Welcome again to our program,
00:00:19.08\00:00:22.43
"Revelation of The Coming King."
00:00:22.46\00:00:26.30
Let me introduce
myself once again.
00:00:26.33\00:00:28.45
I'm Ranko Stefanovic, professor
00:00:28.48\00:00:31.72
in Seventh-day
Adventist Theological Seminary,
00:00:31.75\00:00:35.00
Andrews University.
00:00:35.03\00:00:36.99
And I'm so excited to
be here and share with you
00:00:37.02\00:00:41.16
my insights from
this book that is titled
00:00:41.19\00:00:45.22
"The Revelation
of Jesus Christ."
00:00:45.25\00:00:48.75
This book has a
special meaning to me.
00:00:48.78\00:00:52.17
And the vision, the
first vision of Jesus Christ
00:00:52.20\00:00:56.87
that we tried to
understand the last time,
00:00:57.91\00:01:02.21
actually, it's really
something that made impact on me
00:01:02.24\00:01:05.58
and changed my Christian life
00:01:05.61\00:01:07.30
and put it into completely
different direction. Last time--
00:01:07.33\00:01:11.87
Let me remind you that last time
00:01:11.90\00:01:16.07
we saw how John met
Jesus Christ there in Patmos.
00:01:16.10\00:01:21.34
John was in his own suffering,
00:01:21.37\00:01:24.64
but addition to
this physical suffering
00:01:24.67\00:01:27.01
there was a mental
anguish because of the churches
00:01:27.04\00:01:30.56
that he was in
charge and those churches
00:01:30.59\00:01:32.85
they came into serious trouble.
00:01:32.88\00:01:35.38
But about those
churches more now at this moment
00:01:35.41\00:01:38.81
and we saw how Jesus actually
00:01:38.84\00:01:41.50
came to
introduce Himself to John,
00:01:41.53\00:01:45.07
but what He did for John,
00:01:45.10\00:01:47.16
He did also for the churches.
00:01:47.19\00:01:49.74
He came to John as
that glorified Christ
00:01:49.77\00:01:53.52
and then taking
a part of Himself,
00:01:53.55\00:01:55.98
some of His characteristics,
00:01:56.01\00:01:58.30
He introduces Himself
to those seven churches
00:01:58.33\00:02:01.31
one by one in a unique way.
00:02:01.34\00:02:04.77
But then, after
giving them the rebuke
00:02:04.80\00:02:10.04
and giving them a counsel
00:02:10.07\00:02:12.51
what to do in order to
get out of the situation,
00:02:12.54\00:02:17.13
Jesus gives them a call,
00:02:17.16\00:02:18.79
carefully listen to the
Spirit that speaks to them
00:02:18.82\00:02:22.31
and then points
to those promises
00:02:22.34\00:02:24.81
that he wants to
give to those churches.
00:02:24.84\00:02:26.59
And we noticed last
time-- we noticed last time
00:02:26.62\00:02:30.36
that as the
situation of those churches
00:02:30.39\00:02:32.75
was going down and down, down,
00:02:32.78\00:02:35.06
the sin was increasing.
00:02:35.09\00:02:36.71
What happened with the grace?
00:02:36.74\00:02:38.86
Actually, we have the
increase of those promises
00:02:38.89\00:02:41.74
that Jesus was
giving to those churches.
00:02:41.77\00:02:45.19
Friends, this is the
kind of God that I believe in.
00:02:45.22\00:02:49.47
Unfortunately, there are
many Christians in this world,
00:02:49.50\00:02:53.34
the first thing that
something happens to them,
00:02:53.37\00:02:55.28
something bad,
"What did I sin to God?"
00:02:55.31\00:02:58.09
God is just waiting
for us to punish us.
00:02:58.12\00:03:01.06
The Book of
Revelation is telling us
00:03:01.09\00:03:02.83
that we have a God.
00:03:02.86\00:03:04.47
When you have two
kids, one kid has a problem
00:03:04.50\00:03:06.69
and the other one is good,
00:03:06.72\00:03:08.09
you make smuch more effort
00:03:08.12\00:03:09.49
toward that
erring children--child.
00:03:09.52\00:03:11.95
You want to help him.
00:03:11.98\00:03:13.50
And that's why with increase
of problems in those churches,
00:03:13.53\00:03:16.73
we have increase
of Jesus' promises
00:03:16.76\00:03:19.00
and His effort to
save those people.
00:03:19.03\00:03:21.44
So when sin increases,
grace increases even more.
00:03:21.47\00:03:28.85
That's the kind of
Savior that we have.
00:03:28.88\00:03:31.04
Now we would
like to go and to see
00:03:31.07\00:03:34.16
about how Jesus
spoke and addressed
00:03:34.19\00:03:37.67
the situations
in those churches.
00:03:37.70\00:03:40.04
I just want to
tell you something.
00:03:40.07\00:03:42.34
We need much more time for that.
00:03:42.37\00:03:45.45
We tried to squeeze
it in 1 hour segment,
00:03:45.48\00:03:49.36
but I'd like to
invite all of you
00:03:49.39\00:03:51.80
who are in my
audience and also our viewers,
00:03:51.83\00:03:55.69
praise God that once
this program is over,
00:03:55.72\00:04:00.81
you can take this tool--
00:04:00.84\00:04:02.89
please, I just
want to remind you.
00:04:02.92\00:04:04.65
This is the tool.
This is what we study.
00:04:04.68\00:04:08.05
This is just a tool.
00:04:08.08\00:04:10.18
It's a product of
carefully research of myself
00:04:10.21\00:04:13.82
and number of other
people and also tell us
00:04:13.85\00:04:16.51
what we as the
church today believe
00:04:16.54\00:04:20.06
with regard to the
Book of Revelation.
00:04:20.09\00:04:21.83
I would really
like to encourage you
00:04:21.86\00:04:23.56
to provide a copy for yourself.
00:04:23.59\00:04:25.65
So once this program is over,
00:04:25.68\00:04:28.31
you can turn out to the
pages, actually the same pages
00:04:28.34\00:04:32.77
that we referred
to last time, page 79.
00:04:32.80\00:04:37.51
It's just introduction
00:04:37.54\00:04:39.39
and then we will go
to page 113 and so on,
00:04:39.42\00:04:43.72
because next two presentations
00:04:43.75\00:04:45.77
will be based on this
part of these commentary
00:04:45.80\00:04:52.22
which is titled
"Revelation of Jesus Christ."
00:04:52.25\00:04:56.09
Okay.
00:04:56.12\00:04:58.90
So I hope that you're ready.
00:04:58.93\00:05:02.03
I'd like now to invite you
00:05:02.06\00:05:04.23
to turn to Revelation Chapter 2.
00:05:04.26\00:05:08.73
Finally we are
coming out of chapter 1.
00:05:08.76\00:05:13.40
But let us go back to
chapter 1, just quickly.
00:05:16.50\00:05:19.37
You remember in verse
19, Jesus said to John,
00:05:19.40\00:05:25.54
"Therefore write the
things which you have seen
00:05:25.57\00:05:28.65
and the things
which are and the things
00:05:28.68\00:05:31.07
which will take
place after these things."
00:05:31.10\00:05:33.64
Now John was
commanded something to write.
00:05:33.67\00:05:36.82
The first thing he was commanded
00:05:36.85\00:05:38.95
to write is about the messages
00:05:38.98\00:05:41.65
that Jesus wanted to
send to those churches.
00:05:41.68\00:05:45.74
So now before we are going
to listen to these messages,
00:05:45.77\00:05:48.82
I'd like to invite
you to bow your heads down
00:05:48.85\00:05:52.92
so that we can ask
God for His guidance
00:05:52.95\00:05:56.24
and the presence
of the Holy Spirit
00:05:56.27\00:05:57.65
as we are going to
understand these messages.
00:05:57.68\00:06:00.06
Our Heavenly Father,
please be with us and give us
00:06:00.09\00:06:04.50
Your Holy Spirit
so these messages
00:06:04.53\00:06:08.02
that were sent to
those churches at that time
00:06:08.05\00:06:10.59
we understand that those
messages also concerns us today
00:06:10.62\00:06:14.83
because you sent them
00:06:14.86\00:06:16.23
and you wrote
them also for us today.
00:06:16.26\00:06:18.38
Please give us Your
Holy Spirit and speak to us.
00:06:18.41\00:06:21.49
We would like to
understand Your will for us
00:06:21.52\00:06:23.89
and we pray all of this
00:06:23.92\00:06:25.39
in the precious name of
our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
00:06:25.42\00:06:30.47
Okay.
00:06:30.50\00:06:32.16
We have those messages
that Jesus sent to the churches.
00:06:32.19\00:06:37.31
They are found
in chapters 2 and 3.
00:06:37.34\00:06:40.40
We're focusing on chapter 2
in the first three messages.
00:06:40.43\00:06:43.02
But before we go to that,
00:06:43.05\00:06:45.14
we have to ask
ourselves a question.
00:06:45.17\00:06:48.49
By the way more
than one question.
00:06:48.52\00:06:51.30
Yes, Jesus came there to
Patmos, okay, to help John,
00:06:51.33\00:06:56.96
to encourage him
in his situation,
00:06:56.99\00:06:59.37
but also to provide
John with those messages
00:06:59.40\00:07:02.22
to send to those churches.
00:07:02.25\00:07:04.46
So then what's the big deal?
00:07:04.49\00:07:07.17
If those messages were written
just to those Christians,
00:07:07.20\00:07:11.96
why should we read
them? Did they concern us?
00:07:11.99\00:07:16.39
And please, help me
to explain few things
00:07:16.42\00:07:22.70
what comes clearly out
of the Book of Revelation.
00:07:22.73\00:07:27.71
Please, we have to keep in mind.
00:07:27.74\00:07:30.26
Yes, those messages were written
00:07:30.29\00:07:33.04
originally to those Christians.
00:07:33.07\00:07:38.11
So when we try to understand
and to deal with those messages,
00:07:38.14\00:07:41.26
there are three
levels of applications.
00:07:41.29\00:07:45.06
How many? Three.
00:07:45.09\00:07:47.75
So which is the first
level? We already said it.
00:07:47.78\00:07:52.03
We call it the
historical application.
00:07:52.06\00:07:55.12
What do you mean that?
00:07:55.15\00:07:57.33
We have to
understand and keep in mind
00:07:57.36\00:08:00.77
to whom those messages
where originally written.
00:08:00.80\00:08:05.74
Are you with me?
00:08:05.77\00:08:07.19
So it's of primary
importance to keep in mind
00:08:07.22\00:08:12.72
that those seven
letters were originally
00:08:12.75\00:08:16.14
sent to those respective
churches in Asia Minor.
00:08:16.17\00:08:20.29
Those churches
were real churches,
00:08:20.32\00:08:25.45
okay, in the real
places and they change--
00:08:25.48\00:08:31.55
they faces--faced
the real challenges.
00:08:31.58\00:08:36.01
The cities in which
those churches were located,
00:08:36.04\00:08:40.74
they were usually
prosperous cities.
00:08:40.77\00:08:43.71
The Christians in those cities
they lived in pagan environment.
00:08:43.74\00:08:50.09
And they faced
their serious challenges.
00:08:50.12\00:08:52.89
You see, under
the Roman government,
00:08:52.92\00:08:56.29
there was peace and
prosperity in the Roman Empire,
00:08:56.32\00:09:00.34
at least for Roman citizens.
00:09:00.37\00:09:03.64
You know, and people
are very grateful for that.
00:09:03.67\00:09:06.25
You know, when the kingdom,
00:09:06.28\00:09:08.08
when the empire flourishes,
00:09:08.11\00:09:10.75
when people have
something to eat,
00:09:10.78\00:09:14.44
when people can enjoy life,
have plenty of entertainment
00:09:14.47\00:09:18.75
then people are
grateful to the government.
00:09:18.78\00:09:21.27
And we have many
cities in the Roman Empire.
00:09:21.30\00:09:24.23
Actually they
competed among themselves.
00:09:24.26\00:09:27.22
Who would build a
better monument to the empire?
00:09:27.25\00:09:31.83
But who was in the charge
of the empire? The Emperor.
00:09:31.86\00:09:35.71
Actually we have--
at that time the emperor
00:09:35.74\00:09:37.80
somehow became defied.
00:09:37.83\00:09:39.50
He started much,
much, much earlier.
00:09:39.53\00:09:43.27
So the cities would always
00:09:43.30\00:09:44.90
request the Roman
government to build the temple
00:09:44.93\00:09:50.19
and put the statue
there of the emperor
00:09:50.22\00:09:53.39
and in the Jew
time during the year
00:09:53.42\00:09:56.50
they would come there to
somehow offer their worship
00:09:56.53\00:10:00.94
which was an expression of
their loyalty to the government.
00:10:00.97\00:10:04.59
They would worship
there, offered an incense there
00:10:04.62\00:10:07.68
before the
statue of the emperor.
00:10:07.71\00:10:10.68
Actually, later times already
00:10:10.71\00:10:12.27
by the time of the
Book of Revelation,
00:10:12.30\00:10:14.68
the emperor
worship was compulsory
00:10:14.71\00:10:17.26
as the civic duty
of all the citizens.
00:10:17.29\00:10:21.96
When you go there, a
certificate was issued to you
00:10:21.99\00:10:27.88
and you can be a free citizen,
00:10:27.91\00:10:29.92
have your business,
develop your business.
00:10:29.95\00:10:32.64
Do the trade and
live a normal life.
00:10:32.67\00:10:36.23
If you don't do it, it means
you're not a loyal citizen.
00:10:36.26\00:10:42.38
Whatever you try to do,
00:10:42.41\00:10:44.19
you're the
outcast of the society.
00:10:44.22\00:10:46.27
So can you imagine about
the situation of the Christians
00:10:46.30\00:10:50.00
there in those churches?
00:10:50.03\00:10:52.23
What would you do?
00:10:52.26\00:10:53.63
Of course, when you
do not have too much,
00:10:53.66\00:10:56.31
there's not too
much problems for you.
00:10:56.34\00:10:58.19
But if you're a rich
person and you have a business--
00:10:58.22\00:11:01.49
we will talk about that.
00:11:01.52\00:11:02.89
You want your
business to prosper
00:11:02.92\00:11:04.57
and it becomes a
serious problem for you.
00:11:04.60\00:11:07.06
And debate was
among those Christians
00:11:07.09\00:11:09.56
how to relate to that?
00:11:09.59\00:11:10.96
Actually it was a civic
duty of every Roman citizen
00:11:10.99\00:11:15.47
to go also to
pagan temples there
00:11:15.50\00:11:17.39
because every city
had their God protector.
00:11:17.42\00:11:24.06
So if you want to keep good
relationships with those Gods,
00:11:24.09\00:11:28.52
you have to go
to offer sacrifices,
00:11:28.55\00:11:30.42
to participate
in pagan ceremonies.
00:11:30.45\00:11:33.20
Usually there was eating
the food sacrificed to idols,
00:11:33.23\00:11:37.62
drinking and sometimes
sexual entertainment there.
00:11:37.65\00:11:43.06
Friends, we're not talking
about faithfulness to God.
00:11:43.09\00:11:45.16
We're taking about your
civic duty as a citizen.
00:11:45.19\00:11:49.90
So as Christians how
would you relate to that?
00:11:49.93\00:11:55.20
We only see some
Christians advocated compromise.
00:11:55.23\00:11:59.37
Okay.
00:11:59.40\00:12:00.77
So first we want to find out
00:12:00.80\00:12:02.53
how those messages
spoke to the people
00:12:02.56\00:12:06.58
of that time
addressing their own situations.
00:12:06.61\00:12:11.25
Let's go to the next level.
00:12:11.28\00:12:13.51
But keep in mind, even though
00:12:13.54\00:12:16.11
those messages
were written to them,
00:12:16.14\00:12:20.97
they were not
written just for them.
00:12:21.00\00:12:24.14
Keep in mind we
already established
00:12:24.17\00:12:26.02
that at the
beginning we saw in verse 3
00:12:26.05\00:12:29.48
that the Book of
Revelation is a prophetic book.
00:12:29.51\00:12:34.22
You see, like
every book of the Bible,
00:12:34.25\00:12:36.25
like for
instance, Book of Isaiah,
00:12:36.28\00:12:38.74
originally was written
to the people of Israel
00:12:38.77\00:12:41.91
of Isaiah's time or
the Book of Ezekiel,
00:12:41.94\00:12:44.77
the Book of Jeremiah, etcetera.
00:12:44.80\00:12:47.22
When Paul wrote Romans
00:12:47.25\00:12:48.62
he wrote to the church
in Rome of his own time.
00:12:48.65\00:12:51.66
But you see, the
messages of the Bible
00:12:51.69\00:12:53.91
even though were
written to certain people
00:12:53.94\00:12:55.85
in their own time at the
time of the biblical writer,
00:12:55.88\00:13:00.23
the messages were not
only for them, but also for us.
00:13:00.26\00:13:06.73
So the second level would
be universal applications.
00:13:06.76\00:13:12.01
Let me mention
few things about this.
00:13:12.04\00:13:16.78
Usually, I see when Christians
00:13:21.79\00:13:23.41
are talking
about these messages,
00:13:23.44\00:13:24.81
they talk about seven letters.
00:13:24.84\00:13:28.67
Can we turn to the Bible?
00:13:28.70\00:13:30.07
I just want to show
you how much it's important
00:13:30.10\00:13:32.49
to see what the Bible
says because we usually
00:13:32.52\00:13:34.44
memorize what people say.
00:13:34.47\00:13:36.54
Can you go to Revelation 1:11?
00:13:36.57\00:13:41.52
Jesus said to
John-- are you there?
00:13:41.55\00:13:46.56
"Write in the book,"
which is actually scroll.
00:13:46.59\00:13:50.05
There are no books.
00:13:50.08\00:13:51.75
"Write in the book
what you see and send it,"
00:13:51.78\00:13:55.39
singular, "to
the seven churches,
00:13:55.42\00:13:58.72
to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,
00:13:58.75\00:14:00.76
Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia, Laodicea."
00:14:00.79\00:14:03.51
What do you see there?
There was just one letter.
00:14:03.54\00:14:07.96
What does it mean?
00:14:07.99\00:14:09.91
That these seven
messages were put in one scroll
00:14:09.94\00:14:14.28
together with the rest
of the Book of Revelation
00:14:14.31\00:14:17.95
and were sent to
the church in Ephesus.
00:14:17.98\00:14:20.11
And the church in Ephesus
had to read all those messages.
00:14:20.14\00:14:25.97
Then we come to
the church in Smyrna,
00:14:26.00\00:14:28.47
then to the church in Pergamum,
then to the church in Sardis,
00:14:28.50\00:14:32.45
then to the
church in Philadelphia,
00:14:32.48\00:14:34.36
then church of Laodicea.
00:14:34.39\00:14:36.38
I skipped the
church of Thyatira, okay.
00:14:36.41\00:14:39.52
Each of those seven churches
00:14:39.55\00:14:42.86
they had to read to
read all the seven messages.
00:14:42.89\00:14:45.75
Why?
00:14:45.78\00:14:47.49
Because not everybody in Ephesus
was losing the first love.
00:14:47.52\00:14:54.90
Some of those Christians were
like Smyrnaeans, persecuted.
00:14:54.93\00:15:00.30
Some were like
Laodiceans, very proud.
00:15:00.33\00:15:02.68
They had everything.
00:15:02.71\00:15:04.16
That's why each
message concludes how?
00:15:04.19\00:15:06.87
With a call, "Whoever has ear,
00:15:06.90\00:15:09.64
let him hear
what the Spirit says
00:15:09.67\00:15:12.20
to the churches,"
not to the church.
00:15:12.23\00:15:17.07
You see,
friends, today we believe
00:15:17.10\00:15:19.81
that we are at
the time of Laodicea
00:15:19.84\00:15:21.91
and you come to one church.
00:15:21.94\00:15:23.42
Not everybody in
the church is Laodicean.
00:15:23.45\00:15:26.76
I know when I was a pastor.
00:15:26.79\00:15:28.56
I know most of
us were Laodicean,
00:15:28.59\00:15:30.81
but there is that
lady beaten by her husband.
00:15:30.84\00:15:33.06
I'm talking about
particular part of the world
00:15:33.09\00:15:35.50
where I worked
there-- beaten by her husband,
00:15:35.53\00:15:38.68
sacrificing,
taking out of her meal
00:15:38.71\00:15:41.87
to bring just few
penny there to the church.
00:15:41.90\00:15:45.80
I never saw that
person as Laodiceans.
00:15:45.83\00:15:48.19
She was a Smyrnaean.
00:15:48.22\00:15:49.59
We have Christians in
different parts of the world.
00:15:49.62\00:15:51.91
Just in the recent
history persecuted,
00:15:51.94\00:15:54.18
secretly copied the
Bible, secretly worshipping
00:15:54.21\00:15:57.16
and spending actually
several years in the prison.
00:15:57.19\00:16:00.03
Are you still with me?
00:16:00.06\00:16:01.43
That's why we
need those messages
00:16:01.46\00:16:03.41
because all those messages
00:16:03.44\00:16:05.33
they appeal
different needs of Christians.
00:16:05.36\00:16:07.69
Yes, one
particular time characterizes
00:16:07.72\00:16:12.77
the faith of the
most of the believers,
00:16:12.80\00:16:15.31
but not everybody
shares with that experience.
00:16:15.34\00:16:18.58
That's why we need
the general application.
00:16:18.61\00:16:21.49
By the way, Ellen White,
this was her favorite method
00:16:21.52\00:16:26.16
then she interpreted the
messages for seven churches.
00:16:26.19\00:16:29.38
And then there is the
third level of application.
00:16:29.41\00:16:33.78
As we mentioned, let me
remind you one more time.
00:16:33.81\00:16:35.77
The Book of
Revelation is a prophesy
00:16:35.80\00:16:38.64
telling us what will
happen also in the future.
00:16:38.67\00:16:42.35
Yeah, it address
the present situation,
00:16:42.38\00:16:45.48
but talking about what
will happen in the future.
00:16:45.51\00:16:48.55
And by the way the
Christians, during last,
00:16:48.58\00:16:53.00
I don't know
how many, 200 years,
00:16:53.03\00:16:56.44
they noticed
something very significant.
00:16:56.47\00:16:59.05
How the situations
in those seven churches
00:16:59.08\00:17:05.50
actually amazingly
correspond to the situation
00:17:05.53\00:17:10.67
of the Christian
church throughout the history.
00:17:10.70\00:17:17.46
They noticed as we mentioned
00:17:17.49\00:17:19.24
how the church in
Ephesus for instance,
00:17:19.27\00:17:21.38
patulous the situation
of the Christian church
00:17:21.41\00:17:24.31
in general in the 1st century
00:17:24.34\00:17:27.71
or the Church of
Smyrna that was persecuted.
00:17:27.74\00:17:30.50
Amazingly, amazingly
that message corresponds
00:17:30.53\00:17:35.47
to the experience
of the Christian church
00:17:35.50\00:17:37.09
during the 2nd
and the 3rd centuries
00:17:37.12\00:17:39.55
or persecution of the
Christians under Rome, etcetera.
00:17:39.58\00:17:42.88
We will talk about that when
we address a particular church.
00:17:42.91\00:17:46.57
By the way, I'd like to
remind you about something.
00:17:46.60\00:17:50.25
If you go to the
"Signs of the Times,"
00:17:50.28\00:17:52.35
January 28th, the year 1903,
00:17:52.38\00:17:56.01
Ellen White
writes in following way.
00:17:56.04\00:17:59.43
"The revelation was written
to the seven churches in Asia."
00:17:59.46\00:18:03.09
Can I stop here for a
while? What does she say?
00:18:03.12\00:18:05.05
To whom was
Revelation originally written?
00:18:05.08\00:18:08.99
It was written to the
seven churches in Asia.
00:18:09.02\00:18:12.42
Are you still with me?
00:18:12.45\00:18:13.98
"Which represented the people
of God throughout the world."
00:18:14.01\00:18:17.22
Do you see that?
00:18:17.25\00:18:19.95
"John to the seven
churches which are in Asia,
00:18:19.98\00:18:23.84
Grace be unto you and peace
from Him which is, which was
00:18:23.87\00:18:29.44
and which is to come,
and from the seven spirits
00:18:29.47\00:18:32.75
which are before His
throne and from Jesus Christ,
00:18:32.78\00:18:36.46
who is faithful witness
00:18:36.49\00:18:38.05
and the first
begotten of the dead,
00:18:38.08\00:18:40.53
and the prince of
the kings of the earth."
00:18:40.56\00:18:45.08
She also wrote
in the same journal
00:18:45.11\00:18:48.68
in the year 1888 on page 779.
00:18:48.71\00:18:53.49
She said, "The words uttered."
00:18:53.52\00:18:56.26
The messages of
the seven churches.
00:18:56.29\00:18:58.15
"Were not alone for
John on the Isle of Patmos.
00:18:58.18\00:19:02.77
They were not for
the churches alone."
00:19:02.80\00:19:05.57
You see, she
recognized that originally
00:19:05.60\00:19:07.79
it was written to the churches,
00:19:07.82\00:19:09.43
but not only for them.
00:19:09.46\00:19:11.81
"But through these churches
00:19:11.84\00:19:13.53
was to come the
inspired message for the people,
00:19:13.56\00:19:17.01
to have its powerful
impression in every age
00:19:17.04\00:19:21.36
to the close of
this earth's history."
00:19:21.39\00:19:26.35
So in order to get
00:19:26.38\00:19:29.43
the full significance
of the seven messages,
00:19:29.46\00:19:33.39
first we have to
start with John's own time
00:19:33.42\00:19:36.97
in order to understand
what the problems were,
00:19:37.00\00:19:40.01
what the situation was
there, okay, in Asia Minor.
00:19:40.04\00:19:45.01
What were the challenges
that the churches were facing?
00:19:45.04\00:19:49.17
And then try to understand,
what is the significance
00:19:49.20\00:19:53.45
of those messages
for my personal life?
00:19:53.48\00:19:57.42
Maybe I'm not Laodicean,
00:19:57.45\00:19:59.92
but maybe I have my
Laodicean pride, okay.
00:19:59.95\00:20:04.79
Or maybe I'm losing my
first love like Ephesians.
00:20:04.82\00:20:10.48
But in the same time
it will help us to see
00:20:10.51\00:20:12.82
how God cared for His people
00:20:12.85\00:20:15.59
from the 1st century
until the time of the end.
00:20:15.62\00:20:18.85
By the way, the historians
00:20:18.88\00:20:20.51
who even made the
entire church history
00:20:20.54\00:20:25.79
like, German historian Schaef.
00:20:25.82\00:20:28.80
Actually the
way how he described
00:20:28.83\00:20:30.20
entire Christian
history from the 1st century
00:20:30.23\00:20:32.22
until the 19th century
is really shows clearly
00:20:32.25\00:20:36.45
how the history Christian church
reflected those seven messages.
00:20:36.48\00:20:41.41
So we have to
take into consideration
00:20:41.44\00:20:43.67
all these three
levels of interpretation,
00:20:43.70\00:20:45.95
but now I'd like to invite you
00:20:45.98\00:20:48.32
that we go and just briefly
00:20:48.35\00:20:52.12
to have a look
into those messages.
00:20:52.15\00:20:55.30
And there is something
that it'll appeal to us
00:20:55.33\00:20:59.26
and show how God actually
cares for my personal life
00:20:59.29\00:21:02.59
and how Jesus speaks to me today
00:21:02.62\00:21:04.82
within my own,
own situation, okay.
00:21:04.85\00:21:08.06
So what is-- you remember
00:21:08.09\00:21:10.60
what is the first
church that Jesus addresses?
00:21:10.63\00:21:13.94
It's the church in Ephesus.
00:21:13.97\00:21:16.72
Actually, the church in Ephesus
00:21:16.75\00:21:20.55
was the first city
close to Patmos, okay.
00:21:20.58\00:21:27.36
It was nearest of the
seven cities to Patmos
00:21:27.39\00:21:30.62
about 50 to 60
miles from the island.
00:21:30.65\00:21:35.23
We'll not read those messages.
00:21:35.26\00:21:37.23
I'd like to invite the
viewers and all of you,
00:21:37.26\00:21:40.49
if you can open your Bible
00:21:40.52\00:21:42.02
in front of you
just to save the time.
00:21:42.05\00:21:44.74
We would like to
see about the situation,
00:21:44.77\00:21:48.17
okay, in those cities.
00:21:48.20\00:21:49.69
We would like to see
the situation in the church
00:21:49.72\00:21:52.88
and what were the
problems and issues
00:21:52.91\00:21:55.18
that Jesus
addressed in those messages.
00:21:55.21\00:21:57.95
You have to
understand that Ephesus
00:21:57.98\00:22:00.12
was the capital city
of the province of Asia.
00:22:00.15\00:22:04.20
It was the fourth,
00:22:04.23\00:22:06.33
the largest city
in the Roman Empire
00:22:06.36\00:22:09.35
with a population of
about 250,000 people.
00:22:09.38\00:22:14.81
I just want to
mention to the viewers,
00:22:14.84\00:22:16.81
I visited all those cities,
00:22:16.84\00:22:18.84
the ruins of those cities
several times there in Turkey.
00:22:18.87\00:22:23.16
It was located on the Aegean Sea
00:22:23.19\00:22:26.28
at the mouth of the river
00:22:26.31\00:22:28.96
and on the crossroads of
their major straight roads
00:22:28.99\00:22:32.60
which made the
city very prosperous.
00:22:32.63\00:22:36.46
The city was a famous political,
00:22:36.49\00:22:40.63
commercial, and
religious center.
00:22:40.66\00:22:45.19
It was filled with
commercial buildings
00:22:45.22\00:22:48.86
including temples, theaters,
00:22:48.89\00:22:52.27
gymnasium,
bathhouses, and brothels.
00:22:52.30\00:22:56.25
By the way, it was just--
00:22:56.28\00:22:57.82
I don't know how many
months ago, 6, 7 months ago,
00:22:57.85\00:23:01.30
I had such great
privilege to go and to visit
00:23:01.33\00:23:04.51
one of the houses in Ephesus
that are discovered there.
00:23:04.54\00:23:10.17
They're still working on that.
00:23:10.20\00:23:11.79
Just to tell you, those
people had air condition there.
00:23:11.82\00:23:15.13
They had the
heating-- central heating system
00:23:15.16\00:23:17.19
that we have to--
you cannot imagine.
00:23:17.22\00:23:19.80
It was a very wealthy city.
00:23:19.83\00:23:22.12
The philosophical schools there.
00:23:25.42\00:23:27.66
The city of Ephesus had
very good library there.
00:23:27.69\00:23:32.07
But there's
something very opposite,
00:23:32.10\00:23:33.96
that actually superstition
and magic flooded Ephesus.
00:23:33.99\00:23:38.93
Just such a
great, great contrast.
00:23:38.96\00:23:42.62
But above all, the
city of Ephesus was known as
00:23:42.65\00:23:47.07
the headquarter of the
goddess of Artemis or Diana.
00:23:47.10\00:23:53.74
The temple built in
honor of the goddess of Artemis
00:23:53.77\00:23:57.59
was several times
destroyed and rebuilt.
00:23:57.62\00:24:00.72
But today it's considered
00:24:00.75\00:24:02.12
as one of the seven
wonders of the ancient world.
00:24:02.15\00:24:06.81
It was a huge and
magnificent temple.
00:24:06.84\00:24:12.87
I'd like you to understand
something about Christians
00:24:12.90\00:24:14.92
who were there in Ephesus.
00:24:14.95\00:24:17.20
You know, it's very
easy to preach the gospel
00:24:17.23\00:24:19.86
when the situation in
the society is very bad.
00:24:19.89\00:24:23.77
But then you think
about the court of Artemis,
00:24:23.80\00:24:27.25
it's something amazing is.
00:24:27.28\00:24:29.23
Number one, the very temple
00:24:29.26\00:24:33.73
was the bank of
the ancient world.
00:24:33.76\00:24:37.97
If you had some wealth
00:24:38.00\00:24:41.14
and money and
some precious things
00:24:41.17\00:24:43.61
you wanted to
put in a safe place,
00:24:43.64\00:24:45.47
people would bring to
the temple of Artemis.
00:24:45.50\00:24:47.90
You know, it's safe there.
00:24:47.93\00:24:49.67
Are you still with me?
00:24:49.70\00:24:52.19
The wealthiest
people would bring
00:24:52.22\00:24:53.73
the precious things
there to the temple.
00:24:53.76\00:24:55.70
But there's something else.
00:24:55.73\00:24:57.76
The temple had a
right of protection
00:24:57.79\00:25:02.24
providing an
asylum to criminals.
00:25:02.27\00:25:05.92
Anybody who committed any crime,
00:25:05.95\00:25:08.01
if that person was able to reach
00:25:08.04\00:25:10.55
the building of
the goddess of Artemis,
00:25:10.58\00:25:14.48
even the emperor
himself could not come
00:25:14.51\00:25:17.52
and to take that person out
and to sentence that person.
00:25:17.55\00:25:23.63
Actually the
protection was around
00:25:23.66\00:25:25.71
50 yards around the temple.
00:25:25.74\00:25:27.65
So can you imagine? We
read additional sources.
00:25:27.68\00:25:30.50
What was in the temple
00:25:30.53\00:25:33.82
and who was around the temple?
00:25:33.85\00:25:35.88
You had the choicest number
of criminals around the temple
00:25:35.91\00:25:40.63
while in that temple
such precious material there.
00:25:40.66\00:25:43.30
But you see, at the same time
00:25:43.33\00:25:46.30
the temple was the place
where people would like to come.
00:25:46.33\00:25:51.76
If you had wedding,
you did not find a place
00:25:51.79\00:25:54.67
where to have wedding,
00:25:54.70\00:25:57.75
you could find a room
there in the temple of Artemis.
00:25:57.78\00:26:01.30
You're an artist. You
would like to display your art.
00:26:01.33\00:26:05.91
They will find a room for you.
00:26:05.94\00:26:08.30
You're a traveler
going through Ephesus
00:26:08.33\00:26:11.54
and suddenly you are robbed
00:26:11.57\00:26:13.89
and you are without any money.
00:26:13.92\00:26:15.37
You go there to the temple.
00:26:15.40\00:26:16.77
You prove to them that
you are really in need.
00:26:16.80\00:26:19.23
They will help you financially.
00:26:19.26\00:26:21.13
They will even provide for
you the food and the place where
00:26:21.16\00:26:24.74
you can stay for few
days before you leave.
00:26:24.77\00:26:29.61
If you're there in Ephesus
00:26:29.64\00:26:31.01
and suddenly a
calamity strikes you,
00:26:31.04\00:26:33.68
you go there to temple.
00:26:33.71\00:26:35.32
Believe me they have a Dorcas
Society there to help you.
00:26:35.35\00:26:39.03
So keep in mind I'm
talking about the temple
00:26:39.06\00:26:42.22
that was the
center of life there.
00:26:42.25\00:26:44.52
Why do you need Christianity
00:26:44.55\00:26:47.11
when people had
everything, everything there?
00:26:47.14\00:26:49.70
But that was a huge business
00:26:49.73\00:26:51.97
associated with
the temple of Artemis.
00:26:52.00\00:26:54.75
Such a business that many
people come there to Ephesus
00:26:54.78\00:26:57.83
and they became rich
because people are making
00:26:57.86\00:27:00.09
the statue of
goddess of Artemis.
00:27:00.12\00:27:02.84
She was actually considered
00:27:02.87\00:27:04.56
to be the
goddess of many breasts.
00:27:04.59\00:27:06.76
She was the
goddess of fertility there.
00:27:06.79\00:27:11.75
But let me tell you something.
00:27:11.78\00:27:14.78
When sometimes
we are Christians,
00:27:14.81\00:27:16.74
we live in certain city
00:27:16.77\00:27:18.14
and we say it's
impossible to serve God
00:27:18.17\00:27:20.46
in the place where I live.
00:27:20.49\00:27:21.86
Keep in mind that God
even in Ephesus had His church.
00:27:21.89\00:27:26.13
Amen.
00:27:26.16\00:27:28.00
When we read the
Book of Acts Chapter 19,
00:27:28.03\00:27:30.05
when Paul came there to Ephesus.
00:27:30.08\00:27:32.79
He started the preaching gospel
00:27:32.82\00:27:34.27
and very soon the Holy
Spirit worked so powerfully
00:27:34.30\00:27:38.27
that even those who became rich
00:27:38.30\00:27:40.37
because of the business
related to the temple of Artemis
00:27:40.40\00:27:43.78
were afraid for their business.
00:27:43.81\00:27:46.27
Actually Book of
Acts is telling us
00:27:46.30\00:27:48.70
that people brought
all those magic books
00:27:48.73\00:27:51.60
which are known
as Ephesian spells.
00:27:51.63\00:27:54.17
They distributed widely.
00:27:54.20\00:27:55.68
People became rich by
copying those little scrolls
00:27:55.71\00:28:00.29
to help them against demons.
00:28:00.32\00:28:02.29
They said 300,000 denarius
00:28:02.32\00:28:05.98
which is 300,000 daily
wages the value of those books,
00:28:06.01\00:28:10.52
just who became Christians.
00:28:10.55\00:28:12.29
So can you imagine
when the Holy Spirit
00:28:12.32\00:28:14.30
started working in
Ephesus what happened there?
00:28:14.33\00:28:17.82
So at the time of John,
00:28:17.85\00:28:20.50
the church in Ephesus
was still strong in faith.
00:28:23.54\00:28:27.79
When you read the message
Jesus said to the church.
00:28:31.27\00:28:35.47
"I know your
deeds, I know your toil,
00:28:35.50\00:28:39.98
I know your perseverance,
00:28:40.01\00:28:42.36
I know that you cannot
tolerate evil men." Chapter 2:2.
00:28:42.39\00:28:46.44
"And you put to test those
who call themselves apostles."
00:28:46.47\00:28:50.06
I know," verse 3, "I
know you have perseverance.
00:28:50.09\00:28:53.24
You have endured
for My name's sake.
00:28:53.27\00:28:55.67
You have not grown weary."
00:28:55.70\00:28:57.25
This is a fantastic
church, faithful to God,
00:28:57.28\00:29:00.46
but then when you
go to the verse 4,
00:29:00.49\00:29:02.68
what is the
problem with this church?
00:29:02.71\00:29:05.33
"I have this against you
that you." Actually in Greek.
00:29:05.36\00:29:10.00
"You're leaving,
abandoning your first love."
00:29:10.03\00:29:12.89
Scholars are so
much intrigued with this.
00:29:16.05\00:29:18.68
What does it mean that
the church was leaving,
00:29:18.71\00:29:21.15
abandoning or
losing its first love?
00:29:21.18\00:29:24.83
And there's only
one conclusion is.
00:29:24.86\00:29:26.81
You know, when you have a church
00:29:26.84\00:29:29.36
that is so faithful to God.
00:29:29.39\00:29:34.09
And the church
that try to censor
00:29:34.12\00:29:37.59
who is faithful to God,
00:29:37.62\00:29:38.99
who is not,
what usually happens?
00:29:39.02\00:29:41.96
People become very rigid.
00:29:41.99\00:29:43.85
By checking people, they start
losing the love for people.
00:29:45.85\00:29:50.61
By trying to be
so faithful to God
00:29:53.95\00:29:58.04
they start losing
their love for God.
00:29:58.07\00:30:00.11
Amen.
00:30:00.14\00:30:01.51
And then, friends,
00:30:04.32\00:30:05.69
we're not talking
about the negative way
00:30:05.72\00:30:08.10
because the Christians in
history have always struggled
00:30:08.13\00:30:15.05
how to be faithful to God,
00:30:15.08\00:30:18.74
to have that
correct and right doctrine,
00:30:18.77\00:30:22.89
to believe
right things about God
00:30:22.92\00:30:25.25
and how at the same
time to be loving Christians.
00:30:25.28\00:30:30.85
Evidently the church
in Ephesus was one sided
00:30:30.88\00:30:36.27
while trying to
be faithful to God.
00:30:36.30\00:30:39.70
That love that they have for God
00:30:39.73\00:30:42.38
somehow was
disappearing from their midst.
00:30:42.41\00:30:47.03
So Jesus is coming to the
church and telling in verse 5,
00:30:47.06\00:30:51.20
"Remember from
where you have fallen
00:30:51.23\00:30:55.41
and repent and do the
deeds you did at first."
00:30:55.44\00:31:02.04
Actually I had a number of times
00:31:02.07\00:31:04.56
as a pastor to go and
try to help certain families.
00:31:04.59\00:31:10.78
They start complaining
that that zeal and love
00:31:10.81\00:31:13.20
that they had toward each
other started disappearing.
00:31:13.23\00:31:16.35
So they ask, "What shall we do?"
00:31:16.38\00:31:18.78
I try always to
remind them about the time
00:31:18.81\00:31:23.29
when they met each other.
00:31:23.32\00:31:26.62
Asking them what's that that
attracted you to each other.
00:31:26.65\00:31:31.90
Oh, I like him, I like him.
00:31:31.93\00:31:33.82
Suddenly you don't see
anything good in that person.
00:31:33.85\00:31:36.83
You see this is what Jesus
is trying to tell the church.
00:31:36.86\00:31:41.84
Go back to your first love.
00:31:41.87\00:31:45.30
Try to think how
much you love God.
00:31:45.33\00:31:48.10
And when you loved God,
00:31:48.13\00:31:49.73
how much you loved each
other there in the church.
00:31:49.76\00:31:52.79
Try to think about
that and to repent.
00:31:52.82\00:31:54.94
What is repentance
according to the Bible?
00:31:54.97\00:31:57.13
You know, Christians are
making different repentance,
00:31:57.16\00:32:00.09
but in the Bible
it was in this way.
00:32:00.12\00:32:02.37
Actually the Greek
word-- the Hebrew word "shuv,"
00:32:02.40\00:32:06.43
it means turn around.
00:32:06.46\00:32:08.74
The Greek word "metanoia,"
it means change mind.
00:32:08.77\00:32:12.23
You know, the prodigal son?
00:32:12.26\00:32:14.54
He was walking away from God.
00:32:14.57\00:32:16.48
He said, "Boy, even my
servants in my father's house,
00:32:16.51\00:32:21.20
they live much
better than I do."
00:32:21.23\00:32:22.60
He changed his mind.
00:32:22.63\00:32:24.00
So he said, "I'm
going back to my father."
00:32:24.03\00:32:25.48
This is actually
what repentance is.
00:32:25.51\00:32:27.68
You turn your back to God.
00:32:27.71\00:32:29.42
You are walking and
suddenly turn around.
00:32:29.45\00:32:33.88
This is what
repentance is about.
00:32:33.91\00:32:35.28
You're going back to God.
00:32:35.31\00:32:36.84
This is actually what
Jesus is calling the church.
00:32:36.87\00:32:40.90
"Remember where you came from,
00:32:40.93\00:32:42.79
where you have fallen
from and do your first work.
00:32:42.82\00:32:48.01
Remember our love for God."
00:32:48.04\00:32:49.77
By the way, this counsel of
Jesus to the church in Ephesus
00:32:49.80\00:32:54.61
reflects the number of
passages in the Old Testament.
00:32:54.64\00:32:58.46
In Jeremiah 2:2, Jeremiah calls
00:32:58.49\00:33:03.31
the people of Israel to remember
00:33:03.34\00:33:06.98
about their loving
relationship with God,
00:33:07.01\00:33:09.67
at the beginning when
God took them out of Egypt
00:33:09.70\00:33:12.25
and telling them,
"Go back to that love.
00:33:12.28\00:33:14.30
Remember the
love of your youth."
00:33:14.33\00:33:19.50
The church was in
danger of losing its lampstand.
00:33:19.53\00:33:24.75
You know, the church
00:33:24.78\00:33:27.28
is supposed to be
a light to the world.
00:33:27.31\00:33:30.71
But if the
church is not in love--
00:33:30.74\00:33:35.87
so you remember what Jesus said?
00:33:35.90\00:33:38.20
"By this all people will
know that you are my disciples
00:33:38.23\00:33:42.25
if you have love among you."
00:33:42.28\00:33:44.55
If the church in
Ephesus does not have that love
00:33:44.58\00:33:48.73
the church loses its
reason for existence.
00:33:48.76\00:33:53.06
So Jesus calls
the church to go back
00:33:53.09\00:33:57.00
to its first
experience with Jesus Christ,
00:33:57.03\00:33:59.45
to remember how
they loved God so much,
00:33:59.48\00:34:01.65
how they loved the
fellow believers so much.
00:34:01.68\00:34:06.94
And Jesus said, "Go
and do the first work."
00:34:06.97\00:34:10.09
You see the first love always
results in the first works.
00:34:10.12\00:34:15.25
Amen. Okay.
00:34:15.28\00:34:18.76
Friends, I'd like to
stimulate your desire
00:34:18.79\00:34:23.08
to study the message of
this church in much deeper way.
00:34:23.11\00:34:26.53
We're just speaking up
here and there a few points,
00:34:26.56\00:34:29.25
but there is
something very interesting is.
00:34:29.28\00:34:32.19
When we study the message
to the church in Ephesus,
00:34:32.22\00:34:35.51
we can see strong
parallels between the situation
00:34:35.54\00:34:38.62
in this local
church which in Asia Minor
00:34:38.65\00:34:42.14
and the Christian church
in general in the 1st century.
00:34:42.17\00:34:46.40
You know, how the
Christian church started
00:34:46.43\00:34:48.30
when Jesus
ascended there to heaven,
00:34:48.33\00:34:49.86
we read in the Book of Acts.
00:34:49.89\00:34:51.26
The Christians were filled
with love toward Jesus Christ
00:34:51.29\00:34:54.47
and toward each other.
00:34:54.50\00:34:56.55
We have such fervent desire
to go and to preach the gospel.
00:34:56.58\00:35:02.11
The gospel was spreading
00:35:02.14\00:35:03.51
throughout the
civilized world of that time,
00:35:03.54\00:35:08.77
but with the
death of the apostles,
00:35:08.80\00:35:12.09
they started
disappear over the scene.
00:35:12.12\00:35:13.79
We have the second
generation of Christians came.
00:35:13.82\00:35:17.36
That first love
that characterized
00:35:17.39\00:35:19.84
the Christian church
at the very beginning
00:35:19.87\00:35:22.59
started disappearing
from the Christian church.
00:35:22.62\00:35:26.61
So you see why the
message to the church
00:35:26.64\00:35:29.04
in Ephesus originally spoke
00:35:29.07\00:35:31.88
to the Christians
of the time of John?
00:35:31.91\00:35:34.16
It also represents the situation
00:35:34.19\00:35:35.78
of the Christian
church in the 1st century.
00:35:35.81\00:35:38.60
But this is also an
appeal to all of us.
00:35:38.63\00:35:41.35
We as Christians,
we're always struggling
00:35:41.38\00:35:46.76
between our faithfulness to God,
00:35:46.79\00:35:49.21
how not to
tolerate false teaching,
00:35:49.24\00:35:51.71
how to have a sound of doctrine,
00:35:51.74\00:35:55.13
how to remain faithful to
God, but at the same time,
00:35:55.16\00:35:58.54
how to be a loving Christians
to manifest that love of Christ
00:35:58.57\00:36:05.56
that was manifested in
my personal life toward me,
00:36:05.59\00:36:09.38
but also how that
love could be manifested
00:36:09.41\00:36:12.12
toward my fellow believers.
00:36:12.15\00:36:14.94
You know, church in Ephesus.
00:36:14.97\00:36:17.64
The next church that
actually Jesus addressed
00:36:17.67\00:36:22.25
was the church that was about,
00:36:22.28\00:36:23.70
you see, you're
dealing with Ephesus
00:36:23.73\00:36:26.89
and about 35 miles north
00:36:26.92\00:36:31.13
there was a
church in Smyrna, okay.
00:36:31.16\00:36:36.11
About 35 miles north of Ephesus.
00:36:36.14\00:36:39.50
By the way, Smyrna was another
00:36:39.53\00:36:41.89
important city next to Ephesus.
00:36:41.92\00:36:46.20
Its geographical location earned
00:36:46.23\00:36:48.74
the reputation of
having the most convenient
00:36:48.77\00:36:51.84
and safest harbor in
the entire province of Asia.
00:36:51.87\00:36:56.75
The city also
stood on the crossroads
00:36:56.78\00:37:00.46
of the major roads
between Phrygia and Lydia
00:37:00.49\00:37:04.93
making the city a very
important commercial center.
00:37:04.96\00:37:08.98
Actually the city at the
time of the Book of Revelation
00:37:09.01\00:37:13.50
had about 200,000 residents.
00:37:13.53\00:37:16.67
We're talking about
major cities in the province.
00:37:16.70\00:37:20.37
Like Ephesus, also
Smyrna was a very important
00:37:20.40\00:37:24.52
political,
religious, and cultural center
00:37:24.55\00:37:28.14
and famous stadium, library,
00:37:28.17\00:37:31.51
and the largest public theater.
00:37:31.54\00:37:33.11
By the way, it was known as
the glory of the entire Asia.
00:37:33.14\00:37:37.73
You see, Ephesus was
number one as a center,
00:37:37.76\00:37:41.50
but Smyrna as
number one in beauty.
00:37:41.53\00:37:44.82
It was glory of Asia.
00:37:44.85\00:37:47.37
By the way, the city
became so significant
00:37:47.40\00:37:52.54
that Roman Senate
granted city to build a temple
00:37:52.57\00:37:59.95
in honor of the emperor.
00:37:59.98\00:38:02.68
Please, please, you need
to understand what it means.
00:38:02.71\00:38:06.66
There are number of
cities in Asia Minor competing,
00:38:06.69\00:38:09.58
bribing the Roman government,
00:38:09.61\00:38:14.64
doing everything
to get the permission
00:38:14.67\00:38:17.92
to build a temple in
honor of the emperor.
00:38:17.95\00:38:20.59
Only Smyrna was granted.
00:38:20.62\00:38:23.08
So it tells us
something about the city.
00:38:23.11\00:38:25.85
And in that
city, can you imagine
00:38:25.88\00:38:27.25
when you have
such magnificent temple
00:38:27.28\00:38:29.41
known throughout
the entire province.
00:38:29.44\00:38:32.31
The Christians came into trouble
00:38:32.34\00:38:35.27
because it was a civic duty
00:38:35.30\00:38:37.64
you as a citizen
of Smyrna to go there
00:38:37.67\00:38:42.02
before the statue of the
emperor and offer that incense.
00:38:42.05\00:38:45.72
When you put the incense there
00:38:45.75\00:38:47.12
before the emperor to burn it
00:38:47.15\00:38:49.51
you have to make the statement,
00:38:49.54\00:38:50.91
"Caesar is the Lord."
00:38:50.94\00:38:54.58
It meant you are
a faithful citizen.
00:38:54.61\00:38:57.23
When you do it,
you get certificate.
00:38:57.26\00:39:00.11
Now you can
conduct your business.
00:39:00.14\00:39:02.76
Do whatever you want because
you are an exemplary citizen.
00:39:02.79\00:39:08.51
This may explain the
problem in the church in Smyrna.
00:39:08.54\00:39:13.55
By the way, when you read
the message to this church,
00:39:13.58\00:39:17.04
it's not a long letter, please.
00:39:17.07\00:39:18.83
Let's see how the letter begins.
00:39:18.86\00:39:20.61
Remember, other
letters they begin,
00:39:20.64\00:39:22.31
"I know your works. I
know where you dwell."
00:39:22.34\00:39:26.47
But let's read here, verse 9.
00:39:26.50\00:39:28.34
How does message begin?
00:39:28.37\00:39:30.12
"I know your
tribulation and your poverty."
00:39:30.15\00:39:33.27
Do you see that?
00:39:33.30\00:39:36.45
"And the
blasphemy of those who say
00:39:36.48\00:39:38.37
the Jews they are not
but the synagogue of Satan.
00:39:38.40\00:39:42.20
Do not fear what you
are about to suffer."
00:39:42.23\00:39:45.77
By the way in Greek it
says, stop being afraid
00:39:45.80\00:39:50.11
because they were
already in terrible fear.
00:39:50.14\00:39:52.96
"Behold, the
devil is about to cast
00:39:52.99\00:39:55.04
some of you into the prison
so that you will be tested,
00:39:55.07\00:39:59.35
and you will have
tribulation for 10 days.
00:39:59.38\00:40:02.20
Be faithful until
the point of death.
00:40:02.23\00:40:06.25
And I will give you the
crown, "the stefanos "of life."
00:40:06.28\00:40:09.91
You remember this text.
00:40:09.94\00:40:11.31
We were talking--
we're talking about that.
00:40:11.34\00:40:13.61
So what was the major
problem with this church?
00:40:13.64\00:40:18.64
Actually already the
very introduction of Jesus
00:40:18.67\00:40:21.57
to the church is telling
us something about the church.
00:40:21.60\00:40:23.69
How does Jesus introduces
Himself to the church?
00:40:23.72\00:40:25.87
We talk already
about that last time.
00:40:25.90\00:40:29.43
"Thus says the one who
is the first and the last
00:40:29.46\00:40:34.32
who was dead and
has come to life."
00:40:34.35\00:40:38.10
This church lives in
terrible persecution,
00:40:38.13\00:40:42.69
not only that they are in
the midst of the persecution,
00:40:42.72\00:40:45.24
but evidently more severe
persecution is in view to come.
00:40:45.27\00:40:50.08
So how does Jesus
come to the church?
00:40:50.11\00:40:53.66
Telling them, you are
going through that persecution,
00:40:53.69\00:40:56.57
through all the trouble.
00:40:56.60\00:40:58.30
But don't worry.
00:40:58.33\00:41:00.37
You're simply following
into the footsteps of the Master
00:41:00.40\00:41:04.19
because I went through the
persecution and I was dead,
00:41:04.22\00:41:08.47
but now I'm alive.
00:41:08.50\00:41:10.86
Now let's skip
and go to verse 10.
00:41:10.89\00:41:13.82
Jesus says,
"Therefore be faithful to me
00:41:13.85\00:41:18.43
until the point of death
00:41:18.46\00:41:20.60
and I will give
you the crown of life."
00:41:20.63\00:41:26.27
Actually what is the
meaning of the crown of life?
00:41:26.30\00:41:29.26
Commentators are
struggling with that.
00:41:29.29\00:41:31.14
It really means the
crown which means life.
00:41:31.17\00:41:35.98
This is probably the best
understanding that we have.
00:41:36.01\00:41:38.60
So the church was persecuted
00:41:38.63\00:41:41.70
because they did not participate
in those "civic duties"
00:41:41.73\00:41:48.15
that was
associated with idolatry,
00:41:48.18\00:41:50.99
with the drinking,
00:41:51.02\00:41:53.28
eating the food
to sacrifice idols,
00:41:53.31\00:41:55.85
but there is
also an another danger
00:41:55.88\00:41:59.20
that the church faced.
00:41:59.23\00:42:00.76
You will notice
here it talks in verse 9
00:42:00.79\00:42:05.87
about those who say that
they are Jews and they are not,
00:42:05.90\00:42:11.45
but are a synagogue of Satan.
00:42:11.48\00:42:15.92
When we read the
historical sources
00:42:15.95\00:42:17.91
then we learn that the Jewish
people in the Roman Empire
00:42:17.94\00:42:22.69
usually were exempted
from worshipping the emperor.
00:42:22.72\00:42:27.23
Because Romans, they knew
00:42:27.26\00:42:30.51
that the Jews by
refusing to worship the emperor
00:42:30.54\00:42:34.06
did not cease to be
the obedient citizens.
00:42:34.09\00:42:39.08
They knew that their religion,
the Torah did not allow them.
00:42:39.11\00:42:43.22
So somehow the
Romans, they tolerated it.
00:42:43.25\00:42:47.51
But after the destruction
of Jerusalem in AD 70
00:42:47.54\00:42:52.12
and even later after
the Book of Revelation,
00:42:52.15\00:42:54.49
the Jews rebelled
against under Bar Kokhba.
00:42:54.52\00:42:57.20
I don't know if
you heard about that.
00:42:57.23\00:42:59.55
The Jews came into a
very problematic situation
00:42:59.58\00:43:02.69
in the Roman Empire.
00:43:02.72\00:43:04.68
So the Romans did not want
to tolerate them any longer,
00:43:04.71\00:43:09.24
okay, but the problem was,
00:43:09.27\00:43:11.60
what was the Bible
that the Christians read?
00:43:11.63\00:43:13.65
The Old
Testament, the Jewish Bible.
00:43:16.18\00:43:18.60
What was the day that the
Christians were worshipping on?
00:43:18.63\00:43:22.44
The same--and somehow
the Jews did not like it.
00:43:22.47\00:43:27.11
They wanted distance
themselves from Christians.
00:43:27.14\00:43:29.82
So according to this
text and we will see also
00:43:29.85\00:43:31.65
in other message to the
church of the seven messages is.
00:43:31.68\00:43:37.27
That somehow the
Jews they would go
00:43:37.30\00:43:38.98
to Roman authorities
in order to appease them,
00:43:39.01\00:43:43.24
to protect themselves,
to get some privileges.
00:43:43.27\00:43:46.79
They will go and
slander Christians.
00:43:46.82\00:43:49.37
Friends, not all
Jews were doing that.
00:43:49.40\00:43:51.07
We are not talking about
the nation or certain people.
00:43:51.10\00:43:53.30
We are talking about some
of those Jewish nationalities
00:43:53.33\00:43:57.14
who try somehow to
secure for themselves
00:43:57.17\00:44:00.47
some privileges in
order to develop business.
00:44:00.50\00:44:03.11
They were doing that in
order to slander Christians.
00:44:03.14\00:44:06.51
And all of this
contributed to the bad situation
00:44:06.54\00:44:09.34
of the Christians
there-- there in city.
00:44:09.37\00:44:11.43
It was not easy to
be a faithful Christian
00:44:11.46\00:44:14.89
in such metropolitan city.
00:44:14.92\00:44:16.48
When you live in
metropolitan city,
00:44:16.51\00:44:18.58
it means that you are also
00:44:18.61\00:44:20.03
a prominent
citizen there in the city.
00:44:20.06\00:44:23.15
But the situation
00:44:23.18\00:44:25.02
in which the
Christians found themselves
00:44:25.05\00:44:27.54
put them into
very bad situation.
00:44:27.57\00:44:30.11
But Jesus encourages
them and telling them
00:44:30.14\00:44:33.95
"Don't be discouraged.
00:44:33.98\00:44:37.00
Yeah, I know what
you are going through.
00:44:37.03\00:44:39.62
Very soon you will
go even through more
00:44:39.65\00:44:41.23
severe
persecution, but I am with you.
00:44:41.26\00:44:44.99
I'll protect you.
00:44:45.02\00:44:46.39
Be faithful until
the point of death.
00:44:46.42\00:44:49.69
And I will give you
the crown of life." Amen.
00:44:49.72\00:44:53.35
Amazingly, that the
message the church in Smyrna
00:44:53.38\00:44:59.90
corresponds
significantly to the situation
00:44:59.93\00:45:03.52
of the Christian church
during 2nd and 3rd centuries
00:45:03.55\00:45:07.64
in the Roman Empire.
00:45:07.67\00:45:09.39
It was the time when Christians
00:45:09.42\00:45:12.09
were going through serious
persecution in the Roman Empire.
00:45:12.12\00:45:17.61
Finally, that persecution
00:45:17.64\00:45:19.71
concluded with
Constantine in 313,
00:45:19.74\00:45:22.99
but prior to that
from the year 303 to 313--
00:45:23.02\00:45:27.32
how many years, 303 to 313?
00:45:27.35\00:45:31.74
We're talking about
very severely persecution
00:45:31.77\00:45:34.88
under the Emperor of Diocletian.
00:45:34.91\00:45:37.88
And many
commentators of the Bible
00:45:37.91\00:45:40.12
cannot skip to notice
here that talks here about
00:45:40.15\00:45:43.31
the persecution
that the Christians
00:45:43.34\00:45:44.76
would have for 10 days,
00:45:44.79\00:45:47.13
so they apply the Biblical
principal therefore here
00:45:47.16\00:45:50.79
and they see the
fulfillment of this prophecy,
00:45:50.82\00:45:54.36
okay, in the persecution of the
Christians during 3rd century
00:45:54.39\00:45:59.83
under the Emperor of
Diocletian which actually ended
00:45:59.86\00:46:03.35
with the conversion of
Constantine in 314, etcetera.
00:46:03.38\00:46:07.89
So you see, we are
dealing here with two messages,
00:46:07.92\00:46:10.05
but I would like us to
take the next 10 minutes.
00:46:10.08\00:46:12.76
Go to the third message.
00:46:12.79\00:46:15.49
Because the third
letter-- okay, one more time,
00:46:15.52\00:46:18.82
we are dealing with Ephesus.
00:46:18.85\00:46:20.76
You go 35 miles
north--north, you're in Smyrna
00:46:20.79\00:46:24.96
and then you go about 40
miles even more north there,
00:46:24.99\00:46:28.83
you're coming to
the church in Pergamum.
00:46:28.86\00:46:32.54
I was in that--
in that city there.
00:46:32.57\00:46:35.07
It's on a hill.
00:46:35.10\00:46:37.36
When you go to Ephesus
you can see so much there.
00:46:37.39\00:46:40.89
The same can be
said about Pergamum.
00:46:40.92\00:46:44.87
There's not too much
today to be seen in Smyrna.
00:46:44.90\00:46:48.21
Just a little bit.
It's usually underground.
00:46:48.24\00:46:50.35
There's not too much to be seen.
00:46:50.38\00:46:52.15
But Pergamum served as the
capital of the province of Asia
00:46:52.18\00:46:56.47
even though sometimes Pergamum
00:46:56.50\00:46:58.91
had to share those
privileges with Ephesus, okay.
00:46:58.94\00:47:04.26
For two centuries
Pergamum was the capital,
00:47:04.29\00:47:08.11
okay, of the entire province.
00:47:08.14\00:47:11.41
So the city was of a
great political importance.
00:47:11.44\00:47:15.38
It was reputed
center of intellectual life
00:47:15.41\00:47:18.79
in the Hellenistic world, okay.
00:47:18.82\00:47:21.86
Let me explain how--
how important Pergamum was.
00:47:21.89\00:47:25.18
Actually it had the
second greatest library
00:47:25.21\00:47:30.06
in the entire
world of that time.
00:47:30.09\00:47:34.04
The largest library
was in Alexandria in Egypt
00:47:34.07\00:47:38.46
and Pergamum was the
next-- the next library.
00:47:38.49\00:47:42.23
Actually it was the
city of the famous doctor
00:47:42.26\00:47:47.17
and physician
Galen who served there
00:47:47.20\00:47:51.16
in that healing
court of Asclepius.
00:47:51.19\00:47:53.50
You know, that Asclepius,
the sign is the serpent.
00:47:53.53\00:47:56.32
Today that is found in
modern pharmacy, that sign.
00:47:56.35\00:48:01.15
Actually it was
taken from there.
00:48:01.18\00:48:02.77
Asclepius, in Pergamum
was one of the largest temple
00:48:02.80\00:48:06.86
where people would come
to find healing for different
00:48:06.89\00:48:10.67
sickness and
illness that they had.
00:48:10.70\00:48:13.78
Actually the city
had a very large temple
00:48:13.81\00:48:20.00
dedicated to the
Emperor Augustus.
00:48:20.03\00:48:23.80
As in Smyrna,
the emperor worship
00:48:23.83\00:48:26.39
was compulsory
there in Pergamum.
00:48:26.42\00:48:30.21
What happened in Smyrna
the same was in Pergamum there.
00:48:30.24\00:48:33.25
If you wanted
to develop business
00:48:33.28\00:48:35.89
and to live safely and
securely as a citizen there,
00:48:35.92\00:48:39.37
you had to go there and
to fulfill your civic duty.
00:48:39.40\00:48:45.38
But you'll notice here
when you read the message
00:48:45.41\00:48:47.60
to the church in
Pergamum from verse 12-17
00:48:47.63\00:48:51.60
that Jesus said in verse 13,
00:48:51.63\00:48:54.28
"I know where you dwell,
where Satan's throne is."
00:48:54.31\00:48:59.37
Actually today the
commentators unanimously agree
00:48:59.40\00:49:03.58
that this Satan's throne was
actually a part of the temple
00:49:03.61\00:49:11.53
dedicated to the god Zeus.
00:49:11.56\00:49:16.54
But I know, it
doesn't tell us too much
00:49:16.57\00:49:18.43
unless you go to
the museum in Berlin.
00:49:18.46\00:49:22.45
Because apart--okay,
of the center portion
00:49:22.48\00:49:27.10
of that temple and that altar is
found in the museum in Berlin.
00:49:27.13\00:49:31.14
When you go
there, the first thing is
00:49:31.17\00:49:33.12
you're amazed to see the beauty
of that--of that building.
00:49:33.15\00:49:36.91
And commentators,
they usually agree
00:49:36.94\00:49:39.69
that actually death altar
was-- how does it call here?
00:49:39.72\00:49:44.85
The Satan's throne.
00:49:44.88\00:49:46.79
It was the center with
Satan's rule there in Pergamum
00:49:46.82\00:49:50.31
that made the
lives of Christians
00:49:50.34\00:49:52.84
in that city
very, very miserable.
00:49:52.87\00:49:55.88
In addition to that, can you
imagine there are many pilgrims
00:49:55.91\00:50:00.06
and people coming there to
find the healing in that city.
00:50:00.09\00:50:03.57
They will come to Asclepius
who was called the Savior.
00:50:03.60\00:50:07.16
Can you imagine, savior
with the sign of a serpent?
00:50:07.19\00:50:12.12
If you are a
Christian who's the Savior?
00:50:12.15\00:50:14.50
Jesus. And what is the serpent?
00:50:14.53\00:50:17.23
So you have to understand
how the Christians were arguing
00:50:17.26\00:50:21.51
with the people in Pergamum.
00:50:21.54\00:50:22.91
Who was actually the serpent
and who was the real Savior?
00:50:22.94\00:50:26.97
As they were doing
their missionary activities
00:50:27.00\00:50:29.32
actually it came
to serious problems.
00:50:29.35\00:50:30.86
Keep in mind that Pergamum
at that time was considered
00:50:30.89\00:50:34.36
to be the Lord of the entire
province--province of Asia.
00:50:34.39\00:50:40.48
So the Christians were
very much challenged there.
00:50:40.51\00:50:43.52
And Jesus comes to the
church and talking to them
00:50:43.55\00:50:47.96
and you will notice something.
00:50:47.99\00:50:49.58
Verse 13, let's read it.
00:50:49.61\00:50:51.31
"I know where you
dwell, where Satan's throne is,
00:50:51.34\00:50:55.23
and you hold fast my
name, and did not deny my faith
00:50:55.26\00:50:58.96
even in the days of Antipas,
my witness, my faithful one,
00:50:58.99\00:51:03.00
who was killed among
you, where Satan dwells."
00:51:03.03\00:51:05.53
That's the martyrs in Pergamum.
00:51:05.56\00:51:07.31
People who were killed
00:51:07.34\00:51:08.71
because they wanted
to be faithful to God,
00:51:08.74\00:51:11.63
By name of
Antipas, but Jesus said.
00:51:11.66\00:51:14.23
"But I have a few
things against you
00:51:14.26\00:51:16.92
because you have there some
who hold the teaching of Balaam,
00:51:16.95\00:51:21.17
who kept the teaching of Balak,
00:51:21.20\00:51:23.38
to put a stumbling block
before the sons of Israel.
00:51:23.41\00:51:26.68
To eat things
sacrificed to idols
00:51:26.71\00:51:29.10
and to commit
acts of immorality.
00:51:29.13\00:51:31.58
So you also have
some who in the same way
00:51:31.61\00:51:35.22
hold the teaching
of the Nicolaitans."
00:51:35.25\00:51:38.42
You will notice
that in the message
00:51:38.45\00:51:41.64
to the church in Ephesus,
Nicolaitans are mentioned.
00:51:41.67\00:51:45.43
But Ephesians did
not tolerate them.
00:51:45.46\00:51:48.56
What about Pergamum?
They were very successful.
00:51:48.59\00:51:52.16
But two groups are mentioned.
00:51:52.19\00:51:54.57
Nicolaitans and Balaamites.
00:51:54.60\00:51:59.05
Actually these two expressions,
00:51:59.08\00:52:01.94
the Balaamites
and the Nicolaitans
00:52:01.97\00:52:06.32
are referred evidently
00:52:06.35\00:52:08.02
to two different
groups of false teachers.
00:52:08.05\00:52:11.41
Who was Balaam?
00:52:11.44\00:52:13.82
Do you remember that
he represented himself
00:52:13.85\00:52:17.89
as the prophet of God,
00:52:17.92\00:52:21.33
but actually he was the one
00:52:21.36\00:52:24.50
who put the stumbling block
before the people of Israel.
00:52:24.53\00:52:30.31
So the great judgment came
on the people and they suffered.
00:52:30.34\00:52:35.14
Many actually
Israelites were killed
00:52:35.17\00:52:38.46
by the wrath of God at
that moment because of Balaam.
00:52:38.49\00:52:41.62
He was the one who advised
the Moabites and the Ammonites
00:52:41.65\00:52:46.20
to bring those beautiful
women and the beautiful music.
00:52:46.23\00:52:50.63
And he said, use the
people--start telling them,
00:52:50.66\00:52:52.68
"There's nothing wrong to go
00:52:52.71\00:52:54.13
and to make those
people your friends."
00:52:54.16\00:52:57.28
And the
consequences were enormous.
00:52:57.31\00:53:01.52
Actually, Balaam
is very interesting.
00:53:01.55\00:53:07.11
The expression and corresponds
also to the word Nikolaos,
00:53:07.14\00:53:13.51
Nicolaitans that we have.
00:53:13.54\00:53:17.76
Balaam, it's Hebrew,
and Nikolaos is Greek.
00:53:17.79\00:53:23.84
But basically the meaning
of the two names is the same.
00:53:23.87\00:53:26.87
It means the one
who concurs nations.
00:53:26.90\00:53:30.12
So commentators
usually mean that we have here
00:53:30.15\00:53:32.75
the Hebrew and Greek expression
taking from Israeli story.
00:53:32.78\00:53:37.82
Nikolaos, according to
early Christian writers
00:53:37.85\00:53:40.89
was actually one
of the seven deacons
00:53:40.92\00:53:43.75
who later went to apostasy
00:53:43.78\00:53:45.83
and he tried to
teach the Christians
00:53:45.86\00:53:48.15
there was nothing
wrong to simply accept
00:53:48.18\00:53:50.53
some pagan
practices in order to do
00:53:50.56\00:53:52.75
missionary works among them.
00:53:52.78\00:53:54.79
If this is really true,
we see what is--what is here.
00:53:54.82\00:53:58.15
What was that that
these two groups advocated?
00:53:58.18\00:54:00.98
Okay, what is that in verse 19?
00:54:01.01\00:54:03.15
"But I have a few
things against you
00:54:03.18\00:54:05.42
because you have there some
who hold the teaching of Balaam,
00:54:05.45\00:54:08.45
who kept the teaching of
Balak to put a stumbling block
00:54:08.48\00:54:11.44
before the sons of Israel,
00:54:11.47\00:54:12.97
to eat things
sacrificed to idols
00:54:13.00\00:54:15.34
and to commit
acts of immorality."
00:54:15.37\00:54:17.26
What was that that these false
teachers were teaching there?
00:54:17.29\00:54:20.96
Hey, if you go
there to those temples
00:54:20.99\00:54:26.11
and you eat the
food sacrificed to idols,
00:54:26.14\00:54:29.68
you're not going there
to worship those idols.
00:54:29.71\00:54:33.48
You're simply
doing your civic duty.
00:54:33.51\00:54:38.41
God will understand you, okay.
00:54:38.44\00:54:42.42
But, you know, it
was also civic duty
00:54:42.45\00:54:45.32
to go those--to
those pagan temples
00:54:45.35\00:54:48.45
and have sexual intercourse
with those sacred prostitutes.
00:54:48.48\00:54:54.27
And those teachers said,
"Hey, I'm a moral person.
00:54:54.30\00:54:59.59
I don't want to do
sex for my pleasure.
00:54:59.62\00:55:02.62
If I go there to the temple,
I'm simply doing my civic duty.
00:55:02.65\00:55:07.69
If I don't do it, I'll
lose my prestige in society,
00:55:07.72\00:55:11.94
I'll lose my business.
00:55:11.97\00:55:13.96
I'm not be a
recognized citizens here.
00:55:13.99\00:55:16.18
So what to do? The
Christians were divided.
00:55:16.21\00:55:19.61
And what was the idea
00:55:19.64\00:55:22.30
that these
teachers were advocating?
00:55:22.33\00:55:24.18
Very similarly to Balaam,
00:55:24.21\00:55:26.96
what he did in the
Old Testament times.
00:55:26.99\00:55:30.28
Probably another
variant group of that moment,
00:55:30.31\00:55:33.17
Nicolaitans, they were
doing the same, telling them.
00:55:33.20\00:55:36.03
"Hey, just go and do
it. God will understand you.
00:55:36.06\00:55:39.56
God does not want you to suffer.
00:55:39.59\00:55:42.18
You're not doing that
because of your pleasure.
00:55:42.21\00:55:44.39
You're not doing that
because you want to do it.
00:55:44.42\00:55:46.19
You simply want to be
obedient citizen in your state.
00:55:46.22\00:55:50.17
Go and do it."
00:55:50.20\00:55:51.57
What is the message that
Jesus sends to these Christians?
00:55:51.60\00:55:54.28
No compromise.
00:55:54.31\00:55:57.46
You have to be faithful
until the point of death.
00:55:57.49\00:56:01.70
You have to give your
public witness and testimony
00:56:01.73\00:56:04.93
to the people that
are-- that are around you.
00:56:04.96\00:56:07.25
Of course, that's what the
situation in those churches
00:56:07.28\00:56:11.31
and the church in Pergamum.
00:56:11.34\00:56:13.54
But there is
something very interestingly
00:56:13.57\00:56:15.75
when we see period
in the Christian church
00:56:15.78\00:56:18.34
of 4th and 5th
century after Constantine
00:56:18.37\00:56:21.25
gave the freedom to Christians,
00:56:21.28\00:56:22.65
recognized Christianity
as the recognize religion,
00:56:22.68\00:56:25.68
what happens?
00:56:25.71\00:56:27.10
Suddenly
Christians, they started
00:56:27.13\00:56:29.31
making a
compromise with paganism.
00:56:29.34\00:56:32.55
Many false teachings
crept into Christian church,
00:56:32.58\00:56:35.65
including observance
of worship on Sunday.
00:56:35.68\00:56:42.26
We have Greek philosophy
moved into the Christian faith.
00:56:42.29\00:56:46.42
More and more the
church turned toward tradition,
00:56:46.45\00:56:49.11
Greek philosophy
and pagan customs
00:56:49.14\00:56:52.33
and the faithful
witness of the Bible
00:56:52.36\00:56:54.58
and the teachings of the Bible.
00:56:54.61\00:56:56.64
So yes, the period of
the 5th, 4th and 5th century,
00:56:56.67\00:57:00.18
maybe even the 6th century
00:57:00.21\00:57:02.88
really can be
looked through this letter
00:57:02.91\00:57:06.11
written to the
church in Pergamum.
00:57:06.14\00:57:09.07
So just wanted to challenge you.
00:57:09.10\00:57:11.31
You can see how these
messages to these churches
00:57:11.34\00:57:15.43
they speak to us
very powerfully today
00:57:15.46\00:57:20.23
whether you have the experience
of the church in Ephesus
00:57:20.26\00:57:23.45
or that in
Smyrna or in Pergamum,
00:57:23.48\00:57:26.03
Jesus Christ
ask for faithfulness
00:57:26.06\00:57:28.83
and He wants to
have you for Himself.
00:57:28.86\00:57:32.23