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Revelation #4
7 Stars and 7 Lampstands - part 2
Rev 1:20 - 3
Last week we previewed all the towns and then began with the first two letters to Ephesus and Smyrna
Let’s Review
*1.The Church at Ephesus* - You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore?
Weirsbe calls this the "Backsliding Church"
Remember that JOHN had been the Pastor of this church from 69 AD to before his
A. Jesus Speaks on the Authority of - v1 - Him who holds the 7 stars in his right hand and walks among the 7 golden lampstands
B. Acknowledgment - I know your deeds
C. Accusation - I hold this against you – you don't bring me flowers anymore
D. Aspiration / Expectation -
Remember, Repent, and Return to Action - Do what you did First
E. Alternative - if you do not repent … remove your lampstand
F. Addendum - to him to "overcomes" - pleasure of eating from the tree of life
*2.
The Church of Smyrna*: Suffering for A Little While
Wiersbe calls the Suffering Church
A. Authority - him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again
B. Acknowledgment- I know your afflictions and poverty
C. Accusation
Against the "false Jews" - they worship have a synagogue to Satan
D. Aspiration / Expectation - you are RICH; Do not Fear; Be Faithful
E. Alternative - giving up
F. Addendum - Overcomes - Not hurt by the 2nd Death
So then let’s move up the road a little way to the furthest northern church mentioned at Pergamos or Pergamum
*3.
The Church of Pergamos:* The Worldly Church - The "OPEN Minded Church" 2:12-17; the Tempted Church;
Perhaps even a pre-modern / post-modern
Remember that this City was where parchment was first developed for printing on animal skins.
It was built on a 1000 foot hill in a broad fertile plain.
It had been the capital for Roman's province in Asia Minor for 250 years.
IT was a center for Religious pagan cults to Athena, Asklepios, Dionysus, the god of drunkenness, and Zeus and was the capital of the cult of Caesar Worship
Remember it is the place of 250,000 book library and a great medical school.
But the medical school was shrouded with mysticism and superstition.
One prescription called for the patient to lie on the floor of the temple and allow snakes to slither all over their body
*A.
Authority*
1.
The Word of God - a double edged sword coming from his mouth
Isaiah 11:4 –
Isaiah 49:2 –
2 Thes 2:4
Heb 4:12
2. same authority Jesus used in the wilderness when faced with Satan
3. When dealing with error in the church the greatest tool is the truth of the Word of God
4. The Word will be its own weapon
it is the Sword of the Spirit.
5. Just faithfully wielded it and the Spirit will either use it to heal the one who would return in repentance or judge the one who would rebel in disobedience
6. Pergummum was a political capital and governors of Rome were said to have the "right of the sword" - license to kill - but Jesus was saying … I've got your sword right here!
“That’s not a knife, THIS is a knife”
*B.
Acknowledgement*
1.
I know your works - before we start make sure you know that nothing has slipped by so don't try to "snow" me
I know what kind of place you live in
“ where Satan has his throne” … could refer to the Throne of Zeus that was there … or to the Temple of the “god of healing” Asclepios (symbol was a serpent)
2. you hold fast to my name - even under persecution – John 1:12 – “to as many as received him to those who believe in his name” – under harsh persecution it is easy to become a secret Christian.
Many church members today are secret Christians and we aren’t even under harsh persecution
3. tradition says Antipas was burned inside a Brass Bull - would have been a horrible death of burns … skin cooked … until the pain or the suffocation of heat and fumes took his life.
Jesus speaks of him surely and fondly simply as “my Faithful Witness” it reminds me of God speaking of Job to Satan, “have you seen my servant Job?”
4. Stood faithful in the midst of persecution and living in Satan's front yard
but while they may not have denied his name, and they had great martyrs among them, they had denied him in the true practice of Christianity
*C.
Accusation*
1. friend of the world is an enemy of God – you dwell where satan’s throne is.
Most often in the New Testament the word for dwell that is used is paoikeo – dwell as a stranger or foreigner … that is how we as Christians live in this world and are not OF this world.
But Jesus said you DWELL – katoikeo – live as a permanent resident
2. chosen those who hold to the Doctrine of Balaam (Nu 31)
a. used his God given prophetic ability to encourage Israel to intermarry with idolaters and ungodly people watering down God's people with wickedness
b. actively engaged in leading God's people into disobedience
c. consumption of things consecrated to other gods
d. church endorsed immorality
3. Doctrine of Nicolaitans - a current day, for them, Balaamite
a. the word means to rise above or be victorious “conqueror of the people” – it is believed that “Balaam” meant the same thing.
So in both cases, an Old Testament Prophet and a New Testament Deacon used their influence and God given position to conquer people and pull them away from God not toward him
b.
laos – people – and Nike – conquerors or elite ones … give us together “Nicolaitans”
b. per = objectionable
c. gamos - marriage
d.
Pergamos - so the two together give a picture of self exalted church married to the world in an objectionable fashion - a picture of an elitist church married to God and to the World
4. How does the Church or can the church become wedded to the world?
*D.
Aspiration / Expectation*
1. Repent - Stop it – it is an imperative command … meaning keep on turning back toward me
2. Do the RIGHT THING
3. Worship me Alone;
4. Be My Bride Alone
5. Be Faithful to Me
6. Lead people toward me and not away from Me
*E.
Alternative*
1. Otherwise …if you force me
2. I will come
3.
I will fight against - he won't just ignore or leave them alone - he will aggressively war against them as they marry the world and lead others astray
4. They will not reach those truly seeking Christ, though they may reach those with like desires but he will be fighting against them
5. with the Sword of my mouth - the Word of God
*F.
Addendum*
1. have an ear? … everyone … HEAR … Make a Choice - yes God is Sovereign but he has given you a choice … If you don't have a choice then forgiveness, repentance, and mercy are cheap nothings
2. hidden manna - no need to satisfy your hunger with substitutes
a. junk food provides a burst and a crash but God's manna fills now and sustains
b. may not be flashy, but it filling, and perfectly enough … indescribable (what is it)
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