While finishing high school and through my first college degree, I worked at the San Antonio Country Club golf course. It was a great place to work that taught me so much about myself, my faith and how to interact with people from many socioeconomic backgrounds. I worked for the very wealthy and educated to the brand new immigrant barely making their way in our country. I have many great memories from working there for 6 1/2 years.
One of the greatest challenges I faced while working there dealt with upholding good Christian standards. At times I was very successful holding on to what the Bible mentions as being true. At other times I could have been a better representative of Jesus. It was always a struggle to keep the Sabbath. I had permission to not work on the Sabbath, but I would often have to work from 6am to 9pm on Sundays. Every week was a challenge to keep God’s Sabbath.
Many of my Christian coworkers would tell me that there was no significance in keeping Saturday as a special day. I was often ridiculed for my faith. I would be encouraged to go to church on Sundays, and if I did, I would not have any problems with my work schedule. When I would not bend my convictions, the character assaults would begin as the claim was made that I was too lazy to work on the busiest day of the week. I was even told that I could make more in tips if I would work on Saturdays.
This week we will be looking at the next message to The Seven Churches. Thyatira was a city that did not have persecution in the traditional sense that the churches in Smyrna and Pergamum endured. The persecution that was faced within Thyatira was from within the church and the grounds of compromise. Notice how William Barclay describes the situation in Thyatira.
“Here was the problem at Thyatira: the threat came from inside the church. There was a strong movement, led by the woman referred to as Jezebel, which pleaded for compromise with the world’s standards in the interests of business and commercial prosperity, maintaining, no doubt, that the Holy Spirit could preserve them from any harm. The answer of the risen Christ is uncompromising. Christians must have nothing to do with such things” (The Revelation of John, Vol. 1).
May we remain faithful to God in all circumstances.
May we resist un-Holy compromise in all situations.
Notice the promise that Jesus gives to those that do:
“To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ —justas I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:26-29 NIV).
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Geraldo
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