My message today is a little different from my usual format.
I’d like to explain our passage today by was a story between 2 men. (Turn there).
This story is not in outline form, so you’ll need to follow closely in your notes.
Prayer
Dave was your average sort of guy. He grew up in a middle class family in Sunbury.
He graduated from Shik and then got a job at Weis where he worked his way to manager.
He loved being part of his kids’ sports, eating out, and going to the movies.
He was a volunteer firefighter and member of the Sunbury Revitalization.
Dave was your average sort of guy; Blue jeans, polo shirt, cell phone, HD TV.
Things were going well for him, and he really had no complaints.
Now Dave was also a Christian. A Middle Class Christian, if you like.
Church was important to Dave.
He still attended the church he grew up in, the church he was saved in.
In many ways, his life was like another Dave.
Only this Dave lived in another place, in another time. His real name was Davîd.
Davîd grew up in the city of Pergamum.
•15 miles from Aegean Sea (modern Turkey), it was called the “City on a hill”.
While Sunbury is the county seat, Pergamum was the “state capital”.
The Roman Imperial power was very strong there.
Because of that, the people were granted the right of the sword (right to bear arms).
Pergamum was famous for its many cults & gods.
•Many temples there, including the altar of Zeus (dedicated to Zeus the Savior).
It was also the center of emperor worship.
Pergamum was also famous for its library (200,000 books).
It was the center for paper mfg., and parchment (pergamena) was invented here.
•Which was good for Davîd, because he was a parchment manufacturer.
Pergamum was the city of opportunity and Davîd loved it…
Except when it came to Christianity. Davîd was a “Middle Class” Christian.
He had heard of this new faith some years ago and claimed it as his own.
His faith, like Dave’s, was very important to him.
The pagans at first thought nothing of adding another religion like Christianity.
But when Christianity began to oppose their beliefs, the church began to be persecuted.
What would Davîd do? How would he live?
•How could he stay true to his faith and still live comfortably in Pergamum?
Dave also had a dilemma, although his was more subtle.
It seemed that there were always things interfering with his faith.
Dave’s lifestyle interfered with his faith.
•His spare time was so busy that he wasn’t able to attend any other Church functions.
He loved the action adventure movies and had become so accustomed to the sex and violence and language that he was able to shut it out when he watched (so he thought).
The TV he watched at home wasn’t much better.
And some of the Internet sites he found were anything but “Christian”.
Secondly, Dave’s work ethic interfered with his faith at times.
•His job often kept him away from church on Sundays.
As a manager, he had to be shrewd to make it in this dog eat dog world.
•People occasionally got stepped on for the good of the business.
He never thought twice about sharing his faith there. That talk was reserved for church.
What he didn’t realize was that no one at work would have guessed he was a Christian.
Thirdly, Dave’s philosophy also began to interfere with his faith.
•Without realizing it, he began to accept and even embrace the philosophy of society.
•He began to doubt the Bible’s teaching on the final authority of Scripture, the acceptance of the “alternative lifestyle”, and others.
He didn’t even realize how much he had conformed to society over the years.
•After all, he still was as faithful to Church as he could be. He still tithed regularly.
•And when the subject did come up, he certainly didn’t deny he was a Christian.
In all honesty, Dave never really gave his dilemma much thought.
•Until he heard a message in church about a man named Davîd.
Davîd’s slip into conformity wasn’t a blatant, deliberate choice either.
The more he faced situations of conflict, the more he reasoned with himself.
Without realizing it, Davîd eventually had adopted the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
•The Nicolaitans held to a doctrine of compromise.
•Some of the other believers labeled them Christian Liberals.
Davîd didn’t agree. After all, he was just trying to fit in.
He still believed the Scriptures (at least most of them). He still prayed every day.
He still met regularly with the believers for worship.
•But he began to get together with other believers who agreed with the Nicolaitans.
The more he met with them, the more convinced he was that this philosophy was right.
He was “tolerated” by the other believers and by his pagan peers.
•Maybe he could have the best of both worlds.
Davîd smiled to himself. Life was good – until a messenger came with a letter.
The whole church was called together to hear what the messenger had to say.
Davîd knew this was a very important message. So he listened intently as he began...
12“TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM WRITE: THESE ARE THE WORDS OF HIM WHO HAS THE SHARP, DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.
Davîd knew about swords. He saw them a lot.
He knew that the sword of the Spirit was the Word of God (Eph. 6:17).
And he knew how the Word of God was LIVING AND ACTIVE. SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, IT PENETRATES EVEN TO DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT, JOINTS AND MARROW; IT JUDGES THE THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDES OF THE HEART (Heb. 4:12).
He also knew that swords represented judgment. His interest peaked, he listened further.
13I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE—WHERE SATAN HAS HIS THRONE. Satan’s throne was in Pergamum?!?
He knew Pergamum was against Christianity, but he never thought of it as being Satan’s throne before.
YET YOU REMAIN TRUE TO MY NAME (the messenger read). YOU DID NOT RENOUNCE YOUR FAITH IN ME, EVEN IN THE DAYS OF ANTIPAS, MY FAITHFUL WITNESS, WHO WAS PUT TO DEATH IN YOUR CITY—WHERE SATAN LIVES.
Davîd remembered Antipas, the first martyr. What a tragedy.
•His death was a stark reminder of the persecution that existed there.
The messenger continued…
14NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU: YOU HAVE PEOPLE THERE WHO HOLD TO THE TEACHING OF BALAAM, WHO TAUGHT BALAK TO ENTICE THE ISRAELITES TO SIN BY EATING FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS AND BY COMMITTING SEXUAL IMMORALITY.
Davîd’s heart began to sink. The letter was starting to get personal.
He wasn’t that bad, was he?
•He swallowed hard, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t budge.
15LIKEWISE YOU ALSO HAVE THOSE WHO HOLD TO THE TEACHING OF THE NICOLAITANS.
The messenger glanced up and seemed to look directly at him. His blood froze.
He began to make excuses, at least in his head.
Didn’t Paul say, I HAVE BECOME ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN SO THAT BY ALL POSSIBLE MEANS I MIGHT SAVE SOME (1 Cor. 9:22)?
•And didn’t Paul say in Gal. (5:1) that CHRIST HAS SET US FREE FROM THE LAW?
After all, he still held to the “important” doctrines of Scripture.
Then he tried to justify himself. “How am I supposed to survive in this city?”
•“I don’t want to offend or alienate these pagan unbelievers.”
“Besides, I’m still faithful to my Church. I still tithe. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Even as he gave his defense, he knew it wouldn’t stand up to the Righteous Judge Who sent the letter, the One Who stood with the double-edged sword.
He was forced to admit he had compromised his doctrine, his faith, his Lord.
The lump in his throat now joined the knot in his stomach. The messenger continued.
16REPENT THEREFORE! OTHERWISE, I WILL SOON COME TO YOU AND WILL FIGHT AGAINST THEM WITH THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH.
There was no escaping his guilt. No excuses could justify his behavior.
•He realized he had sold himself out to the very Person Who saved him.
•He had disgraced his Lord. He had given in to the pressure to conform.
•And because of it, God was coming to fight against him!
As if that wasn’t enough, God was rebuking the church for tolerating him and his group.
In God’s eyes, tolerating evil is just as bad as doing it.
The shame was overwhelming. Tears began to form in Davîd’s eyes.
Dave listened intently to every word the pastor was saying.
•For some reason, it was if the pastor was speaking directly to him as well.
•He began to shift in his seat and the room began to grow warm.
“Hold it”, he thought. “I’m not really that bad. I haven’t compromised my faith, have I?”
•“I certainly don’t practice immorality or eat food sacrificed to idols!”
•“And besides, you have to look at the Bible in light of today’s society, don’t you?”
Like Davîd, Dave began to justify himself. “Everybody talks that way nowadays”.
•“Church isn’t like the real world. It’s just the way it is.”
•“You can’t tell me I’m a heathen just because I don’t believe every word of the Bible!”
Try as he might to avoid it, his unbiblical philosophies began to convict him, too.
•He remembered the foul language, the movies, the TV and Internet.
•He remembered all the things that had crowded out his daily walk with the Lord.
•He suddenly realized that all his priorities in life were out of order.
His words were just empty excuses.
The Bible was right, and he was wrong; very wrong.
How could he have slipped so far away from his Lord?
•How could he have been deceived like that? He listened as the Pastor continued.
Davîd stood there speechless. His heart ached.
How could he have slipped so far away from his Lord?
How could he have been deceived like that? How could he have hurt his Lord like that?
That word kept ringing in his ear. “Repent”. “Repent”. The messenger continued…
17HE 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.
Manna had been his ancestors’ sustenance for 40 years in the desert.
•Tradition said that the prophet Jeremiah had hidden the special jar of manna when the temple was destroyed.
Davîd knew that manna is symbolic of eternal life.
•And it was only hidden to unbelievers because those who followed Christ would see it again as a reminder of God’s provision and protection.
The messenger was saying he who overcomes would eat the bread of heaven rather than the food sacrificed to idols. There was still hope. It wasn’t too late for him.
•If he repented and overcame the subtle deception of the enemy, he would receive the hidden manna given by the Bread of Heaven Himself, Jesus Christ.
The tears in his eyes welled up again, but this time in hope and praise of God.
The messenger continued…
I WILL ALSO GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE WITH A NEW NAME WRITTEN ON IT, KNOWN ONLY TO HIM WHO RECEIVES IT.
Davîd knew that white stones were used for a variety of things;
•As a reward for victory in athletic events.
•As a symbol of freedom when a defendant in a trial was acquitted.
•As tickets into festivals and royal events.
Perhaps, if he repented, God would give him a white stone of victory.
•God had already given him a symbolic stone when He declared him “not guilty” of sin.
Maybe, God would give him a white stone as his ticket into the Wedding Feast of the Lamb;
•...a white stone with a new name written on it that identified him with Christ.
•…a new name that demonstrated the close/personal relationship he had with God.
TO HIM WHO OVERCOMES,… I WILL GIVE A WHITE STONE WITH A NEW NAME WRITTEN ON IT,
This white stone was God’s acceptance ticket into glory.
Davîd fell to his knees in repentance and shame.
He didn’t know how long he knelt there. But then he felt a hand on his shoulder.
•He looked up. It was the messenger. And he was smiling.
His words a few minutes ago were as sharp as the double-edged sword he spoke about.
•But now they were full of grace and mercy. IF YOU CONFESS YOUR SINS, GOD IS FAITHFUL AND JUST AND WILL FORGIVE YOUR SINS AND PURIFY YOU FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (1 Jn. 1:9).
Davîd stood up, a new man.
•No longer would he cave in to the pressures of this pagan, immoral, godless society.
•No longer would he compromise his faith for the sake of his own gain.
•No longer would he look in fear at those who opposed him.
He had heard the warning. He had learned his lesson.
•And he had made a conscious choice to follow Christ, no matter what!
Dave knew he had to make a choice, too.
Was he going to ignore this message and continue as he had been doing?
•Or was he going to lay it all before his Lord and repent, knowing that it would probably involve great sacrifice, but be worth the effort?
What choice would he make? That’s where you come in.
•Because Dave’s story could easily be yours or mine.
How often do we compromise our faith by giving into the pressures of the world?
How often do we fill our minds with garbage instead of the Good News?
We know how Davîd’s story ends. But the ending of Dave’s story depends on us.
•We get to write the conclusion, the last chapter.
Are we going to stop filling our minds with garbage?
•Are we going to stop listening to the world and instead listen to the Word?
•Are we going to stop tolerating sin/compromise and instead stand up for our faith?
•Are we going to trust and obey even if we don’t understand or agree?
•Or are we going to just file this message away with all the rest and forget about it?
The Bottom Line: No Compromise.
That MUST be our Christian motto when it comes to obeying God’s Word.
•The choice is yours. The conclusion is yours.
•I pray that you give this story the happy ending it needs and deserves, for your sake and for Christ’s sake.
Prayer/Reflection Hymn 596 I Surrender All
