January 31, 2010 Pastor Scott Snowden
On the one hand, … but on the other…
A Progress Report from Jesus…
#4. To the angel of the church in Pergamum write…
Revelation 2:12
In His address to the church in Pergamum, Jesus encourages the believers for their faithful witness in spite of their difficult environment. However, it appears that some of the believers had sought to “make peace” with the culture. They are singled out for criticism. Jesus takes them to task for their “tolerance” of sin and compromise of the truth. Does His message still hit home today, in sophisticated, enlightened and tolerant Silicon Valley?
“These are the words of Him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.”
Revelation 2:12
- generally, a “sword” is a symbol of _AUTHORITY_.
For he (governing authority) is God’s servant to do you good.
But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing.
Romans 13:4
- specifically, this “sword’ is His _WORD_.
…and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.
Revelation 1:16
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.
Hebrews 4:12
“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.”
Revelation 2:13
- Jesus knows that our culture rejects His _AUTHORITY_.
- Pergamum was Rome’s provincial capitol of Asia Minor. As such, it was a center of the Emperor cult that had begun to develop in Rome.
- Jesus knows that our culture ridicules the notion of _ABSOLUTE_TRUTH_.
- Pergamum was proud of its world class library, and was considered a “sophisticated” and “learned” city.
- Jesus knows that our culture rebels against His standard of _RIGHT_&_WRONG_.
- Pergamum was also a center for many pagan temples and religious sites. Their idolatry exposed them to several conflicting world views, which they managed to entertain simultaneously.
- I see room for improvement here…
“Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:
You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam,
who taught Balak to entice Israelites to sin
by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you
and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.”
Revelation 2:14-16
- P _ROTECT_ doctrinal orthodoxy.
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.
Turn away from godless chatter
and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,
which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.
1 st Timothy 6:20, 21
- P _URSUE_ moral integrity.
But you, man of God, flee from all this,
and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
1 st Timothy 6:11
- P _RACTICE_ sexual purity.
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified:
that you should avoid sexual immorality,
that each of you should learn to control his own body
in a way that is holy and honorable…
For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man
but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit.
1 st Thessalonians 4:3-4, 7-8
- P _REFER_ cultural relevancy.
Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said:
“Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship,
I even found an altar with this inscription: To an Unknown God.
Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
…‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’
As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’”
Acts 17:22, 23, 28
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says top 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.”
Revelation 2:17
- Jesus Himself is the “bread of life” and the “Manna from Heaven.” In an idolatrous city, the believers were promised that Jesus was sufficient for all their spiritual needs, now and for eternity.
- a new name written on a white stone.
- This reference may be related to the Roman custom of awarding athletic champions stone “tickets” to a banquet in their honor. If so, Jesus is confirming our invitation to Heaven if we refuse to compromise, and stay true to Him and the truth.
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