Pergamum the Church of Compromise
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“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
INTRODUCTION (5 Minutes)
If you are joining us at one of our campuses I just want to say welcome… I am Pastor Steve, the lead pastor of NCCF… And I am so thankful for you!
If you are visiting today, I want to encourage you to introduce yourself to your campus pastor! I know they would love to meet you!
I want to give a shout out to Pastor Tyler at our Bellingham Campus…
He became a Conference Ministerial Candidate this weekend, which means He has completed the first big step in becoming an Ordained Pastor!!! (PAUSE)
And also to Pastor Emily our Student Ministries Pastor at our SW Campus who was ordained as an Elder in the Free Methodist Church.
It has been such a blessing to see God’s hand on both of there lives!
In his book Triple Agent Joby Warrick writes a true story about how a Jordanian doctor who was radicalized on an Islamic websites became a spy that ended up kill 9 CIA agents.
In his book Triple Agent Joby Warrick writes a true story about how a Jordanian doctor who was radicalized on an Islamic websites became a spy that ended up kill 9 CIA agents.
This young physician worked with pediatric patients in Amman, Jordan.
He would stay up late at night after his shift and watching Islamic preachers on You Tube. He eventually came to the place that he wanted to get involved in the jihad and joined al-Qaida.
A Jordanian spy agency found some of his online postings and recruited him as a spy!
He told the al-Qaida that he was working for the Jordanians and had some connections to the CIA.
He told the jihadists that he was working for the Jordanians and had some connections to the CIA.
So this guy is a Doctor, who is Jordanian spy, that is working with the CIA… but who really is Jihadist looking for a target!
Over a period of about a year he built trust as a spy by telling American and Jordanian officials that he had information that could help capture key Taliban and al-Qaida leaders.
One day he put on a suicide vest and made it into a CIA compound in Afghanistan and killed himself along with 9 other top CIA officers working in the Middle East.
Once the investigation was done by CIA Director Leon Paneta, it was discovered that the CIA had let down their very high standards that they normally followed because they were so desperate to get Osama bin Laden and his top two lieutenants.
So they compromised their standards in order to accomplish their mission!
AND THE RESULTS WERE DEVISTATING!
The same thing happens to churches and to christians when we compromise our standards… even when it is in the name of Gospel!
Compromise when left unchecked always lead to spirtual and sometimes physical destruction!
Turn with me this morning to the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation,
We are in chapter 2, continuing our study titled UNCOVERED!
Turn with me this morning to the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation, chapter 2.
We are looking at the Letter to the Church in Pergamum a church that comprised it faith.
If you don’t have a Bible...
If you don’t have a Bible...
First we looked at the church of Ephesus. It was a CARELESS church. This was a large church, an active, working church, a well-taught church, a weathered church, they hard faced trials -- yet it was a church that faced a rebuke. We often look at large, active churches as healthy churches, but often they are not. Jesus told the church at Ephesus they had lost their passionate love for God. And we want to make sure that we are always more concerned about who we ARE, in our hearts, than just being concerned about what we DO.
PRAYER
Then, we looked at the second church, the church at Smyrna. It was a CRUSHED church and a CROWNED church. They faced pressure and poverty and putdowns, but they faithfully endured, and so they received commendation from the Lord. The Lord tells them that persecution will come, but to continue to live faithfully and He would reward them greatly.
PRAYER
Today we go on to look at the church at Pergamum. It is a COMPROMISING church. Let’s read the message to this church in . READ - PRAY.
PRAYER
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
So this letter to the Church in Pergamum is from again from Jesus… John is clear to state that these are not his words but are “The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword”
So this letter to the Church in Pergamum is from Jesus…
Rev 2:12
John is clear to state that these are not his words but are “The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword”
Which is a direct reference to to John’s description of the Glorified Jesus in Rev Chapter 1
In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
Rev 1:16
The picture of a sword coming out of the mouth of Jesus, is a reference to the word of God. We see this in...
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
So the letter to the Church in Pergamum is a letter that is going to divide....
Jesus is going to address what is right and what is wrong in this church!
Before we get into the heart of the letter we need to know a little bit about the city of Pergamum:
Pergamum was an impressive city, built on a hill 1000 feet above the surrounding countryside, somewhat creating a natural fortress.
It rivaled Ephesus as the leading city in the region, it is a very important city in Asia
Pergamum had become the capital of the province of Asia and it really was the center of Asian culture.
When we say Asia, what we really mean is modern day Turkey!
The people of Pergamum, were proud of their links with Rome.
The city of Pergamos had little or no commerce, but was revered for its institutions of learning. It was a city of refinement, and science—especially medicine.
Many kings lived in Pergamos over a period of years.
The library at Pergamos consisted of 200,000 books!
It was in Pergamos that the art of curing skins for writing, was perfected.
Ephesus and Smyrna were evil and wicked cities of idolatry, but Pergamos was even worse.
It was a center for imperial cult worship…
Its temple to the goddess Roma and Augustus was built in 29BC and was the oldest temple in the region
Its temple to the goddess Roma and Augustus was the oldest in the region, having been built in 29 b.c. Moreover, the city boasted an imposing temple to Zeus Savior, with an immense altar, on a plateau 900 feet above the city. Another temple was dedicated to Aesclepius, the god of healing. Both deities were symbolized by a serpent. For John, “that ancient serpent” is Satan (12:9). Through the cult of Aesclepius and through reports of miraculous healings Pergamum became the “Lourdes of Asia Minor” (Lohmeyer), with pilgrims flocking there from near and far. The threat to the church did not come from this popular cult but from the patriotic religion of the emperor worship. Participation in emperor worship was viewed as an expression of political loyalty; rejection of it was synonymous with godlessness and subversion, in the eyes of magistrates and the people. In general, Christians in Domitian’s time were accused of “hatred against the human race,” “atheism,” and of advocating a “mischievous superstition” (cf. Dio, Hist. 67.14; Tacitus, Annals 15.44; Suetonius, Nero 16; Pliny, Epistles10.96). The cry “Away with the atheists” showed the contempt in which Christians were held by the pagan populace (Martyrdom of Polycarp 3.2; 9.2).
Pergamum also had an imposing temple to Zeus Savior, with an huge altar, that sat on a plateau 900 feet above the city.
Another temple was dedicated to Asclepius, the god of healing.
Both Zeus Savior and Asclepius were symbolized by a serpent.
Pergamum became a place of pilgrimage for those who practiced imperial cult worship, it was believed to be a place of healing, there were reports of miraculous healings that were attributed tot he goddess of the city...
Maybe you have seen this before… It is still used as the symbol for medicine and doctors today....
It is the Staff of Asclepius… The flag of the World Health Organization, The emergency services' Star of Life , The US Army Medical Corps Branch Plaque… They all feature the Staff of Asclepius.
Which all has it ties back to these greek God’s
So Pergamum was a city that valued knowledge and education, it valued spirituality, it valued open sexuality… It was a culture not that diffrent than ours...
So Pergamum was city that valued knowledge and education, it valued spirituality, it valued open sexuality… It was a culture not that diffrent than ours...
So when Jesus says “ I know where you live” it is important to recognize that Jesus knows the culture we live in…
He understood the culture of Pergamum and he understands the world we live in today...
“ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Jesus get’s it… It is hard to live in culture that is opposed to everything Jesus stands for!
It doesn’t get much worse than living where Satan’s throne is! Pergamum is an ungodly city!
A city that Killed Christians because of their faith!
BUT the threat to the church did not come from this popular cult…
For John, “that ancient serpent” is Satan (12:9). Through the cult of Aesclepius and through reports of miraculous healings Pergamum became the “Lourdes of Asia Minor” (Lohmeyer), with pilgrims flocking there from near and far. The threat to the church did not come from this popular cult but from the patriotic religion of the emperor worship. Participation in emperor worship was viewed as an expression of political loyalty; rejection of it was synonymous with godlessness and subversion, in the eyes of magistrates and the people. In general, Christians in Domitian’s time were accused of “hatred against the human race,” “atheism,” and of advocating a “mischievous superstition” (cf. Dio, Hist. 67.14; Tacitus, Annals 15.44; Suetonius, Nero 16; Pliny, Epistles10.96). The cry “Away with the atheists” showed the contempt in which Christians were held by the pagan populace (Martyrdom of Polycarp 3.2; 9.2).
Pergamum became a place of pilgrimage for those who practiced imperial cult worship, it was believed to be a place of healing, there were reports of miraculous healings that were attributed tot he goddess of the city...
Maybe you have seen this before… It is still used as the symbol for medicine and doctors today....
It is the Staff of Asclepius… The flag of the World Health Organization, The emergency services' Star of Life , The US Army Medical Corps Branch Plaque… They all feature the Staff of Asclepius.
Which all has it ties back to the greek God’s
So when Jesus says “ I know where you live” it is important to recognize that Jesus knows the culture we live in…
BUT the threat to the church did not come from this popular cult…
It didn’t come from the persecution....
The threat came from wanting to fit into the culture… The biggest threat to the church was Compromise!
The threat came from wanting to be Roman and Christian
Participation in emperor worship was viewed as an expression of political loyalty;
It was seen as patriotic… as a way to support the nation of Rome!
Rejection of emperor worship was seen as godlessness and subversion, in the eyes of the roman rulers and the culture in general,
One historian wrote:
Christians were often accused of “hatred against the human race,” “atheism,” and of advocating for a “mischievous superstition” (cf. Dio, Hist. 67.14; Tacitus, Annals 15.44; Suetonius, Nero 16; Pliny, Epistles10.96).
In the Martyrdom of Polycarp We read that they would cry out “Away with the atheists” as Christians were being lead off to their death… (Martyrdom of Polycarp 3.2; 9.2).
So when this letter was being written... being a christian was seen as being unpatriotic, superstitious, and as rejection of emperor worship…
So in some ways being a Christian in Pergamum you were seen as a flag burner!
Roman was tolerant of other religions... they prided themselves in their tolerance.
They were even tolerant of Judaism, so what was so diffrent about Christianity?
At the time Revelation was written, christianity was the only religion being persecuted in Rome…
Christians were being put to death simply because they were christians…
This happened in Pergamum… Antipus was killed for his faith
WHY? WHY DID THE CULTURE PERSECUTE CHRISTIANITY?
SIMPLE, the followers of Jesus were not quite about their faith...
They felt it was their responsibility, to confront the culture with the Gospel and to convert people to Christianity...
They took seriously:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Even the church in Pergamum… where emperor worship and pagan worship were a huge part of the culture the church persevered under great persecution...
Revelation To Pergamum (2:12–17)
Even though Rome was tolerant of foreign religions, as long as they did not cause social unrest, a unique situation became apparent at the time of the emperor Trajan (about A.D. 111). Christians were executed by Pliny, Trajan’s representative in Pontus and Bithynia, simply because they were Christians.
“ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Even in the face of death the church didn’t deny it’s faith in Jesus...
BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM...
Rev
But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.
SO, what was Jesus getting at here… What is the teaching of Balaam!
Well obviously at had something to do with, eating food sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality (2:14).
The teaching of Balaam was to encourage the eating of foods sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality (2:14). The story of Balaam is found in and 31. Balaam was an Old Testament prophet, a Gentile who knew God. He was called to be a mouthpiece for God but often spoke for the Devil. During the time of Israel’s wilderness wanderings, God’s chosen people defeated the Ammonites, and Moab looked surely to be the next to fall. When Balak the king of Moab received a report that the Israelites were advancing his way, he knew there was no way his army could defeat Israel. In desperation Balak called on Balaam for help. The Moabite king said, “I’ve got an assignment for you. I want you to curse these people. And I’ll make it worth your while.”
The story of Balaam is found in , . If you have never read it take some time this week and read it for yourself!
Balaam is probably best known for his talking donkey, but there is more to the story.
Balaam was an Old Testament prophet,
He was a Gentile who knew God. The word gentile simply means anyone who is not Jewish.
Balaam was called to speak for God, that was what prophets do!
After Isreal had been set free from slavery in Egypt they spent 40 years wandering in the desert…
During the time of Israel’s wilderness wanderings, God’s chosen people defeated the Ammonites, and Moab looked surely to be the next to fall. When Balak the king of Moab received a report that the Israelites were advancing his way, he knew there was no way his army could defeat Israel. In desperation Balak called on Balaam for help. The Moabite king said, “I’ve got an assignment for you. I want you to curse these people. And I’ll make it worth your while.”
During that time they defeated the Ammonites... and after that the King of Moab, a guy named Balak, was afraid Moab would be next.
So Balak the King of the Moabites bribed Balaam for some help...
Basically Balak said, if you curse the Israelites, I will make it worth your while.
And Balaam took him up on his offer…
Yielding to the temptation, Balaam sold his gift. He became a “gun for hire,” a “prophet for profit.” Three separate times he tried to curse the people of God. But each time, only blessings—not cursings—came out. Try as he may Balaam could not curse the people of God. So Balaam became frustrated. He tried to serve God and money at the same time but he discovered that he couldn’t serve two masters (). Under mounting pressure, Balaam devised an ingenious plan. If he couldn’t curse them, his only hope was to get God to do so. So Balaam hatched an insidious plot.
And he tried 3 times to curse Isreal, but his curses actually led to more blessing for Israel...
So when Balaam couldn’t curse Isreal he told the King of Moab how to cause God to remove His blessing from Isreal…
He instructed the Balak to send the most beautiful women from Moab to the Israelite army to seduce the men of Israel.
The “prophet for profit” would teach Balak to put stumbling blocks11 before the sons of Israel. He instructed the corrupt king to place sensuous women before the marching Israelite army. Let these beautiful women tempt and lure God’s people into sin. God would then judge them for their disobedience. Balak did as Balaam suggested, placing enticing Moabite women before the Israelite men. The sons of Israel were no match for this temptation. They wilted under the seductive power and decided to party with these pagan women. Soon they went to church with these heathen women and worshipped their idols. They even brought sacrifices to their pagan gods and ate meat offered to idols in pagan ceremonies. The result was devastating: Israel fell into this terrible sin and God went to war against them. In doing so, He slew 24,000 Israelite men!12
Balaam knew that if the men of Isreal gave into sexual temptation and sinned against God, that God would remove his blessing from them…
Not only did the men cave to temptation but it wasn’t long before they were worshiping the gods of the Moabites…
before the marching Israelite army. Let these beautiful women tempt and lure God’s people into sin. God would then judge them for their disobedience. Balak did as Balaam suggested, placing enticing Moabite women before the Israelite men. The sons of Israel were no match for this temptation. They wilted under the seductive power and decided to party with these pagan women. Soon they went to church with these heathen women and worshipped their idols. They even brought sacrifices to their pagan gods and ate meat offered to idols in pagan ceremonies. The result was devastating: Israel fell into this terrible sin and God went to war against them. In doing so, He slew 24,000 Israelite men!12
They sacrificed to pagan idols and the ate meat that was sacrificed to these false gods...
AND BECAUSE OF THAT GOD SENT A PLAGUE ON ISREAL THAT KILLED 24,000 people....
So what we see in the story of Baalam is that no curse from the outside can destroy God’s people... Jesus said the even the Gates of Hell will not prevail against his church… We don’t have to worry about outside forces… BECAUSE GOD IS WITH US!
God’s people always fall because of compromise.... We always are defeated from the inside-out....
THAT IS WHAT happened in Pergamum…
The church had stood strong through all the persecution that was thrown at them… even watching people they loved being killed for no other reason then loving Jesus didn’t make them turn away from the faith...
What had the ability to destroy the church were Christians who began to teach that comprising with the culture was okay!
There were those in the church who began to teach that you can be a christian on Sunday, and still participate in emperor worship because that is how you show your patriotism.
They began to teach you can go to church on Sunday and eat food sacrificed to Idols… it is no big deal to participate in worship to other gods, if you don’t believe in them…
They began to teach, you can go to church on Sunday and practice sexual immorality… what you do in your bedroom is between you and God… besides everyone is doing it anyway it anyway…
So what happened in Pergamum is that Christians compromised their faith by giving into the culture and they were teaching others to do the same...
The food served at these celebrations was frequently the leftovers of pagan sacrifices. By eating this food the Christians were becoming “sharers in demons” (). Furthermore, involvement in these pagan festivities made it easier to indulge in sexual intercourse with temple priestesses who prostituted themselves for the gods that they served (2:14b). In short, some of the Pergamum Christians had compromised their faith by allowing themselves to mix with pagan practices.
And what is interesting, is that they were comprising the two areas that the Church at the counsel of Jerusalem () agreed together could not be compromised....
In the leaders of the church, Peter, James, John, Paul and many others got together to decide what parts of the Jewish law the gentile church needed to follow...
They talked about stuff like circumcision, temple worship, and the sabbath...
And this is what the decided:
Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.
So the early church wasn’t too worried about worship styles, the day of the week we worshiped, or even stuff like circumcision…
What they were concerned with was false worship and sexual immorality.
AND THESE VERY TWO ISSUES THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM began to compromise on...
Look at the next verse:
So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Revelation To Pergamum (2:12–17)
The followers of Balaam and the Nicolaitans do not appear to be two different groups but one and the same. Just as Balaam misled the Israelites into committing idolatry and fornication, so now the Nicolaitans were misleading some members with their false teaching. They represented the view that the church is society on Sunday, that church and culture can live together harmoniously, that the Christian’s true spiritual self cannot be influenced by
The followers of Balaam and the Nicolaitans are not two different groups but they are one and the same.
Just as Balaam misled the Israelites into committing idolatry and fornication, so now the Nicolaitans were misleading some members with their false teaching.
The Nicolaitans taught that church and culture can live together harmoniously because a Christian’s true spiritual self could not be influenced by carnal things…
In other words they believed that how you live your life on earth has no effect on your faith in Jesus...
They believed that the spiritual self and the physical self or our flesh were completely seperate…
The teachings of the Nicolaitans are alive and well today...
There are more and more christians that see their spirtual life seperate from the physical life…
There are more and more christians who believe living together is okay...
There are more and more christians who have no issue in participating in other religions, especially eastern mysticism...
There are more and more christians who believe using recreation drugs, like alchol and pot are OK...
I hear this all the time… being a christian is not about living my life a certain way… it is about loving Jesus!
While there is a hint of truth in that statement… the statement itself is false...
Jesus said if you love me you will obey my commandments…
The other one I hear is Jesus already paid for our sin… So lets not focus on sin, lets focus on how to have a better life here on earth… In other words they want to goto here a pastor tell them how live like the world and love jesus too!
DON’T MISS HEAR ME, being a Christian is about loving Jesus, we are not saved by works!
Being good or doing good will not save us.... Only Jesus can save us!
BUT… loving Jesus by definition means changing how we live our life...
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
So if we love Jesus we have to do what this Book Says!
AND THE 2 AREA THAT ARE NOT DEBATABLE ARE SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND FALSE WORSHIP!
The church has agreed on this for 2000 years…
AND JESUS CALLS THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM WHO ARE LIVING THIS WAY TO REPENT OR FACE JUDGEMENT
Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
For Pergamum, or any other church that refuses to repent, Jesus says he will war against them!
This is harsh! AND TELLS US SOMETHING ABOUT JESUS!
Jesus doesn’t take compromise lightly!
Jesus doesn’t say, it okay, I already paid for your sin, my grace is enough… so it doesn’t matter how you live.”
He says, “I’m coming to you quickly.”
He doesn’t say, “That’s okay. I’ve got unlimited grace and unending forgiveness, so it doesn’t matter how you live.”
He says, “I’m coming to you quickly.” Jesusisn’t referring to the rapture; He’s referring to a rupture.18 Jesus will rumble with His church! He actually says so! He says, “I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.” The change from “you” to “them” indicates that Jesus will not wage war on all Christians in a church marked by disobedience. Rather, He will severely judge those who are personally involved in tolerating theological or practical compromise (see ).
Jesus isn’t referring to the rapture here; He is not referring to his second coming!
Jesus says I will go to war with my church!
THESES ARE THE WORDS OF JESUS, “I will war against them with the sword of My mouth.”
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.
1cor
The church MUST deal with its sin or else Jesus will come and deal with the church.
The church MUST deal with its sin or else Jesus will come and deal with the church. Either the church will discipline its sinning members or else Jesus will come and make war with His sword. And no church wants to be on the short end of that sword. What a wake-up call! Being tolerant of doctrinal deviations makes the entire church, especially the leadership, as guilty as those who teach and hold to this false doctrine. Idolatry and immorality will not be tolerated in the church. Either the church will deal with the sin, or Jesus will. But it will be dealt with!19
Either the church will discipline its sinning members or else Jesus will come and make war with His sword.
I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want Jesus to wage war against NCCF.
I would rather fight with Satan than with Jesus!
What a wake-up call!
What a wake-up call! Being tolerant of doctrinal deviations makes the entire church, especially the leadership, as guilty as those who teach and hold to this false doctrine. Idolatry and immorality will not be tolerated in the church. Either the church will deal with the sin, or Jesus will. But it will be dealt with!19
As a church we can not tolerate sin, especially sexual sin and false worship.
Either we will deal with our sin, or Jesus will deal with us!
In verse 14 it says that only some of the Christians in Pergamum are practicing these things and teaching others… It wasn’t the whole church that was guilty…
In verse 14 it says that only some of the Christians in Pergamum are practicing these things and teaching others… It wasn’t the whole church that was guilty…
In verse 14 it says that only some of the Christians in Pergamum are practicing these things and teaching others… It wasn’t the whole church that was guilty…
In verse 14 it says that only some of the Christians in Pergamum are practicing these things and teaching others… It wasn’t the whole church that was guilty…
YET the whole church is required to repent for allowing this sin and false teaching to be present in the CHURCH!
Although only some members belong to this heretical group, the whole church is requested to repent for allowing this heresy to be present in their community. Again, the call to repentance is undergirded by a threat of judgment
Notice the war will be against “them” those who are practicing the sin but the effects of the war will be felt on everyone in the church...
This reminds me of a very true reality!
WE ARE NEVER ALONE IN OUR SIN!
Sin has a ripple effect! (PICTURE OF POND).
When a spouse has an affair… does it just affect the person who had the affair… no it effects the other spouse, the kids, friends, the extended family, the church...
Everyone is effected...
That is how sin works… anyone here ever felt like they had to take sides in divorce?
Anyone here ever live with an addict… did it effect your life… our was the addict alone their sin?
AND IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE SIN IS, IT HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT
So as a church when we allow sin, when we compromise, especially in the areas of sexual immorality and false worship....
We endanger the whole church… and the only way to deal with compromise is to repent...
Let’s look at our last verse for today:
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
Rev
Jesus closes with two important blessings to the overcomer.
First, Mana was the bread God provide the Israelites wile they wandered in the desert…
Mana was the bread God provide the Israelites will the wandered in the desert… This ties back to the conflict with the Moab…
In the Old Testament, manna stood for God’s faithfulness to provide and sustain His people.
So the encouragement here is for those churches who refuse to cave to the culture even under persecution God will supply all their needs!
Jesus continues His thought
2:17
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
“A white stone” is perhaps the most difficult to interpret of all the rewards mentioned in chapters 2 and 3 because of the various uses of white stones and because no other passage tells us anything about white stones.
By repeating, “I will give,” there is an emphasis on the grace of the Savior and the second gift is highlighted as distinct from the first. Though rewards are promised for faithfulness they are still a matter of the grace of God, for it is by His grace and strength that we experience the capacity for faithfulness.
of purity, victory, and perfection
So we don’t really know how to interpret this fully, what we do know is the color white in Revelation is the color of purity, victory, and perfection and the name is either a secret name of Jesus or a new name given by Jesus.
“A white stone” is perhaps the most difficult to interpret of all the rewards mentioned in chapters 2 and 3 because of the various uses of white stones and because no other passage tells us anything about white stones.23 It seems best to understand this white stone like a personal gift. The word “stone” (psephos) may be used to designate a precious stone, like a diamond. This idea is supported in this verse by the “white” (leuke), which may mean more than just white and can be equivalent to “splendid, shining,” or even “glistening.”24
I believe it represents a new name… a new name represent a new life and second chance for those who repent and remain faithful
CONCLUSION
I am called “Pastor” by many that know me. Friends call me “Keith.” My children call me “Daddy” or “Dad.” My parents call me “Son.” My brother calls me “Brother.” But Lori has a pet nickname for me that no one else knows. I will not share it with you. It’s reserved for us.
A lot of Christians think that we can live in sin, ignore God’s word, and as long as we claim Jesus, it is all okay and we will still go to Heaven.
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
Jesus promises the overcomer a name like this. The Bridegroom will speak to His bride. He will have a tender name for her that shall not be known by anyone else.27 Whatever rewards await the one who overcomes, I do know this: “things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and whichhave not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him” ().
How we live our lives really matters… we can not practice sin and expect God’s blessing…
We can’t teach people that it is okay to sin and expect Jesus to ignore it...
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Jesus says He will go to war against those who live this way and teach others to do the same:
God hates comprise and He will not tolerate it in our lives or in the church...
Have we blurred the lines between the world and Christianity to the point that no one including ourselves can tell the difference? Are we married more to the world than to Jesus?
So don’t be deceived… God knows our hearts… He knows what we do in private… He knows what we approve of and don’t approve of…
BUT HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS… He knows where we live!
AND IF WE REPENT, IF WE CHANGE OUR MIND AND OUR ACTIONS, HE WILL FORGIVE US AND RESTORE US!
Who has throne of your heart? Whoever sits on the throne of our heart, determines our destiny. Who do you want to determine your destiny, the devil promises nothing but death, while Jesus promises not only life but to have life more abundantly.
So what can we take home with us today?
WHEN WE REPENT HE GIVES US A NEW NAME WRITEN IN STONE… AND WE GET TO START OVER!
SO if there are areas in your life where you have compromised your faith… I want you to know that Jesus will forgive you, He will restore you, and He will give you another chance!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
BUT IF WE REFUSE TO REPENT… JESUS SAYS HE IS COME SOON AND WILL WAR AGAINST US WITH HIS WORD!
Let’ PRAY!
So what can we take home with us today?
The church MUST deal with its sin or else Jesus will come and deal with the church. Either the church will discipline its sinning members or else Jesus will come and make war with His sword. And no church wants to be on the short end of that sword. What a wake-up call! Being tolerant of doctrinal deviations makes the entire church, especially the leadership, as guilty as those who teach and hold to this false doctrine. Idolatry and immorality will not be tolerated in the church. Either the church will deal with the sin, or Jesus will. But it will be dealt with!19
1.) Outside forces will not destroy the church.
In what ways are you involved in compromise: doctrine, finances, marriage, honesty, business, morals? Keep in mind these two truths: first, the most deadly sins do not leap upon us; they creep up on us. Second, give sin an inch and it will take a mile. Compromise can be deadly!
2.) Jesus hates compromise when it comes to sin in the church
3.) We must repent of our sin or go to war with Jesus
Gerhard A. Krodel, Revelation, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1989), 120.
Gerhard A. Krodel, Revelation, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1989), 120.