GOD COMFORTS THE AFFLICTED AND AFFLICTS THE COMFORTABLE (5 OF 8)
by Drew Hunter
Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29
This content is part of a series.
God Comforts the Afflicted and Afflicts the Comfortable (5 of 8)
Series: Seven Challenges Facing Every Church
Drew Hunter
Revelation 2: 18-29
''God comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.''
That phrase was originally coined to describe the role of newspapers in society. But over time it's been used to describe how God speaks. And it's fitting.
This is what we've seen in the past few weeks in Revelation 2-3. We're listening to Jesus give his own assessment of seven different local churches in the first century. And we've heard words that comfort and words that convict. We've heard him give great assurance to Christians about his heart of love for them; but we've also heard him warn and challenge and call his people to repentance. He comforted the afflicted and afflicted the comfortable.
And he still does this today.
These were particular words to particular churches, but they apply to all churches. Every one of these messages to individual churches ended with the statement, ''He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'' And the Spirit still uses these words to speak to us today.
And these are words for his people. And he's speaking to us these same words. He comforts the afflicted; he afflicts the comfortable; and he offers hope to all who trust him.
And we turn now to his message to the church at a city called Thyatira.
This was a growing church with a growing problem. It was a commendable church, but it also had a cancerous threat.
And if we used one word to summarize the theme of this text it would be ''works.'' Jesus mentions works in each of the main sections of his message.
- In verse 19, he says, ''I know your works.'' And he commends them for their works.
- But then in verse 22, he says that some must ''repent of her works,'' referring to works that he does not commend.
- And finally, in verse 26, he refers to his own works; he gives a promise to the one ''who keeps my wo ...
Series: Seven Challenges Facing Every Church
Drew Hunter
Revelation 2: 18-29
''God comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.''
That phrase was originally coined to describe the role of newspapers in society. But over time it's been used to describe how God speaks. And it's fitting.
This is what we've seen in the past few weeks in Revelation 2-3. We're listening to Jesus give his own assessment of seven different local churches in the first century. And we've heard words that comfort and words that convict. We've heard him give great assurance to Christians about his heart of love for them; but we've also heard him warn and challenge and call his people to repentance. He comforted the afflicted and afflicted the comfortable.
And he still does this today.
These were particular words to particular churches, but they apply to all churches. Every one of these messages to individual churches ended with the statement, ''He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'' And the Spirit still uses these words to speak to us today.
And these are words for his people. And he's speaking to us these same words. He comforts the afflicted; he afflicts the comfortable; and he offers hope to all who trust him.
And we turn now to his message to the church at a city called Thyatira.
This was a growing church with a growing problem. It was a commendable church, but it also had a cancerous threat.
And if we used one word to summarize the theme of this text it would be ''works.'' Jesus mentions works in each of the main sections of his message.
- In verse 19, he says, ''I know your works.'' And he commends them for their works.
- But then in verse 22, he says that some must ''repent of her works,'' referring to works that he does not commend.
- And finally, in verse 26, he refers to his own works; he gives a promise to the one ''who keeps my wo ...
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