Revelation 2:12-17
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 68 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Please take your Bibles and turn to .
Compromise is a good thing some times. Such as the other night we where going out to eat. My kids wanted chicken, Ginnie wanted breakfast so we went to IHOP. Where Sammy J got chicken and waffles
However as we will see today not all compromise is good. We will also see that when some go astray in the church, the church and the pastor have given by Jesus the respnsiblity to help restore the individual
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
As we have seen the past two weeks and we will see each week until we finish this series of looking at the churches of Revelation Jesus is writing another letter. As in all the others Jesus addresses this letter to the pastor.
The reason Jesus address these letters to the pastor is because at the end of the day the pastor is the undershepherd appointed by God to lead the sheep.
For it is not the congregation or the deacons that the Bible tells us will be held to strickter judgement.
It is the pastor responsbility, duty, and call to lead the church.
For it is not the congregation or the deacons that the Bible tells us will be held to strickter judgement.
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Jesus is writing his letter to the pastor of the church of Pergamum (per-ga-mum)
Jesus is writing his letter to the church of Pergamum (per-ga-mum)
Jesus is writing his letter to the church of Pergamum (per-ga-mum0
Pergamum (per-ga-mum) is about 20 miles inland of Smyrna.
This city was called the greatest city in Asia Minor
They where one of the first cities to dedicate a temple to Caesar.
And some in the church will go this temple and bow down to Caesar and Give in to the Roman empire.
This church is located in a wealthy city, but it also located in a wicked city.
Pergamum (per-ga-mum) like Smyrna was adverse to the gospel and a Christian world view.
This city like Smyrna was adverse to the gospel and a Christian world view.
This city like Smyrna was adverse to the gospel and a Christian world view.
Pergamum (per-ga-mum) means throughly married. However, the church here is not Throughly married to Christ. They where also married to Rome and Caesar.
Jesus address himself this time as Him who has the two-edged sword.
The symbol for the Roman proconsul was the sword.
Jesus is saying to this church they better fear his sword more than Romes.
Jesus saying is pointing toward the sword of salvation as well as death.
Jesus saying is pointing toward the sword of salvation as well as death.
He alone is Judge.
12 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.
15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
Revelation
Jesus is our Warrior King and he will use his sword.
Revlation 19:21
13 “ ‘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 tells the pastor. I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.
As we have seen in the previous weeks. God knows every little thing about his bride the Church.
As we have seen in the previous weeks. God knows every little thing about his bride the Church.
We have seen in the case of the Ephesus and we will see in the coming weeks. That Jesus knows the workings of the church.
Last week we saw that Jesus knows the suffering of the church when it goes through hard times.
Last week we saw that Jesus knows the suffering of the church when it goes through hard times.
This week Jesus says to the bride of the church. I know where you dwell. where Satan’s throne is.
Jesus knows every detail about his bride.
Jesus knows our strengths, he knows our weaknesses. There is nothing that can escape Jesus attention.
Like last week this church is located in a hostile place to the gospel. Jesus says I know your church is located where Satan’s throne is.
Like last week this church is located in a hostile place to the gospel. Jesus says I know your church is located where Satan’s throne is.
Even though this church was in a ruff city, where Satan dwelt. Notice that Jesus still expects his bride the church to be faithful to Him, His Word and his mission.
Jesus says Yet you hold fast my name and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas (Anti-pas) my faithful witness who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Here is the pastor of the church, he was in an adverse place to the gospel and remained a faithful witness even unto death.
I thought about offering a crying room like they have on some universities when you can’t bear it any more.
Here is the pastor of the church, he was in a adverse place to the gospel and remained a faithful witness even unto death. Because they killed him and his mission.
Jesus encourages and praises this church because they had remained faithful in light of persecution. They had not abaonded proclaiming his name even though they had witnessed, a Christ follower be killed because of his witness.
Jesus encourages this church because they had remained faithful in light of persecution. They had not abaonded proclaiming his name even though they had witnessed, a Christ follower be killed because of his witness.
I know we live in a tuff society to share the gospel. But the last time I checked none of us have been killed because we shared the gospel
This pastor was killed for preaching Jesus, death burial, and resurrection. He was killed because he had declared we are all sinners and in need of a savior. He had been killed because he had spoke out about compromising the gospel to be in bed with Rome.
There again Jesus mentions Satan dwelling there.
It is not like Jesus mentioned that a demon lived their or hung around. In this passage in the first two verses it has been mention twice that Satan dwells their.
Satan is not omnipresent. He can’t be every where at once. At this point and time he was located in this city.
Which tells me no matter how difficult the situation, Jesus expects us to be faithful to Him.
No matter the oposition you face. Jesus expects you to be faithful to Him.
Sounds like Jesus is encouraging this church. How strong a church or Christ follower you have to be to be faithful in the place that Satan dwells.
Then we come to verse 14- 15 and Jesus is going to list two things that he has agains this church.
Many would say shouldn’t they get a free pass. I mean this church is on the front lines, where satan lives. It is not like this church is in the Bible belt, where their is a church on every street corner
14 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.
15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
14 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.
15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Jesus had something against this church.
They where willing to compromise for the sake of peace when it came to the Word of God.
First, there where some members who held to the teaching of Balaam.
First, there where some members who held to the teaching of Balaam.
You can read the story of Balaam and King Balak in Numbers 22-25
Balaam who was a true prophet who prostatued his gift to please the king as warren wiersbe says.
The King hired Balaam to curse the people of Isreal, but God prevented him from doing that.
King Balak then made friends with the people of Isreal and invited them to feast at their pagon alters
The Jewish men joined King Balak had idoltrus food and practiced fornication by sleeping with non-beleiving women. Maybe even temple prostatues.
Because of this 24,000 died.
Jesus reminds them of King Balack and Balaam and says the church has compormised because some of its members have bowed down and worshipped Caesar and gone to his temple. Some of the church members had bought into the Roman Culture.
Numbers 25:1-9
He lead King Balak to lead the children of Isreal to marry with women who didn’t believe in the one true God. He had also lead them to worship Idols.
In this church they had put more importance on being a good citizen rather than hold to the word and follow Jesus.
How did this apply to this church, because their where some in the congregation that said their is nothing wrong with us being friendly with Rome and adopting some of its pracitices.
Dr. Danny Akin says: “To not line up enthusiatically with the preeminence and poltics of the state was to fail to be a good citizen.”
In this church they had put more importance on being a good citizen rather than hold to the word and follow Jesus.
If this is not a shot across the bow for the church in the West and in America. Where it seems many are all to quick to want to compromise with our culture even if that means going against the word of God and standing for princpals the word of God clearly stands for.
Many in our day put more importance on staying in line with a politcial party than saying something when the party goes against the word.
Jesus has against this church they where not faithful to his word, Jesus has it against this church that they didn’t stand with Him. Jesus has it against this church because they where not willing to practice church discipline.
Instead they allowed those who had went against his word to still be apart of the church without repentence.
If this is in a shot across the bow for the church in the West and in America. Where it seems many are all to quick to want to compromise with our culture even if that means going against the word of God.
Churches have taken the sin of sexual immorality and excused it away.
Wheather that be homosexuality where some denominations have said that as long as you are committed to one person that is ok.
But it is not just your more libreal theologians. Many in conservatives church look the other way as well. When one of its member cohabitates with another, or has an affair. They excuse it or worse pretend it does not go on. And these people in sin still are members in good standing that partake from the holy Communion.
Churches have compromised in other areas as well where it is hard to tell where the world ends and the church begins.
Many Christians have especially in the Bible belt have been willing to give up Gods commands and the high road for political gain.
This is what the church in pergamum (per-ga-mum) did. They where willing to give up the word to follow Caesar.
Dr. Danny Akin says Ultimately we must remind ourselves again and again that our hope is in Calvary hill not Capital Hill.
If we get more tearied eyed over America The Beautiful, than Calvary and Amazing Grace we may have an idol problem.
Dr. Danny Akin says again their is nothing wrong with loving America. Don’t feel guilty for that. However, there is everything wrong with worshipping her.
We can’t compromise here.
Second, you had a second group hold to teaching of the Nicolations, which was very close to if not identical to the teaching of Balaam.
These false teaching lead to stumbling blocks for some, because they eat food sacrificed to idols and the practiced sexual immorality.
Second, you had a second group hold to teaching of the Nicolations, which was very close to if not identical to the teaching of Balaam.
The church of Ephesus hated their teaching and so did Jesus according to his letter to them.
Jesus demands of his bride complete faithfullness to Him and His word.
Revelation 2:16
16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Jesus calls this church to repent. To turn from the false teaching that some had bought into. To repent and do whatever it took to remove the false teaching.
Jesus Christ would come quickly.
If not Jesus Christ would wage war on these people with the sword of his mouth quickly
What a sad picture. Christ waging war on his bride the Chruch which he came to die for because they rejected him and his word. To have an adulturous affair with the world.
At creation what ever God spoke came into being. If God can speak and flowers and sky come into being. Then certainly he can speak and you and I no longer exist.
Jesus is saying here that he will come and bring judgment on those who don’t repent.
This is not referring to the end time judgement. God is saying that he will bring judgement to this church for not following His word.
When a church, a group of people, or a person does not follow Christ and then will not repent, you can bet God will bring judgement.
This judgement is not meant to say that Christ does not love us. It is a judgement to show us how much he does love us.
Jesus will go to great lengths to get people attention so that they will return to Him and following his word.
We must understand that God expects us to repent when we have sinned. Repenting is more than a one time prayer you prayed to recieve Christ. Repentence is a lifestyle and expected when following Christ.
When I sin I am remorseful of it because the spirit convicts me so I tell God I am sorry and let the spirit lead me in a new direction.
Notice also that Jesus was not going to put up with this for long. It says in the passage that he would be coming soon.
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.’
Jesus then calls this church to hear what the Spirt was saying to it, just as we should here what the spirit is saying to us.
There are two things we should walk away from this passage with this morning.
First, God expects us to be faithful witnesses in our community no matter how hard it is.
Verse 13 shows us this. There was a faithful witness who was killed, because he was a witness where Satan dwellt.
So God does expect us to be a faithful witness in our work place no matter the company policy. God does expect us to be a faithful witness in our school system. God does expect to be a faithful witness no matter our circumstances.
I am sure this guy in verse 13 was not killed just because he lived a good life. This idea of being a faithful witness meant he also had to testify to who and what God had done. It is clear from the passage God expects you and I to be a faithful witness with our actions and words no matter the enviroment.
Second, God expects us to be faithful to Him and His word.
In passage some in the church and taken liberty with scripture and used it as a license and God expected the church to deal with this problem.
God expected the pastor and leaders to call them to repent and if they didn’t God would expect them to remove them from the fellowship.
God expects us at Tar Heel Baptist to be faithful to HIm and His word and to practice Church discipline and remove those who don’t hold to the word of God and are not will to repent and be restored.
Jesus finishes addressing this letter to the church of Pergamum by saying to the one who is faithful to the one who conquers I will give manna. I will fill you up Jesus is saying.
They had been feasting on food for idols that would never fill them up. Jesus says if you repent I will give you heavnly food. I will give you manna. I will fill you up. I will give you the nourishment you need.
Jesus is the only thing that can fill us up.
So today I invite you if you have not been faithful to God and his word. Repent and Jesus will restore you and fill you with Heavnaly manna.
All the other things we chase after will always leave us wanting more. Jesus is the answer to what you have been looking for.
And I will give you a new name written in stone. Meaning it can’t be taken away. It can’t be whited out.
The new name written will be the name of Jesus which we will figuraltily take on so that we can be seen as clean before a Holy God.