary. Two, bigger home. Three, higher status. And etc. But then a large cross was drawn over the list and the words: “To live/survive” were written.

Especially in the days of COVID-19, the greatest goal we have is to remain alive. We see that the whole world has been affected by the virus.

It’s a great grace to be alive. If we aren’t able to be alive, what’s the point in having everything.

Even without the COVID-19 virus, we’ll still die. When we die, are we able to enter eternal life; to face our God? This is a more important question for us to think about.

We need to be like the Thyatira church to use our little strength to keep His word. Not everyone who calls Jesus, “Lord, Lord” will be saved. We all believe, but has our faith helped us to keep the word of God.

The Philadelphia church kept the new commandment the Lord gave to love one another. The meaning of Philadelphia means to love your brother. Why’re they given this term? Because they have portrayed the beautiful virtue of loving each other. They’ve preached the gospel.

Rev 3:8
“I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it”
This allows them to have more opportunities to preach the gospel. If the door is shut, even if we want to preach, we won’t be able to. In the past we thought that with political persecutions, the church would close, people would be afraid to attend. But now even without political persecution, with just a virus, churches have shut their doors. The Singapore government hasn’t demanded churches to close, unlike others countries that have stopped all religious activities. But some members don’t dare to come for church services. They say, “Actually we want to come but all our friends and families tell us not to go.” They had the heart to come but decided not to because of the words of those around them.

If we feel unwell, we should be socially responsible and not come to church. Only come after we have been quarantined and feel well. But if we just use this as an excuse not to come, that shouldn’t be the case. The government has informed us that the virus will stay for a while. It’ll affect our lives and finances. We have to prepare ourselves to face these difficult times. How long will we stop coming to services for? This is a test of our faith. We still need to continue with our lives. We need to reflect upon our faith and strengthen it at this time.

If we aren’t able to hold on to the simplest of it which is worship, what are we holding on to then?

Even though the Philadelphia faced difficulty, they used their little faith to hold on to the word of God, love one another and preached zealously. We have to emulate them.

Rev 3:8
Many believers haven’t forsaken the word of God. They pray in the name of Jesus. They trust in the name of the Lord to be saved. They haven’t forsaken the name of the Lord. But often before other people, they’re not willing to acknowledge the name of God. “Where are you going?” “For a walk at Adam road.” When actually you’re going to keep the Sabbath. We don’t dare to admit it.

We naturally say grace in church but before friends/relatives in church, they’re not able to. This is something small but it testifies we’re not able to acknowledge the name of God.

Why are you afraid and not dare to acknowledge? If we’re too afraid to admit even the small matters, how will we face the big persecutions? Some people think that they may not be able to do the small things but on the day they’re faced with the big persecution, they’ll surely not deny Christ. If we can’t even run the heats in a race, how can we expect to come in first in the finals? If we don’t train now, how can we run the finals? Even supposedly natural talents train many hours in a day to get as good as they are.

Same for our spiritual lives. We think: “I don’t need to pray, read the Bible, go to church and my faith will be able to stand.”

We need to put in our little strength. We prepare ourselves to be able to stand up for our faith and not deny Him in the great tribulation by acknowledging Him daily in small things.

Mark 8:38
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Let us take note of this. Sometimes we’re not ashamed of the Lord but His words. Some people say, “Don’t talk about Footwashing or Holy Spirit. That just divides people. We should just talk about the love of God.” “Especially don’t say you’re the only one true church. Why’re you so stupid to emphasise this?”

Today people are often not ashamed of the name of the Lord but His words. Not only should we hold fast to the name of the Lord but also to His words.

Rev 3:10
The Lord Jesus calls His word one that needs perseverance. Because of the word of God, we will face many troubles and persecutions. Does this mean the Lord hasn’t saved us from such persecution? If He saves us, we don’t need to persevere. Of course if He does, we should thank Him and best testimony of His grace. But if He doesn’t and we hold on to our faith, isn’t that a more beautiful testimony? Receiving peace and salvation is an easy thing to the Lord Jesus. But to suffer and persecuted for the Lord and not change is something not easy to do. The Lord Jesus can’t force us to do so. He can only see how much we have suffered for Him and whether we can persist to the end. If we are able to, then we bear testimony to the devil like Job. We don’t worship God just because He protects us and gives us peace. It’s because He is our God and Lord. Such a testimony is beautiful.

The Philadelphia church bore a beautiful testimony to the Lord, and also to us. Are we able to emulate them to understand the word of God needs perseverance and to persevere?

Peter reminds us the Lord has suffered for us. What kind of sufferings have we gone through for the Lord? If are not able to suffer for the Lord, we let down the Lord who has suffered for us. When the Lord suffered, He didn’t murmur. His suffering was so great but He was willing to suffer. How are we not willing to suffer for Him?

He has set an example for us to follow in His footsteps. What example? An example of suffering. When we’re suffering, remember the example of Jesus suffering on the cross.

Rev 3:10 seems to say while others are suffering, Jesus won’t allow us to suffer. “I will keep you from the hour of trial” means to preserve us from falling during times of trial. He’ll help us be victorious in these trials. (Rev 7:14)

Rev 3:12
To be a pillar in the temple of God means they glorify God and are good examples. Just like Peter and John who became pillars of the church; who were examples to the believers. We too can become examples in the church; pillars in the church to support and help the church. Of course we can be ashamed of and destroy the church. Some Christians become pillars in the church while some destroy it. Those who are victorious, on him will be written the name of God and Jerusalem. Having the name of God in them means they forever belongs to God. Having the name of the city of God in them means being able to dwell on His city forever.

Are we able to be victorious?