"Sardis" Sermon: Revelation 3:1-6 (video)

 "Sardis" Sermon" Revelation 3:1-6 (video) - YouTube

"Sardis" Sermon: Revelation 3:1-6 (manuscript)

 

“Sardis”

Revelation 3:1–6

November 19, 2023 YouTube

          The church in Sardis was thirty-five miles east of Thyatira – at the base of Mount Tmolus and extending through the valley of Hermus – the point being, it was a perfect location for the trade routes that ran through it.  Sardis was the capital of Lydia (which has nothing to do with the Lydia we mentioned last week). Sardis was exceedingly wealthy – not just from the trade routes, but because the rivers were filled with gold.

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

As we have seen, each letter begins with a greeting and an additional revelation about Who Jesus is. As with the other churches, Jesus addresses the minister and the church – here, in Sardis.

Jesus says He has the seven spirits of God.  Remember, seven stands for completeness, wholeness, perfection, and we saw that the seven spirits of God is God the Holy Spirit.  How do we understand that Jesus has the Holy Spirit?  Jesus is revealing – at the time that He is speaking these words – He is at the Right Hand of the Father, reigning in glory – as the God-man.  Right now, Jesus is 100% God and 100% human with God in Heaven.  His human body ascended with Him.  And we will remember that Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan, and when He was, the Holy Spirit descended on Him and indwelled His humanity.

And Jesus has the seven stars – the seven minsters – the ministers of the seven churches of Revelation and the ministers of all the churches throughout time and space.  Jesus is Sovereign over every Christian minister, and they are His for His pleasure and Glory.

          Jesus speaks a strong denunciation of the church in Sardis:

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

          Jesus knows the works of the church in Sardis. And because of the works they have done, they are known to be a living church.

          No false doctrine or false teachers were to be found in the church.  They had a great reputation in the city.  They had been there for decades, and they relied on and leaned on that reputation – their name, their heritage.  They were overconfident and boastful about their church.  “Afterall, we have been here for generations.  All the right people go to our church.  It’s hard to find a seat for worship.  We have the most eloquent preacher, choirs and musicians, full offering plates every time they are passed.  We are involved and finance all the events and programs in the church and in the community. Everyone wants to be like us.”

          The church in Sardis had a reputation of being alive.  To look at their works, you would certainly think that they were blessed and a blessing to Jesus, but Jesus says that this church is dead. (That’s not to say that every big, wealthy, involved church is dead, but, in this case, they were.)

          What was the problem?

          The church in Sardis was a church of nominal Christianity – of nominal Christians.  They were Christian in name only.  They had a name and a reputation, and they professed faith, but their hearts were far from God.  They were busy with all the externals, but they had no spiritual life or power.  They followed after everything except spiritual growth and true riches.  And, over time, they fell into disbelief.  They did all their good works and were known for their good works, but they didn’t believe the Gospel.

          In the days of Isaiah, God says, “And the Lord said: ‘Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,” (Isaiah 29:13, ESV).

          Jesus says to the Pharisees, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28, ESV).

          Again, Jesus says to the Pharisees, “And he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God’” (Luke 16:15, ESV).

          These texts are not about the church in Sardis, but they describe what Jesus condemns the church for.

          Do you know a church like this?  Are you in a church like this? What ought a church like this to do?

Jesus tells the church in Sardis to do four things:

First, “Wake up,”

The first thing they were instructed to do is to wake up – to stop being asleep and letting the world go by without knowing what has happened – what is true and what is good.  If you are asleep, it is impossible to know what is happening.  You may dream that everything is well.  You may dream about your church’s name and recognition in the community, but you cannot know what is real and true.

Paul writes, “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you’” (Ephesians 5:13-14, ESV).

Second, “and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

There is hope.  Amidst the dead church, there is still someone who is weak in the faith but has not fully turned away from the faith.  There are still some who can strengthen their belief in Who Jesus is and what He has done.  They can repent and pray that God the Holy Spirit would teach them and grow them in faith and obedience so they will not die. The works that they had given a tip of the hat to would be taken up again and lived out in full.  They would live out their belief, come back to life in full, and survive the church in Sardis.

James writes, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14-17, ESV).

Strengthen all that you believe through reading the Scripture and praying for understanding – and for the ability to carry it out.  Knowing all the right things and not acting on them is dead.  Doing all the right things, but not believing all that God has said is dead.  We are saved by faith, but the works God has destined for us to do must follow out of all the things we have believed by faith.

Third, “Remember, then, what you received and heard.

At some point, all of the people of the church in Sardis heard the Word of God read and preached.  They had come to the church because they heard it and believed it – they received it as true by the work of God the Holy Spirit in them.  So, Jesus tells them that they will be restored in the faith and forgiven if they go back to what they heard and taught and received – dig deep in your memory and think back to when you first believed and see why you responded to the Word of God the way you did then.  If you truly remember and truly believe, you will be restored to the faith and obedience you were called to.

Paul writes to the young minister, Timothy, and tells him to remember all of the Word of God he heard read and preached and that he believed in, and he will be firm in the salvation he received and the good works that come from it.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:14-17, ESV)

Fourth, “Keep it, and repent.

Keep the Word of God as you heard it read and preached.  Repent of the sins that are brought to light through it.  Repent of being more concerned with looking good than being holy.

Believe every word that God has given us and do all those things that we are called to do.  As Paul writes, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:1-6, ESV).

There was a remnant in the church in Sardis that has not been lost, and if they woke up, strengthened the things that remain, remembered Who Jesus is and what He did, and repented and do the things that God commands in His Word, these will be raised from their sleep and their sickness and brought to being a light to the church and the world.

But.

“If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Any who refuse to waken and be saved will find Jesus coming against them.

“Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

Again, Jesus says there is a remnant in the church in Sardis who have not completely fallen away in sin.  This remnant who truly believe in Jesus for salvation and live the life He has called all believers to live, Jesus will give them white garments – He will make them pure – He will make them worthy by giving them His Worthiness.

“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

The one who conquers the nominal Christianity that we see in the church in Sardis – in our churches? – the one who says it is not enough to have a great heritage and to know all the right things and to look like everything is well, rather humbled, repentant believing in Jesus, the Word of God read and preached, and the living out of all God calls us to do – that one will have his name in the book of life.  He will have the security of being a member of the Kingdom of God.

All those who belong to Jesus through His salvation of them, Jesus will confess their name – He will witness to their righteousness before His Father as an act of His completed work.

Likewise, Jesus says, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33, ESV).

Jesus again calls on all those who can and will hear what He says to this church, and the seven churches, and to all the churches throughout time and space, to hear this message.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

If all we have in our church is a great reputation and a long history, and great speakers and music, and the appreciation and involvement of our neighbors, we may be dead – or on the way to death.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank you for Jesus’ message to the church in Sardis.  Thank You for showing us that even though everything might look fine, our church may be dead.  Help us to grow in faith and obedience by the reading and preaching of Your Word.  Cause us to believe and then do all You have called us to do – as You enable us through the Work of the Holy Spirit.  May You be glorified as Jesus gives His worthiness to all those He came to save.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

"Thyatira" Sermon: Revelation 2:18-29 (video)

"Thyatira" Sermon: Revelation 2:18-29 (video) - YouTube

"Thyatira" Sermon: Revelation2:18-29 (manuscript)

 

“Thyatira”

Revelation 2:18-29

November 12, 2023 YouTube

          Next in our loop of churches in Asia Minor is the church in Thyatira.  Thyatira was about forty miles east of Pergamum.  It was not a very important city, but it did host many trade guilds:  there were clothiers, bakers, metal workers, tanners, potters, and so forth.  Guilds are very similar to unions. As far as worship, Apollo and Artemus were the main gods worshipped.  We will remember Lydia was from Thyatira.

          We read, “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ And she prevailed upon us” (Acts 16:14-15, ESV).

          Our text begins with the appearance of the Son of God:

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

Let us remember, again, that this letter within the book of Revelation is written to the real, historic minister and church in Thyatira, but it is also to all ministers and churches throughout time and space.

With each introduction of each letter, we are given an additional picture of Who Jesus is.  Here we are told that He is the Son of God.  He is divine.  His words are the words of God.  There is no other authority higher than Him.

And we are told He has eyes like flames of fire and feet like burnished bronze.  The eyes of Christ burn through a person.  Nothing can be hidden from Him.  He sees through every wall that we set up to keep things from Him.  There is no secret that is not plain to Him.  Do not think that He does not know everything about you – the good and the sinful. His burnished bronze feet – like the feet of the Creature in Daniel and Ezkiel – indicate that He is without blemish, that He has the authority to exact punishment – this is in line with His being all-knowing – Omniscient.

Then Jesus praises the church in Thyatira:

          “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

          Jesus tells them that He knows their works – He knows the love of the church.  He knows the faith of the church.  He knows the service of the church.  He knows the patient endurance of the church during persecution. And, they are growing in love, they are growing in faith, they are growing in service, and they are growing in patient endurance.

          The author of Hebrews is disappointed with his audience because they have not been like the church in Thyatira:

“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:11-14, ESV).

          What a joy it must have been to the church in Thyatira to hear these words – that Jesus knows they are growing as Christians in love, faith, service, and patience endurance. If Jesus sent our church a letter, would He praise our growing in love, faith, service, and patient endurance?

          But.

“‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Jesus says He is angry that they have tolerated Jezebel – who she claims to be, and what she does.

We will remember that Jezebel was the wicked wife of the wicked King Ahab.  Samuel writes, “And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (I Kings 16:31-33, ESV).

Jezebel claimed to be a prophetess and seduced some of the people of God to worship false gods and to take part in the eating of food offered to the false gods and to engage in sexual immorality.  So, it was then, so it was in the days of the church in Thyatira.

The church in Thyatira did not teach the teaching of Jezebel, but they tolerated her teaching and misleading people in the church.

But who is this Jezebel?  Most commentators say that she was not a person at Thyatira, but -- as Jesus will say – “the deep things of Satan.”  Some argue that this was a philosophy or theology that taught there was a mystical knowledge to be had deeper than what is merely taught in the Bible – and there were people teaching that in addition to the Bible, one must engage in idol worship and temple prostitution and eating food offered to idols.  Yet, there are some who say this is one single person.  However, it doesn’t really matter all that much because the result was the promise of a “deeper knowledge” – than God gives in the Bible – it is a trick of the devil.

There is another reason this teaching would have been tolerated in the church in Thyatira:  to buy and sell, you had to be a member of a trade guild, and the trade guilds required you to take part in the worship of the false gods and eat the food offered to them and have sexual relations with the temple prostitutes.  If you were not part of a guild and did not abide by their rules, you would be inviting commercial suicide.  You would not be able to run your business, buy the things you need, or survive in any way. The church may have tolerated this thinking that those who participated knew the gods weren’t real, so it didn’t matter.

There are teachings that matter – things that we must believe, and then there are not matters of salvation.  It is possible for someone to be a weak, confused, ignorant Christian and still be saved.  The idea that the Bible is not enough to know everything God would have us know about faith and life – for example, that Jesus is the Savior, but it the end, God saves everyone, so it doesn’t matter if you believe in Jesus or not – that’s heresy.  You can’t say you’re a Christian and it doesn’t matter if you believe in Jesus for your salvation.  And we have churches that tolerate that teaching – and, perhaps, even teach it.

We don’t like to be intolerant.  We want to “love” everybody – though that love is not the love of the Bible.  The fact of the matter is that there are things we can be tolerant of – whether you prefer the RSV or ESV translation of the Bible, for example.  And then there are things we must be intolerant of.  Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6b, ESV).  No one!  Jesus is intolerant about the truth of salvation. There are times when the church must be intolerant.

“But these people wouldn’t be able to buy or sell. Wouldn’t it be ok to go along with if they didn’t believe in what they were doing? Sometimes, isn’t it ok to go against what God commands for the greater good?”

“The story goes that one day a Christian complained to Tertullian, the early apologist, of the need to make a living. ‘After all, I must live,’ he pleaded.

“Tertullian replied, ‘Must you?’” (Boice, Seven Churches, Four Horsemen, One Lord, 111).

Jesus says He gave Jezebel time to repent, but she refused. So, Jesus tells her that He is going to throw her into a bed of tribulation and all those who commit adultery with her – if they do not repent – He will put them to death. Sometimes Jesus will put Christians to death for not repenting of their sin – He shows His Justice and His Wrath and delivers them from the sin they would not repent of.

“And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God” (II Samuel 6:6-7, ESV).

In Acts 5, we read that Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sell a piece of land, and when they went to the Temple to donate the money, Peter asks if they are bringing the whole total of the money they received, and they lie and say they have, and God strikes them dead.

Jesus says that when He kills the followers of Jezebel, the other churches – the people who see them – will know that God sees the hearts and minds of all people and gives according to their works.

There are times when being tolerant is sinful.  There are times when we must be intolerant for the sake of a person’s soul.

But.

“’But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden.

Those who have refused to tolerate the teaching of Jezebel – to those who did not seek a deeper, Satanic, “understanding” of the Bible – to the true Christians who taught only the Word of God Alone – the peace of God is with them.  No other burden is laid upon them.

John writes in his first letter, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (I John 5:3, ESV).

And Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV).

“Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.

The light burden they were already growing in was love and faith and service and patient endurance.  Keep up that – with the belief of Jesus as God the Savior – conquering through Jesus and the work of God the Holy Spirit in us, and believers will be given authority and will rule.

Jesus is saying what is said in Psalm 2, “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Psalm 2:8-9, ESV).

Do you see what Jesus changed?  Rather than saying they will break them with a rod of iron, He says they will rule them with a rod of iron.

Later in the book of Revelation we read, “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4, ESV).

Carrying out the work of Jesus is a light burden – one that we do out of joy for the salvation He has given us.  And we are promised in the Kingdom – in the new heavens and the new earth – we – all those who believe in Jesus alone for salvation – will rule over the restored Creation – that is, the Kingdom.

“And I will give him the morning star.”

Who or what is the morning star?  Jesus.  Jesus gives Himself to all we who believe.  He has lived and died and rose and ascended that He could substitute Himself for us that we would have His righteousness and be forgiven of all our sins.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

We ought to be growing in faith and obedience, and God the Holy Spirit empowers us to grow, and He gives us joy as we do grow, becoming the people God has called to be.

There are times when Christians and the Church must be intolerant.  There are times must insist that teachings go against the Word of God and will not be allowed in the church or in the lives of believers.  Leaving people in sin is not love, and the church must be disciplined and discipline its people.

Jesus has given us Himself that we would be His and He would be glorified.

God the Holy Spirit speaks to the churches and convicts believers of what is true and biblical and when there is a need to discipline and to be intolerant for the sake of our brothers and sisters.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You for the example of the church in Thyatira.  We are encouraged by their growth in matters of faith and obedience and pray that You would grow the current churches and the Christians who call Jesus Savior.  Let us know that this burden is light. Help us not to be lax in our teaching or in our discipline of those who would distort You Word, even if they believe it is a good or negligible teaching. Thank You for the promise that we will reign and have dominion over the Creation with You in the Kingdom. And thank You that Jesus has given Himself to us and for us that we would eternally be His.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

"Pergamum" Sermon: Revelation 2:12-17 (manuscript)

 

“Pergamum”

Revelation 2:12-17

November 5, 2023 YouTube

Pergamum. Pergamum is the third church to receive a letter from Jesus in the book of Revelation.

Pergamum was about fifty-five miles north of Smyrna and at the time of John, there were 120,000 people.  All the pagan gods were accepted and worshipped in Pergamum (the seat of Satan).  They had temples to Zeus, Athena, Dionysus, Ceasar Augustus, but the main god of Pergamum was Asclepius – the god of medicine and healing – whose symbol was a snake wrapped around a staff – which continues to be the symbol for medicine and doctors to this day.  Most famously, known for his advances in medicine, Galen was born there.

Pergamum was also a great city of art and literature and had a library of 200,000 books – the library at Alexandria was the only larger one at the time.

          “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

          As we continue to see, Jesus addresses the real, historic minister and church in Pergamum, and what is written applies to all ministers and all churches.  Jesus is the One Who has the two-edged sword.  And we will remember that the two-edged sword is the Word of God.  So, Jesus is He who has and speaks and wields the Word of God to bless and to punish.

“‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Jesus knows where the Christians of Pergamum dwell.  Jesus knows His people and watches over them as the Good Shepherd.  Not one escapes His notice.  He calls them to Himself and makes them His own.

Jesus knows that they live where Satan’s throne is.  Pergamum is a place where Satan is on his throne, being worshipped in all the temples of the false gods.  God has given him this city to twist and pervert.

However, the Christians of Pergamum held fast to the Name and the salvation of Jesus.  They did not give in to the ridicule and persecution – even if they were persecuted to death for their faith in Jesus for salvation. They didn’t even waver in their faith when Antipas was killed in Pergamum – where Satan dwells. (Unfortunately, we don’t know anything about Antipas, but we can surmise that he was a bold apologist for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He spoke boldly against the worship of idols and told them that only Jesus is God the Savior.)

Can we say that the United States is similarly the throne of Satan – where Satan dwells?  Don’t we see the idolatry of our country all around us?  The worship of false gods – even the worship of gods not existing.  The worship of money, sex, and power for their own sakes.

Do we stand for the Name of Jesus?  For His Power and salvation.  Do we tell others that we believe in the Only True God, Jesus Christ?  Of course, we are not to “bash people over their heads with the Bible,” but do people identify us as believers?  Would they say we don’t do this or that or we do other things, because we are believers in Who Jesus is and what He has done?  And do they know that when we sin against what we know and have been commanded, we repent of our sin?

Are we willing to be hated and mocked and thrown in prison and even put to death in the most horrific way for confessing Jesus as Lord?  That’s not an easy question to give an answer to, is it?  In our minds we may say, “Of course I will stand for Jesus no matter what happens,” but are we prepared for when it does?  Have we prayed for strength and courage and boldness to stand for Jesus amidst where Satan dwells?

Prepare.  It is happening in some places now.  After the author of Hebrews writes about specific men and women of the faith, he writes, “Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:35-38, ESV).  Will we accept this when it happens to us?

The Christians in Pergamum held fast to the Name of Jesus and did not deny the faith.

“But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

The church in Pergamum was not perfect.  The minister and all the Christians in the church were not perfect – and neither are we.  Jesus says He has a few things against the minister and the Christians in the church in Pergamum:  they embraced the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

That is not to say that the Christians in the church in Pergamum believed these false teachings, but they allowed them to be taught and flourish in the church.  They did not discipline or expel those who were teaching these evil doctrines, they embraced them, they allowed them to become members of the church, thought they didn’t believe – or, at least, embraced sinful teaching as acceptable.  They allowed them to hold offices in the church, though the offices are to be held by strong believers.  They did not denounce sin in the teaching and preaching from the pulpit.  They had come to a point where they believed that love – as they thought this was – was more important that what the Bible said.  “All you need is love.”  “God is love, so I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong – that what you are doing is sin.”

So, what was the problem?

They had embraced the teaching of Balaam.

Balaam was a false prophet that God used to tell the truth and bless Israel.  Balak the King of Moab sent for Balaam and said he would pay him if he would use witchcraft and divination to curse Israel before Balak attacked them.  Balaam agreed, and as he opened his mouth to curse Israel, the words came out blessing Israel, and this happened repeatedly, so Balaam told Balak it wasn’t going to work.  But Balaam had an idea that Balak could carry out:

“While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel” (Numbers 25:1-3, ESV).

Balaam told Balak to prostitute the women of Moab before the Israelite men – get the men of Israel to engage in sexual immorality with Moabite women, and the men will follow the women and worship their god, the Baal of Peor.  And they did, and the Lord punished Israel.

The wording of our text indicates that this may be what the Nicolaitans taught – or that they taught similar things – that everything that the Bible taught about sexual morality was to be put aside in the name of love.  “How can it be wrong when it feels so right?” as the song goes.  “The important thing is love.  It doesn’t matter who or when you have sexual relations with someone – or multiple someone.  What matters is love.”

Paul writes, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body” (I Corinthians 6:18, ESV).

One of the duties of the church is to discipline members of the church – believers who have taken the step to commit themselves to a local church – not just visitors or attendees.  A major issue in I and II Corinthians is about a man who commits a sexual sin and does not repent of it initially, and Paul’s instruction was that he must be put out of the church until he repents and then be welcomed back into the church when he does. 

The church in Pergamum didn’t want to say the sexual immorality being accepted in the name of love was wrong.  They didn’t want to put those people out who taught it, and those who unrepentantly embraced it.

“Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

Therefore, repent.  If you have compromised in the way of living that God has set before us – whatever sin that might be – personal, communal, for the “sake” of others – repent – confess your sin, turn around and pledge not to sin like that again.  That is good news for us -- because of Who Jesus is and what He has done, when we sin, we can go to Him and repent and turn around and stop doing what we have been doing, and we can be forgiven.

Jesus says to the church in Pergamum, “You have been allowing people to come into the church – to teach in the church – to influence people in the church – telling them it’s ok to engage in sexual immorality – what God calls sexual immorality – and you have done nothing to protect the Christians in the church or to rebuke and/or expel those false teachers – in the name of love.  But, if you repent and teach the church what God says is sexual immorality – those things God says not to do – that they are sin, and you put out those people who refusing to stop teaching their sinful ways in the church, you will be forgiven.”

What sin does our church not want to have taught and preached?  What sin are we willing to excuse in the name of love?  What sin would we rather spread through the church than keep people out of the pews and the offering plate?  What do we know is forbidden by the Word of God that we turn a blind eye to in our church?

Jesus says He will come with the Sword of the Word of God against those who do not repent for following after these sinful teachings – those who teach the people of God to go astray and embrace sin.

Doctrine – teaching – is important.  It is what God wants us to know and do to be the people He calls us to be.

God tells the church in Pergamum that if they don’t, He will war against them soon with the Sword which is the Word of God.

In the days of Balaam, when the men of Israel whored after the women of Moab, God said, “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.’ And Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor’” (Numbers 25:4-5, ESV).

Jesus was threatening the church in Pergamum in the same way.  If they didn’t repent and do what was right about these evil people, Jesus would bring judgement against them and church in Pergamum – He would remove their lampstand.

How long will Jesus give our church – our denomination – to repent?

“’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’”

As before, Jesus says that anyone who can hear and will hear what the Holy Spirit says to the churches – Pergamum and the others – let him hear the praise that Jesus gives and the warnings and condemnations He gives.

“The one who conquers” – that is, to the one who is born again – to the true believer – to the true Christian – to the one who believes in Jesus savingly, the Holy Spirit will give him some of the hidden manna.  What is He talking about?

We remember that God fed the people of Israel in the wilderness with manna.  So, the Holy Spirit is saying He will feed true believers in some way.

When Jesus argued with the Pharisees and explained to them that He is the manna – the bread – from Heaven, He said:

“So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven’” (John 6:41, ESV).

“’I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh’” (John 6:51, ESV).

“’This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever’” (John 6:58, ESV).

In the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, we “eat” the flesh of Jesus in the bread – we commune with Him spiritually and are united with Him by His salvation of us, and He provides for us in all that He would have us do and be.

And the Holy Spirit will give the true believer a white stone with a new name on it that only he will know.

Is this a real white stone or is something spiritual being said here?

There were occasions that white and black stones were used in the customs of the day, but here, commentators say that the white stone symbolizes justification, grace, victory, and communion – all of which we have by the merit of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit (Joel Beeke, Revelation, 108-109). 

The white stone that is given to the true believer in Jesus, then, is our salvation and all that we become through our salvation by the work of the Holy Spirit.

As Isaiah prophesies, “The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give” (Isaiah 62:2, ESV).

The new name of the Christians in Pergamum – our new name as believers – is given to us by the work of Jesus.  So, if it is a new name, will I no longer be called Peter?  The changing of the name we live with in this life is probably not what is being changed.  It is more likely along the lines of our now being called sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus.

The church in Pergamum was a church that was faithful to the Name of Jesus and His salvation in the midst of persecution and the city being a bastion of the worship of the false gods of Satan.

Yet, they had allowed false teachers into the church who were getting believers to engage in sin – specifically sexual sin – because they thought that was showing love.  It was not – it was a sin in allowing these people to turn the people to sin. So, they were told to repent, or Jesus would come with the two-edged sword in vengeance.

Finally, Jesus tells them that those who truly believe savingly in Jesus will be made like Him and saved to the uttermost as the Holy Spirit transforms the believer.  Jesus will commune with all true believers through the Lord’s Supper, especially, just as the Israelites in the wilderness ate the manna.  And they will be given a white stone – all the facets of salvation – that lead them to be called the children of God.

Let us be faithful to the Name of Jesus no matter what evil is done against us.  Let us turn out those who would mislead the church and those who are unrepentant – until they repent.  And let us be filled with joy that we have been saved and commune with Jesus and are being changed into who we will forever be in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You that You and Your Son, Jesus, have sent God the Holy Spirit to indwell us.  Cause Him to strengthen us as we face the wicked and their torment of us.  Give us strength to always stand for Your Word and put out those who would deceive the flock.  Grow us by the Holy Spirit into the men and women You have called us to be and let us look forward in faith as we communion with Jesus in the Lord’s Supper.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

"Pergamum" Sermon: Revelation 2:12-17 (video)

 (1) "Pergamum" Sermon: Revelation 2:12-17 (video? - YouTube

"Smyrna" Sermon: Revelation 2:8-11 (video)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj7nHdYfNxU

"Smyrna" Sermon: Revelation 2:8-11 (manuscript)

 

“Smyrna”

[Revelation 2:8–11]

October 29, 2023 YouTube

 

          The second of the seven churches that John addresses in the letter – the book – of Revelation is the church in Smyrna, and it was about thirty-five miles north of Ephesus and was founded by Paul.  It had a natural harbor and a flourishing export trade, and it was one of the wealthiest cities in Asia Minor – Turkey. 

Smyrna was controlled by the Romans, but the Jews were accepted and allowed to practice their religion, and since the Romans saw no real difference between the Jews and the Christians, so the Christians were able to practice their religion.  Smyrna hosted the Temple of Dea Roma – the god of the founding of Rome, and they won the honor of having the Temple of Ceasar Tiberius constructed in their city.

As we look at the letter, note that nothing negative is said about this church.

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

We will remember, we understand, the letter is addressed to the real, historical minister and the real, historical church in Smyrna – as well as all ministers and all churches throughout time and space.

Jesus tells the church in Smyrna that the words of this letter come from Jesus, and He is the first and the last.  Jesus is unchangeable and eternal.  He is before all things, and He has no end because He is Divine – He is God.  And He lived a human life and died a human death and resurrected – He came back to life.  Jesus is God in the flesh.  He is the God-Man – Wholly God and Wholly Man able – since He is God and Man – to bring the believers in Smyrna out of tribulation, into His Victory, and into His Kingdom.

Because Jesus is the God-Man, the Christians in Smyrna, and all Christians throughout time and space have hope and comfort and confidence that we all will come through tribulation – no matter how horrible it may be – Jesus will bring His people through it into the Paradise of God.

“‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Initially, the Christians were tolerated as a type of Jew, but the Jews eventually made it clear that Christians are not Jews, and the Romans and the Jews cause the Christians to suffer – to have tribulation – in four different ways:

First, they suffered by being impoverished, by being poor, by not having things.  The Romans and the Jews would not allow them to trade or buy or sell because they confessed Christ and lived out their Christianity.  Yet, they were rich in the things of God – in the salvation that Jesus merited for all Christians.

Paul writes, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (II Corinthians 8:9, ESV).

Jesus teaches, “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20-21, ESV).

“Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life’” (Mark 10:29-30, ESV).

Second, they were slandered.

As we already said, the Jews turned against the Christians, and the Romans turned against the Christians in turn.  The Jews started telling each other and the Romans lies about the Christians – they spread slander about them.  Some of the slander that was being spread about the Christians was that they drown their children and ate human flesh and drank human blood – a perverse caricature of the sacraments.

Jesus says, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12, ESV).

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:18-20, ESV).

Jesus is not saying, “Hey, if they slander you and lie about you and get you persecuted, don’t worry about it – why are you making such a big deal?  Enjoy it and know good things are coming.”  No.  Jesus knows what it is to suffer at the hands of those who slander.

The theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who died in a concentration camp during World War Two, said, “Suffering is the badge of true Christians.”

Remember what Paul writes, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV).

Don’t panic.  Don’t despair.  Don’t try to laugh it off.  And Christians in 2023, don’t think it won’t happen to you.  Jesus has overcome, and no matter how much or how little a Christian endures, Jesus brings him into Paradise and His Kingdom.

What the Christians in Smyrna need to know is that the people who are slandering them – the people who call themselves, “Jews,” aren’t Jews – they are members of the Synagogue of Satan.

How can that be?

Paul explains, “But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring” (Romans 9:6-8, ESV).

Paul explains that just because you are born in the line of Jews doesn’t mean you are a Jew.  Likewise, just because you are born into a Christian family and go to church and mouth the right words doesn’t mean you are a Christian.

If you say you’re a Jew and you go to synagogue and you do all the right things, but you don’t believe the Word of God, you are not worshippers of God, you are worshippers of Satan.  The same goes for Christians.

Trust.  Have hope.  Be comforted:  Jesus is already victorious over Satan – the devil.  He is a vanquished foe.  Jesus is bringing us through this – no matter how difficult it is, we will be brought through it and will be with Jesus in glory forever.

“’Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Third, some were falsely imprisoned.

Jesus tells them not to be afraid, even though the devil is going to throw some of them into prison.  Of course, Jesus does not mean that the devil will physically throw them into prison, but that the devil will influence and coerce people in power – through slander and lies about the Christians – to have some of them thrown into prison.  The devil will be behind their being thrown into prison.

We shouldn’t understand this to mean that the devil got the better of Jesus and got some of Jesus’ people falsely thrown into jail because, just as Jesus told Pilate, it is true of the devil, “Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore, he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin’” (John 19:11, ESV).

Some people talk about the devil and God as though they are two equals fighting it out, but that is not what the Bible tells us.  The devil is a creation of God, and the devil cannot do anything except what God commands and allows.

The devil threw some of them into prison, but only because God let him.

Why?

The author of Hebrews writes, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6, ESV).

The suffering of Christians is purposeful.  There is a purpose for why God allowed the devil to throw some of the Christians of Smyrna into prison.  There is a purpose for all the ways that Christians suffer.  We endure exactly what our Father knows to be what we need to be the person He has called us to be.  He does not sin.  He does not tempt.

He disciplines us and chastises us and grows us by the best and most effective means necessary – whether it looks like it right now or not.

Don’t worry or be frightened that the devil is throwing some into prison but take comfort in knowing that our God and Savior is testing us, and He is bringing us through passing the test by the merit of Jesus.

And, again, showing the Sovereignty and Divinity of Jesus, He says they will be imprisoned for ten days.  The number ten symbolizes wholeness, the law, divine order.  So, they will be imprisoned for a short period of time which has been set in accordance with the Divine order – Jesus’ Sovereignty.

We see the use of ten days in the book of Daniel where Daniel and his friends are commanded to eat the food provided by the king – which is not kosher.  So, Daniel asks, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see” (Daniel 1:12-13).  Daniel and his friends looked better and were healthier than those fed the king’s food by obeying the law – ten.

Fourth, some were put to death.

Sometimes – Jesus Who lived and died and rose from the dead – sometimes – in the plan of God and in love for us, death is the best witness – best confirmation – that our faith is genuine and purposeful.

Jesus tells the Christians in Smyrna to be faithful.  That doesn’t mean you won’t be poor.  That doesn’t mean you won’t be slandered.  That doesn’t mean you won’t be falsely put in prison.  That doesn’t mean you won’t be put to death.  All Christians endure tribulation – like our Lord Jesus – just in different amounts and ways.

Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna until he was burned to death in 156 A. D. at the age of eighty-six for the crime of refusing to denounce Christ and worship the emperor. He was likely one of the first people to read or hear the book of Revelation.  The Romans prepared a stake to tie him to and wood for him to stand on as he burned.  Polycarp said there was no need to tie him up, he would stand there on his own as he burned.

As he burned, he said, in part, “O Lord, Almighty God, the Father of Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, I thank Thee that Thou hast thought me worthy this day, this hour to share the cup of Thy Christ among the number of Thy witnesses” (in Joel Beeke, Revelation, 81).

We are to be faithful – in suffering – in tribulation – and when we are not.  We are to be faithful – not to the world – not to the devil – but to Jesus.  Polycarp was faithful. The church in Smyrna was to be faithful unto death.  We are to be faithful unto death.

And if we are, Jesus says, we will receive “the crown of life.”

Is it a gold crown with gems in it like we see on TV and in the movies?  No.  It is a laurel wreath like the one given in the sports games of the day – the winner of a race.  And notice, it is given to us by Jesus – it is not something we merit – it is something given to us by grace for what Jesus has done.

Paul writes about the tribulation – even to death – as he would suffer – and he does not say this lightly or flippantly, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (II Corinthians 4:17-18, ESV).

If we suffer or are even put to death for the sake of Jesus, we have won the race – we have received the crown.  That’s not to say the tribulation we endure is easy – I know some of you who are suffering a lot. But we have hope and comfort in knowing that our hope is not here in the way things are now, but with Jesus in the restored Creation and His Kingdom.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Christians in the church in Smyrna, hear what the Holy Spirit says to you and the other churches – all the other churches and all the Christians in them, if you are one who conquers – are you one who conquers?  Do we conquer?  Has Jesus conquered for us – in our place?

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39, ESV).

Jesus has conquered everything for His people that we would be comforted and have hope through our tribulation knowing that He has conquered the last judgment for us as well.  We are conquerors through Jesus – He has conquered everything and credited it to our accounts and all those who believing savingly in Jesus will not be hurt by the second death.

The first death is our physical death when our body and soul are separated until the last day.  The second death is the final judgment on the last day when everyone who ever lived will be raised from the dead and judged.  But the Christians in the church in Smyrna and all the Christians through time and space will not be hurt by the second death.

Later in the book of Revelation we have a definition: “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15, ESV). The second death is eternal suffering in Hell.

The church in Smyrna suffered a great deal.  They faced poverty due to their confession of Jesus.  They were slandered by the Romans and the Jews.  They were unjustly thrown in prison.  They were even put to death for their faith.

Jesus tells them to be faithful.  “Don’t panic; don’t worry.  Hold on to all you have believed and been taught.  Know that whatever may happen, I am Sovereign.  I am faithful.  I have saved you and made you more than conquerors – winners of the crown of life.  And since I lived and died and rose from the dead, your debt to God has been paid, and you will not face the second death.  You have been delivered from eternal suffering in Hell.”

Let us have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank you for this record of a faithful church – a church that suffered in many ways under the hands of the Jews and the Romans.  Help us to be faithful in every way.  Keep us hopeful and give us comfort in knowing that the work of Jesus helps us to believe that our suffering has purpose, and we are more than conquerors because He loves us.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.