Tolerating or
Coming Out
Revelation 2:18-29 –
New International Version (NIV)
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These
are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose
feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love
and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than
you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that
woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my
servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I
have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So
I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit
adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I
will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who
searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your
deeds.
24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not
hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I
will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on
to what you have until I come.’
26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I
will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule
them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have
received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one
the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.”
In your opinion,
what does it mean that Jesus describes Himself “to the angel of the church in Thyatira” as having eyes like
blazing fire and feet like burnished bronze (verse 18)?
What good things does
Jesus commend the church of Thyatira for (verse
19)?
How does “that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a
prophet” mislead (verse 20)?
What does Jezebel
mislead “my servants into” (verse 20)?
In your opinion,
why is Jezebel unwilling to “repent of
her immorality” even though Jesus has given her time to (verse 21)?
How will Jezebel
be punished (verse 22)?
How can those “who commit adultery with her” avoid
suffering intensely (verse 22)?
When will all the
churches know “that I am he who searches
hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds” (verse
23)?
Who will Jesus “not impose any other burden on you, except
to hold on to what you have until I come” (verses 24 and 25)?
Who will be given “authority over the nations” (verse 26)?
How will “that one” rule (verse 27)?
In your opinion,
what does it mean that “that one” will also receive “the morning star” (verse 28)?
Who should hear “what the Spirit says to the churches”
(verse 29)?
In your opinion, what is the basic
message of this passage?
Ephesians 5:1-16 -
New International Version (NIV)
1 “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and
walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual
immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper
for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish
talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For
of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is
an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let
no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath
comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be
partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the
Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light
consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find
out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the
fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is
shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But
everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is
illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake
up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as
wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days
are evil.”
How do we “follow God’s example, therefore’ as dearly
loved children” (verses 1 and 2)?
What is improper for God’s holy people (verse
3)?
What should there
be instead of “obscenity, foolish talk or
coarse joking” (verse 4)?
In your opinion,
why is an “immoral, impure or greedy
person” an idolater (verse 5)?
What kind of words
should we not let people deceive us with (verse 6)?
How are those who “were once darkness, but now . . . are light
in the Lord” to live (verse 8)?
What does “the fruit of the light” consist in (verse
9)?
What should “children of light” find out (verse 10)?
How should we
treat “the fruitless deeds of darkness” (verse
11)?
In your opinion, what does it mean that “everything that is illuminated becomes a
light” (verse 13)?
Why should the sleeper “wake up” and “rise from the dead” (verse 14)?
How do the wise live (verses 15 and 16)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message
of this passage?
In your opinion, how does Paul’s
discussion of the idolater, the immoral, impure or greedy, not having “any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and of God”
in Ephesians 5:1-16 help us to understand about “that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet” and those she
misleads that Jesus reveals to John in the letter to the church in Thyatira in
Revelation 2:18-29?
John 8:31-47 - New
International Version (NIV)
31 “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold
to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will
know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have
never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is
a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the
family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets
you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are
Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you
have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen
in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your
father.”
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If
you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As
it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth
that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You
are doing the works of your own father.”
“We
are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God
himself.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love
me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why
is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You
belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s
desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he
is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the
truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty
of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever
belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do
not belong to God.”
Who
did Jesus tell “if you hold to my
teaching, you are really my disciples” (verse 31)?
In your opinion, what does Jesus mean when
He says “then you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free” (verse 32)?
Why did the Jews resist Jesus statement
about the truth setting them free (verse
33)?
Who is a slave to sin (verse 34)?
When will they “be free indeed” (verse 36)?
Why are the Jews “looking for a way to kill” Jesus (verse 37)?
In your opinion, why does Jesus make the
contrast between “telling you what I have
seen in the Father’s presence” and “doing
what you have heard from your father” (verse 38)?
What would the Jews do if Abraham was
their father (verse 39)?
Who do the Jews say is the only Father
they have (verse 41)?
Why would the Jews love Jesus if God was
their Father (verse 42)?
Why is the language that Jesus uses not clear
to the Jews (verse 43)?
Whose desires do the Jews want to carry
out (verse 44)?
Why are lies the devils “native language” (verse 44)?
In your opinion, why could the Jews not
believe Jesus (verse 45)?
Who hears what God says (verse 47)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message
of this passage?
In your opinion, how does Paul’s warning
in Ephesians 5:1-16 to “let no one
deceive you with empty words” help us to understand more about the devil
who “when he lies, he speaks his native
language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” as described by
Jesus in John 8:31-47?
In your opinion, how does Jesus’ discussion
about those to whom His language is not clear in John 8:31-47 help us to
understand more about His statement in Revelation 2:18-29 that to you who
do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep
secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except
to hold on to what you have until I come.’”?
Revelation 18:1-8 –
New International Version (NIV)
1 “After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He
had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With
a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen!
Fallen is Babylon the Great!’
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come
out of her, my people,’
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;
I will never mourn.’
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;
I will never mourn.’
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
How is the “angel coming down from heaven described” (verse
1)?
Why has “Babylon the Great” fallen (verse 2)?
What have all the nations drunk (verse 3)?
Why does “another voice from heaven” warn “come out of her my people” (verse 4)?
What has God remembered (verse 5)?
How is Babylon the Great to be paid back (verse
6)?
In your opinion, why will she be given “as much torment and grief as the glory and
luxury she gave herself” (verse 7)?
What does she boast about (verse 7)?
How is “the
Lord God who judges her” described (verse 8)?
In your opinion, what is the basic message
of this passage?
In your opinion, why
is it fair, and unfair, to say that the Jews who claimed to be descendants of
Abraham in John 8:31-47 but could not hear Jesus because they belonged to their
father, the devil, had fallen like Babylon the Great of Revelation 18:1-8 and,
like Babylon the Great, had become “a dwelling
for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal”?
In your opinion, how does Paul’s instruction
in Ephesians 5:1-16 that “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the
Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all
goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases
the Lord” give us practical instruction today
on how to “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so
that you will not share in her sins” as instructed by the voice from heaven
in Revelation 18:1-8?
In your opinion, how
do the instructions of Jesus to the church in Thyatira
about the “one who is
victorious and does my will to the end” which means
avoiding the misleading teaching of Jezebel and escaping from the suffering
coming to her in Revelation 2:18-29 help us to understand about Babylon the
Great and her fall and the call to “come out of her” as described by John in
Revelation 18:1-8?
In your opinion, what do these passages,
from Revelation, Ephesians and John show us about ourselves today?
Next, back to Revelation 3:1 –
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