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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 10

TITLE: THE WORLDLY CHURCH

TEXT: REVELATION 2:12-17

INTRODUCTION: (1) I WANT TO BEGIN TODAY WITH A QUESTION.

* WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS WORLDLY OR WORLDLINESS?

** WHAT THOUGHTS, PICTURES, ASSOCIATIONS COME TO YOUR MIND?

*** WELL, FOR ME WITH MY BACKGROUND, UNFORTUNATELY WHAT JUMPS OUT IS PROHIBITIONS, THINGS YOU DON’T DO, THE NEGATIVES.

**** PROHIBITIONS LIKE DANCING, GOING TO THE MOVIES, PLAYING CARDS, HOW LONG YOUR HAIR WAS AS A GUY (WHICH IS NOT A PROBLEM FOR ME ANYMORE) AND BEARDS, EXTERNAL THINGS (FOR BEARDS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH HIPPIES AND MOTORCYCLE GANGS, YOU GET THE PICTURE).

(2) YET BIBLICALLY, WORLDLINESS HAS TO DO WITH SEPARATION FROM CERTAIN THINGS TO CHRIST.

* AND IT ALWAYS STARTS IN THE HEART, THE INSIDE, WITH A DESIRE TO BE HOLY AND INVOLVES WHAT YOU DO AS WELL AS WHAT YOU DON’T DO.

** AND THE BIBLE DOES NOT HESITATE TO CONDEMN WORLDLINESS AS A SERIOUS SIN.

*** FOR EXAMPLE, IN ROMANS 12:2 WE HAVE A COMMAND WHERE IT SAYS: (READ IT).

**** IN I JOHN 2:15-17 WE HAVE ANOTHER COMMAND TO NOT LOVE THE WORLD, IT SAYS: (READ IT).

(3) IN JOHN 15:18&19, JESUS TALKS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF BELIEVERS TO THE WORLD. HE SAID:

* THEN JAMES GIVES US A WARNING IN JAMES 4:4, HE SAID: (READ IT).

** AND EARLIER IN THE BOOK OF JAMES IN 1:27 HE SAID THIS.

*** AND THEN ONE LAST TEXT TO BUILD THE BIBLICAL CASE AGAINST WORLDLINESS LEADS US TO TITUS 2:11&12 WHERE PAUL WAS INSPIRED TO SAY: (READ THEM).

**** NOW CLEARLY, THE BIBLE DOES NOT HESITATE OR BACK DOWN IN ITS CONDEMNATION OF WORLDLINESS AND WARNINGS AGAINST IT.

(3) AND AT THIS POINT OF MY INTRODUCTION, IT’S IMPORTANT TO DEFINE WHAT WORLDLINESS IS.

* JOHN MACARTHUR IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 1-11 GIVES A BRIEF BUT CONCISE DEFINITION OF WORLDLINESS.

** HE SAID AND I QUOTE: “WORLDLINESS IS ANY PREOCCUPATION WITH OR INTEREST IN THE TEMPORAL SYSTEM OF LIFE THAT PLACES ANYTHING PERISHABLE BEFORE THAT WHICH IS ETERNAL.” (END QUOTE)

*** IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS BEING CONSUMED WITH, PURSUING THE TEMPORAL, THE TEMPORARY AND IT’S IDEOLOGIES AND LIVING FOR AND LOVING IT OVER THAT WHICH IS ETERNAL.

**** BELOVED, THE WORLD DOES NOT REFER TO THE PHYSICAL EARTH OR UNIVERSE, BUT RATHER TO THE SPIRITUAL REALITY OF THE MAN CENTERED, SATAN DIRECTED SYSTEM OF THIS PRESENT AGE, WHICH IS HOSTILE TO GOD AND GOD’S PEOPLES.

(4) IT REFERS TO THE SELF-CENTERED, GODLESS VALUE SYSTEM AND MORALS AND IDEOLOGIES AND PHILOSOPHIES OF FALLEN MANKIND.

* THE WORLD IS THE “SPIRIT OF OUR AGE”, THE DEMONIC INSPIRED PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN LIFE, LED BY THE GOD OF THIS WORLD – SATAN, READ II CORINTHIANS 4:3&4.

** FOR THE GOAL OF THE WORLD SYSTEM DIRECTED BY SATAN IS SELF-GLORY, SELF-FULFILLMENT, SELF-INDULGENCE, SELF-SATISFACTION AND EVERY OTHER FORM OF SELF-LOVE. IT IS HEDONISM.

*** SO THE WORLD IS AN INSTRUMENT OF SATAN AND HIS UNGODLY INFLUENCE IS PANDEMIC.

**** AND LISTEN, SATAN LOVES TO MIX THE WORLD IN WITH THE CHURCH BECAUSE WORLDLY CHURCHES ARE LOW IMPACT AND NO IMPACT CHURCHES.

(5) AND THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM, THE CHURCH OF OUR STUDY TODAY, LIKE MUCH OF TODAY’S CHURCHES, FAILED TO HEED THE BIBLICAL WARNINGS AGAINST WORLDLINESS.

* CONSEQUENTLY, IT HAD DRIFTED INTO COMPROMISE AND WAS IN DANGER OF BECOMING INTERTWINED WITH THE WORLD.

** AND SPECIFICALLY IN TWO AREAS WITH SOME OF THEM, NO. 1 HOLDING TO THE DOCTRINE, THE TEACHING OF BALAAM AND SOME WHO WERE GIVING THEMSELVES OVER TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS.

*** AND WHAT THE LOVELESS CHURCH, THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS HATED, THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS, THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM WAS HOLDING TO AND ALLOWING IN THE CHURCH.

**** BECAUSE OF THAT, I’VE TITLED MY MESSAGE TODAY, THE WORLDLY CHURCH.

(6) AND THERE ARE SOME GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS CHURCH BUT THIS CHURCH IS CALLED TO REPENT FOR HOLDING TO CERTAIN DOCTRINES THAT WERE CAUSING IT TO BE WORLDLY.

* AND UNDER THE THEME OF THE WORLDLY CHURCH WE’LL LOOK AT 4 MAJOR POINTS TODAY.

** NO. 1 THE CITY OF PERGAMUM, V. 12; NO. 2 THE COMMENDATION OF CHRIST TO THIS CHURCH, V. 13; NO. 3 THE CONCERN BY OUR LORD, VV. 14&15; AND NO. 4 THE CHALLENGE, VV. 16&17.

*** AND WITH THAT OUTLINE TO WORK FROM, WE’LL GO TO OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE CITY. LOOK AT V. 12 PLEASE.

I. THE CITY, (READ V. 12)

A. NOW WE HAVE THE SAME INTRODUCTION BEGINNING IN V. 12 THAT WE HAVE TO ALL SEVEN CHURCHES IN REVELATION, CHAPTERS 2&3.

* THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH IS FROM JESUS TO JOHN, FOR JOHN IS TOLD TO WRITE IN REVELATION 1:19, THEN TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH, WHICH IS A LITERAL ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OR A HUMAN MESSENGER OF THE CHURCH, THEN TO THE CHURCH ITSELF.

** AND SPECIFICALLY THE CHURCH IDENTIFIED HERE IS THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM OR PERGAMOS.

*** NOW THIS CITY WAS THE CAPITAL OF ASIA, IT WAS CONSIDERED ASIA’S “GREATEST CITY”, AND EVEN THE “MOST DISTINGUISHED CITY” IN ASIA.

**** IT WAS A WEALTHY TOWN. IT WAS AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF CULTURE AND LEARNING.

1. IN FACT, IT’S HUGE LIBRARY OF 200,000 HANDWRITTEN VOLUMES WAS SECOND ONLY TO THAT OF ALEXANDRIA OF EGYPT.

* SO IMPRESSIVE WAS PERGAMUM’S LIBRARY THAT MARK ANTONY LATER SENT THIS LIBRARY TO CLEOPATRA OF EGYPT AS A GIFT.

** BUT BEYOND THESE THINGS I’VE MENTIONED ABOUT THIS CITY, PERGAMUM WAS AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF IDOLATRY AND PAGAN WORSHIP FOR FOUR OF THE MAIN DEITIES OF THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD.

*** THERE WERE TEMPLES DEDICATED TO ATHENA, ASKLEPIOS, DIONYSIUS AND ZEUS.

**** BUT GET THIS, OVERSHADOWING THE WORSHIP OF ALL THOSE DEITIES WAS PERGAMUM’S DEVOTION TO THE CULT OF EMPEROR WORSHIP.

2. FOR PERGAMUM BUILT THE FIRST TEMPLE DEVOTED TO ROMAN EMPEROR WORSHIP IN ASIA IN 29 B.C. IN HONOR OF EMPEROR AUGUSTUS.

* LATER THE CITY WOULD BUILD TWO MORE SUCH TEMPLES, HONORING TWO MORE EMPERORS.

** THE CITY THUS BECAME THE CENTER OF EMPEROR WORSHIP IN THE PROVINCE, AND THERE, MORE THAN IN ANY OTHER CITY IN ASIA, CHRISTIANS WERE IN DANGER OF HARM FROM THE EMPEROR WORSHIP CULT.

*** ELSEWHERE, CHRISTIANS WERE PRIMARILY IN DANGER ONE DAY PER YEAR AS THEY WERE REQUIRED TO OFFER SACRIFICES AND BURN INCENSE IN WORSHIP OF THE EMPEROR.

**** BUT IN PERGAMUM, THEY WERE IN DANGER EVERY DAY AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE MARTYR ANTIPAS MENTIONED IN THE NEXT VERSE IN V. 13, WAS EXECUTED AT LEAST IN PART, FOR REFUSING TO WORSHIP THE EMPEROR.

3. NOW WITH THAT BACKGROUND OF THE CITY IN MIND, NOTICE HOW THE LORD IDENTIFIES HIMSELF TO THIS CHURCH.

* AS “THE ONE WHO HAS THE SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD.”

** AND WHILE BELIEVERS IN PERGAMUM MAY DIE UNDER THE SWORD OF ROMAN JUDICIAL AUTHORITY AND KINGS, THERE IS ANOTHER, FAR MIGHTIER SWORD WIELDED BY THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE, THE LORD JESUS.

*** AND IT IS HE WHOM THEY SHOULD FEAR AND HIS SWORD OVER THE ROMAN SWORD.

**** AND HERE THE SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD REFERS TO THE WORD OF GOD, COMMUNICATED IN HEBREWS 4:12 AND EPHESIANS 6:17 (READ THEM).

4. SO THE SWORD IS THE WORD OF GOD AND THAT THE SWORD IS TWO EDGED DEPICTS THE WORD’S POTENCY AND POWER IN EXPOSING AND JUDGING THE INNERMOST THOUGHTS OF THE HUMAN HEART.

* AND THIS DEPICTION OF JESUS PICTURES HIM AS JUDGE AND EXECUTIONER AS IT DOES IN REVELATION 19:15 IN HIS 2’D COMING WHERE IT SAYS: “FROM HIS MOUTH COMES A SHARP SWORD, SO THAT WITH IT HE MAY STRIKE DOWN THE NATIONS, AND HE WILL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; AND HE TREADS THE WINE PRESS OF THE FIERCE WRATH OF GOD, THE ALMIGHTY.”

** NOW NOTE THAT IN CHRIST BEING PRESENTED THIS WAY GOING BACK TO REVELATION 2:12, WE HAVE THE FIRST NEGATIVE INTRODUCTION OF CHRIST TO A CHURCH.

*** THIS IS NOT A POSITIVE, PROMISING INTRODUCTION, IT IS A THREATENING ONE.

**** FOR IF THEY FAIL TO REPENT IN V. 16 OF THEIR COMPROMISE AND WORLDLINESS, THE CHURCH WOULD FACE IMMINENT JUDGMENT.

5. BUT THINGS ARE NOT ALL BAD AT PERGAMUM. LOOK AT V. 13 WHERE WE’LL SEE THE LORD COMMENDING THIS CHURCH, OUR 2’D POINT, THE COMMENDATION. LOOK AT V. 13 PLEASE.

II. THE COMMENDATION, (READ V. 13)

A. NOW HERE IN V. 13, CHRIST DRAWS ATTENTION TO HIS INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR WORKS AND THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.

* AND FIRST OF ALL CHRIST KNOWS THEIR SITUATION, HE KNOWS WHERE THEY DWELL, THE KIND OF WICKED CITY THEY WERE LIVING IN.

** FOR THE CITY THEY LIVED IN, PERGAMUM, WAS WHERE SATAN’S THRONE WAS, WHERE SATAN DWELLS.

*** MEANING: THIS CITY WAS THE CENTER OF A SATANIC STRONGHOLD, A CENTER OF POWER FOR SATAN, THE HEADQUARTERS OF SATANIC OPPOSITION, A PLACE WHERE SATAN HAD DOMINION THROUGH THE FALSE RELIGION THAT PERMEATED THAT TOWN.

**** BELOVED, PERGAMUM WAS A SATANIC POWER CENTER, A THRONE OF SATAN WHERE HE WORKED AND DWELT, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME THERE, HIS HEADQUARTERS AT THAT TIME.

1. NOW THE SPECIFIC REASON THAT PERGAMUM WAS A PLACE OF SATAN’S THRONE OR SEAT OF AUTHORITY, A PLACE WHERE HE DWELT, WAS THIS TOWN WAS THE CENTER OF EMPEROR WORSHIP, WHERE THE GREAT ALTAR OF ZEUS AND OTHER FALSE RELIGION WAS WHICH IS ALWAYS ENERGIZED BY DEMONS, THE DOCTRINES OF DEOMONS, READ I TIMOTHY 4:1&2.

* SO FALSE RELIGION IS ENERGIZED BY DEMONS. AND ANOTHER FALSE RELIGION OF LIES THAT REARED IT’S UGLY HEAD AT PERGAMUM WAS THE WORSHIP OF THE GOD ASKLEPIOS, THE GOD OF HEALING.

** AND PEOPLE CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO BE HEALED AT THIS PAGAN TEMPLE. ASKLEPIOS WAS DEPICTED AS A SNAKE, A SERPENT, AND NON-POISONOUS SNAKES ROAMED FREELY IN THE TEMPLE. MEDICINE AND SUPERSTITION WERE INTERMINGLED.

*** AND OF COURSE SATAN APPEARS FIRST IN SCRIPTURE AS A SERPENT. AND WE ARE TOLD THAT COINS MINTED IN PERGAMUM APPEARED WITH A ROD ENCIRCLED BY A SERPENT.

**** INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, SIMILAR TO THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION’S SYMBOL WHICH CAN BE SEEN ON THE SCREEN, A ROD WITH TWO SERPENTS ON IT. (AND I’M NOT TRYING TO READ ANYTHING INTO THAT, BUT TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE).

2. BUT THE REALITY OF THE MATTER WAS, PERGAMUM WAS A STRONGHOLD OF ALL KINDS OF FALSE RELIGION, A PLACE OF SATAN’S THRONE, WHERE HE DWELT.

* AND IN THE MIDST OF THAT WICKED PLACE, WHERE THIS CHURCH WAS, THE BELIEVERS THERE WERE HOLDING FIRM AND DID NOT DENY THE FAITH.

** TO PUT IN TERMS WE USE TODAY, THEY WERE “HANGING IN THERE.”

*** FOR DESPITE THE PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING THEY ENDURED IN LIVING IN A SATANIC STRONGHOLD, THEY CONTINUED TO HOLD FAST THE NAME OF CHRIST AND DID NOT DENY THE FAITH.

**** IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DID NOT DEVIATE FROM THEIR LOYALTY TO CHRIST AND THE CENTRAL TRUTHS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, CHRIST SAID THEY HELD FAST TO HIS NAME, AND HIS FAITH, THE BODY OF CHRISTIAN TRUTH.

3. AND BEYOND THAT, THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM MAINTAINED ITS FAITHFULNESS EVEN IN THE DAYS OF ANTIPAS, WHOM CHRIST HERE AS, “MY WITNESS, MY FAITHFUL ONE, WHO WAS KILLED AMONG YOU.”

* AND NOTHING IS KNOWN ABOUT ANTIPAS APART FROM THIS TEXT.

** HE WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE ELDERS OF THE PERGAMUM CHURCH.

*** AND ACCORDING TO TRADITION, HE WAS ROASTED TO DEATH INSIDE A BRASS BULL DURING THE PERSECUTION INSTIGATED BY THE EMPEROR DOMITIAN.

**** BUT ONE LAST QUICK INTERESTING THING HERE. ANTIPAS IS CALLED BY CHRIST, “MY WITNESS” OR “MY FAITHFUL MARTYR” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE.

4. FOR THE WORD WITNESS TRANSLATED MAR-TOOS, A WORD THAT EVENTUALLY WAS TRANSLITERATED INTO ENGLISH AS THE WORD MARTYR, BECAUSE SO MANY WITNESSES FOR CHRIST PAID WITH THEIR LIVES.

* WITNESSES MANY TIMES BECAME MARTYRS. IN FACT, IN ACTS 1:8, THE WORD WITNESSES IS THE GREEK WORD MAR-TOOS AND AS CHRIST GAVE THIS MANDATE TO THE APOSTLES, ALL OF THEM BUT JOHN, THE WRITER OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION, WOULD DIE MARTYR’S DEATHS.

** BEING A WITNESS COULD BE COSTLY.

**** BUT I MUST MOVE ON TO MY NEXT POINT FOUND IN VV. 14&15, THE CONCERN. LOOK AT V. 14 PLEASE.

III. THE CONCERN, (READ V. 14)

A. NOW THIS CHURCH FAITHFULLY PERSEVERED AT THE VERY HEADQUARTERS OF SATAN, EVEN IN THE FACE OF MARTYRDOM WITH ANTIPAS.

* BUT, ALL WAS NOT WELL AT PERGAMUM. FOR CHRIST INFORMS THEM, “I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST YOU.”

** AND CHRIST’S CONCERN WAS THAT THEY HAD THERE SOME WHO HOLD TO FALLEN TEACHING.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WERE SOME IN THE CHURCH WHO CAME TO BELIEVE IN FALSE DOCTRINE.

**** AND THE FIRST HERESY BEING TOLERATED AT PERGAMUM WAS THE DOCTRINE OR TEACHING OF BALAAM.

1. AND THE STORY OF BALAAM IS FOUND IN THE O.T. IN NUMBERS 22-25.

* NOW LET ME GIVE YOU A QUICK SUMMARY ABOUT BALAAM.

** BALAAM WAS A PROPHET FOR HIRE, FOR FEARFUL OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HAD DONE TO THE AMORITES, BALAK, KING OF MOAB, HIRED BALAAM TO CURSE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

*** NOW AFTER TRYING 3 TIMES UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CURSE ISRAEL, BALAAM CAME UP WITH ANOTHER PLAN OF HIS OWN.

**** SINCE HE WAS UNABLE TO CURSE THE ISRAELITES, HE DECIDED TO CORRUPT THEM BY “TEACHING BALAK TO PUT A STUMBLING BLOCK BEFORE THE SONS OF ISRAEL, TO EAT THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS AND TO COMMIT ACTS OF IMMORALITY.”

2. BALAAM PLOTTED TO USE MOABITE WOMEN TO LURE THE ISRAELITES INTO THE BEHAVIOR OF THE GODLESS WORLD AROUND THEM – SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND IDOLATRY.

* THEREFORE THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM WAS THE TEACHING THAT THE PEOPLE OF GOD SHOULD INTERMARRY WITH PAGANS AND BE LED INTO IDOLATROUS WORSHIP THROUGH THEIR UNION WITH THEM.

** AND UNDOUBTEDLY INTERMARRIAGE WITH THE HEATHEN AND SPIRITUAL COMPROMISE WERE REAL ISSUES IN PERGAMUM WHERE CIVIL LIFE AND RELIGIOUS LIFE WERE SO INTERTWINED.

*** SO IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR CHRISTIANS IN THIS CITY TO HAVE ANY KIND OF SOCIAL CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD WITHOUT BECOMING INVOLVED WITH THE WORSHIP OF IDOLS OR IN THE MATTER OF INTERMARRIAGE WITH NON-CHRISTIANS.

**** BUT THE POINT HERE IS CHRISTIANS MUST AT ALL COSTS REMAIN PURE AND SEPARATE FROM DEFILEMENT WITH THE WORLD AND ITS RELIGION AND MORAL STANDARDS AND NOT COMPROMISE AND BECOME WORLDLY.

3. AND BELOVED WE MUST BE REMINDED THAT MARRIAGE TO UNSAVED PEOPLE CAN BE DISASTROUS AS CHRISTIANS ARE NORMALLY BROUGHT DOWN TO THEIR NEW MATE’S RELIGION, WHETHER IT BE HUMANISM, RELATIVISM OR WHATEVER ISM THEY FOLLOW.

* THE CLEAR TEACHING OF II CORINTHIANS 6:14-17 MUST BE FOLLOWED. (READ THEM).

** NOW DON’T MISUNDERSTAND ME, WE NEED TO HAVE FRIENDSHIPS AND CONTACT TO UNSAVED PEOPLE SO WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM, BUT OUR CLOSEST FRIENDS AND RELATIONSHIPS MUST BE WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS.

*** NON-CHRISTIANS HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLDVIEW. THEY ARE UNDER THE DELUSION OF DARKNESS. SATAN IS THEIR FATHER, A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF IT.

**** AND WHO YOU HANG WITH TELLS A LOT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE. AND LISTEN TO THESE WARNINGS FROM SCRIPTURE, READ PROVERBS 13:20, PSALM 119:63, EPHESIANS 5:11, PROVERBS 4:14&15.

4. AND BELOVED, COMPROMISING ON SOCIAL LIVES, BUSINESS AREAS AND RELATIONSHIPS MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS DANGER. ALL KINDS OF RED LIGHTS AND WARNINGS SHOULD BE GOING OFF.

* AND THERE WERE SOME AT PERGAMUM WHO HAD COMPROMISED WITH THIS TEACHING OF BAALIM IN A NT. CONTEXT.

** BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER AREA OF COMPROMISE AND IT IS FOUND IN V. 15, LOOK AT V. 15 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 15. NOW A SECOND HERESY TOLERATED AT PERGAMUM BY SOME, NOT ALL, WAS HOLDING TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS.

* AND I WANT YOU TO SEE SOMETHING IMPORTANT HERE. COMPROMISE RESULTS FROM A DOWNWARD PROGRESSION, A SLIPPERY SLOPE THAT COMES FROM NOT HAVING CHRIST AS YOUR FIRST LOVE.

** FOR BACK IN THE FIRST CHURCH WE STUDIED IN REVELATION 2:1-7, THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS, THEY HATED THE DOCTRINE, THE DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS, WHICH THE LORD HATED IN REVELATION 2:6.

*** FOR REVELATION 2:6 SAYS: “YET THIS YOU DO HAVE, THAT YOU HATE THE DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS, WHICH I ALSO HATE.”

**** NOW WHAT THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS HATED, SOME AT THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM HELD TO. COMPROMISE HAD REARED IT’S UGLY HEAD.

1. AND MY POINT IS, IF YOU DON’T RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE, CHRIST, COMPROMISE WILL FOLLOW.

* YOU ARE OPENING UP THE DOOR TO RATIONALIZING AND JUSTIFYING HOLDING TO TEACHINGS THAT ARE FALSE AND FALLING INTO A TRAP.

** AND WHATEVER THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS WAS, AND THERE ARE TWO VIEWS THAT I WILL NOT TAKE TIME TO GO INTO, SOME AT PERGAMUM HELD TO IT AND EMBRACED. AND THE LORD REPROVED THEM FOR THIS. IT WAS A MAJOR CONCERN.

*** AND BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR LORD WILL CHALLENGE THIS CHURCH IN OUR FINAL TWO VERSES TODAY. LOOK AT V. 16 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FOURTH AND FINAL POINT, THE CHALLENGE.

IV. THE CHALLENGE, (READ V. 16)

A. NOW THIS CHALLENGE BY OUR LORD IS A COMMAND TO REPENT, FOR THE VERB REPENT IS IN THE IMPERATIVE MOOD IN THE GREEK.

* AND BELOVED THE ONLY REMEDY FOR ANY SINFUL BEHAVIOR IS TO REPENT.

** NOW THE WORD REPENT IS A WORD USED IN SCRIPTURE TO DESCRIBE A CHANGE OF MIND THAT RESULTS IN A CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR.

*** AND WHILE TOLERANCE IS EXALTED IN OUR CULTURE TODAY, TOLERATING FALSE TEACHING OR SINFUL BEHAVIOR IN THE CHURCH IS NOT A LOVING THING OR A VENTURE, BUT A SIN.

**** AND SO SERIOUS A MATTER IT IS THAT, SHOULD THEY FAIL TO REPENT AT PERGAMUM, DISCIPLINE WOULD FOLLOW.

1. FOR IT IS REPENT OR ELSE. AND THE WHAT ELSE BY CHRIST IS I WILL COME QUICKLY AND MAKE WAR AGAINST THEM WHO HOLD THESE DOCTRINES WITH THE SWORD OF MY MOUTH.

* AND THE CHANGE IN PRONOUNS FROM YOU TO THEM IN V. 16 REFLECTS AN UNDERLYING HEBREW IDIOM THAT MAKES REFERENCE TO EVERYONE. BOTH PRONOUNS REFER TO THE ENTIRE CHURCH.

** IN OTHER WORDS, THE CHURCH CANNOT TOLERATE EVIL IN ANY FORM. FOR THIS TO BE ALLOWED BY SOME WOULD BRING JUDGMENT TO ALL.

*** AND CHRIST’S COMING HERE IS NOT HIS 2’D COMING BUT COMING IN JUDGMENT UPON THIS CHURCH WITH THE SWORD OF HIS MOUTH IF THEY DON’T REPENT.

**** CHRIST WILL TAKE ACTION QUICKLY IF THEY DON’T REPENT. THIS COMPROMISE AND WORLDLINESS THROUGH FALSE IDEOLOGIES WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

2. WHICH LEADS US TO V. 17, WHERE THE LORD CONTINUES TO CHALLENGE THEM AND GIVE COUNSEL. LOOK AT V. 17 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 17. NOW THE CHALLENGE IS TO LISTEN UP. THE CHALLENGE IS TO HEAR AND TO HEED, TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES.

* AND TWO PROMISES ARE MADE TO THOSE WHO OVERCOME, WHICH WE’VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN OUR STUDY OF THE OTHER TWO CHURCHES REPRESENTS TRUE BELIEVERS WHO PERSEVERE IN THEIR FAITH.

** AND THE FIRST PROMISE IS TO GIVE THEM SOME OF THE HIDDEN MANNA.

*** AND MANNA WAS A HONEY FLAVORED BREAD WHICH GOD FED THE ISRAELITES DURING THEIR YEARS OF WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS.

**** AND ACCORDING TO EXODUS 16:33, THE ISRAELITES WERE TO MEMORIALIZE THAT DIVINE PROVISION BY KEEPING A JAR OF MANNA INSIDE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT DURING THEIR TRAVELS, MANNA THAT WAS HIDDEN.

1. IN LIGHT OF THAT, THE HIDDEN MANNA MAY REPRESENT JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE WHO CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN IN JOHN 6:48-51.

* AND THE LORD JESUS PROVIDES SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE FOR THOSE WHO PUT THEIR FAITH IN HIM.

** THEREFORE THE HIDDEN MANNA SYMBOLIZES ALL THE BLESSINGS AND BENEFITS OF KNOWING CHRIST THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE AND BLESSING WITH HIM. (THAT IS A POSSIBILITY OF THE MEANING OF THE HIDDEN MANNA).

*** NOW THE NEXT PROMISE IS GIVING THE OVERCOMERS A WHITE STONE WITH A NEW NAME WRITTEN ON THE STONE WHICH NO ONE KNOWS BUT THE ONE WHO RECEIVES IT.

**** AND THERE IS A LOT OF SPECULATION ABOUT WHAT THIS REPRESENTS.

2. AND BECAUSE OF TIME LET ME SAY, IT SEEMS BEST TO UNDERSTAND THE WHITE STONE IN LIGHT OF THE ROMAN CUSTOM OF AWARDING WHITE STONES TO THE VICTORS (OVERCOMERS) IN ATHLETIC CONTESTS.

* FOR A WHITE STONE INSCRIPTED WITH THE ATHLETES NAME, SERVED AS HIS TICKET TO A SPECIAL AWARDS BANQUET.

** AND IN THIS VIEW, CHRIST PROMISES THE OVERCOMERS (VICTORS) ENTRANCE TO THE ETERNAL VICTORY CELEBRATION IN HEAVEN, MAYBE THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB IN REVELATION 19.

*** AND THE NEW NAME WRITTEN ON IT WILL SERVE AS EACH BELIEVER’S PASS INTO ETERNAL GLORY. IT WILL UNIQUELY REFLECT GOD’S SPECIAL LOVE FOR AND ADOPTION OF EVERY TRUE CHILD OF HIS.

**** AND THE NEW NAME WRITTEN ON THE STONE WILL BE KNOWN BY THE ONE WHO RECEIVES IT.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) I WANT TO RETURN WHERE I STARTED TODAY AND THAT IS WARNINGS ABOUT WORLDLINESS AND COMPROMISE ARE CLEARLY GIVEN IN SCRIPTURE.

* AND SATAN MAKES IT EASY FOR US TO YIELD TO WORLDLINESS AND COMPROMISE THROUGH RATIONALIZING AND JUSTIFYING THINGS THAT ARE CONTRARY TO GOD’S WORD, WE WILL FALL.

** AND OUR ONLY PROTECTION IS TO HAVE THE WORD OF GOD, OUR TWO EDGED SWORD AS OUR OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE WEAPON.

*** WE MUST POUR ALL OF OUR DECISIONS AND ALL OF OUR ACTIONS AND ALL THAT WE DO THROUGH THE GRID OF THE WORD OF GOD.

**** WE MUST POUR EVERYTHING IN LIFE THROUGH THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD. AND POURING THE WORD OF GOD THROUGH THE SIFTER OF LIFE KEEPS US PURE.

(2) FOR YOU SEE WHEN YOU POUR WATER THROUGH A SIFTER, THE SIFTER DOESN’T RETAIN ALL THE WATER, BUT IT KEEPS THE SIFTER CLEAN.

* AND WE ARE SANCTIFIED AND PURIFIED AND PROTECTED FROM COMPROMISE AND WORLDLINESS THROUGH POURING THE WORD OF GOD THROUGH OUR LIVES AND USING IT IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE.

** WE MUST DO THAT OR WE WILL COMPROMISE AND BE WORLDLY AND BE CHASTENED. I CLOSE WITH JOHN 15:3 AND JOHN 17:17 WHERE JESUS SAID: READ THEM AND PRAY.