Weekly Sermons

The Testimony of the Redeemed

 

If you are a professing Christian, in one way or another your life is a witness about Jesus Christ. Your life is either a good testimony, or it is a bad one!

As we will see today, many otherwise good churches gain bad reputations because of the sins some of its people won’t repent of.

 

Read Revelation 2:12-17              The Testimony of the Redeemed            Let’s Pray!

Things we know about Pergamum:

Jesus Christ is our Ultimate Judge                                                                   V. 12

“For the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.”                                                                                                                   -Hebrews 4:12-13

Many in the church had a great testimony for Jesus                                 V. 13

It’s probably best to view “Satan’s throne” as being a composite of all these pagan influences, the same influences Christians of all time have had to deal with living in godless cultures where false ideas flourish and enslave. 

We don’t know anything more about Antipas than his name, which means “against all!” 

Some in the church need to repent of a bad testimony for Jesus          V. 14-15

Behind the sins they were committing were ideas put there by false teachers, ideas they had believed and acted on.

The teaching of Balaam encouraged God’s people to compromise their faith by participating in the immorality and idolatry of those they lived among. 

That’s how it works- the way churches dissolve is not from without but within, through cancerous doctrine, carnal living and compromise with the world. 

Know this, Christian: Satan is your enemy and will take all the territory you allow him to take when you sin. He will accept you giving him a foothold, and if you continue to live in sin he will set up a stronghold in your life.

The church of Jesus Christ needs to care more about what the One with the two edged sword thinks than what false teachers think!

Jesus fights against professing Christians who are unrepentant            V. 16

The false teachers of our day love to talk about Jesus’ love and tolerance, but can not tolerate the zeal Jesus has for Christians to be like a pure bride that rejects idolatry and immorality.

Would you rather have Jesus fight against you or forgive you?

 “The Lord certainly would not exhort to repentance if it were not because He promises pardon to the penitent!”      Cyprian of Carthage, 3^rd century martyr

Even a bad testimony can become a good testimony when we repent! 

Three things overcomers receive                                                                     V. 17

 

1.        Overcomers receive the hidden manna!

2.        Overcomers will receive a white stone

“Judges would determine a verdict by placing in an urn a white and black pebble. If the white one came out, it meant acquittal; thus the white stone coming out would mean assurance that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!”  -Charles Ryrie, Everyman’s Bible Commentary, page 30

3.        Overcomers will get a new name from Jesus!

Jesus knows what’s in your heart, and when you live in first love reality and are more concerned about being faithful than self-preservation, Jesus is preparing for you a special white stone with His name for you on it!