Pergamum: The Gospel Truth Cannot Be Compromised
Notes
Transcript
Slow fade Illustration- Ask Benji for the Mennonites illustration
Slow fade Illustration- Ask Benji for the Mennonites illustration
People dont typically crumble in a day its a slow fade- I think that is where Pergamum is standing and many churches and people stand today
Pergamum was the capital of the Asia Minor at that time
It was built on a 1000 foot hill and it very name meant citadel
It had a 200,000 volume library- legend says this is were parchment was first created because Egypt stopped sending papyrus after Pergamum tried to lure their famous librarian away from Alexandrie
Pergamum was full of religious activity
-the altar of Zeus- chief of the gods, Athene, Dionysos, Asklepios( savior, god of healing- image of snake is still used as the American Medical Association emblem)
-But above all was it prominence for imperial cult worship
-First city to receive permission to build a temple to a living ruler- One for the “divine Augustus and the divine Rome”- Tacitus
-If there was going to be a place where believers would clash, it would be here
-the proconsul of the city had “the right of the sword” - to execute at will
-As we see from the text Jesus has another message for his church and he is the one who holds the sword of Judgement
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
“ ‘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. 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 also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 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.’
Vs 12-13- Jesus reminds the church that it is Him alone who bears the final sword of judgment
Rev 1:16 shows Jesus with the sword protruding from his mouth but the point being is that Jesus is the only one who can speak words of judgement
Doesnt matter what anyone else says, or what any judiciary decides- they have no sway over the high court of Jesus
His word is final and true- Romes is not
It very easy to be afraid of some one else judgement on us more so than Gods
The longer time goes on- more we will see the worlds judgments will go directly go against Gods
We will have to make decisions as to whether we will cave to man or submit to God
Pergamum has remained steady for the most part- Will you? Will I?
Vs 13- Jesus doesnt pull any punches- I know you live around Satans throne
-the lifestyle, religion, and morality of this place was despicable- Literally Jesus describes it as Satans throne
-Not only is it Satans throne but the end of the verse says he lives their
-The evil that ran through the city was a byproduct of Satanic deception in the Roman Empire and mens wicked hearts
But in the middle of the verse- we have hope
They have been faithful- holding fast to Jesus and and not denying the faith
My mind wants to equate this to Las Vegas- Sin City but I dont think that does it justice
I have never been to Vegas and dont intend to but when you have the title of “Sin City” your reputation proceeds you
-Even though it is bad in Vegas, there is still freedom to worship God- no one is killing the believers like they do Antipas in our text
-Nero brought persecution primarily in the area of Rome, Domitian brought more widespread persecution but mob brutality broke very easily against those who did not go along with Roman rules
-yet the church held fast even when they killed Antipas- possibly the pastor of the church
-We dont know much about him but Tertullian(christian historian- writes of him and a inscription was found in Pergamum concerning Antipas
-Legend has Antipas being slowly roasted inside a brazen bull during Domitian
-Yet they hold fast
-Im going to be transparent- Im not wanting to be the next person in line
-This is the life if the early church and still the life a large majority of the Christian church around the world
-Persecution may look different but it is there and they are holding fast- we need to pray more for them to hold fast and more for us that we wont crash when a feather hits our house
-Pergamum was literally where the enemy lived and they held fast
-Our enemy lives in our backyard as well- He is roaming lion seeking whom he may devour- we must be on guard and persevere in truth to be found faithful
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 also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
So now we enter the critique and condemnation of the Pergamum- they are slipping in truth
-some, not all, are living and following after false teaching- and the church has allowed it
-Jesus uses the example of the Balaam and leading the people of Israel into sin as we see played out in Numbers 25 and recounted in Numbers 31:16 as Balaam advised the Moabite women on how to trick the Israelite men to acting sinfully before God
“Pagan food and Pagan women were powerful tool against the rigitdity of the Mosaic Law”
“Balaam is a prototype of all false teachers who betrayed believers into fatal compromise with worldly ideologies.”
So whatever the teachings of the Nicolatians were- we know that there counsel was one that God hates according to Rev 2:6
And it was one that would perpetually lead to idolatry and sexual immorality
Today we see a slow fade of this in the church
We dont see so blatantly plastered but cleverly lined with societal connections all over the church
From prosperity gospel teachers, to female pastors, to homosexual marriages and now the social justice gospel
Even in SBC we have a few major leaders who continue to push our convention in liberal tendencies that I believe we will see leads to nothing but pain for the SBC and a weakening of the offensive message of the Gospel
We have a problem people- we are sinners- any person who is not going to face up to that cannot have a part of Kingdom because he will never see the need of Savior
When we minimize sin and make excuses for sin- we completely deny the efficacy of the Gospel
The Gospel calls “all” to repent because no one get around Romans 3:23- there is no other option
the great news in Romans 5:8 and that is backed up by
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
I really enjoy listening to podcast now- thanks to Benji- but Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries says this often- We have a book, why dont we preach that?
Many teachings today will be full of moral platitudes, social interest and little Gospel
I heard Sunday from Cole, that Joel Olsteen, waved his bible and said this is Gods word and I believe every bit , but then for the next 30 minutes, he never opened it or quoted any Scripture
Thats not preaching- Im not perfect by no means, and I make mistakes in saying things at times but If i come to time to preach and never open the bible or recite from memory the Scriptures, ask me to leave
We have enough motivational speakers- we need the Word of God
As believers we need to be theologically grounded enough to spot the hook in the false teachings because they lead us to a path of immorality and idolatry
Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
The call to the church is repent
-Not well you just think the way you want and get to God that way and Ill do my way
-God means what he has said and you and I must repent
The only hope for me, you and the church when confronted with sin is to repent
Because the same judge who hold final say over judgement from verse 12 is the same who will judge the fake and false teachers in verse 16
Take the Balaam instance- Num 25:9- God sends a plague on the people for their sin and 24,000 people die
God has his ways
We said yesterday in bible study, Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
God sees, knows, and will judge
This should cause us to reach to wandering church members and seek to restore them from their sin
Their waywardness didn’t start over night anymore than Pergamum started allowing false teachings over night
It was a slow compromise here and there
Ill read the bible tomorrow, but tomorrow slowly and surely slips away
Ill pray tomorrow, but ........
Ill go to church next week, until we have bought into our excuse of Im too busy and Sunday never comes
Once we have distanced ourselves personally from God and coporately from the church- Sin sits at the door just like it did for Cain
It always has, we just have taken down all our defenses
At this time beloved, may we reach to our church members who we do not see or hear from
IF the HS is in them, God may use you to bring them back to the fold
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
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.’
To the persevering eternal life is given
We are left with the manna and white stone
I think it is speaking to the sufficiency and intimacy found in real faith in Jesus not in the false teaching
Manna was given to the feed Gods people- Daily provisions from to take care of his people
For those who hold fast to Jesus- they partake of the bread of life- Sufficient for our souls and lives
The white stone represents real, holy and authentic intimacy with God
Most commentators I have read are divided on why the stone
-I think one probably option is that stone was used as a ticket of admittance at times
Others gods cant promise anything - but for those who trust God admittance to heaven is certain
The new name- I’m not sure what that exactly is but only God and the person will know
It could mean, Heaven is a corporate affair but yet you and I will enjoy an individual joy and relationship with God that no one else can describe
Beloved, hold fast and persevere because God wins and He is coming again.