Sermon Tone Analysis

Revelation 2:12-17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2004

 

Compromise

 

The following is a Russian parable.

A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear.

When about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft, soothing voice, Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot?

What do you want?

Let us negotiate the matter.

Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, I want a fur coat.

Good, said the bear, that is a negotiable question.

I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise.

They sat down to negotiate, and after a time the bear walked away alone.

The negotiations had been successful.

The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat.

Compromises rarely satisfy both sides in equal measure.

Today we will see the Church at Pergamos, a */Compromising/**/ Church/**/./*

We have seen that Ephesus represented the Church from its birth in Jerusalem to about 100AD.

The Church at Smyrna covered the time period from 100Ad to 414AD.

Satan had attacked the Church for about 200 years and amazingly the Church grew at an incredible rate.

The same thing has happened through out the ages.

Russia and China would be recent examples.

Because of this incredible growth Satan changed his tactics.

Instead he attacked the Church from within.

/If you can’t lick em’, join em’.

/We will see 4 things; */The Correspondence, The Commendation, The Condemnation, The Counsel./*

 

1.

The Correspondence

 

*Revelation 2:12:* /And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:/

 

/a.

The City/

 

The City of Pergamos became the capital of Asia Minor in about 200 BC.

The city was about 20 miles inland from Smyrna.

Pergamos was famous for its university with a library of about 200,000 volumes, and for manufacturing parchment, a kind of paper.

Like Ephesus and Smyrna it was a wealthy city, but it was also wicked.

There were four large temples at Pergamos.

The people worshiped Athena, Asclepius, Dionysus, and Zeus.

It was also the first city to embrace Emperor worship.

Today on the ancient site of Pegamos there stands a village called Bergama.

This is the Turkish word for Pergamos.

/b.

The Church /

 

We don’t know how the Church at Pergamos started.

It was probably started by Paul or a disciple from Ephesus.

Remember, Paul ministered in Ephesus for 3 years.

Except for Revelation chapters 1 and 2 we would have no knowledge of this church.

There is still a small Christian Church in Pergamos today.

The word Pergamos, *Πέργαμος**, *means */thoroughly married/*.

Historically this church represents the time soon after Constantine, when the church was thoroughly married to the state.

He made Christianity the state religion and proclaimed the empire Christian.

Thousands became nominal Christians, and the church tolerated pagan practices in its midst.

This describes the Christian Church between 314AD and 606AD.

It was the beginning of the Roman Catholic Church.

/c.

Jesus Christ/

 

The Lord here describes Himself as the one who possesses a sharp two edged sword.

/What is the significance the two edges?/

The sword speaks of God’s Word.

*Hebrews 4:12* /For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

/God’s Word has a powerful two fold function, */firstly,/* to bring salvation, */secondly,/* to execute judgment.

On the day of Pentecost Peter preached God’s Word.

Listen to how many responded to God’s Word.

*Acts 2:37-38:* /Now when they heard this, *they were cut to the heart*, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, *Men and brethren, what shall we do?*/ /Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

*God’s Word cut them to their hearts and then set them free from sin.*/

 

Tragically not everyone who is convicted by God’s Word repents.

Those who don’t will suffer judgment from God’s Word.

*Revelation 19:15, 21:* /Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.

And the rest *were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth* of Him who sat on the horse.

/

/ /

Zorro

/ /

Zorro came to a large gathering to free some of his countrymen sentenced to death by the wicked Spanish Governor.

The same sword used to free his countrymen wounded and killed his enemies.

In the same way, Christ’s Word will have a two fold function.

His Word both saves the repentant sinner and condemns the wicked.

Jesus/ /Christ was warning the Church at Pergamos to take His Word seriously.

Christ will not be trifled with.

Pergamos must pay attention to Christ’s Word.

*/We can’t ignore His Word either!/*

 

2.

The Commendation

 

*Revelation 2:13:*/ I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.

And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells./

/a.

Faithful Warriors/

 

/What did the Lord mean by Satan’s throne?/

The first great false religious system was established at Babel or Babylon.

This is recorded in Genesis chapter 10.

Babylon was the centre of pagan religions for around 2000 years.

However this changed when Attalus III Priest - King of Babylon fled from the conquering Persians.

Satan successfully moved his throne from Babylon to Pergamos where he spread his pagan worship again.

Later he would shift his throne to Rome and infiltrate the Christian Church through the Emperor, Constantine.

The Lord knew that the Church at Pergamos was in enemy territory.

He describes the city as where Satan’s throne is and where Satan dwells.

It wasn’t easy for believers in Pergamos.

Satan was very much in control of the territory.

The four pagan temples there gave Satan a lot of control over the people.

Emperor worship also enabled Satan to force people into idolatry.

Along with this Satan used priests from Babylon to spread their idolatry.

They were constantly involved in spiritual warfare.

*Ephesians 6:12:* /For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places./

/ /

/b.

Faithful Witness/

 

The believers at Pergamos persevered; they held fast to Christ’s name.

That’s quite a commendation when you are vastly outnumbered.