Loyal Community (Part 2 of 3)

The exclusive claims of Christ offend a lot of people who suggested many roads lead to heaven tolerating such claims can erode the churches confidence and faithfulness today on Truth for Life will see how Jesus reveals his supremacy and how he deals with disobedience and applicant Alister Megan is teaching from Revelation chapter 2 verses 12 through nine so that was the loyalty of somebody.

On you will notice is the second edit we have to pay attention to others. Verse 14 last you see the pattern of these messages whenever you can say something commentator. He does but he also wants to identify the problem areas in verses 14 and 15. If you allow your eyes just to look at this group of people had been successful in resisting the external threats, but had failed to take care of their own internal problems. They were culpable when it came to the charge of tolerating some who were clearly off the tracks.

The reference here is to the teaching of bailing manager think that this was some book or some particular body of doctrine, but rather it is descriptive of the activity of bailing and advising in the Old Testament, and you need to do this for homework and advising the Midianite women how to seduce the Israelites and thereby infiltrate and cause distraction amongst God's people. Prof. Blakemore notes that Baylon's clever idea was to bring down Israel's power by an indirect attack on the morale quotes pagan food pagan women where his powerful tools against the rigidity of the Mosaic law. What is it is a another way to a man's heart. There is no question that men are particularly vulnerable when it comes to the issue of a tasty meal in front of them with a tasty meal involves fish and chips or whether it involves the lady of the street. Baylon understandingly says I think that these people in Pergamum seem to be standing foursquare to the challenges of the external thread and of course, is simply the tool of Satan.

The devices of Satan are so skillful if he cannot bring havoc as a result of the external challenges you may do so by the insidious work that is internal warfare. This kind of faith: as we see so Baylon's ears are there to hearing you to read again it at your leisure, but he serves as a kind of prototype of all the corrupt teachers who follow his example, promulgating an antinomian approach to life antinomian is simply from the Greek anti-against unknown loss law against the law that a libertine like sensuous way of thinking, which says you know you don't really need to pay attention to all these things the Bible has to say about holiness or purity, or the feel of the Lord being again beginning of wisdom. Don't believe all of that Old Testament nonsense rather you come with me and I will show you that it is perfectly possible for you to combine all of this with the with a little of this and the appeal is still out there and it is a dreadfully enticing thing. Idolatry mixed with immorality can please ourselves and indulge ourselves and be told by people whom we respect as spiritual guides that it's okay to combine the two. Of course if you begin to believe that he will deliver them once you begin to live in your life will be so tied up by it that you will lose any kind of spiritual influence and witness a tall are the find is that some had embraced this teaching, but others within the fellowship and simply tolerated it. They were the kind of thing was that while I'm not. I don't actually do it kind of thing that I use. This is a teenage boy when on the way back from our football matches and in Glasgow suburban Glasgow, to my shame and to the shame of my friends. We used to get off the bus simply so that they can go into newsagent shops and steal anything they could. I was too scared and to affected by the influences of Homeland Bible to actually engage in the fair. But I never stayed on the bus I got off with why never reached forward and grabbed the big bands I never got the big cadres fruit and nuts, but I tolerated it and if they rounded as I was as culpable as the rest, so members of the spirit of the Pharisee within his dreadfully we look across the people we condemn them for activities in which the engaging while at the same time secretly wishing we had the courage to do the very things they've done. The only thing that differentiates us from bad divider they've gone and done it with tolerated and there were a great company among them who would tolerating these things in the concern of Jesus as start is with the waywardness of the majority and the nonchalance of the minority. The indifference of the church to these things is seen as a considerable problem apparently one had a problem in that their zeal to be rid of all of the weeds of heresy meant that they were in danger of uprooting everything that was there is a fledgling plant. Actually, I don't mean Pergamum.

I mean the church that we dealt with history, their zeal was such an emphasis they wouldn't tolerated and so, in seeking to deal with that then they dealt with the danger of uprooting that which was real here in Pergamum. The fold is the opposite, and in failing to take action against the error that is among them. They make it possible for the of noxious weeds to spread to the great harm of God's people. So we find that there commended for holding fast to the right belief and they are understandably reviewed for failing to deal seriously with those who were guilty of wrong behavior, true Christianity not only believes correctly but behaves properly true Christianity exalts Christ and promotes holiness. Pergamum was prepared despite the loyalty of some to tolerate the heresy of others. The third thing and the last thing in this section I want you to notice is that in the midst of all of this, we are confronted once again by the supremacy of Christ supremacy that is seen as the issue is a call call to the believers to repent. Verse 26. Repent otherwise I will soon come to you in our fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He alone is the one who in his authority and supremacy can issue such a call. He alone is the one who speaks the authoritative word. The dramatic picture. Isn't it the sword of his mouth. Have you seen pictures of a short Roman sword you will understand the mentor for because the short Roman swords were a bit like John fruit knifes and a canteen of cutlery those the little why ones salute talking like Jesus says my word is sharp like that. Of course we know that the writer to the Hebrews says the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword, Paul says of the word of God which we should take into our hands in order to deal with the issues around this is nothing other than the sword of the Spirit.

It is the sword which pricks the consciences of men and women. It is this sword which wounds the sinner's pride. It is this sword which cuts away all of our camouflages and pierces all of our defense.

It is a start, says that which bears our sin and need and kills all false doctrine by debt sharp thrusts. Now there is a word of vital importance here concerning the authority and the sufficiency of Scripture for the people there in Pergamum as they live their lives for us this morning as we live in the framework of an environment in which reading and history and convictions that have been long held convictions been shuddering and crumbling under the Reconstructionist thinking of the intellectual elites feeding its way down into the community and magazines and in different things so that I would out of that environment we find ourselves coming into the loosening of the word of God and we need to ask the spirit of God to remind us again of the absolute supremacy of Jesus and the absolute authority and sufficiency of the Bible Jesus in the face of temptation. You will remember turning to the Bible to answer the evil one in revitalizing the respondent do on the road to Emmaus in Luke chapter 24, it struck me again in preparing for this this week that he turned them to the Scriptures. Remember they were disconsolate.

They thought all matters of redemptive history had been buried in a Palestinian grave.

They said to the stranger, we thought that he was the one who was going to be the Redeemer of our people Israel.

But it's all come to a dreadful grinding halt. Why did Jesus not at that moment simply say Hang on a minute. Initially, a couple of things that my hands and my robe. Up until now, but look and show them his nail pierced hands on why managers pull back something of his garments and showing his children, his site, why did he give them a bite. Talk why did he give them a Bible exposition. Why did he begin with Moses and the prophets and show them everything in the Scriptures concerning himself because he knew that the opportunity to see the wounds would be limited to a moment and to a few, but the necessity to convey from generation to generation, the on adding truth of the sufficient word of God would be the constant need in all times and in all places and that's why when finally, in the breaking of bread he makes himself known to them and then departs the Satan one another did not. Our hearts burn within us while he talked with us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us. I hope you're not worshiping in a congregation that spends so much time creating the atmosphere by saying that there is no time left for listening to the word of God and its preaching. The way that we are portion and proportion our time is a direct indication of the priorities that we give to certain aspects of our lives in the place of the Bible is absolutely vital and maybe one other indication of this, remember the story that Jesus tells of the rich man who dies and he goes to hell.

The better Lazarus who worked at his gate is now found in heaven looking across and this is simply a metaphor in order to make points and surely looking across DC's father Abraham and he says father Abraham, could you send Lazarus over here to give me basically just a sip of water because I am parched with thirst, no chance is able well. Lance is the rich man could you please send Lazarus to my brothers to warn them because I don't want them to come to this place what is Abram saying he says they have Moses and the prophets let them listen to them. In other words, let them read their Bibles or no-shows. The rich man by recounting it. Somebody will come from that dad and speak to them in other was of something really dramatic takes place that I'm fairly convinced that they will then believe in will not end up in hell and movement. Abram replies if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets. They will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead body understand this steer the confidence of heaven is in the Scriptures and the erosion of confidence by what ever mechanism amongst the people of God in the authority and ultimately this efficiency of the Scriptures to be able to accomplish the purposes for which God has ordained it is a significant erosion. It will not become apparent in the one generation, but in subsequent generations.

The declension brought the misgivings the disinterest the wrongful preoccupations will in generations yet unborn of Christ had a shield their picture fruit so I say to you. Beware of everyone and everything that would ever make as waiver on our convictions concerning the singular authority in the absolute sufficiency of Scripture, supremacy of Christ is revealed in his call to repent is revealed in his authority by his word and it is revealed as you will see in the gifts that he is able to promise to the ones who overcome I'll give them some of the hidden man. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it.

Now this point, Mr. Smith and his wife Ethel are getting educational but about to jump into the discussion with a comment on hidden man on the white stones with a new name just encourage them to sit there for a moment will be okay don't worry.

Don't get too upset. You may want to go, Ethel and just just for the Longer getting ready and I were drawing this to a close get around in the kitchen is the safest place for you see what I can feel it. I can feel your agnosticism about the kick in again. Yes, you are becoming very perceptive in such a short time, but that's no surprise that a very bright group of people. So am I going to say to you, I want to tell you: do your homework go home and read all the books I've read on the hidden man on the white stone golden fall asleep listening to all these funny ideas. But as any good teacher would say let me give you a start. I was always glad to give me a start. I try to keep the teacher there for as long as she possibly could give them a start after start after started to finish to finish the whole thing for me, but they were always there. Were they always caught on to me very quickly. But let me give you a start. What about this idea of hidden manna will take you back some of you in your mind to know your Bible well back in the Exodus to the ark of the covenant to the. The golden urn into the manner that was hidden away inside that man. Of course, which was pointing out who is aware through time to Jesus Christ who is the true bread from heaven. Jesus, who is presently hidden from is the true manner hidden from us in the reality of heaven enabling has entered our communion services. We sing we taste the order living bread and long to feast upon the still be drink of either Fountainhead and thirst our souls on the to fill adding this is somewhere in the direction of how you get a handle on this, that in heaven we will enjoy all the reality of having eaten of the bread that comes down from heaven, which is his life for the world.

As for the stone I was assured of the stone itself is significant. Other than it exists as an entity upon which can be carved or written.

This name in our lives as a vehicle for the giving of the name. But what of the name. What would seem that you're going to get a new name in the new heaven and the new.

So for example if your name is Agnes and you never liked it.

Hold on its it's you know you will be okay now that Agnes is a bad name.

I just chose that was the first one that came to mind AB in the first letter in the alphabet which I said this, but I didn't and I'll just give you the quote and then we have to go to fire Tyler very quickly some little boys nudging his mother say or do we have to go to site. Can we just go to the God does not view the multitude of the redeemed is a great undifferentiated mass of humanity ever thought about getting up to have anything just going to be one big glob of of something will all be lost in the crowd will be strange in newly fashion features, and creatures know we will we will recognize one another. I don't think there's any doubt about that.

Even in our newness. But Jesus calls his sheep by name apparently has a promise for his and that is that he's going to come to us is going to come to his individually and he's gonna slip a little stone and hands, as it were, literally or metaphorically, and on that is our new name, identifying the uniqueness and the distinctiveness of the personal relationship that we will enjoy for all of eternity with he who is the Lord of glory rights that I knew name upon my heart that you best name of La that is the best I can do a okay for thiazide, 40 miles southeast of Pergamum. The longest length are finally enough is written to the least politically influential city of the group. If we had walked into a flat tire on a lovely morning like this. We would've discovered it was a thriving, bustling commercial community a great place to go shopping if you had a business in the outlying regions you would go there and buy wholesale and take the stuff back and resell it. Something along those lines, presumably, had been part and parcel of the business established by Lydia. Of course, you will remember came from fire Tyler and was herself a seller of purple part of the opportunistic entrepreneurial environment of fire. Tyler was seen in its manufacturing base, which he then matched with a marketing ability. So much so that it drew people from all around folks would be going there for a good day shopping you buy will either by wonderful linen, either by letter goods.

If you needed to add to some of your cooking utensils. They had a wonderful pottery place and there were apparently excellent bakeries which were in full swing, allowing the advertisement to sit down and eat himself to death while his wife continued to run around buying linen, wool and leather goods. I do apologize for the dreadful stereotype, but anyway it was here in the midst of all of this activity that Jesus had said this church in an environment that was peculiarly challenging as we are about to see Jesus and prayed for the church that they wouldn't be paid to his father would not be removed from the world by the From the evil one. These believers whereas we this morning at both in Christ and in fire Tyler. We are placed in Christ, but we also live in complete thoughts are in Christ, and we also live in Bolton one day out in Christ. This will be caught up as we are in heaven with Christ. But for the time being, our experience of being Christ is also mitigated and impinged upon by the fact that we are living is very real world with all of the challenges and changes that it represents tolerating false teaching is dangerous when it comes to Christ authority and supremacy. We need to stand firm listing to Alistair Begg on Truth for Life. The Bible should have a central and vital place in each one of our lives.

Even Jesus turned to the Scriptures as he resisted temptation and as he conveyed truth to others. That's why our mission here at Truth for Life is to teach the Bible every day I'm in the process to encourage pastors to be committed to teaching the Bible as well, sharing our faith with others isn't something that is reserved for pastors or for Bible study leaders. All of us are expected to share the good news of Christ's gospel with others and help you do that today we want to encourage you to request a book titled mere evangelism. 10 insights from CS Lewis to help you share your faith. In addition, for being known for his writing. CS Lewis was used by God to lead many people to trust Jesus.

The book mere evangelism. You'll see how Lewis approached gospel conversations. This book explores how Lewis responded to questions how we handle objections and how he appealed to people's love of imagery by looking at 10 specific ways.

Lewis approached sharing his faith.

We can draw from his strategies to freshen our own approach to evangelism requester copy of the book mere evangelism. When you give a donation to support the biblical teaching you hear on this program to give click the image you see on the mobile app or visit us online at truthforlife.org/donate or you can call us at 888588788 Bob Lapine hope you can join us tomorrow will learn how moral compromises like a poisonous weed, it can quickly and thoroughly mark everyone everything it touches Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life with learning is prolific