Rev 2:12-17, TBYTC, part 5

Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come

Title: “Repent from Compromise”

Scripture: Revelation 2:12-17; Heb 13:5-6

Main commentary help:

• Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin

• Revelation by Jim Hamilton

• The Seven Churches by Mike Breen

Last week’s title:

This week’s title: “Repent from Compromise”

Our series is “The best is yet to come” as we walk through the prophetic apocalypse that is the Revelation of the Risen Christ, a circular letter to the early church—and to us today. My prayer is that you’ll be strengthened, comforted and encouraged through this word today.

Tension:

Illustrations:

Seaplane commodore and pride

Illustration:

There were times in the life of our family when our girls were tempted by friends and family to try something new and truly enjoy life. Usually, alcohol or sex encouraged. Our young people especially deal with this kind of temptation on a daily basis. The temptation to compromise what we know is the wise, pure path the Lord Jesus would encourage us to follow.

Pride is the attitude that makes us vulnerable to compromising with sin.

In the meantime, the enemy tempts us to pursue sinful pleasures that promise much but never deliver what they promise. Sin never pays.

False teachings like the ones that the church in Pergamum were embracing lead us towards idolatry and immorality; towards compromise with promises that never deliver. This is the danger the church today faces.

Need:

“We need to be convinced that we must never flirt with evil. We need to have the false exterior of sin pulled back so that we see it as it is.” -Hamilton

Flirting is behaving as if you are attracted to or are trying to attract someone to you. Driven by desire; can be less than serious but can also turn serious. When we flirt with sin, we’re responding to it’s enticements and it’s like playing with fire without respecting that fire.

This week’s main idea: “The main point of the letter to the church in Pergamum is that they must repent of the Nicolaitans teaching.” -Hamilton, p. 86

“Though believers and churches are constantly tempted to compromise both theologically and ethically, true followers of Christ will remain faithful and receive from the Lord the reward of eternal life.” -Akin

My Bottom line: Repent of Compromise

Good compromise and bad compromise. We’re talking about compromising with sin—the temptations and pressures that the world and the enemy throw at us. 2 kinds:

• Power - like a direct, frontal assault

• Social pressure - more subtle

Context: (by chapter)

“We can summarize the whole book of Revelation by thinking of it in three parts: Jesus and the letters, the throne and the judgments, and Babylon, Jesus, and the bride.” -Hamilton’s

I. Jesus and the letters ( to the churches)

II. The throne and the judgments (from the throne)

III. Babylon, Jesus, and the Bride

More detail:

1: Vision of Risen Christ

2-3: Letters to 7 churches from risen Christ

4-5: Vision of throne room of the risen Christ

6-16: Judgment of Risen Christ

17-22: Fall of Babylon and arrival of New Jerusalem

Outline:

V. 12 Intro

• Church vs churches

• Sword from ch. 1 (more later)

V. 13 Pergamum-

• Describe city (Provincial Roman capital, center of lots of pagan worship, 2nd largest library (huge educational city))

• Where Satan lives; imagine being a church in the city where Satan’s headquarters is

• We all live in places where we’ll be tempted to compromise

• Antipas - “my faithful witness”

V. 14 “Nevertheless”

• Balaam and Balak

• Nicolaitans

V. 15 “Repent, therefore”

V. 16 A warning that Jesus take sin seriously

• Illustration: Sin and Sword: Sarawak python and 3 ton truck

  • Sin is deadly

  • Jesus deals with sin in a deadly way

V. 17 2 gifts

• Hidden manna

• White stone

Conclusion

Repent from compromise. Recognize that like the early church, we’re constantly under pressure to compromise.