“Hedging One’s Bets” is a common English idiom you’ve likely heard before. The authors at Grammarist.com define it like this: “To hedge one’s bets means to mitigate one’s risk; to leave oneself an escape; to counterbalance one’s risk or avoid committing to only one course of action. For instance, a gardener may hedge his bets by planting different varieties of tomatoes in case one variety fails to produce. The expression hedge one’s bets came into use in the 1600s and is derived from a definition of the word hedge that was popular at the time, which was to avoid commitment.” Consider hedging one’s bets when it comes to your relationships with Christians. Of course, I would rather convince you to become a Christian. This is our prayer and aim. However, at the very least, I would urge you to keep your options open and keep Christian friendships alive. Along the time that I became a Christian, I had a friend, we will refer to him as, “Joe.” When Joe discovered I became a Christian, he relayed a message back to me, that was, “Be sure to tell him not to bring that Christian message around me.” Joe was hostile to the gospel. Joe wanted God’s messengers out of His life. Joe did not see the potential value. Joe did not want Christian preaching in his life. With regard to Christianity, Joe did not even “hedge his bets.” Don’t be like Joe. Here’s why. Thirty-five hundred years ago, during the zenith of the Egyptian empire, the ruler of Egypt did what Joe did. The ruler of Egypt, Pharaoh, told God’s chief messenger, Moses, that he didn’t ever want to see him again. He cut him totally out of his life. He threatened him. And, by extension, he cut all of God’s messengers and God’s word out of Egypt. What were the results? Disaster! Moses was described as like God to Pharaoh. God’s name had fallen on hard times. In an effort to restore knowledge of God to people, God sought to liberate his people from Egyptian slavery. Pharaoh had isolated God’s people to a specific geography in Egypt for housing, conscripted them to cruel construction slavery, and mandated population control measures against God’s people through forced infanticide and partial birth abortion. God saw. God responded. But not all at once. Graciously, over a three month period, God meted out ten plagues with opportunity to repent in each one. Despite the pain of plagues, each plague up to the last one lacked finality. Frogs and fleas, boils and livestock, water impurity and crop destruction were not total separation, death, and loss of the future. But that’s what came with the tenth plague. Egypt’s decimation came. But not before salvation. Consider the next to last plague, the plague of darkness. There, the Egyptians faced utter darkness for three days—it was a darkness they could feel! For three days, no one could see to do anything. They stayed in bed. Economic activity halted. Pain ensued. But, in the midst of groping in the dark, over on the horizon, they could see the living quarters assigned to God’s people. There, was light. So long as God’s people were on the horizon, there was hope. So long as God’s preacher, Moses, was on the horizon, there was hope, too. But this was all about to change. After the plague of darkness ended, most of Pharaoh’s cabinet of officials as well as many of the people knew that Moses’ God was the one true God. The plagues bore witness to the systematic deposing of Egypt’s false gods as well as ironic repayment for injustices done against God’s people. The plot thickened. The drama built to the death of Egypt’s firstborn—an eye for an eye for the deaths of Israel’s first borns drowned in the Nile River. However, there was a way out from due punishment. And some took it. Here's what happened. Hard-headed and hard-hearted Pharaoh called Moses in after the three days darkness. This would be the last time Moses entered as an underling to the king. He was about to become a regent all himself. He was about to upend Pharaoh. But Pharaoh was blind to it. Pharaoh was still trying to bargain his way around with Moses. Moses wisely made no deal with Pharaoh. For God insisted his people depart a certain way. So frustrated Pharaoh commanded Moses to get away from him forever. Moses, in righteous anger, obliged. And, just like that, Pharaoh stopped hedging his bets with God’s people. God’s judgment was swift on the Egyptians; however, thanks to the grace of previous events, many Egyptians knew whom was delivering the judgment and why. Rather than blaming God’s people, they sent God’s people with much riches. Rather than killing or keeping them, they sent them packing. Rather than cutting God’s people out of their lives, some Egyptians completed the “exodus” from Egypt as converted Israelites. The host of over a million that exited that day represented several ethnicities—an early picture of what heaven will be! So there’s a lesson for you in this. There’s a move in our land for the convinced irreligious to blatantly disregard the religious—for folks that have little use for religion to relegate biblical religion to the edges of the public square. Learn the cautionary tale of Exodus. Do not make this mistake. It’s not too late until it’s too late. So long as you breathe, keep the people of God in your orbit. Welcome them in your neighborhood. Seek them in the city. Ask them for dinner. Listen to their messages. Perk up at their preaching. Tolerate their reaching. Even if you disagree, stay curious and inviting. You never know which plague in your life that God will use to bring you from tolerance to acceptance of Christianity. For now, though, at the very least, take care to “hedge your bets.”
When we think of Revelation we think of signs and wonders and the apocalypse and predictions and concerns and the lordship of Christ on grand display defeating foes in the last battle. What we don’t often think of, when we think of Revelation, is, the local church. But we should. Revelation has as its audience the local church in totality, completely, represented by seven (a complete #) of local churches known to the first century reader. Each of the seven messages are from Jesus and carry modern messages for our local churches today and are practical for your Christian life: to Ephesus—love; to Smyrna—keep on; to Pergamum—teach right; to Thyatira—live moral; to Sardis—wake up; to Philly—endure; and to Laodicea—live on mission! Today, let’s consider the message to a church like Pergamum—teach right—found in Revelation 2:12-17.
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. “ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’” ~ Revelation 2:12-17
Now, let’s try to make a little sense of Revelation 2:12-17. These are Jesus’ words to the church. He has the spiritual sword, the Word of God. He intimately knows who His people are and where they live. They live “where Satan’s throne is,” likely, a reference to the literal throne of Zeus, the pagan god recognized in Pergamum. But we all live where Satan’s thrones are, and, we must hold fast to Jesus’ name anyway. This is what it means to be a true Christian—to witness faithfully to Christ, not denying the faith, even when satanic influences try to get you to acquiesce to the coercive power of the state. The state wields a “sword” too. The “sword” is understood as an instrument of justice used by the state to encourage good. For good or ill, the state uses its sword for its purposes. Always for good, Jesus uses his sword, the Word, for Christian purposes. He knows who and where we are, always, and forever. Jesus never checks out from your situation.
The early Jewish Church leaders knew they needed to provide guidance to new Christians coming into the faith. The gospel brought Jews and Gentiles together under the religion of Christ but guidance was needed. The Jewish Christian leaders wrote an affirming letter to circulate to the Gentile churches, urging them to be compliant, to not eat food sacrificed to idols or engage in sexual immorality. See Acts 15 for that. There were professing Christians at Pergamum being taught exactly the opposite of what they were supposed to do. These were being taught to eat and sexually engage in a pagan and impure manner. Teaching leads to action. Jesus is trying to pre-empt their sinful actions. So he sounds the alarm against false teaching! He compares them to Balaam and Balak in the book of Numbers. The problem back then was a scriptural teacher who put personal gain ahead of faithful witness. We must repent of holding to such false teaching. Teaching and teachers matter. What type of teachers do you listen to? Have you thought carefully enough about it? Have you sought to ensure that your teachers teach in accordance with Scripture? Have you considered that Jesus holds you personally accountable for whose teaching you “hold to?” Repent of any haphazard attitude you’ve taken toward vetting your teachers. Learn to insist on Scripture teaching teachers.
Jesus’ last book in the Bible has the local church and your Christianity in view. Jesus knows who are his and where his are. Jesus insists you vet your teachers based on what they teach. Hear His love for you in this passage, Revelation 2:12-17. He has expectations of you but he also advocates for you. He promises to conquer. He will protect and provide for you. He knows your name. Revelation is more than predictions. Revelation is practical. Revelation is for you.
“Twas the Night Before Easter,” said…no…one…ever! “Twas the Night Before Christmas” titles a famous poem describing the anticipation of Christmas morning. Everyone knows food and presents and family is just around the bend. You know what’s coming and you’re almost too excited to sleep!
Not so with Easter. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to consider the events that led up to the night before Easter. What happened and what are we to make of it?
God made Adam. That’s how it all got started. Adam sinned. We all sin. His better son, Abel, was killed by his jealous son, Cain. And so it began. Noah was better. The world was crazy and nearly killed off. From Noah’s offspring came Abraham who was promised the gospel. Abraham had Isaac and Isaac had Jacob and Jacob had twelve sons. Sins abounded. Joseph was sold by his brothers. They later reconciled—forming a picture of the gospel to come—but things weren’t good for the twelve sons. These became known as the twelve tribes of Israel and these people were trapped in Egypt hundreds of years. Moses delivered Israel from Egypt. Israel sinned in the desert. Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land. Israel demanded to be like their enemies and have a king. So they got Saul then David then Solomon before the fourth generation of kings couldn’t keep the people together. So they divided and divided before they were conquered and exiled—all of them exiled—by the 6th century BC. Israel repented and God gave them some more assurances of a conquering Messiah that would come, a Messiah like King David before, that would save the people; however, God seemed eerily silent. The Old Testament Scriptures tell this story and was written down on or before 400 BC. Then, God went silent. Israel groaned. Their Messiah would heal all the nations, or, at least, that’s what the prophet Isaiah had predicted. But the promises were stale and the Messiah was long overdue.
The Messiah finally came. He fulfilled every prediction of the writing prophets. He was a prophet like Moses, a King like David, and a priest like Melchizedek. Every promise of God found their “yes” in Jesus. Just one problem. Israel rejected him. That’s right. Israel rejected their own King. The culmination of Jesus coming to His own and His own knowing Him not is the inscription placed over Jesus’ head as he was crucified on Good Friday. The inscription read, “King of the Jews.” What they meant for mockery actually told an ironic truth. The ultimate Jewish King was Jesus but they didn’t recognize Him. Why?
They didn’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah, at first, because He didn’t conquer Rome. On Palm Sunday, Jesus didn’t come riding in on a war horse but humbly, on a peaceful donkey. Jesus didn’t come first to judge but to save, not to impose but to propose. Jesus proposed the world follow Him. But Israel didn’t envision a Messiah that would war primarily against their own sin but rather against the occupying empire, Rome. And Israel didn’t want a Messiah that would willingly die for the people. They wanted a Messiah that would ably kill for the people. They wanted a man of war, like David. Jesus came first as a man of peace. It is true that Jesus declared war and will come to judge the quick and the dead but that’s not the story of Easter. On Easter, Jesus delivered victory in the decisive battle in the war of human history even though the battle wages on even now. How was the decisive battle against the sovereigns in the spiritual realm won? Through death, even death on the cross.
Jesus’ death was the only unjust death in the history of mankind. Every other man could rightly accept death as the natural outcome of a sinful disposition. Unlike every other man, Jesus knew no sin. This qualified Jesus uniquely to atone for the sins of all of His people—the righteous for the unrighteous—to bring us to God. And bring us He did! Jesus’ death brought death. This is why one pastor wrote, rather complicatingly, but also aptly, of what Jesus accomplished in this title, “The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.” Death died, it ended, when Christ died. How? Jesus conquered death. How? By removing it’s permanence, it’s sting. The sting of death is swallowed up in victory! Praise be to God!
So what would that first Easter eve have looked like? Shocked and silent. Often, the Saturday after Good Friday is referred to as Silent Saturday. Why? Because Jesus’ earthly body laid in the grave. God the Son could never die but his incarnate body was brutally murdered by his biological kinfolk—related through his mother Mary. Jesus died. He was buried. And Saturday was quiet. Twas the Night Before Easter and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. When up from the grave there arose such a Man that the world would trust Him or in judgment they’d stand. Jesus’ resurrected body lives on as proof that you’ll live on too. Every Christ follower will follow Christ in resurrection. So, as we sing, “It is Not Death to Die.” Christmas lights the spark of a life. Easter lights the spark of life eternal. Christmas anticipates. Easter fulfills. “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb…And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. …two men stood by them in dazzling apparel, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest” (Luke 24:1-9).
Routine check ups. Your annual check up in middle life and after carries an air of safety about it. Insurance probably covers it. Doctors remind you of it. Work desires it. Preventative health care is the best kind. You don’t really expect anything to come from it. You mainly do the check up to say that you did and have the peace of mind that the parts of your body you don’t see are working as they should. Usually, the doctor will call you if test results indicate any extreme danger. Otherwise, the doctor updates you of any problem areas or concern during the follow-up appointment. Even if the news is not what you want to hear, you still need to know it. When there’s a problem area in your body, ignoring the problem can prove disastrous. Jesus gave a sick church an honest report about the spiritual health of the body. Churches need spiritual check ups because they are prone to unseen sickness. In the letter to Laodicea, written of in Revelation 3:14-22, Jesus serves as the church’s doctor during a check-up. He has the reputation, the report, and the treatment plan needed to bring a church with this condition back to health.
First, Jesus has the right reputation to bring a sick church back to health. Jesus is the “Amen” or the True. That’s what it means to say, “Amen,” at the end of your prayer. You are affirming the afore mentioned words. You are ratifying them with a Yes or Truly. 2 Corinthians 1:20 reminds us that every promise of God finds its “Yes” in Christ. Jesus is described in Revelation as THE AMEN. In fact, the letter to this sick church begins with “The words of the Amen” (Revelation 3:14). He has the reputation of an expert witness. Everything he ever says is absolutely true and faithful. He is the firstborn among the healthy—among those resurrected to die no more. Jesus has earned His reputation as the great physician.
Second, Jesus bore the right diagnosis needed to bring the sick church back to health. He knew them inside and out. The message was a difficult one to hear. You’re sick! Jesus was so bothered by their lack of health that he was nauseous! His diagnosis of this sick church was that they had lost their usefulness. Unlike the refreshing cool water of Colossae and the healing warm water of Heirapolis, the proverbial water of the Laodiceans was poisonous. Though they thought themselves sufficient, they were sick. The water they piped in on aqueducts was calcified, lukewarm, poor tasting, and unhelpful by the time it got to the citizens of Laodicea. These were self-made Christians, hard working, but not trusting in the Lord. They needed to be Spirit-made not self-made. The Laodiceans weren’t cold like the orthodox Ephesians or flimsy like the false-teaching Pergamum church or sexually perverse like the Thyatirians or nominal like the Sardisian church—no, they were the hard-working, counter cultural church. However, this church was useless to Jesus because it didn’t depend on him. The gospel cannot be faithfully preached by self-made men. That man must die to himself to live for Christ. The sickly had a form of godliness that denied the need for spiritual power. They had a weak connection to the source. The Laodicean Christians had made their riches in the clothing and pharmaceutical industry. Jesus described their attitude well when he caught them saying, “I need nothing.” The needless Christian is in a dangerous place. We all stand in need before Christ. Worship lacks when need lacks. Jesus gave them the cold hard facts. With nothing of health to commend, Jesus bore the true report to the church: “you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
Third, Jesus has the right treatment plan needed to bring the sick church back to health. Not only does Jesus have a sterling reputation as the great doctor and the needed report from the church’s check-up, he can also offer the proper treatment plan. What is it? Jesus expresses himself as a loving doctor as he reproves and disciplines them for their perceived self-sufficiency spiritually. He counsels them to worship and receive from Him by returning to earnestness in spiritual things. He counsels them to repent of their lukewarmness toward worship and prayer then return to fellowship with him. Jesus knew of the natural disaster that struck Laodicea in AD 60. He knew the Roman authorities offered financial help, with strings attached, and that the Laodiceans rightly refused. Later, when Roman soldiers occupied their land, soldiers would refuse to even knock on the front door to peoples’ homes before letting themselves in for dinner. They wouldn’t even afford the Laodiceans the courtesy of asking before they came in and ate their food! Unlike the Roman authorities, Christ’s authority offers helps without cost and requests table fellowship without barging in. The Laodicieans, you see, were treating Jesus’ authority with the same contempt as Roman authority. They might not have meant to do so, but, their contempt for help had led them in a bad way. Allowing cultural bitterness to creep into church can cause us to operate in an unhealthy way. Dr. Jesus counseled this church to get well by trusting Jesus’ provision, resources, purity, validation, and medicine.
Routine check ups don’t have to be scary. Jesus’ bedside manner is loving, desire is pure, and counsel is needed. His authority is never abused and always rightly used. You can trust his credentials. By His Word, he will bring you the proper diagnosis and the best treatment plan. He longs for health in the body of Christ and He won’t stop until He achieves it. That’s just it, ‘He-Achieves-It.’ We, like the Laodicean church, like to achieve for ourselves. What works in the world won’t work in the church. We don’t achieve anything of spiritual value. We worship and serve the Lord of all our achievement. Only He makes us well.
Whoever has the power to unlock doors, well, has got the power. Think about it. If you want to get into an important building or an important room in an important building, you need to know someone who has the key. In college, I worked for Campus Security. While I didn’t carry a weapon, I did carry around a powerful metal ring—the key ring. When buddies wanted to get some milk from the cafeteria, the key could get them in. When well-meaning workout partners needed an extra hour in the gym, the key could get them in. Whoever has access to the person with the keys has access to power. The building access you most want is to heaven. You want to spend eternity in the best possible place. Jesus tells us how.
A little background is in order. Jesus writes a message for all churches by writing a letter to a particular late 1st century church: Philadelphia. This is not the Philadelphia on the east coast of the United States but rather the Philadelphia in ancient Asia Minor, of the Roman empire, situated in modern southwestern Turkey. This rural or storefront church, small in the eyes of the world, looked to have little power but they kept the testimony and the Word. They kept the faith under intense pressure. Jesus writes a letter to this little, local church in this context and we have it written down in Revelation 3:7-13. He only commends them and doesn’t condemn powerless Philadelphia. What does this teach us about marginalized Christians in our time? What does it tell us about the keys to eternity?
First, Jesus is the key. Jesus has the key to heaven. Jesus has “the key of David” which means all the promises of the patriarchs, the prophets and kings have their fulfillment in Jesus. The forever promises to King David, recorded in the former part of the Bible, are for God’s people in Christ. Jesus speaks only just, true words. No one gets in to the throne room of heaven without Jesus unlocking that door. There is no other way into heaven except through faith in Christ. He is heaven’s Campus Security.
Second, Jesus knows all. Jesus knows his people. No one will phony-baloney their way into heaven. He knows your works and whether you’ve trusted in His works alone for salvation. Regardless of outward appearance, the unfaithful will find the door to heaven shut and the faithful will find the door opened. Jesus secures it that way. Jesus knows you.
Third, Jesus keeps his people. Jesus keeps his people for the day of heaven. Some affluent people claim to be God’s but aren’t. This was the case in Philadelphia. Some powerful people in the religious group didn’t keep the word, denied Jesus was Messiah, and kept sincere believers out of the worship services. Jesus said that, despite what they claim they are, they are not His. There are liars in the midst of religious activity. Jesus comforts the Philadelphia believers by telling them that one day the truth will come out. One day, the word keepers will be ahead of the word bleepers. They will learn that Jesus has loved you. Though trials will come, he will hold you fast that no one who dwells on the earth will steal your reward. Only trust him.
There will be a great cosmic reversal on the day of the Lord. Many who are first will be last. The last will be first. Every powerful person is not condemned—but all powerful persons that lack Christian humility, are condemned. Jesus will turn the fortunes of the prideful over just as he turned the money changers over in the temple. Intolerant he will be on that day. Justice will pour down like rain on God’s people. Take comfort that, though they shut you out of polite society and genteel religious establishments now, no one will shut you out then. In fact, Jesus will hold the door wide open for you. And, for the prideful reader, it’s not too late. Turn from your wicked ways and trust in Jesus. Join those of us with “little power” but that the world will learn soon that Jesus has set his love on. For those who do, in Revelation 3:12, Jesus ends his note to the church at Philadelphia with encouraging words for you, “I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it.”
Jesus is God. Jesus sees down deep. Jesus knows. Medical examiners only perform an autopsy on a dead person but Jesus is the great doctor. Jesus can see the potential cause of death prior to the actual cause of death. Unlimited, Jesus shares what would kill a church if allowed to continue. If you could know what would kill you, and could do something about it, wouldn’t you want to know? Jesus graciously shares what’s killing the church at Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) and leaves the counsel for Sardis-similar churches today. Listen carefully. Jesus’ autopsy of this church might just hit a little close to home, but, also, provide what you need to get all the way home to glory.
Nominalism kills. Want to know what leaves a church for dead? It’s nominalism. What’s nominal Christianity? Think of a nominal presidency—the presidency is nothing more than a figurehead. Think of a nominal vacation—the vacationers must still work. One defined nominalism as “empty formalities, things so-called, and meaningless labels.” Professing Christians tend to become nominal in contexts like America—contexts where the predominant culture has been accepting of a light form of Christianity, one where Christianity minimally effects lifestyle. To be nominal requires less and is therefore an easier form of Christianity. The only problem with nominalism is that it kills. No matter how much life the world sees in Sardis, they’re dead (Revelation 3:1). Jesus doesn’t approve.
Nominalism is as bad a representation of Christianity as the loveless Ephesians or the sensual Thyatirans. Jesus warns the nominal church. He will come quickly like a thief storms a house in the night. The church playing church won’t suddenly have time to get real before Jesus comes. The time is now. Jesus’ word warns. In fact, Jesus’ words are preached to the people, in power from the Spirit, for their long-term good. However painful in the moment, the alternative to Jesus’ corrective preaching is worse. Death! By heeding these preached words of Jesus we avoid spiritual death.
Nominalism repackages the gospel in order to avoid persecution. The church at Sardis, which is situated in modern day Turkey, was one of seven churches taught too in the opening chapters of Revelation. Each church had a distinct need and received a distinct message. Nominal Christians are known for wonderful works and fewer quirks. The nominal church is known for having a good reputation; however, Jesus knows and sees more deeply. Nominalism replaces faithfulness with shrewdness. Here’s how: Rome required worship of the emperor. Christians could not utter the words, Caesar is lord” because “Lord” was a title strictly reserved for Jesus. There was no middle ground between loyalty to Jesus and Caesar. Christians needed an exemption. Luckily, Jews at Sardis had an exemption. After centuries of persecution, the Jews had carved out space in society, at least for this time, to not have to worship the emperor in order to buy, sell, and trade in the economy. The Sardinian synagogue was among the largest in the empire, seating one thousand people, and situated in the city center next to the Roman gymnasium. Sardinian Christians could have a good name in Rome. All they needed to do was check “Jew” on the census box instead of “Christian.” It seemed such a small concession but it came with big consequence. The author of Revelation, the Apostle John, was exiled to the Alcatraz like island of Patmos for exactly this. A good name with the community is not always synonymous with having a good name with Jesus. Nominal Christians were willing to repackage essential elements of the gospel in order to get along at Sardis. Nominalism is a sin to be repented of. Jesus offers Sardis no commendation. Revelation 3:2-3 contains the imperative verb “repent” as well as imperatives: Wake! Strengthen! Keep! Remember! Each of these verbs carry weight. Repent means to change your way of thinking about nominalism. Do an about-face. Wake means to stop with spiritual lethargy. Be sensitized anew. Strengthen what remains means minister in that church in that town—don’t go church hopping. Remember what you received by hearing the gospel. Remembering requires work. Keep the gospel. Repent of the sin of a nominal approach to Christianity. The gospel is not nominalism.
There is no ultimate joy in nominalism. Nominalism doesn’t cut deep enough to satisfy. Even in a known nominal church, Jesus identifies a few bright lights who’ve remained pure. Having warned the nominal (Revelation 3:2-3), Jesus turns (3:4-5) to strengthen the worthy workers in the church with two contrasting promises—with a no never and a yes forever. First , the no never. The Romans would erase the existence of their citizens who received the death penalty. Christians who received capital punishment would have their existence erased from the town roll book. Jews would blot out the names of defectors from their roll thus rendering the not-Jewish-enough-Christian non exempt from emperor worship. This kind of hardball could cost the sincere Christian their livelihood or life itself. Jesus knows. Jesus says he will no, never blot these names out of His book of life. Second, a yes forever. Jesus positively will confess the name of the faithful believer before the Father’s angels on that day in heaven. Nominalism ends bitterly. Christianity continues joyfully.
To apply, consider one author’s diagnostic questions: How real has God been this week to your heart? Are you finding certain biblical promises precious? Are you finding God’s grace more glorious now than in the past? We perform autopsies to learn from the dead. Jesus predicted an autopsy to prevent death. Nominal churches do not have to stay so, they do not have to die. Jesus cares enough to do a predictive autopsy that we might learn and live.
Tolerance! Tolerance! This is the air we breath in this cultural moment. Has it always been this way? Should Christians declare tolerance an absolute truth? Let’s take a look at some counsel from Jesus that answers these questions.
Jesus addresses all the churches for all time by addressing seven specific churches through John’s writings in Revelation 2-3. Of these seven churches, two stand out for our topic today. Ephesus was praised for intolerance toward the Nicolaitan false teachers (2:6) but chastised for abandoning the love they’d had at first. Conversely, Thyatira was praised for loving even greater now than they did at first but chastised for tolerance toward the false teachers of Jezebel. Jesus wants his church to practice love and tell the truth—two things at once—like, you might say, walking and chewing gum at the same time. Our sin pollution drives us toward unfaithfulness in one way or another. Jesus’ righteousness at work in us speaks to us at our better and bitter points.
First, Jesus speaks words of praise. Jesus, Himself, is praiseworthy. This “Son of God” is superior to any pagan god who claims the same title, like the pagan god at Thyatira, a son of Zeus, named Apollo. In mythology, Apollo of the day, one of the chief gods of Thyatira, was the twin brother of Artemis of the night, the chief goddess at Ephesus. Jesus draws a contrast between a warm day-like but liberal church at Thyatria and a cold night-like but conservative church at Ephesus. The true God has feet like brass and eyes like fire. This is a way of saying that Jesus’ brass was of greater strength than the secret brass metal workers of the blue collar manufacturing town of Thyatira. You may recall that the Christian convert Lydia was a seller of purple cloths. The trade guild gods were false and Christians did not need to fear the power of bronze workers. Jesus is aware of all of this. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament biblical prophets like Daniel. He is able to conquer his foes and see penetratingly deep into the mind and heart of every person. He knows. And, for what Jesus knows of the church members at Thyatira, there is praiseworthy aspects: their love, their faith, their deacon service, their patient endurance. This would’ve been a swell church to attend. They’d make you dinner but never make waves. You would’ve felt the love but also the tolerance, which, in this context, Jesus does not praise.
Second, Jesus speaks words of punishment. Certain members of the church at Thyatira were too tolerant of sexual immorality. Jesus chastises them for tolerating a woman, Jezebel. It’s unlikely this false teacher was named Jezebel more likely she imitated the 8th B.C. wife of King Ahab, that is, Queen Jezebel. The books of Kings record the way Queen Jezebel led the children of Israel astray. The prophet Elijah had run-ins with Jezebel. There was a figure in the church at Thyatira that was propagating similar seductive teaching—urging members they could follow Christ and participate in pagan parties, sexual immorality. Graciously, Jesus had, through the church’s member warnings, we think, given Jezebel time to repent. But Jezebel had no will to repent of her sexual immorality or how she’d persuaded laxity among the member. Jesus promises to punish the adulterers lest they repent of Jezebel’s works. He promises to judge them according to their works if they aren’t trusting in Christ’s works on their behalf. Jesus is calling them back to the gospel, and, he’s calling the bystanders to stop tolerating terrible teaching. Jesus asserts he has this against them, that they “tolerate” that woman, or wife, Jezebel. Jesus knows that it is hard for the true bride of Christ, the local church, to call even the most unapologetic, publicly known, and characteristically sexually sinful saints to repent. He knows it will be considered unloving. He knows it takes courage but the kingdom is for the courageous. This is exactly what Jesus calls the faithful to do: hold His teaching by not disciplining false teachers. If not, they face punishment. If so, they learn of promises to come.
Third, Jesus speaks words of promise. Jesus loves the members of His church. He wants them to persevere in the faith and knows they will. Those penetrating fiery eyes provide a warmth to the sincere believer. As a kingdom of priests, faithful followers will share in authority over the nations as Jesus comes to judge and rule over them. To use a manufacturing metaphor, Jesus will rule with a rod of discipline, as when earthen pots are broken to pieces. Would not it be better to heed the rule of the church’s rod of discipline now, in spiritual things, than cling to sexual sensuality only to face the permanent rod of discipline then for earthly things? The unfaithful will be broken to pieces while the faithful are being built up piece by piece into a giant household of faith. True teachers remind Christians they are recipients of a brighter star than the brightest in the sky. Jesus the Christ will be our bright and morning star. As Vern Poythress reminded, “The morning star, Venus, is the brightest star-like object in the night sky. The prominence of the morning star seems also to suggest an answer to the worldly puniness of Christians, indicating that they have weight and significance through Christ, and in the coming age their status will be made manifest.” Until that morning star rises in our hearts, we ought pay attention to the words of Scripture, know that no Scripture comes from an individual alone but from the will of God (see 2 Peter 1:19-21).
Jesus’ praise and punishments and promises are to keep the believer for a most glorious wedding day—when the church is presented not as an unfaithful Jezebel but as a faithful bride to Jesus. What a day that will be. Until then, we need to walk and chew gum at the same time, we need to love in truth. At times, faithfulness to Jesus will command us to be intolerant. So help us God.
In certain churches, at certain points in the sermon, it is common for the preacher to pose a question to the congregation. The preacher will ask, “Can I get a witness?” To this, the congregation eagerly complies with a word of affirmation or a hearty, “Amen.” So, what is a Christian witness? How do I know if I’m a faithful witness? Thankfully, Jesus’ letter to the first century church at a town called Pergamum helps all of us answer that question. See Revelation 2:12-17.
First, Jesus describes a faithful witness named Antipas . The Christians of Pergamum were lodged in the capitol city of the Asia Minor section of the Roman empire. Citizens of Pergamum were considered some of the most loyal in the empire. They paid homage to Caesar, engaged in the worship of the empire—pagan worship, and didn’t much tolerate dissenters. Jesus recognizes that the Pergamum Christians were living in the place “where Satan’s throne is.” This was likely a reference to the idol statue to Zeus which had little serpents engraved in it, hence, “where Satan dwells.” Anti-pas, the name on its parts, could be anti-the-pantheon of gods. Antipas was likely a pastor killed during the early reign of the ruling Roman emperor Domitian—the same emperor that now had John the Apostle, the author of Revelation, imprisoned. John faithfully witnessed to Jesus but Antipas especially faithfully witnessed by giving his life. In fact, the Greek word ‘martus’ is translated “witness” and was like with our English word, “martyr.” Faithful witnesses in the early church faced loss of trade guild cards which enabled well paying jobs, confiscation of property if prosecuted, and even death if the Pergamum governance saw fit. Pergamum was one of the few cities given the delegated ‘power to wield the sword,’ or capitol punishment, by Rome. There was much to lose for holding fast to the name of Christ in a corrupt city like Pergamum. Would the witness be worth it in the end?
Second, Jesus describes unfaithful witnesses like Balaam and Nicolaitans. Antipas held fast to Christ while these unfaithful witnesses held to false teaching. You can’t hold fast to Christ’s teaching and false teaching. Teaching disciples to obey all that Christ commanded is part in parcel to the Great Commission. Practice follows teaching. Teaching matters. Teaching is not a matter indifferent to Jesus. All disciplers teach. Every parent teaches children. Elders qualifications are 100% character based with the exception of ‘apt to teach.’ Mind your teaching. Jesus says so. Unfaithful witnesses start down the slippery slope of unbiblical teaching. If the church at Pergamum allowed false teachers then Thyatira followed the practices of false teachers and Sardis died because of it. These 3rd-5th letters, the middle letters from Jesus to the seven churches, demonstrate a slippery slope. Satan couldn’t conquer the Christians at Pergamum coming through the front door of persecution so he changed tactics to the back door of worldliness. Jesus likens this budding compromise to that of Balaam from the Old Testament and the Nicolaitans of the New. Balaam sold his soul for gain. King Balak of the Moabites, an enemy of God’s people, hired the preaching prophet Balaam to help bring down his own people. Get this, Balaam undermined his people for greed at the same time he claimed to be a teacher to them. In the end, Balaam died by the sword but not before he reeked havoc with many sons of Israel stumbling into idolatrous immorality then dying. Israel learned a hard lesson. Like the Balaamites, the Nicolaitans taught compromise with the world. They held that you could go along with the guild god worship so long as you didn’t mean it in your heart. At the religious festivals, where the Roman chamber of commerce types abounded, the people would eat food sacrificed to idols and drink until orgies of immorality ensued. The Nicolaitans, for personal gain, were conquering the people by teaching permissive worldliness. So long as you kept your private faith, and knew those dumb idols weren’t real, you could dabble in this and that without getting caught up in it. For Jesus’ part, holding to his Name meant not holding to false teaching. These are unfaithful witnesses. They must repent! If not, Jesus will fight against them. In fact, He will war against them with the “sword of His mouth” (2:16). Jesus’ words, his teachings, are our weapons of warfare (see Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:17). Jesus has the “sharp two-edged sword” (Revelation 2:12). What are we to make of the symbol of the sword with regard to faithful witnessing?
Third, Jesus wields the sword against unrepentant witnesses. Not everything that calls itself Christian, is. Jesus promises to conquer his enemies—even enemies within the church. Judgment begins in the household of God. We the people of God must persevere in the faith, and, with the help of God, we will. His warnings against unfaithful witnessing are meant to draw us back to Him as “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth” (Revelation 1:5). Revelation is filled with counter-examples. Satan seems to set up a counterfeit trinity of a dragon, a beast, and a false prophet to contrast with the authentic Trinity of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Trinity plans, executes, and witnesses faithfully for your salvation. The sword too offers a counter-example. The governing authorities are allowed to wield the sword in order to punish evil and promote good. In Pergamum, the sword-wielders were using capitol punishment against the workers of good while rewarding workers of evil. Jesus comforts his people with his promise to come ‘with the sword’ against His enemies which are our enemies. In another counter-example, those who put a stumbling block in the way of faithful witness are countered by Jesus being a stumbling block to eternal life. Jesus’ free gift of eternal life is a stumbling block to some like unto how soft peddling Nicolaitan teachers were presenting the moral stumbling block of idolatrous immorality. They hatefully taught the destructive heresy that you could have your Christ and pagan practices too. Jesus comforts the repentant believers with the promise of provision (hidden manna) and protection (a white stone) that they so long for. The Christians didn’t need to turn to greed in order to get paid. The same as the people of God received manna from heaven while in the desert so will God feed his people in unforeseen ways. The Christians didn’t need to turn to pagan practices for protection. Christ gives them a white stone of acquittal from sin, as opposed to a black stone, and admission into the final wedding—in eternity.
Fourth, Jesus takes care of His faithful witnesses. Faithful witnesses receive a new name at the marriage feast of the Lamb. We get to take on the name of Christ much like a bride takes on the name of a groom. We are readied in pure white for such a day when we will eat manna at the table of Christ at the marriage feast of the Lamb. In an odd plot twist, the suffering servant becomes the conquering King. In Revelation 19:11-15, John wrote was he saw, that is, that Christ “judges and makes war…and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven…were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them.” A faithful witness remains so because he has a clear view of what happens in the end. The conquering Christ will right every wrong and endlessly fellowship with His people. A faithful witness does not embrace false teachers with cultural compromise for personal provision and protection. No! Christ’s faithful witnesses embrace the way of the cross. Invariably, the scandal of the cross brings friction in the places where Satan dwells. However, witness is worth it. God’s work is done by such as these. Can I get a witness?
Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comfortable. This is what the gospel does. Christ knows the difference between the comfortable and the afflicted. From Christ, there is no hiding. The last first century church at Smyrna is the subject of Revelation 2:8-11. Smyra is the second of the seven churches that receive letters from Jesus in Revelation. Smyrna, the second, and Philadelphia, the sixth mentioned church in Revelation, received no correction. Christ knew the need of the hour. When suffering lurks, comforting works. Christ prepares the would-be sufferer by His powerful, personal presence.
First, Christ prepares the would-be sufferer by His power. Lord Axton wrote of power, that, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolute.” This is especially true of coercive powers of the state but there is no power on earth that Jesus isn’t senior too. Power only corrupts sinners capable of corruption but there is no corruption in Christ. Facing the powers of the state, Jesus comforts the Christians who were also Roman citizens of Smyrna (modern day Izmir, Turkey) by declaring His ultimate power. Christ’s powerful words are introduced with the same phrase used 250 times in the Old Testament to introduce prophetic oracles, “The words of…” Mirroring the most apt self-designation of Christ from his opening monologue (1:12-17), Christ is powerfully Lord of the whole by being Lord of first and last. Christ powerfully came back to life after death thus conquering our greatest fear—death. So we don’t have to fear the second death now, like the unbelievers will. Christ conquered death so every believer will too conquer death by going the same way, the way of the cross, the way of suffering, the way through humility to exaltation.
Second, Christ prepares the would-be sufferer by His personal awareness . Christ is personal with His people. Revelation 2:9 begins with the words, “I know.” Christ knows the tribulation you go through. He knows your economic situation. He knows the words leveed against you for your faith. Jesus was rendered too poor to afford his own tomb and too slandered to mount his own defense. The enemies of Christ did the devil’s work, as a synagogue of Satan by pressing Christianity outside the Jewish exemption for emperor worship in Rome. So, under more tyrannical dictators like Nero and Domitian, Jews that refused to vouch for the Jewishness of Christians, left them out to pasture. Smyrnan Christians were marginalized, maligned, and in some cases martyred for their faithfulness to Christ. Christ is personally aware of every single word and deed done against His people. He is not unaware, and, you are not alone.
Third, Christ’s prepared the would-be sufferer by His presence. Follow the imperative verbs in Revelation 2:8-11. First and fifth imperatives are Write/Hear. Second and four imperatives are Fear Not/Be Faithful. Third comes the imperative, “Behold,” or pay attention to this key thought, the devil is about to be allowed “to throw some of you into prison, that you might be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.” Christ knows what is about to occur and is a present witness to all these proceedings. Christ wants to ready all the churches now through his words to this church then—to ready us to be faithful as the martyrs of the early church, the Reformation, and today. We should empathize as well as support the people in the world that face tribulation today. We should stand ready to suffer, even like Job did, according to the sovereignty of God. Salvation belongs to the Lord, we learn in Jonah. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, we learn in Romans. The same as the Lord secures salvation for sinners, so do we need to leave room for the Lord’s vengeance. Our witness is hampered when we emphasize our personal rights instead of dwelling on Christ’s presence during suffering. When we are faithful unto death, we receive a crown of life. Polycarp knew the author of Revelation, John the Apostle. While John went to prison on Patmos for his faith, Polycarp went to martyrdom in the Coliseum for his faith. John was a wrinkly old eighty plus year old pastor when he wrote Revelation on behalf of our Lord Christ. Polycarp was a wrinkly old eighty six year old pastor when he was burned at the stake, refusing to slander Jesus, and testifying to the executioner of the long-lasting lake of fire upon the second death if he does not receive the gospel of Christ. Christ prepared these sufferers to be courageous the same way He prepares us: by His powerful, personal presence. Christ comforts the afflicted. Suffering hurts. Christ helps.
Duty. Duty. Duty. This is how Douglas MacArthur focused his final message to West Point, in 1962. He ended his speech with how much the battle would be on his mind when he “crossed the river” into eternity. He felt his final thoughts would be with “the Corps, the Corps, the Corps.” The Lord Jesus addresses the war hardened Christian. Just as MacArthur’s lifespan included both World Wars of the 20th century, so did the Ephesian church members’ lifespan include major Christian persecutions under Roman emperors in the last half of the 1st century. The Ephesians were commended for their bravery, counseled to repent of their hardness and comforted if they did. This message applies to any believer whose love has grown cold in a sea of dutiful Christian activity.
First, Commendable Bravery. The dutiful Christians at Ephesus were directly communicated to on the matter (Revelation 2:1-7). The Lord moved through John the Apostle, from prison, when John was in his 80s in the AD 90s, to write this heartfelt letter to the churches. His counsel stands for believers now. Through these verses, Jesus reminds us that he holds and walks among the churches. Jesus knows “your works.” Nothing is hidden from Him. He commends them for not bearing with the false teachers. For decades now, listening to great preaching from the likes of John and Paul and Apollos and Timothy, Ephesus had defended sound beliefs and enforced sound behavior. They’ve hated the cosmopolitan Christianity of that day, that is, the Nicolaitans, which the Lord also hates. These types of Christians do their duty to defend the faith and father the children in the faith. Brave and dutiful, they are attempting to provide a safe place to interact. But, their interaction is lacking.
Second, Interaction Lacking. Despite all of the commendable aspects of the Ephesian faith, Jesus has this against them, that they “have abandoned the love (they) had at first” (2:4). Is this a lack of love for Jesus? neighbor? one another? the needy? the lost? Jesus intentionally leaves the answer blank. He doesn’t opine. For one, the Ephesians would have known what specific ‘love they’d had at first’ that they no longer emphasized. For two, we can apply this teaching, with the help of the Spirit, to our own lives more readily with this lack of specificity. Like Paul’s thorn in his flesh, this loveless Christianity is left somewhat undefined. Have you lost an earlier love you have for God’s people? Do you need to rekindle affection for the gatherings of believers, meeting needs with love, sharing the gospel in love? We all get jaded, bitter from battle. It’s understanding that the tougher minded among us would recalcitrant to isolated Christianity, to dutiful Christianity. Our garden variety interaction may not be the heartfelt variety interaction. There are times we all serve out of duty but we shouldn’t stay there. We again and again need called back to heartfelt Christianity that loves one another as Christ has loved us. This lack of love was not something to lament but something to repent of! To Jesus, this lacking interaction was not spiritually neutral. He directly warns their hardened hearts to remember, repent, and redo the loving works they did at first. To reject is to lose their place as a church in the region. To repent is to keep the light shining bright through their church. If church history is any indication, the original recipients of this message repented. Will you?
Are you a war hardened Christian? There is much to commend about your fidelity to doctrine and duty. But a loss of love is declared significant by Jesus. You can conquer the sin of indifference by hearing what the Spirit says by the words of Revelation 2:1-7 and applying them in your own life. Then, you will sense renewed assurance of life before you when you “cross the river” into eternity. Wars may call us to Duty. Duty. Duty. Jesus calls us to also Love. Love. Love. Your duty is to love and love motivates certain duties. We will see this in the letters to come. For now, it is enough to say to the Ephesian-type Christian, pair your duty with love from the heart. Maintain the former while not neglecting the latter.
