week 3: The Compromising Church

I WANT TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS MORNING...

I WANT YOU TO PRETEND THAT YOU ARE...

THE FIRST CENTURY, JESUS FOLLOWING GROUP

IN THE ANCIENT CITY OF PERGAMUM

AND I’M GONNA HELP YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR CITY

————————————-

ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR CITY IS...

ACCORDING TO WORLDHISTORY.ORG

PERGAMUM IS THE MOST FAMOUS CITY IN ALL OF ASIA

ACCORDING TO THE MAP OF ASIA MINOR

WE’VE TACKLED EPHESUS AND SMYRNA

AND 65 MILES NORTH

AND 15 MILES INLAND

WE ARE AT PERGAMUM

IN THE 2ND AND 3RD CENTURIES B.C.

YOU WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT CITY IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY

YOU ARE …WHERE ALL THE POWER HAS BEEN HELD

YOU ARE WASHINGTON D.C.

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE POWER IS IN PERGAMUM

NOW.... ACCORDING TO HOW THE ROMANS TALKED ABOUT THEIR AUTHORITY IN THE WORLD

CAESAR ALONG WITH HIS GOVERNORS..

WERE GIVEN THIS TITLE OR AUTHORITY IF YOU WILL CALLED....

IUS GLADII

ius gladii - THE RIGHT OF THE SWORD

MEANING…YOU HAVE THE POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH

THE ROMAN GOVERNORS IN EACH OF THE PROVINCES…..

WERE GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT UPON OFFENDERS

THIS IS THE IMAGE OF “ius gladii”

THE IMAGE OF THE ROMAN GOVERNOR HAVING THIS POWER IS...

THEY CARRIED AROUND A SHARP DOUBLE EDGED SWORD

PROBABLY SIMILAR TO THIS ONE…(SHOW THE SWORD JASON MADE ME)

THIS WAS THE SYMBOL OF THEIR AUTHORITY

SO…..THERE IS ATHE QUICK RUN DOWN OF YOUR CITY AND NOW I WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT...

STAND TO YOUR FEET

AND I WANT YOU TO REPEAT THIS LETTER AFTER ME

IT WON’T BE ON THE SCREEN

AND WE ARE GONNA DO THIS IN TWO PARTS

SO LATER ON IN THE SERMON

I WILL HAVE YOU STAND AGAIN TO QUOTE THE OTHER HALF OF THE LETTER

REV 2:12-17

Revelation 2:12–17 (CSB)

12 “Write to the angel of the church in Pergamum: Thus says the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword: 13 I know where you live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding on to my name and did not deny your faith in me, NOT even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness who was put to death IN YOUR CITY, where Satan lives.

DID YOU KNOW YOUR LIVING IN SATAN’S CITY???

YOU DO NOW

TAKE A SEAT

DID YOU NOTICE HOW JESUS ESTABLISHED HIS AUTHORITY?

THESE ARE THE WORDS OF HIM WHO HAS THE SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD

JESUS IS MAKING A PROCLAMATION

HE’S SAYING....CAESAR DOES NOT HAVE ALL THE AUTHORITY AND POWER

THE ROMAN GOVERNOR DOES NOT HAVE ALL THE AUTHORITY AND POWER

JESUS SAID....I HAVE ALL OF THE AUTHORITY AND POWER

AND THEREFORE I CAN SPEAK INTO YOUR SITUATION

THEN, HE SAYS...

I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE, WHERE SATAN HAS HIS THRONE

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS ALL ABOUT???

LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING HERE...

THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE ACROPOLIS

WHICH MEANS UPPER CITY OF PERGAMUM

THIS IS SHOT FROM THE LOWER CITY LOOKING UP TO THE TOP

PERGAMUM IN GREEK IS…PERGAMOS

IT MEANS ELEVATION HEIGHT

OR IT CAN MEAN…CITADEL

THE MOUNTAIN ON WHICH THE UPPER CITY WAS CONSTRUCTED ON IS…1300 FT HIGH

IT’S HUGE

CHECK OUT THIS DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ANCIENT CITY

isn’t that amazing?

NEXT… IS AN ARTIST RENDERING OF WHAT THE UPPER CITY LOOKED LIKE

THESE FOUR AREAS THAT ARE POINTED OUT

I WANT TO QUICKLY TAKE YOU TO EACH OF THESE FOUR

THEN I WANT TO TACKLE ONE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS HILL

AND ONE AT THE BOTTOM PART OF THIS CITY

I WANT TO DO THIS TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT IS IN YOUR CITY

WE’RE GONNA BEGIN WITH....

ATHENA TEMPLE

THE ATHENA TEMPLE IS THE OLDEST TEMPLE ON THE ACROPOLIS

ATHENAS COLLOSIAL STATUE

WAS POSTED UP OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE FOR ALL TO SEE

ATHENA WAS A PATRON DEITY OF THE CITY

SHE WAS THE GODDESS OF WAR

AND THE GODDESS OF WISDOM

IN FACT THE SECOND LARGEST LIBRARY IN THE ANCIENT WORLD BEHIND ALEXANDRIA

IS FOUND HERE IN PERGAMUM....

why??

BECAUSE SHE IS THE GODDESS OF WISDOM

AND IT’S NOT JUST WISDOM

IT’S WISDOM ON HOW TO LIVE LIFE

NOW.... JOHN (THE DISCIPLE) WHO WROTE GOSPEL OF JOHN

WAS WRITTEN TO THE PROVINCE OF ASIA

WHICH IS WHERE PERGAMUM IS

IN THE LETTER THAT HE RECORDS

HE HAS JESUS SAYING AT ONE POINT....

“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE”

EVERYONE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD WHO SAY....

“ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ATHENA HERE?”

BECAUSE THIS IS WHO ATHENA WAS KNOWN FOR....

THE WISDOM THAT LEADS TO LIFE

THE OLDEST TEMPLE IN ALL OF PERGAMUM

A CANDIDATE FOR SATAN’S THRONE?

ABSOLUTELY

LETS GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM ATHENA TO ZEUS

ZEUS’S ALTAR

THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD SEE THERE IN IT’S PLACE TODAY

ALMOST ALL OF THE PIECES HAVE BEEN FOUND

IN CONNECTION TO THIS ALTAR

NO, IT’S NOT A TEMPLE

IT’S AN ALTAR

HERE IS WHAT AN ARTIST RENDERING LOOKS LIKE OF THE ALTAR OF ZEUS

WELL PASTOR CHRIS THATS A GREAT RENDERING

BUT HOW MUCH OF IT IS CREATIVE

AND HOW OF IT IS REALLY WHATS BEEN FOUND

NEXT SLIDE…. IS ACTUALLY WHAT HAS BEEN FOUND....

THIS IS IN THE BERGAMA MUSEUM IN BERLIN

THIS ALTAR IS 117 FT WIDE

110 FT DEEP

AND 40 FT TALL

IT IS 4 STORIES HIGH

THE IMAGERY THAT GOES ALL AROUND THE BOTTOM

IS THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE TITANS AND THE GODS

AND BECAUSE IT IS AN ALTAR TO ZEUS

THE IMAGERY IS DEPICTING THE FACT THAT ZEUS IS THE KING OF KINGS

LORD OF LORDS

GOD OF GODS

HE IS THE SUPREME RULER OF CREATION

I DON’T WHAT YOU GUYS THINK BUT...

THE ALTAR ITSELF LOOKS LIKE A THRONE

ZEUS WAS WORSHIPED AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY

AND HERE IS WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE DURING THE DAY

SMOKE FORM THE INCENSE COMING FROM THE CITY ALL DAY LONG

IS THIS A CANDIDATE FOR SATAN’S THRONE?

I WOULD SAY....A PRETTY GOOD CANDIDATE

NOW LETS GO TO THE HIGHEST PART OF THE CITY

WHERE IT SAYS CAESAR

AND THE NEXT SLIDE IS A TEMPLE TO TRAJIN

HE WAS AN EMPEROR OF ROME FROM 98 TO 117 A.D.

SO WE ARE JUST PAST THE WRITING OF REVELATION

THIS IS WHAT IS CALLED…NEO-CHORUS FOR TRAJIN

WHAT IT IS..IS

ALL OF THE ROMAN EMPERORS

WHEN THEY CAME TO THE THRONE

THEY GOT GRANTED ONE CITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ASIA

WHICH ALL OF THE 7 SEVEN CHURCHES ARE LOCATED WITHIN

THEY WERE GRANTED THE RIGHT TO CONSTRUCT A TEMPLE FOR EMPEROR WORSHIP

AND THAT WOULD BE THE PLACE TO WORSHIP THAT EMPEROR FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD

NOW I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS STRUCTURE AND IF WE PULL BACK YOU CAN SEE...

THEY CONSTRUCTED ALL OF THESE VAULTS TO MAKE IT AS BIG AS IT WAS

BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT EMPEROR WORSHIP IN PERGAMUM

IN FACT, THE FIRST TEMPLE OF EMPEROR WORSHIP IN THE ENTIRE WORLD

WAS AT PERGAMUM

THE FIRST EMPEROR OF ROME WHICH WAS…CAESAR AGUSTUS

GRANTED PERGAMUM THE RIGHT TO CONSTRUCT A TEMPLE OF EMPEROR WORSHIP FOR HIM

HERE IN PERGAMUM

BY THE WAY....

THIS IS WHO WAS ON THE THRONE WHEN JESUS WAS BORN

BEFORE JESUS WAS BORN...

THE ROMAN INSCRIPTIONS TELL US

THAT CAESAR AGUSTUS WAS A DIVINE SON OF GOD

WHO WAS HUMAN AND DIVINE

WHO CAME WITH A GOSPEL OF GOOD NEWS OF PEACE AND PROSPERTY FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD

AND ONE DOCUMENT SAYS…

THROUGH THE REMISSION OF SINS.....WOW

THE HEARTBEAT OF EMPEROR WORSHIP FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD HAS BEEN IN YOUR CITY

NOW…LET DROP DOWN TO DIONYSUS

NOW DIONYSUS IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE THEATRE...

IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OF THIS THEATRE WAS THE TEMPLE OF DIONYSUS

THE TEMPLE AND THIS THEATRE WENT TOGETHER

AND HERE IS WHY

DIONYSUS WAS THE GOD OF...

WINE

THEATRE

ALSO THE GOD OF THE PARTY

THINK SPRING BREAK AND ALL OF IT’S DEBAUCHERY

THAT IS DIONYSUS

IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY…DIONYSUS WAS KILLED AND RAISED BACK TO LIFE

SO IN JOHNS GOSPEL

HE INCLUDES THIS STATEMENT FROM JESUS

“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE”

AND THE PEOPLE OF PERGAMUM WOULD GO....

“OH, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT DIONYSUS?”

THIS WAS THE LANGUAGE USED AROUND DIONYSUS

NOW....WHAT’S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE THEATRE?

WHATS REALLY COOL IS...

IT’S THE STEEPEST THEATRE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

10000 PEOPLE

YOU CAN STAND AT THE BOTTOM AND SPEAK IN A NORMAL TONE

AND THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP CAN HEAR AS CLEAR AS DAY

THE ACOUSTICS ARE INCREDIBLE

DIONYSUS WAS THE PATRON DEITY OF THE ARTS

THEATER WASNT JUST A PLACE YOU WENT TO BE ENTERTAINED

IT WAS THE PLACE WHERE YOU PUSHED THE ENVELOPE

IF YOU LOOK BACK AT HOW THEATER WAS CREATED IN CLASSICAL GREECE

YOU WILL FIND THAT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING IN CULTURE THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE

BUT YOU WANTED TO MAKE WHAT WAS UNCOMMON IN CULTURE....COMMON IN SOCIETY

YOU WOULD PUT IT IN THEATER

AND AS PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP TO EXPERIENCE THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THEATRE

THEY WOULD BE EDUCATED ON A WORLD VIEW

AND WHAT WAS UNCOMMON IN CULTURE WOULD BE COMMON IN THEATRE

AND EVERYONE WOULD SAY....

”APPARENTLY THAT IS WHERE CULTURE IS SUPPOSED TO GO”

THEATER HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT EDUCATING YOU INTO A NEW IDEA OF THE WAY CULTURE IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIVED....

‘OH COME ON….

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE SOMETHING IN SOCIETY AND NORMALIZE IT

MAKE AN AWARD WINNING SHOW

PUT IT ON NETFLIX OR NBC

AND GET CULTURE TO FOLLOW

CHURCH …..

THIS IS THE WAY IT’S BEEN FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS

NOW LETS GO TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE HILL....

TO THE SANCTUARY DEMETER

DEMETER IS THE...

GODDESS OF AGRICULTURE

THE GODDESS OF GRAIN

SHE IS THE ONE WHO GIVES YOU YOUR DAILY BREAD

SHE PROVIDES ALL OF YOU DAILY NECESSITIES

DEMETER IS HER NAME IN GREEK

HER NAME IS LATIN IS....CERAS

WHICH IS WHERE WE GET THE NAME CEREAL FROM

TO GET INTO HER SANCTUARY

YOU HAD TO BE SPRINKLED WITH THE BLOOD OF AN ANIMAL

WHICH WAS SAID TO MAKE YOU PURE AND HOLY TO ENTER INTO THE SANCTUARY

WELCOME TO THE DEMETER CULT

(Next slide)

I HAVE ONE MORE AND THEN WE WILL TRANSITION...

AT THE BASE OF THE CITY IN THE LOWER CITY IS WHERE THEY WORSHIPED ASCLEPIUS (next slide)

ASCPLEPIUS IS...

THE GOD OF MEDICINE AND HEALING IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

HIS SYMBOL IS A SNAKE WRAPPED AROUND THE STAFF

IT IS THE SAME IMAGERY THAT IS USED ON ALL MEDICAL LOGOS TODAY..

IT ORIGINATES BACK TO ASCLEPIUS

THE WORSHIP IS NOT IN A TEMPLE PER SAY

THIS IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE HOSPITAL COMPLEX IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY

ALL OF THE DOCTORS THERE ARE ACTUALLY PRIESTS OF ASCLEPIUS

IT WAS ASCLEPIUS WHO BROUGHT HEALING

SO WHEN YOU EXPERIENCED HEALING OR YOU GOT BETTER

THEN YOU PRAISED ASCLEPIUS

BECAUSE HE WAS THE DIVINE HEALER WHO BROUGHT YOU BACK TO HEALTH

HIS SYMBOL WAS A SNAKE

IT WAS THE PICTURE OF BIRTH AND REGENERATION

think about it….

WHAT IS SATAN REFERRED TO IN SCRIPTURE...

A SNAKE

MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT THIS RIGHT HERE…

IS SATAN’S THRONE

ASCLEPIUS WAS CALLED THE GREAT SOLTARE

WHICH MEANS THE GREAT.....SAVIOR

HE IS KNOW AS THE DIVINE SAVIOR

NOW…I KNOW YOU FEEL THE TENSION RIGHT NOW OF THIS..

BUT LETS JUST FURTHER THAT

LET’S SAY...

YOUR DAUGHTER IS SICK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH A FEVER

AND YOU KNOW OF OTHER KIDS HER AGE WHO HAVE GOTTEN A FEVER

BUT THEN THEY DIED ON THE FOURTH DAY

NOW YOUR MOVING INTO THE 3RD DAY AND YOUR SAYING...

“WE NEED TO GET HER HELP”

AND YOU HAVE THE BEST DOCTORS IN THE WORLD IN YOUR CITY BUT....

IN ORDER TO BE SEEN…YOU HAVE TO GIVE ALLEGIANCE TO ASCLEPIUS THE DIVINE HEALER AND SAVIOR OF THE WORLD

WHAT DO YOU DO???

WELCOME TO SATAN’S CITY

JESUS SAID…”I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE, WHERE SATAN HAS HIS THRONE”

FOR MANY OF US RIGHT NOW...

WE FEEL THIS TENSION, RIGHT?

WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN LIKE TO BE A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IN PERGAMUM

THE TENSION YOU FEEL IS THAT...

EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT JESUS IS BEING SAID OF ANOTHER GOD OR GODDESS

BUT THAT WASN’T THE ONLY TENSION THAT FOLLOWERS OF JESUS WOULD BE FEELING

IT GOES WAY BEYOND THAT

IN A PLACE LIKE PERGAMUM

CIVIC PARTICIPATION IS NOT JUST ENCOURAGED

IT’S EXPECTED

AND IF YOUR NOT PARTICIPATING IN THINGS OF CULTURE

IT’S NOT JUST MET WITH SUSPICION

YOU CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS ONE OF TREASON

THE REASON FOR THIS IS…

IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO THE CITY

MAYBE A NATURAL DISASTER OR EVEN SICKNESS BREAKING OUT

THEY WOULD HAVE SAID...”WHO ANGERED THE GODS?”

AND THEY WOULD GO TO THE CHRISTIANS AND CLAIM THAT THEY WERE ATHIEST

BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WORSHIP ALL THE GOD’S AND GODDESSES

AND THE PRESSURE TO FALL IN LINE WITH CULTURE FOR A CHRISTIAN IS OVERWHELMING

LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT THE PERSECUTION THAT WAS COMING TO SMYRNA

HE SAID TO BE FAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH

THE VERY NEXT LETTER

THE PERSECUTION HAS ALREADY ARRIVED AT PERGAMUM

AND ANTIPAS WAS THAT FAITHFUL EXAMPLE WHO WAS PERSECUTED TO DEATH

AND MOST LIKELY SENTENCED TO EXECUTION BY GLADITORIAL GAMES IN THE AMPITHEATER

WHICH PERGAMUM WAS FAMOUS FOR

JESUS SAYS....

YOU KNOW….

THE TENSION YOU ARE ALL UNDER

LETS STAND ONE MORE TIME....

Revelation 2:14–17 (NIV)

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

SO THE ONE HAND YOU HAVE ANTIPAS

WHO IS A FAITHFUL WITNESS

AND JESUS SAYS…THERE ARE THOSE OF YOU WHO “HOLD FAST MY NAME AND YOU DID NOT DENY ME, EVEN WHEN ANTIPAS WAS EXECUTED”

THEN HE SAYS..

“NEVERTHELESS I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU”

“THERE ARE SOME AMONG YOU WHO HOLD TO THE TEACHING OF BALAAM”

THIS IS A REFERENCE TO NUMBERS 22-25, 31.

BALAAM IN THE OLD TESTAMENT IS

A CHIEF EXAMPLE OF A PROPHET OF COMPROMISE

HE GOT GOD’S PEOPLE IN TROUBLE BECAUSE HE GOT THEM TO COMPROMISE ON GOD’S WORD

OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE CHURCH WHO IS...

RESEMBLING THE MENTALITY OF BALAAM

WHO IS ENTICING FOLLOWERS OF JESUS TO COMPROMISE WITH CULTURE

BY EATING FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS AND COMMITTING SEXUAL IMMORALITY

THIS WOULD MEAN THAT YOU ARE PARTAKING IN DIFFERENT FACETS

AND WORSHIPING DIFFERENT GOD’S AND GODDESSES OF THEIR RELIGIOUS CULTS

THEN JESUS SAYS...

LIKEWISE, YOU ALSO HOLD TO THE TEACHINGS OF THE NICOLAITANS

THE NICOLAITANS ARE A SIMILAR GROUP BUT CLAIM TO HEAR..

“SPECIAL WORDS FROM GOD”

THEY WOULD BE THE ONES THAT SAY...”GOD TOLD ME”

BUT THEN WHAT GOD TOLD THEM, DOESN’T ACTUALLY HOLD UP TO SCRIPTURES

THEY WOULD BE THE ONES THAT SAY...

“IT’S OK TO GO ALONG WITH WITH CULTURE SOMETIMES, BECAUSE GOD KNOWS IT WILL BE EASIER FOR YOU”

CHURCH IT IS TWO EXAMPLES OF COMPROMISE

WHATS INTERESTING IS…HOW THE LANGUAGE IS PLAYING OUT

JESUS SAYS...

I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE, WHERE SATAN HAS HIS THRONE

YET YOU HOLD FAST MY NAME

THAT WORD HOLD

IS THE WORD CRETEO

IT MEANS TO HOLD ON TO TIGHTLY

THIS IS A PICTURE OF SOMEONE SAYING...

YEAH, I LIKE JESUS FOR THIS

BUT I ALSO LIKE THIS AS WELL

IT’S A HUGE PICTURE OF COMPROMISE

YOU ARE TRYING TO LIVE FOR JESUS …PLUS

AND THAT IS DIVIDED ALLEGIANCE

HE’S SAYING....I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE

I KNOW THIS IS HARD

BUT THIS IS STILL NOT ALLOWABLE

WHAT IS FACINATING IS THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED

THE WORD BALAAM IN HEBREW IS BI-LAM

AND IT MEANS… DEVOURER OF THE PEOPLE

THE WORD NICOLAITAN IS CONECTED TO THE WORD...

NIKE - THE GODDESS OF VICTORY

AND NICOLAITAN MEANS....

CONQUEROR OF THE PEOPLE

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?

WHAT DEVOURS AND CONQUERS GOD’S PEOPLE???

IT’S COMPROMISE

JESUS IS SAYING...

MY WAYS ARE NOT LIKE THE WAYS OF THE WORLD

AND IF YOU START LIVING LIKE THE WAYS OF THE WORLD

THEN YOU WILL START LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE THE WORLD

AND IF YOU DON’T LOOK ANY DIFFERENT TO THE WORLD

THEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER THE WORLD

BECAUSE THE MESSAGE OF JESUS RUNS COUNTER CULTURAL

I THINK THAT THE COMPROMISE IN OUR LIFE HAPPENS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS

ON ONE HAND…PEOPLE COMPROMISE

AND THEY WILL DO SO BECAUSE THEY DON’T THINK IT’S A BIG DEAL TO JESUS

IF THEY HAVE THIS THING AS WELL

JESUS REFUTE THAT IN THIS LETTER

BUT I THINK THAT IT’S THE OTHER SPECTRUM OF COMPROMISE

THAT WE FALL PREY TO EASIER THAN THIS

IT’S THAT WE COMPROMISE BECAUSE ....

WE DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW THAT WHAT WE’RE DOING IS WRONG

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE GREATEST, IF NOT THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE AMERICAN CHURCH TODAY IS...

BIBLICAL ILLITERACY

THAT WE DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT IS IN THE WORD OF GOD

UNDERSTAND THIS...

WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT IS IN THE WORD OF GOD

AND WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE TRUTH IS

THEN WE OUTSOURCE THE TRUTH FOR SOMEONE TO DEFINE FOR US

AND THE ARGUMENTS FROM CULTURE ARE STUNNING

IN FACT IF YOU EVER LOOK AT YOUTUBE

THE WAY SOME OF THE THEOLOGICAL IDEAS ARE CRAFTED ARE SO BELIEVABLE

THAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE TRUTH IS FROM GOD’S WORD

YOU’LL FALL FOR IT AND BECOME PREY TO IT

Hebrews 4:12–13 NIV

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

CHURCH HIS WORD IS HIS SWORD

Revelation 2:16 NIV

16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

THE COOL THING IS...

JESUS DOESN’T LEAD WITH THE SWORD

HE LEADS WITH....

REPENT, THEREFORE

THEN HE SAYS…IF THEY ARE UNWILLING TO REPENT

THEN I WILL COME TO YOU AND WILL FIGHT AGAINST THEM WITH THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH

......WORSHIP TEAM COME.........

THIS IDEA OF REPENTANCE

THE GREEK WORD FOR REPENT IS...

METANOEO - “TO CHANGE ONES MIND”

I LOVE THIS BECAUSE WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND

YOU CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR

AND THIS IS THE IDEA OF REPENTANCE

THE WORD FOR REPENT IN HEBREW IS..

SHUV - TO RETURN (TO THE PATH)

IN THE BIBLE THERE ARE 2 PATHS

GOD’S PATH

EVERY OTHER PATH

WE ARE CALLED TO WALK GOD’S PATH

WHEN WE GET OFF OF THAT PATH

WE ARE CALLED TO REPENT

FOR MANY OF US WHAT HAPPENS IS THIS...

- WE WALK ALONG GOD’S PATH

THEN WE GET OFF HIS PATH

- AND WE SAY...

- “DEAR GOD, I’M SORRY, I’LL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN (REPEAT)

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE?

WE KEEP STRUGGLING WITH THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN

THE REASON THIS HAPPENS IS

WE HAVE GOTTEN REALLY GOOD AT CONFESSION

BUT WE HAVEN’T GOTTEN GOOD AT REPENTANCE

HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE

YOU CAN HAVE CONFESSION WITHOUT REPENTANCE

BUT YOU CAN’T HAVE REPENTANCE WITHOUT CONFESSION

WHEN YOUR OFF THE PATH AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT

THAT IS CONFESSION

BUT WE NEVER RETURN TO GOD’S PATH

WE NEVER ASK GOD....WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING EVER AGAIN

GOD REALIZES THAT WE ARE BROKEN AND A PART OF A BROKEN SYSTEM

HE LOVES REPENTANCE

HE WANTS US TO GET BACK TO HIS PATH

THERE IS A STORY THAT GOES LIKE THIS....

A RABBI GOES TO HIS DISCIPLES ONE DAY ANS SAYS

HEY FELLAS, BE SURE TO REPENT THE DAY BEFORE YOU DIE

TO WHICH HIS DISCIPLES RESPONDED WITH...

“HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHEN WE DIE?”

THE RABBI SAID.....EXACTLY

IT’S A DAILY PRACTICE

OF RETURNING BACK TO THE PATH

TO BE FAITHFUL IN THE MIDST OF SATANS CITY

WHERE THE PRESSURES ARE EVERYWHERE

THE MESSAGE IS COUNTERFEIT

AND IT IS DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO HAVE YOU LIVE LIFE WITH DIVIDED ALLEGIANCE

AND JESUS’S WORD IS THIS....

REPENT

WHOEVER HAS EARS LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHES

ALL OF THESE LETTERS ARE LINKED

THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM WILL ALSO GET THE SEVENTH LETTER TO THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA

AND JESUS WILL GO AFTER THEM SAYING

THOSE WHOM I LOVE, I WILL GO AFTER THEM

SO BE ZEALOUS AND......REPENT

IF YOU EVER DOUBT THAT LOVE

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SPEND A FEW MOMENTS IN COMMUNION

WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS MORNING

……ushers pass out communion……

WHILE THEY ARE PASSING OUT THE ELEMENTS I WANT TO FINISH THIS SCRIPTURE

Revelation 2:17 NIV

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

HIDDEN MANNA IS THE IDEA THAT AT THE END OF THE STORY

WE WILL SIT DOWN AT THE MARRIAGE SUPPER

AND WE WILL EAT AND COMMUNE TOGETHER WITH JESUS CHRIST

THE WHITE STONE CAN MEAN A LOT OF THINGS IN THE DAYS OF PERGAMUM

IT COULD MEAN THAT YOU WERE ACQUITTED OF ANY CHARGES BROUGHT AGINST YOU

IF YOU WERE GUILTY THEY WOULD HOLD UP A BLACK STONE

INNOCENT THEY HELD UP A WHITE STONE

ENTRANCE INTO MANY PARTS OF THE CITY WOULD REQUIRE A WHITE STONE

HERE IS WHAT I THINK JESUS IS SAYING...

BE FAITHFUL

BECAUSE YOU WILL GET ETERNAL LIFE WITH ME

AND WHATEVER STRUGGLES OR PAIN YOU GO THROUGH IN THIS LIFE

IT WILL NOT COMPARE TO THE JOY OF SPENDING ALL OF ETERNITY WITH ME.....

BECAUSE YOU WERE MY FAITHFUL WITNESS IN THE MIDDLE OF SATANS CITY

‘CHURCH….

WE NEED THE STRENGTH OF HIS POWER EVERYDAY

take the bread>……

IN THE HOURS BEFORE JESUS WOULD GO TO THE CROSS

HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES...

THIS BREAD REPRESENTS MY BODY

DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME

PARTAKE OF THE BREAD...

LIKEWISE HE TOOK THE CUP AND SAID...

THIS CUP REPRESENTS MY BLOOD

DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME

PARTAKE OF THE CUP...

PRAY AND DISMISS