Rev. 2:18-29 THE CHURCH WITH THE ROTTEN CENTER

Intro:  Ill. An apple with a worm, or food that has rotted.  This church was like this, it looked pleasing on the exterior, but at it's heart it was wormy, rotten and festering with evil.  The city of Thyatira is the least known of all the cities, yet it received the longest letter.  However there are four things for which it was famous.  1.  A military city - A buffer city, Ceasars elite guard was stationed there.  2.  An industrial city - Ill. Lydia, dyes and water.  3.  A trade guild city - Ill. Each guild had it's own patron god.  4.  An occult city - An occult temple presided over by a female sorceress.  This church represents the time period of 590 a.d. - 1517 a.d. Jesus comes to this church as the Son of God.  The one with authority to deal with them, John 5:22. (Ill. The Sun God was the partron god of the elite guard.)  He also comes with flaming eyes: He sees all they do and all they are, Heb. 4:13.