The Letter to Thyatira

 

Do You Have the Time

Steve W. Reeves

 

INTRODUCTION:

A  If you lived in the last decade of the first century and decided to take a trip through
    the part of the world that is now the country of Turkey you would probably begin at
    the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was an important city located on the Aegean Sea. From
    Ephesus there was a road that ran northward through Asia minor and ultimately
    curved to the southeast. Along this Roman road were seven towns where
    churches of Christ were located. These towns were Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,
    Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. 
    1. It was to these churches the aged apostle John, in exile on Patmos, was instructed
       by Jesus to send a book in which he described the visions he saw. The beginning
       of this book consists of seven letters from Jesus to these seven churches.
       a. These were specific churches with specific characteristics.
       b. The fact that there were seven of them is symbolic since seven is the number of
           completion. These seven churches were indicative of churches that have existed
           through the ages. Churches today possess these same traits.
    2. Ephesus was a church where the honeymoon was over. The people of that church
       were continuing to do good things but their love for Christ had lost its intensity and
       passion.
    3. Smyrna was a good church in the midst of a hostile environment. They
       demonstrated that you can be faithful and serve God under difficult circumstances.
    4. Pergamum was a church in the midst of a pagan city. Though they possessed
       some notable traits they were beginning to allow their culture to determine their
       faith.    

B. If you continued traveling on this Roman road you would come to a city named

    Thyatira.
    1. Of the seven towns pictured in these two chapters Thyatira was considered the
       least important. It was not a great economic center like Ephesus. It was not a
       capitol like Pergamum. It did not have a beautiful setting like Smyrna.
    2. It was not an educational center, an economic power or a center for the study of
       medicine or worship of Caesar. Thyatira was a town of trade guilds. It was a
       “working man’s” town.
    3. It was not a place you would go for vacation. It was plain, ordinary, dirty and
       smelly. .
    4. There is only one mention of Thyatira in the Bible outside the book of Revelation.
       In Acts 16:14-15 a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple from Thyatira, listed to
       Paul and Silas as they spoke in Philippi. She and her household were baptized and
       she persuaded Paul and his companions to stay with them.
C. To the church in this town Jesus addressed this letter found in Revelation 2:18-28. (It
    is the longest letter to the seven churches).    

          “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

he Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: ¹⁹ ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. ²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹ I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. ²² Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. ²³ And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. ²⁴ But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. ²⁵ Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. ²⁶ He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; ²⁷ and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; ²⁸ and I will give him the morning star. ²⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

 

D. As you consider this letter consider four important ideas.
 
I. A DESCRIPTION TO REMEMBER.
    A. This letter, like each of the letters to the seven churches, begins with a description
       of Jesus. This particular description is very noteworthy.
       1. Eyes like a flaming fire.
           a. Do you recall the comic strip superhero “Superman?” One of his traits was “X-
               Ray” vision that enabled him to see through walls.
           b. This description of Jesus reminds us that He can see through the walls of our
               souls and determine the things that are in our hearts.
               1.) 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, “For God sees not as man sees, for man looks
                    at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
               2.) It has been said, “Reputation is what people think about you. Character is
                    what God knows about you.” You can hide a lot of things from people but
                    you cannot hide from God.
       2. Feet like burnished bronze.
           a. Bronze represents strength and judgment.
           b. We often worry about other people judging us. We should not care what others
               think about us. We should be concerned with what Jesus thinks about us. He
               is our judge. In John 5:30 Jesus said, “As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is
               just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
    B. Jesus knew the church in Thyatira.
       1. He knew their love, faith, deeds of service and perseverance.
       2. He knew that their latter deeds were greater than their former deeds. He did not
           hesitate to commend them for these things.
       3. If Jesus wrote a letter to our church what would he write? What deeds would he
           compliment? Would He say that our latter deeds are greater than our former
           deeds? Would His remarks indicate continued spiritual growth on our part?
    C. Jesus also knew that there was something terribly wrong at Thyatira that was
       posing a dangerous and deadly threat to the church.  
 
II. A DECISION TO MAKE
   A. Jesus said, “I have this against you.”
       a. These are sobering words.
       b. If Jesus were to tell us, “I have this against you,” it should demand our full
           attention.
    B. Verse 20 continues, “You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a
       prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they
       commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”
       1. Within the church at Thyatira was a woman who is described as “Jezebel.”
       2. I do not think “Jezebel” was her real name. It was likely a descriptive name to
           indicate what a hideous character and influence she possessed. Calling her
           “Jezebel” was somewhat like calling a modern day traitor, “Benedict Arnold,” or
           “Judas.”
       3. This woman was so wicked she was like the wicked queen of Israel mentioned in
           1 Kings 19ff. Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal and wife of Ahab wad exceedingly
           wicked. It was Jezebel who threated Elijah after his victory over the prophets of
           Baal at Mount Carmel. Jezebel concocted the murder of Naboth the Jezreelite so
           Ahab might take possession of his vineyard. Ultimately she was thrown out of a
           second story window and run over by Jehu’s chariot after which her body was
           eaten by dogs.  
    C. Whoever this woman in Thyatira was, she was just as despicable as Jezebel.
       1. She considered herself to be a prophetess. This tells us something about her
           character for it appears she was usurping authority that should not have been
           hers.
       2. She was teaching and leading God’s people astray into sexual immoraiity and to
           eat things sacrificed to idols.
       3. In the Old Testament wicked Jezebel led Israel astray by promoting the worship
           of Baal. Baal worship was perverted and immoral. Fast-forward to the end of the
           first century in Thyatira. Trade guilds were a mixture of a worker’s union and a
           pagan temple. Each guild had its own deity. The would come together and
           worship their idol asking their god to bless their trade. Then they would have wild
           parties that often became sexual orgies. It appears this Jezebel was saying, “It’s
           okay to do this.” This woman was having a wicked influence on the church.
           Jesus called these the “deep things of Satan” (verse 24).  
           a. I am so thankful for Godly women who influence others in so many wonderful
               ways. My life has been blessed by wonder, dedicated Christian women since I
               was a small child.
           b. Women played a significant role in the ministry of Jesus. They accompanie
               Jesus and the apostles as they traveled. One of the last people at the cross
               was a woman. The first people at the open tomb were women. Women played
               an important role in the life of the early church.
           c. It is also true that a wicked woman exerts a powerful influence. This was true
               of this woman called “Jezebel” in Thyatira.
    D. Here was the choice these Christians had to make. Were they going to follow
       Jezebel or Jesus?
       1. These people were tolerating immorality in their midst.
       2. They were tolerating false teaching in their midst. I am amazed at the things we
           fall for. A preacher in Mississippi passed out small bags of oats, honey, wheat,
           barley and molasses. It looked so good. It also had a small percentage of poison.
           It was rat killer. Satan always hides his deadly poison in the midst of good things.
 
III. A DESTINY TO DETERMINE
    A. There are two destinies mentioned in this letter.
       1. For those who continued to hold to the wicked teachings of Jezebel there was
           the destiny of destruction. .
       2. For those who resisted this immoral teaching there was the promise of the
           morning star. Victory in Jesus.
    B. You and I face a similar decision today. The decisions we make in our lives
       determine our eternal destiny.
 
IV. A DEADLINE TO MEET
    A. In verse 21 Jesus said, “I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent
       of her immorality.”
       1. Peter reminds us that God is “not slack concerning His promises but is
           longsuffering toward us” (2 Peter 2:9).
       2. Jesus had given this woman and her followers time to repent but they had not
           done so.  
    B. How much time has God given you hoping that you would repent of your sin? How
       many opportunities have you had to make changes in your life? One day you will
       hear the last sermon you will ever hear. You will sing the last invitation song you’ll
       ever sing. You will walk out of these doors for the final time. How long will it be
       before you repent?
 
CONCLUSION:
A. The letter of Jesus to the church in Thyatira is highly applicable to the church of our
    time. We must not capitulate to the influences and immoralities of the world. We must
   remain strong, scriptural and sound in our faith.
B. What would Jesus write to you and me? Please consider this important question as
    we consider His invitation.

Fuel For Your Mission

 

FUEL FOR YOUR MISSION

Steve W. Reeves

 

INTRODUCTION:

A. In April of 1970 the crew of Apollo 13 lifted off from earth for the third manned landing
    on the moon. The mission was going smoothly. Since this was the third mission to the
    moon it was practically ignored by the news media. All of that changed 56 hours into
    the flight when Commander Jim Lovell radioed, “Houston, we have a problem.” There
    had been an explosion on the spacecraft depleting its supply of oxygen. Since
    oxygen was used to produce electricity and drinking water the mission quickly
    changed from landing on the moon to returning the crew to earth safely. Would they
    have enough fuel and supplies to last on the journey home?
B. Whatever your mission is in life you will encounter difficulty. Your life will not always
    proceed as you have thought it would. You are going to encounter unexpected
    difficulties. You are going to face challenges. You will experience disappointment,
    discouragement and depression along the way. This is why it is crucial for you to
    have the fuel necessary to see your mission through to completion.   
C. There are very few people mentioned in the Bible who did not experience
    discouragement at some point in their life.    
    1. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt. He was an eye witness to the mighty
       works of God. After leading almost two million people across the Sinai peninsula
       look at what Moses said in Numbers 11:14-15 – “I alone am not able to carry all this
       people, because it is too burdensome for me. ¹⁵ So if You are going to deal thus
       with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let
       me see my wretchedness.”
    2. Another familiar Bible character expressed a similar thought. In Jonah 4:3, where
       the great prophet to Nineveh said, “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from
       me, for death is better to me than life.”
    3, Both of these men were involved in Godly missions. Both of them were pursuing
       their purpose with passion. Both of them had grown weary and were running low on
       emotional and spiritual fuel.
D. The case-study I want us to consider is the prophet Elijah.
       1. Here was a man who had pursued his mission with courage and determination.
       2. He stood against the wickedness of wicked Jezebel, the queen of Israel and her
           wicked husband Ahab.
       3. In 1 Kings 18 he engaged 450 prophets of the Canaanite deity, Baal, in a contest
           on Mount Carmel. After the prophets of Baal had cried out in van for heavenly
           fire to consume their sacrifice Elijah built an altar, placed a sacrifice and doused
           it with water. He then cried out to Jehovah who sent fire from heaven consuming
           the sacrifice, the altar and the water in the surrounding trenches.
    4. Elijah’s joy was short lived. In 1 Kings 19:2 Jezebel, upon hearing of Elijah’s
       victory, said, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life
       as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”      
       a. Elijah’s mission was interrupted.
       b. He suddenly faced opposition and persecution.
       c. Suddenly, it seemed as it he had run out of fuel and his mission was over.
       d. Verse 3 says that he was afraid for his life and ran to Beersheba in Judah. It was
           like running from one end of the country to the other. He left his servant and went
           a day’s journey into the wilderness where he sat down under a Juniper tree.
           Listen to what he said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better
           than my fathers” (verse 4).
    5. This was the low point in Elijah’s life. His mission was in jeopardy. His fuel was
       almost gone. Notice four important steps God took to refuel Elijah’s mission.
 
I. REST
    A. Elijah was exhausted physically, spiritually and emotionally.
       1. He had lived during drought and been sustained by God. He had lived with a
           widow and her son (who he raised from the dead – 1 Kings 17:20-22).    
       2. When Jesus healed the woman who touched him (Mark 5:27-30), He felt power
           go out from himself. Elijah’s work was physically tiring.            
       3. The conflict with Ahab, Jezebel and the prophets of Baal was emotionally
           exhausting for Elijah.
    B. Moses experienced the same type of fatigue.
       1. He said, “I am no longer able to bear all of them” (Numbers 11:14). 
       2. Earlier when he had been spending all day judging the people Moses’ father-in-
           law told him, “The thing you are not doing is not good” (Exodus 18:17). Moses
           was about to burn himself out. He needed rest.
       3. When Jonah was discouraged and depressed he had just finished preaching to
           the large city of Nineveh. He was exhausted, sitting on a hill under the broiling
           sun. He was worn out!
    C. When you are running low on fuel for your mission one of the best things you can
       do is get some rest.
       1. When you are physically tired it is easy to become discouraged and depressed.
           A lack of rest compromises your bodies immune system.
       2. Notice what happened with Elijah. According to verses 5-6, “He lay down and
           slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he
           said to him, “Arise, eat.” ⁶ Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a
           bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay
           down again.”
       3. Most of us seldom take time off. For many years I did not take a “day off” other
           than Saturday to be with my family. In recent years I have taken Monday off. It
           makes a huge difference in my physical, spiritual and emotional freshness.  In his
           book, Ordering Your Private World, Gordon McDonald insists that proper times of
           rest are essential for good emotional and mental health.
 
II. REFRESHMENT       
    A. Elijah needed to refuel.
       1. Not only did he need rest, he needed nourishment.
       2. Notice how God took care of him (verse 5) by providing him with hot bread and a
           jar of fresh water.
    B. It is so easy to lose sight of your mission in life when you are physically,
       emotionally or spiritually depleted.    .
       1. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us, “For your enemy, the Devil, walks around like a roaring
           lion seeking whom he may devour.” Who do wild animals prey on? They prey on
           those who are weak or isolated from others.
       2. In Deuteronomy 25:17-18, Moses reminded the Israelites of how Amalek had
           attacked them, “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you
           came out from Egypt, ¹⁸ how he met you along the way and attacked among you
           all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary.”
       3. When did Satan tempt Jesus? It was after Jesus had spent 40 days in the
           wilderness without food. He was hungry, tired, isolated and vulnerable.
    C. This is why we need to be refreshed.
       1. Never stop learning.
       2. Associate with people who will encourage you and lift you up.
       3. Above all, draw spiritual nourishment from the Word of God.
   
III. REFLECTION
    A. Elijah was spiritually exhausted. He needed time to reflect. God understood this
       and provided a setting where Elijah could think.
       1. It involved a place. Verse 8 says, “Then he came there to a cave and lodged
           there.”
           a. Do you have a place where you can get away from noise and distraction and
               reflect on your life?
           b. Jesus often went away to solitary places where he could pray. (Mark 1:35).
               Luke 5:16 says He would often go out into the wilderness to pray.
       2. It involved a process.
           a. Examination. God asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (verses 9 and
               13).
           b. Elijah’s response on both occasions was to complain, “I have been very
               zealous for the Lord but now I am the only one left.” This was Elijah’s personal
               pity party. “Woe is me. No one cares.” Most “pity-parties” are greatly
               exaggerated.
       3. It involved a proclamation. Elijah went to the opening of the cave. There was a
           devastating wind but God was not in the wind. There was a dramatic earthquake
           but God was not in the earthquake. There was a fire but God wasn’t in the fire.
           Suddenly there was a small, still voice. God does not yell to be heard.
 
IV. RENEWAL
    A. What did God say? Beginning in verse15, “The Lord said to him, “Go, return on
       your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall
       anoint Hazael king over Aram; ¹⁶ and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king
       over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as
       prophet in your place. ¹⁷ It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword
       of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of
       Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. ¹⁸ Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that
       have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
    B. God provided:
       1. Renewal- He renewed Elijah’s mission by giving Him instructions.
       2. Reassurance. He told Elijah he would not be alone. There were 7000 who would
           not bow their knee to Baal.
 
CONCLUSION:
A. Whatever your mission is in life you must keep an eye on your fuel tank. You will not
    accomplish your mission if you are running on empty. Remember God’s strategy of
    rest, refreshment, reflection and renewal.
B. There is no greater rest and renewal than that which Jesus promised in Matthew
    11:28-30, “Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened…”  If you need to
    come to Him we invite you to do so today.    

Letters to the Seven Churches #3

 

The Challenge of Living A Godly Life

Steve W. Reeves

 

INTRODUCTION:

A. James Martin is a Pulitzer Prize nominee from Oxford University who directs the 21^st
    Century Institute and the Institute for Science and Civilization at Oxford. Martin has
    compiled a list of challenges facing humanity in the 21^st century. Among the 17
    challenges he lists are,“Saving the Earth;” “Preventing All-Out War” and “Stabilizing
    Population Growth.”
    1. I’m quite sure that opinions on the greatest challenges facing humanity in this
       century would differ widely depending on who is being asked.
    2. I am also quite sure that for those who claim to be part of the kingdom of God
       there would be the common challenge of “Living a Godly Life.”
B. In the Old Testament book of Leviticus God instructed the newly liberated nation of
    Israel. Leviticus sets forth the peculiar identity God expected His people to maintain.
    1. The theme of Leviticus is in 11:44, “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate
       yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.”
    2. In 18:1-5 God told them they were not to live as the people did in Egypt or as
       the people of the land of Canaan to which they were going. He told them they were
       to live according to His statutes and judgments. The remainder of the chapter deals
       with prohibition against sexual immorality.
    3. Throughout the Old Testament God’s people struggled to maintain their unique
       identity. Time and again they turned to the pagan deities of the surrounding nations
       and committed immoral acts.
C. This theme of remembering your identity is continued into the New Testament.
    1. Peter quotes the words of Leviticus in 1 Peter 1:16, “You shall be Holy for I am
       Holy.”
    2. James 4:4 says, “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an
       enemy of God.”
    3. In 1 John 2:15-17 the same John who penned the words of Revelation wrote, “Do
       not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the
       Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the
       eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ The  
       orld is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives  
       forever.”  
D. The greatest challenge being faced by Christians is keeping ourselves from becoming ike
    the world. The story is told of a school district that needed a new bus driver. Three  
    qualified  applicants were chosen for a final interview. The supervisor showed them a
    curve in the road and asked, “How close to the edge can you drive without losing control?
    The first applicant looked at the road and replied, “two feet.” The second said, “one foot.”
    The third ne replied, “I am not interested in seeing how close I can get. I want to stay as
    far away as possible for the safety of the children.” He received the job.
    1. Sometimes it seems as if the church is trying to see just how close to the world we can
       be without losing control.
    2. Sometimes churches think if they can be like the world then the world will like them and
       Christianity will be more palatable. It’s fashionable in churches to make the cross more
       comfortable so we can blend in with society. 
E. There is nothing new in this scenario. In fact, these are the conditions faced by the third
    church mentioned in Revelation 2, the church in Pergamum.
 
I. THE CITY OF PERGAMUM.
    A. The third letter to the seven churches was written to the church in Pergamum. This city
       was located along the Roman postal road about 100 miles north of Ephesus.
       1. The historian Pliny called Pergamum, “the most distinguished city in Asia.” 
       2. It had been the capitol of Asia since 133 BC. Its ruins are extant today near Bergama
           in modern Turkey.
       3. One of the noteworthy features of Pergamum was the large hill upon which part of 
           the city was built. It was an important commercial and economic center.
       4. One of the most noteworthy aspects of Pergamum was its library. It contained
           approximately 200,000 hand written volumes. It was second only to Alexandra.  Mark
           Antony sent many of these volumes to Cleopatra. Some say parchment was invented
           at Pergamum.
       5. The Physician Galen lived in Pergamum during the first century. He was considered
           second to Hypocrites as a physician.
    B. Pergamum’s greatest claim was as a religious center.
       1. The acropolis contained temples to Zeus, Athena and Dionysus .
       2. There was a temple to Caesar where emperor worship was conducted. Every citizen
           was required to offer a sacrifice to the emperor once each year and proclaim,
           “Caesar is Lord.”  
       3. The temple to Zeus was massive. Its altar was 18 feet high. It may have been the
           reason why Jesus said these people lived where “Satan’s throne” was (vs. 13).
       4. There was a temple to Aesculapius who was depicted as a half human / half snake.
           Worshippers would lay on the ground in the temple and allow snakes to crawl over
           them hoping to be healed.
    B. We do not know much about Pergamum from a Biblical perspective.
       1. Acts 19:10 records that Paul remained in Ephesus for two years and, “all who lived in
           Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”
       2. We know that Paul and his traveling companions went by Mysia (near Pergamum)
           according to Acts 16:8-9). . 

II. THE LETTER FROM JESUS TO PERGAMUM
   A. Each letter to the seven churches began with a description of Jesus. The description
       given in 2:12 is extremely important.
       1. “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-
           edged sword says this.”
       2. The “two edged sword” is used to describe the word of God in Hebrews 4:12.
       3. The two edged sword was a weapon that could cut both ways. Ephesians 6:17
           speaks of the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
       4. This two-edged sword is pictured as coming out of the mouth of Jesus.
           a. Revelation 1:16 says, “In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth
               came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its 
               strength.”
           b. Revelation 19:15 – “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may
               strike down the nations.”
       5. This is a picture of judgment upon Pergamum.
           a. Neither Ephesus nor Smyrna receive such a vivid description of impending
               judgment.
           b. Jesus is saying, “You are  familiar with the capacity of the two-edged sword to slay
               those opposed to Rome. I have a two-edged sword with which I will judge my
               adversaries.”
           c. Any threat to Rome would be met with the sword. Any threat to Christ will be met
               with judgment.
    B. The letter to Pergamum addresses three subjects
       1. Commendation (vs. 13). “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.”
           a. “Where Satan dwells,” is a reference to the worship of Caesar (specifically) and
               the broader context of idolatry (generally). Pergamum was a wicked city. It was not
               merely apathetic towards Christianity, it was openly hostile towards the church.
           b. Thus, Jesus commends those who have remained faithful. He knew what they
               were up against. He knew some of them, like Antipas, had given their lives
               because of their faith in Christ.
           c. Jesus commended those who “clung to my name.” He commended those who did
               not deny their faith. 
       2. Condemnation (vss. 14-15). “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. ¹⁵ So you also have some who in the same way hold the
           teaching of the Nicolaitans.”
           a. “Teachings of Balaam” reminds us of a story from the Old Testament (Numbers
               22-24) where a sorcerer in Moab was enlisted by their king, Balak, to curse the
               Israelites. He did so by tempting them with immorality. Apparently, some in the
               church were also being tempted by immoral behavior.
           b. The Nicolaitans were also known for their immoral teachings (also mentioned in
                the letter to Ephesus 2:6).
           c. Although some were remaining faithful there were others who were caving to their
               culture. They were becoming more and more like the immoral people around them.
       3. Commandment (vs.16). “Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I
           will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”
           a. “Repent.”
           b. For many years there was a sign on Highway 64 between Beebe and Conway,
               Arkansas, that said, “Repent.” I am sure many people ignored it. Some people
               laughed at it. Some scoffed it. The simple message it contained was applicable to
               the people in Pergamum and to us as well.

III. THE MESSAGE FOR US.

    A. As Jesus concluded this letter to Pergamum, He made a statement that broadens the
       scope of the letter. It is not merely about Pergamum. It is about us, too.  
       1. In verse 17 He said, “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.”
      2. This letter is not only for Christians in Pergamum at the end of the first century. It is
           for everyone who has “ears to hear,” (the ability to receive and understand it).
    B. The importance of overcoming, being faithful, not capitulating to the world, not
       compromising your standards or your faith. Jesus promises two things.
       1. Hidden Manna-   “what is it?”  Divine nourishment. Jesus was saying, “I will care for \
           you  just as my Father cared for the Israelites in the wilderness.”  Do you recall the
           song, “Be not dismayed what ‘ere betide? God will take care of you.” This is the
           promise of Jesus.
       2. A White stone. In ancient Greece and Rome an athlete who was victorious was 
            given a white stone. It was the equivalent of receiving a gold
           medal in our Olympics. This became his ticket to a feast of victors. Admission was
           granted only to those who had a white stone on which their name was engraved..
       3. On the white stone is a new name identifying you.  
    C. Lessons for us.
       1. Perseverance. We must not compromise with the world. We must not allow the
           world’s values to become our values.  
       2. Abstinence from the allurements of the world. We must never compromise the core
           values that make us distinctive.
       3. Pergamum faced real identity crisis. On one hand some were  persevering. On the
           other some were capitulating. The church today experiences a similar identity crisis. 
           Some want to abandon all spiritual moorings and wholesale ourselves to the world.
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CONCLUSION:
A. The fictional story is told of a man and his camel traversing the desert. We often think of
    the heat of the desert during the day but forget about the cold desert nights. One night as
    the man was asleep under his blanket in the tent he felt something nudge him. He awoke
    and found the camel had pushed his nose into the tent. “Get out of here,” he said. The
    camel replied, “Sir, it is cold outside tonight. Please allow me just a few moments to warm
    my nose.” The man agreed and went back to sleep. In a few minutes he awoke again to
    find the camel had his head and front two legs in the tent. “Please, sir, just a few more
    minutes to warm myself and I will leave you alone.” The man agreed and went back to
    sleep. Later he awoke shivering under the stars while the camel slept warmly in the tent.
B. Compromise with the world does not produce good results. Pergamum needed to learn
    this. We do too.