WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.440 Okay. 00:00:03.740 --> 00:00:04.740 How are you guys doing? 00:00:05.580 --> 00:00:06.520 Is that amazing? 00:00:07.379 --> 00:00:09.839 Amazing sharing time, amazing what God is doing. 00:00:11.380 --> 00:00:17.600 If you are with us for the first time, we are working our way through the last book of your Bible. 00:00:18.400 --> 00:00:20.019 It's called the Revelation of John. 00:00:20.740 --> 00:00:22.920 Some people call it the Apocalypse of Jesus. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:26.640 And we're working our way through some letters that were written to seven churches. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:31.940 Jesus told John to write to these seven churches that were alive and thriving, 00:00:32.660 --> 00:00:36.439 sometimes well, sometimes not so well, in what is modern-day Turkey. 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:39.000 Remember the first church we talked about? 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:40.359 The first church was Ephesus. 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:44.560 We said that was a church that, though they did everything right, 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:47.980 they thought everything right, they did everything right, everything was perfect, 00:00:48.579 --> 00:00:51.140 Jesus comes to them and says they have one thing wrong. 00:00:51.820 --> 00:00:53.200 They lost their first love. 00:00:53.760 --> 00:00:55.820 They lost their love for Christ. 00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:58.380 Their Christian life had become dull. 00:00:58.480 --> 00:00:59.619 It just became mechanical. 00:00:59.820 --> 00:01:02.399 They just did, did, did, but they didn't realize why they were doing it. 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:04.400 They didn't love Christ. 00:01:05.460 --> 00:01:08.879 And we talked about how you can know if your Christian life is becoming dull. 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:13.120 We said sometimes the first indication is that we lose joy. 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:16.120 We lose joy of what God's done in our life. 00:01:16.180 --> 00:01:17.640 We lose joy of looking at the cross. 00:01:17.740 --> 00:01:22.240 We lose joy of thinking about what we were and what we are now. 00:01:23.219 --> 00:01:28.979 We said another way you could tell if you're losing perspective in your life is that you see people differently. 00:01:29.939 --> 00:01:31.399 I mean, you see people more as a burden. 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:32.699 You see people more as a hassle. 00:01:32.859 --> 00:01:35.479 You see people more as an inconvenience. 00:01:35.699 --> 00:01:36.699 You're just so busy. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:37.819 You need to be doing things. 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:40.939 And they come up and they want to talk and they're going to take your time. 00:01:41.119 --> 00:01:43.799 And, you know, it's just such an inconvenience. 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:49.459 You know, you always hear the pastors or people in the church sometimes say, you know, the church would be great if it weren't for the people. 00:01:50.500 --> 00:01:53.399 And that's one of those symbols that you're losing your joy. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:55.039 You're losing your perspective. 00:01:55.780 --> 00:01:59.459 Another thing might be that you have this better view of yourself than you really are. 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:03.120 You start to think of yourself as more important than you really are. 00:02:03.900 --> 00:02:13.379 I remember the very first church that I served in, we were talking about serving and giving and tithing and how we can serve as a body. 00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:24.300 And at the end of this time, one of the older members came up and he said, you know, I'm a chief executive of this huge company. 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:31.180 And nothing that you're showing me on this list of how I can serve, nothing here is worthy of my time. 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:33.740 Nothing is worthy of my time. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:35.060 My time is so important. 00:02:35.340 --> 00:02:37.740 There's nothing I can do for your church that's even worthy of that. 00:02:38.060 --> 00:02:39.260 I just can't do anything. 00:02:39.620 --> 00:02:42.200 And as a young guy, I looked at him and I didn't know what to say, right? 00:02:42.199 --> 00:02:42.280 Right? 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:46.560 Because I didn't know all the game rules and how you acted and what you did in this church because I was new to this church. 00:02:46.900 --> 00:02:49.060 And all I could say was, well, I'll pray for you. 00:02:50.780 --> 00:02:57.520 But what I wanted to say was I'm so glad that Jesus doesn't say that about us. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:00.580 You know, I'm so busy. 00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:01.240 I'm in heaven. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:02.260 I'm controlling everything. 00:03:02.640 --> 00:03:03.800 And I just got to do all these things. 00:03:03.880 --> 00:03:06.320 And it's just really inconvenient for me to come down and put myself on a cross. 00:03:08.020 --> 00:03:10.660 Because anyway, you're going to forget about me next week and you're going to do something wrong. 00:03:11.020 --> 00:03:12.219 I mean, that's what I wanted to say. 00:03:12.219 --> 00:03:14.719 But I didn't say that. 00:03:16.039 --> 00:03:21.020 And in this message, Jesus says to the church of Ephesus, come back. 00:03:21.740 --> 00:03:23.759 Remember what it was like when I first loved you. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:25.259 Remember what your relationship was like. 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:25.879 Come back. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:28.500 The next church we talked about was last week. 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:29.719 We talked about the church of Smyrna. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.159 And we said the church of Smyrna is a church of bitterness. 00:03:32.300 --> 00:03:33.639 It's a church that was being crushed. 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:35.680 And all this persecution happened into it. 00:03:36.099 --> 00:03:39.659 And Jesus just comes to this church and he just encourages them to hang in there. 00:03:40.379 --> 00:03:41.480 He just says, hang in there. 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:42.460 I'm with you. 00:03:42.760 --> 00:03:43.420 Hang in there. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:44.240 It's okay. 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:44.879 Hang in there. 00:03:44.920 --> 00:03:49.819 No matter what happens, it's not going to even compare to what you're going to receive when you get in heaven and glory. 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:53.360 People were being martyred for their faith. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:55.600 It was interesting. 00:03:56.080 --> 00:04:00.819 Last week after this sermon, I got this email from a church that we work with in America. 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:02.580 And this is the email. 00:04:02.580 --> 00:04:06.560 Hey, we'd like for you to prayer request for Dan and Marilyn. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:08.380 They're missionaries. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:11.660 They're working in the areas that have been taken over by ISIS. 00:04:12.460 --> 00:04:14.600 And they're asking that we shower them in prayer. 00:04:15.740 --> 00:04:17.520 ISIS has taken over the town they're in today. 00:04:17.660 --> 00:04:24.639 And he said that ISIS is systematically going house to house to all the Christians and asking the children to denounce Jesus. 00:04:26.340 --> 00:04:28.319 He said so far no child has. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:31.139 And so far all of them have been killed. 00:04:31.139 --> 00:04:33.360 But not the parents. 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:35.620 They want the parents to watch. 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:39.539 The UN has withdrawn and the missionaries are on their own. 00:04:40.539 --> 00:04:47.339 And the Western missionaries are determined to stick it out for the sake of the families that they have been ministering to, even if it means their own death. 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:49.759 They're very afraid now. 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:53.980 They have no idea how to begin ministering to those families who've lost their children. 00:04:53.980 --> 00:05:01.840 Yet they ask us to pray that God would give them a voice and hands to serve and help. 00:05:03.100 --> 00:05:07.879 Even so, they're begging for courage to live out their life in such dire circumstances. 00:05:07.879 --> 00:05:12.740 And like the children, accept martyrdom if that is what they're called to do. 00:05:13.579 --> 00:05:17.019 These brave parents have told their children, they went to each of their childs and said, 00:05:17.159 --> 00:05:18.639 Do you think we should stay? 00:05:18.699 --> 00:05:20.620 And all the children said, Yes, we have to stay. 00:05:20.699 --> 00:05:21.899 We have to take care of these people. 00:05:22.699 --> 00:05:24.379 What if that means you being killed? 00:05:24.379 --> 00:05:28.620 And all the children said, We're willing to do that. 00:05:29.699 --> 00:05:34.319 So please surround us in your prayers and hope and perseverance. 00:05:36.540 --> 00:05:38.600 The next day, a message came. 00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:41.000 We lost the city of Karakush. 00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:45.019 It fell to ISIS, and now they are beheading children systematically. 00:05:46.159 --> 00:05:48.339 This is a city we've been smuggling food to. 00:05:49.319 --> 00:05:54.159 ISIS pushed back the Pursh Megha, and they are within 10 minutes of our outpost. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:56.399 And our team is working diligently. 00:05:57.459 --> 00:05:59.699 Thousands are flooding into the city to escape. 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:02.399 The UN has evacuated the site. 00:06:03.379 --> 00:06:05.600 Our team is unmoved, and we'll stay. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:08.219 Will you pray for us? 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:15.259 Smyrna was a church that was being crushed. 00:06:16.500 --> 00:06:21.519 You know that there are more people who are going to be killed for their faith these 100 years 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:25.699 than all the other 100 years put together in the life of the church. 00:06:27.379 --> 00:06:31.620 And we as God's people, we need to be praying for them. 00:06:33.039 --> 00:06:36.139 He encourages Smyrna to hang in there, even amongst the bitterness, 00:06:36.659 --> 00:06:39.039 because at the end you're going to receive the crown of life. 00:06:40.099 --> 00:06:41.099 You'll meet Christ. 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:47.939 Today we come to the church of Pergamum, however you want to say it. 00:06:49.100 --> 00:06:52.200 It's the church, most people would say, of worldliness. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:54.420 It's the church of compromise. 00:06:54.640 --> 00:06:55.740 It's the church of struggle. 00:06:56.379 --> 00:06:59.120 The word actually means to be thoroughly married. 00:06:59.540 --> 00:07:05.300 And the idea is that the church was so thoroughly integrated to the community and to the culture 00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:09.180 that sometimes people didn't know what was Christian and what was Pergamum. 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:12.600 Pergamum was this amazing city. 00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:13.639 It was an ancient city. 00:07:13.720 --> 00:07:15.220 It was built on this massive mountain. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:16.780 It was a strategic city. 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:18.300 It had great military value. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:22.860 Alexander the Great took over the city, and he stored all his riches in there. 00:07:22.939 --> 00:07:26.360 The historians told us that he put billions and billions of dollars of gold 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:28.699 from all the countries and nations that he conquered. 00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:32.900 Pergamum was a royal city, and it was loyal to Rome. 00:07:32.899 --> 00:07:36.719 It was one of the few cities that Rome had given the right to capital punishment. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.500 Most of the time, if you wanted to practice capital punishment, 00:07:39.779 --> 00:07:42.939 you had to send the person to Rome to be killed, especially if they were a Roman citizen. 00:07:43.299 --> 00:07:44.699 But in Pergamum, that wasn't true. 00:07:45.019 --> 00:07:48.939 They were so loyal that the Romans gave them the right to kill whoever they wanted. 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:51.659 The symbol of this power was a sword. 00:07:52.599 --> 00:07:53.519 It was a two-edged sword. 00:07:53.579 --> 00:07:54.519 It was used in Calvary. 00:07:54.579 --> 00:07:55.279 It was very sharp. 00:07:56.779 --> 00:08:01.620 Pergamum became this amazing center for intellectual discussion. 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:04.839 Eumenes, he's an inventor. 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:08.239 He probably invented parchment, or he perfected it. 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:12.159 And so he got this idea of how to write on animal skins. 00:08:12.539 --> 00:08:14.159 And so Pergamum had this library. 00:08:14.259 --> 00:08:15.899 It was the largest library in the world. 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:18.239 There were over 200,000 volumes in it. 00:08:18.579 --> 00:08:22.379 It was so significant throughout history that when Anthony wanted to marry Cleopatra, 00:08:22.620 --> 00:08:25.120 he took the library and he gave it to her as a wedding gift, 00:08:25.339 --> 00:08:26.659 and she took it down to Alexandria. 00:08:27.719 --> 00:08:29.599 It was a center of politics and religion. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:32.920 On its hill behind the city as you walked into it, 00:08:32.920 --> 00:08:36.620 on its hill there were 50 different temples to different gods. 00:08:36.940 --> 00:08:40.240 There were 50 different gods you could worship in Pergamum. 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:44.740 There was Zeus and Dionysus and Venus and Esclepulos. 00:08:45.420 --> 00:08:47.820 And almost every week, we're told in the calendar, 00:08:47.940 --> 00:08:51.000 almost every week there were two or three days of holidays. 00:08:51.920 --> 00:08:54.160 I mean, if you think Hong Kong has a lot of holidays, 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:57.980 Pergamum had holidays after holidays after holidays. 00:08:59.299 --> 00:09:04.639 In the ancient world, you could choose whatever god you wanted to serve. 00:09:04.819 --> 00:09:05.399 Did you know that? 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:09.919 If you wanted to follow a god, you basically chose the god you wanted to follow 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:12.740 based on your preferences, based on your ambitions, 00:09:12.980 --> 00:09:16.379 based on your desires, based on what kind of life you wanted to live. 00:09:17.059 --> 00:09:20.039 I mean, if you wanted pleasure, you served the god of Dionysus. 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:22.600 If you wanted power, you served Zeus. 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:26.120 If you wanted money, you served Morgan Stanley or J.P. Morgan. 00:09:26.680 --> 00:09:30.840 If you wanted wealth or health, you served another god. 00:09:31.040 --> 00:09:34.379 But here, you could serve almost any god you wanted, and it was amazing. 00:09:34.820 --> 00:09:37.139 And what worship usually looked like was this, 00:09:37.180 --> 00:09:38.620 because we talk about it a lot in Scripture. 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:40.139 You would walk into the temple. 00:09:40.560 --> 00:09:41.540 You would pay your money. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.720 You would bow before the idols. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:45.320 They would give you an animal. 00:09:45.659 --> 00:09:46.800 You would kill the animal. 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:48.759 You would give the animal to the priest. 00:09:49.019 --> 00:09:51.080 The priest would take the animal, and he would cook it, 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:53.360 and you would have this massive meal. 00:09:54.020 --> 00:09:56.379 And after this massive meal was cooked, everybody would eat. 00:09:56.460 --> 00:09:59.900 You'd have this massive meal, and then the temple prostitutes would come out, 00:10:00.139 --> 00:10:03.420 and you would just have sex with as many temple prostitutes as you could. 00:10:03.660 --> 00:10:04.340 So you paid. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:05.000 You bowed. 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:06.060 You killed. 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:06.800 You ate. 00:10:06.920 --> 00:10:07.740 And you had sex. 00:10:07.800 --> 00:10:09.160 And that's how you communed with God. 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:12.439 And over and over and over this happened, 00:10:12.539 --> 00:10:14.719 and often these celebrations spread out from the temple, 00:10:14.939 --> 00:10:16.939 and they took over the whole city. 00:10:18.779 --> 00:10:20.439 Pergamum was also this medical center. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:22.419 It was this amazing place where people would go, 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:25.480 because the spas and the baths, everybody believed, 00:10:25.539 --> 00:10:27.740 had this healing power, and so people went there. 00:10:28.719 --> 00:10:29.860 It was the home of Galen. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:31.299 Galen, if you know anything about medicine, 00:10:31.439 --> 00:10:34.839 Galen is probably the second most famous medical person in history. 00:10:34.899 --> 00:10:35.959 The first one is Hippocrates. 00:10:36.019 --> 00:10:37.039 You take the Hippocratic Oath. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:39.679 But the second one is Galen, and Galen grew up there, 00:10:39.980 --> 00:10:44.199 and he ended up being the physician for all of these Caesars afterwards. 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:48.059 Galen is the father of anatomy and physiology and pharmacology 00:10:48.059 --> 00:10:49.519 and pathology and neurology. 00:10:49.839 --> 00:10:52.459 He created all these things and thought through all these things. 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:54.659 So it was this amazing intellectual place. 00:10:55.019 --> 00:10:56.480 In this place, there was this temple. 00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:58.240 It was to the God of healing. 00:10:58.419 --> 00:11:02.099 His name was Asclepius, A-S-C-L-E-P-I-E-U-S. 00:11:02.379 --> 00:11:04.199 Say that fast, really quick times. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:05.120 Asclepius. 00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:06.980 He was a snake. 00:11:08.019 --> 00:11:09.099 He was a snake. 00:11:09.339 --> 00:11:13.719 So today, when you go in the hospital and you see a pole and you see a snake on it, 00:11:14.120 --> 00:11:14.860 that's Asclepius. 00:11:15.319 --> 00:11:16.240 He's the God of healing. 00:11:17.219 --> 00:11:19.779 So last night, we were driving home after Eric's party, 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:21.579 and we drove beside an ambulance. 00:11:22.199 --> 00:11:24.079 And on the back door of the ambulance, what do you have? 00:11:24.299 --> 00:11:25.360 You have Asclepius. 00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:27.059 There's a little rod there with a little snake there. 00:11:27.099 --> 00:11:29.079 So doesn't that make you feel good when you get in the ambulance? 00:11:29.219 --> 00:11:32.339 You're in a car with a pagan god symbol on the back of it, right? 00:11:32.899 --> 00:11:33.939 He's the God of healing. 00:11:33.940 --> 00:11:34.800 And he was a snake. 00:11:35.400 --> 00:11:40.520 And it's interesting, his history behind him, because a lot of people said that he came from the Bible. 00:11:41.740 --> 00:11:43.660 In Numbers chapter 21, there's a story. 00:11:43.780 --> 00:11:46.660 And the people of God are going through the desert and through the wilderness, 00:11:46.659 --> 00:11:50.120 and they're complaining about, God, we have to eat this manna again. 00:11:50.219 --> 00:11:52.719 We have to hit the rocks and get the water, and it's so bad. 00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:53.779 Why don't we just go back to Egypt? 00:11:54.120 --> 00:11:55.019 And God just says, okay. 00:11:55.779 --> 00:11:58.079 And God causes all these snakes to come out of the ground. 00:11:59.100 --> 00:12:02.019 And so all these snakes in Numbers 21 are biting the people, and the people are dying. 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:04.879 And they start, oh, God, we're so sorry. 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:05.600 Please forgive us. 00:12:05.620 --> 00:12:06.500 We're sorry for complaining. 00:12:06.779 --> 00:12:08.679 And they go to Moses and say, Moses, please help us. 00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:09.620 We're perishing. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:12.759 And so Moses goes to God, and he intercedes for God, to the people. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:14.659 And God says, okay, this is what I want you to do. 00:12:15.019 --> 00:12:18.340 I want to make a serpent, a bronze serpent, and stick it on a pole. 00:12:19.100 --> 00:12:20.120 And lift it up high. 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:22.580 There's some foreshadowing here. 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:23.919 Who else was lifted up high? 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:26.899 And so whenever somebody's bit by a snake, you lift it up high, and they look up, 00:12:27.060 --> 00:12:28.740 and they see that they're healed. 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:32.899 And so he did that, and the people were healed, and God relented on the snakes. 00:12:33.699 --> 00:12:38.659 Well, a little later on in 2 Kings, I think, chapter 16, you go into the temple of God, 00:12:38.699 --> 00:12:40.179 and you see this pole on the snake there. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.919 And now the people aren't worshiping as a symbol of healing. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:45.679 They're worshiping it as a God. 00:12:46.659 --> 00:12:52.559 And as an example, what we do as people, God gives us these great things that we enjoy, 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:54.600 and we use, and they're for our benefits. 00:12:55.240 --> 00:12:59.279 But all of a sudden, we start worshiping him, and they become gods in our life. 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:00.819 And so this was Asclepius. 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:01.919 He was a very interesting person. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.000 This is what you did when you went into his temple. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:07.299 You went into his temple, and the temple floor was covered with snakes. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:08.620 So you're sick. 00:13:08.719 --> 00:13:09.439 You want to be healed. 00:13:09.699 --> 00:13:11.559 You go into the temple, and you lay down. 00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:14.279 You lay down, and you go to sleep. 00:13:15.059 --> 00:13:17.620 And as you go to sleep, all the snakes are just kind of crawling all over you. 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:22.500 And then when you wake up, you feel better, or you have this dream, 00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:23.699 and they tell you how to get healed. 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:26.339 So I don't know how many of us could last that long, 00:13:26.379 --> 00:13:28.360 but if you wanted to get healed, you went into this temple, 00:13:28.459 --> 00:13:30.740 and you had all the snakes crawl all over you. 00:13:30.740 --> 00:13:32.620 And this is what Pergamum was like. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:35.659 Can you imagine living there? 00:13:36.820 --> 00:13:39.860 It was a center, again, of emperor worship. 00:13:40.019 --> 00:13:43.399 It was the first place where Caesar, who was alive, 00:13:43.539 --> 00:13:44.860 Dominion was the Caesar, 00:13:44.860 --> 00:13:47.060 and he was the first Caesar who said, 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:48.320 I'm not dead yet. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:50.960 I'm still alive, but I still want you to call me God. 00:13:52.139 --> 00:13:53.519 And I still want you to call me king. 00:13:54.600 --> 00:13:56.259 And so wherever you walk in the houses, 00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:57.980 you know, we had these little Buddha shrines 00:13:57.980 --> 00:13:59.919 where we go into people's houses and buildings and like that. 00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:01.480 They had little altars to Caesar, 00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:03.480 and you'd walk by, and you'd pick up a little incense, 00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:06.120 and you'd go, Caesar is Lord. 00:14:06.800 --> 00:14:07.659 But he changed it. 00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:09.300 He said he didn't want you to say Caesar is Lord. 00:14:09.299 --> 00:14:12.819 He says he wants you to say Caesar is Lord and Savior. 00:14:15.259 --> 00:14:16.599 And so everybody did that. 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:17.919 And so you just walked into buildings, 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:18.740 and you'd pick that up, 00:14:18.779 --> 00:14:22.219 and you'd go, Kyrie, Caesar, Caesar is Lord, Caesar is Savior. 00:14:22.479 --> 00:14:24.359 And that's what you did wherever you went. 00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:26.240 And if you wanted to survive in that culture, 00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:26.799 that's what you did. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:28.459 And so we get to this story, 00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:31.379 and now God has planted this little church, Pergamum. 00:14:31.379 --> 00:14:34.159 And it's in the center of all of those things. 00:14:35.500 --> 00:14:36.980 I mean, life is difficult. 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:37.860 It's pressure. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:40.840 It's intense outward persecution, 00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:42.259 and all of these things going on in them. 00:14:42.539 --> 00:14:43.960 And he starts off in this verse, 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:44.840 and if you look in your Bible, 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:46.159 or if you look in your bulletin, 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:48.039 he says in verse 12, this is what he says. 00:14:49.419 --> 00:14:51.259 To the angel of the church of Pergamum, write, 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:57.419 the one who has the sharp two-edged sword say this. 00:14:58.299 --> 00:14:59.679 Now make a note to yourself. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:03.459 Whenever God starts a letter off this way, 00:15:04.219 --> 00:15:05.659 it's not a good thing. 00:15:06.899 --> 00:15:08.299 It's not a good thing, 00:15:08.339 --> 00:15:10.959 because a sharp two-edged sword was a symbol of authority, 00:15:11.539 --> 00:15:13.139 and it was a symbol of judgment. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:17.679 And what it meant was that judgment was coming to them. 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:21.679 And everybody who read this letter would have been feared. 00:15:22.439 --> 00:15:23.319 They would have been afraid. 00:15:23.419 --> 00:15:24.159 They would have been scared. 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:25.299 They'd go, okay, what's going on here? 00:15:25.339 --> 00:15:26.279 Something bad is going to happen. 00:15:26.659 --> 00:15:29.659 It'd be like, so in college, 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:32.279 I had this roommate who was not very sharp. 00:15:32.899 --> 00:15:34.219 And so he drove a car around, 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:35.279 and it was his dad's car, 00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:37.620 and he figured that if he didn't register it 00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:38.639 with the campus police, 00:15:38.959 --> 00:15:40.899 that he could just get as many tickets as he wanted, 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.039 and no one would ever know whose car it was. 00:15:44.019 --> 00:15:45.719 And so he got about 55 tickets. 00:15:47.459 --> 00:15:49.739 And one day, I wake up Saturday in the morning, 00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:51.159 I get a phone call from his dad. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:52.779 And his dad says, 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:55.779 tell my son I'm coming. 00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:56.919 The dad. 00:15:57.460 --> 00:15:58.820 The one who owns the car. 00:15:59.940 --> 00:16:01.799 Well, you know right away what's going to happen, right? 00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:04.039 He says, I'm the one who's coming. 00:16:04.180 --> 00:16:05.259 I'm the one who owns the car. 00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:08.139 And what happened was that his car was taken away 00:16:08.139 --> 00:16:09.980 because the dad removed it. 00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:10.899 And in that same way, 00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:13.100 Jesus is telling the church that I'm coming, 00:16:13.579 --> 00:16:15.620 and I'm bringing judgment. 00:16:18.419 --> 00:16:20.299 What we're going to learn is that this church 00:16:20.299 --> 00:16:23.500 struggled with this idea of judgment. 00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:25.879 They struggled with it in their culture. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.100 They didn't want to be judged by their peers. 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:29.899 They didn't want to be judged by their work. 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:31.740 They didn't want to be judged by the culture. 00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:33.600 They didn't want to be judged by Rome. 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:36.059 And so they basically just didn't say anything. 00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:40.879 And what Jesus says here is by choosing 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:43.039 to live like the world, 00:16:43.979 --> 00:16:48.859 you choose to receive my judgment. 00:16:50.959 --> 00:16:52.099 It's very interesting. 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:55.479 I mean, we live in a culture here, right, in Hong Kong, 00:16:56.619 --> 00:16:58.299 where outward perception is everything. 00:16:59.739 --> 00:17:00.939 Perception is everything. 00:17:01.539 --> 00:17:02.739 Truth means nothing. 00:17:03.119 --> 00:17:04.399 It's only how you perceive. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:06.300 If you perceived okay, that's okay. 00:17:06.500 --> 00:17:07.920 But what's really going on in your life 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.340 or in your heart means nothing. 00:17:09.640 --> 00:17:11.480 And that's the same with the church of Pergamum. 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:15.060 They were struggling with things going on inside of them. 00:17:15.300 --> 00:17:16.880 Now, Smyrna, they were struggling with pressure 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:17.980 and things hitting them from outside. 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:20.519 But Pergamum is struggling with things going on inside of them. 00:17:20.580 --> 00:17:21.720 They're struggling with pressure 00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:22.920 and people making poor choices 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:24.019 and not walking with God 00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:25.920 and not fearing the Lord, 00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:27.340 but they're fearing Caesar 00:17:27.340 --> 00:17:28.700 and fearing their peers 00:17:28.700 --> 00:17:30.019 and fearing their friends. 00:17:32.040 --> 00:17:34.160 And Jesus says that if we do this, 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:36.940 we risk everything. 00:17:39.620 --> 00:17:41.300 We risk judgment from Him. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:44.700 So I want to start off our time 00:17:44.700 --> 00:17:45.660 by asking you a question. 00:17:47.600 --> 00:17:48.580 Who do you fear? 00:17:52.580 --> 00:17:55.560 Who do you worry about being judged by? 00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:59.380 Whose judgment concerns you? 00:17:59.380 --> 00:18:03.400 I mean, is there anything in your life right now 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:06.580 that if God were to look into it, 00:18:07.580 --> 00:18:09.100 He wouldn't be pleased? 00:18:12.620 --> 00:18:14.160 Is there anything in your life right now 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:15.360 that you would be afraid 00:18:15.360 --> 00:18:17.820 of showing your community group? 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:22.500 The people in Pergamum were. 00:18:22.500 --> 00:18:25.259 And Jesus says, 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:28.740 I know what's going on in your life. 00:18:30.140 --> 00:18:32.400 I know what's going on in your hearts. 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:35.799 I know that you struggle with being judged 00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:37.859 by your family and your work 00:18:37.859 --> 00:18:39.160 and your peers and your spouse 00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:40.599 and your society and your culture 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:42.220 and everything is slamming you. 00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:44.079 But what He says is, 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:45.319 what you should worry about more 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:48.380 is being judged by me. 00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:54.079 I think we forget that sometimes, don't we? 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:57.500 I mean, often we forget 00:18:57.500 --> 00:18:59.799 that we serve a holy God 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:01.400 who's righteous and who holds the sword. 00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:04.340 And we live lives that are worried 00:19:04.340 --> 00:19:05.640 about outward perception 00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:06.960 and how people see us. 00:19:08.320 --> 00:19:10.100 And what He says to the church of Pergamum, 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:12.019 what He says to us is, 00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:12.580 be careful. 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:14.940 Be careful. 00:19:16.060 --> 00:19:17.240 Verse 13, He goes on 00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:19.380 and He gives this huge commendation to them. 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:21.060 He says, I know where you live. 00:19:21.280 --> 00:19:22.240 I know that you live 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:23.440 in the middle of Satan's throne. 00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:26.440 I mean, they lived in the worst place in the world. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:27.900 I mean, it was terrible. 00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:29.440 And I know that you're there 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:31.160 and I know that you're facing these persecutions 00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:32.220 and I know that outwardly 00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:32.960 things are hitting you 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:34.960 and I know that you're holding to my name. 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:35.620 And when He says that, 00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:37.440 it means you're holding to God's character. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:39.480 You're holding to His values. 00:19:39.620 --> 00:19:40.580 You're holding to who He is. 00:19:40.860 --> 00:19:41.680 The whole to His name. 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:42.700 The name was everything. 00:19:42.820 --> 00:19:43.380 That's why we pray 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:44.360 and we say, in the name of Jesus. 00:19:44.700 --> 00:19:46.400 It means God's will be done. 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:48.300 And He says, I know you're doing all these things. 00:19:48.560 --> 00:19:49.860 You're holding up under the persecution. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:51.300 You're holding on to my name. 00:19:51.580 --> 00:19:55.580 Even in the midst of Antipas being killed. 00:19:57.080 --> 00:19:58.460 Antipas is a really interesting story. 00:19:58.540 --> 00:20:00.560 You don't read a lot about him in Scripture. 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:02.000 You see some inferences to him. 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:02.819 But he was a doctor. 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:05.559 And we're told that he was a doctor 00:20:05.559 --> 00:20:09.299 and he had been sharing his faith with people illegally 00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:11.419 and people were coming to Christ. 00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:13.139 And all of a sudden, 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:15.720 the authorities came on him and said, 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:17.019 we want you to stop this. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:18.519 And if you don't stop this 00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:19.740 and if you don't burn the incense 00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:20.440 and praise Caesar, 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.759 you're going to be killed. 00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:26.000 And Antipas said, okay. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.900 And so what they did was 00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:32.140 they had this big cow made out of bronze 00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:35.420 and they stuck him inside of it 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:38.519 and they started a fire underneath it 00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:42.019 and they cooked him alive 00:20:42.019 --> 00:20:44.619 for the sake of Jesus. 00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:48.919 And Jesus says, I see these things. 00:20:49.059 --> 00:20:50.099 I see your faith. 00:20:50.179 --> 00:20:51.419 I know you're hanging in there. 00:20:51.679 --> 00:20:52.739 You're doing all these things. 00:20:53.199 --> 00:20:54.799 You're holding on to my name. 00:20:55.239 --> 00:20:57.019 My reputation is important to you. 00:20:57.219 --> 00:20:59.539 You're not allowing it to be soiled 00:20:59.539 --> 00:21:01.079 or hurt or damaged. 00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:02.619 You're walking with me. 00:21:02.619 --> 00:21:04.859 You're not giving up. 00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:07.879 That's amazing. 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:12.000 One of the early church fathers said this. 00:21:13.520 --> 00:21:15.020 He said, deny the faith 00:21:15.020 --> 00:21:18.180 is saying that we believe that life here, 00:21:19.220 --> 00:21:20.100 life now, 00:21:20.860 --> 00:21:23.900 is greater than what God has to offer me. 00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:27.620 He said, to deny Christ 00:21:27.620 --> 00:21:29.920 is to say that the world 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:34.660 can offer you something better than Jesus. 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:38.940 So maybe that's a question 00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:40.220 we need to ask ourselves starting off. 00:21:41.940 --> 00:21:45.960 Who can offer us the best thing? 00:21:49.420 --> 00:21:50.520 Who's it worth serving? 00:21:52.840 --> 00:21:54.220 The people of Pergamum 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:57.020 held strong with the outside pressure. 00:21:57.020 --> 00:21:58.580 They held strong with the persecution. 00:21:59.020 --> 00:22:00.260 They kept to God's name. 00:22:00.360 --> 00:22:01.200 They held on to him. 00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:02.360 But in verse 14, 00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:04.880 Jesus says something very hard to them. 00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:07.600 He says, but I have these things against you 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:08.259 and these things, 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:09.219 there are some of you 00:22:09.219 --> 00:22:10.259 who are teaching of Balaam 00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:11.339 and there are some of you 00:22:11.339 --> 00:22:12.980 who are teaching of Nicholas. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:15.679 And Balaam told Balak 00:22:15.679 --> 00:22:16.619 to put a stumbling block 00:22:16.619 --> 00:22:17.639 before the sons of Israel 00:22:17.639 --> 00:22:19.319 to eat the things sacrificed to idols 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:20.719 and commit acts of immorality. 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:22.639 Now there's a lot of history here 00:22:22.639 --> 00:22:23.679 but I'm just going to fly through it 00:22:23.679 --> 00:22:24.199 and what I'm going to say, 00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:25.059 this is what happened. 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:26.459 The people of God 00:22:26.459 --> 00:22:27.299 were going through Israel. 00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:28.579 They're going through the promised land 00:22:28.579 --> 00:22:29.000 to Israel 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:31.240 and they were just this locust 00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:33.019 and the king of Moab, Balaam, 00:22:33.099 --> 00:22:34.399 comes to this prophet Balaam 00:22:34.399 --> 00:22:35.139 who is well known. 00:22:35.719 --> 00:22:37.199 I mean, God actually spoke to him. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:38.599 You read in passages, 00:22:38.699 --> 00:22:39.299 go back tonight 00:22:39.299 --> 00:22:42.339 and read Numbers 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:43.599 Fascinating passages. 00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:46.319 And so he comes to Balaam 00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:46.579 and he says, 00:22:46.679 --> 00:22:48.139 I want you to curse God's people. 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:50.599 And God speaks to Balaam. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:51.899 He said, what does that guy want? 00:22:53.139 --> 00:22:54.799 There's some people coming in, 00:22:54.939 --> 00:22:55.919 they're tearing up everything, 00:22:56.179 --> 00:22:57.119 I want you to curse them. 00:22:57.699 --> 00:22:58.319 And God says, 00:22:58.359 --> 00:22:59.179 no, they're my people. 00:23:00.219 --> 00:23:01.019 Don't curse them. 00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:02.859 If you curse them, 00:23:02.900 --> 00:23:03.400 you're in trouble. 00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:05.339 And so Balaam goes 00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:06.240 and he says, 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:07.160 you know, I can't do it, 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:07.720 I'm sorry, 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:08.420 and the people leave 00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:09.099 and they come back 00:23:09.099 --> 00:23:10.859 and we'll give you even more money. 00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:12.680 And Balaam goes this, 00:23:12.900 --> 00:23:14.579 even if you were to give me like, 00:23:14.660 --> 00:23:16.799 oh, 10 million dollars, 00:23:16.859 --> 00:23:17.639 I still couldn't do it. 00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:19.319 You know what he's asking there. 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:20.660 He's asking for 10 million dollars 00:23:20.660 --> 00:23:21.359 because that's his price. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:21.839 That's where he wants 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:22.539 to get bought out on. 00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:25.359 And so they bring Balaam in 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:26.759 and Balaam tries to curse 00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:27.940 God's people and he can't. 00:23:27.940 --> 00:23:28.860 And so what you see 00:23:28.860 --> 00:23:30.000 after four times is 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:31.480 Balaam comes to Balak 00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:31.799 and he says, 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:33.299 I can't curse God's people, 00:23:34.059 --> 00:23:35.120 but I tell you what I can do. 00:23:35.820 --> 00:23:36.660 If you want to make 00:23:36.660 --> 00:23:37.600 God's people stumble, 00:23:37.700 --> 00:23:38.440 this is what you do. 00:23:39.120 --> 00:23:40.880 You go hire those Moabite girls, 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:41.720 they're really hot, 00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:42.620 they're really good looking. 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:43.660 Hire them 00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:44.200 and they're going to come 00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:44.860 into the guys 00:23:44.860 --> 00:23:45.840 and spend time with them 00:23:45.840 --> 00:23:46.620 and hang out with them 00:23:46.620 --> 00:23:47.700 and flirt with them. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:49.320 And then after a while, 00:23:49.380 --> 00:23:49.840 they're going to take 00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:50.600 into a ceremony. 00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:52.200 And in this ceremony, 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:53.240 they're going to bow a little 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:54.360 and eat some food 00:23:54.360 --> 00:23:55.559 and then they're going to have 00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:56.380 something that's going 00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:56.920 to be amazing. 00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:57.539 They're going to have 00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:58.740 all these relationships. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:00.379 And if you do this, 00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:01.659 God's people's hearts 00:24:01.659 --> 00:24:03.539 are going to fall away from him. 00:24:04.619 --> 00:24:05.500 And you know what happens? 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.440 It works. 00:24:09.139 --> 00:24:10.500 Balak hires the prostitutes, 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:11.659 the women come in 00:24:11.659 --> 00:24:12.240 and they basically 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:14.079 take the people of God's hearts 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:15.079 away from God 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:16.920 and the people start 00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.339 to serve other gods. 00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:20.220 and what you see there 00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:21.139 is that God's people 00:24:21.139 --> 00:24:22.139 make this choice 00:24:22.139 --> 00:24:24.039 and they make a choice 00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:24.939 of saying, 00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:26.579 I can serve God 00:24:26.579 --> 00:24:29.119 but I can also serve 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:30.139 whoever. 00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:33.059 I can do this 00:24:33.059 --> 00:24:34.500 for Friday through Monday 00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:36.639 but on Sunday, 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:38.339 I'm going to do this. 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:40.259 And so what you see 00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:40.939 is that there's people 00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:41.480 in the church 00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:43.079 who basically have hearts 00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:43.899 that are divided. 00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:46.019 And the problem 00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:46.980 that you see 00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:48.060 in the church of Pergamum 00:24:48.060 --> 00:24:48.980 is that when John 00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:49.960 comes and he writes 00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:50.660 to him is this, 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:52.500 the problem is 00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:53.200 is the leaders 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:55.480 say nothing. 00:24:58.360 --> 00:24:59.320 The leaders 00:24:59.320 --> 00:25:00.960 say nothing. 00:25:02.320 --> 00:25:03.160 The leaders 00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:04.220 are so fearful 00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:05.640 of what people 00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:06.320 are going to say. 00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:07.780 They're so fearful 00:25:07.780 --> 00:25:08.200 of what people 00:25:08.200 --> 00:25:08.880 are going to think. 00:25:09.420 --> 00:25:10.140 They're so fearful 00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:11.240 of looking bad 00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:12.900 and seeming bad 00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:13.700 and narrow-minded 00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:15.519 and against the culture. 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:17.460 They say nothing. 00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:20.120 And Jesus says, 00:25:20.220 --> 00:25:20.359 you know, 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:21.160 that's really interesting 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:23.620 because if you don't 00:25:23.620 --> 00:25:24.359 say something, 00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:26.420 I'm going to have 00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:27.019 to say something. 00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:29.220 And I'm going to have 00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:29.859 to come in 00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:31.539 amidst the church 00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:33.579 and remove all 00:25:33.579 --> 00:25:34.240 those people 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.559 who are serving 00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:36.160 two gods. 00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:38.599 You see what that says? 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:41.719 Leaders had a choice 00:25:41.719 --> 00:25:43.459 and they chose 00:25:43.459 --> 00:25:44.779 not to follow God 00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:46.439 because they wanted 00:25:46.439 --> 00:25:47.619 to serve other things 00:25:47.619 --> 00:25:48.299 and other idols 00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:49.019 in their life. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.419 In the church, 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.000 we call that 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.819 church discipline. 00:25:54.740 --> 00:25:55.439 There's sometimes 00:25:55.439 --> 00:25:56.299 things happen 00:25:56.299 --> 00:25:57.619 amongst the people 00:25:57.619 --> 00:25:58.179 of God 00:25:58.179 --> 00:25:59.599 and the leaders 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:00.339 and the elders 00:26:00.339 --> 00:26:01.480 are called to come in 00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:01.759 and say, 00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:02.179 hey, you know, 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:03.099 this isn't right. 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:05.559 This isn't good. 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.559 This isn't the way 00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:08.579 we honor the Lord. 00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:10.000 This isn't the way 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:11.419 we make God's name great. 00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:12.099 This isn't the way 00:26:12.099 --> 00:26:12.859 we do things. 00:26:13.159 --> 00:26:13.659 But the people 00:26:13.659 --> 00:26:14.519 in the church of Pergamum, 00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:15.500 they didn't understand that 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:15.899 because they were 00:26:15.899 --> 00:26:16.839 so caught up 00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:18.579 in living like the world 00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:19.299 around them 00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:21.299 that their lives 00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:22.259 looked no different 00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:23.940 than the people 00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:24.779 who were in the temple 00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:26.679 burning the incense. 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:29.460 And Jesus says, 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:30.659 you can't do that. 00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:34.679 I was a young pastor. 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.799 Someone came to me 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.079 and said, 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.799 hey, you know, 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:41.779 your music leader, 00:26:41.919 --> 00:26:43.200 he's incredibly gifted, 00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:45.659 but he's in this bar 00:26:45.659 --> 00:26:48.119 and it's an alternative 00:26:48.119 --> 00:26:49.220 lifestyle bar 00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:51.519 and he's drinking 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:52.659 and he's getting drunk 00:26:52.659 --> 00:26:53.639 and he's talking about 00:26:53.639 --> 00:26:54.579 all these other things 00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:55.480 and this person 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:56.639 wasn't even in the church. 00:26:58.139 --> 00:26:59.200 And they said to me, 00:26:59.259 --> 00:26:59.440 you know, 00:26:59.619 --> 00:27:00.619 is that way the church 00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:01.519 is supposed to act? 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:04.900 And I went to all 00:27:04.900 --> 00:27:05.559 the other elders 00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:06.160 and teachers. 00:27:06.339 --> 00:27:06.500 I said, 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.119 so what do we do 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.779 about this? 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:09.639 And they said, 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.039 you know, 00:27:10.420 --> 00:27:13.139 that's just a really hard call. 00:27:13.379 --> 00:27:14.000 Maybe we shouldn't 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.660 do anything. 00:27:16.639 --> 00:27:17.500 But I kept thinking 00:27:17.500 --> 00:27:18.460 about this church. 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:20.160 I kept thinking 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:21.019 about God's honor 00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:21.680 and God's grace. 00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:22.400 And I'm not saying this 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:23.599 because I'm so great 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.180 because I've had people 00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:26.400 do these same things 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:26.799 to me. 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.079 People loved me 00:27:29.079 --> 00:27:29.740 so much 00:27:29.740 --> 00:27:30.960 when they saw 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:31.900 that I was wandering, 00:27:32.620 --> 00:27:34.059 they came and they grabbed me 00:27:34.059 --> 00:27:34.339 and said, 00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:35.160 what are you doing? 00:27:36.420 --> 00:27:37.259 And so I went there 00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.539 and I talked to that brother 00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:40.259 and he talked about 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:40.759 what was going on 00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:41.400 in his life 00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:43.259 and I'll never forget 00:27:43.259 --> 00:27:43.660 his words. 00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:43.960 He said, 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:44.120 you know, 00:27:44.180 --> 00:27:44.759 everyone knew 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.579 this was happening 00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:48.559 but you're the only person 00:27:48.559 --> 00:27:49.359 who ever loved me enough 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:50.400 to come and ask me 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:51.940 what's going on 00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:52.500 in my life. 00:27:54.120 --> 00:27:55.480 The church of Pergamum 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:57.480 was conflicted 00:27:57.480 --> 00:28:00.200 and John is saying 00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:02.279 don't be that way. 00:28:04.059 --> 00:28:04.900 Serve the Lord. 00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.860 Trust Him. 00:28:07.860 --> 00:28:08.680 Love Him. 00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:10.599 Take care of Him. 00:28:11.980 --> 00:28:13.279 He ends the passage 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.240 in verse 17 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:15.299 with this promise. 00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:17.400 This promise is 00:28:17.400 --> 00:28:18.019 if you will do 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:18.759 these things, 00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:20.940 if you'll honor me, 00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:22.000 if you'll walk with me, 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:22.900 if you'll serve me, 00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:23.759 I'll give you 00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:25.580 secret hidden manna 00:28:25.580 --> 00:28:27.259 and I'll give you 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:28.040 white stone. 00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:31.400 All these things mean, 00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:32.220 all they are 00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:33.200 is their symbolism 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:34.440 and what the symbolism is 00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:35.100 is their symbolism 00:28:35.100 --> 00:28:35.840 for intimacy 00:28:35.840 --> 00:28:37.600 with God. 00:28:39.340 --> 00:28:40.220 A relationship 00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:40.900 with God. 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:42.700 You know, 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:43.420 I think the problem 00:28:43.420 --> 00:28:44.180 with us 00:28:44.180 --> 00:28:44.980 and with Tobin, 00:28:46.380 --> 00:28:47.100 I think the problem 00:28:47.100 --> 00:28:47.759 with the church 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.280 of Smyrna, 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:49.200 of Pergamum, 00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:50.740 I think maybe 00:28:50.740 --> 00:28:51.140 the problem 00:28:51.140 --> 00:28:52.100 with some of us 00:28:52.100 --> 00:28:52.800 in Watermark 00:28:52.800 --> 00:28:53.420 is this. 00:28:54.800 --> 00:28:56.040 We come to Christ, 00:28:56.860 --> 00:28:57.520 we're walking 00:28:57.520 --> 00:28:58.140 with the Lord, 00:28:59.000 --> 00:28:59.700 but in the back 00:28:59.700 --> 00:29:00.120 of our mind 00:29:00.120 --> 00:29:00.800 we wonder, 00:29:01.520 --> 00:29:04.000 is God really good? 00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:07.340 Is God really going 00:29:07.340 --> 00:29:08.900 to take care of me? 00:29:09.840 --> 00:29:11.200 Does God really know 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:12.220 my name? 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:14.840 Does He really have 00:29:14.840 --> 00:29:15.900 a relationship with me? 00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:18.620 And because we wonder 00:29:18.620 --> 00:29:19.440 and we fear, 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:21.200 we gather things 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:22.019 around us. 00:29:22.660 --> 00:29:23.980 We gather stuff. 00:29:24.840 --> 00:29:26.000 We gather money. 00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:28.640 We gather resources. 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:30.779 All of these things 00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:31.340 we do, 00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:32.220 just like the church 00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:32.840 of Pergamum, 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:34.680 because we worried 00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:35.779 if God was good enough, 00:29:35.840 --> 00:29:36.440 was He really going 00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:37.360 to take care of us? 00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:39.680 And the way 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:41.140 the story ends, 00:29:41.860 --> 00:29:42.640 Jesus says, 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:43.559 if you have any doubt 00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:44.180 about that, 00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:46.220 all you have to do 00:29:46.220 --> 00:29:47.180 is look at the cross 00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:49.100 and realize 00:29:49.100 --> 00:29:49.960 what I've done for you. 00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:52.080 Do I love you? 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.940 You bet I do. 00:29:55.140 --> 00:29:56.480 Do I care for you? 00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:58.080 You bet I do. 00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:00.019 Am I going to feed you? 00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:01.660 You bet I am. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:02.980 Am I going to have 00:30:02.980 --> 00:30:03.920 a relationship with you? 00:30:04.580 --> 00:30:05.680 You know I will. 00:30:07.320 --> 00:30:08.019 And John 00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:08.940 is speaking 00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:10.200 to this church 00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:12.400 and He's speaking 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:13.059 to us 00:30:13.059 --> 00:30:15.700 and He's asking us 00:30:15.700 --> 00:30:16.960 to examine our hearts 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:19.360 and to see 00:30:19.360 --> 00:30:20.160 who we're serving. 00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:22.480 He's asking us 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:23.140 to know people 00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:23.660 well enough 00:30:23.660 --> 00:30:24.440 around us 00:30:24.440 --> 00:30:25.240 so that when they 00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:26.100 are falling away 00:30:26.100 --> 00:30:26.559 and they're doing 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.019 things that they 00:30:27.019 --> 00:30:27.420 shouldn't do, 00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:28.319 that we can grab 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:28.980 John and say, 00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:29.819 hey brother, 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:31.440 what are you doing 00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:32.120 about this? 00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:34.259 He's asking us 00:30:34.259 --> 00:30:35.019 to care about 00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:35.880 His name 00:30:35.880 --> 00:30:37.360 more 00:30:37.360 --> 00:30:39.540 than our name 00:30:39.540 --> 00:30:41.860 because the passage 00:30:41.860 --> 00:30:43.000 says that the world 00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:46.080 is looking at us 00:30:46.080 --> 00:30:48.660 and they want to see 00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:50.720 is our God 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.840 really God? 00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:55.580 Is He really good? 00:30:57.100 --> 00:30:58.200 Can we trust Him? 00:31:01.820 --> 00:31:02.980 Can we trust Him? 00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:07.140 The church of Pergamum. 00:31:08.260 --> 00:31:09.040 It was a church 00:31:09.040 --> 00:31:09.420 that struggled 00:31:09.420 --> 00:31:10.180 with worldliness. 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:11.900 It was a church 00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:12.280 that struggled 00:31:12.280 --> 00:31:13.540 with different things 00:31:13.540 --> 00:31:14.340 they wanted to have. 00:31:14.380 --> 00:31:14.800 It was a church 00:31:14.800 --> 00:31:15.140 that struggled 00:31:15.140 --> 00:31:15.740 with compromise. 00:31:18.300 --> 00:31:18.700 Ultimately, 00:31:18.800 --> 00:31:19.160 it was a church 00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:19.520 that struggled 00:31:19.520 --> 00:31:20.120 with love 00:31:20.120 --> 00:31:22.780 because they didn't 00:31:22.780 --> 00:31:23.400 know God 00:31:23.400 --> 00:31:24.220 loved them 00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:25.920 as much as He does. 00:31:27.180 --> 00:31:27.560 Father, 00:31:27.620 --> 00:31:28.060 we thank You 00:31:28.060 --> 00:31:28.660 for this day. 00:31:29.420 --> 00:31:29.880 We thank You 00:31:29.880 --> 00:31:30.440 for Your goodness 00:31:30.440 --> 00:31:31.440 and Your faithfulness 00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:31.980 in our life. 00:31:32.860 --> 00:31:33.460 We thank You 00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.220 for Your Word 00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:35.680 that never changes. 00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:37.480 We thank You 00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:38.400 for these stories 00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:39.240 of these churches, 00:31:39.860 --> 00:31:40.400 some of them 00:31:40.400 --> 00:31:41.220 long dead, 00:31:42.260 --> 00:31:43.060 not existing. 00:31:44.180 --> 00:31:44.860 If we were to go 00:31:44.860 --> 00:31:45.980 back to Turkey today, 00:31:46.760 --> 00:31:48.500 there are 74 million people 00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:51.960 and only 2,400 Christians. 00:31:53.540 --> 00:31:54.520 And we wonder, 00:31:55.440 --> 00:31:57.200 we wonder why. 00:31:59.340 --> 00:31:59.860 Father, 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:01.140 I pray for our church. 00:32:01.940 --> 00:32:03.160 I pray that we would be 00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:04.040 a church that wouldn't 00:32:04.040 --> 00:32:04.800 love the world 00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:05.839 more than we love You. 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:07.859 I pray that we would be 00:32:07.859 --> 00:32:09.859 a church that understands 00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:10.659 Your goodness, 00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:12.339 that we can look 00:32:12.339 --> 00:32:13.059 at the cross 00:32:13.059 --> 00:32:14.180 whenever we have doubt 00:32:14.180 --> 00:32:14.839 and confusion 00:32:14.839 --> 00:32:16.119 and realize that You're there, 00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:17.220 You care, 00:32:17.639 --> 00:32:18.359 You're involved, 00:32:18.740 --> 00:32:19.500 You know us, 00:32:19.879 --> 00:32:21.879 You're walking with us. 00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:23.460 Father, 00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:24.379 I pray for those 00:32:24.379 --> 00:32:25.700 in our church right now 00:32:25.700 --> 00:32:26.539 who don't know You. 00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:29.019 I pray as they hear 00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:29.759 these words 00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:30.680 and they take part 00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:31.419 in this community 00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:32.840 and they listen 00:32:32.840 --> 00:32:33.740 to the music 00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:35.140 that they would 00:32:35.140 --> 00:32:36.100 ask questions. 00:32:37.080 --> 00:32:37.720 I pray that You 00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:38.460 would open their eyes 00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:39.060 to Your Son, 00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:39.600 Christ, 00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:41.440 and they would realize 00:32:41.440 --> 00:32:42.560 that out of all the gods, 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:43.980 He is the only true one. 00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:45.960 He is the only one 00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:47.019 that will sustain us. 00:32:48.300 --> 00:32:49.180 He's the only one 00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:50.120 that will know us 00:32:50.120 --> 00:32:51.420 and be involved 00:32:51.420 --> 00:32:52.279 in our lives. 00:32:53.160 --> 00:32:53.900 He's the only one 00:32:53.900 --> 00:32:54.400 that goes through 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:55.200 the hard times 00:32:55.200 --> 00:32:55.960 and the persecution 00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:56.600 and the pain 00:32:56.600 --> 00:32:57.200 and the suffering. 00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:59.840 He's the only one 00:32:59.840 --> 00:33:00.900 worthy of our praise. 00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:02.920 Father, 00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:03.580 I pray for us 00:33:03.580 --> 00:33:04.240 as a church 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.160 as we sit here 00:33:05.160 --> 00:33:06.160 on the western side 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:07.039 of Hong Kong Island. 00:33:08.180 --> 00:33:09.660 I pray that we would not 00:33:09.660 --> 00:33:11.299 fear our bosses 00:33:11.299 --> 00:33:12.480 and our jobs 00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:13.200 and our work 00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:14.220 and we wouldn't worry 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:14.819 about the judgment 00:33:14.819 --> 00:33:15.680 that's the past 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:17.120 more than we worry 00:33:17.120 --> 00:33:18.120 about Your judgment. 00:33:19.380 --> 00:33:20.779 I pray for our hearts. 00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:21.940 I pray for my heart. 00:33:23.140 --> 00:33:23.799 I pray that You would 00:33:23.799 --> 00:33:24.779 speak to us of areas 00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:25.500 that we need to be 00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:26.360 concerned of 00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:27.899 I pray that we would 00:33:27.899 --> 00:33:28.559 come before You 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:29.079 as Your people 00:33:29.079 --> 00:33:29.599 and as You 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:30.719 encourage them 00:33:30.719 --> 00:33:31.459 in verse 16 00:33:31.459 --> 00:33:32.500 repent. 00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:34.299 Repent. 00:33:35.659 --> 00:33:36.579 Turn away. 00:33:38.399 --> 00:33:38.879 Confess. 00:33:41.379 --> 00:33:42.879 Confess that Jesus is Lord. 00:33:44.619 --> 00:33:45.000 So Lord, 00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:45.879 we come before You 00:33:45.879 --> 00:33:46.939 and we just worship You. 00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:49.079 We thank You 00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:51.379 for Your Son. 00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:54.099 We pray all these things 00:33:54.099 --> 00:33:54.959 in His holy name. 00:33:56.359 --> 00:33:56.599 Amen. 00:33:56.659 --> 00:33:56.699 Amen. 00:33:56.699 --> 00:33:56.799 Amen.