Word of Salvation – Vol. 41 No. 27 – July 1996

 

Victory In Christ

 

Sermon by Rev. M. C. De Graaf on Revelation 2:12-17

Scripture Reading: Numbers 22:1-20

Suggested Hymns: BoW 504, 292

 

Brothers and Sisters.

When we read the letter to the Christians in Smyrna, we note how those believers needed to undergo persecution because of their faith.  And the way in which Jesus commends them for the strength of their faith.  Even in the face of betrayal, prison, torture and death, they stood true with Jesus.

Like Smyrna, the Christians in Pergamum where also under attack – but in this case the focus is not so much on direct and physical persecution.  It is obvious from the letter that at least one person, Antipas, had lost his life for Jesus, but this was in the past and it seems as if this is not necessarily the kind of test the believers are going to have to face in the future.

Physical persecution, like losing jobs, homes, being beaten for your faith, imprisonment, losing your life, is a terrible thing, and even this century, many thousands of believers have been through these things.  YET HISTORY HAS SHOWN that, generally, when Satan has used this direct approach in his attack on the church, HE HAS NOT BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL in pulling down the faith of true believers as when he tries more subtle methods.

Seduction is generally more successful than direct persecution.  Oh sure, many of the fringe members and hangers on will drop off very quickly when the church is under direct attack, but that is generally not a bad thing.

Persecution has generally got rid of division within the church and focussed it very quickly on what is important and what is not.  It is in the in-between times, the easy times, the times when the differences between the world and the church seem less important, that the church has been most inclined to lose its direction and power.

IT IS THIS THAT JESUS IS CONCERNED ABOUT HERE IN THE LETTER TO THE CHRISTIANS AT PERGAMUM.

1.

He begins by commending them for the way in which they have dealt with the tests, persecutions and hardships that they have encountered during their lives.  He describes their city as the location of "Satan's Throne." This could refer to a few things:

- various temples,

- most likely a reference to Roman Government,

- carried a sword to show they had authority.

Whatever.  In any case, it's a place where Satan is very strong.

There were many temptations and pressures – Jesus commends them for HOLDING FAST.  The temptation is always there for us as believers to run from pressure.  We feel it's easier to be a Christian in Christian company, and mix only with Christians or withdraw into ourselves and keep quiet.

But the Christian life is about STANDING FAST, CONQUERING IN CHRIST, not about running, hiding and avoiding any kind of real contact.  We need Christians who stay in non-Christian environments, join political parties, work in large corporations, and so on.

We don't have to be stupid in putting ourselves in a position where it is hard to stand firm.  But still, we are called by Christ to be a light shining in darkness.  Jesus describes the martyr, Antipas, as a WITNESS.  He was willing to stand up OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH and let the world know what he stood for, even if this meant losing his life.

2.

And yet, despite the strength the church showed during its time of persecution, during the time of peace there was a great danger that they were about to be SEDUCED.  Jesus, once again, refers to the Nicolaitans.  From what we can tell, they were a sect within the church which tried to tell people that they could be Christians and part of the world at the same time.  They were compromisers: they thought nothing of just conforming to the standards, values and thought patterns of the world around them.

The most common New Testament word for Christians is "Hagios", which means, 'to be different’, or 'to separate'.  We shouldn't withdraw from the world (it needs our witness), but neither should we just conform with it.

Jesus compares them to Balaam from the Old Testament.  In Numbers 31 we are told that Balaam had suggested to the king of Moab that the best way to distract the Israelites from their loyalty to God was not to attack them directly – they and their God were too strong for that.  Rather, send beautiful Moabite women amongst them and seduce them so that, once they had fallen in love or lust with these women, the women could easily mislead them to worship their gods.

The Christians in Pergamum were being told they could retain their faith and at the same time worship the false gods, follow the immoral practices of their city, and perhaps live at peace with the Romans and their false gods.

Jesus' anger burns at this kind of compromise – like those today who claim that they serve Christ alone but find it easy to watch pornography on television.  They claim He is their Lord but they find their real comfort in their middle-class lifestyles.  They cheat their boss, steal things from the work site, slander their neighbour, treat their spouse like rubbish, abuse their children.

They sit in church and feel close to God on Sunday.  They like to get a buzz out of worship, and they chat about the sermon over coffee.  But they live the rest of their week as if He has nothing to say about how they live their lives.  Their gods are their homes, their status, their egos; and Jesus comes a distant SECOND!

The church has lost its cutting edge, its ability to really make a difference in Australia, not because of persecution but because of seduction.  Our lives really look no different than those around us.  And the radical nature of the kingdom, the reality that Jesus is supposed to turn our lives completely upside down, is lost in the ways in which we have given in to the world.

3.

In verse 16 Jesus calls on the believers to REPENT!  And he speaks of the SWORD that comes from His mouth – His WORD.  Are you seduced?  Have you forgotten what it means to live the radical Christian life?  Is there any difference between you and your non-believing neighbour in how you spend your money; what is important and what is not?

The answer to your confusion lies in the WORD!  It is a SWORD that cuts through the lies of the evil one!  The evil one says you can look lustfully at the television, but the Lord says that's committing adultery!

The world says you can build larger and larger homes and surround yourselves with good things; the Word says that's greed and idolatry!  The evil one says you are number one; but the Word says that is God's spot!

In the WORD we find the conviction of sin,
   we find an invitation back to God,
      an assurance of our salvation,
         and a guide on how to live.

Each one of us is being bombarded daily by the lies of the evil one.  He is prowling around trying to mislead and seduce you.  You need to be fed; you need a light for your path if you are going to make it.

Jesus promises two things to the victors:

FIRSTLY, He speaks of HIDDEN MANNA – the food that kept Israelites going in the desert.  In Psalm 78 manna is described as the food of angels, it is a gift from heaven – and we have a reminder of how Jesus is the bread of life.

I don't know where you've been seduced.  God knows, and in your heart you know.  Maybe it is pornography, maybe it's drugs, materialism, selfishness, or whatever.  You may feel, if I give up this false god, if I stop protecting myself with IT'S GOING TO HURT TOO MUCH; I don't know how I can keep going.  I will feel afraid, alone.

Jesus comes and says, I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE – I AM ALL YOU NEED; you know don't need to be seduced by the evil one to have your needs met (his promises are false in any case).  I HAVE EVERYTHING.  COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY, I WILL GIVE YOU REST.  It might not be the quick thrill of the evil one.  The Lord's road may seem harder, but the peace and the meaning He gives is also much harder.

SECOND, to the victor also goes the WHITE STONE and the NEW NAME.  It's hard to know exactly what the stone means.  White is the colour of purity, and newness can start again in Christ – the greyness which we feel when we are seduced by the world can be washed in His blood and we are white again.  The Stone that the builders rejected (JESUS) will make us new and give us His name.

Names are important.  We say, "get a good name."  We get reputations that spring to people's minds when they hear our name, etc.  NOW WE GET A GOOD NAME – BY BEING PART OF THE VICTORY OF CHRIST WE CAN START AGAIN.  Not Martin the grumpy, now it's MARTIN-IN-CHRIST.  The only way I will be known is as He is known in power and glory!

The temptation to be seduced is great if we are honest we will recognise that we all have been.  But if we use the sword of His Word and give ourselves into Him, victory is not only possible, it is assured.  He has died and is risen again.  Hallelujah!

Amen.