Church of Pergamum
Notes
Transcript
Pergamum
Pergamum
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
Angel of the church - Theme of angels continues - referring to the minister of the church. The pastor is being spoken to directly by Christ and is being called out for allowing the church to become worldly, and to accept corruptness and good and right. If the pastor does not lead his people to live spiritual lives, he is allowing them to follow after the pleasures and possessions of the world. And, the preacher is being held responsible for allowing the church to be corrupted.
Pergamum- Chief city of Mysia (eastern Turkey) in Asia Minor, about 20 miles from the sea on the banks of the river Caicus. It sat on a large, conical hill 1000 feet high, and wedged between smaller streams flowing to the Caicus. It was a natural position of strength as it was easily defended. Because of this, it was easily seen as the city of royalty. Noted for its wickedness, Pergamum is being rebuked for dodging the truth and embracing the pagan doctrines of Balaam and Nicolaitanes, it may have been a royal city, but only to the prince of the world. Temples were built there over the years, including the most famous pagan altar built to Zeus which was 90 ft square and 40 ft high. It was an imperial and administrative center of Asia and was one of the first cities to openly support imperial worship (the worship of the state and its leader).
Only mentioned twice in the bible, both in Revelation referring to it as one of the seven churches of Asia whom the book was written for.
Two-edged sword - We must be aware of the one who convicts us, and the Word that divides the true spiritual believer from all others. The thing needed most in a worldly minded church is to be reminded of the Word of God. The ONLY thing that can cut through the most worldly and hardened heart is the sharp Word of God. It will convict and convince the lost of their worldly sins, and cut them off - separating the sinner from their sin.
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.
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.
Even though the city was corrupt, described even as the place where Satan’s throne was located, God knew where the believers hearts were. They were loyal to Christ despite where they were located. The believers still chose and proclaimed Christ.
32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
The church stayed true to doctrine, they had not denied their faith in Christ. The Word of God was being taught and preached every week, regardless of the sin going on around them. True witness.
Even though they were being persecuted (Antipas martyred), they stood fast in their faith. The word “martyr” is translated from Greek root word for “witness”. Our witness means there is a possibility of death as a follower of Christ.
20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
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.
Christ lodges a complaint - the church was guilty of preaching a false doctrine and being full of worldliness.
There had been a mixture of religion and worldliness.
In the instance of the Moabite king who feared Israel, there had been three attempts to curse Israel with no results. But he corrupted them from the inside. It had led to intermarriage with Moabite girls and a worship of their idol gods. They were unequally yoked with the world.
In Pergamos, it appears people who had never repented had been baptised, people of the world were allowed to teach in the church, and a mixed membership of believers and unbelievers had led to an internal conflict between good and evil. Not only that, but there were those in the church who were committing sexual sins, were hosting and participating in drunken parties, and were involved with idolatrous worship.
16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
God’s call to action was to repent - to turn from their wickedness and change their ways.
Deal with the worldly members and lead them to repentance.
Change the practice of accepting anyone into the church because the “profess” Christ, without evidence of repentance.
Discipline those who refused to repent or chose to continue living in sin.
Stop the false sense of hope by baptising unbelievers - there is no such thing as “fire insurance”.
Stop allowing the world to mislead and deceive other believers in the church.
Christ gives a warning to the church that remains worldly. He will come quickly and make war against them. He will punish those who refuse to repent of their sins of this world.
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.’
One who conquers - The overcomers receive a twofold promise.
Given the right to eat the manna - the bread from heaven. “Hidden” manna - is Christ Himself.
32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
The manna of God is not physical bread, but spiritual. God promises to provide for the physical necessities of those who follow Him. Physical bread will leave us hungry, even if we eat until it is gone and we are gorged. The bread God promises is a spiritual bread, feeding the soul. It is the only bread that can permanently feed and meet the needs of mankind.
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
The heavenly bread, Christ Himself, gives life to man by nourishing and sustaining the believer. Satisfying and energizing us, and creating a desire for more. Remember the first temptation of Christ on the mountain after His baptism. Satan tempted God to misuse His power and ability first by appealing to His physical hunger. Remember He had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ ”
Christ’s point was simply this, the person who overcomes worldliness - who stops feeding on the world - will be given food from heaven, will be allowed to eat the eternal bread of heaven, and will have eternal life. The “hidden manna” simply means this - Christ is hidden to worldly people.
White stone with a new name.
Remember the old voting system of placing either black or white balls in a ballot box? If you received too many “black balls”, you were not allowed entrance or membership. But it was the white stones that gave us the right and privilege of entrance. The white stone is the means of being admitted into heaven. On it is written a new name - whose name is written on it? We don’t really know, but think of this, if it is the name of Christ, we have received an invitation from the Lord of Lords, it is a VIP ticket into heaven and into the presence of God.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
In the end, the church of Pergamum had good intentions, it had remained faithful in its worship, but it had allowed the things and ways of the world to infiltrate, causing God to have spiritual heartburn over their actions. Christ called them out, just as He might call churches today out with their indoctrination of the world into their so-called “Worship”.