BIDDULPH AOG Pm Thursday, 9TH Feb. 2006

Place: Biddulph AOG.           Date: Pm Thursday, 9TH Feb. 2006.

Text: Revelation 1:20.            Theme: The 7 Churches of Revelation.

Introduction:                          Reading: Revelation 2:1-3:22.

          “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”

          In the book of Revelation, we step into a strange and unfamiliar world. There are angels and demons, lambs and lions, horses and dragons. Seals are broken, trumpets are blown, and bowls are poured out. The result is that some consider its pages hard to study, I wonder why?

          BUT, this should not be, for the book of Revelation a part of the divine Word of God. The book claims a special blessing for both readers and hearers, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” chapter 1:3. No other book in the bible proclaims that blessing for those that study its chapters.

1ST POINT: THE REVELATION.

A. WHOSE IS IT?

          “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants … And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John” chapter 1:1.

          The New Testament word for “revelation” is to “uncover” or “to take away the veil” or “to bring from hiding.” This book does not try to cover up or hide the message of God but rather to reveal it, to uncover it. I do not understand all that there is in the growing of flowers, yet I enjoy the beauty of gardens. I may not understand all that there is in the book of Revelation, yet I need to read it.

B. WHAT IS IT?

          The message of this book is a revelation of “things which must shortly take place” chapter 1:1.

          It had a message for the day it was written, and it has a message for today. It is therefore important to us. Much is being written today about the church or by the church. BUT, what does Christ Jesus say about the churches?

          For He is the Founder, the Head, the Chief Cornerstone. Note that Christ Jesus was in the midst of the candlestick, which means He had walked in the midst of theses churches, so He knew all about them. He has walked in the midst of us also.

2ND POINT: THE CHURCHES.

A. THE CHURCHES AT THAT TIME.

          The churches in the first Christians century were greatly oppressed. The persecution that began under Caesar Nero had grown steadily worse until the whole Christian movement was threatened with death. Could the church survive?

          Yet they grew strong, because if you would face death because of your faith, you would become more faithful to Christ or walk away from God.

          Nothing before had been able to defy the might of the Roman Empire. But, this was not the only peril. The churches were also hampered by the threat of doctrinal error and worldly living.

B. THE CHURCH TODAY.

          The churches today face many of the same perils. In scattered places of the world there is open hostility to Christian missions and persecution of believers. Maybe we need a bit more persecution ourselves, to make us stronger in the Lord.

3RD POINT: THE CHRIST.

          John saw Christ among the churches.

1.     In Ephesus, He saw a church that had left its first love, a backslidden church.

2.     In Smyrna, He saw a church, in the midst of tribulation.

3.     In Paramus, He saw a church that was faithful to His name.

4.     In Thyatira, He saw a worldly church.

5.     In Sardis, He saw a dead church.

6.     In Philadelphia, He saw a church that had a great opportunity for missions.

7.     In Laodicia, He saw a church that was lukewarm.

CONCLUSION:

          I wonder that the risen Christ sees as He walks in this church? I am sure He knows all about us.

3RD CHURCH: PERGAMOS, REVELATION 2:14.

THE COMPROMISING CHURCH.

“You have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam.”

Revelation 2:12-17.

12. “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

“These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:

13. I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

14. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

15. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

16. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

17. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

          Pergamos (pur-ga-mos) was filled with many temples, and many altars to false good, the patron god of Pergamos was (Ask-ele-pios) “the serpent.” The name often given to the devil. Plus the temple of Caesar Augustus of Rome was there, for it was a time of Emperor Worship also. And it was commanded of all to worship the emperor of Roman rule.

          Yet in the midst of this centre of paganism, a small band of Christian lived and witnessed. We may think that we have “hard areas” to witnesses in, but what of the early church living in a pagan world?

1ST POINT: SATAN’S SEAT, REVELATION 2:13.

“I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is … where Satan dwells.”

“I know where you live.” Christ knows all about His churches. He knows what they are doing and where they are living. He knows the pastor, the elders, the deacons, and the membership. He knows our works and lack of them. For Christ walks among the churches.

The church of Pergamos lived next door to Satan’s seat. Quite an address for a church! I have seen churches next to public houses, but never a church next to Satan’s seat. Yet, this church was located on temple row, a wild worship area of many cults and pagan worship, with every pagan temple around it.

It was a true “light” in a place of great darkness. There stood one of the first A.O.G. Pentecostal-Apostolic Church of Pergamos. Yet it stood, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2ND POINT: COMMENDATIONS, REVELATION 2:13.

1. “I know your works, and where you dwell … and you hold fast to My name.”

          The church that lives where Satan’s seat is ought to be true to Christ’s name. For Christianity is a religion of the person of Jesus Christ. It is not so much a truth as it is “the truth,” that is, CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. For to be a Christian is to experience Christ as Lord.

2. “And did not deny My faith.”

          Here the church members had been put to the test for their faith in Christ Jesus, some of them even to the point of death. Yet through all this terrible testing, the believers had remained true to the faith.

3RD POINT: CONDEMNATION, REVELATION 2:14.

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”

The devil has TWO ways to defeat the Christian:

1. One is with the frown.

He attempts to destroy by affliction and persecution. This is what he tried against the church at Smyrna.

2. The second method is the smile.

          A subtle yielding to worldliness and sin. He tried to cause defeat by compromise with the church at Pergamos.

          Compromise is one of Satan’s best weapons against the church today. For God cannot bless a compromising church. For the Lord calls us to be “set apart” or “dedicated” or “holy.” The difference is not one of physical separation from the world.

“For we are to be in the world, but not of the world.” Have we defiled our separation? Have the cares of the world choked out the fruit of the Spirit?

4TH POINT: COMMAND, REVELATION 2:16.

“Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.”

Jesus’ command is for the worldly, compromising church to repent. Repentance means to change, to turn about, and to walk the other way. I say again, if these words make you guilty, you have been caught in sin, but that is not repentance, till you turn away from it and walk another way.

A church needs to hear and heed the command to repent, just as much as does the sinner needs to hear and heed the warnings of God. A church must never compromise its message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the CROSS or grace.

This was a church that held fast to Christ’s name and did not deny the faith. BUT, there was a danger that worldly compromise in the membership would bring about the defeat of their testimony. And the danger is ever present today.

CONCLUSION:

          There is evidence that this message of Christ to His Church was received. Soon after the Book of Revelation was written. Polycarp became pastor of the church of Pergamos. In A.D. 167 a cruel persecution broke out against the Christians in Asia.

          For a time Polycarp was safe. Later he hid in a cave but was caught. Polycarp was told to worship Caesar, but did not and was put to death, yet said before his death, “Eighty and six years have I served Christ. How can I deny Him now?”

          Do not compromise your faith!