Podcasts about nicolaitans

Jesus calls us to hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans — but should we hate the Nicolaitans themselves? God claims to hate and abhor sinners in some places, and He gives us imprecatory psalms which invoke curses upon them. Should we not be singing Psalm 137 as Christians — or is there a way to do so while also obeying the command to "love your enemies and bless them that curse you"?

Cities are known for their slogans. New York is called The City That Never Sleeps. Paris is The City of Light. Philadelphia is The City of Brotherly Love. Chicago is The Windy City. Every city has a name it embracessomething that captures its identity and the image it wants the world to believe about it. But in Revelation 2, Jesus gives Pergamum a name no city would ever choose for itself. He calls it where Satans throne is (Rev. 2:13). Imagine that as your citys reputation. Not The Pride of Asia. Not The Seat of Learning. Not The Crown of Culture. But The Place Where Satan Dwells. Pergamum was the capital of Roman Asia, a center of political authority, pagan worship, and emperor devotion. Towering above the city stood a massive altar to Zeus, a visible reminder of pagan power. The Roman governor there possessed the ius gladiithe right of the sword authority to execute. Power, religion, and politics converged in Pergamum in a way that made allegiance to Jesus costly. So when Christ introduces Himself as the One who has the sharp two-edged sword, He makes a bold claim: ultimate authority does not belong to Rome. The sword does not finally rest in Caesars hand. It rests in His. Pergamum teaches us that the churchs greatest danger is not merely persecution from outside, but compromise from withinand that even where Satans throne seems near, Christ still reigns. Dangers from the Outside (v. 13) The Christians in Pergamum faced very real dangers. To the church in Smyrna, severe persecution was coming; to the church in Pergamum, it had already arrived in the martyrdom of Antipas. Unlike many cities in the empire, Pergamum offered few places to hide from Rome, as it was the headquarters of Roman government in Asia. Michael Wilcock observed, If Ephesus was the New York of Asia, Pergamum was its Washington, for there the Roman imperial power had its seat of government. Devotion to emperor worship was not optional civic ritual it was public loyalty to Rome and for Christians, refusal came at a cost. But Pergamums pressure did not come from Rome alone. The city was saturated with devotion to Zeus, Athena, Dionysos, and Asklepios all of whom had prominent temples. The massive altar to Zeus, hailed as the god of gods, rose like a throne above the acropolis, proclaiming that ultimate power and salvation belonged to him. Asklepios, the famed healing god, was symbolized by a serpent-entwined staff still used in medical imagery today; his worshipers sought restoration and life from him. Athena embodied wisdom and civic strength, reinforcing Pergamums intellectual pride. Dionysos promised joy through wine, feasting, and sensual excess, blurring the line between celebration and corruption. And over all of it stood the emperor, honored as lord and savior, demanding allegiance that directly rivaled the confession that Jesus alone is Lord. Robert Mounce, in his commentary on Revelation, wrote: ...as the traveler approached Pergamum by the ancient road from the south, the actual shape of the city hill would appear as a giant throne towering above the plain. This is probably why Jesus refers to the city as the place, where Satans throne is. But against Pergamums skyline of rival saviors stands the living Christ. Zeus claimed ultimate power, but Jesus is the One to whom all authority in heaven and on earth belongs. Asklepios promised healing through a serpents symbol, but Jesus crushed the serpents head and, as the risen Lord, conquered death, giving eternal life to all who believe. Athena embodied worldly wisdom and pride, but Christ is the wisdom of God made flesh, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Dionysos offered joy through indulgence, but Jesus gives the true bread from heaven that satisfies forever. Caesar demanded worship as lord and savior, but only Jesus shed His blood to redeem sinners and now reigns as the King of kings. Pergamum was filled with promises of power, healing, wisdom, pleasure, and security but only the gospel delivers what these gods could only counterfeit. Jesus commends these believers despite the immense pressure around them: Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith They lived in a city crowded with rival saviors, yet they clung to Christ. Though we are not told the exact circumstances of Antipas death, it is not hard to imagine how it unfolded. He likely died by the blade of a Roman sword for refusing to bend his knee to the gods of Rome or to confess Caesar as lord. He would bow to only one name the name above every name Jesus Christ. And it is this man, Antipas executed by Rome, forgotten by the empire whom Jesus calls my faithful witness. We know from Roman records that this was the very test Christians faced. About twenty years after Revelation was written, the governor Pliny the Younger explained that accused Christians could avoid execution by invoking the Roman gods, offering incense to Caesar, and cursing the name of Christ. Those who refused were executed. He even admitted that genuine Christians could not be compelled to curse Christ. When Jesus praises these Christians Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith His words are not cheap; they are costly. To hold fast His name meant refusing to renounce it when your life was on the line. Rome took Antipas life, but Jesus rendered the greater verdict the very title He bears Himself: my faithful witness (see Rev. 1:5). The kind of faithfulness Antipas demonstrated in the face of death is the same faithfulness we are all called to whether suffering comes in the form of persecution or in circumstances beyond our control, such as illness, discouragement, or a life that did not unfold as we had hoped. Faithfulness is not measured by the kind of suffering we face, but by the Christ to whom we cling. And we cling to Him by looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2). Dangers from the Inside (vv. 14-15) While the dangers from the outside were real, the greater threat was emerging from within. The Christians in Pergamum had stood firm against persecution, but they were less vigilant in confronting compromise within the church. Some adhered to the teaching of Balaam, and others to the teachings of the Nicolaitans. Though these errors shared similarities, they must be considered individually. To grasp the true danger here, we need to recall Balaams actions. In Numbers 2225, Balak, king of Moab, enlisted Balaam to curse Israel, but God turned every attempted curse into a blessing. When outright opposition failed, Balaam changed tactics. As Numbers 31:16 reveals, he counseled Moab to entice the Israelites drawing them into idolatry and sexual immorality through seductive feasts and relationships with pagan women. What Balaam could not accomplish through direct attack, he achieved through compromise. Israel was not destroyed by an enemy from without but by corruption from within. Here is what Balaam was guilty of: He lingered where God had already told him not to go. He pursued recognition and reward at the expense of Gods honor and the holiness of His people. He walked as close to temptation as he could without openly defying God. 4. His obedience was reluctant because his heart was drawn to what God forbade. Balaams problem was not ignorance but desire. He lingered where God had already told him not to go. He pursued recognition and reward at the expense of Gods glory and the holiness of His people. He walked as close to temptation as he could without openly defying God. And though he spoke Gods words, his obedience was reluctant because his heart was drawn to what God had forbidden. This is why Jesus references Balaam. The problem in Pergamum wasnt an outright rejection of Christ but a willingness to tolerate compromise. Some believed they could remain committed to Jesus while engaging in behaviors God had already forbidden. Compromise rarely starts with denialit begins when we linger where God has said no, chase comfort or recognition over holiness, and edge as close as possible to temptation without openly defying Him. We shouldnt think were exempt; this same risk exists in every congregationeven Meadowbrooke. Whenever we treat Gods commands as optional or hover near what He prohibits, were at risk of the compromise Jesus warns us against. The second thing Jesus has against the church in Pergamum is that some adhered to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. As we learned from the letter to the church in Ephesus, Jesus says He hated their works (2:6). What about their teaching provoked such strong language? They promoted a compromise similar to Balaams the idea that one could claim to belong to Gods people while participating in the very sins God had clearly forbidden. The Nicolaitans appear to have encouraged Christians to join in idolatrous feasts and sexual immorality, likely arguing that Gods grace covered such behavior. In their view, holiness became flexible and obedience negotiable. Listen, the spirit of the Nicolaitans is alive wherever Christians rationalize that blending in with culture poses no danger, that hidden sin is under control, or that Gods grace permits what He has clearly condemned. If we downplay sin, treat Gods commands as negotiable, or blur the boundaries between wholehearted faithfulness and self-indulgence, we risk falling into the same compromise Jesus warns against. Why does Jesus name both Balaam and the Nicolaitans in His rebuke? Because Balaam enticed Gods people into sin, and the Nicolaitans justified their continued presence in it. Those who held to these teachings were not outside the church but within it, and the ideas they embraced posed an immediate and dangerous threat to its spiritual health. The Danger of a Greater Sword (vv. 12, 16-17) Jesus takes the purity of His Bride seriously. The dangers from the outside were real, but all Rome was able to do with its sword was to kill and no more. The dangers within were more significant because they threatened the witness, testimony, and mission of the church. Listen, with the martyrdom of Antipas, his witness and testimony continued. His willingness to die for his faith and to stand in the security of Christ, even in the face of death, continued to speak even beyond Antipas death. What the early Christian apologist Tertullian wrote in 197 AD is true: The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Persecution may wound the body, but it often strengthens the church. Compromise, however, weakens and destroys the church from within. If Satan can infiltrate the church through subtle, subversive teaching persuading believers to tolerate what God forbids and to justify what Christ condemns then the churchs witness is not martyred; it is muted. Its testimony is not silenced by force; it is weakened by concession. What Rome could not accomplish with a sword from without, false teaching seeks to achieve from within. Jesus is madly in love with His Bride and will protect Her when She is threatened. He is also a jealous Groom and will not tolerate any force or teaching that seeks to win Her affections. This is why Jesus hates the works of the Nicolaitans (2:5)! The Nicolaitans offered a perverted version of the Grace that Jesus secured at the cross, teaching that the freedom they had in Christ freed them from obedience to Jesus regarding personal holiness and sexual sin. Jesus calls the Christians in this church to repent by both calling out the false teaching and standing against it. Jesus warns this church that if they do not repent, He will come to war against them with the sword of His mouth. That is sobering language, but it is not unloving. It is not loving to overlook sin in your own life, nor is it loving to tolerate sin in the life of Christs church. This is why the Bible states in James 5:1920, My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. Indifference to sin is not grace it is neglect. A Savior who refuses to confront what destroys His Bride would not be loving. The sword of Christ is not the weapon of a tyrant but the discipline of a faithful Bridegroom committed to the purity of His people. Take a close look at Jesus words in verse 16: Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. That is not a casual warning; it is a decisive command. If they refused to turn from their sin and false teaching, it would not merely expose weakness it would reveal they never truly belonged to Him or experienced the saving grace that brings new life. Saving grace does not leave a person at peace with sin; it creates an urgency to cling to Christ. Where Christ truly reigns, repentance follows. Now notice verse 17. The sword is not the only thing Jesus offers. He promises that the one who has truly received Him as Savior evidenced by firmly holding fast to His name will be sustained and kept by Him. The true Christian is promised three things: hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. The manna is for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5:6). In a city filled with public feasts honoring false gods, Jesus promises hidden nourishment provision the world cannot see and idols cannot give. The white stone likely referred in the Roman world to a token of admission, acquittal, or honor. But the stone Jesus gives is not temporary; it signifies divine acceptance and permanent residence in His kingdom, where there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). And on that stone is a new name a name given by Christ Himself belonging to the one who receives it. That new name speaks to your identity in Christ, an identity no sword, no demon, not even Satan himself can take from you. On that stone is the evidence of your redemption. Its meaning echoes the words of our Redeemer: You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you (Hos. 3:3). Persecution may wound the church, but compromise will hollow it out. Romes sword can threaten the body, but Christs Word searches the heart. So hold fast to His name. Repent without delay. Refuse to justify what He condemns and to flirt with what He died to free you from. Live as those who belong to Him alone nourished by hidden manna, accepted by His verdict, and secure in the name He has written over your life.

The church in Pergamum had lost its edge, so Jesus brought His sword to church. In this message, Lead Pastor Jamie Nunnally continues the sermon series on the letters of Revelation.Pergamum, the Roman capital of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), faced intense pressure to worship Caesar and was filled with temples to false gods.Revelation 2:12 (NLT): This is the message to Pergamum from the one with the sharp two-edged sword...Hebrews 4:12 (NLT): The word of God is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword...The word of God has two edges: comfort and correction—one delivers, the other disciples.Revelation 2:13 (NLT): I know that you live where Satan has his throne.Pergamum was saturated with idolatry.Revelation 2:14–15 (NLT): You tolerate teaching like Balaam and the Nicolaitans—the doctrine that sin is no big deal.Jesus confronts their compromise with sexual immorality and idolatry.Revelation 2:16 (NLT):God wants to fight for you, but if you play for the other team, He will fight against you. Refuse His correction, and you will face sin's consequences.Revelation 2:17 (NLT):The promises: manna—provision now and in the life to come—and a white stone with a new name. A white stone meant "not guilty" and was a token of admission.Timeless Truths1. Where you live shouldn't affect how you live.Philippians 3:20 (ESV): Our citizenship is in heaven.You live here, but obey there—address here, allegiance there.James 4:4 (NLT):Be friends to the world, not of it. A friend OF the world imitates it; a friend TO the world calls people out of it.You can't be like the world and help it. Boats belong in the water, but water doesn't belong in the boat. You're in the world; it shouldn't be in you.2. Jesus gives freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.Grace empowers you to meet the standard.Compromise treats forgiveness as a reset instead of transformation.God's forgiveness gives freedom to say no.Titus 2:11–12 (NLT):Live with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion. Grace gives power over sin, not permission for it.3. Change comes from repentance, not remorse.Remorse feels; repentance acts. Remorse looks back; repentance moves forward.2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT):Worldly sorrow repeats the pattern; godly sorrow produces change.God's word is a sword—it cuts to heal, not humiliate. Repentance isn't "I'm sorry," but "I surrender."4. God's promise is greater than your compromise.God's grace outruns our failures.2 Timothy 2:13 (NLT): If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful.Your failure isn't final. God warns to welcome, not write you off—He writes a new name on a white stone.ClosingCompromise is a destructive fire—ignored, it spreads and consumes.Though compromise destroys, Jesus restores. He calls us to repent, not to shame us, but to save us.What compromise is God asking you to deal with today?

In this message from Revelation 2, we explore Jesus' letter to the church in Pergamum, a church that stood strong under persecution but slowly drifted through compromise. Jesus warns that when pressure doesn't destroy you, pleasure will try to seduce you. From the doctrine of Balaam to the influence of the Nicolaitans, we uncover how small allowances, cultural conformity, and subtle mixture can erode spiritual authority from the inside out. “The Drift That Destroys” calls us to examine what we've tolerated, what we've blended, and how to intentionally return to a life of conviction, purity, and bold faith in a world that constantly pulls us away.

What the bible is all about; Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil vs Tree of Life; Walls of misunderstanding; Pharisees and Sadducees; The serpent in the garden; Whole truth?; Why Leviticus was written; Pontius Pilate's position; Monetary system in Judea; Decline of Roman republic; Duty to fellowman; Evidence of salvation; Knowing the WHOLE Jesus; Devil believes in Jesus; Have you repented?; Things God hates; Nicolaitans and Baalam; Charity; Levites; Atonement; What we thought we knew that just ain't so; Lev 5:1 Awkward translation; Jewish Christmas lights story; Hating; The "world" God loves; All MIGHT be saved; Bearing witness to iniquity; Carcase?; Unclean things?; Sacrifice?; nun-biet-lamad-hey; Julius Caesar and the Gauls; Unclean bread provided by Rome; Foolish things; Golden calf; Reserve fund?; Oaths; Bound to unknown crimes; Guilt; Confession - to whom?; Making recompense; How to have a healthy community; Unintended consequences; Trespass offerings; Stones of the Levite altars; Touching unclean things; Offering covering the trespass; Taking care of the needy; Social welfare via the altars; Turtledove?; Cheating; Sprinkling blood?; Christ forbade us…; Atonement for sin?; Ransom, price of life, sacrifice; Things of value; The principle: you caused damage; Owning up; Responsibility; Spirit of a free society; v12 - bringing to priest; "fire"; Why the old men wept; Forgiveness; Paying it forward; Reparations?; Freewill offerings; What Christ was doing; Making amends; Forgiven by whom?; Prodigal son example; Whose house do you live in?; Getting back to your father's house; Repent and seek His kingdom and righteousness; Why a priest?; Wise, efficient giving; "Kingdom"; Determining what you owe in recompense; Things forgotten; Injuring someone is a trespass against the LORD; Human resources; Caiaphas and Jesus; Pay it forward.

Truth matters, especially in the last days. In this powerful and discerning message, Pastor Corey Erman exposes the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans mentioned in Revelation and what it represents: compromise, corruption, and the mixing of worldliness with the Church. Learn how to guard your faith, stand firm in biblical truth, and remain spiritually pure in a culture that pressures believers to conform. “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” - Revelation 2:6To support this ministry and help us reach the nations with revival visit RiverWPB.com or text GIVE and any amount to (855) 968-3708.

I believe the book of Revelation is intentionally shaped by the rhythm of the seven Jewish feasts, with deep echoes of the Exodus and Israels wilderness journey woven throughout its visions. We have already seen how this works in chapter 1, where the imagery echoes Passover. Passover marked Israels deliverance from slavery through the blood of a substituteand in Revelation 1:1216, that substitute is revealed in all His risen glory. Jesus stands among His churches as the victorious Lamb who was slain and now lives forever. Because of His sacrifice, the Christian belongs to God. If you have been redeemed by Almighty God through His Son, what is there to fear? Jesus Himself answers that question: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:1718). Our confidence is not rooted in our circumstances, but in the One who has conquered death itself. As we move into Revelation 23 and read the seven letters to the churches, the dominant echo is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover. This feast called Gods redeemed people to live holy lives, set apart for Him (Lev. 11:4445; 1 Pet. 1:1617). Israel removed all leaven from their homes as a visible reminder that they belonged to the Lord and were no longer to live under the old patterns of corruption. That same call still comes to us today: You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:1920). Each of the seven churches faced real and pressing challenges in their own dayand what they struggled with are many of the same things we struggle with today, just dressed differently. While we will look at each church individually, here is a brief snapshot of what we will encounter: The church in Ephesus had lost its first love. The church in Smyrna was about to suffer tribulation for ten days. The church in Pergamum struggled with faithfulness to sound doctrine. The church in Thyatira tolerated a false teacher within the congregation. The church in Sardis was spiritually lethargic and nearly dead. The church in Philadelphia faithfully clung to the word of God. The church in Laodicea was lukewarm and missionally useless. In every one of these churches, there was the danger of leavensin quietly working its way through the house. And the call of Christ was to remove it: through renewed love for Jesus and for one another, faithful endurance in suffering, a commitment to truth, intolerance for evil, vigilance against spiritual apathy, unflinching obedience to Christ, and a wholehearted devotion to the mission of God. About forty years before Revelation was written, Paul wrote about Gods expectation for His church: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2). Revelation 1 is about the One who makes our salvation possible. Revelation 2-3 addresses the kind of people He calls us to be. So, when we come to Revelation 4, we encounter the One on the throne who is holy, holy, holy! The City of Ephesus When the gospel came to Ephesus, it was a wealthy and influential trading city, best known for the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The citys economy, culture, and moral life centered on the worship of this goddess. Artemis worship was deeply sexualized and demonic, marked by ritual immorality and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:20). Ephesus was a place where spiritual darkness was not hiddenit was celebrated, institutionalized, and profitable. Into this city, the gospel came with unmistakable power, as it always does in Gods timing and in His way. What we read in the epistle to the Romans was experienced in Ephesus: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom. 1:16). When the apostle Paul preached Christ in Ephesus, lives were transformed, and the worship of Artemis was directly challenged. So disruptive was the gospel that those who profited from idolatry feared economic collapse, admitting that Paul had persuaded many that gods made with hands are not gods at all (Acts 19:26). Paul spent over two years there, and in this spiritually hostile environment, God birthed a faithful churchthe same church later addressed by Christ Himself in Revelation 2. What makes Jesus words to Ephesus so sobering is not the citys darkness but the fact that a church born in such devotion, perseverance, and truth would later be warned: You have abandoned the love you had at first (2:4). So what happened? To answer that question, we need to first recognize the many things Jesus praises the church for. What the Ephesian Church Was Doing Right The Ephesian church was commended for many things by Jesus such as their toil, patient endurance, and intolerance for evil. Heraclitus, a native of Ephesus and philosopher, spoke with open contempt of his citys moral corruptionso severe that later writers summarized his viewby saying no one could live in Ephesus without weeping.1 The fact that the church was able to endure for forty years in a city known for its sexual promiscuity and demonized idolatrous worship, while holding on to biblical orthodoxy, is staggering! Because of their orthodoxy and fidelity to the Word of God, the church was intolerant of evil, refused to ignore false teachers, and shared Jesuss hatred of the Nicolaitans. Forty years earlier, Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears (Acts. 20:29-31). This is what the church did well, and Jesus praised them for it. Now, notice what Jesus does not say to the church in Ephesus. He does not say they were being too orthodox. He does not say they were too truthful, or that their intolerance of evil, false teachers, and the works of the Nicolaitans was too extreme. Jesus does not tell the church to dial it back but instead celebrates these as examples of what they were doing well. What the church did well was refusing to yield to the pressures from their city to conform. Before we look at what the church got wrong, we need to address who the Nicolaitans were and why Jesus hated their teaching. From what we know, the Nicolaitans were a heretical Christian sect associated with the teaching of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15). They taught that the grace of God permitted freedom to engage in the kinds of things their pagan neighbors enjoyed, such as sexual immorality and full participation in pagan temple feasts. Why? Because grace covered it all. We will come back to Balaam when we look at the church in Pergamum, but for now what you need to know is that Balaam is known for his false teaching that served to seduce the men of Israel to engage in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab that also resulted in the worship of their gods in place of obedience and worship of Yahweh (see Num. 25). The Nicolaitans did not deny Jesus, they just reinterpreted what obedience to Jesus really meant, in that you could both be loyal to Jesus and actively pursue and participate in the kinds of things the Word of God commands the people of God to flee from. The Ephesian church was rightfully commended for their hatred and intolerance of the works of the Nicolaitans because Jesus shares their hatred for the same reasons. Listen carefully. Jesus does not merely disagree with teachings of the Nicolaitans He hates them. He hates any belief that suggests a person can remain loyal to Him while willfully embracing the very sins He died to free us from. The cross was not a license to make peace with sin; it was Gods declaration of war against it. To claim Christ while pursuing what nailed Him to the tree is not freedomit is self-deception. Christ did not die to make sin safe, but to make His people holy. 1 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 91. What the Ephesian Church Got Wrong So what was it that the church in Ephesus lost? Well, we know it wasnt the churchs orthodoxy. It was the love they had at first. What love did they have at first? I believe the love the church lost was a combination of their love for Jesus and others. I believe this because of what the apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians and what Jesus said the church needed to do to regain the love they had lost. First, lets look at Jesus criticism in verses 4-5, But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. The way back to regain what they had lost was to first remember where they had fallen or had lost sight of their love, then to repent by doing the works they had done at first. What were the works they had done at first? We are given a few clues in Ephesians about the church from what Paul says at the beginning and the end of his epistle to the Ephesians. 1st Clue: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers... (Eph. 1:15-16) 2nd Clue: Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24) I believe that the love the Ephesian church lost had to do with the love they had for Jesus and for one another. The New Living Translation captures this in their translation of Revelation 2:4, But I have this complaint against you. You dont love me or each other as you did at first! When a group of religious leaders asked Jesus to identify the most important commandment, His response was clear: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:3739). Genuine love for God leads to love for othersyou cannot claim to love God while refusing to love those who bear His image. As our love for God grows, it overflows into love for those around us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you find this hard to accept, consider the words of the apostle John: If someone says, I love God, but hates his brother, that person is a liar; for anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). I believe the Ephesian church, first known for their faith in Jesus and their incorruptible love for Him, became the catalyst that fostered in them a love for one another, which they were known for in the early days of the churchs existence. Their love infused their faith in Jesus, and their love for all the saints was the cocktail God used to push back evil and transform lives! What Revelation 2:1-4 teaches us is that Jesus wants our obedience, but He also wants our hearts! In fact, if Jesus has your heart, He will have your obedience. Conclusion I believe the Ephesian church is listed first among the seven churches because of the danger we face when what we believe and what we do are no longer tethered to a living love for Jesus and His people. Listen carefully. Rather than criticizing the Ephesian church for its zeal for the truth of Gods Word, Jesus praised them for it. Orthodoxy is essential to the spiritual health of both Christians and the church as a whole. When believers abandon orthodoxy, spirituality does not become freer or deeperit becomes hollow and lifeless. So do their churches. But love keeps orthodoxy from hardening into something Jesus also hated. When truth is severed from love, orthodoxy collapses into legalism. And legalism is not holiness; it is a corruption of orthopraxyright living. Christian, we are called to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Scripture commands us: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:1416). But the way we pursue holiness is not through cold precision or moral superiority. It is through the kind of love the Ephesian church once hadand then lost. This is the first of seven ways Christ calls His people to cleanse His house of leaven. What is that love? Scripture defines it plainly: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love never ends (1 Cor. 13:48). This is the love Jesus spoke of that must be true of His followers: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). We live in a nation deeply fracturedso fractured that many believe we are in a cold civil war. Civil conversation between the left and the right is nearly impossible. But it must not be that way in the church Jesus redeemed from the world. Our love for Christ must overflow into genuine love for one anotherstrong enough to allow disagreement without division, conviction without contempt, and truth without hatred. Let me take this one step further. If you love the Jesus who died to ransom people from every tribe, language, people, and nation, then you must be liberated from the partisan blindness that grips both the left and the right. Christian, you belong to another kingdom. Your allegiance is not to a political ideology but to King Jesus. Please hear me: the world will not see, hear, or receive the gospel from the left or the rightbut only from Jesus Christ Himself. By Gods design, His gospel is not entrusted to government but to His church. The mess in the White House, ournation, and the world is evidence that what people need is the One who makes the Gospel the Gospelnamely, Jesus! If you cannot see thatif you cannot believe that while still calling yourself a Christianthen you are in danger of the very thing that threatened the church in Ephesus. You have lost your first love. So I leave you with the same words Jesus spoke to them: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

I believe the book of Revelation is intentionally shaped by the rhythm of the seven Jewish feasts, with deep echoes of the Exodus and Israels wilderness journey woven throughout its visions. We have already seen how this works in chapter 1, where the imagery echoes Passover. Passover marked Israels deliverance from slavery through the blood of a substituteand in Revelation 1:1216, that substitute is revealed in all His risen glory. Jesus stands among His churches as the victorious Lamb who was slain and now lives forever. Because of His sacrifice, the Christian belongs to God. If you have been redeemed by Almighty God through His Son, what is there to fear? Jesus Himself answers that question: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:1718). Our confidence is not rooted in our circumstances, but in the One who has conquered death itself. As we move into Revelation 23 and read the seven letters to the churches, the dominant echo is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover. This feast called Gods redeemed people to live holy lives, set apart for Him (Lev. 11:4445; 1 Pet. 1:1617). Israel removed all leaven from their homes as a visible reminder that they belonged to the Lord and were no longer to live under the old patterns of corruption. That same call still comes to us today: You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:1920). Each of the seven churches faced real and pressing challenges in their own dayand what they struggled with are many of the same things we struggle with today, just dressed differently. While we will look at each church individually, here is a brief snapshot of what we will encounter: The church in Ephesus had lost its first love. The church in Smyrna was about to suffer tribulation for ten days. The church in Pergamum struggled with faithfulness to sound doctrine. The church in Thyatira tolerated a false teacher within the congregation. The church in Sardis was spiritually lethargic and nearly dead. The church in Philadelphia faithfully clung to the word of God. The church in Laodicea was lukewarm and missionally useless. In every one of these churches, there was the danger of leavensin quietly working its way through the house. And the call of Christ was to remove it: through renewed love for Jesus and for one another, faithful endurance in suffering, a commitment to truth, intolerance for evil, vigilance against spiritual apathy, unflinching obedience to Christ, and a wholehearted devotion to the mission of God. About forty years before Revelation was written, Paul wrote about Gods expectation for His church: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:1-2). Revelation 1 is about the One who makes our salvation possible. Revelation 2-3 addresses the kind of people He calls us to be. So, when we come to Revelation 4, we encounter the One on the throne who is holy, holy, holy! The City of Ephesus When the gospel came to Ephesus, it was a wealthy and influential trading city, best known for the Temple of Artemis (also called Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The citys economy, culture, and moral life centered on the worship of this goddess. Artemis worship was deeply sexualized and demonic, marked by ritual immorality and idolatry (1 Cor. 10:20). Ephesus was a place where spiritual darkness was not hiddenit was celebrated, institutionalized, and profitable. Into this city, the gospel came with unmistakable power, as it always does in Gods timing and in His way. What we read in the epistle to the Romans was experienced in Ephesus: For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom. 1:16). When the apostle Paul preached Christ in Ephesus, lives were transformed, and the worship of Artemis was directly challenged. So disruptive was the gospel that those who profited from idolatry feared economic collapse, admitting that Paul had persuaded many that gods made with hands are not gods at all (Acts 19:26). Paul spent over two years there, and in this spiritually hostile environment, God birthed a faithful churchthe same church later addressed by Christ Himself in Revelation 2. What makes Jesus words to Ephesus so sobering is not the citys darkness but the fact that a church born in such devotion, perseverance, and truth would later be warned: You have abandoned the love you had at first (2:4). So what happened? To answer that question, we need to first recognize the many things Jesus praises the church for. What the Ephesian Church Was Doing Right The Ephesian church was commended for many things by Jesus such as their toil, patient endurance, and intolerance for evil. Heraclitus, a native of Ephesus and philosopher, spoke with open contempt of his citys moral corruptionso severe that later writers summarized his viewby saying no one could live in Ephesus without weeping.1 The fact that the church was able to endure for forty years in a city known for its sexual promiscuity and demonized idolatrous worship, while holding on to biblical orthodoxy, is staggering! Because of their orthodoxy and fidelity to the Word of God, the church was intolerant of evil, refused to ignore false teachers, and shared Jesuss hatred of the Nicolaitans. Forty years earlier, Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church: I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears (Acts. 20:29-31). This is what the church did well, and Jesus praised them for it. Now, notice what Jesus does not say to the church in Ephesus. He does not say they were being too orthodox. He does not say they were too truthful, or that their intolerance of evil, false teachers, and the works of the Nicolaitans was too extreme. Jesus does not tell the church to dial it back but instead celebrates these as examples of what they were doing well. What the church did well was refusing to yield to the pressures from their city to conform. Before we look at what the church got wrong, we need to address who the Nicolaitans were and why Jesus hated their teaching. From what we know, the Nicolaitans were a heretical Christian sect associated with the teaching of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15). They taught that the grace of God permitted freedom to engage in the kinds of things their pagan neighbors enjoyed, such as sexual immorality and full participation in pagan temple feasts. Why? Because grace covered it all. We will come back to Balaam when we look at the church in Pergamum, but for now what you need to know is that Balaam is known for his false teaching that served to seduce the men of Israel to engage in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab that also resulted in the worship of their gods in place of obedience and worship of Yahweh (see Num. 25). The Nicolaitans did not deny Jesus, they just reinterpreted what obedience to Jesus really meant, in that you could both be loyal to Jesus and actively pursue and participate in the kinds of things the Word of God commands the people of God to flee from. The Ephesian church was rightfully commended for their hatred and intolerance of the works of the Nicolaitans because Jesus shares their hatred for the same reasons. Listen carefully. Jesus does not merely disagree with teachings of the Nicolaitans He hates them. He hates any belief that suggests a person can remain loyal to Him while willfully embracing the very sins He died to free us from. The cross was not a license to make peace with sin; it was Gods declaration of war against it. To claim Christ while pursuing what nailed Him to the tree is not freedomit is self-deception. Christ did not die to make sin safe, but to make His people holy. 1 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 91. What the Ephesian Church Got Wrong So what was it that the church in Ephesus lost? Well, we know it wasnt the churchs orthodoxy. It was the love they had at first. What love did they have at first? I believe the love the church lost was a combination of their love for Jesus and others. I believe this because of what the apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians and what Jesus said the church needed to do to regain the love they had lost. First, lets look at Jesus criticism in verses 4-5, But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. The way back to regain what they had lost was to first remember where they had fallen or had lost sight of their love, then to repent by doing the works they had done at first. What were the works they had done at first? We are given a few clues in Ephesians about the church from what Paul says at the beginning and the end of his epistle to the Ephesians. 1st Clue: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers... (Eph. 1:15-16) 2nd Clue: Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24) I believe that the love the Ephesian church lost had to do with the love they had for Jesus and for one another. The New Living Translation captures this in their translation of Revelation 2:4, But I have this complaint against you. You dont love me or each other as you did at first! When a group of religious leaders asked Jesus to identify the most important commandment, His response was clear: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:3739). Genuine love for God leads to love for othersyou cannot claim to love God while refusing to love those who bear His image. As our love for God grows, it overflows into love for those around us, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you find this hard to accept, consider the words of the apostle John: If someone says, I love God, but hates his brother, that person is a liar; for anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). I believe the Ephesian church, first known for their faith in Jesus and their incorruptible love for Him, became the catalyst that fostered in them a love for one another, which they were known for in the early days of the churchs existence. Their love infused their faith in Jesus, and their love for all the saints was the cocktail God used to push back evil and transform lives! What Revelation 2:1-4 teaches us is that Jesus wants our obedience, but He also wants our hearts! In fact, if Jesus has your heart, He will have your obedience. Conclusion I believe the Ephesian church is listed first among the seven churches because of the danger we face when what we believe and what we do are no longer tethered to a living love for Jesus and His people. Listen carefully. Rather than criticizing the Ephesian church for its zeal for the truth of Gods Word, Jesus praised them for it. Orthodoxy is essential to the spiritual health of both Christians and the church as a whole. When believers abandon orthodoxy, spirituality does not become freer or deeperit becomes hollow and lifeless. So do their churches. But love keeps orthodoxy from hardening into something Jesus also hated. When truth is severed from love, orthodoxy collapses into legalism. And legalism is not holiness; it is a corruption of orthopraxyright living. Christian, we are called to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Scripture commands us: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. 1:1416). But the way we pursue holiness is not through cold precision or moral superiority. It is through the kind of love the Ephesian church once hadand then lost. This is the first of seven ways Christ calls His people to cleanse His house of leaven. What is that love? Scripture defines it plainly: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love never ends (1 Cor. 13:48). This is the love Jesus spoke of that must be true of His followers: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). We live in a nation deeply fracturedso fractured that many believe we are in a cold civil war. Civil conversation between the left and the right is nearly impossible. But it must not be that way in the church Jesus redeemed from the world. Our love for Christ must overflow into genuine love for one anotherstrong enough to allow disagreement without division, conviction without contempt, and truth without hatred. Let me take this one step further. If you love the Jesus who died to ransom people from every tribe, language, people, and nation, then you must be liberated from the partisan blindness that grips both the left and the right. Christian, you belong to another kingdom. Your allegiance is not to a political ideology but to King Jesus. Please hear me: the world will not see, hear, or receive the gospel from the left or the rightbut only from Jesus Christ Himself. By Gods design, His gospel is not entrusted to government but to His church. The mess in the White House, ournation, and the world is evidence that what people need is the One who makes the Gospel the Gospelnamely, Jesus! If you cannot see thatif you cannot believe that while still calling yourself a Christianthen you are in danger of the very thing that threatened the church in Ephesus. You have lost your first love. So I leave you with the same words Jesus spoke to them: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Hosted by Pastor Josh SorensenCalvary Live is an outreach ministry of GraceFM at Calvary Church in Aurora, Colorado.If you like what you hear on Calvary Live – don't forget to follow us, and share it with your friends and family!

In Revelation 2, Jesus speaks directly to His Church and He doesn't waste words. He commends endurance, faithfulness, and a refusal to compromise, but He also exposes what can quietly die in a church that keeps “doing the right things” with the wrong heart.We started with a sobering truth: a church that's not under the control of the Holy Ghost will eventually be out of control. We aren't called to be open-minded people drifting with culture, we're called to be Christ-minded people anchored in the Word.Jesus rebukes the church for this: they had the fire of truth, but they lost the flame of love. It's possible to be doctrinally sound and still spiritually dry. Truth without love becomes cold. Holiness without intimacy becomes hollow. And sometimes we can prioritize ministry, activity, and effort while our first love fades in the background.The call of Revelation 2 is clear: Return. Repent. Be rekindled. Not just keep going, but come back to the heart of it all, Jesus Himself. Everything must exalt Him.We also confronted compromise head-on. The Nicolaitans taught a mixture of Jesus and pagan values, treating grace like a license to sin. But Pastor Jon made it plain: you cannot walk with Jesus and dance with the devil. In a world trying to blur the lines, the Church must hold both truth and love, the way Jesus walked in truth and grace.Then we looked at Smyrna, a church that wasn't popular, but was faithful. They paid a price for truth. And we were challenged with a powerful gut-check: If the Bible doesn't cut you at least once a week, you're not reading it right. God's Word is supposed to examine us, expose motives, and align our living with what we say we believe.Jesus closes with a promise to those who have ears to hear and the courage to endure: Don't be afraid. Be faithful. Because whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death, the death that doesn't end life, but ends hope. Eternity is real, and the decisions we make now matter forever.Takeaway: Examine yourself. Is what you're reading reflecting how you're living? Let His Word search you, let His Spirit lead you, and let your love be rekindled. The Lord is still speaking. Are you listening? 

To get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.TS Wright Speaks: Church in Pergamum Revelation 2:12-17Introduction: In the third chapter of Revelation, we encounter the Church in Pergamum, a community grappling with the challenges of faith amid a culture steeped in idolatry and immorality. This podcast episode dives deep into the lessons Jesus imparts to this church, offering timeless wisdom that resonates with believers today.Main Content: **The Context of Pergamum** The Church in Pergamum existed in a city notorious for its pagan worship and idol practices, symbolized by the phrase "where the throne of Satan sits." TS Wright highlights that this church was located right in the midst of spiritual warfare, a battleground where faith and culture collided. Despite the overwhelming presence of evil, members of the church held fast to their faith, demonstrating remarkable courage and commitment.**Commendation for Faithfulness** Jesus begins His message with commendation, acknowledging the church's perseverance even in the face of persecution. TS Wright points out the significance of this acknowledgment, especially regarding Antipas, a faithful witness who was killed for his beliefs. This serves as a powerful reminder that true faith often requires sacrifice, and believers today must also hold fast to their convictions despite cultural pressures.**Warnings Against Compromise** However, the message is not solely one of encouragement. Jesus issues a stern warning against those in the church who have adopted the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, practices that led to idolatry and sexual immorality. TS Wright emphasizes that just as the early church faced temptations to conform to cultural norms, modern believers must also guard against the subtle ways in which culture can infiltrate their faith. He urges listeners to recognize the importance of living a life that is set apart, above the moral compromises prevalent in society.**The Call to Repentance** A key theme in this message is the call to repentance. TS Wright elucidates that repentance is a process, not just a one-time confession. It involves a deep heart transformation, turning away from sin, and taking active steps towards obedience. He reminds believers that while the journey may be challenging, the promise of restoration and a new identity in Christ awaits those who repent. **Living Above Culture** In a world where cultural acceptance is often equated with success, TS Wright's insights challenge believers to prioritize their relationship with Jesus above all else. He discusses the dangers of becoming a "carnal Christian," attempting to blend faith with worldly ideologies. Instead, he encourages a commitment to living out the teachings of Christ, even when it comes at a personal cost. The podcast underscores the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between faith and culture, particularly in moments of conflict.Conclusion: The message to the Church in Pergamum serves as a timely reminder for contemporary believers to navigate their faith with courage and conviction. Key takeaways include the...

Revelation 2 To the Church in Ephesus 2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. To the Church in Smyrna 8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. To the Church in Pergamum 12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. To the Church in Thyatira 18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.' 26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery'—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Ephesians 1:1-2 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To Gods holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 19 1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? They answered, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. 3 So Paul asked, Then what baptism did you receive? Johns baptism, they replied. 4 Paul said, Johns baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. 8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. 11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out. 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you? 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. 21 After all this had happened, Paul decided[d] to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. After I have been there, he said, I must visit Rome also. 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer. 23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty. 28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Pauls traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. 32 The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: Great is Artemis of the Ephesians! 35 The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: Fellow Ephesians, doesnt all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38 If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. 39 If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it. 41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. Revelation 2:1-7 1 To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

#top .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-735995925390297f16d8b5e92cfdbbd5{ padding-bottom:10px; } body .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-735995925390297f16d8b5e92cfdbbd5 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{ font-size:25px; } .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-735995925390297f16d8b5e92cfdbbd5 .av-subheading{ font-size:15px; } Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 30Revelation 2:8-17 LISTEN HERE Through My Bible – December 30 Revelation 2:8-17 (EHV) https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1230db.mp3 See series: Through My Bible Revelation 2 Letter to the Church in Smyrna 8 To the messenger of the church in Smyrna write: The First and the Last, who was dead and came to life again, says this: 9 I know [1] your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich. And I know the blasphemy that comes from those who say they are Jews but are not; rather, they are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear anything that [2] you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you will be tested, and you will suffer for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. Letter to the Church in Pergamum 12 To the messenger of the church in Pergamum write: The one who has the sharp, two-edged sword says this: 13 I know [3] where you live—where the throne of Satan is. And I know that you hold fast to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me even in the days when Antipas, my faithful witness, [4] was put to death near you, the place where Satan lives. 14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block in front of the children of Israel so that they would eat things offered to idols and commit sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have some people who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore, [5] repent! If not, I will come to you soon, and I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious I will give some of the hidden manna. [6] I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, which no one will know except the one who receives it. Footnotes Revelation 2:9 A few witnesses to the text add your works. Revelation 2:10 Some witnesses to the text read Do not fear what. Revelation 2:13 A few witnesses to the text add your works and. Revelation 2:13 Or martyr Revelation 2:16 Some witnesses to the text omit Therefore. Revelation 2:17 A few witnesses to the text add to eat. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-aocsdx-89cb4ca21532423cf697fc393b6fcee0{ height:10px; } The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-4vzadh-3f04b370105df1fd314a2a9d83e55b26{ height:50px; } Share this entryShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare by MailLink to FlickrLink to InstagramLink to Vimeo

#top .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-68849d3c772a1752e164ae96ad1cc02b{ padding-bottom:10px; } body .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-68849d3c772a1752e164ae96ad1cc02b .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{ font-size:25px; } .av-special-heading.av-gs9o3p-68849d3c772a1752e164ae96ad1cc02b .av-subheading{ font-size:15px; } Through My Bible Yr 02 – December 29Revelation 2:1-7 LISTEN HERE Through My Bible – December 29 Revelation 2:1-7 (EHV) https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/tmb-ehv/02-1229db.mp3 See series: Through My Bible Revelation 2 Letter to the Church in Ephesus 1 To the messenger of the church in Ephesus write: The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven gold lampstands, says this: 2 I know your works, your [1] labor, and your patient endurance, and that you are not able to tolerate evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles, but are not, and have found them to be liars. 3 Indeed, you do have patient endurance. You have endured hardships on account of my name and have not become weary. 4 But I have this against you: You have forsaken your first love. [2] 5 Remember, therefore, the state from which you have fallen! Repent and do the works you did at first. Otherwise I will come to you [3] and remove your lampstand from its place, if you do not repent. 6 But you do have this: You hate the actions of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious I will give the privilege to eat from the tree of life, which is in [4] the paradise of God. Footnotes Revelation 2:2 Some witnesses to the text omit your. Revelation 2:4 Or You have lost the love you had at first Revelation 2:5 A few witnesses to the text add quickly. Revelation 2:7 A few witnesses to the text add the middle of. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-aocsdx-89cb4ca21532423cf697fc393b6fcee0{ height:10px; } The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. #top .hr.hr-invisible.av-4vzadh-3f04b370105df1fd314a2a9d83e55b26{ height:50px; } Share this entryShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare by MailLink to FlickrLink to InstagramLink to Vimeo

As we start a new series on looking at the 7 churches in Revelation, today, we will just be looking at the church of Ephesus, also known as the same Church that Paul wrote to in his day; known as the book of “Ephesians.” So what does it mean to “forsake your first love?” Have I done that? Who are the Nicolaitans? What are the seven stars and the seven lamp stands? All great questions and I will do my best to explain them all clearly really excited to dive into the series with you guys

His Righteousness?; Right reason; Leviticus; God is the same; Kingdom of God = form of government; Instructions to seek it; "World"; Offerings; Meat? Grain?; Imperfect translations; Lesser gods; John the Baptist; Leaven-filled baptisms; Cryptic bible?; Haters; Knowing yourself; Loving your enemy; Our error; Jacob called Israel; The meaning of the mystical story; Leaders; Awakening to the truth; Burnt sacrifice?; Evolution?; Morality; Lev 1:1; Tabernacle of the congregation; Debating; Equality; "Religion"; "Yahweh"; Genocide; Koran; God speaking out of tents of the congregation; "Synagogue"; Having your own house; Returning men to their families and possessions; Altars?; Entangling yourself in the bondage of Egypt; Voluntary offerings; Freewill; State-run social safety nets; Idolatry; The whole truth; Offering = qorban; Hebrew language; Socialism?; Family: Institution of God; Benevolent dictatorship?; Dependency upon government; Taking care of society's needy; "Burnt"?; aleph-tav; kuf-resh-biet-nun+kof+mem; Reason to bring offering; male without blemish?; zayin-kof-resh (male); Without blemish = you own it; Being generous in your sharing; Putting his hand upon it; Burnt offering; Romans 13; Liberty; Helping your neighbor; Diet; No Christian socialists; Detach from the giving - retain freedom; Usage of offerings; Tens, Hundreds and Thousands; Gen 9:5; Early Church social welfare; Temple of Ephesus; Covetousness; Deut 12:27, Deut 19:10; "Strange fire"?; Creating a great nation; Government of, for and by the people; Bible's about government; Character of God; Deeds of Nicolaitans and Error of Baalam; Repentance; Sweet savor?; Choosing your minister; Letting God be the judge; Allowing Holy Spirit to flow through you; Love = Charity; Finding hope; Minister sharing; Join the Living Network.

His Righteousness?; Right reason; Leviticus; God is the same; Kingdom of God = form of government; Instructions to seek it; "World"; Offerings; Meat? Grain?; Imperfect translations; Lesser gods; John the Baptist; Leaven-filled baptisms; Cryptic bible?; Haters; Knowing yourself; Loving your enemy; Our error; Jacob called Israel; The meaning of the mystical story; Leaders; Awakening to the truth; Burnt sacrifice?; Evolution?; Morality; Lev 1:1; Tabernacle of the congregation; Debating; Equality; "Religion"; "Yahweh"; Genocide; Koran; God speaking out of tents of the congregation; "Synagogue"; Having your own house; Returning men to their families and possessions; Altars?; Entangling yourself in the bondage of Egypt; Voluntary offerings; Freewill; State-run social safety nets; Idolatry; The whole truth; Offering = qorban; Hebrew language; Socialism?; Family: Institution of God; Benevolent dictatorship?; Dependency upon government; Taking care of society's needy; "Burnt"?; aleph-tav; kuf-resh-biet-nun+kof+mem; Reason to bring offering; male without blemish?; zayin-kof-resh (male); Without blemish = you own it; Being generous in your sharing; Putting his hand upon it; Burnt offering; Romans 13; Liberty; Helping your neighbor; Diet; No Christian socialists; Detach from the giving - retain freedom; Usage of offerings; Tens, Hundreds and Thousands; Gen 9:5; Early Church social welfare; Temple of Ephesus; Covetousness; Deut 12:27, Deut 19:10; "Strange fire"?; Creating a great nation; Government of, for and by the people; Bible's about government; Character of God; Deeds of Nicolaitans and Error of Baalam; Repentance; Sweet savor?; Choosing your minister; Letting God be the judge; Allowing Holy Spirit to flow through you; Love = Charity; Finding hope; Minister sharing; Join the Living Network.

Do you Hate the Works of the Nicolaitans?God Does!

Bible studies at PreparingYou.com; Passionate subject; Divisive ideas; Who is God?; Language confusion; "Covenants of the gods" - based on law; Meaning of words; Public religion?; "Religion" defined; Metaphors and allegory; Sophistry; "Altars"; Imprisoned by your thinking; Idolatry = covetousness; Bringing people together; Bible translations; "world"; 3rd book of Torah; 4th branch of government?; "We the people"; Bringing offerings; "Bondage of Egypt"; Different form of government; "Laity"; Nicolaitans; How to stay free; Perfect law of liberty; vs Human Resources; Seeing yourself; Repentance; "Leviticus"; Religious duty; Who is the real son?; "Leaven"; Sacrifice (Corban); Holy = sacred = separate; Clarifying biblical language; History of Leviticus; Mystery Babylon; God's insecurity?; Allegiance? Or faith?; "Worship"; Charity; Strengthening your neighbor; Sacrificial systems; Entitlements; Today's "Israel"; Freewill; Choosing sides; Righteousness; Atonement?; Faith, hope and charity; Seeking His kingdom and His righteousness; Types of sacrifice; "Kingdom of God"; Righteousness compelled by faith; Practicing pure religion; Countering degeneration; No forced contributions; Divine revelation; Rules for a system of justice; Judicial corruption; Mt 21:43; Fruits of righteousness; Minister network; Recognizing your weakness; Practicing charity; Destroyers of liberty; Hearing your neighbor's need; Responsibilities; "Priest" class; Maintaining individual rights; Government of, for and by the people; Church in the wilderness; Understanding relationships; Helping your fellowman; Join us!

We live in a world today that is spiritually dark. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been watered down, to where people can live comfortably in their sin, while the stay on the road to the devils Hell. Todays episode looks at the spirit of the Nicolaitans, something God states He hates. Don't fall for this wrong and false teachings.

If you would like additional information, books, or if you would like to make a love donation; please visit us at https://www.walkinginpower.orgThe study of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 focuses on the seven letters Christ addresses to seven literal churches, which Bern interprets as a chronological history of the Church Age and a type of the end-time church condition. Each letter follows a structured pattern: a commendation (praise), a rebuke (criticism), an admonition (exhortation to repent), and a promise for overcomers. Bern establishes the historical context by noting that man has repeatedly rejected God's provisions: Israel rejected the Father in favor of the Law, Judah rejected the Son (Jesus) for the counterfeit (Barabbas), and the early Christian Church, following Pentecost, began rejecting the Holy Spirit in favor of denominationalism and man-made systems, leading to the quenching of the Spirit's power.Bern then begins analyzing the first churches, highlighting their historical and doctrinal significance. Ephesusrepresents the Early Apostolic Church (a church of duty and works) that Christ rebukes for losing its "first love" and being "backsliden." Smyrna represents the persecuted church from the Apostolic Age up to Constantine; notably, Christ gives this church no rebuke, only encouragement to remain faithful amid suffering. Pergamum represents the Imperial State Church under Rome, where Christ says "Satan's throne is." This church is praised for holding fast to the faith but strongly rebuked for holding the false teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans (clergy controlling the laity), indicating a doctrinal compromise and a "licentious" condition due to the influence of paganism. The letter to Thyatira (the most complicated) begins the discussion of the influence of the "Jezebel spirit," representing a period where the church tolerated immorality and idolatry by mixing pagan practices with Christian doctrine.

Revelation 2:12-17 ESV “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.'

Ephesians 6:19-2019 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.Revelation 2:1-7“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'Your Unseen Enemy ResourcesYour Story Has A Villain – Jonathan PokludaThe Battle Is The Lord's – Tony EvansLive No Lies – John Mark ComerIf The Tomb is Empty – Joby MartinSpiritual Warfare Sermon Series – J.D. GreearDefeating the Enemy – Phil HopperKingdom Authority – Adrian RogersThe Weapons of our Warfare – Phil HopperStand Firm Sermon Series – Joby MartinWhen the Enemy Strikes – Charles Stanley40 Questions About Angels, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare – John GilhoolyThe Divine Defense – Robert JeffressRun Over by the Grace Train – Joby MartinLord, Change My Attitude – James MacDonald

Revelation 2:1-7 ESV “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'

News thriving on drama; Problems when not doing what Christ said; What was Abraham doing?; Understanding the bible text; Eating meat with blood in it; What Christ commanded; "Liturgy"; Solution to world's problems; "Israel"; Generations of Esau = Edom; "Corban"; Sacrifice; Cursing your children with debt; Recognizing righteousness; Gen 37:1 Jacob in Canaan; "Strangers"?; Idolatry = covetousness; Jacob's ladder; Rights; Joseph tattling on brothers; "Flocks"?; Joseph's dream; Dominion over people; Tav+Mem-shin-lamad+biet+nun+vav (dominion); Lot?; Abimelech; Forcing offerings/sacrifice; Membership in social safety nets; Tents for cattle?; Jealousy of brothers; Sachem (consent); Returning every man to family and possessions; Kings? (rulers); Perfect law of liberty; Knowing Holy Spirit; "Dothen"?; Plotting to slay Joseph; Evil beast?; Socialists; Sequence of Hebrew text; Ruben's advice (plan); The pit you're in; Selling Joseph to Ishmaelites; Willingness to sell neighbor into bondage; One purse; 1 Sam 8; Hearing your brother; Faking Joseph's death; Types of kings; Forewarning of famine; Wrath of God; Loving the light; Claiming to know Moses; How to be a free people; Leavened bread; Corruption; Strong delusion; Idols?; The ways of Jacob; Gen 33:17; Setting your brother free; Choosing the direction of your life; Learning to be Israel; Coat of many colors?; Imaginary freedom; Abraham's dream - burning lamp; Organizing in Tens; Tithing vs taxes; Identifying the "evil report"; Deut 12:23; meat with blood in it; Biting one another; Error of Balaam and deeds of the Nicolaitans; Appetite for benefits; Need for repentance; Feeding the sheep; resh-ayin-hey; Truth - Be ready to repent.

Revelation 2: 14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.  Songs: Mansion Over the Hilltop, Alas and Did My Savior Bleed, Amazing Grace.

Scripture - Revelation 2:12–17To the Church in Pergamum[12] “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.[13] “‘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. [14] 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. [15] So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. [16] Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. [17] 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.' (ESV)

Slaves? Bondsmen? Apprentice? Student loans; Jacob's deal with Laban; Marriage license; Moses' exodus; Julius Caesar's bondage; Contracting rights away; Egypt's Pharaoh; Cause/effect world; Contracts, covenants and constitutions; Asking father for permission to marry daughter; Patriarchy; Parens patria; Isaiah 9:2; Darkness; Error of Baalam; Nicolaitans; Your consent; Offer and acceptance; Pharaoh's sharing; China one-child contract; Benefits as bait; One purse?; Free?; Coercion; What made Rome great?; Loss of values; Decrease in rights; Bait = something for nothing; Pure religion; Sacrificing for your neighbor; Altars; Lively stones; Mark Q?; Communist manifesto; Back in Babylon; Education; Learning from history; Loving the truth; Kristie Q? - Davy Crockett; Lady Godiva?; No exercising authority; Charity requirements; "Faith" defined; Un-holy spirits; Guilt-control; No coveting; Bankruptcy; God's salvation; Walking in faith; Loving neighbor as self; Ekklesia; Miracles; Mark Q? Altars misunderstood?; Creeping corruption; Notes; Denominating money; Deception; Bowing down to statues?; Golden Calf = Reserve fund; Working together; Mystery Babylon; Mark of the Beast; Finger-pointing?; Neglecting our duties; Knowing God; Coming together like Christ; True Church; Allowing choice; Going to the light; Tree of Life; Unhewn stones; Meat with blood in it; Cities of blood; Join the Living Network.

The Church in Pergamum is encouraged by their holding fast to Christ in the midst of persecution, but is reprimanded because of their lack of discernment regarding the Nicolaitans.

Revelation 2:12-29 ESV To the Church in Pergamum12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘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. 14 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. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 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.'To the Church in Thyatira18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.

X-Space discussions; Why hate Charlie Kirk; "Judeo-Christian" ideas; Nicolaitans?; Baalam?; False accusations; What are Judeo values?; Christian values?; Doers of the word; Califates; Importance of context; Translation; "Abimelech"; vs "Melchizedek"; Sycamore tree?; Luke 19 parable; Zacchaeus; Taxation; Perils of electing rulers; Pure religion vs public religion; Jesus hailed as king - of peace; Firing moneychangers; Both king and high priest; Tithing; Freewill offerings; Abraham's altars; "Communities"; Tesserae?; "Logos" = "The Word" = Right reason; vs "Rhema"; Mt 4:10 Worship and serve; Dictates of the LORD thy God; Cloaking the bible in mindless rituals; Corban; Serving God from home; Blessing of Abraham; Understanding your bondage; Willingness to communicate/converse; Gen 32:1; mem-chet-nun-yod-mem (Mahanaim); Gen 28:12; mem-lamad-aleph-kof-yod Angels; Prov 16:11 (Messenger); Unjust weights; Righteousness; "Leaven" = oppression; Two ways to rule a nation; Gifting Esau?; hey+mem-lamad-aleph-kof-yod+mem messenger? "Host" of God?; Messengers, angels; Herod's recognizing messiah; Values of God; Laban's ways; Covering Abraham's wells; Symbolism; Freedom of choice; Altars of charity; Covetous practices = idolatry; Anti-Christ; Is Christ really your king?; Well of satisfaction; Augustus Caesar - son of God?; Welfare snares; Egyptians leaving Egypt; "Shem"ites; "Fear not!"; Is your church taking care of all the needy?; Making Christians "peculiar"; Seeking the fullness of the kingdom; Jacob's procession of gifts; Consistent Christianity; Jacob wrestled a man = mem-lamad-shin-kuf; Gen 32:28 "strive"; Prince having power; Listening to Holy Spirit; Need to pray; Setting others free; Consistency of living in faith, hope and charity; Trusting God; Respecters of persons; pey-nun-yod-aleph-lamad (Peniel); Becoming Israel; Face of God?; Walking with God; What was Esau doing differently?; What about Jacob's sons?; Making Jacob stink; Seek His kingdom and His righteousness.

Revelation 2:1-7 ESV “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.' For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.

The church at Pergamos was a good church in many ways. They had stayed faithful to Christ even though they were planted in Satan's backyard. They endured through persecution. They didn't deny Christ's name. However, the danger of compromise had crept into this church. Pergamos was allowing the Nicolaitans to come in and teach that believers could live however they wanted to, embracing idolatry and immorality. Jesus speaks to warn them of allowing this compromise to remain in the church.

Sunday Service: Revelation 2:12–17 is a message from Jesus to the church in Pergamum, a city known as the place "where Satan has his throne." Jesus introduces Himself as the one with the sharp two-edged sword, symbolizing His authority, judgment, and the piercing power of God's Word to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. He commends the church for holding fast to their faith even in the face of martyrdom, but rebukes them for tolerating false teachers like the Nicolaitans who were leading God's people into sexual immorality and idolatry. The issue of eating food offered to idols wasn't about the food itself, but the spiritual compromise and confusion it created among believers. Jesus calls the church to repent—meaning to change their way of thinking to align with God's truth—or else He will personally confront and remove the corrupting influence. He is not fighting the faithful but the deceivers among them. To those who overcome, Jesus promises hidden manna (salvation in Jesus), a white stone (symbolizing acquittal, victory, and acceptance), and a new name—representing a personal, intimate identity in Christ known only to the one who receives it. Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com                  

Sunday Service: Revelation 2:1–7 is Jesus' message to the church in Ephesus, commending them for their hard work, perseverance, intolerance of evil, and discernment against false apostles. However, He rebukes them for abandoning their love for God and for one another. Jesus urges them to repent and return to the works they did at first, warning that if they do not, He will shut down their church. Yet, He also praises them for hating the practices of the Nicolaitans, which He also hates. The message concludes with a promise that those who overcome will be given the right to eat from the tree of life in the paradise of God. Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com                  

Exiled on Patmos, the Apostle John receives a vision from Christ and dictates the message we now know as Revelation to seven churches across Asia Minor. This Sunday we focused on Pergamum, a church living in the shadows of Roman power—called “Satan's throne”—yet praised for its steadfast faith and refusal to deny Christ even amid persecution. Christ commends their loyalty but rebukes them for tolerating the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans and calls them to repentance. He reminds us that open compromise with the world can dilute our witness and invites the faithful to overcome, promising hidden manna and the white stone of victory. May we, like the church in Pergamum, resist cultural pressures and faithfully proclaim that Christ is Lord above all.

Gen 25; Deeper stories; In, but not of the world; City-states; Civilization of Abraham; Meaning of place names; Traveling the desert alone?; "Pottage"?; Esau's failing; Mere words on the page?; Why Abraham in the desert?; Gerar?; Between Kadesh and Shur; What's wrong with Sodom?; More than Esau; Terah's idolatry; Deception; Treaties; Consent; "Sodded" = Nun-zayin-yod-dalet; Gen 25:29; 2 Kings 4:38; Stewpot and cauldron; Biting one another; One purse; Welfare snares; Natural disasters; Rumors of wars; Corruption; Living in the cauldron; Nicolaitans and Baalam; Addiction to benefits; Freewill offerings; Presbyterians on abortion?; Empowering wickedness; Breakdown of families; Gen 26: God's promise to Isaac; "Abimelech" = father king; Calling no man "father"; Roman republic; Bondage; Choice of sacrifice; Gen 26:5 "Because"; Natural law; Cause/effect; Abraham's obedience; Gerar = biet+gimel-resh-resh; Ear-tickling preachings; Doers of His word; Melchizedek; "Corban"; Isaac's fear; Already self-evident commandments?; The Comforter; Culture; Patriarchy; Who's your daddy?; The source of corruption; Your responsibility; "Put to death"; Sowing; Increasing in righteousness; Choosing your father by consent; Spreading corruption; Gen 26:15 filling wells?; Wells are sources; Well-fare?; Networks of care; Altars; Dwelling in a different way; Stephan; "Tables"; Finding a well in your own heart; Covetous practices are forbidden; Sharing; Covenanting with Abimelech; Having eyes to see; The peace of Christ; Abraham's righteousness; Showing the better way of faith, hope and charity; Mt 23:9; Robbing widows and orphans; Households; Helping neighbor without oppression; Share!

This powerful message on holding fast in a world of compromise explores the message Jesus gave to the church of Pergamos in Revelation. Discover how this ancient city—filled with pagan temples and Caesar worship—created intense spiritual pressure on believers, yet some remained faithful even unto death. Learn why Jesus described Pergamos as 'where Satan has his throne' and what that means for Christians living in spiritually hostile environments today. This message examines how compromise subtly enters through doctrine, culture, entertainment, and relationships, and provides biblical strategies to recognize and resist it. Understand the dangerous teachings Jesus identified—the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans—and their modern equivalents that threaten spiritual growth. The message unpacks Jesus' solution to compromise: genuine repentance that changes both thinking and direction. Explore the three remarkable promises Jesus offers to those who overcome: hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. This teaching includes practical application questions to help identify areas of compromise in your own life and steps to align more fully with Christ. Perfect for Christians struggling with cultural pressure, those seeking spiritual revival, or anyone wanting to understand how to live with integrity in a compromising world.

Revelation 2:12-1712 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[a] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 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. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 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.'

Understanding Abraham's mission to sacrifice Isaac; Altars of the ancients; Symbolism; Messages in stories; Gregory stories; Why Jesus was hated; Warnings in the bible; Rulers exercising authority; Chief Executive Officers; Cities of blood - cauldrons - flesh pots; Lot and Abraham; Truth vs opinion; Following God's lead; Bondage of city-states; "Church" (ekklesia = called out) in the wilderness; Duties of Levites; Learning to be "Israel"; Walking in faith; Melchizedek; Righteousness; Temptation; Following what is right; Government of God; Lot in the cities; "Moses"; "Egypt"; Philistines; Leaven; Circumcision; Creeds; Double standards; Convictions; "Trinity"?; gods many; Workers of iniquity; Eating of the Tree of Knowledge; Self-justified injustice; Lot as judge; Living in fear; Killing Christ; Understanding the bible; Replacement sacrifice; Sharing; Smoking furnace?; Receivers of Holy Spirit; Significance of Abraham; Canaan; Importance of Sarah; Gen 23:1; City of four?; Hebron = association or to bind; Bondage today?; Fear of leaving the city; Freedom?; One purse; Gathering like the Early Church; Organizing as Christ commanded; Tithing according to service; Wanting to see the light; Being watchful; Balaam and Nicolaitans; Spirit of Christ; Humility; Lamentation; Burying Sarah; Sons of "Heth" - chet-tav; from chet-tav-tav = people of faith; Cause/effect; Double-tav = more faith vs some faith; Responsibility of liberty under God; Sureties for trillions; What are you missing?; House of Abraham; Unkept oaths; Job 6:21; Washing feet; Not taking gifts; "The Way" of Christianity; Why seek the kingdom; Sacrifice; Righteousness; Eating of the Tree of Life; Saving others; Your choices; "Corban"; Making God's word to none effect; Volunteerism; "Abraham House" organization; Peace through power?; Jer 6:10; What the LORD has to say; Making covenants; Desire for benefits; Good Samaritan?; Covetous practices make you merchandise; Welfare snares; Take back your responsibilities!

     The Corinthian Christians were undeniably saved, as Paul calls them saints (1 Cor 1:2) and brethren (1 Cor 3:1). Yet, they exhibited a persistent pattern of carnality, evidenced by their divisive behavior, internal conflicts, and failure to mature spiritually. Paul rebuked them for their immaturity and misguided allegiance to human leaders, which had fractured the church into competing factions (1 Cor 1:10-13). He then directly addressed their spiritual condition, describing them as “men of flesh” (1 Cor 3:1), signifying their prolonged carnality. He writes, “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able” (1 Cor 3:2). This was an embarrassing reality for the Corinthians, for by the time Paul wrote to them, they should have progressed further in their spiritual walk. He then laments their ongoing carnality, declaring, “for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (1 Cor 3:3). The phrase “you are still fleshly” (ἔτι γὰρ σαρκικοί ἐστε, eti gar sarkikoi este) uses the present indicative, indicating a continued state of carnality. Here, the present tense describes customary or habitual action. Wallace notes, “The customary present is used to signal either an action that regularly occurs or an ongoing state.”[1] The Christians at Corinth were habitually driven by the flesh rather than the Spirit. This confirms that their failure to mature spiritually was not due to a temporary lapse but an entrenched pattern of behavior. Had their sinful patterns been proof of lostness, Paul would have addressed them as unbelievers needing salvation rather than carnal believers needing correction. Paul does not suggest they should question their salvation; rather, he exhorts them toward spiritual growth and maturity. The solution is not introspective doubt but a call to align their practice with their position in Christ.[2]      Several of the seven churches in Revelation (Rev 2-3) exhibited patterns of habitual sin, as evidenced by Jesus' rebukes. The church in Ephesus, though commended for its hard work and perseverance, was rebuked by Jesus, who said, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev 2:4). The phrase “you have left” translates the Greek verb aphekas (ἀφῆκας), which is in the aorist tense, indicating a decisive act in the past. These believers had, at some point, turned away from their original love for Christ, and the context suggests they had not yet returned to it.      Pergamum, while faithful to Christ's name under persecution, tolerated the false teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, which led to idolatry and sexual immorality within the congregation (Rev 2:14-15). Jesus said, “I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality” (Rev 2:14). The word “hold” translates the Greek kratountas (κρατοῦντας), which is a present participle, denoting ongoing adherence to false doctrine. This wasn't a one-time deviation but an entrenched pattern that led to idolatry and immorality.      Thyatira, despite its love and perseverance, was rebuked for tolerating “the woman Jezebel,” whose false teachings encouraged sin through idolatry and immorality (Rev 2:20-21). Jesus said, “I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (Rev 2:20). The word “tolerate” translates the Greek verb apheis (ἀφεῖς), which is a present active indicative, indicating that the church at Thyatira habitually permitted Jezebel's corrupting influence.      Jesus called each of these churches to repent. To the church at Ephesus, He said, “Remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (Rev 2:5). Thomas notes, the church “had simply lost their bearings, like the prodigal son, and needed to regain them.”[3] Repentance (metanōeō) meant they were to recalibrate their thinking according to God's standard and redirect their behavior to righteous living. Repentance, according to Thomas, “Calls for a decisive change of attitude with its resultant action. It is a reversal of the status quo, a deliberate repudiation of former sins and a complete return to the standards and will of God. It is an appeal to begin at this moment a complete change. It calls for a quick and effective decision.”[4] Similar exhortations were given to Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea, urging them to change their minds and turn from their habit of sin and return to faithful obedience (Rev 2:16, 2:22, 3:3, 3:19). Jesus' warnings reveal the serious consequences of habitual sin, including loss of fellowship, diminished spiritual vitality, and potential divine discipline. Jesus said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore, be zealous and repent” (Rev 3:19; cf. Heb 12:6). Habitual sin does not jeopardize salvation, which is secured by Christ's finished work. Instead, believers are called to address their spiritual failures through humble submission and reliance on God's grace, restoring their walk with Him through confession (1 John 1:9) and obedience (Jam 1:22). Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics - Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Zondervan Publishing House and Galaxie Software, 1996), 521. [2] The Corinthian church struggled with a variety of sins, including sexual immorality (1 Cor 5:1-2), lawsuits between believers, greed, and a lack of brotherly love (1 Cor 6:1-8). They also misused their Christian liberty, causing others to stumble, and dishonored the Lord's Supper by indulging selfishly and even getting drunk during the meal (1 Cor 8–10; 11:20-22). Additionally, their pride in spiritual gifts, especially tongues, led to disorder in worship, as they prioritized self-glory over the edification of the church (1 Cor 12–14). These recurring sins reflected an ongoing pattern of spiritual immaturity. [3] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 142. [4] Ibid., 142–143.

In this powerful message, we're challenged to examine our commitment to holiness in a world that often opposes God's truth. The letter to the church in Pergamum from Revelation 2:12-17 serves as a stark reminder that compromise with worldly values can creep into our lives and churches. Just as Pergamum faced pressure to conform to pagan practices, we too are confronted with societal norms that conflict with biblical teachings. The story of Balaam and the Nicolaitans illustrates how seemingly small compromises can lead to devastating spiritual consequences. We're called to be distinct from the world, not blending in for the sake of acceptance. This message urges us to consider: Are we tolerating sin in our lives or our faith communities? Are we more concerned with meeting God's expectations or the world's? It's a call to repentance and renewed commitment to God's truth, reminding us that the rewards of faithfulness far outweigh any temporary comfort gained through compromise.

Sunday Service (4/13/25) // Revelation 2: 12-17 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch DAF Donations: https://every.org/mbc.chicago PayPal/Credit: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... Revelation 2: 12-17 (ESV) To the Church in Pergamum12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[a] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 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. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 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.'Footnotesa. Revelation 2:13 Or your faith in me#DanielBatarseh #Revelation #BookofRevelation #BibleStudy #mbchicago #mbcchicago #Bible #versebyverse #sermon #sermons #sermononline #bookofrevelation #bookofrevelations #revelation #revelations #newtestament #scripture #verses #lessons #church #chicago #livechurch #churchlive #chicagochurch #chicagochurches #prophecy #prophetic #jesus #jesuschrist

Sunday Service (3/30/25) // Revelation 2:1-7 // Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mbchicago.org⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us to remain connected: Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & othersTo support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mbchicago.org/give⁠⁠⁠⁠ Venmo: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://venmo.com/mbchurch⁠⁠⁠⁠ PayPal/Credit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but...⁠⁠⁠⁠DAF Donations: ⁠⁠⁠https://every.org/mbc.chicago⁠⁠⁠Revelation 2:1-7 (ESV) To the Church in Ephesus1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'#DanielBatarseh #Revelation #BookofRevelation #BibleStudy #mbchicago #mbcchicago #Bible #versebyverse #sermon #sermons #sermononline #bookofrevelation #bookofrevelations #revelation #revelations #newtestament #scripture #verses #lessons #church #chicago #livechurch #churchlive #chicagochurch #chicagochurches #prophecy #prophetic #jesus #jesuschrist

Fr. Anthony Amato is the Pastor of St. Peter's Parish in Clifton Springs, New York. He was ordained as a priest in June of 2017 by Bishop Salvatore Matano of the Diocese of Rochester, New York.   In Today's Show Who were the Nicolaitans in the book of Revelation and did Jesus hate them? Is it ok for lay faithful use blessed salt and oil for consumption? How are we to handle non-Catholic idolatrous places of worship? Is it wrong to pray with a helmet on if it is for safety? Why do bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people? My daughter has been dating a Jewish man for a few years; can they be married validly?   Is it a sin of sacrilege if the Host came out of my mouth because of a cough? Can a bishop prohibit public ad orientem worship for the novus ordo? Can you get in trouble for genuflecting and kissing the ring of a bishop who's in schism?  What should a person do if they are scrupulous and lose their spiritual director? Is it wrong to use of birth control pills to treat acne? Why does God create people that he knows may be damned to hell? Why does God not send condemned souls to another Planet and give them another Chance?  Are slip-ups regarding addiction to immoral images be considered mortal sin? While asleep I uttered something which did not make sense to me.  What might this have been? How should a Catholic react and respond to the recent black mass held in Kansas? Visit the show page at thestationofthecross.com/askapriest to listen live, check out the weekly lineup, listen to podcasts of past episodes, watch live video, find show resources, sign up for our mailing list of upcoming shows, and submit your question for Father!

Sunday Service (3/23/25) // Revelation 2-3 // Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://mbchicago.org⁠⁠⁠Follow us to remain connected: Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠ Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & othersTo support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: ⁠⁠⁠https://mbchicago.org/give⁠⁠⁠ Venmo: ⁠⁠⁠https://venmo.com/mbchurch⁠⁠⁠ PayPal/Credit: ⁠⁠⁠https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but...⁠⁠⁠DAF Donations: ⁠⁠https://every.org/mbc.chicago⁠⁠Revelation 2-3 (ESV) To the Church in Ephesus2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'To the Church in Smyrna8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander[a] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'To the Church in Pergamum12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[b] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 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. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 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.'To the Church in Thyatira18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.To the Church in Sardis3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.To the Church in Philadelphia7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.To the Church in Laodicea14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

Send us a textFor this week's podcast episode, we're continuing our series through the letters written to the seven churches at the beginning of the book of Revelation. The letter to the third church was located in an Ancient Greek city called Pergamos (Revelation 2:12-17). The New King James translation refers to this church as "The Compromising Church" and you'll see as we discuss through the text that there were valid reasons for this title. Jesus warns the church as some members were adhering to the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, which involve idolatry and immorality. The letter urges them to repent and promises rewards to those who overcome these issues, including the gift of hidden manna and a white stone with a new name!We also would like to invite anyone who lives in the Philadelphia area to worship and study God's word with us at our in-person meeting that takes place every-other Monday night at 7:30pm. Visit phillyyoungadults.com for additional information about our ministry.Feel free to message us on instagram (@phillyyoungadultscc) with any feedback, questions, or topics you want to hear about on the podcast or you can shoot an email to ya@ccphilly.org

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley discuss the beginning of the book of Revelation and its meaning.Questions Covered in This Episode:What does the word “revelation” mean? Why is the language so strange if this book is meant to reveal?What is a symbolic universe?How important is what comes before the book of Revelation in understanding the book?Is there a grid we should be using or do we treat angelic language throughout Revelation on a case by case basis?What is the book of Revelation about?What sevens do we get before we get to the seven churches?Why these seven churches?What is the angle of these letters?Who are the Nicolaitans?What stands out from them?What can encouragement can we draw from this?Helpful Definitions:Revelation: To reveal, to disclose.Angel: Messenger.Resources Mentioned in this Episode:Revelation 1 Follow Us:Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | WebsiteOur Sister Podcasts:The Family Discipleship Podcast | Tiny TheologiansSupport Training the Church and Become a Patron:patreon.com/trainingthechurchInterested in starting seminary and our new 100% tuition For the Church Cohorts? Learn more about what it means to study #ForTheChurch at Midwestern Seminary and apply for free with code KNOWINGFAITH at mbts.edu/apply.Sponsors:To learn more about our sponsors please visit our website. Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.