Pergamum - Compromise Confronted | Revelation 2:12-17

Scripture

• Revelation 2:12–17

About this sermon

Those attributes don’t always seem to go together in our minds. But they are perfectly harmonized in the nature and character of God, and therefore, perfectly harmonized in the ways that He sovereignly and wisely deals with each of His churches. We see this when He addresses the church at Pergamum. He confronted what He hates. His holiness on display in what He refused to tolerate. He praised them for what was good, making clear that His correction was not emanating from an enemy, from the Lord who loves them. His kindness was on display in that He was patient with them — He addressed them carefully, precisely, and with room for repentance. This was a church that was faithful in many ways — faithful in some striking ways. This was a church serving the Lord in an exceedingly difficult place in the world — facing exceedingly difficult circumstances. And yet, this was a church that could not continue in its current course. Suffering doesn’t excuse sin. Weariness on one front of our lives doesn’t excuse disobedience on another front of our lives. Jesus comes to them to WARN them, and the motive for the warning is RESCUE. Our Savior has always and will always deal with His people this way. His holiness will not tolerate in our lives what He hates. His love will confront what is out of order in our lives and correct it with His Word. He does this, however, in ways that manifest His kindness, that take note of our smallness — often bringing His correction with great gentleness and presenting us with the opportunity to repent and to correct what is out of order. I. CHRIST DEALS WITH HIS CHURCH TRUTHFULLY (vs.12) Christ selects a description of Himself that emphasizes the judging power of His Words. The Word of God is a dividing power. It divides what is true from what is false. It divides what is real from what pretends. It brings salvation to those who believe it and respond in faith to it, but it also brings judgment upon all who reject it. TO MEET WITH THE WORDS OF CHRIST IS TO MEET WITH THE JUDGMENT OF YOUR CONDITION. His Words leave us with no room for the claim of false assessment. This image of a sword coming from the mouth of Christ is an emblem of judgment later in the book. ESV Revelation 19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. ESV Revelation 19:20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. II. CHRIST DEALS WITH HIS CHURCH KINDLY (vs.13) He doesn’t begin with what was wrong. He begins with a compassionate BUT ACCURATE assessment of what was right. A. HE KNOWS THE CHALLENGE OF THEIR CITY This is something that should greatly encourage us. Our Lord is mindful of our smallness. The difficulty of our circumstances. The challenge of the particular age that we live in, or the particular city that we live in, is not just dismissed. OUR LORD DEALS WITH THESE REALITIES AS REALITIES. Pergamum was a great city in the 1st century world of Asia. John Walvoord — “Like Ephesus and Smyrna it was a wealthy city, but it was wicked. People in its pagan cults worshiped Athena, Asclepius, Dionysus, and Zeus. Pergamum was famous for its university with a library of about 200,000 volumes, and for manufacturing parchment resulting in a paper called πέργαμενα. The atmosphere of this city was adverse to any effective Christian life and testimony.” Satan’s throne indicates a city that is a stronghold for Satan. This church lives in a very difficult place and strives to serve in a very difficult time.

Topics

• Bible Study
• Prophecy & End Times