Rev. 2:12-17 Pergamos The Church that Compromised

 

Intro: Embarrassing Moments – all of us have had our Share

A)   First Kiss – 2nd Grade – Tracy Clinkenbeard – ditch Behind her house -  Fell in

 

B)   Yrs later – Highschool – Baseball game Playing Right field – Line drive – cleat slipped – hit me in the fore head – Ricocheted all the way 2nd base

1)                 Another after Married – Denise met Chuck Wooley

 

A)   One of the Most – Embarrassing things for a Church to hear is what was said to the Church of Pergamos -  I have a Few things against you

1)                 Ephesus – One thing – Pergamos a few things

 

A)   Embarrassing yes – Down right Devastating & very serious if not dealt w/

 

Today we are going to be looking at the Pergamos the Church that Compromised -  READ 12-17

 

REVIEW 4 fold application/

1st they are applied HISTORICALLY – 7 original Churches in 7 real cities in Asia /     Given in Order of ancient Roman postal route

 

2nd – They apply PRACTICALLY – They teach us a lot about Church life

A)   Almost Every problem, difficulty & the Challenges facing the Church are addressed in these 7 letters

 

3rd – Apply PERSONALLY -  The Letters apply to us individually as Believers that is why each one ends w/ the same Exhortation

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

 

4th – Apply PROPHETICALLY -  7 is # of COMPLETENESS

What we have is a picture of the complete Church age –

A)   Each church represents a certain stage in Church History starting w/ Ephesus representing the early Church – Apostolic Church

PERGAMOS THE PLACE : 

A)   Population of about 250,000 thousand people / Famous Library –

      200,000 Volumes – Scrolls

 

A)   The Glamour spot of Asia – Hollywood of Asia -  It was NOT known for having any special commerce or any great industry. 

1)                 But it still had the reputation that London or Paris have today. 

 

C) In that day, Pergamos is where the Rock Stars would have hung out. 

1)                           They would have had a “Hard Rock Cafι Pergamos”. And a Planet Pergamos -  That’s the kind of an image that that place carried.

 

D)Despite its Glamour Pergamos was also a very Religious City –

1)                 Behind the City stood a 900 ft. Mt. On top of that Mt. Was a temple that was erected to the god ZUES

 

 E) The Temple was amazing – it stood – 40 ft. tall - & 90 feet square &

       could be viewed from all over the region

 

The City was also famous for the worship to the god – Asclepyos -  the god of healing

A)   This made Pergamos the Henry Mao Clinic of that Area -  because anyone who was sick at all came to the temple of this god.

 

B) And People Literally came from all over – hoping to be healed

 

C) The symbol of the god was a   snake wound around a pole Seen today in

      the medical Profession – traces back to the god – Asclepyos

1) And They had a weird way of receiving Healing-

 

D) When you went to the temple to be healed you had to crawl through these dark corridors – holes in the walls – hear – You’re getting better

1)                 It was kind of a mind over matter – kind of a deal – POSTIVE THINKING - 

Now if that didn’t work then they once you reached the center of the temple you would have to spend the night sleep on cold stone floor

A)   Total pitch Black – then they would let the snakes lose

 

B)    Now these snakes were not Poisonous – but still – awful – the BELIEF  was this – if a snake happened to crawl over you

1)                 It meant that Asclepyos was having Mercy on you – to touch & heal you

 

A)     Now I think if he didn’t it was probably easy to live w/ your illness – I am not going through that again

 

 

So we learn from all of this that Pergamos was a wicked place – place of glamour – always carries w/ it great deal of  immorality

A)   Place of rampant IDOLATRY

 

B) In fact – Jesus describes it in v. 13 – the Place where Satan’s throne is

 

C)Good Observation :  I think that it’s important for us to remember that

     Satan’s throne is not in Hell. 

1) Think about it, would you hang out in Hell? 

 

A)    I’m sure that Satan doesn’t spend a lot of time there.  - He works hard

      getting people to hell, but that’s not where his throne is. 

1)                           SATAN is called in scripture the god of this world – the prince of the power of the air –

 

 

Rom. 12: 2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

 

A)    Phillips Don’t let the world squeeze you into it’s mold - The idea is that the world has a system – run by Satan – contrary to God

Satan is the god of this world – he influences so many aspects of our culture / Media / Education – Science / Music / Art / Sports

A)  SATAN’S ACTIVITIES – Blind – Deceive – Kill , Rob & destroy – Get people’s eyes off of God & on to self

 

B) Satan even sets up his head quarters so to speak in cities where his influence is really seen – think of 2 in our state

1)               San Fran / Santa Cruz – Sense the darkness – oppressive spirit

 

C) Pergamos was that Kind of Place – it was Dark / Satanic influenced place

 

 

Consider their Place in Church History – give us insight into their Problem :

A)   Noted that each Church represents an aspect of Church History – given insight into the Period they represent by their names

 

B)   Ephesus – Means DARLING – It represented the church in it’s infant state – Apostles / -

1)                 Like many a marriage – slipped into a routine – lost passion – left their first Love – Married to the ministry & not the master

 

A)   2nd Church Smyrna – name means – Myrrh – a fragrance derived through crushing – suffering church –

1) Period where Satan sought to crush the Church – through persecution – lasted for 3 centuries Beginning w/ Nero in . 65 A.D–  Diocletion 313A.D

 

B)   We Noted that during that period – over 6 million Christians were Martyred for their faith –

1)                 It was Satan’s attempt to stamp out the Church through persecution but the Persecution only Strengthened the Church – Purity & Power

 

A)   So when that didn’t work – Satan decides if you can’t beat em – join em – that is represented by the Church of Pergamos / name = Marriage

 

 Pergamos represents that time when the Church Became married to the

          World -  Here is what Happened

 

After Diocletian – a man by the name of Constantine came into Power – and motivated by a vision he had of a Flaming  cross – and a message he received in the vision that stated In this sign Conquer

 

A)  Christianity Became the religion of the state The church went form being the most despised thing in the Kingdom to the most popular

1)               People that were hiding out in caves – were suddenly the most Popular people in the Kingdom

 

B) Christian Leaders were put into Positions of Power & Prominence

 

C) They were invited to watch the baptism of entire regiments of soldiers in Constantine’s army

1)               Christianity became the “in vogue” thing  under Constantine

 

A)  Christianity was forced on unwilling subjects who at sword point were given the choice - baptism or death!

1.) it was during this time that the church became married to the world

 

A) And those who were previously involved in idolatry & Immorality came to Join the Church – not as real Believers but to avoid death

1)               But they brought all of their Pagan Practices w/ them – Church became very Corrupted / & very Carnal

 

Been said that Power Corrupts - & absolute Power corrupts absolutely That is exactly what happened under the reign of Constantine

A) The Church became – very corrupted 

 

A)  In an awesome book – Called Kingdoms in Conflict – Chuck Colson – illustrates – through Church History Starting w/ Constantine

1)               how it has never worked to mix the Church w/ the State

         Always Resulted in the Church being Corrupted & Weakened !!!

C) Now You would think that those who cling to  the idea that we need to Christianize the U.S. /- would learn from church history –

1)                           Didn’t work then –What makes them think that it is going to work now ?

 

D)Someone asked me last week if I really felt these Letters to the Churches were Significant enough to us to spend a week on each one

1)               My answer to that Question is Absolutely !!! Very Relevant – in fact take Pergamos in 2 Parts

 

A) In the rest of our time together this morning I want to look at how this relates to us as individuals

1)               Continue tonight – look at how it relates to the Church at Large – How the Church has Embraced worldly ideas – weakened it

 

A) Can’t come tonight get the tape !!!

 

The Problem w/ the Church in Pergamos – was it became Married to the World – resulting in Compromise & Carnality

A) That same problem can affect us as individual believers

 

A)   Jesus said that  we are to be in the World – But not of the World –

1)               Paul told us why in 2 Cor. 6 – Turn

 

14  Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

15  And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16  And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."

17  Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you."

18  "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."

 

The letter to the Corinthians is Paul’s most emotional / Paul really bears his heart in this letter

A)   Here in 2 Cor. 6 Paul speaks in an unmistakable manner / very clear so as to not be understood

 

B)   He clearly describes God’s command for the Child of God – those of us sitting here this morning –

1)                 The Lord wants us to be separated from the World

 

C)Not talking about a phony kind of separation – self righteous kind of

    separation that says – We are Chosen / you are Heathens – repent

1)                           not talking about a Condescending type of separation – because we are told that we are to be in the World but not of it / Salt & Light

 

A)   We are to be salt & Light in a World that is hurting & Hungry for truth

 

No Paul is talking about being separated in the sense of being Holy –

A)   Being different in the sense of recognizable that we are not into the things of the World

 

B)    Not Pursuing what the World is Pursuing – not living by the mindset of the World / that system that says Live to please self

1)                 But instead Living to Please God – Living w/ Eternity in view

 

A)   So when the World looks at us they see something different

 

B)    Paul gives us reasons why we need to separate – What fellowship or what does Light have in common – w/ Darkness / Christ w/ the Devil

 

 

Note the Lord also says – then He can enjoy the Relationship w/ us that He really Desires to have –

A)   Father son / Father Daughter Relationship that He Desires – so that we can be fully yielded to Him

 

What is interesting about the Church in Pergamos is that they are commended by the Lord for holding fast to his name

A)   And for the fact that they did not deny their faith –

 

B) They were outspoken about Christ – they shared their faith in Christ but the problem was their witness was tainted because too much like the World

 

C)There was an Absence of Holiness in this Church

1)                 there were some who were resisting the general flow of the tide But the rest were being swept out to Sea

 

In the early part of this century, an American ship was wrecked off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England.  The sea had been calm and the weather clear, but the vessel was caught in a treacherous current that slowly lured it off its course. Before the captain and the crew realized what had happened, the ship had crashed into the rocks.

   In life, too, powerful currents of compromise can catch the soul and carry to shipwreck. Spiritual drifting is usually a slow and imperceptible process.  We know it has occurred when we have lost the strong resistance to evil and the passionate desire for truth that we once knew.

 

D) This is a common Problem in the Church in our day & age

1)                           Many People living double lives / many Christians who have embraced a Christianity that – is light Fluffy / feel good

 

D) Just don’t tell me how to Live

 

Christian Writer Graham Scroogie -  once said that Compromise prompts us to be silent when we ought to speak up for fear of offending, it prompts us to praise when it is not deserved to keep people our friends; and it prompts us to tolerate sin & not to speak out because to do so might give us enemies

 

 

 

 

 

The problem in the church in Pergamos stemmed largely from 2 false doctrines they allowed to permeate their church - Doctrine of Balaam and Nicolatians!

 

BALAAM  A non-Israelite prophet whom Balak, king of Moab, urged to curse the invading Israelites for a fee.

 

Balaam was one of many prophets of eastern religions who worshiped all the gods of the land. Many of these false teachers had great power and influence.

When they pronounced a blessing or a curse, it was considered as true prophecy.

 

When Moses led his people across the wilderness, God commanded him not to attack Edom or Moab (Deut. 2:4-9). He did not. When Edom attacked, "Israel turned away from him" (Num. 20:21).

 

 As the great nation journeyed north on the east side of Jordan, King Balak of Moab faced the invasion of Israel. Balak sought a strategy other than battle to stop Moses. He decided to use a prophet to curse Israel. - Balaam was chosen.

 

Balak sent his messengers with fees to secure Balaam's services. Balaam asked God's permission to curse Israel. Permission was refused, but Balaam journeyed to confer further with Balak.

 

On this journey, Balaam's donkey talked with him as he traveled a narrow trail (Num. 22:21-30; 2 Pet. 2:16). Here Balaam clearly understood that an angel's drawn sword enforced his obedience to speak only God's message to Balak.

 

Later in four vivid messages Balaam insisted that God would bless Israel (Num. 23-24). God used Balaam to preach truth.

 

Since Balaam could not curse Israel,  he taught the Moabites to bring the men of Israel into Baal worship with its immorality.( send women seduce ) For this God would punish Israel.

 

What Balaam could not accomplish with a curse he did so through Corruption

 

The Doctrine of Balaam was summarized by our Lord here in 3 Parts

1st Characterized by the wisdom of the world !  We are told that he taught Balak If you corrupt them God will correct them!

 

Their numbers will diminish & their threat to your Kingdom will decrease!

 

2nd Characterized by the worship of the world ! He  taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols,

 

His philosophy was simple involve them in idolatry & their judgement will be sure !

 

3rd Characterized by the wickedness of this world and to commit sexual immorality.

 

The church in Pergamos had become corrupt in seeking to fit in & be excepted had allowed compromise & carnality in their mist

 

Food offered to idols -  ( Paul said ok in Cor. To buy it but they took it a step further & were involving themselves in the Practice which also involved sexual immorality

 

Doctrine of Nicolatians /Deeds in Rev. 2:6 / become doctrine

( derived from two words Niko = to conquer & laos the people )

 

Clergy is put above the People - super spiritual - anointed ones !

 

Result lay trips over the people - not as spiritual as us!

 

 

I believe the same problem is seen  today in both of these areas in the Health wealth & prosperity teachers of today !

Who seem to infer like the Nicol. If you had as much faith as I do then you too could be healthy wealthy & wise like me !  You too could drive a Lexus !

 

In the New Testament Peter warned against false teachers and described their destruction.

 

He referred to the fallen angels, the watery destruction of the unbelievers in Noah's time, and the fiery judgment on lawless Sodom and Gomorrah in Lot's day.

 

 Peter described his generation of false leaders as those with eyes full of adultery, who never stop sinning by seducing the unstable. He further said that they bore a curse as experts in greed. Peter wrote that they left the straight way and followed the way of Balaam (2 Pet. 2:15).

 

 

This type of  compromise & worldliness leads people into further temptation

 

Like Lot tendency to think lets see how much like the world we can be & still be saved !

 

One area in church where we see this a lot is in the area of Christian music !

 

Some who couldn’t make it in the secular world - join Christian market !

 

Biggest areas hear of compromise & carnality / little conviction !