Series: Revelation
Thesis: We need to receive a fresh revelation of Jesus Christ daily because it makes the difference whether you will decide to die for Christ daily.
Thesis for Series: We need to get Rev’d Up for Jesus’ Second Coming as we look at what is happening to our society and world. Many are saying the time is near and Revelation tells us to be ready at a moment’s notice. So, let’s get Rev’d up and be ready to meet Jesus!
Scripture Text: Revelation 12:11: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
Illustration:
Polycarp was born about A.D. 70, and he knew eyewitnesses of Jesus, possibly including the apostle John. Before 110 Polycarp was named bishop of Smyrna, and throughout his life he stood for orthodoxy. At a pagan festival c. 156 (though possibly later), Polycarp was arrested at the demands of an angry mob. This account was written by Christians in Smyrna shortly there after and is the earliest extant account of a Christian martyr outside of the New Testament.
All the crowd, astonished at the noble conduct of the God-beloved and God-fearing race of Christians, cried out, “Away with the atheists; let search be made for Polycarp.” But the most admirable Polycarp, when first he heard of this, was not dismayed but wished to remain in the city. The majority, however, prevailed on him to withdraw. And he withdrew to a small estate not far from the city. There he passed the time with a few companions, wholly occupied night and day in prayer for all men and for the churches throughout the world; as, indeed, was his habit. And while at prayer he fell into a trance three days before his arrest and saw his pillow set on fire. And he turned and said to his companions, “I must needs be burned alive.” [By torturing one of Polycarp’s servants, the authorities discover his whereabouts. So, on the day of the preparation, mounted police … found him in a cottage, lying in an upper room. He could have gone away to another farm, but he would not, saying “The will of God be done.” So, hearing their arrival, he came down and talked with them, while all that were present marveled at his age and constancy, and that there was so much ado about the arrest of such an old man. Then he ordered that something should be served for them to eat and drink, at that late hour, as much as they wanted. And he besought them that they should grant him an hour that he might pray freely. They gave him leave, and he stood and prayed, being so filled with the grace of God that for two hours he could not hold his peace, while they that heard were amazed, and the men repented that they had come after so venerable an old man. Now, as he was entering the stadium, there came to Polycarp a voice from heaven, “Be strong, Polycarp, and play the man.” And no one saw the speaker, but the voice was heard by those of our people who were there. Thereupon he was led forth, and great was the uproar of them that heard that Polycarp had been seized. Accordingly, he was led before the proconsul, who asked him if he were the man himself. And when he confessed, the proconsul tried to persuade him, saying, “Have respect to shine age,” and so forth, according to their customary form: “Swear by the genius of Caesar,” “Repent,” “Say ‘Away with the atheists!’ ” Then Polycarp looked with a severe countenance on the mob of lawless heathen in the stadium, and he waved his hand at them, and looking up to heaven he groaned and said, “Away with the atheists.” But the proconsul urged him and said, “Swear, and I will release thee; curse the Christ.” And Polycarp said, “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he hath done me no wrong; how then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?” Then said the proconsul, “I have wild beasts; if thou repent not, I will throw thee to them.” But he said, “Send for them. For repentance from better to worse is not a change permitted to us; but to change from cruelty to righteousness is a noble thing.” Then said the proconsul again, “If thou cost despise the wild beasts, I will make thee to be consumed by fire, if thou repent not.” And Polycarp answered, “Thou threatenest the fire that burns for an hour and in a little while is quenched; for thou knowest not of the fire of the judgement to come, and the fire of the eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why delayest thou? Bring what thou wilt.” As he spake these words and many more, he was filled with courage and joy; and his countenance was full of grace, so that not only did it fall not in dismay at what was being said to him, but on the contrary the proconsul was astonished and sent his herald to proclaim thrice in the midst of the stadium, “Polycarp hath confessed himself to be a Christian.” When this was proclaimed by the herald the whole multitude of Gentiles and Jews who dwelt in Smyma cried out with ungovernable rage and in a loud voice, “This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods, that teacheth many not to sacrifice nor worship.” They kept shouting this, asking Philip, the Asiarch, to loose a lion at Polycarp. But he said that it was not lawful for him, since he had finished the sports. Then they decided to shout with one accord that he should be burned alive. For the matter of his vision of the pillow must needs be fulfilled, when he saw it burning while he was at prayer, and turned and said prophetically to his companions, “I must needs be burned alive.”And now things happened with such speed, in less time than it takes to tell; for the mob straightway brought together timber and faggots from the workshops and baths, the Jews giving themselves zealously to the work, as they were like to do.… They were about to nail him to the stake, when he said, “Let me be as I am. He that granted me to endure the fire will grant me also to remain at the pyre unmoved, without being secured with nails.”So at length the lawless ones, seeing that his body could not be consumed by the fire, bade an executioner approach him to drive in a dagger. And when he had done this there came out [a dove and] abundance of blood so that it quenched the fire, and all the multitude marveled at the great difference between the unbelievers and the elect” (Christian History, Issue 27).
Wow he stood for God and did not back down on who is Lord – but he paid with his life but he had seen and experienced Jesus and He knew this was the right thing to do! Maybe he had recalled the message to His Church Smyrna from Jesus in Revelation and recalled what Jesus said in Revelation 14:13.
Text: Rev. 14:13 "Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
"There are Heavenly blessing for those who die in the Lord for Jesus Christ first it is eternal rest and second their deeds will follow them to Heaven."
Sermon 3: Rev’d Up part 3:
Thesis: We read in the annuals of church history and in the Bible of people of faith who gave up their lives for the cause and message of Jesus Christ – they upheld his name even in the face of death. When Jesus appears to John and sends 7 messages to His churches He is telling them that He knows and sees their current situations. He sees the good and the bad and leaves instructions to each one to follow.
Introduction:
Question: How could someone give up their life? Could you or would you? I ask the Lord what was inside these men and women of faith’s heart, soul and mind to give them the courage to do this?
Answer: The how is that they had a revelation of who Jesus Christ was, is, and will be personally - intimately.
This revelation was not a religion. It was not a tradition, it was not a mere knowing about God or even having head knowledge of Jesus. No, it was an intimate relationship with Christ that had changed their life. It was a life that had been transformed by Jesus and continued to impact their lives daily. It’s saw Jesus Christ as a God who was there for them 24-7. The truth is when you can see Jesus in spite of the difficulties of life then you can do all things through Jesus Christ - even die for Him – yes even do the ultimate sacrifice of giving up your life for him.
Question: Would you or could you give your life for the cause of Jesus?
Once again, it’s important to remind you that Revelation is an unveiling of Jesus Christ to all His servants who are suffering for The Kingdom of Heaven. The book and it’s unveiling of Jesus is delivered to John in a supernatural way – to show who is in control – not Domitian or the Roman Empire – John is imprisoned on the Island of Patmos and Jesus shows up. How cool is that?
Here is an important point about Revelation ---are you listening -- it is Jesus Christ’s personal vision of Himself to His people back then, and to us today. It is for all the servants of Jesus from past, to today and even into the future.
Last week we discussed the message to the church of Ephesus who were so busy doing good works for the Kingdom they had in the process forsaken their first love.
This is a Key point to this message! When you get so busy doing stuff and forget your relationship with Jesus Christ, you have forsaken your first love and sinned. Some of you disagree with this truth but it comes from Jesus Himself!
Challenge: “The do” --- I challenged you this week to have to have a date with Jesus this week. I pray you are not too busy to do this!
I want to highlight to you that there are various ways these messages have been interpreted. Here are some of the theories on how to look at the messages to the 7 Churches in the book of Revelation. I gathered these from the book Revelation 4 Views by Steve Gregg pages 62-63.
1. Preterists schools, Spiritual schools and Futurist schools for the most part understand these letters to be addressed to the actual churches of the time frame – even though there were more than 7 churches the number 7 would be interpreted to represent the church as a complete whole.
2. However, the Historicist schools and even some of the Futurist schools (many dispensationalists but not all) have drawn attention to certain parallels between these individual messages to these churches and the church through historical periods of time. So, to them these messages have dual meanings to the current church of the day and a description of the type of churches which will develop through a historical period of time which eventually leads to Christ’s return:
a. Ephesus is said to describe the church during the apostolic age until about 100 AD.
b. Smyrna is said to be likened to the church from about 100 until 313AD – the persecuted church which suffered persecution under several Roman Emperors.
c. Pergamos is said to look like the church age of 313-500AD. When the church started compromising Biblical truth for the sake of tolerance.
d. Thyatira is seen as the papal church until the Reformation 500-1500AD.
e. Sardis is likened to the church of the Reformation 1500-1700AD.
f. Philadelphia is regarded as the age of the church which had a resurgence of missionary activity getting the Message of the Gospel spread throughout the world from 1700-1990. (I changed his thought and time frame here that this goes to the current day church – I disagree here with his time frame for US church – I believe we are in the lukewarm state of the church as a whole today in the western world).
g. Laodicean church which is called by Jesus as lukewarm parallels the current day church in western world (my view) we are filled with liberal churches, empathetic churches and apathy to the things of God’s Word which I see started occurring in around1990 and has accelerated to the present day.
T.S. Let’s look at our second church addressed by Jesus in revelation Chapter 2.
I. The Church in Smyrna Rev. 2:8-11:
a. The persecuted Church!
i. Domitian’s persecution is in full swing. As I shared from my previous messages. Christians are dying throughout the Roman Empire.
ii. The city was one of the major centers of emperor worship. The emperor’s temple had been erected in 26AD during the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Since the time of Christ many Christians were put to the test annually in claiming who was Lord. The Romans would charge others to say, "Caesar is Lord!" those who denied and said, "Jesus is Lord" would face severe persecution from the Romans.
1. The persecution they would face would be any one of the following: Fines, loss of Roman Citizenship and it's rights, loss of property owned, loss of business owned, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, mental abuse, reputations destroyed, lies generated about them, hate crimes committed against them, families split apart, children taken away, people abandoned by friends and family, imprisonment, stoning, whippings, beatings, bodily injury, and for some even death.
2. The persecution did not just come from the Romans it also came from the Jews. There was a large community of Jews living within the city. These Jews were outright hostile to the Christians in the city. They were involved in lying about Christians and encouraging the Romans to deal with them as cannibals, atheists, and immoral.
a. It's interesting to note that the name Smyrna means "Myrrh." It is a very fitting name for this church because myrrh is a perfume, whose aroma is released by crushing it.
b. The blessing we read and spoken of in Rev.14 would mean a whole lot to this persecuted church. This church was suffering severe persecution and a revelation from God's word would help them to persevere.
b. Historical background: Smyrna was a beautiful city located on the coast about 40 miles north of Ephesus. It was one of the most prosperous cities in Asia next to Ephesus. With typical Chamber of Commerce humility the city fathers called it "the pride of Asia."
i. There was a hill named the Pagos which was located at the back of the city. On the crest of this hill were a number of pagan temples, forming a circle. The crest with all its temples resembled a crown when looking at it from a distance. The city received the name "the crown of Asia" as a result of its prosperity and its temple on the crest of the hill.
ii. The city paralleled the description of Ephesus I shared in last weeks message. Paul and His crew would have seen a very similar scenario as they entered into Smyrna as they did in Ephesus. Paul is believed to have started the church in this city when he traveled to this area in Acts 19:10.
c. Smyrna receives a message of understanding from Jesus "I KNOW YOUR PAIN", a message of encouragement (YOU ARE RICH!), and a message of hope "BE FAITHFUL ... AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF LIFE."
i. Rev. 2:8-11: "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty-yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.”
ii. Jesus understands and knows all about persecution.
1. This church was being crushed with persecution and it had to be a spiritual adrenaline rush to receive a personal message from Jesus Christ.
a. Question: Would it not be a rush for you – a Rev’d up moment in time?
2. It is vitally important to have someone who understands what we are going through -- this is why support groups are helpful in facilitating healing. People can help each other persevere and make it when others empathize and understand.
3. Share about what happened to a senior pastor when he took my Agape group. He did not understand because he never faced what they were facing.
a. I am absolutely convinced that we in America do not even know what real persecution is. We have no understanding of what these Christians were going through. It's hard for people to truly understand persecution unless you have been through it.
i. It's hard for many of us to empathize with the Jews who went through the Holocast. I watched the movie Shindlers List and was deeply moved and hurt by what I saw. But to live through it is another story.
1. I cannot feel what they felt!
iii. Jesus starts off His message of hope to this church by reminding them that He is the first and last. He will out live the Roman Empire and all the Jews. He will have the last word. His kingdom will be the only one standing in the end.
1. This is a fact not wish!
2. He also states a fact they and us need to never forget "These are the words of him...who died and came to life again."
a. He is the only one who can make this statement of FACT. He died and rose again. He holds the keys of death and Hades. He is not a dead Jesus but an alive Jesus who vanquished, destroyed, overcame, dismantled death. He beat it and he controls it. Believe in the one who defeated death and you will live to see Him and see victory.
3. He is the one that defeated death with it’s own weapon the cross. He controls death now and his sacrifice made it all possible.
a. Remember the promise to Abraham about having faith in God. Romans 4:17 "As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."
4. He gives life to the dead!
a. Not money, not fame, not power, not Satan, not evil powers, not Buddha, not Mohammed, not Confuscious, not Shirley Mclaine, not governments, not Caesar, not any other force in this universe.
5. God knew in the time of this writing who would win the battle raging in Smyrna just like he told Abraham to trust and believe.
a. He knows what’s like to be abused and he understands!
b. He was beaten, whipped, mocked, kicked, punched, stabbed, and martyred on the cross of agony. He knew what affliction was he felt on his back, his hands, his feet and his legs.
c. He understands what abuse is He felt and endured it for us.
d. Jesus knew pain and persecution but he also knew the Father’s Word which stated, “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Jesus knew that he had to face the persecution of this world to accomplish the plan of the Father.
iv. Jesus also warned the church that it too would under go times of persecution.
1. This is true today as well.
2. But even in their times of pain and suffering we and they need to remember He sits on the throne. When we and they see Him for who He is we and they should realize that we and they are not poor or in poverty. They and we need to not allow our focus to be on the persecution but in keeping our eyes fixed on His greater purpose
a. When we and they do this they will discover that they are truly the richest people on the face the earth.
b. Persecuted Christians are richer than the most wealthiest man or woman who lives in this world today.
3. I wonder if the church today is ready to handle adversity today. To stand up under persecution for Him? How will you do if the church comes under persecution?
a. We live in our name it and claim it society, in our prosperity culture, in our, “We don’t have to suffer philosophy of ministry promoted today.”
i. Reference the tape from AACC the theology of suffering.
b. We live in our rights orientated society, in our,” Don’t have too mind set.”
c. We live in our self-centered mind set and bless me club mentality.
i. How will you respond to a clear cut message of Christ that says, “I see your suffering” but, “I am not delivering you right now.” He even becomes more explicit “It will last longer!”
d. Will you cry that’s not fair! Lord!
i. The reality of fairness.
1. It was not fair that God had to send His Son Jesus to be abused, to be beaten, to be lied to, to be stabbed, to be nailed to the cross, to be crucified for our sins and evil deeds. It is not fair that Jesus had to leave Heaven and all it’s beauty behind so that we could be delivered.
2. He did nothing wrong we did!
3. So now with that heart ringing in your heart let me ask, “Is it unfair to have to suffer for the sins of others when you have done nothing wrong?”
ii. Point: Is it unfair to suffer a little while then for Him?
1. Is it unfair to sacrifice your time, money, reputation, family, Job, property, and life?”
2. Is it unfair to give your life for Christ, to lay down so that in reality you find eternal life?
d. Polycarp’s death is an example of how we should die for Christ if you do not know who he was -he was the Bishop at this church in Smyrna – a pastor of this very church.
i. Jesus’ message is a message of encouragement for the Christian Church today.
ii. Jesus’ message of hope is, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of Life.”
1. Polycarp understood this reality and he is currently bathing in it in blessings of Heaven.
a. So how about you! Do you understand what it means to live and die for Jesus Christ?
e. The Persecuted church of today is a reality in this fallen world:
i. Approximately 215 million Christians experience high, very high, or extreme persecution each year.
ii. North Korea remains the most dangerous place to be a Christian (for 14 straight years).
iii. Islamic extremism remains the global dominant driver of persecution, responsible for initiating oppression and conflict in 35 out of the 50 countries on the 2017 list toward Christians.
iv. Ethnic nationalism is fast becoming a major driver of persecution. “While this took an anti-establishment form in the West, in Asia it took an anti-minorities form, fueled by dramatic religious nationalism and government insecurity. It is common—and easy—for tottering governments to gain quick support by scapegoating the Christians.”
v. The total number of persecution incidents in the top 50 most dangerous countries increased, revealing the persecution of Christians worldwide as a rising trend.
vi. The most violent: Pakistan, which rose to No. 4 on the list for a level of violence “exceeding even northern Nigeria.”
vii. The killings of Christians in Nigeria saw an increase of more than 62 percent.
viii. The killings of Christians were more geographically dispersed than in most time periods studied. “Hitting closer to home, 23 Christian leaders in Mexico and four in Colombia were killed specifically for their faith,” said Open Doors of the “rare” event.
ix. The worst increase: Mali, which moved up the most places on the list from No. 44 to No. 32.
x. Asia is a new center of concern, with persecution rising sharply in Bangladesh, Laos, and Bhutan, and Sri Lanka joining the list for the first time.
xi. Look at the persecuted church world map on this power point.
T.S. – Let’s move from the persecuted church of Smyrna to the compromising church of Pergamos.
II. The church in Pergamum found in Revelation 2:12-17:
a. Note: Rev. 16:15 "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."
i. This Scripture warning in the book of Revelation is for us today and for this church of Pergamum back then!
ii. Are you ready for Jesus to return? This question is posed to all churches today. Back in Rev. 2 & 3 the churches are asked the same question “Are you ready!” The sad fact is 5 out of the 7 churches were not ready for Christ's return.
1. Pergamum as a church as a Christian community had fallen asleep and was now taking breaks from Jesus Christ and His mission.
b. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND of the siesta – sleepy ridden church.
i. The city of Pergamum.
1. Pergamum was the official Roman capital of Asia. It had been the capital for about 200 years. The city exerted authority over the entire area of Asia and it still was in control at the time of this writing in Revelation.
a. Pergamum used much of its wealth to build temples devoted to idol worship.
b. The city was littered with statues, altars and sacred groves honoring different god's.
c. In the midst of the city was a 1,000 foot high hill covered with temples and altars.
2. A commentary I read authored by Thomas states, "The primary local deities to whom temples had been erected were Zeus, Athena, Dionysos, and Asklepios. Zeus, the savior-god, and Athena, the victory-bearing goddess, were all testimonials to the Greek spiritual influence. The other two, reflecting more of an Anatolian spirit, were more dominant in the religious life of the city. Dionysis, the god of the royal family, had a mystical name "Bull." Asklepios, like Dionysos more of an animal-god, was associated with serpent (snakes). The shrine of Asklepios, who was noted as a "god of healing," attracted people from all over the world. Feeding a living serpent in the temple was the manner of practicing this worship. The sick spent the night in the darkness of the temple where nonpoisonous snakes were allowed to roam. If a person was touched by one of these snakes (i.e., by god himself), he was cured of his illness (179).
3. But despite its noted temple worship it was the earliest city to also incorporate the worship of the Roman Emperor.
a. The first temple was erected in 29 B.C. a second temple was added later. This city was the most intense in demanding Caesar worship. Were in other cities you were faced once a year to burn incense to Caesar here it was a daily challenge (Thomas, pg. 180).
4. City was also noted for its 200,000 volume library and the birthplace of "parchment".
a. The city manufactured and produced this animal skin writing material.
c. The message to this church Rev. 2:12-17:
i. "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword vs.12. I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. 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 vs. 13. Nevertheless, 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 vs. 14. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans vs.15. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth vs. 16. 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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it vs. 17.
1. This church was also founded by the Apostle Paul in Acts 19:10
ii. Let’s look at this message verse by verse:
1. Verse 12 Jesus Christ is revealed again as the one with the double edged sword.
a. The attribute of Christ here is reiterated from 1:16 where it denotes the judicial authority of Christ. The vision combines the force of a warrior defeating his enemies in battle and pronouncing judgment on them. This is also insinuated in our text and also in Rev. 19:15, 21. The key principle conveyed to the church was that Christ has the punishing power which comes from his word and His word will defeat the enemy (SATAN). Even at his home base and stronghold.
i. Do you remember my sermon - "THE GREAT DIVIDE"
1. Text: Hebrews 4:12, 13 "For the word of God is 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. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
2. How about the thesis? Christians need to realize whether they are being led by their soul (flesh) or by their spirit.
3. Jesus is the one that shows the church if they are spirit led and spirit ruled or if they are soul-ruled and controlled.
b. Jesus is the one with the power and authority! He will bring victory to a church that is pure in thought and attitude.
2. Verse 13-- He knows where they live and what they fight against!
a. He knows – “That Satan has his throne their” many scholars think that this refers to the great altar of Zeus which was on the hillside over looking the city. It was a great chair, or throne, forty feet high, and any citizen could look up there at any time and see what Jesus was referring to as "Satan's throne".
i. Remember this city was a center of much pagan ritual, idol worship and evil.
b. Interesting Note! "There is a fascinating footnote of history in connection with this. In 1880's, about 110 years ago, a German archaeologist working in the city of Pergamum removed that throne, that Satanic seat from the hillside and took it to Europe. Today it is visible yet in the Pergamum Museum in the city -- get this-- of East Berlin! For 110 years Satan’s throne had been in East Berlin. If it has any connection with the rise of Hitler, and the Nazis, I leave you to judge. But East Berlin is also where Hitler's headquarters was located (Discovery, pastor?)
c. Yet this church remained true to Christ, they did not renounce their faith in Christ even when Antipas was martyred.
i. Antipas name means "Against all"
1. He was one of the first martyrs in Asia under Roman persecution.
2. Tradition asserts that he was roasted alive in a Brazen bull that was heated up to glowing white.
3. He paid the price for being true to the doctrine of Jesus Christ.
iii. Verse 14-16 -- Now the one who sees all, states, but you have an unholy union in the church. The church had married into some of the world's pagan practices.
1. They had become tolerant of sin and false teachings in their church. Note -- not all believed it -- they just where indifferent to those who were preaching it. They were not dealing with the false beliefs. But God's word certainly would and Jesus will.
2. This church would take siesta's in the afternoon and let the false teachers teach and promote their UNTRUE teachings while they slept in the back room.
3. The teachings of Balaam -- from Numbers 25:
a. Balaam was a false prophet who had been hired by Balak, the King of Moab, to curse Israel, but when he tried to do so he found he could not. Every time he tried to curse them, words of blessing came out of his mouth. God would not let him curse his people. So, in order to achieve the end for which he had been hired, he paid beautiful maidens from Moab and Midian to parade before the young men of Israel, tempting them into sexual immorality. Since these women were idol worshipers, they introduced idol worship to Israel. Thus corruption seeped in and enticed Israel to sin.
b. The churches indifference opened the door for some of their own to teach that you can participate in paganism and still be Christian.
i. Participation in idol worship was in the church. They asserted that it would not affect them spiritually.
ii. They could also practice fornication and sexual immorality and it would not affect the church and their salvation. It's a private matter could have been their justification.
iii. They taught that it was okay to live together and not be married because god did not care. You were married any ways.
iv. It was okay to marry unbelievers who were not Christian it will not affect you.
4. The teachings of the Nicolaitans (verse 15)
a. These individuals appeared to have a special relationship with God. They were in a sense Gnostics and promoted their revelations above the word of God. They were ambitious for power and prestige. They lifted themselves up above others. They were quick to tell you that they had an inside tract to God and you did not. They in their pride believed they were better than others.
5. Jesus handles both these types of so-called Christians –the ones who appeal to the flesh and it's lusts -- and the ones that appeals to a superior haughty religious spirit.
a. The Key here to learn in the church is you handle both these false teachings with the word of God (the sword) and it cries "REPENT!"(verse 16)
i. The command from Jesus Christ is clear. Jesus owns the church, and He disowns compromise!
ii. You cannot live in sin and hide in the church!
iii. Why? He will expose you nakedness if you do! BY the conviction of the Holy Spirit. He wants His church awake not sleeping with the enemy.
iv. Verse 17 - What is going to transpire for those who are awake and remain awake.
1. They will receive hidden manna - He will feed his children with the bread of heaven. They will never go hungry. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." See John 6:35
2. The white stones significance for them and us:
a. The most satisfactory understanding of the white stone derives significance from the free doles of bread and free admission to entertainments that the people of the Roman Empire received from time to time. These were in exchange for "tickets" which often took the form of white stones. Such a white stone with one's name on it was the basis for admission to a special feast. This practice coincides with the victor's participation in the feast of Rev. 3:20 and 19:9. (Thomas, 201).
b. The hidden manna along with the stone points to the Messianic feast. The white stone is then, a personalized tessara, which would serve as His token of admission to this great feast (Thomas, 201).
c. New name - Not a name for you, a name for Him that is special to you. It will represent your relationship with him. So, what will your stone say? What will the name say about your legacy?
Conclusion:
Question: What will the world and Heaven record of your life and death in the annuals of History? Will you be famous in Heaven – before the throne of God? Or famous in annuals of Hell?
Jesus is God who came in the flesh and experienced what it was like in this abusive world. He can relate to what injustice feels like. He Himself experienced pain and suffering and He can help you go through it too and He will help you to overcome it with His touch with a vision of Him.
Point of decision question: Are you hurting and in need of encouragement?
Then ask Jesus to touch you! To let you see what He sees! To hear what He hears! To know what He knows. Then you will not be afraid to take a stand for Him and die to yourself.
What do we need to know about the message to Smyrna and Pergamum?
Answer: Christians will suffer in this world for Jesus, you will have to be bold enough and courageous enough to stand for Him when pressured to turn on Him.
Why do we need to know these two messages?
Answer: So we must stay awake or wake up from our apathy and understand that Jesus defeated second death and so will we if stand faithful to the end.
What do we need to do about these two messages?
Answer: Stay Awake - Don’t compromise the truth of God’s Word
Stand firm with Jesus even if it means persecution. The key to being able to overcome is to get a new fresh vision or a fresh revelation of Jesus Christ.
Why do we need to do it?
Answer: If we do we will receive the Crown of Life, a invitation to the wedding Supper of the Lamb and a new name reflecting our legacy left here on the earth. And more people will come to Jesus.
