"I Know Where You Live" (Revelation 2:13-17)
-Rev. A. L. Torrence,
Pastor of Cross of Life Lutheran Church
The Revelation of John, or the Apocalypse as it is called in Greek unveils to God’s people the hidden things only known to God. It depicts the end of our present age and beginning of a new age in Christ’s kingdom. Through symbols, images, and numbers we get a glimpse of ancient Christendom, the great tribulation, and the promised kingdom. Many have used this book to clock Christ’s return. They have tried to predict the destruction of the world. Some have used it to warn against the antichrist. Others have used it to support their false identity as the Christ. The symbols, images, and numbers have tendency to overwhelm the common reader and confuse the average believer. But the message of this book is clear. God is all-powerful (omnipotent). No matter how Satan tries to frustrate God’s people, no matter how much he tries to mislead the saints, no matter how difficult he makes our life, there is one true fact that will always exist – He has already been defeated. God has the eternal victory. The battle has already been won. That’s why we faithfully sing ‘victory is mine’, victory is mine. Victory today is mine.’ You can tell Satan – get thee behind. Victory today is mine.
In times like these, we need to know that victory is ours. If we were to judge tomorrow’s destiny based on today’s difficulties, many of us would throw in the towel. We would simply give up. Aids, cancer, and MS are eating away at our bodies. People are dying of hunger and over exposure due to the lack of shelter. Earthquakes, mudslides, hurricanes, and tornadoes are killing thousands. Hundreds are being slain by wars within and wars without. Teenagers killing other teenagers because of peer pressure. Children being shot and wounded by the very police who are sworn to protect them. Planes falling out of the sky like flies. These are dark and evil days and we are challenge to make wise and effective decisions during these tough times. We are challenged to live in the world but be not of the world. We are to walk hand in hand with unbelievers but not be unequally yoked. We must work side by side with the children of darkness while so letting our little light shine. We are to hold on to the name of Christ and his values while our unsaved neighbors who never call on his name seem to have less problems and be more blessed. Bad boys are hot. Good guys finish last. This seems to be a world of contradictions, paradoxes, and puzzles with missing pieces. What’s going on? What’s up with the climate today? Nothing seems clear. Our visual perception can lead to our soul’s deception. What seems right to a man may lead to his utter destruction.
That is the message of our text. Brother John is telling the church at Pergamos not to judge a book by its cover. Just because it seems right does not mean that it is right. Deception is an instrument of the enemy. And in the city of Pergamos – many things appeared to be acceptable. Pergamos was regarded as a noble city located in Northwest Asia Minor in what we know today as modern Turkey. It was a great city of commerce, culture, and politics. The people there were literate, established, and affluent. It was regarded as a sister city of Rome because of its grand buildings, amphitheaters, aqueducts, and temples. Pergamos was a city of many religions of which the prominently was “imperial worship” where the subjects literally regarded the emperor of Rome as a demi-god and worship him. Because of this belief many Christians where persecuted because they would not forsake the name of Christ for Caesar. They were tortured and pressure to denounce their faith in God. Children were thrown into fires. Women were torn into pieces by lions. Men were beheaded by gladiators. They knew persecution and never forsook a meeting of the saints.
You see we don’t know persecution. We have so much but do so little. We think persecution is our boss asking us to work over time. We think suffering is not being able to have our choice of food for dinner or people talking about us behind our backs. We have yet to see real persecution.
But the church as Pergamos endured persecutions. During those days of tribulations they held fast to the faith. John is told to commend them on that achievement but equally he must chastise them for some mistakes they are currently making. Christ knows that they are living during dangerous times. He knows the suffering they must endure. He tells them -
---I know where you live. I know where you lie down at night and get up in the morning. I know whose pillow you lie your head on and whose bed you put your shoes under. I know where you live. I know whose you are kissing at night and running from in the morning. I know whose back you’re washing and who is scratching your back. I know your comings and goings; your sitting and rising. Nobody knows the troubles you’ve seen but me and me alone. I have your number - the 411 – the whole rundown on you. You think you keep your secrets in the dark. You think you can dress them up and bring them to church on Sunday and nobody knows. But I know the deal. I know your situation. You may be fooling the saints and some of the sinners but you ain’t fooling me - the all knowing, the all seeing, the all present- God. I know where you live. I’ve been in your neighborhood. Stroll down your block. Sat in your driveway. I’ve given you your address. Whether you’re living on Pain Street, Heartache Boulevard, hard knock’s Road or trouble’s way. I’ve got your address and I know where you live. I know where your heart lies. I know your spirit. I know your motives and secret desires. I know what you do in the name of ministry and for the sake of the cross.
Many of us live in situations like the people of Pergamos. With live beneath the throne of Satan. The world’s hatred and men’s evil deeds affect our lives. Drug deals that go down on the local corner, the homeless person who has his hand out when we pass them going to and from work, financial and political corruption in congress and corporate America – all those things affect us. It used to be somebody else’s child who got shot by police. It used to be someone else’s love one whose been diagnosed with AIDS and cancer. It used to be someone else’s teenager who got pregnant. Now it’s close to home and we can’t run from it. We are living where Satan rules. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities in high places. And to complicate matters, the lines between good and evil have become blur. Life is filled with gray areas. There appear to be no black and white decisions. Technology, science, psychology, and sociology have caused our generation to questioned morality and tolerance. Sin is protected by political correctness. Fornication has become an alternative lifestyle. Our motto has become ‘if you can’t be with the one you love, then love the one you’re with.’
We have the right to life versus the right to die; the right to fulfill our desires versus the need for restraint and control. We no longer advocate marriage but instead teach monogamous committed relationships. What ever makes you happy and turns you on. The church and the world have cross boundaries. Everyone has spirituality. Everyone believes in some form of a higher power. And we the church, are incline not to judge others but to tolerate their beliefs –wrong as they may be.
But this text reminds us of the dangers of compromising our standards and beliefs for the purpose of members and money. It talks of those following the ways of Balaam and Balak. We need to remember who these two were.
God knows our situation. He knows where we live. You don’t have to be in the state house to get his top priority. You don’t have to be in the jailhouse to get a visitation from his messenger. You’re never out of his reach or beyond his tender care. God knows where you live and he can get to where you are. Though rain, hell, sleet and snow God can reach you and minister to your situation. He has you on his delivery route. You’re listed in his phone book. Your house is on his road map. Whether its Park Avenue, nether wood heights, or the homeless shelter God can reach you. He is a divine Deliver and a deliveryman and just like FedEx, UPS, and Airborne, he has a package just for us. He’s delivering a telegram straight from New Jerusalem to the tenants of this branch of Zion.
God has something just for us. It’s ours and no one else’s. He has promised to give us something special. Something to carry us through to the next millennium. It’s something that we need and something we can’t do without. It’s something we can’t get from the world and the world can’t take it away. We have a right to it. No one can deny us. God has it for us and certainly we shall receive it.
What is it that the Lord has promised us? What is this victor’s award that we will receive if we endure until the end? Well, the Word cam to John promising hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. To those of the world these seem like simple worthless prizes, but we know that they are precious to every saint seeking to gain the prize at the end of their race.
Every saint desires the hidden manna. Manna was the bread that fell from heaven and fed the Israelites while they wandered throughout the wilderness. Manna was he evidence that God was not only a deliverer, but he was also a provider. God would not only feed their stomachs but he would save their souls. God not only took care of their physical needs but he took care of their spiritual needs. Manna reminded the Israelites that man could not leave by bread alone but by every word of the lord. And that’s what we need in our lives, we need Manna from heaven, the bread of life - the word of the Lord. It’s not enough to have a comfortable house, but we need the word to make that house a home. It’s not enough to have precious wealth and affluence, but we need the word of the Lord to govern our wealth and discern our true friends. The word will guide us through these confusing times. The answers we seek and the solutions we look for are in the word. If we need to improve our marriage – the remedy is in the word; to raise our child- go to the word; to deal with our boss – the formula is in our word. God’s word has the answers we are looking for. We just have to ask it the right questions. Many of us don’t get anything out of the word because we don’t know what to look for. We’re looking for get rich quick formulas and ways to justify our questionable lifestyles. We look for witty sayings and good sermon titles. But if we were seeking the truth to our situation, the answer would always be- the just shall live by faith and not by sight. We should seek a spiritual feeding rather than a financial blessing. When we go to God’s word, we should be seeking his will, his purpose, and his vision for our lives. If our search is true, God will give us the hidden manna, meaning that in his word there is a blessing just meant for his children. There are promises in his word that are to be fulfilled in only our lives. If we live by his word, ‘sola scriptura’ only scripture – he makes a covenant promise to always provide for our needs.
It’s a promise symbolized by also the giving of a white stone. Traditionally in Hebrew culture stones represented a treaty and covenant between two people. Christ has made a covenant promise of providential care if we are true to his word. Furthermore, it is promise of righteousness. In ancient Greek culture, whenever a person went on trial by jury. The jury was given two sets of stones- one being black and the other being white. If they were convinced that the person on trial was guilty – they would cast down the black stone. If the person were declared innocent they would cast down white stones. Christ, the judge and jury of our case has promised to declare us innocent of any charges brought again us by our accusers. We will be declare righteous in his sight. That white stone is our verdict of innocent against the charges of sin. Furthermore, with that stone we have a divine ticket into the kingdom of God. In Roman times the emperor stage elaborate entertainment in these great coliseums and arenas around the empire. Tickets to the special events were often given to a very selected group of citizens. These tickets were often stones with the emperor’s face engraved upon it. Christ has not only given us a stone of covenant, a stone that declares us guilt-free, but also a stone of admission to kingdom of heaven. It’s my ticket to get pass the pearly gates. In order words he I get to heaven and arrive at the gate, St. Peter may begin to ask me a list of questions like those Airline assistants at Newark Airport. They ask first for your ticket. Then they ask you to place any luggage you have on side so they can ticket it. Then begin the questions. Where you’re going –Well, I going to heaven, is this your first trip? Why yes it is. Are you carrying any drugs, guns, or illegal materials with you? – No all has been left behind. Do you have a second form of ID to proof that this ticket is yours – The proof is that it has my new name on it and God and I are the only two individuals who know what it is. You see we have an immutable ticket that’s only good for us. I can’t give you my ticket to heaven because it was designed for me and only me. It has my name on it. That’s my insurance – my guarantee that you can’t get credit for my work, my faith, and my confession. In other words, for those of us who feel that mama’s salvation will get us pass the gates – no mama’s ticket is only good for mama. Daddy’s ticket is only good for daddy. You need your own ticket. Your own stone with your new name engraved upon it. And I don’t know about you- but I am so glad that I have a first class ticket to heaven. Its’ already paid for by the precious blood of Christ. Its’ already been stamped and validated. It’s mine and even if I tried to get it away I couldn’t. It’s my promise. What God has for me, it is for me.
