#Tolerance#Intolerance

Written by cycleguy on October 4th, 2019

I’ve been absent from this blog since last week. I always said I would only post if I had something to say. While I have a lot to say (ask anyone around here), not all of it is significant. Least that is what Jo tells me. 🙂  Life has been sort of crazy busy for me and writing did take a back seat this week. Maybe someday…SOMEDAY…life will slow down. It sort of will the next few weeks. But I’ll tell that story in another post.

This post is about this weekend’s upcoming sermon: To the Tolerant Church. After last week’s time away for a wedding in St. Louis (it went well and we had a great weekend), it will be good to be back in the pulpit. My sermon is on the church at Thyatira from Revelation 2:18-29.  In many ways the church at Thyatira and the church at Pergamum has some things in common with the biggest being that they were both guilty of compromise. Thyatira, more specifically, was guilty of tolerance of evil.

When I think of this church I think so much of what is going on in the church today. Afraid of what others will think we have become tolerant of blatant evil and sin. We are afraid of being falsely accused of being unloving, of having some phobia, that we are giving in to our culture’s “demand” that we accept it all. The church at Thyatira was guilty of allowing Jezebel to thrive in their midst. I’ll be discussing who this “woman” might be.

Tolerance is the bane of the church today. Least I am convinced of that.  It will not be an easy sermon to preach. I’d appreciate your prayers for this Sunday. Thanks.

 

11 Comments so far ↓

  1. No, this won’t be an easy subject to preach on, Bill, but I’m with you about this whole tolerance business. As Christians, we need to stand firm on our principles, beliefs and values. And as for those who think we’re the intolerant ones, we need to show them the love of Jesus, not judge them. Not easy to do!
    Praying for you!

  2. Linda Stoll says:

    May your study time be fruitful, may the Spirit of God speak through you.

    Blessings as you present God’s Word to your people, Bill …

  3. Crystal says:

    Wow 🌞 I will have to check in on the sermon podcast for this coming Sunday! Recently God has been doing some work on my heart and made me aware of just how slippery and dangerous a slope “tolerance” is and how it leads to “compromise” and down hill from there. At the “root” for me is typically “fear” and a “need for acceptance” and “lack of conflict”. No, I don’t think He is calling me to be an aggressive “Bible thumper” but rather to simply take a stand for my faith even when it means pain, rejection and conflict.

    • cycleguy says:

      I’m not called to be an aggressive Bible thumper either Crystal. I just want to be known as someone who teaches and preaches the truth. But I certainly understand the “fear” you have.

  4. cycleguy says:

    From a friend in Texas: 🙏❤️🥰🙏

  5. Pam says:

    Prayers that your message will be heard. So many of us face those very same fears as we comment on Facebook, engage in face-to-face conversations, and speak up in groups. May God grant us courage to be His voice in this world.

    • cycleguy says:

      Thanks Pam. I’m sure you and Dick face many of the same issues I do as a pastor of a church. May we all have the courage to stand for Truth.

  6. floyd says:

    Sorry I’m late. I’m too busy too!
    Hope it went well. I know you speak with humility and God always uses that.