The Sven Churches of Revelation: Pergamos

What in the world is going on? That is a question we could ask in just about any context. Whether its in context of world events, or whether it is in the context of the economy or politics in general. We could even ask it in the context of the church!

Do you know when people ask “What in the world is going on at such and such church?” It’s when God is moving! We have grown so calloused that when there is a move of God, people are blown away! Guess what?! That is not supposed to be abnormal, its supposed to be a normal every day occurrence in the lives of Christians and in our churches! We are supposed to expect, anticipate, count on, God to move! No matter what.

Instead of the church influencing the world, we see the world influencing the church. What we see today is the same thing Jesus saw going on in Pergamum (Pergamos). What is His reaction to what He sees? Revelation 2:12

Revelation 2:12 KJV 1900

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Jesus is seen with His sword drawn! This is a picture of judgment! Remember from chapter 1 the two-edged sword represents the Word of God! Jesus was about to speak with authority!

Christian, there is no greater authority in your life, in this world than the Word of God!

Do you believe that today?

J. Vernon McGee put it this way

The Word of God has the answer to man’s need and man’s sin, which in Pergamum was false religion.

It's true today. The word of God still has the answer to whatever you are facing! We know this by how it had the answers for Pergamum. We notice first the Bible had the answer to...

The Power that Beset Them v. 13

Church I want you to know today that the Bible is still the answer, and I don’t care where you are! Notice first of all....

Where they dwelt

Satan’s Seat

The word seat = ‘thronos’

Doesn’t take a Greek scholar to understand that is the word from which we get our English word, throne.

The word indicates power or authority, and that supreme

Not only were they dwelling in the place of Satan’s seat, but it was also...

Satan’s City

The city of Pergamum was known around the world as a “religious” city

FYI - religious does not equal godly.

Hell will be full of religious people

People with good intentions

People who were sincere about their belief

People who were nice

People who were good

People who were generous

People who were faithful to church

People who taught Sunday school, served as pastors and deacons, as ushers and greeters

People who got close to God, but never knew God!

Don’t be one of them!

There were temples everywhere in this city, but no knowledge of God

There are churches everywhere in our country

I wonder how many are lining up with the religion of Pergamum?

They are plentiful, but pitiful

Lively, but lying

Friendly but false

And why not?

is this not just what Satan wants?

To confuse and confound?

So many choices, so little truth

Friends, the Bible is the answer to false religion!

This church was not perfect....but there was a church in Pergamum!

We have seen where they dwelt, where Satan’s throne was in his city, now let us see...

With what they dealt

This church was faithful!

Notice Jesus says, “…thou holdest fast my name, and has not denied my faith...”

In the midst of this evil they remained faithful!

The least we can do today is remain faithful!

That is simple. We need to remain faithful to the Word of God. “The Real Thing”, the Word of God is the Real thing even in a world surrounded by evil. We have seen the Bible had the answer to the Power that beset them, now we will see that Bible had the answer to...

The Problems that Should Have Bothered Them v. 14-15

The problem that should have bothered the church in Pergamum is the same problem that should bother the church today. The word of God had been watered down, it had been diluted by worldly influence! Jesus calls out two false teachings that had crept, tell me if they sound familiar!

The Doctrine of Balaam - for time’s sake I will just give the highlights of what Balaam suggested to Balac, you can read for yourself in Numbers 25 and 31. He suggested Balac cast a stumbling block before the people of God, that they should...

Commit Idolatry

False Worship

Church, your worship of a holy and righteous God should reflect the very holiness and righteousness of God!

I am suspect of what passes for worship in some churches

You walk into church and it looks more like a night club than a place of worship - God’s not in that!

“Well preacher, you shouldn’t say that because worship is personal, and you don’t know their heart.”

You’re right. I don’t know there heart, but I know that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it ain’t a dog, it’s a duck!

The first issue God had with the teaching of Balaam was that of false worship… “Everyone is doing it so it can’t be wrong.”

That is a problem this church was facing, it should have bothered them!

The next suggestion of Balaam to Balac was to get God’s people to...

Commit Fornication

Do not think that promiscuity was a problem only faced by God’s people in ancient Canaan or in ancient Pergamum

Immorality is rampant in our world today!

The Doctrine of the Nicolatians - while we can’t link this teaching to any one group, as hard as we may like to, we can link them with the loose living and licentiousness of worldly influence. Here is what we know of this teaching...

It was hated in Ephesus, 100 miles away, but was tolerated in Pergamum

How tolerated you ask?

The word “hold” in verse 15 is the same word used in verse 13 for the veracity to which they upheld the name of Jesus

There were some in the church that were just as zealous over this false teaching as they were the truth of the Word of God!

Listen, when the Word of God condemns something, that is it. There is no argument, there is no discussion, there is no debate.

I’m reminded of story a friend of mine once told me. He had just started a new job and was in the break room on lunch when a lady entered and began a conversation. During the conversation it came up that he was studying for the ministry and that God had placed the calling on his life to become a pastor. She replied, “That is marvelous! I’m a pastor myself!” To this my friend said, “Have you ever read 1 Timothy 3? The office of a pastor is to be held by a man, no exceptions.” Here’s what she said, “The Bible didn’t call me to preach, God did.”

Friends we are living in a world where churches are flat out ignoring the authority of the Word of God, and we wonder why we don’t have revival? Sin is openly tolerated in our churches, condoned from our pulpits, accepted in our homes! There is a church I can think of right now in Greensboro that has a sign on it’s front lawn claiming that abortion is healthcare! EVEN SO COME LORD JESUS!

These problems should bother us! I hope you get angry when you see the Word of God being ignored because if it makes you angry it will keep you from allowing it here!

Church the Bible is still the answer! It was the answer to the power that beset them, it was the answer to the problem that should have bothered them, last we see the Bible holds...

The Promise that Would Bless Them v. 16-17

Repent - Turn from your sin.

This is the message of love God has for us!

If we will repent, He will forgive

It was true when He saved you, and it is true when you fail Him. Aren’t you glad?

I’m glad the message of the Bible is repentance

It was the Bible that showed me I was a sinner

It was the Bible that told me there is a Savior

It was the Bible that told me I could be forgiven

It is the Bible that shows me how to live

It is the Bible that shows me how to love

IT is the Bible that teaches me how to forgive

It is the Bible that teaches me how be in fellowship with God!

Not only does the Bible tell us to repent, but it tells us to...

Remain - to overcome means to have victory!

Conclusion:

Church the Bible is the answer to whatever you are facing!

In a world where we are beset by evil power, the Bible encourages us to remain faithful to God even in the face of death! We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!

The church in Pergamum’s chief problem was that it ignored the Word of God. We cannot ignore the Word of God! WE need to get angry at sin, and we need to purpose in our heart that we are not going to give in to the influence of the world.

I’m going to pray and as I pray I want to invite the musicians to come forward....

With heads bowed and eyes closed today, if you know beyond any doubt that you are saved and on your way to heaven, will you raise your hand in testimony to God who saved you?

I wonder if there is someone here that would say, “Pastor, the message spoke to my heart this morning and God showed that I have not given the Word of God its proper place of authority in my life.” Will you lift that hand this morning?

I wonder if there is someone today that would say, “Pastor, I’m not 100% sure if I died today I would go to heaven, but I am 100% sure I do not want to go to hell” would you be so bold as to raise your hand today?

If you raised your hand today you can be forgiven of your sin and have a place in heaven if you will simply admit you are a sinner, believe Jesus died for you and rose again, and call on Him to save you.