Today we continue series entitled: “Things are not as they seem.”

1. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Today we continue series entitled: “Things are not as they seem.” Revelation wants to help us see reality in light of an unseen future and a present reality seen only with the eyes of faith. This series is based largely on Darrell Johnson’s book, Discipleship on the Edge.

2. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Scripture Reading Revelation 2:12-17

3. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum John identifies the one who gives the message to the individual churches with a part of the description of Jesus [Rev. 1:13-16] who is standing in the middle of the churches.

4. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:   These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.” v.12 Symbol of Pergamum? A sword Rome had given them the right to inflict capital punishment Jesus has the Sword of judgment Sword of truth

5. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.” v. 13

6. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne.” Satan’s Throne = Mount with several temples Zeus’ temple above the city with alter overlooking the city center of Caesar worship

7. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.” v. 13 Even in this pagan city, “where Satan has his throne” these Christians have remained true to Jesus. Even in the face of persecution from Emperor Domitian.

8. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum While they were strong against outside attack, Jesus has this against them, they are allowing the attack from the inside to go on.

9. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” vv.14-15

10. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” vv.14-15 To understand this we need to recall the story of Balak & Balaam in Numbers

11. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Balak king of Moab called Balaam to curse the Israelites. God turned his curses into blessings! Balaam then suggested that the way to turn Israel from God would be through the seduction of women. [Numbers 31:16]

12. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Numbers 25:1-3: “While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor.”

13. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum The church in Pergamum was doing so well against the forces outside, but they were “carelessly indifferent to the influence from within.” “Although the church was being vigilant on the front lines it was tolerating a Trojan horse in its midst.” Discipleship p.79

14. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Today we value tolerance. Why is Jesus so intolerant here? “Because he loves the truth, he speaks the truth, he is the truth. And because, as he claims elsewhere, falsehood and deception of any kind enslaves people.” Discipleship p.79

15. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “We learn from this message that tolerance is not a biblical virtue. Patience is. Understanding is. Civility is. Graciousness is. Mercy is. Humility is. But not tolerance.” Discipleship, p.80

16. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Jesus does not tolerate and calls the church not to tolerate unbiblical teaching.

17. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum What were they teaching? “Among other things, that it was okay for Christians to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to have sexual relations outside the bounds of the one man, one woman, life covenant we call marriage.” Discipleship p.80

18. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Here was how it was being argued: Since idols are not really gods and are nothing but wood and stone then eating meat sacrificed to them is not a problem.

19. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Pagan sacrifices Animal offered as sacrifice to the gods, part returned the offerer, who then sold it in the market or held a fest in honour of the gods. Paul in I Corinthians says that eating meat that once was sacrificed to idols but later was sold on the market was ok.

20. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum But he says in I Cor. 10:19-20: “Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.”

21. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum “That is why he [Jesus] says he hates their ideas. They misunderstood the nature of reality. We are physical creatures living in a physical universe. But we are also spiritual creatures living in a spiritual universe. And in this spiritual universe there is a battle going on. Every inch is a battlefield. There is not neutral territory.” Discipleship p.83

22. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum In a similar way, the Balaamite-Nicoliatans justified sexual immorality. Having accepted a dualistic worldview of the person, they argued that the body was nothing. It was simply the prison house of the soul.

23. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum And since the body is not important, you can do anything to it and it won’t effect the soul or the person. Sounds pretty contemporary doesn’t it. “Having sex is just a biological act and nothing more.”

24. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum The Bible speaks against this one so many levels. The bible teaches that we are Body and Soul. Not that we have a body and soul “My body may be my outer self and my soul my inners self, but both are the same self.” Discipleship p.83

25. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum So contrary to the lies of Balaam and the contemporary lies, any act that involves my body, impacts me, my real self.

26. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Lewis Smedes puts it this way, “There is no such thing as casual sex, no matter how casual people are about it. … Nobody goes to bed with someone and level his soul parked outside . . . The demand for self-restraint is not a kill-joy rule plastered on the abundant life by anti-sexual saints. It is respect for reality. The moral law fits the inner reality of sex.” Sex for Christians, p. 131

27. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum The question you and I need to face is have we tolerated that kind of thinking in our lives, in our church? Watch TV for one day and see how many times sex is treated casually.

28. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum How did the Balaamite lie enter the church? “It was wrapped up in the language of the gospel. The Balaamite-Nicolatians had not denied Jesus outright. They were likely saying something like this: ‘Look, you belong to Jesus. How can anything hurt you? You have been baptized! You have eaten from the Lord’s Table! Nothing can affet your relationship with him.’ Such a position reflects a misunderstanding of God’s grace. Grace does not protect us when we willfully choose to disobey.” Discipleship p.85

29. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Here is the good news: Jesus will not tolerate this false teaching in his church. “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

30. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Jesus calls us to repent To change directions To get rid of the dualistic lie and accept the truth. “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

31. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum To those who repent, Jesus makes two promises: “To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” v.17

32. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. v.17 Instead of eating food sacrificed to idols that will not satisfy Jesus offers himself as the bread from heaven, the bread of life.

33. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. v.17 Secondly, we are promised a white stone with a new name on it. Many different interpretations - Entrance ticket - When 2 friends part, they split a white stone and write their name on it and exchange it for the half of their friend. Symbolize that their friendship will last as long as the stone.

34. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Johnson answer the question how do we make it in the battle for the mind? By humbly acknowledging that we do not have the corned on the truth. By consistently opening ourselfves to the sharp two-edged sword that comes from Jesus mouth.

35. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum 3. By humbling ourselves and constantly opening our minds to the living and active Word of God that is able to penetrate our distorted ideas and lead us to the truth that sets us free.

36. Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem - Pergamum Battle for the MindPergamum Let us Pray!