The balance of God's character

Revelation 6:9-17 “The balance of God’s character ”

Intro… Puppies and babies…everybody loves em…unless they aren’t trained…

”train up a child…” (Prov. 22:6)

What makes a good parent, or dog owner? Someone who has a good balance of love and discipline. No one likes an untrained child or dog…

When we think of God, it’s more comfortable to imagine his love, grace and mercy than his judgment and wrath.

Today we’ll see both important sides of God.

Text: Revelation 6:9-17

Big Pic: A good sign of growth and maturity for a Christian is a healthy understanding of God’s love and mercy as well as his wrath.

Previously we have studied the scroll which contains the future of mankind…

It can only be opened by Jesus…

It has seven seals and the first four seals were opened in last weeks study… the four horsemen of the apocalypse…God’s judgment on the earth.

Today we look at seals 5, and 6.

One of the primary doctrines of the Reformation, taught by Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox and others, is:

The Sovereignty of God. “All things are under God's rule and control, and nothing happens without His direction or permission.”

This helps especially when studying Revelation, end times, God’s judgment, wrath etc. (For some, uncomfortable subjects)

This week’s passage in Revelation is about the Sovereignty of God, especially with regard to God's children who suffer for their Faith, God's power over natural disasters, and God's power over all mankind, rich or poor.

When we study Revelation, God’s judgment and wrath, it’s important to remember that God is fully in control of all these events.

Nothing is spinning out of control at the end of this earth.

v. 9-11 The fifth seal. “The glory of the martyrs.”

“Under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they bore. “

This scene is occurring in the temple of heaven.

The altar depicts their sacrificial suffering because of their faith and their witness.

They were crying out with a loud voice, asking for God’s judgment and vengeance. “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true…”

The key to understanding revenge and vengeance is that God must be in charge. This is his thing, not ours.

It’s so tempting to want to take revenge into our own hands…

And the surprising answer is that God will restrain his wrath until the last martyr has been slain.

To me, this hints at the necessity of people dying for their faith…

Their reward for dying for their faith?

A white robe and rest, until the number was complete of those being killed for their faith. (readers 3:4-5, 7:9 & 14).

This white robe is a “garment of honor in everlasting light.”

This robe represents victory because of their purity and faithfulness.

What a great group to be a part of!

Who are these martyrs? (readers 13:15, 18:24, 20:4)

Not long after (6:15-17) God answers their request with the very ones who had put them to death.

“Every Christian should be prepared for martyrdom. Christians cannot express their communion with the Lord more perfectly than when they accept the suffering and the glory of martyrdom.”

So, whether that’s actual death or getting picked on…

v. 12-14 The sixth seal. “The judgment of the wicked.”

Great earthquake, black sun, full moon like blood, stars falling out of the sky to earth (a massive meteor shower?)

The sky vanished like a scroll rolled up (window shade)…every mountain and island removed.

Now we get to use a fancy word…

These are eschatological signs. From eschatology a system of doctrines concerning last or final matters such as death, judgment, the future, end times.

These eschatological signs point to the imminent final day of the Lord.

Isa. 2:10, 19, 21, Matt. 24:29, Luke 21:11

It can be difficult to know how literal the whole description should be taken.

V. 13-14 “as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit,” “like a scroll being rolled up.”

Regardless, it is a scene of catastrophe and distress for the whole earth.

This is the “terrible visitation of God’s final judgment on the earth.”

No matter how literal this passage ends up being…

“All hell broke loose.”

The luminaries that have marked earth’s times since creation (Gen. 1:14) will be removed.

This is a preview of the coming destruction of the first heaven and earth, but not necessarily the end of the world.

Similar imagery is used in Ezekiel, Joel and Isaiah.

These are big signs that the end has arrived…obviously if we witness something this drastic.

v. 15-17 You can run, but you can’t hide.

The entire population of rebellious humanity (rich and pour, great and small, slave and free) ran and hid themselves in caves because they were afraid.

These people would rather be buried under mountains and rocks than face the pain and terror of God’s judgment.

Since all kinds of people are included, we cannot say that God’s wrath is only directed at the powerful or rich or “wicked.”

God’s judgment will fall on all who refuse to repent and instead worship demons or idols and persecute Christians.

What are these people afraid of? The wrath of the Lamb.

An interesting metaphor because Lambs are usually gentle.

Jesus may be the Lamb of God, but he’s also God and God can be gentle and wrathful.

Lamb of God the band...

We always want to have a healthy respect for both sides of God. (today’s theme)

And that’s why in Revelation the wrath of God and of the Lamb is a continuing theme.

Let’s also not forget that God’s wrath is a present reality as well as an eschatological judgment.

God is God of the OT, NT and Revelation.

Conclusion:

UT sports headlines, “Saints Sinners”

One of the most severe fines in NFL history…they deserve it.

When that great day of wrath comes, who can stand?

Wow, all this doom and gloom, where is the hope?

Those who have given their hearts and life to Christ have nothing to fear.

Revelation 6:1-8 “The four horsemen of the apocalypse ”

Intro... The four horsemen of the apocalypse.

I think most people who have never even studied Revelation have heard of the four horsemen…

Although some interpretations differ, the four riders commonly are seen as symbolizing: Conquest, War, Famine and Death.

The Christian apocalyptic vision is that the four horsemen are to set a divine apocalypse upon the world as messengers of the Last Judgment.

This is the beginning of the great tribulation.

Text: Revelation 6:1-8

Big Pic: We don’t need to be afraid of God’s judgment when we know our hearts are truly His.

We go from Jesus’ words of instruction and warning to the seven churches, to images of worship before the throne of God in heaven…

Revelation now shifts to events on earth and God’s judgment.

Revelation 4-7, spans the entire time period between Christ's first coming and His return.

This section, is describing for us the history of the church in the world as she lives between the first coming of Christ and His return.

Last week we talked about the seven seals that protect the scroll, which reveals the future of mankind.

The first four seals are different from the last two in that they describe four horses of different colors with riders who are given different powers over the earth.

Zechariah’s visions of these horsemen are divine instruments of judgment of the enemies of God’s people.

v. 2 The white horse whose rider has a bow and a crown, came out to conquer.

Some people think this horse represents Christ, however, Rev. 19:11-16 is a better description of Christ on a white horse.

Remember the Lamb (who is Christ) is the one who opens the seals, so he can’t also be the one on the while horse here.

The rider on the white horse could more likely represent God’s enemy, the Antichrist and his forces which seek to conquer the followers of Christ.

The bow and crown represent war and conquest.

When we go with this explanation of the rider on the white horse, then we can see how each of the four seals (horses and riders) represent the conflict directed at Christians to test them and sift out false disciples.

v. 3 The red horse whose rider represents war (“permitted to take peace from the earth so that people should slay one another”) and he was given a great sword.

The color red symbolizes bloodshed and slaughter.

The great sword permitted the rider to take peace from the earth.

With the first horse, the pursuit of conquest brings bloodshed.

v. 5-6 The black horse whose rider carries scales for measuring grains and their prices.

This horsemen represents poverty and famine.

The grain prices cited here about 12 times normal.

Conquest and war will destroy trade routes driving prices up and producing scarcity.

Oil and wine…staple foods in the East, so this third seal brings poverty and partial, but not severe famine.

v. 7-8 The pale horse whose rider represents death and Hades (Hell).

2 Pale Rider “A mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.”

Pale, yellowish-green, depicting death and decomposition-of a sick person in contrast to a healthy appearance.

This death is brought on by pestilence or plague, which often follows famine.

Death is no respecter of persons; it comes to believer and unbeliever alike.

Yet for the believer, there is comfort in knowing that we belong to the One who holds the keys to Hades and Death.

Death sums up the disasters symbolized by the white, red and black horses.

So these are God’s judgments carried out by various agencies, conquest, the sword, famine, plague and the wild beasts (horses) of the earth.

Even with the fourth horse, death, their authority to kill is limited to a fourth of the earth.

However, even a fourth of the earth would be a great tribulation, such that has never been seen before.

So…Revelation 6-19 could represent the great tribulation.

God’s providence restrains both his own wrath and humanity’s violence.

Four horsemen… four ends of the earth or the four corners of the earth.

These four horsemen ride forth to the ends of the earth; no part of the earth is left untouched. God’s judgment is total.

The horsemen of the apocalypse proclaim to us the activity of God!

God is active in the salvation of His people and in the judgments He pours forth upon the unrepentant.

In the same sense, hearing the word of God taught, either by me or someone else should wake us up to God’s judgment.

Let’s listen to God’s judgment now so when the four horsemen of the apocalypse show up, we are not afraid.

The image of the four horsemen/four winds/four corners of the earth/four tools of death is a theme in Zechariah, Daniel, Ezekiel and Jeremiah.

In Matthew 24-25 known as “The Olivet Discourse” (because Jesus sat on the Mt. of Olives) he speaks of the same judgment and tribulations.

So the concern is not so much for the detail specifics of each rider, but that they represent God’s judgment on the entire earth.

Conclusion:

It is Christ Himself who sends forth the judgments that proceed from the opening of those seals.

God’s judgment is swift and sure, that’s never changed whatever imagery you use.

These four horsemen of the apocalypse are intended to point us to another Horseman. We read of Him in Revelation 19:11-16.

Are we ready for the Horsemen?

Psalm 68: 1-2, 17, 32-34

We find similar imagery in Zechariah 6:1-8.

In these passages we find the Lord coming from His holy habitation, riding upon the chariots, bringing judgment upon the wicked, and at the same time salvation for His people.

We need to remember that no matter who is riding on these horses, Christ will be the ultimate victor. (17:14)

Big Pic: We don’t need to be afraid of God’s judgment when we know our hearts are truly His.

Revelation 5 “Worship part 2 ”

Intro…“Why men hate church”

As men grow and mature in their faith, they can learn to sing more, however…

Text: Revelation 5

Big Pic: As the wonderful mysteries of our life and faith unfold, it should cause us to fall down and worship God (in confusion and/or delight).

In this heavenly vision that God gives to John, he sees not only God on his throne, but also the slain lamb which represents Jesus.

Jesus’ resurrection and power over death qualifies him to open the scroll and execute God’s future purposes for history, the destruction of his foes and the vindication of those who trust him.

As the Lamb opens the scroll’s seals, John sees images of God’s instruments of judgment and of the saints who will receive salvation.

John sees the right hand of God holding a scroll, sealed with seven seals.

The angel proclaims, “Who is worthy of open the scroll and break its seals?”

It’s kind of like the sword and the stone…

V. 3 No one is worthy in heaven, earth or hell…

Only God knows the future. We’re going to do our best to interpret this book of Revelation, but we have to remember to ultimately trust God.

V. 4 This troubled John to the point of tears (seeing that the church’s hope stood in jeopardy) until one of the elders said,

“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Scroll

Similar to the scroll given to Ezekiel (2:9-3:3)

It’s not like most ancient manuscripts though which were hard to inscribe on both sides.

It did resemble a Roman will or contract deed with the contents written in detail on the inside and summarized briefly on the outside.

The seven seals represent the seven spirits of God.

This scroll could symbolize a will that is to be opened and its context executed…

Or it could symbolize God’s covenant with mankind, with the covenant curses being poured out due to mankind’s breaking of the contract.

This scroll contains God’s purposes for history, how things will ultimately end for all people.

But its seven seals prevent the full disclosure and enactment of its contents.

Lion of the tribe of Judah/Root of David

Both of these figurative titles used to describe Jesus are familiar OT messianic titles. (Gen. 49:9-10, Isa. 11:1 & 10, Jer. 23:5, 33:5)

The figure of a lion designated the conquering Messiah who would destroy Rome (Ezra 11:58).

The lion also echoes Jacob’s blessing on Judah conferring leadership over his brothers.

The root of David signifies the branch which sprung from Jesse’s root to restore David’s dynasty.

Jesus is the royal descendent of David and also the source of David’s rule.

The OT promise of a conquering lion is fulfilled in the NT reality of one who is also the slain Lamb, Jesus. v. 6

Jesus was like a lamb led to slaughter, bearing the iniquity of all and achieving their healing.

Isaiah 53:4-7

The Lamb’s seven horns symbolize great power. (Ps. 18:2, Dan. 7:24, Zech. 1:18-21)

His seven eyes are the seven spirits mentioned in Rev. 1:4-6 and these show that the Lamb’s knowledge extends throughout the whole earth.

v. 7-8 Jesus take the scroll and the four living creatures (all of creation) and the 24 elders (representing both Old and New Testaments) fell down and worshipped.

They sing a new song, similar to what we sang last week.

Harps (Psalm 33:2, 98:5)

Bowls in incense represent the prayer of the saints. (8:3-4) and that their pleas are heard and will be answered in God’s providential judgments.

v. 11-14 The worship builds to a crescendo.

Myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands…

The imagery suggests the infinite honor and power of the one who is at the center of it all.

As the scroll is about to be opened and the seven seals broken we will begin to see God’s purposes for history, how things will ultimately end for all people.

What is the proper reaction?

v. 8 & 14 “fell down and worshipped before the Lamb.”

Sang new songs, v. 9-10

For those who don’t like to sing as much….

V. 12 Saying with a loud voice “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

A sevenfold blessing.

Conclusion:

Phil. 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Someday we will all bow before Jesus, whether we want to or not.

So I guess we either learn to worship God now, every day, all the time, during the singing or not at church…

(To hear a podcast of this sermon, please go to www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on Sermons from the menu on the left.)

Revelation 3:1-6

“Wake up and get with it.”

Intro…What comes to mind when you see a picture like this?

Lazy, sleepy, that’s fine when it’s bed time, but when we need to be awake and alert….

In a culture like ours in America and especially Southern Ca., it’s easy to get complacent and lazy in our faith, need/desire for God.

For a lot of people there just isn’t an urgent need for God.

“Bill”….good job, about ready to get married, video games, (the bane of men’s existence) church? Ehh…don’t really care…

Text: Revelation 3:1-6

Big Pic: “Wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die.”

IOW, Have some conviction (every great oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground)

And the “couple of nuts” in today’s story come from v. 4…

Maps of Turkey, Asia and Sardis…

v. 1-2 What they were doing wrong:

The city of Sardis had been captured twice in its history because the guards or watchmen neglected their duty and weren’t paying attention.

The church in Sardis had a problem with misguided complacency and a lack of vigilance. (lazy)

The people were spiritually asleep. They were in a deep spiritual coma.

They may have had a “reputation” of being alive, but they were spiritually dead.

What a horrible thing to be known for as a church…my friends who are new to town and had to walk out of a few churches before they found the right one.

How often things can look good from the outside, but are dead on the inside. Matthew 23:27-28

Their works were not complete in the sight of God.

How do we avoid being a spiritually dead church?

Well, it starts with each individual, prayer, QT’s, the transfers into our worship service, bible studies, EVERYTHING…

v. 3-4 What they (we) need to do right:

Remember what you have received and heard. The fundamental truths of our faith.

My discussions with friends on FB this week on the marriage issue…

In my answers I always came back to the fundamentals on what I know is true.

Keep it (close) and repent. (Hold tight to the truth and admit when you are wrong).

They may have been approaching death, but they were not beyond the reach of Christ.

v. 3 Again, Jesus gives them (us) fair warning:

“If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief …”

This is a familiar simile used in Luke 12, 1 Thess. 5, 2 Peter 3 and Rev. 16:15

I’m sure we’ve all had something stolen…Caleb’s laptop

Getting something stolen is an awful surprise.

Seeing Christ return without being ready would be an awful surprise.

Feeling God’s wrath and judgment when you should have repented comes as an awful surprise.

Jesus is reminding the people in the church of Sardis that twice in its history they had been sacked and looted.

It’s like he’s saying, “Let’s not let history repeat itself.”

It’s one thing when something catches us by surprise and it’s not our fault.

It’s whole ‘nother deal when we’ve been warned and we still don’t repent.

Let’s take a look at the “couple of nuts” in vs. 4.

People who have not soiled their garments.

That’s what little, immature kids do…LilyAnna with the egg stain…

She was walking funny cause she had soiled her garments.

When we are walking with God, we walk upright, straight and proud in white garments.

When we continue to walk in white garments (truth) our salvation is secure. v. 5

That’s called eternal security, one of the tenants of our faith.

Total depravity, (we are sinners in need of a loving God)

Unconditional election, (there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation)

Limited atonement, (not everyone will be saved)

Irresistible grace (predestination)

Perseverance of the saints (eternal security)

v. 6 At the end of these letters to all seven churches, Jesus says the same thing: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

That’s a wake-up call! Wake up, stop being lazy, get with it!

Listen up!

What keeps us awake? God himself.

v. 1 “seven spirits of God” is a description of the Holy Spirit who issues an ultimatum to each of the seven churches.

The Holy Spirit will also appear as the Lamb’s seven eyes sent throughout the earth. (5:6)

The seven stars signify the churches true identities.

God will always know our true identity.

We may look good on the outside and fool others all the while being spiritually dead on the inside.

Conclusion:

Inside out lyrics.

Revival defined.

"Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence and holiness. This comes from a vivid sense of sin and a profound exercise of heart in repentance, praise, and love, with an evangelistic outflow."

The gospel changes us from the inside out.

(To hear a podcast of this sermon, please go to www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on Sermons from the menu on the left.)

Revelation 2:18-29 “Repent from immorality”

Intro… ”REPENT”, “Hell, fire and brimstone”, “Southern Baptists”

Knowing when to repent keeps us from falling into the trap of immorality.

Sexual sins and repentance are “preachy stuff…”

Text: Revelation 2:18-29

Big Pic: We need to run from anything that seduces us away from Jesus.

Thyatria:

A politically and culturally marginalized city.

It had economic strength in metals and fabric.

These guilds or organizations celebrated their patron deities with the occasional festival.

Consequently, Christians may have been tempted with the message of a “prophetess” (Jezebel) who promoted illicit sex and food sacrificed to idols.

v. 19 What they were doing right:

Love, faith, service, perseverance.

Those are timeless qualities that all churches should have.

What is something from the bible that is still relevant today? Here’s a great example.

I know it’s hard at times…Swami’s lady

v. 20 What they were doing wrong:

Tolerate that woman “Jezebel.”

Remember last week when I said that tolerance was one of the words we need to be cautious of in the church today?

They were having the same problem in Thyatira.

This “Jezebel” woman represented all that was wrong.

“She’s a Jezebel” (jezebel.com “gossip, culture, fashion, and sex for the contemporary woman”)

This self-proclaimed prophetess endorsed idolatry and immorality.

She closely resembled Jezebel of Tyre who married Israel’s King Ahab and violently imposed Baal-worship. (1 Kings 16--)

This “Jezebel” was leading people astray in the church of Thyatria.

She also symbolizes the prostitute Babylon who seduces through pleasure and luxury and ruthless violence (Rev. 17:3-6).

She is a symbol for all seductions that pull us away from Jesus.

Basically the church lacked discernment and tolerated heresy.

Now, as bad as all that sounds, what’s important to remember about our faith is that God always gives us a chance to repent.

At any moment we can stop our sinful behavior and get right with God.

And when we do that, Jesus welcomes us with open arms.

v. 21 Jesus gives her time to repent, but she refuses.

Oh, and that is our story so many times too.

If you’ve spent any time in the Christian faith, you most often know what is right and wrong.

Repentance is so vital to our continued growth and fellowship with God.

Today is communion Sunday, great timing…

There are consequences for not repenting and getting right with God.

Jeremiah 10:24

In the text today, the consequences are dire: “throw her onto a sickbed…those involved with her will be thrown into great tribulation…strike her children dead. “

And don’t think for a minute that God couldn’t do that to me or you today because of our lack of repentance.

v. 23 When we experience God’s wrath, it’s a reminder that he searches and knows our minds and hearts and that we’ll pay for our misdeeds.

The fear of the Lord. Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 112:1.

v. 24 So that’s a fair warning to all of us. God’s wrath can be avoided.

Don’t hold to any false teaching or be seduced into immorality.

We need to avoid the “deep things of Satan” so-o true…

“Deceptive promises of secret spiritual knowledge through false religions.”

Playing around with immorality starts off innocent enough and before you know it, you are in deep, way over your head, drowning in sin.

v. 25 Hold fast to what we know is true. Cling to the truth, it’s our life line.

Holding on to the Bible

When we are content with the gospel, we have nothing to fear.

v. 26 What’s the reward for those who hold fast and are not seduced by the “Jezebels” of today?

We will be conquers (defeating temptation).

We will have God-given authority over the nations, ruling them with an iron rod.

We’ll also receive the Morning Star (Jesus) .

V. 29 If we are wise we’ll listen up.

Application:

What if Jesus wrote a letter to the church in Encinitas?

Would he consider us faithful?

What would we get scolded for?

What keeps us from getting seduced away from Jesus is holding fast to the truth, the word of God.

Old School Bible pic

A Mormon for President?

Mitt Romney and the weird and sinister beliefs of Mormonism.

By Christopher Hitchens

I have no clear idea whether Pastor Robert Jeffress is correct in referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more colloquially known as the Mormons, as “a cult.” There do seem to be one or two points of similarity. The Mormons have a supreme leader, known as the prophet or the president, whose word is allegedly supreme. They can be ordered to turn upon and shun any members who show any signs of backsliding. They have distinctive little practices, such as the famous underwear, to mark them off from other mortals, and they are said to be highly disciplined and continent when it comes to sex, booze, nicotine, and coffee. Word is that the church can be harder to leave than it was to join. Hefty donations and tithes are apparently appreciated from the membership.

Whether this makes it a cult, or just another of the born-in-America Christian sects, I am not sure. In any case what interests me more is the weird and sinister belief system of the LDS, discussion of which it is currently hoping to inhibit by crying that criticism of Mormonism amounts to bigotry.

To give some examples. The founder of the church, one Joseph Smith, was a fraud and conjurer well known to the authorities of upstate New York. He claimed to have been shown some gold plates on which a new revelation was inscribed in no known language. He then qualified as the sole translator of this language. (The entire story is related in Fawn Brodie’s biography, No Man Knows My History.* It seems that we can add, to sausages and laws, churches as a phenomenon that is not pleasant to watch at the manufacturing stage. Edmund Wilson wrote that it was powerfully shocking to see Brodie as she exposed a religion that was a whole-cloth fabrication.) On his later forays into the chartless wilderness, there to play the role of Moses to his followers (who were permitted and even encouraged in plural marriage, so as to go forth and mass-produce little Mormons), Smith also announced that he wanted to be known as the Prophet Muhammad of North America, with the fearsome slogan: “Either al-Koran or the Sword.” He levied war against his fellow citizens, and against the federal government. One might have thought that this alone would raise some eyebrows down at the local Baptist Church. …

Saddling itself with some pro-slavery views at the time of the Civil War, and also with a “bible” of its own that referred to black people as a special but inferior creation, the Mormon Church did not admit black Americans to the priesthood until 1978, which is late enough—in point of the sincerity of the “revelation” they had to undergo—to cast serious doubt on the sincerity of their change of heart.

More recently, and very weirdly, the Mormons have been caught amassing great archives of the dead, and regularly “praying them in” as adherents of the LDS, so as to retrospectively “baptize” everybody as a convert. (Here the relevant book is Alex Shoumatoff’s The Mountain of Names.) In a hollowed-out mountain in the Mormons’ stronghold state of Utah is a colossal database assembled for this purpose. Now I have no objection if Mormons desire to put their own ancestors down for posthumous salvation. But they also got hold of a list of those put to death by the Nazis’ Final Solution and fairly recently began making these massacred Jews into honorary LDS members as well. Indeed, when the practice was discovered, the church at first resisted efforts to make them stop. Whether this was cultish or sectarian it was certainly extremely tactless: a crass attempt at mass identity theft from the deceased.

The first time I visited Salt Lake City, in 1970, the John Birch Society bookshop was almost a part of the Tabernacle. Ezra Taft Benson, later to be the president of the church, was a member of its board of 12 Apostles—and sought their approval—when he served in Eisenhower’s Cabinet for eight years. He was, if not a member of the Birch Society, a strong endorser. His pamphlet, “Civil Rights: Tool of Communist Deception” is well-remembered. This was the soil that nurtured Cleon Skousen and the other paranoid elements who in the end incubated Glenn Beck.* I merely make the point that the Mormon Church has a distinctly politicized record, and is in a weak position to complain when its leaders are asked political questions that arise directly from their membership.

So far, Mitt Romney has evaded most questions by acting as if he was being subjected to some kind of religious test for public office. He’s been supported in this by some soft-centered types who think that any dislike for any “faith group” is ipso facto proof of some sort of prejudice. Sorry, but this will not wash. I don’t think I would want to vote for a Scientologist or a Moonie for high office, or indeed any other kind, and I think attempts to silence criticism of such outfits are the real evidence of prejudice.

The Mormons apparently believe that Jesus will return in Missouri rather than Armageddon: I wouldn’t care to bet on the likelihood of either. In the meanwhile, though, we are fully entitled to ask Mitt Romney about the forces that influenced his political formation and—since he comes from a dynasty of his church, and spent much of his boyhood and manhood first as a missionary and then as a senior lay official—it is safe to assume that the influence is not small. Unless he is to succeed in his dreary plan to borrow from the playbook of his pain-in-the-ass predecessor Michael Dukakis, and make this an election about competence not ideology, he should be asked to defend and explain himself, and his voluntary membership in one of the most egregious groups operating on American soil.

(To hear a podcast of this sermon, please go to www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on Sermons from the menu on the left.)

Revelation 2:12-17 Ignore false teachers

Intro…1997 Meeting in Colorado with young pastors…

The rise of the “postmodern/emergent” theology…

Text: Revelation 2:12-17

Big Pic: In order to identify false teaching, we need to hold fast to the teachings of Jesus and not deny our faith.

A little bit about Pergamum:

Just like the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna, the believers in Pergamum faced persecution and false teaching.

They endured the persecution, but succumbed to false teaching.

The city of Pergamum was built on terraces leading up to the only accessible slope if its acropolis.

It was an important center for pagan and imperial religion, but there are also indications of Jewish religion.

v. 12 “The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

1:16 The words of God can cut us open, judge our thoughts and hearts.

This is a warning to the church to discipline and deal properly with false teachers.

Because if they don’t (2:16) Jesus will directly intervene.

v. 13 “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.”

We know Pergamum was a center for pagan and imperial religion.

This city had temples dedicated to the divine Augustus and the goddess of Roma.

Also to Asklepios (the god of healing, symbolized by serpents).

And a large altar dedicated to Zeus.

They also worshipped the emperor as a god, in fact it was required in the province of Asia.

This city had at least 5 strikes against it…consequently, it was a major problem for the Christians.

Add all the up and hence the name for Pergamum: Satan’s throne.

It became Satan’s throne because it allowed false teaching to creep into the church.

One of the bright spots in the midst of the paganism was Antipas.

He sealed his testimony with his life.

Jesus even shares with Antipas the title of “faithful witness” in 1:5.

Often that’s the case when someone speaks out against false teaching.

They may be the only one doing it and could even pay for it with their life!

Last week we talked about persecution in the church, people dying for their faith.

Someone’s got to speak up when false teaching enters the church, even if it costs them their life!

v. 14-15 Here’s what the church in Pergamum was doing wrong.

Sexual and spiritual infidelity, as well as eating food sacrificed to idols.

Sexual and spiritual infidelity….sounds like our culture today.

The false teachers they were following were Balaam and the Nicolaitans.

As the Israelites wondered through the wilderness, the prophet Balaam advised Moab’s king (Balak) to seduce them in both sexual and spiritual adultery.

(Numbers 25:1-2, 31:16)

The Nicolaitians (followers of Nicolas Acts 6:5) were a heretical Christian sect.

They advocated too much freedom in matters of Christian conduct.

The bigger problem was that Nicolas was just a human. Any group that follows the teaching/writings of a human is in trouble.

That’s false teaching!

v. 13 Here’s what the church in Pergamum was doing right.

Hold fast to the name of Jesus.

Did not deny the faith, even with death threats.

If we can just do the same today, the false teaching will be obvious.

“Well, how do I know if it is false teaching or not?

When we follow Jesus we can’t go wrong.

I Cor. 1:21-23, 2:1-5

As we grow deeper in our understanding of the faith and thus not denying it, we’ll know right from wrong.

v. 16 Either we do what is right, holding to Jesus and our faith or we could face some direct intervention from God himself!

1 Cor. 11:30-32

If we are wise, we will listen up. v. 17

“To those who stand true to the faith, we will receive hidden manna.”

Just as God provided food, (manna) to the Israelites in the desert, God will provide for us when we endure persecution and stay pure from defilement.

This is the sufficiency of Christ for the believers needs.

“White Stone”

Historically a white stone was given to victors of games for entrance to banquets.

A white stone was also used by jurists at trial to vote for acquittal.

This white stone given to us indicates that the believer can be assured of his acquittal before God.

“When we hold fast to Jesus’ name we will be given a new name.”

I love that part of the OT…

This may refer to the work of the HS in conforming a believer to the holiness of God. (Rom. 8:29)

Application: False teaching creeps into the church like mold.

(Starts out small and grows nasty.)

Often it starts out as things that don’t seem that bad or wrong.

“Well that doesn’t sound too bad…”

We need to be leery of words like “tolerant”, “politically correct”, “inclusive”

Who are the Balaams, Balaks, and Nicolaitans of today?

I mentioned some of the Emergent Theologians earlier….

Prosperity gospel…(A certain preacher in Texas…Osteen etc .)

Why is this false teaching so appealing? Because it “tickles our ears.”

2 Timothy 4:1-5

Conclusion: Two friends from Seminary, who are now liberal….