This study was first taught on April 14, 2019

Topic: The Assessment of the Churches (16): The Church in Thyatira (Who Gets Rewarded)

(use the audio to study)

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Background
Last week, we saw what the Lord said to “the rest” in the church in Thyatira. We saw that “the rest” in Thyatira, and indeed, in the church of God anywhere in the world, are those who have not been involved in “Jezebel’s” abominable doctrine of sexual immorality and idolatry—an abuse of the grace of God! “the rest” are those who have not known the “depths of Satan”—the so-called ‘deep revelation of God’, which in truth is the doctrine of devils from the depths of hell!

In speaking to “the rest”, we saw that the Lord communicated three crucial things, which also are applicable to the church today:
1. There is no other demand on the church of God by the Lord besides those we are expressly commanded, and these include the injunction that we love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and all our being, and that we love all men, as we would, ourselves.
2. Even though God’s call to repent of the abominable doctrine of ‘Jezebel’, may not be required of you (since you did not participate in the abominable practices of Jezebel’s teachings), you must nonetheless continue to do good works for which you were born again, sanctified, and prepared to accomplish while here on the earth.
3. The church must continue to engage in good works despite the hostile environment we find ourselves in, until the Lord Jesus returns, or, until we return to Him.

We also noted that everyone in the church of God will have his works/deeds tested by fire. If your works endure the test, he shall be rewarded, but where it does not he shall have no reward, yet you shall be saved provided you had repented of sin and turned to God in faith, otherwise, you will be damned in hell!

We thus concluded that what the Lord is saying to the church at large is as follows:
a) Focus on such as the Lord requires of you—as an individual or as a local church.
b) Your love for God and for all men through the Holy Spirit, must be undisputed.
c) Never give up on doing good works, and indeed, all things that are well-pleasing to God for thereunto you were called.
d) Ensure that when you stand before the Lord in judgement, you would have rewards for the good works you have done on the earth.

Scripture Text(s)
Revelation 2:26-28
Now we come to what rewards the Lord will be given to those who overcome and keep doing His works until the very end. These rewards are authority over the nations, and the Morning Star. Our discussion today will not be about the rewards per se, but about what is needed to obtain the rewards. Suffice to note that these rewards are eternal and heavenly, and not temporal and earthly.
In our studies on “The Assessment of the Churches” so far, we have seen that for each of the seven churches there is/are distinct reward(s). So, we are looking at those who will be given the rewards of rule over the nations and the Morning Star (which is the Lord Jesus Himself). These rewards are meant to be a motivation to be engaged in what is required of the doer according to the set order, so that he can obtain the reward.
1 Samuel 17:23ff; Hebrews 10:35; I John 5:4-5; 4:4; John 16:33; Revelation 12:11; Genesis 32:24-31; Matthew 21:24; Romans 8:35-39; Acts 13:22; Matthew 26:38-42; Psalm 2:7-12; 1 Kings 20:39-43; John 6:27-29; Hebrews 11:6; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 4:34; Luke 14:28-33; Matthew 21:28-32: 2 Timothy 4:7-8; Acts 20:24; Philippians 3:13-14.

Conclusion
The Lord Jesus Christ knows that in this world we would have tribulations, trials, and indeed, there will be temptations not to follow the Lord, so He has made provision for rewards for all those who are not deterred by the barrage of these challenges. Those who the Lord will thus honour, he clearly states as those who overcome these challenges; those who keep on doing His works regardless of these challenges; and those who keep at what they are doing right in the face of these challenges till the very end.

Breaking it all down, what the Lord is saying essentially, is as follows:
1. If you have not been overcome by Him through your voluntary surrender, you will be overcome by life’s challenges and Satan’s temptation, and you will not obtain His rewards.
2. If you have not conquered His heart you cannot overcome tribulations, trials, and temptations, because He it is who overcame; and you can only overcome when you have won Him over.
3. His reward is for those who keep on doing His works—what He has asked them to do—regardless of the opposition and challenges, until the very end.
4. What is needed to obtain His rewards in eternity is that you finish all that He requires of you.
a. Starting to do the Lord’s assignment may be good, but if you don’t finish it, then, your good start becomes futile—there is no reward for starting; only for finishing and finishing well!
b. You may start poorly, but if you finish strong, then you have truly overcome!
c. God’s interest is in those who finish well; not just those who start.
5. Rewards are given by Him, and you will not obtain any if you don’t ‘play’ by the rules. (Revelation 22:12, 14)

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