CHRIST CALL’S FOR MORAL COURAGE
REVELATION 2:12-17
TODAY WE LOOK AT THE THIRD OF SEVEN MESSAGES THAT GOD GIVES THE CHURCH THROUGH HIS SERVANT JOHN. EPHESUS WAS A CHURCH THAT HAD LOST IT’S FIRST LOVE, SMYRNA WAS A STRUGGLING CHURCH THAT KEPT THE FAITH IN SPITE OF GREAT PERSECUTION. PERGAMOS WAS A CHURCH THAT FACED THE FAR GREATER THREAT OF COMPROMISE OF THEIR SPIRITUAL VALUES.
PERGAMOS WAS LOCATED ABOUT 60 KMS. NORTH OF SMYRNA AND 15KMS. FROM THE AEGEAN SEA. IT WAS THE OFFICIAL CAPITAL OF THE PROVINCE OF ASIA MINOR. HISTORIAN PLINY CALLED IT, “BY FAR THE MOST FAMOUS CITY IN ASIA.” IT IS PRESENT DAY THE CITY OF BERGAMA IN TURKEY WAS A CITY BUILT ON A HILL AND STOOD 1000
FEET ABOVE THE SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE.
IT WAS A CITY KNOWN FOR THREE THINGS:
1 IT’S INTELLECTUAL ACHIEVEMENT: IT HAD THE SECOND LARGEST LIBRARY IN THE WORLD WITH OVER 200,000 VOLUMES. EVERY BOOK WAS WRITTEN BY HAND ON PAPYRUS OR PARCHMENT. IT WAS AT PERGAMOS THAT A TECHNIQUE TO SMOOTH AND POLISH TANNED ANIMAL SKINS WHICH WOULD BE KNOWN AS “PARCHMENT” WAS DEVELOPED. IT WAS MUCH STRONGER THAN PAPYRUS WHICH WAS MADE OF REEDS AND WOULD ONE DAY REPLACE PAPYRUS COMPLETELY.
2 IT’S POLITICAL POWER:
PERGAMUM WAS A CITY BUILT ON A HILL AND STOOD 1000 ABOVE THE SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE. THIS MADE IT A NATURAL FORTRESS AGAINST ATTACK. IT HAD EASY ACCESS TO BOTH THE MEDITERRANEAN AND AEGEAN SEAS WHICH MADE IT VERY IMPORTANT AS A TRADE CENTER. BECAUSE OF ITS DEFENSIVE LOCATION AND ITS IMPORTANCE AS A TRADE CENTER, IT BECAME VERY IMPORTANT TO THE ROMANS POLITICALLY AND GOVERNMENT WAS ESTABLISHED THERE.
3 IT’S PAGAN WORSHIP:
PERGAMOS WAS A CITY OF MANY TEMPLES AND IDOLATRY. THE ROMANS DIDN’T CARE WHAT GOD OR GODS YOU WORSHIPPED AS LONG AS YOU WERE WILLING TO WORSHIP CAESAR AND ACTUALLY PLACE HIM ABOVE ALL OTHER GODS. EVERY YEAR THE PEOPLE WOULD GO TO ONE OF THREE TEMPLES DEVOTED TO EMPEROR WORSHIP, PUT A PINCH OF INCENSE ON THE ALTAR AND SAY “CAESAR IS LORD”. IF PEOPLE DID NOT DO THIS THEY COULD BE EXECUTED.
PERGAMOS WAS THE ADMINISTRATIVE HOME OF THE ROMAN GOVERNOR. ROMAN GOVERNORS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO CATAGORIES:
1. THOSE WHO HAD THE “RIGHT OF THE SWORD”, WHICH MEANT THAT THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO EXECUTE A PERSON ON THE SPOT.
2. THOSE WHO DID NOT HAVE “THE RIGHT OF THE SWORD.”
THE ROMAN GOVERNOR IN PERGAMOS HAD THE RIGHT OF THE SWORD AND WOULD USE IT ON THE CHURCH.
PERGAMUM WAS THE HOME OF OTHER TEMPLES TWO OF WHICH ARE:
ASCLEPIOS: THE GOD OF HEALING AND MEDICINE. HIS TEMPLE WAS FILLED WITH SNAKES AND WHEN SOMEONE NEEDED HEALING THEY WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT ON THE FLOOR IN THE TEMPLE. IF A SNAKE CRAWLED ACROSS THEM DURING THEIR STAY THEY WERE CONSIDERED HEALED. SOUNDS FAR FETCHED BUT THE SYMBOL OF THIS GOD WAS A SNAKE ENTWINED AROUND A STAFF. IT IS THE SYMBOL OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION TODAY.
DIONYSUS: THE GOD OF WINE AND ORGY. THE PEOPLE WOULD COME TO PLAYS IN A MASSIVE OPEN-AIR THEATER THAT WOULD HOLD 10,000 PEOPLE. THEY WOULD THEN GO NEXT DOOR AND EAT AND DRINK UNTIL THEY THREW UP AND FOUND THEMSELVES IN A STATE OF SEMICONSCIOUSNESS. THEN THEY WOULD HAVE SEX WITH THE TEMPLE PROSTITUTES. THIS WORSHIP WAS SO IMMORAL THAT IT WAS FINALLY OUTLAWED BY THE ROMANS.
DEMETER: THE GODDESS OF GRAIN.
IT IS TO THIS CITY, FILLED WITH IDOLATRY, TEMPLE PROSTITUTION AND EMPEROR WORSHIP, THAT JOHN’S THIRD LETTER IS WRITTEN TO.
REVELATION 2:12: TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM WRITE: THESE ARE THE WORDS OF HIM WHO HAS THE SHARP, DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.
CHRIST HAS UNIQUE WAYS OF INTRODUCING HIMSELF TO EACH OF THESE CHURCHES. HE IS THE ONE IN EPHESUS “WHO HOLDS THE SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND AND WALKS AMONG THE SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS”. HE IS THE FIRST AND THE LAST, WHO DIED AND CAME TO LIFE AGAIN, FOR SMYRNA. HERE IN PERGAMUM HE IS THE ONE WHO HAS THE SHARP, DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD AND BEGS THE QUESTION WHY?
A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD IS A WEAPON OF WAR. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE THE PERSON WIELDING IT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEFEND AGAINST ATTACKS COMING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE ATTACKER. IT IS EQUALLY DEADLY FROM EITHER SIDE.
IN ENGLISH WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE EXPRESSION THAT SOMETHING “CUTS BOTH WAYS” IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. SO WHY DOES JESUS USE THIS DANGEROUS WEAPON TO DESCRIBE HIMSELF?
THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM WAS A GOOD CHURCH, BUT IT HAD ALLOWED THE POISON OF COMPROMISE TO GAIN ENTRY IN ITS RANKS. COMPROMISE IN SOME THINGS CAN BE ALL RIGHT. I CAN COMPROMISE ON THE COLOR OF CAR WE BUY, WHERE WE EAT ON FRIDAY NIGHT OR WHAT WE WATCH ON T.V. BUT WE CANNOT COMPROMISE ON THE BASICS OF THE FAITH. LIGHT AND DARKNESS CANNOT MIX, NOR CAN THE THINGS OF GOD MIX WITH THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.
HERE JESUS IS DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS A TWO-EDGED SWORD TO REMIND US THAT WE ARE AT WAR WITH COMPROMISE AS A CHURCH. HE REMINDS THE CHURH AT PERGAMUM THAT IF THEY WILL CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT AGAINST COMPROMISE, IF THEY WILL NOT BOW TO CAESAR, THEN HE WILL USE ONE EDGE OF THE TWO EDGED SWORD TO FIGHT WITH THEM. IT IS ALSO A WARNING, IF THEY DO NOT BATTLE COMPROMISE AND WELCOME IT, HE WILL TURN AGAINST THEM IN JUDGMENT WITH THE OTHER EDGE OF THE TWO-EDGED SWORD.
THIS IS ALSO A WARNING FOR US, NOT TO COMPROMISE OUR SPIRITUAL STANDARDS IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED BY THE WORLD. SIN IS SIN AND WRONG IS WRONG NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT OR HOW YOU DESCRIBE IT. GOD WILL HOLD THIS CHURCH ACCOUNTABLE IF WE CROSS THE BOUNDARY INTO WORLDLINESS. GLATAINS 6:7 IS CLEAR:
GALATIANS 6:7-8:
DO NOT BE DECEIVED: GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED. A MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS. 8 WHOEVER SOWS TO PLEASE THEIR FLESH, FROM THE FLESH WILL REAP DESTRUCTION; WHOEVER SOWS TO PLEASE THE SPIRIT, FROM THE SPIRIT WILL REAP ETERNAL LIFE
RIGHT NOW AT FIRST BAPTIST WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REWORKING OUR CONSTITUTION AS WE LOOK TOWARD INCORPORATION. WHILE SOME THINGS MAY CHANGE, THE BIBLICAL FOUNDATION ON WHICH THIS CHURCH WAS BUILT CANNOT. IT IS ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK THAT WE STAND, AND MUST ALWAYS STAND.
REVELATION 2:13: 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, NOT EVEN IN THE DAYS OF ANTIPAS, MY FAITHFUL WITNESS, WHO WAS PUT TO DEATH IN YOUR CITY—WHERE SATAN LIVES.
THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM WAS STRUGGLING IN THE MIDST OF GREAT PERSECUTION. THEY FACED ROMAN LEADERSHIP WHO HAD THE RIGHT OF THE SWORD, WHICH WAS USED AGAINST A MAN NAMED ANTIPAS FOR STANDING FOR HIS FAITH. IT FACED THE BATTLE OF IDOLATRY, AND IT SEEMED LIKE SATAN WAS DEFINITELY IN CHARGE IN THE CITY. BUT THESE ARE ATTACKS THAT WERE OUTSIDE PRESSURES AGAINST THE CHURCH AND THEY WOULD REMAIN FAITHFUL IN THE MIDST OF SUCH BLATANT ATTACKS.
THE PROBLEM PERGAMOS FACED THAT WAS HARDER TO DEAL WITH CAME FROM WITHIN THEIR OWN RANKS. LOOK AT VERSES 14-15.
REVELATION 2:14-15:
NEVERTHELESS, I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU: THERE ARE SOME AMONG YOU WHO HOLD TO THE TEACHING OF BALAAM, WHO TAUGHT BALAK TO ENTICE THE ISRAELITES TO SIN SO THAT THEY ATE FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS AND COMMITTED SEXUAL IMMORALITY. 15 LIKEWISE, YOU ALSO HAVE THOSE WHO HOLD TO THE TEACHING OF THE NICOLAITANS.
NOW LETS UNDERSTAND RIGHT FROM THE START THAT THE CHURCH IS BASICALLY GOOD. IT HAS SOME, BUT NOT ALL WHO HOLD TO THE TEACHING OF BALAAM AND THE TEACHING OF THE NICOLAITANS, BUT AT THIS POINT NOT ALL DO.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM OF COMPROMISE. IT COMES IN A LITTLE AT FIRST, BUT BY THE TIME IT IS FINISHED IT INFECTS THE WHOLE CHURCH.
WHAT WAS THE TEACHING OF BALAAM? THE ACOUNT OF BALAAM IS GIVEN TO US IN THE BOOK OF NUMBERS 22-23. BALAC WAS THE KING OF THE MOABITES WHO HATED THE ISRAELITES. HE WENT TO BALAAM, A PROPHET OF GOD, TO HIRE HIS SERVICES. HE ASKED BALAAM TO PRONOUNCE A CURSE ON THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. AMAZINGLY THE PROPHET ACTUALLY ENTERTAINED THE REQUEST. GOD TURNED ALL OF BALAAM’S CURSES INTO BLESSINGS FOR HIS PEOPLE.
NOW NOTE BALAAM’S NEXT COURSE OF ACTION. HE TOLD BALAC TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. INTRODUCE THEM TO YOUR MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN AND INVITE THEM TO COMMIT FORNICATION WITH THESE WOMEN, AND TO INTERMARRY WITH THEM. INVITE THEM TO YOUR RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS, AND LET THEM EAT MEAT FROM PAGAN ALTARS. LET ISRAEL DESTROY THEMSELVES FROM THE INSIDE OUT. AS A RESULT OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE 24,000 ISTAELITES DIED.
THE NICOLAITANS WERE SEEMINGLY A CLASS OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS, WHO SOUGHT TO INTRODUCE INTO THE CHURCH A FALSE FREEDOM OR LICENTIOUSNESS AND DESTROY THE DOCTRINE OF GRACE. THERE IS A BREAKDOWN IN THE WAY THE CHURCH IS TO SEPARATE ITSELF FORM THE WORLD. THE NICOLAITANS WOULD SIMPLY GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF WORSHIPPING CAESAR, BECAUSE THEY KNEW THE TRUTH.
2 PETER:2:15-16:_THEY HAVE LEFT THE STRAIGHT WAY AND WANDERED OFF TO FOLLOW THE WAY OF BALAAM SON OF BEZER, WHO LOVED THE WAGES OF WICKEDNESS. 16 BUT HE WAS REBUKED FOR HIS WRONGDOING AND BY A DONKEY—AN ANIMAL WITHOUT SPEECH—WHO SPOKE WITH A HUMAN VOICE AND RESTRAINED THE PROPHET’S MADNESS.
THE MESSAGE FOR US IS TO BE CAREFUL THAT THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE DOES NOT ENTER FIRST BAPTIST CAMPBELLTON AND THE ATTACK CAN COME IN VARIOUS FORMS.
1. DENIAL OF THE WORD OF GOD AS BEING THE ABSOLUTE AND FINAL AUTHORITY FOR ALL THINGS CONCERNING GOD. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR ABOUT THIS.
2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17:
16 ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD-BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, 17 SO THAT THE SERVANT OF GOD P MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK
LIBERALISM ALLOWS YOU TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE. IT WILL NOT FOCUS ON SIN OR JUDGMENT, AND PORTRAYS GOD AS A DESPERATE LITTLE CHILD WHO NEEDS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US.
EITHER THE BIBLE, EVERY WORD OF IT, IS THE AUTHORITATIVE WORD OF GOD OR NONE OF IT IS! WHEN LIBERALS START PICKING THE BIBLE APART AND SAY THAT THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD, THEN I ASK YOU WHO IN THERE EYES IS GOD? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. THEY ARE!!!!!
2. COMPROMISE ATTACKS WHEN WE IGNORE OBVIOUS WRONGS IN SOCIETY AND ALLOW THEM INTO OUR CHURCH.
THIS CHURCH WILL STAND AGAINST ABORTION ON DEMAND. IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS BUT A STAND FOR THE LIFE OF AN UNHEARD BUT VERY MUCH ALIVE VOICE.
THIS CHURCH WILL STAND AGAINST SEXUAL IMMORALITY OF ALL KINDS.
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20:
19 DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODIES ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS IN YOU, WHOM YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD? YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN; 20 YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE. THEREFORE HONOR GOD WITH YOUR BODIES.
THESE VERSES COVER A LOT OF THINGS DON’T THEY. BUT THE MAIN POINT IS THE LAST STATEMENT. HONOR GOD WITH YOUR BODIES.
WE WILL SPEAK OUT AGAINST UNBIBLICAL THEOLOGIES SUCH AS UNIVERSAL SALVATION AND PROSPERITY GOSPEL. BOTH OF THESE SOUND GOOD. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SAY THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO HEAVEN WITHOUT EXCEPTION. BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT JESUS TAUGHT. JESUS SAID:
JOHN 3:5-7:
JESUS ANSWERED, “VERY TRULY I TELL YOU, NO ONE CAN ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD UNLESS THEY ARE BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT. 6 FLESH GIVES BIRTH TO FLESH, BUT THE SPIRIT GIVES BIRTH TO SPIRIT. 7 YOU SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED AT MY SAYING, ‘YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN
TO SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS IS TO COMPROMISE OUR FAITH.
THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY, ONE FAITH, ONE SALVATION, AND THAT IS BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.
COMPROMISE ENTERS THE CHURCH THROUGH WORLDLY LEADERS WHO TRY TO LIVE IN BOTH WORLDS. SOME OF THE GREATEST TRAGEDIES IN THE WORLD OF RELIGION CAME AS A RESULT OF THIS. CULT LEADERS WHO CAUSED THE DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ALL TO MAKE THEM HIGH AND MIGHTY. THIS DOES NOT WORK. SCRIPTURE IS CLEAR ABOUT THIS:
MATTHEW 6:24: 24 “NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. EITHER YOU WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR YOU WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY.
REVELATION 2:16: REPENT THEREFORE! OTHERWISE, I WILL SOON COME TO YOU AND WILL FIGHT AGAINST THEM WITH THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH.
JESUS TOLD THE CHURCH AT PERGAMOS TO REPENT, OR BE PREPARED TO FACE HIS DISCIPLINE. THAT IS THE WORD FOR FIRST BAPTIST CAMPBELLTON AS WELL.
JESUS WANTS A CHURCH THAT IS PURE, ONE THAT WILL NOT COMPROMISE EVEN IF IT MEANS IT’S DEATH. WHAT GOOD IS THIS CHURCH BUILDING IF WE HAVE AS A PEOPLE COMPROMISED WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.
JESUS WANTS US TO MAKE A MORAL AND ETHICAL STAND IN TODAY’S SOCIETY FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. HE WANTS US TO STAND FOR CHRIST ALONE, NO OTHER GODS, SUCH AS PRESTIGE, WEALTH, SOCIAL POWER, PRIDE. OUR STAND MUST BE ON THE WORD OF GOD AND TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL TO ALL WHO WILL LISTEN TO US. HE MADE US THIS PROMISE IF WE DO:
REVELATION 2:17: WHOEVER HAS EARS, LET THEM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. TO THE ONE WHO IS VICTORIOUS, I WILL GIVE SOME OF THE HIDDEN MANNA. I WILL ALSO GIVE THAT PERSON A WHITE STONE WITH A NEW NAME WRITTEN ON IT, KNOWN ONLY TO THE ONE WHO RECEIVES IT.
REMEMBER WHEN THE ISRAELITES WERE IN THE WILDERNESS, GOD TOOK CARE OF THEM WITH MANNA FROM ON HIGH. THIS IS THE MANNA THAT IS SPOKEN OF HERE. IT IS THE SPIRITUAL FOOD THAT GIVES US SPIRITUAL STRENGTH TO STAND WHEN THREATENED BY COMPROMISE.
THE WHITE STONE IS A SYMBOL USED IN COURTROOMS TO INDICATE THAT THE ACCUSED IS INNOCENT OF CHARGES. I PRAY THAT WE WILL BE FOUND INNOCENT OF THE GREAT THREAT OF COMPROMISE IN THE CHURCH. MAY WE STAND AS PAUL IN ROMANS 12:
ROMANS 12:1-2:
THEREFORE, I URGE YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IN VIEW OF GOD’S MERCY, TO OFFER YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY AND PLEASING TO GOD—THIS IS YOUR TRUE AND PROPER WORSHIP. 2 DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TEST AND APPROVE WHAT GOD’S WILL IS—HIS GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL.
