Misled

Revelation 2:14-15, “ppBut I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of qBalaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, rto eat things sacrificed unto idols, and sto commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of tthe Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” [1]

I.   Retained

     A. Doctrine

     B. Deceit

II. Repulsed

     A. Disgusted

     B. Depraved

III. Refused

     A. Despised

     B. Disallowed

Introduction:  So far in this series we have heard from Jesus about the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna.  Jesus started with praise for the church in Ephesus.  They had withstood many obstacles from people who wanted to be heard and seen for themselves and not so much as being witnesses for Jesus.  To stand in the face of distraction is praiseworthy.  But then Jesus shifted to what He had against them.  The Ephesians had left their first love.  The distractions had nearly overwhelmed them.  All the things that were going on had made them impatient with waiting.  Jesus used this as an encouragement to keep going.  Keep standing!

In Jesus’ writing to the church in Smyrna He started by telling of their misgivings.  What they said they were and what they truly were was two different things.  There were true Christians in that church mixed with those who were providing a synagogue for Satan.  The true Christians would overcome the outcries of those who wanted nothing except to give attention to wrong things.  The true Christians would receive the crown of life.  We learn from Jesus’ message to Smyrna that though we will often find non-Christians in the church, if we continue to love despite their outcries, we will not lose our love for even them.  We must keep on keeping on despite those who would rather trust evil.

Today we will hear of the church in Pergamos.  Jesus describes Himself as one who proclaims with a sharp two-edged sword.  We receive a publication called the “Sword of The Lord.”  God’s word is very sharp.  It cuts to the bone and beyond.  Dichotomy is a big fifty-cent word that means two-sided.  It cuts both ways.  The Bible cuts both ways.  Jesus’ words cut both ways.  Sometimes it hurts because it is supposed to.  Jesus came to earth to fulfil God’s word.  John the Revelator wrote of Jesus in his gospel account. 

John 1:1-5, “aIn the beginning was bthe Word, and the Word was cwith God, and the Word dwas God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 eAll things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 fIn him was life; and gthe life was the light of men. 5 And hthe light shineth in hdarkness; and the darkness icomprehended it not.” [2] 

John wrote this in parallel to Genesis 1:1-5, “*In the abeginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was bwithout form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.  3 And God said, cLet there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided †the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. †And the evening and the morning were the first day.” [3]

Jesus’ revelation to John for the church are not to smooth over the imperfections in the church.  We have many imperfections because we are here in this imperfect life.  Jesus loves the church.  He refers to the church as His bride.  He came here to make a way for us to come into the presence of His Father.  Without Jesus’ sacrifice we have no hope of standing in the presence of Holy God.  God accepts those who accept His Son.  One day we will be perfect.  Until then let us carry on.

Scripture:  The Scripture today is Revelation 2:14-15.  Please stand for the reading of God’s word.

Prayer:  Please be seated.

Message:  Leave your Bible open to Revelation 2:12-13. “12 And to jthe angel of the church in kPergamos write; These things saith lhe which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 mI know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where nSatan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not odenied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my efaithful pmartyr, who was slain among you, where nSatan dwelleth." [4]

Jesus begins with the positive side of the two-sided sword.  He praised the church at Pergamos for withstanding the onslaught of persecution from those who would tear them down.  Here Jesus says to this church that He knows their works.  Same as He said to those in Smyrna.  These folks had stood firm even though they had seen Antipas martyred.  Jesus told them that even though they were in a place where Satan dwelled or stayed for a while, they had remained faithful.

The powers that surround us today are much like those in that time.  We find ourselves in a place where those who would want us silenced are seemingly winning the battle.  As long as we remain faithful followers of Jesus we will not be overwhelmed.

Here is how a few can upset the apple cart.  Jesus said in our focal verse that there were those who held on to false doctrines.  We remember the account of Balaam and his donkey.  Balaam was gifted as a prophet of God but he misused his gift.  At least he tried to misuse it.  A ruthless king named Balak bribed Balaam to speak evil to God’s chosen people so that they would turn from the direction that God had for them to go.  Jesus called this a stumblingblock.  Balaam was paid to tell them something that would trip them up, but Balaam was prevented.

He was so hardheaded that God finally told him to go ahead and do what he must.  His donkey tried to prevent him and finally the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord and pushed Balaam against the wall to stop him.  Balaam hit the donkey and the donkey spoke to Balaam and asked why he had hit him.  That finally got Balaam’s attention and then finally Balaam too saw the Angel of the Lord.  This account can be found in Numbers 22.

Jesus spoke of Balaam’s doctrine as a parable or simile about holding fast to beliefs that are not true but are retained anyway.  They are not doctrines of truth but are doctrines of deceit to drive people away from the truth of faith.

Jesus spoke of eating things sacrificed to idols.  This is against the first commandment of God.  To idolize something is to make a god of something that is created.  In that time, they would say that they honored God yet they would turn away from God by giving attention to the things that others had told them to idolize.  They would eat forbidden foods in honor to their false gods.

In Exodus 20:1-5 God spoke against idols.  “aAnd bGod spake all these words, saying, 2 cI am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of †bondage. 3 dThou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any egraven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 fThou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am ga jealous God, hvisiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;” [5] 

Do not make graven images of things that are created by God.  He is a jealous God and anyone who idolizes creation over the creator will pay the penalty.  God is disgusted by this.  He made it His first commandment.  To do otherwise is an abomination against God and they were doing it anyway.  This is spiritual perversion.

Then God spoke against fornication which is sexual perversion.  It is a depraved act.  It seems that not much has changed in all these years.  Now we are being criticized for speaking against sexual perversion.  Keep in mind that Jesus praised those who were seeing this happen but were not partaking in the lewdness.

In verse fifteen Jesus used the word hate.  Back to Jesus’ mention of the church at Ephesus, He hated the acts and doctrines of the Nicolaitans.  Here to those in Pergamos, Jesus mentions this again.

To hate something is to refuse something.  Jesus despised the things that the Nicolaitans were doing and teaching.  Some were following the perversion, but others were standing with Jesus and they will be allowed into God’s presence.

Those who follow and partake in perversion are disallowed.  This is a personal decision that cannot be overlooked because someone happens to do things that they believe might allow them special rights.  We have the right to worship God only because Jesus was obedient to His and Our Heavenly Father.  Let us revisit John 3:16 but let us receive in context to include verses seventeen through nineteen.

“16 For zGod so loved the world, that he agave his bonly begotten Son, that xwhosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For bbGod sent not his Son into the world cto condemn the world; dbut that the world through him might be saved. 18 eHe that believeth on him is not condemned: fbut he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the bonly begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that glight is come into the world, and men loved hdarkness irather than light, iibecause their deeds were evil.” [6]

Prayer: 

Invitation:  God loves us so much that He sent Jesus and Jesus was obedient because He loves His Father and He loves us.  So what must we do?  What must our message be today?  "16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and uwill fight against them with lthe sword of my mouth. 17 gHe that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; gTo him that overcometh will I give to eat of vthe hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone wa new name written, xwhich no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." [7]

And what is that new name?  The name is Christian.  And why a white stone?  In ancient times and even today to receive a white stone is to be accepted.  To receive a black stone is to be rejected.  We have choices.  What will it be?  Follow the crowd or receive the crown?

pp ver. 20 (Gk.).
q See 2 Pet. 2:15.
r See Acts 15:29. So ver. 20.
s Num. 25:1. & 31:16. 1 Cor. 10:8. So ver. 20.
t ver. 6.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 2:14–15). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a Gen. 1:1. 1 John 1:1. So ch. 17:5. Col. 1:17. Comp. Job 28:20–28. Prov. 8:12, 22–30. Wisdom 9:4, 9. Ecclus. 1:1, 4, 5. & 24:9.
b ver. 14. ch. 17:22. 1 John 5:7? Rev. 19:13.
c 1 John 1:2.
d Phil. 2:6.
e Ps. 33:6. Wisd. 9:1, 2. ver. 10. 1 Cor. 8:6. Eph. 3:9. Col. 1:16. Heb. 1:2. & 11:3? 2 Pet. 3:5?
f ch. 5:26. & 11:25. 1 John 5:11, 19. So ch. 6:57. 1 John 1:1.
g ch. 8:12. & 9:5. & 12:46. So ver. 9.
h ch. 3:19.
h ch. 3:19.
i Eph. 3:18.
[2] Ibid., Jn 1). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
* Before CHRIST 4004 Hebrew, 5586? Greek.
a Ps. 33:6. & 136:5. John 1:1–3. Acts 14:15. & 17:24. Col. 1:16, 17. Heb. 1:8–10. & 11:3.
b Isai. 34:11 (Heb.). Jer. 4:23.
c 2 Cor. 4:6.
† Heb. between the light and between the darkness. So ver. 18.
† Heb. And the evening was, and the morning was, &c. So ver. 8, 13, 19, 23, 31.
[3] Ibid., Ge 1). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
j See ch. 1:20.
k ch. 1:11.
l So ver. 16. See ch. 1:16.
m See ver. 2.
n See ver. 9.
o See 1 Tim. 5:8.
e ver. 13. ch. 17:14. So ch. 12:11. See 1 Cor. 4:2.
p Acts 22:20. ch. 17:6 (English).
n See ver. 9.
[4] Ibid., Re 2:12–13). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a To ver. 17, Deut. 5:6–21.
b Deut. 5:22.
c Lev. 26:1, 13. Ps. 81:10. Hos. 13:4.
† Heb. servants. So ch. 13:3 marg.
d So Deut. 6:14. 2 Kin. 17:35. Jer. 25:6. & 35:15.
e Lev. 26:1. Deut. 4:16. & 27:15. Ps. 97:7.
f ch. 23:24. Josh. 23:7. 2 Kin. 17:35.
g ch. 34:14. Deut. 4:24. & 6:15. Josh. 24:19. Nah. 1:2.
h ch. 34:7. Num. 14:18. Comp. Lev. 20:5. & 26:39, 40. 1 Kin. 21:29. Job 5:4. & 21:19. Ps. 79:8 marg. & 109:14. Is. 14:20, 21. & 65:6, 7. Jer. 32:18.
[5] Ibid., Ex 20:1–5). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
z Rom. 5:8. 1 John 4:9. So 1 John 4:16.
a So Rom. 8:32. Comp. Gen. 22:16.
b ver. 18. See ch. 1:18. Comp. Heb. 11:17.
x See ver. 36.
bb See ch. 10:36.
c ch. 8:15 (Gk.). & 12:47 (Gk.). So ch. 5:45. Comp. ch. 8:11 with ch. 9:39.
d See Matt. 18:11.
e See ch. 5:24.
f See Mark 16:16.
b ver. 18. See ch. 1:18. Comp. Heb. 11:17.
g ch. 1:4, 9. & 12:46.
h ch. 1:5.
i ch. 12:43. 2 Tim. 3:4. Comp. ch. 5:35.
ii ch. 7:7.
[6] Ibid., Jn 3:16–19). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
u So 2 Thess. 2:8. ch. 1:16. See Isai. 11:4.
l So ver. 16. See ch. 1:16.
g See ver. 7.
g See ver. 7.
v Comp. John 6:48–50.
w ch. 3:12. Comp. ch. 5:9. & 14:3.
x ch. 19:12. Comp. ch. 14:3.
[7] Ibid., Re 2:16–17). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.