The church of Christ in the New Testament 11 of 18 �The church

							         The church of Christ in the
          New Testament 11 of 18
         “The church in Pergamum”
            Revelation 2:12-17


 Don R. Taaffe,
Gospel Preacher,
Dunedin, Florida
 12/20/2009 AM
• 12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These
  are the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13
 "I know where you are living, where Satan's throne is. Yet you
 are holding fast to my name, and you did not deny your faith in
    me even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one,
 who was killed among you, where Satan lives. 14 But I have a
   few things against you: you have some there who hold to the
      teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling
  block before the people of Israel, so that they would eat food
    sacrificed to idols and practice fornication. 15 So you also
    have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16
      Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and make war
 against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Let anyone who
  has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
        To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden
 manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is
     written a new name that no one knows except the one who
                          receives it. (NRSV) Revelation 2:12-17
     churches of Christ in the
    New Testament – 18 Lessons
•   Origin of Lord’s church •   The church in Laodicea
•   The church in Antioch •     The church in Pergamum
•   The church in Colosse •     The church in Philadelphia
•   The church in Corinth •     The church in Philippi
•   The church in Crete     •   The church in Rome
•   The church in Ephesus •     The church in Sardis
•   The church in Galatia •     The church in Smyrna
•   The church in Dunedin •     The church in Thessalonica
•   The church in Jerusalem •   The church in Thyatira
           City of Pergamum
• Also known as “Pergamos” – very rare use of
  the name (KJV); the feminine form of Greek -
  “Pergamum” is the common use in Greek and
  Latin.
• Still exists today call “Bergama”, the ruins of the
  original city still there. The “city of temples.” Very
  large today.
• The most northern of the seven cities, the official
  capital of Asia Minor, called ‘the most illustrious
  city of Asia”.
          City of Pergamum
• Little known about this city and church, outside
  of these six verses, but what is known is a
  congregation that is proving faithful in the midst
  of great evil.
• Somewhat indecisive regarding the false
  teaching that is trying to infiltrate their holy
  ranks.
• Pergamum was the most pagan of the seven
  cities, all of which were devoted to some false
  deity.
          City of Pergamum
• Pergamum became no for its sensuous worship
  and an imperial cult, enforcing loyalty to the
  “Lord Caesar”.
• Local temples as legal centers for the region,
  test of loyalty that would challenge the faith of
  Christians, were simple to administer.
• What is learned about this church is that she
  was an ancient forebear of our modern
  tendencies towards religious compromise to try
  to keep peace among brethren.
         City of Pergamum
• Pergamum had one of the largest libraries
  of the ancient world, over 200,000 books
• We’ve all heard of “parchment” which
  originated from this city and is named after
  the city
• Its alter in the temples of Zeus was 40 feet
  in height, and is considered one of the
  wonders of the ancient world
           A church in a
         Wicked Environment
Revelation 2:13
 • The life, work,
Revelation 4:2 surroundings of the church
1 Peter 4:14
2 At you are “where the living, where Satan's are
    – A cityI was in are spirit, and is” –
       know
13 "Ionce where youSatan’s thronethere in throne
14 If         reviled for the name of Christ, you
is. Yet youstood a throne,to my name,seated on the
            are holding        with one and the Spirit
heaven because2:13fast of glory, which isyou did not
    Revelation
blessed,            the spirit
 • Earth faith in of Satan – Revelation 4:2
deny your(NRSV)me even in the days of Antipas my
            throne
throne! resting on you. (NRSV)
of God, is
witness, my faithful one, who was killed among–you,
 • First city to build a temple to Caesar
where Satan lives. (NRSV) emperor worship
    Said “Caesar is Lord”
 • Demanded Christians to offer incense to
    the emperor – 1 Peter 4:14 (John 4:20-
    24; Phil. 3:3; 1 Cor. 14:25)
            A church in a
          Wicked Environment
  • The 4:12
Hebrews author describes himself as having
Revelation 2:12
Romans 9:17 two-edged sword” - Revelation
     “the sharp
Revelation 2:13
12 Indeed, 3:8 word of God is living in Pergamum write:
    "And to the angel of the Pharaoh, "For this sharper
12 For the Scripture says to church and active, very
              the
17 "I knowHebrews Look, I have set before you an
8 "I know your works. are living, where sharp
              where you him
13 2:12; the words sword, who has theSatan's throne
than any two-edged of4:12piercing until it divides soul
These are raised you up, to demonstrate My power in
Galatians 3:26 martyr “Antipas”shut.and youthat not
purpose Igreat no one is to myto the faithfuldid you
is. Yetdoor,are holding fast able it is ableI to judgeone,
open spirit,sword: from marrow; name, know the
from you which (NRSV)
  • The joints
two-edged My name might all children of God
denyand Christ Jesus and yet youdays (NRSV)through-
26 for in that inkilled becausehaveupholding the
       your faith me you the heart. kept
you,mostlittle power, evenarethe proclaimedmy word
have but and intentions ofin be of of Antipas my
            likely
thoughts
throughwholedeniedone,Revelation 2:13; 3:8;
witness,faith. Christmy who was killed
      have not (NRSV)
out name of earth." – name. (NRSV) among you,
andthe my faithful (NASB)
     Romans 9:17 (Acts
where Satan lives. (NRSV) 15:17; 9:15; John
     16:23-26)
  • “did not deny your faith in him” – (Rev.
     2:13; 1 Tim. 5:8) Galatians 3:26
           A church in a
         Wicked Environment
  • “Thou holdest
Matthew 7:21-23 fast my name” – Revelation
Revelation 2:13
Acts 11:26 where whoare living, where Satan's will
         everyone you says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' throne
21 "Not4:16
13 "I know
    2:13
1 Peter
enter if any of12:3 suffers as athe brought you did
Matthew kingdom offound him, name, andhim to –
1 • andyou arehe had heaven, but only the of Christ
        when
26 Yetthe 10:33 must fast to myhe name one who not
is.Corinthians holding honor Christian, do not
    Christiansyou
16 Yet
John 20:28 I of mythatto understand 22 On that day
33 but whoeverin 1 even anthe daysthatIno met
3 Therefore was you forin heaven.yearAntipas with
does yourwill disgrace, but in entire of also you bear
Antioch. So itwantme Peter 4:16 others,theyonemy
    Acts faith denies me glorify
deny the it11:26; Father before God because will
consider a
deny before my taught in who Lord people, and it
speakingmy faithful one, God ever (NRSV) God!" was
28 Thomas and Fatherhim, "Mymany we"Letprophesy in
           by the me, 'Lord, Lord, did andamong you,
                  Spirit a heaven. says my
the church answered of greatwas killednot Jesus be
many will say to speak “Jesus is Lord” can your
witness, cannot
     name.
thisIdols (NRSV)
  •Antioch that the disciples were first called
(NRSV) and no oneout demons in your name, and do
in name, lives. (NRSV)
cursed!" and cast can say "Jesus is Lord" except by
youridol (money, whatever etc) speak – 1
where Satan
“Christians." (NRSV)in your name?' 23 Then I will
the Holy Spirit.power
many deeds of (NRSV) John 20:28
    Corinthians 12:3;
declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me,
  • A sign out(NRSV) a cross, a tattoo? –
you evildoers.'   front,
    Matthew 7:21-23; 10:33
          The Lord Reproofs
             this church
  • “But I 2:14-15
Revelation have a few things against you” –
1 Corinthians a few things against you: you have some
14 But I have 8:13
     Revelation 2:14-15
Acts who hold food teaching of their falling,
13 Therefore, if the doctrine of Balaam, who will
there15:29fast to theis a causeof Balaam” Itaught
  • “Hold
Balakeatputabstainthat I may not– been one of them to
29 that meat, so from what before the people of
     (Nicolaitanes; Gnostics) cause sacrificed to
never toyou a stumbling blockhas (Rev. 2:14-15;
fall.Num. 22:2-5)would fromfood sacrificed to idols
idols (NRSV) blood and eat what is 8:13; Acts
       and that
Israel, so fromthey 1 Corinthians strangled and
frompractice
       fornication. If you keep So you also have some
and15:29 fornication. 15 yourselves from these, you
who“a stumbling block”the Nicolaitans. (NRSV)
  • hold to Farewell." (NRSV)
will do well. the teaching of
      • “things sacrificed to Idols”
         • “committing sexual immorality”
              The Lord Reproofs
2 Peter 2:12-17
                    this church
Jude 11-13 men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are
12 But these
like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born Cain, and abandon
11 Woe to them! For they go the way ofonly to be caught and
   • Christ like beasts they too the Ephesians for
destroyed, and commended for the sake of gain, be paid back in
themselves to Balaam's error will perish. 13 They will and perish
               2:6
Revelationthe harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse
      opposing the Nacolaitans doctrine –
           for
with harmrebellion. 12 These are blemishes on your love-feasts,
Korah's
6 broad day-light. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in theirtheThey
       1:14 is to your credit: you hate the works of pleasures
        this
in Yet they feast with you
PhilRevelation 2:6without fear, feeding themselves.
while
Nicolaitans,doctrines stand by ofa winds;they never trees
14 and feast clouds carried hate. asthe figurative stop
while theymostwith the I 14 With eyes full sisters, having been
                  of you. also along (NRSV)
are waterless which brothers and adultery, autumn
   • These
sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed — an accursed
made15fruit, have left the straight by my imprisonment, dare
         confident dead, Lord way 13 wild waves to follow the
without They twicein the uprooted;and wandered off of the with
brood!representation of spiritual compromise sea,
to of Balaamjust to gain favor wages of wickedness. 2 for
wayspeak the foam with greater withwandering stars,But
casting upthe word of theirloved the boldness and without he
      error, son of Beor, who own shame; infidels – 16
whom(NRSV)his wrongdoing by a donkey — a beast without speech —
fear. the deepest darkness has been reserved forever. (NRSV)
was rebuked for
      Peter 2:12-17; Jude 11-13
who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness. 17
  • Jesus hates the water and mists the Nicolaitans
These men are springs without doctrine ofdriven by a storm.
    – Revelation 2:6; Philippians 1:14
Blackest darkness is reserved for them.(NIV)
           The Lord Reproofs
              this church
•1 This 2:15-16 lacked discipline – allowed the
   John church
 Romans 12:2
            6:14 the into or the things in
Galatiansto creep world the church – Romans The
   world be conformed to this world, butthe trans-
 15 Do not love
2 Timothy 4:2
 2 Do not                                   be world.
    May I never boastnotanything who love the world; our
                        of in those except the cross of 16
1412:2the Father isBe ready in season and out of sea-
 love of by the renewing of your minds, so that you may
2 Preach the word!
 formed
•for all thatChrist, byworld —the — what is good and the
   It Convince, the will onlytheworld has been crucified
      Jesus is to glory which in Christof the his
Lordneeded inrebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and
son. what is
 discern                  of God desire and flesh,
teaching. the eyes,world. (NRSV)
 desireand to the the 6:14
   me, of (NKJV)
to cross – IGalatianspride in riches — comes not from
 acceptable and perfect. (NRSV)
•the Father but from the love the world or the
   We are told not to world. (NRSV)
   things in the world – 1 John 2:15-16
• The brethren at Pergamum were tolerating
   the world in the church – 2 Timothy 4:2
   (Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:5; 2 Thess 3:6)
          The Lord’s Warning
Revelation 2:16-17
• “Repent and Overcome” – Revelation 2:16-
1617 11 or 7:10I will come to you quickly and will
    Repent,
2 Corinthians else
  John
11Thehe whothem with the reform. ( evilthat leads
fight againstgrief produces sword of My mouth. 17ofto
10 for godly greets him shares in his A change
• For guilty party must a repentance deeds .
   purpose, brings no him hear what would
"He who has an ear, let regret,of minethe Spirit says
(NKJV) anddetermination but worldly grief work
salvation
to such reform.) – 2 Corinthians 7:10 give some
   the churches. (NRSV)
produces death. To him who overcomes I will
of If they didmanna to eat.Jesuswill give him a white
• the hidden not reform And I would expect
   the and on to withdraw name written the
stone, churchthe stone a newfellowship ofwhich no
one knows except him who receives it."' (NKJV)
   unfaithful.
• Otherwise others became partakers of the
   evil deeds – 2 John 11(1 Cor 5:1-8)
         The Lord’s Warning
• Two things promised to those who
Revelation 2:17
   "He who has – ear, let him hear what
17“overcame” anRevelation 2:17 the Spirit
   – to the churches. of hidden manna – will
says Allowed to eat To him who overcomes Ias give
       of the hidden manna to eat. And I –we shall
someIsrael ate manna from heavenwill give him a
                  spiritual need and the physical
     find every on the stone a new name written
white stone, and
     needs well be met
which no one knows except him who receives it."'
   – We will receive a white stone written upon
(NKJV)
     it – (going back to the time of Judges and
     a white or black stone show a vote)
     indicating a vote of innocence and
     covenant with Christ
          The Lessons Learned
1 Corinthians 3:6-11
• IWe sometimes thinkGod gave thehide from
6 planted, Apollos watered, but we can growth. 7 So
Job 34:22
Luke 12:30-31 34:22 the one who waters is anything,
   God –one who
neither theis Job plants nor shadow of death Where
1 John all whodarknessgrowth. 8 The one who plants and the
         3:20no gives the nor
22 There these things the nations of the world seek
30 For God
but onlyis aware of our good deeds and our
• He workers iniquityknowspurpose, and God is receive
                          may that us; need these
thewheneverofhave a commonhide themselves. willgreater
20 who watersour hearts condemn you foreach (NKJV)
after, and your Father
one
   bad –          to the 3:20; Luke 12:30-31
than our311 John the knows everything. (NRSV)
           hearts, and he kingdom of God, and all these
wages according seek labor of each. 9 For we are God's
things. But
• Sometimes we become frustrated, it
servants, workingadded to you are God's field, God's building.
things shall be together; you. (NKJV)
    According to the grace of God given to me, seed only
10seems we are sowning good like a skilled
   to reap I laid in return, reap badly is building
master builderlittle a foundation, and someone else– we
on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11
   forgetcan lay any foundation other than the– 1that has
For no one
             God gives the increase one
   Corinthians 3:6-11 (Gal. (NRSV)
been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. 6:6-10)
2 Peter 2:4-11
            The Lessons Learned
4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into
hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until
the judgment; 5 and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he
               near of righteousness, with –many of our brought
• Living a herald Satan’s throneseven others, when he world
saved Noah,
    leaders today maybe as by turning the Emperor
a flood on a world of the ungodly; 6 and if evil as the cities of Sodom
    was in to ashes he condemned them to extinction and made them
and Gomorrahthe days of the church of Pergamum
an example of whatimagine living in a country where a
• However is coming to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot,
righteous man greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless 8(for
    worshiping Christ would have us put to death
that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his
• America condones homosexuality, fornication,
righteous soul by their lawless deeds that he saw and heard), 9 then the
Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous
    serial divorce and remarriage, looking the
under punishment until the day of judgment 10 — especially those who
    other way at lying, cheating, laziness, foul
indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority. Bold and
    language, afraid jokes, extramarital sex and
willful, they are not dirtyto slander the glorious ones, 11 whereas the
    list goes on and on – 2 Peter bring against them a
angels, though greater in might and power, do not2:4-11
slanderous judgment from the Lord. ( NRSV)
                    Summary
•Revelation 2:10was the church of subtle
 Acts 2:38
   Pergamum
 38 Do not fear said ayou are about to suffer. Beware,
 10 Then Peter whattogroup pretending let everyand
   compromises, them,"Repent, and to see one
 the devil is evil, to throw some of you into prisonthe
    you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for so
 ofhear no aboutleast they should be distracted
 that you may sins; andityou shall ten daysthe gift of the
   enough to reject and risk the disappointment
 remission of be tested, andfor receive you will have
   and disapproval
 Holy Spirit. (NKJV) of the world I will give you the
 affliction. Be faithful until death, and
•crownuslife. (NRSV) these false doctrines and
   Let of raise above
   become strong and faithful.
• The starting point is our baptism in Christ
   Jesus – Acts 2:38
• And being faithful unto death –
   Revelation 2:10