Please turn with me to Revelation 2 - starting at verse 12.  This morning we’re going on in our look at Revelation chapters 2 and 3.  Looking at the seven messages that are written there.  Seven messages given by Jesus to  seven different churches - churches which were located in what is now western Turkey.

For the most part - the Book of Revelation focuses on the future - hell fire and brimstone judgment type of stuff along with the better of the two choices - heaven and eternity with God.  The emphasis being that God is in control of the future.  But these seven messages to seven churches focus on the present.  How we live today trusting God - knowing that God is in control of the future.  The last two Sundays we saw that we can be passionately devoted to Jesus and each other - and that we can live without fear - clinging on to Jesus.

Today we’ve come to the third message - given to the church in Pergamum.

Have you ever been talking away on your cell phone and then realized that you’ve been talking to yourself?  The call got dropped and for 5 minutes you’ve been rambling on and on with no one listening.  Or, have you ever wondered if - even if there was someone there - that maybe they really weren’t paying attention?

I’m sure no one here would do this - someone’s talking and we’re eating or typing or watching TV or playing video games or just staying awake enough to grunt every now and then so it seems like we’re interested.  No one here has ever done that.  Right?  That would be pretty deceptive.

There’s some researchers out at MIT that are developing software for cell phones that’s suppose to analyze speech patterns and voice tones and tell us if the person on the other end really is paying attention.  Have you heard about this?  They’re calling this thing the “Jerk-O-Meter.”

The issue in Pergamum was deception.  Serious deception of the kind that was leading people away from Jesus.  That’s where we’re going today - deception and what to do about it.

Revelation 2:12:  “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:    The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:  I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”

Pergamum was that Roman capital of the province of Asia.  It was a university town.  There was library that had collection of 200,000 books.  It was beautiful.  It was wealthy. 

In Pergamum there was the usual assortment of pagan temples - emperor worship - satanic activity.  One of these temples was for the god Zeus.  In in midst of this pagan temple there was a large throne - about 40 feet high - possibly what Jesus was referring to as “Satan’s Throne.”  Point being that Pergamum was a well known center of Satanic activity - a nexus of evil in the area.

Jesus says to the church there, “I know where you live.  I know what’s its like for you.  I’m seeing what you’re going through.”

Pergamum was a church under persecution.  Antipas - the person Jesus mentions in verse 13 - we don’t know a lot about Antipas.  Church tradition says that - under the Romans - Antipas was the first martyr in the province of Asia.  Tradition says that he was roasted to death in a metal bull that was heated to the point of the metal being white with heat.  Jesus calls this brother His witness - His faithful one.  Antipas never turned from his faith.  He kept testifying even in death.

Our brothers and sisters were being put to death - in horrible ways - bearing the brunt of Satan’s hatred of Jesus - put to death because they refused to burn incense and worship and declare Caesar as lord.  They died faithful - publicly declaring  Jesus as their Lord and Savior. - the one true living God - the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Jesus commends them:  “In the hell hole of Pergamum - where Satan dwells - you held fast.  Faced with brutal persecution you stood firm holding onto your faith.  Holding on to Me.  Whatever the cost.”

Verse 14:  “But I have a few things against you;

With all that faithfulness its hard to imagine that there could be a “but” here.  But here it is.

But I have a few things against you; because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.

Satan roams around like a what?  Roaring lion.  Seeking to do what?  Devour us.  Get his claws into us - rip into us with his teeth - chew us up.  That’s persecution.  Up front.  In our face.  This church was holding up against that.  Faithful even to death.

But Scripture also tells us that Satan masquerades as an angel of what?  Light.  Trying to come off as godly.  That Satan’s followers masquerade as servants of righteousness.  (2 Corinthians 11:14)  The best lie is the one that’s what?  Closest to the truth.  That’s deception.  Subtle deception.

Hear this:  Its possible to be faithful to Jesus Christ and to still be in trouble spiritually.  Would you agree with that?  Its possible to be faithful to Jesus Christ and to still be in trouble spiritually.

Even when we’re living faithful to our Savior Jesus Christ we still need to be on our guard against Satan’s deceptions.  Intimidation is a tool of a Satan - threatening - hostility - persecution.  But, so is enticement - temptation - corruption - tools of Satan luring us subtly to destruction.

Even within this church of faithful of believers there were two subtle deceptions that were undermining the spiritual life of the congregation.   The first deception involves The Teaching of Balaam.

Think Exodus.  About 1400 B.C. - Moses had led Israel through the wilderness to the plains of Moab - overlooking the promised land.  Balak - the king of Moab - saw all these Israelites and became really afraid that they would attack and destroy Moab.

So Balak - the king of Moab - hired Balaam the false prophet to come out and curse Israel.  But, every time Balaam tried to curse Israel - God put words of blessing in his mouth.  So, no matter what Balaam did - he still couldn’t curse Israel.  He just kept blessing them.

Since the direct approach didn’t work - Balaam went to plan B.  Balaam - the false prophet - taught Balak - the king - how to use Moabite girls to entice the young Jewish men to take part in their immoral and idolatrous feasts.  The reasoning was that if the Israelites were sinful enough God would become angry with His people and God would destroy His own people and take care of Balak’s problem for him.

Plan B worked.  The young men were enticed by the Moabite women - fell into lust - began to indulge in sexual immorality with the Moabite women - who then invited them to sacrifice to the Moabite gods.  And pretty soon the Israelites were bowing and worshipping the Moabite god - the Baal of Peor.  Bowing and worshipping and perverting right along with the best of them.  (Numbers 22-25; 31)

Since then - “the teaching of Balaam” has symbolized the kind of sin that seduces - that deceives - God’s people into immorality.  Jesus is saying that that kind of deception and sin was going on at Pergamum.  The faithful were being led into idolatry and immorality.

One huge question that really bothers me.  And, I’ll share it with you so you can be bothered by it too.  Just share the blessing of sleeplessness  and stress around.  The Church is the Body of Christ.  Right?  He’s the Head.  Right?  Here’s the question.  Why doesn’t the Church look more like Jesus?  Put another way:  Why does the Church more often resemble the world than the Savior?

Thinking only about sexual immorality - which is what Jesus touches on here with Balaam.  Not too long ago the people who track this stuff figured that the church was about 10 years behind the culture in its slide into immorality.  Today, the Church - especially here in the USA - the church has slipped off the edge.  Its like we’re looking to the world for guidance.

Churches are confused about marriage.  Living together is acceptable.  Christians are going from marriage to marriage to marriage without any serious acknowledgment that divorce is sin.  Acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex marriage is widespread in churches today.  Sex - and intimate sexual contact - that God clearly reserves for marriage - in many congregations has become acceptable for those outside of marriage - or not married to each other.

In some congregations the women dress like prostitutes.  The men dress like gigolos.  Apparently they’re tithing so much that they can’t afford clothing that covers their body or that fits appropriately.

Pornography is acceptable - visual and audio.  Have you ever gone into a business owned by a Christian and they’re playing secular music where the words are pornographic?  Why?  Why play that stuff?  Because the customers like it?  What about Jesus?

Satan is subtle.  Dabbling is destructive.  Say that with me, “Dabbling is destructive.”  The Pergamum church was dabbling and they were in danger of slipping over the edge.

The second deception is in verse 15:  “So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

Deception number two:  The Teaching of the Nicolaitans.

The Nicolaitans were a group that claimed to have some special relationship with God - a special knowledge about God - insights and an inside track with God.  So they claimed to be better than everyone else.  Claimed that they should be listened to - be given authority to teach and lead the church.

So, the Nicolaitans were inside the church leading others away from Jesus.  Replacing a relationship with Jesus with their own rules and regulations.  Replacing the authority of Jesus over His church with their own authority.  Point being that the Pergamum church was letting them. 

We see this happening all around us all the time - right?  Pastors that are given absolute authority.  Teachers claiming to have special insights.  People being led down the garden path without ever really questioning what’s being taught.   

Let me give you and example of this.  Paul wrote to the Galatians.  Galatians 5:1:  “It was for freedom that Christ set us free…”   The Nicolaitans claimed that - in Christ - we’re free from the law.  Nothing wrong with that.

Then they said, “God wants us to go out and live unrestrained by all those Old Testament commandments.  If were free then we can do what we want - eating meat offered to idols - ham on Saturdays - worshipping with the temple prostitutes.”

Somehow they’d missed the second part of what Paul wrote - the part about turning our freedom in Christ into an opportunity - not to serve our base fleshly passions - but to serve each other in love.  (Galatians 5:1,13) 

As long as it sounded reasonable the Pergamum church was going along with this.  Why make waves?  We need to explore different ideas.  After all, who has time for serious Bible study.  The TV is full of great Bible teachers.  Christian Connection has wonderful devotional booklets.  I’ll just trust whatever Pastor Steve says. 

They’d compromised truth.  Abdicated their responsibility to study and follow God’s word.  They were being led farther and farther away from Jesus. 

Compromising the truth is cancer.  Say that with me, “Compromising the truth is cancer.”  The Pergamum church was compromising.

Its not the big sins that get us - right?  No the being dragged off in the middle of the night and thrown in prison stuff.  Its the little sins that add up - that undermine our obedience and faithfulness to Jesus.  All the little mind games we deceive ourselves with - the compromises - allowing ourselves to go along with the deception and lies that Satan throws at us.

In verse 16 Jesus gives His counsel to this church.  How do we get free of what can undermine us as a congregation - as Christians?  Verse 16:  “Therefore - because you’re dabbling and compromising and in serious trouble - therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

There are two parts to Jesus’ counsel.  First, Jesus says, “repent.”  Change you’re thinking.  There are two parts to repentance.  First agreement.

If we’re parked on the railroad tracks down here by 99 and a freight train is bearing down on us at 70 miles per hour - ignoring it won’t make it go away or go around us.  “Repent” means we need to agree that there’s a problem.  If were living in sin - if we’re dabbling and compromising - we’re never going to turn away from our sin if we don’t first agree that we’re dabbling and compromising.

Can we agree together that Satan is after us and that he’s really good at what he does and that we’re tempted and that there are times when we dabble and when we compromise?  Sin?  Can we admit that?  Can we agree that its possible to be spiritually alive and yet live in great danger.

“Repent” also means doing a 180º change of direction.  Jesus is saying, “Don’t take this lightly.  Don’t just go on agreeing and letting yourself be deceived.  (Yep, living in sin.  He’s right.)  You can’t be complacent with this.  You need to turn.”

If we turn from sin we turn towards Jesus.  He’s the One in the other direction.  “Repent” means purposing to do those things that will alert us when were getting to close to flame of sin - to do those things that will keep us focused on Jesus - keep us moving towards Him.  Prayer - crying out to Him for deliverance and for His changing our heart.  Bible study.   -meditation - memorization.  Fellowship.  Worship.  Service.

Repent:  Recognize the danger.  Then go in the other direction.  Don’t compromise.  Don’t even consider it.  Just keep going towards Jesus.

The second part of Jesus’ counsel - how we get free of what’s undermining us as a church - the second part is the “or else” clause  “or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

Held in the hand - a sword is a symbol of war - of oppression - of authority.  But in the mouth of Jesus the sword is symbolic of the word of God - with which Jesus is going to make war against the deception and sinful practices in the church of Pergamum.

The Nicolaitans said they we’re the authority.  When we dabble and compromise with sin we set ourselves up as the authority.  Bottom line:  Jesus - God’s Word in the flesh - The Bible - God’s word on paper - God’s word is the authority - the standard - the truth - our lives must be governed by.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is - what?  living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword - remember how Jesus described Himself in verse 12? - sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

The Bible - God’s word - exposes sin - is able to cut it out of our lives.  It gives discernment - brings Godly wisdom to our deepest thoughts.  The Bible instructs our soul and spirit in the things of God. 

Paul Waldenstrom was a reformation leader in Sweden back in the 1800’s.  He was the founder of the Swedish Mission Covenant Church.  He coined a phrase that has stuck - a basic phrase that touches one of our core beliefs as the Evangelical Free Church.

In Swedish it goes like this “Huru staar det skrevet?”  How’s that for butchered Swedish?  Anybody here know what that means in English?  “How stands it written?”  Try that with me, “How stands it written?”

That phrase captures the desire of the free church to be certain that what we believe and teach and practice is firmly grounded on the clear authority of the Word of God rather than the opinions of people.  Whenever - in years gone by - or today - in any discussion about how we are to live our lives as believers and as congregations - that phrase gets asked.  “How stands it written?”  What does the Bible say?  What truth?  What counsel?  What instruction?

If you’ll look at your sermon notes - you’ll find Article One of the Evangelical Free Church Statement of Faith - which is our statement of belief about God’s word.  Notice that it’s the first article.  For us - its foundational to everything else.  I’d like to have you read this article with me out loud.  Let what’s being affirmed sink into your heart.

“We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.”

Bottom line:  We need to get saturated with God’s word.  God’s word needs to be ingrained in our thoughts and guiding our actions.  His word needs to be the One authoritative truth that dictates how we live our lives.

Jesus ends His message to the Pergamum Church - and us - in verse 17:  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.” 

There are a couple of symbolic images in here that would be pretty easy to get lost in.  First there’s the hidden manna which is suppose to remind us of the manna God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness and which Moses hid in the Ark of the Covenant.  The point is God’s provision - His grace and faithfulness to His people forever.

Second there’s the image of the white stone.  There was a custom where inscribed white stones - a stone with someone’s name written on it - inscribed white stones were given as invitations to banquets or important events.  Point being that the one who conquers - who goes through life remaining faithful to Jesus - Jesus is going to personally give an invitation to - an invitation to the great celebration victory banquet of eternal life in God’s kingdom.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” is Jesus’ way of saying this is super important and it comes directly from God.  Those who know God need to pay attention.  God takes care of His people.  God has an eternal future for His people.  But God’s people need to make a choice.

It is so crucial that we as a congregation stay on track spiritually - as a congregation - as brothers and sisters in Jesus.  Too many churches have fallen off the path.  That’s been a disaster for their families and community - and even our nation.  What Jesus says is too crucial to just close our Bibles and put away our sermon notes and ponder what the closing song will be - and just go on with our lives.

We have choice.  A choice that’s in front of everyone of us here - 24/7/365.  Dabble and  compromise or repent and give God authority over how our lives are lived. 

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