WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.419 if I could put it that way, that they got all their doctrine right, they cared about truth, 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:08.919 they got rid of all the false teachers, but at the end of the day, they didn't have any 00:00:08.919 --> 00:00:13.679 love. They didn't have any passion or concern or care for each other. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:19.559 And last week, we looked at the letter to the church at Smyrna, and there we saw basically a 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:25.160 church that was in need of hope. And John Dunlop led us through that letter, showing us how there 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:30.980 were all these great encouragements and hope in that letter. They were about to undergo persecution, 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:34.740 and Jesus met them with deep comfort. And tonight, we come to the third letter, 00:00:35.100 --> 00:00:42.760 the letter to the church in Pergamum. And that is page 1029 in the Pew Bible. If you want to turn 00:00:42.760 --> 00:00:46.719 there, I think it's going to be on the screens above as well, so you can follow along there. But 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:53.920 let me encourage you to open up a Bible and follow along if you can. So, Revelation chapter 2, 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:58.300 starting in verse 12, and I'll read the whole way through to verse 17. 00:01:00.219 --> 00:01:01.200 Jesus says this, 00:01:01.859 --> 00:01:04.939 And to the angel of the church in Pergamum, write, 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:08.879 The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword, 00:01:09.700 --> 00:01:16.820 I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my 00:01:16.820 --> 00:01:23.420 faith, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan 00:01:23.420 --> 00:01:30.180 dwells. But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:35.079 who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel so that they might eat food, 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:41.260 sacrifice to idols, and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:49.180 Nicolaitans. Therefore, repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with a sword in 00:01:49.180 --> 00:01:56.280 my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, 00:01:56.780 --> 00:02:02.880 I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone with a new name written on 00:02:02.880 --> 00:02:12.080 the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it. Well, so how would we summarize, 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:18.980 how would we summarize Jesus' diagnosis of the church in Pergamum? Well, on the one hand, in verse 00:02:18.980 --> 00:02:25.460 13, we see that they're holding fast in the face of persecution. Jesus says, I know where you dwell, 00:02:25.580 --> 00:02:30.180 where Satan's throne is. Now, that's probably referring to the fact that the city of Pergamum 00:02:30.180 --> 00:02:35.520 possessed one of the oldest temples in Asia Minor, that's modern-day Turkey, one of the oldest temples 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:42.480 in that region devoted to the worship of the emperor. Pergamum was located about 100 miles 00:02:42.480 --> 00:02:49.760 north of the city of Ephesus, and it was just home to just all sorts of temples and idol worship. 00:02:50.200 --> 00:02:55.080 One of these temples, this one that was dedicated to emperor worship, was dedicated to the divine 00:02:55.080 --> 00:03:03.100 Augustus and the goddess Roma. Another temple was dedicated to the god Asclepios, the god of healing, 00:03:03.099 --> 00:03:08.219 who was represented often with images of serpents and snakes. The city also had a huge altar to Zeus. 00:03:08.359 --> 00:03:15.579 So, you get the picture that it was a city full of idolatry and pagan worship. And in this city in 00:03:15.579 --> 00:03:20.859 particular, it would seem that the worship of the emperor as a god wasn't just sort of emphasized or 00:03:20.859 --> 00:03:28.959 a part of the culture, but it was actually beginning to be required or demanded or mandated of some of the 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:37.120 citizens. Now, of course, that caused massive problems for the Christians in Pergamum in this city, 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:45.260 because obviously, they had one king, and his name was Jesus, and they weren't going to bow and worship 00:03:45.260 --> 00:03:52.340 to any other god. So, they were under threat of slander and imprisonment, violence, even death. 00:03:52.340 --> 00:04:00.539 But in light of all that, Jesus commends the church by saying, you hold fast my name, 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:07.939 and you did not deny my faith. My faith there is another way of just sort of saying the faith that 00:04:07.939 --> 00:04:13.719 you have in me. So, in the midst of the persecution, this church, these Christians are holding fast. 00:04:13.920 --> 00:04:17.759 And it's very interesting, the word hold fast there that's described of their holding fast 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:24.060 is the same word that's used of Jesus back in verse 1 of chapter 2 for the way in which Jesus holds fast 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:33.539 the stars of the seven churches. They have this Christ-like grip on Christ himself, and they're not 00:04:33.539 --> 00:04:41.680 letting go. And even when this persecution led to actual martyrdom, they still didn't deny their faith 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:48.079 in Jesus, their allegiance to him. Jesus reminds them of a man named Antipas, one of their fellow 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:52.959 Christians who was actually killed in one of these rounds of persecution. It's very interesting, Jesus 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:59.759 honors this man with a special title. He calls him my faithful witness. And if you remember back in 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:07.040 chapter 1 verse 5, that's actually one of the ways in which Jesus himself is described as the faithful 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:15.120 witness. So, Jesus is honoring Antipas, and he's honoring this church by giving them a name that 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:23.860 he himself bears, my faithful witness. So, it seems as Jesus diagnoses this church's spiritual health, 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:31.020 we find that he's commending them for bearing persecution well. Like Jesus, they're holding fast. 00:05:31.019 --> 00:05:41.060 Like Jesus, they are a faithful witness. But that's not the full diagnosis. So, in verses 14 and 15, 00:05:41.719 --> 00:05:48.680 we learn that though this church is holding fast in the midst of persecution, they're failing to reject 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:56.319 the false teachers who are in their midst. Now, these false teachers here are described in two ways, 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:01.579 and it seems like there might have actually been two separate groups. First, Jesus says, 00:06:01.719 --> 00:06:06.579 you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block 00:06:06.579 --> 00:06:11.259 before the sons of Israel so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 00:06:12.339 --> 00:06:19.439 Now, the story of Balaam and Balak is from the book of Numbers, if you remember that. Israel in that 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:26.300 story is wandering in the wilderness, and Balak, the king of Moab, hires the prophet Balaam to come 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:33.839 out and to curse Israel. And what happens? God actually prevents Balaam from cursing Israel. But 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:38.120 as we read the rest of the story, we learn that Balaam later advises the king of Moab 00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:44.439 to seduce the Israelites into both sexual and spiritual infidelity to their God. 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:52.659 And if you go back and look at Numbers 25, 1 through 4, you see that Israel was indeed led astray, 00:06:52.660 --> 00:06:57.220 and God's judgment came down on the people. And Jesus is saying to the church in Pergamum, 00:06:57.580 --> 00:07:02.580 there are false teachers in your midst who are just like Balaam from the Old Testament. 00:07:03.400 --> 00:07:07.440 You as a church, after all, are going through this wilderness experience of persecution, 00:07:07.820 --> 00:07:13.080 and there are false teachers there trying to seduce you down destructive paths. They may not be cursing 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:19.599 you outright, but they're inducing you to slide away from your singular devotion to the Lord. 00:07:22.859 --> 00:07:26.800 And the second way Jesus describes these false teachers, or the second group that he points out 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:33.459 is there in verse 15, you also, so also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 00:07:34.219 --> 00:07:38.539 Now, we met this brand of false teacher before in the letter to the church of Ephesus, if you remember 00:07:38.540 --> 00:07:44.240 that back in verse 6 of this chapter. And as Jonathan so deftly described when he preached 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:50.180 on that letter, we have no idea who the Nicolaitans actually were, other than just sort of some 00:07:50.180 --> 00:07:54.820 heretical sect within the early church. We don't really have a lot of historical detail about them. 00:07:55.900 --> 00:07:59.580 We can assume that maybe they held some similar views to these Balaam-like false teachers that we 00:07:59.580 --> 00:08:04.240 just looked at. That is, they might have been leading people into idolatry or some form of impure 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:09.420 actions. But it's very interesting that whatever it was that they taught, Jesus says in verse 6, 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:17.519 back in that letter to the church in Ephesus, that he actually hates their works. Very strong language. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:24.500 Gives us a little hint at how spiritually deadly Jesus actually considered them to the health and to 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:33.659 the life of this body of believers. Okay, so this is the picture that we get of the church in Pergamum. 00:08:33.659 --> 00:08:39.579 They're holding fast to the faith in the midst of intense persecution, but at the same time, 00:08:40.319 --> 00:08:45.679 they're allowing false teachers to sort of work and operate in their midst. They're facing a hostile 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:50.919 world outside, and they're strong, and they endure. Some have even laid down their life for the faith, 00:08:51.259 --> 00:08:59.539 but inside, it seems they're letting their guard down, and they're not being diligent to protect 00:08:59.539 --> 00:09:03.819 sound doctrine. And it's leading them down dangerous paths. 00:09:06.539 --> 00:09:13.279 Now, let's do a little sort of historical imagination here. Put yourself in the shoes 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:19.259 of the Christians at Pergamum. What do you think might have contributed to them getting 00:09:19.259 --> 00:09:27.879 to that particular spiritual state? You know, maybe sort of facing intense persecution on the outside, 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:35.319 you know, maybe they started to think that holding to sound doctrine wasn't really as important 00:09:35.319 --> 00:09:42.080 as having solidarity with people, right? When the social pressure started kicking in, 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:47.840 perhaps they felt like anyone who shared anything in common with them was worthy to have in the church 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:52.240 because there would be some power in numbers. Maybe they were even afraid of what would happen 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:56.960 if they thinned out their numbers by sort of getting rid of these false teachers. Or perhaps they figured 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:01.860 that, you know, in times like these, it's sort of not time to split hairs over doctrine. Let's just 00:10:01.860 --> 00:10:03.320 bunker down and hold out. 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:15.680 You know, we see this sometimes in the church today, don't we? That often we'll overlook really 00:10:15.680 --> 00:10:23.379 important doctrinal differences just so long as we care about the same social issues as another group. 00:10:25.760 --> 00:10:30.200 You know, sometimes evangelicals are quick to note how much they have in common with certain other 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:34.780 groups, let's just say Mormons, for example, in terms of their sort of family values or other sort 00:10:34.780 --> 00:10:39.800 of moral issues, you know. And they seem to have found in those groups a sort of ally in the midst of 00:10:39.800 --> 00:10:45.060 social pressures. But, you know, what a lot of times they don't realize is that a lot of these groups, 00:10:45.140 --> 00:10:51.520 like Mormonism, for example, utterly deny essential, non-negotiable doctrines of Christianity, 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:57.200 like the nature of the person of Christ or the necessity of faith in Christ for salvation. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:05.020 Now, that's not to say that today Christians can't ever work with Mormons or other groups to promote 00:11:05.020 --> 00:11:11.680 a more just society. That's not what I'm saying. But, I think this letter at the Church of Pergamum 00:11:11.680 --> 00:11:19.200 would be a warning to us that we shouldn't just run out and wholeheartedly endorse other groups 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:24.320 as legitimate expressions of the true faith in the one God just because we happen to find ourselves 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:31.480 on the same side of a particular issue. So, thinking about Pergamum then, maybe in facing this 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:36.900 persecution, maybe in holding fast under suffering, maybe they sort of downgraded the importance of 00:11:36.900 --> 00:11:45.360 doctrine in place of just finding some solidarity in the midst of pressure. Or maybe, maybe the thing 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:50.180 that could have led to this spiritual state for them was thinking that because they had suffered so much, 00:11:50.179 --> 00:11:56.099 they didn't need to be as diligent about such things as purity of doctrine and purity of life. 00:11:57.659 --> 00:12:03.919 You know, this can sort of show up as a sort of victim mentality, right? It would run something 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:12.779 like this, you know, I've suffered so much in this area. I've suffered so much here that I really 00:12:12.779 --> 00:12:20.240 shouldn't have to work so hard here. Surely, God will understand if I give in to this or if I tolerate 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:25.000 that. After all, look at all that I've been through. Look at all that we've been through. Don't we deserve 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:31.799 to take a break, to let our guard down, to enjoy myself given all these troubles that I've seen? 00:12:33.699 --> 00:12:38.259 In other words, maybe they were sort of excusing the harboring of false teachers out of a sort of 00:12:38.259 --> 00:12:47.600 victim mentality. Or maybe a third option, maybe in the teeth of persecution, in the sort of grip 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:55.360 of that pressure, maybe they just weren't thinking about it at all, which is quite possible. Maybe just 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:00.779 in survival mode, they had let their guard down and just drifted. Maybe it wasn't conscious at all. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:07.919 Maybe it just happened over time. Well, friends, I wonder, do you see any of these tendencies 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:14.959 in your own heart when you undergo any kind of suffering or hardship or trial, when you're 00:13:14.959 --> 00:13:20.879 holding fast to the faith in an unfriendly context or in an unfriendly sort of season of life? 00:13:22.019 --> 00:13:26.719 Do you see that same tendency maybe to just sort of downplay sound doctrine, to see it maybe not quite 00:13:26.719 --> 00:13:34.519 as important? Or maybe you sort of use that hard experience as an excuse for yourself 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:42.639 from sort of sticking with it or from caring about some of these issues? Or maybe as you look at your 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:46.480 heart, maybe you've been through a hard season lately and maybe you just see that you've been 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:50.899 kind of drifting away through a lack of just attention or diligence. 00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:58.000 Well, however it happens and however we find it showing up in our own hearts and our own lives, 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:07.480 Jesus is very clear in this letter, isn't he? That this is a deadly situation for this church to be in. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:12.480 And they need to operate immediately. 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:17.779 Even with all they've been through, even though they've suffered much, 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:21.980 even though church members have even been killed for their faithful witness, 00:14:21.980 --> 00:14:29.740 Jesus doesn't let them excuse or ignore the false teaching in their midst. 00:14:30.500 --> 00:14:37.980 He doesn't let them succumb to a victim mentality. He actually loves them too much to allow them to do that. 00:14:39.539 --> 00:14:44.620 He sees in this church that he loves a cancer that has to be removed. After all, 00:14:44.620 --> 00:14:52.740 what good is a church that perseveres under persecution outside if on the inside 00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:56.279 they end up losing the truth of the gospel itself 00:14:56.279 --> 00:15:01.919 and being led down paths of lives of disobedience to God? 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:09.580 At the beginning of the letter, Jesus reminded them that he is the one 00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:12.960 who has the sharp two-edged sword. 00:15:14.920 --> 00:15:17.259 Now, like the opening of all of the seven letters, 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:21.379 that points back to a description of Jesus that we saw in chapter 1, right? 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:28.580 In verse 16 of chapter 1, John saw in his vision of Jesus that out of this sort of 00:15:28.580 --> 00:15:32.139 vision that he had of Jesus in glory, 00:15:32.520 --> 00:15:35.900 out of Jesus' mouth came a sharp two-edged sword. 00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:41.379 And we said a few weeks ago that that was symbolic of Jesus' powerful word, 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:47.899 a picture of his powerful word that searches hearts and that issues judgment. 00:15:50.299 --> 00:15:53.000 You know, this isn't the only time that the word of God, 00:15:53.059 --> 00:15:56.439 that the word of Christ is described like a sword in the Bible, right? 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:00.799 There's that great passage from Hebrews 4, verses 12 through 13, 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.799 actually sort of an uncomfortable passage. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:06.979 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, 00:16:07.139 --> 00:16:09.819 piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:12.319 and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 00:16:14.059 --> 00:16:15.639 And then the writer of the Hebrews goes on, 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:18.339 And no creature is hidden from his sight, 00:16:19.079 --> 00:16:23.559 but all are naked and exposed before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. 00:16:26.539 --> 00:16:30.179 In Ephesians 6, 17, Paul calls the word of God the sword of the spirit. 00:16:30.179 --> 00:16:33.599 There are a much more sort of positive picture of the word of God as a sword, 00:16:33.719 --> 00:16:38.599 something that helps us in our spiritual battles of prayer and of faithfulness. 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:42.799 And as the New Testament is picking up this motif, 00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:45.039 it's actually one that we find in the Old Testament as well. 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:52.399 In Isaiah 49, verse 2, there Isaiah is sort of speaking in the voice of the servant of the Lord, 00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:55.659 that figure who runs through that middle section of the book of Isaiah, 00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:59.659 such an important figure that we know ultimately is fulfilled in Christ. 00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:01.000 And there the servant of the Lord says, 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:04.339 The Lord made my mouth like a sharp sword. 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:08.559 And finally again, near the end of Revelation, 00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:10.659 in Revelation 19, verse 5, 00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:14.539 John will again see Jesus, this time returning in glory, 00:17:14.879 --> 00:17:15.500 and he will say, 00:17:15.639 --> 00:17:18.680 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:21.440 and he will rule them with a rod of iron. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:29.480 So Jesus here is reminding this church that he loves at Pergamum, 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:33.120 this church that he has commended for their faithful perseverance, 00:17:33.660 --> 00:17:40.340 he's reminding them of his swift, decisive word that discerns thoughts and hearts, 00:17:41.180 --> 00:17:46.100 that will one day put an end to evil and injustice and rebellion in the world. 00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:49.600 His word that will one day make all things new, 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:56.059 is reminding them of his word that is powerful, 00:17:56.899 --> 00:17:57.980 that is effectual. 00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:07.719 It's as if Jesus is reminding them how important truth and sound doctrine really are. 00:18:10.099 --> 00:18:15.779 And he's reminding them that he will divide the true from the false in his church, 00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:17.740 and that they must too, actually. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:19.139 They must be discerning. 00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:25.039 And in light of that, Jesus is telling them in this letter, 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.119 in verse 16, to repent. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:31.279 Look at verse 16. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:34.519 Therefore, repent, Jesus says. 00:18:35.639 --> 00:18:37.339 If not, I will come to you soon, 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:39.500 and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 00:18:39.500 --> 00:18:43.279 Now, what does the word repent mean? 00:18:45.220 --> 00:18:47.839 The word repent means to change course, 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:51.720 to admit that you're on the wrong path, 00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:53.220 and to turn around, 00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:55.220 and to ask for help, 00:18:55.339 --> 00:18:56.180 and to cry out, 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:59.039 and to then get on the right path. 00:19:00.140 --> 00:19:02.740 Oftentimes, we think that repentance is sort of just trying our best, 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:05.200 and doing the best we can. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:08.380 But no, repentance is actually sort of a fundamental shift. 00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:12.140 And that's what Jesus is calling for. 00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:13.480 That's what he's inviting them into. 00:19:13.539 --> 00:19:16.519 That's what he's sort of demanding that they do. 00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:19.259 And for the Christians in Pergamum, 00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:20.759 this would mostly look like 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:23.599 removing the false teachers from their community. 00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:29.000 And otherwise, Jesus says that he'll come soon, 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:31.380 and war against the false teachers himself. 00:19:31.380 --> 00:19:34.100 Very strong language there. 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:40.900 And presumably, that Jesus will sort of find in that removal, 00:19:41.100 --> 00:19:43.860 those who didn't oppose the false teachers 00:19:43.860 --> 00:19:46.120 will fall under the same sort of condemnation. 00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:48.120 So it's a threat. 00:19:48.420 --> 00:19:49.420 It's a warning. 00:19:56.560 --> 00:19:57.760 You know, it's very interesting, 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:00.460 as Jesus issues this call to repentance, 00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:02.460 and also offers them this stern warning. 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:04.360 I find it very interesting, 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:05.680 by way of observation, 00:20:05.880 --> 00:20:07.600 that Jesus doesn't refrain 00:20:07.600 --> 00:20:11.160 from telling a suffering church 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:13.340 to repent. 00:20:14.380 --> 00:20:15.440 Isn't that interesting? 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:20.480 You wonder whether Jesus would have passed pastoral care 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:21.620 when he went to seminary, 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:23.860 telling this suffering, hurting church, 00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:25.000 no, you need to repent. 00:20:25.539 --> 00:20:26.460 Isn't that fascinating? 00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:28.000 I was just struck by that this week. 00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:30.880 You know, he's not candy coating things for them. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.120 He's not wearing kid gloves with them. 00:20:34.579 --> 00:20:37.079 In other words, their suffering doesn't release them 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:39.240 from their moral responsibility or their moral dignity. 00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:42.980 Of course, Jesus isn't being cold or insensitive. 00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:44.660 He's being loving and caring. 00:20:45.100 --> 00:20:46.220 He cares deeply for them. 00:20:46.299 --> 00:20:48.940 He experiences their suffering along with them. 00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:50.279 And yet, 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:55.980 by telling this church to repent, 00:20:57.120 --> 00:21:01.500 isn't Jesus actually restoring some of their agency 00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:04.600 and some of their dignity as his people? 00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:09.059 You know, it's often the case that when individuals 00:21:09.059 --> 00:21:10.759 or when communities suffer, 00:21:10.939 --> 00:21:12.659 when they experience that kind of persecution, 00:21:12.859 --> 00:21:16.980 they feel as if their agency and their dignity is lost, 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:18.519 that there's nothing they can do, 00:21:18.939 --> 00:21:21.599 that they've been stripped of their ability to act. 00:21:22.879 --> 00:21:23.919 And here Jesus is saying, 00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:27.000 no, that's not true of you, not of my people. 00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:30.219 No, you can come. 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:32.659 You have a role to play in this. 00:21:32.660 --> 00:21:36.140 You know, that's why I think for us personally, 00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:37.200 as we look at our own hearts, 00:21:37.340 --> 00:21:38.580 even in times of suffering, 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.660 even in times of hardship, 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:44.120 we should be practicing the discipline of repentance from sin. 00:21:48.100 --> 00:21:49.500 And for nothing else, 00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:52.300 a way of maintaining our dignity and agency 00:21:52.300 --> 00:21:55.800 and moral responsibility in addition to drawing near to God. 00:21:55.799 --> 00:22:05.000 But there's no doubt that what Jesus is telling this church in Pergamum to do 00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:08.139 and telling us to do sort of by way of analogy, 00:22:08.139 --> 00:22:09.659 if we were in their position, 00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:12.299 what Jesus is telling them to do here is not easy. 00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:17.579 It's not easy to sort of do the hard thing. 00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:28.240 But he offers this great promise for those who respond faithfully. 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.539 First, he says, 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:35.720 to the one who conquers or to the one who overcomes, 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:40.619 I will give some of the hidden manna. 00:22:40.619 --> 00:22:44.859 Now, hidden manna here probably alludes to the manna 00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:50.139 that was preserved in the Holy of Holies inside the ark in the tabernacle. 00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:52.659 In other words, 00:22:53.539 --> 00:22:57.879 Jesus is promising to nourish the faithful saints 00:22:57.879 --> 00:23:02.559 with an unfailing supply of heavenly spiritual food. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:07.139 A sort of spiritual food and satisfaction 00:23:07.139 --> 00:23:11.319 that comes from the very center of the Holy of Holies itself. 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:12.960 And what was the Holy of Holies? 00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:16.940 It was the representation of the presence of God's throne 00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:18.240 in the midst of the earth. 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:22.000 It was where heaven and earth connected 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:24.759 in Old Covenant symbolism. 00:23:25.399 --> 00:23:26.379 And Jesus is saying, 00:23:27.579 --> 00:23:29.559 come, come to me 00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:31.859 and let me open up that for you. 00:23:31.859 --> 00:23:34.519 I'll give you some of that hidden manna to nourish you. 00:23:36.639 --> 00:23:37.899 And then he promises them, 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:40.839 and I will give to the one who overcomes a white stone 00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:43.579 with a new name written on the stone 00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:46.699 that no one knows except the one who receives it. 00:23:49.099 --> 00:23:51.439 Now, historically, a white stone, 00:23:52.139 --> 00:23:55.559 white stones were given to victors, 00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:58.500 to champions at athletic games 00:23:58.500 --> 00:24:01.220 as sort of an entrance, 00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:03.420 an entrance sort of token as a card, 00:24:03.859 --> 00:24:05.539 into sort of the victors' banquets. 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:10.259 And very interesting that the city of Pergamum, 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.460 in the city of Pergamum itself, 00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:16.480 white marble was actually very valuable 00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:18.720 because it was incredibly rare. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:23.480 Most of the local geography around Pergamum 00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:25.700 was dominated by pink granite, 00:24:26.339 --> 00:24:27.500 so the historians tell us. 00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:29.700 So most of their homes and most of their buildings 00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:31.500 were made out of this pink granite. 00:24:31.620 --> 00:24:34.039 But white marble was very hard to come by 00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:35.019 and very valuable. 00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:36.740 And Jesus is telling them here 00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:38.599 that he's going to give them 00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:44.640 a costly, valuable, personal access 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:48.220 to his banquet, to his feast. 00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:51.220 Just like those victorious athletes 00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:52.880 would get their entrance 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.599 to the joy of the party 00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.960 for the victor's circle, 00:24:56.299 --> 00:24:58.099 so these Christians at Pergamum 00:24:58.099 --> 00:25:00.420 would be welcomed and honored 00:25:00.420 --> 00:25:02.779 and given a place to sit and dine 00:25:02.779 --> 00:25:06.339 at the greatest banquet of all time. 00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:10.900 And interesting, Jesus even adds there 00:25:10.900 --> 00:25:15.220 that their welcome would be intimate and personal. 00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:19.120 He says a new name is going to be written 00:25:19.120 --> 00:25:20.660 on each one of these stones, 00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:23.200 a name that no one else knows, 00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:25.940 almost this secret name 00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:28.640 shared intimately, personally 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:31.120 between the faithful Christian and their God. 00:25:32.339 --> 00:25:34.339 What a stunning picture 00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:37.399 that Jesus is building up then 00:25:37.399 --> 00:25:39.899 for these beleaguered Christians 00:25:39.899 --> 00:25:43.079 of being, what? 00:25:43.179 --> 00:25:44.220 Of being known, 00:25:45.139 --> 00:25:47.819 of being personally invited, 00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:51.059 of being lavishly fed 00:25:51.059 --> 00:25:53.939 with the soul-satisfying bread of heaven, 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:57.799 to be known and to be fed 00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:59.419 by God himself. 00:25:59.420 --> 00:26:03.539 You see, I think Jesus knows 00:26:03.539 --> 00:26:04.860 that they have a longing 00:26:04.860 --> 00:26:06.900 in the midst of their suffering 00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:08.759 to be known and protected 00:26:08.759 --> 00:26:10.160 and welcomed and fed. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:11.720 Don't you have that longing too 00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:13.120 when you experience hardship 00:26:13.120 --> 00:26:14.420 that someone would know you 00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:16.200 and that someone would welcome you 00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:17.840 and that someone would surround you 00:26:17.840 --> 00:26:19.759 and that someone would dignify you? 00:26:21.820 --> 00:26:23.900 And they're holding fast in the midst of that 00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:25.000 and it's not easy to do. 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:25.420 And you know, 00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:26.539 some of these false teachers 00:26:26.539 --> 00:26:27.640 may have come along 00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:29.920 offering empty promises 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:30.759 of belonging 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:32.759 and of pleasure, 00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:34.980 but Jesus tells them, 00:26:35.099 --> 00:26:35.759 no, no, no. 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:38.920 I'll tell you where true belonging 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:41.380 and true satisfaction are found. 00:26:43.380 --> 00:26:44.559 They're found in me. 00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.779 They're found in him. 00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:49.799 Do you notice here that Jesus says 00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:51.720 that he will give them 00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:52.460 the hidden man 00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:54.880 and that he will give them 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:55.660 the white stone 00:26:55.660 --> 00:26:56.920 with the new name? 00:27:00.299 --> 00:27:01.039 Consider, friends, 00:27:01.120 --> 00:27:03.900 what gives Jesus the right 00:27:03.900 --> 00:27:06.120 to offer such gifts. 00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:09.680 How does he have the authority 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:12.860 to grant such intimate access to God? 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.019 No one else was allowed 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:15.079 to go into the holy places 00:27:15.079 --> 00:27:16.019 and touch that stuff 00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:18.539 other than the highest of high priests. 00:27:19.799 --> 00:27:20.579 And Jesus is saying, 00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:22.059 oh, I'll open up those doors 00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:23.139 and let you feast. 00:27:25.879 --> 00:27:27.379 What gives Jesus that right? 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:31.639 Is it not ultimately 00:27:31.639 --> 00:27:33.159 because of his work on the cross? 00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:37.740 As John will see in chapter 5, 00:27:38.119 --> 00:27:39.460 just a few chapters later, 00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:41.940 this one with the sword 00:27:41.940 --> 00:27:43.339 coming out of his mouth 00:27:43.339 --> 00:27:47.359 is also the lamb who was slain. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:51.039 You see, friends, 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:52.779 Jesus died in our place 00:27:52.779 --> 00:27:53.759 and rose again 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:55.859 in order to grant us 00:27:55.859 --> 00:27:57.759 these amazing promises. 00:28:01.699 --> 00:28:02.479 So, friends, tonight, 00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:03.259 if you see yourself 00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:04.079 in this description 00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:05.279 of the church of Pergamum, 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:08.399 listen to the words. 00:28:08.539 --> 00:28:09.439 Listen to the words 00:28:09.439 --> 00:28:10.639 of the living Lord Jesus. 00:28:12.619 --> 00:28:14.139 If you've experienced suffering 00:28:14.139 --> 00:28:14.819 and trial, 00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:16.159 if you're holding fast, 00:28:16.399 --> 00:28:18.399 if you see moral compromise 00:28:18.399 --> 00:28:20.720 and false doctrine creeping in, 00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:22.139 hear the words of Jesus, 00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:23.240 this invitation 00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:25.059 to turn, 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:25.819 to repent, 00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:27.339 to come back. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:30.439 It's not too late. 00:28:32.939 --> 00:28:34.099 Turn to the one 00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:35.720 who offers you such promises, 00:28:35.939 --> 00:28:36.960 who has the right 00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:38.500 to offer you these promises. 00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:41.779 Listen to his word. 00:28:42.900 --> 00:28:43.900 This reward 00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:44.900 that he holds out 00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:45.859 to you and me, friends, 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:46.960 is lavish. 00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:50.799 To be known intimately. 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:55.339 To be fed lavishly. 00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:59.240 Friends, go to him tonight. 00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:01.220 Go to him tonight 00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:03.259 and find the forgiveness 00:29:03.259 --> 00:29:04.539 and the comfort 00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:06.059 and the strength 00:29:06.059 --> 00:29:06.619 that you need. 00:29:06.619 --> 00:29:08.539 Let's pray. 00:29:11.879 --> 00:29:12.459 Lord Jesus, 00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:13.439 we do ask 00:29:13.439 --> 00:29:16.619 that like this faithful church, 00:29:17.139 --> 00:29:17.799 like these sisters 00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:18.599 and brothers of ours 00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:19.339 so long ago, 00:29:19.419 --> 00:29:20.359 we ask that we will be able 00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:21.139 to hold fast 00:29:21.139 --> 00:29:22.119 in the midst of hardship. 00:29:24.879 --> 00:29:25.279 Lord, 00:29:25.339 --> 00:29:26.139 we also want to pray 00:29:26.139 --> 00:29:27.179 for our brothers and sisters 00:29:27.179 --> 00:29:27.919 around the world 00:29:27.919 --> 00:29:28.899 who are experiencing 00:29:28.899 --> 00:29:30.639 much more violent 00:29:30.639 --> 00:29:31.719 and fierce persecution 00:29:31.719 --> 00:29:32.699 than we are here. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:33.579 Lord, 00:29:33.619 --> 00:29:34.239 we know even 00:29:34.239 --> 00:29:36.279 this week 00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:37.240 Lord, 00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:37.879 many Christians 00:29:37.879 --> 00:29:38.920 will be 00:29:38.920 --> 00:29:41.000 hurt and harmed 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:42.160 and perhaps even killed. 00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:42.599 Lord, 00:29:42.660 --> 00:29:43.180 we pray 00:29:43.180 --> 00:29:44.980 that out of your deep love 00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:45.519 for your church 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:46.259 you would sustain 00:29:46.259 --> 00:29:46.960 your saints 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.619 and be near them 00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:49.279 in their suffering. 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:51.920 And Lord, 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:52.799 we pray that we, 00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:53.519 even in the midst 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:54.299 of our trials, 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:56.519 would be able 00:29:56.519 --> 00:29:57.559 to turn away 00:29:57.559 --> 00:30:00.460 from false teaching, 00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:01.180 from doctrines 00:30:01.180 --> 00:30:01.779 that don't lead 00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:02.639 to our flourishing 00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:03.259 and our health, 00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:03.579 God, 00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:05.960 and help us 00:30:05.960 --> 00:30:07.079 to hear your promise 00:30:07.079 --> 00:30:07.720 once again. 00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.220 Lord, 00:30:11.240 --> 00:30:11.940 help us to believe 00:30:11.940 --> 00:30:12.640 that with you 00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:13.700 there is a rich feeding 00:30:13.700 --> 00:30:14.720 and a rich knowledge 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:15.460 being known 00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.539 like nothing else. 00:30:18.579 --> 00:30:19.039 Amen. 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:20.039 Amen.