Seven Churches - 3

Pergamos

Today we look at the message of Jesus to the 3rd church of Revelation 3

We saw Ephesus as the doctrinally correct but devoid of their first love! There was also the beginning of established church practices

Smyrna - the persecuted church - From Rome - the Jews - the Roman church - the reality of their faith was demonstrated by their holding fast even unto death!

Pergamos - Northern most city of the churches in the region of Mysia

Acts 15 Paul chooses Silas In Acts 16 Paul & Silas travel to Derbe & Lystra where he meets Timothy and adds him to the group

Acts 16:4–5 NKJV

And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Acts 16:7–8 NKJV

After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.

It was the residence of a dynasty of Greek princes founded after the time of Alexander the Great, and usually called the Attalic dynasty, from its founder, Attalus. The sumptuousness of the Attalic princes hall raised Pergamos to the rank of the first city in Asia as regards splendor. The city was noted for its vast, library, containing 200,000 volumes. Here were splendid temples of Zeus or Jupiter, Athene, Apollo

There was here collected by the kings of this race a noble library of two hundred thousand volumes, which, after the country was ceded to the Romans, was transported to Egypt for Cleopatra, and added to the library at Alexandria.

Emperor worship along with a move away from Spiritual matters to the deification of education especially in the realm of medicine

During the Byzantine era a bishop ruled there and then in 1336 it was taken by Suleiman, the son of Orkhan, and became Turkish.

The city of Bergamum today is the ancient location filed with many ruins and artifacts from its history. - Bergamum is the Turkish corruption of the original name. Perum is Greek for fortress

Revelation 2:12–17 NKJV

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “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. 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. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. “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.” ’

So appropriate that Jesus refers to it as the “Satan’s Throne”

Satans throne - the world!

Luke 4:5–7 NKJV

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

This was the harsh reality of man’s sin - the world was now under the rulership of Satan! This is the whole reason that Jesus came! To purchase back the title to man with His shed blood

Jesus response:

Luke 4:8 NKJV

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

The church trying to be approved by the world! The legislating of righteousness and practice - holding the people in bondage - Mixing the secular with the sacred

Righteousness cannot be legislated, it must be from the heart - Smyrna

Some in the church were still holding on to the end but many were now abandoning their first love

Hopefully you can see the steady progression from a Christian leaving his or her first love - Then persecuting those who choose to stand strong in an attempt to remove this “religious fanaticism” to developing a system by which they can found found in right-standing with God by keeping a certain set of rules.

This will all come to the culmination and establishment of the state church seated in Rome under Constantine as we will see in the the next church!

Against you - doctrine of Balaam introduction of idolatry and acceptance of Pagan practice with introduction of statues, relics, and pagan feast day celebrations etc.

Smyrna - Church of Rome fighting the Christian community over the pagan celebration of fertility

Around 200 BCE, the mystery cult of the goddess Cybele was popular in Rome and its surrounding areas. Cybele, another goddess of renewal and spring, had a lover named Attis, who was born of a virgin, and died and was reborn every spring. The church at Rome was seeking to incorporate the world into its system of religion.

Worshipping God in unprescribed ways -

John 4:23–24 NKJV

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Spirit & Truth - It isn’t about a ritual service that keeps repeating itself over and over again supported by dead and unscriptural practices!

Worship is a live encounter with the living God! Its the interaction of the worshiper with the worshiped!

The church has been chastised by many for being over emotional in worship - who can blame people for wanting a touch from God! The church had gone through centuries of dead ritual and lifeless statue worship so people are hungry for a genuine encounter with the living God!

Nicolaatians - Priesthood ruling over the laity - Christ came to re-establish the relationship that was lost and restore one-on-one communication with His children!

Hebrews 4:14 NKJV

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 13:15 NKJV

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Judgement

Defense for our belief must be rooted in His word for that is where life and justice are found!

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Revelation 2:17 NKJV

“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.” ’

Hidden manna - understanding of His Word

Whites stone acceptance - Black stone rejection

My friends - Jesus desires to walk with you daily - do you?

Romans 10:9–10 NKJV

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Not not about a system or a denomination!

It is about a actual, transformational encounter with the living God!