Seven churches

THE SEVEN CHURCHES
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Acts 16:12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that
district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went
outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat
down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those
listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira,
who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her
home.
Lydia is mentioned as a worshipper of God amidst a pagan world. God used her as the
nucleus of a Church in Thyatira. Her home was the first church in Thyatira. In this city
there was a church. The church grew. But they had pressure from their guilds. Not to join
a guild was simply committing business suicide. You will be probably thrown out of
business. Under such pressures church members were forced to take part in these guild
meetings. All concerned knew the spiritual implications of these, but either justified it,
theologized it or plain disregarded it. They simply compensated it by generous
contributions and donations to religious matters so that God will wink His eye in some
other direction.
Jesus introduces himself as "... the Son of God ..." (2:18). The Son of Man who speaks to
them is the Son of God. They are reminded of the deity of their Lord, and their own new
relationship as adopted sons of God. Their new relationship as sons brought with them
new responsibilities and changes in behavior. So Jesus points out his eyes like burning
fire which can see through outer coverings. He burns out the facade and sees our
nakedness. There is nothing hidden from him. Sure enough they had their justifications as
social pressure. Tertullian one of the Ante-Nicene fathers preached against such pitfalls. A
Christian will have to face the world. He has to live in this world which is not conducive to
Holy living. The problem today is just the same as it was then. But the Christian answer is
"not to conform, but to transform" The Son has feet like burnished bronze. The feet,
portraying movement and moral stand, are strong, sure and beautiful (Rom. 10:15). The
Son's feet are consistent with the Son's eyes. The feet move in accordance to the eyes'
discernment. The Thyatirans, as adopted sons of God (Gal. 3:26; 4:1 ff.), stand firm in
their new found position as sons of God. They should move as sons of god, firmly and
decisively in the right direction. Holy relationship ("Son of God") should result in holy
actions.