WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.020 Now, what I want to discuss with you is that 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:05.879 portion of the Word of God as found in the second 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:11.560 chapter of the Revelation. And it's the message 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:18.820 to the church at Pergamos. And the Lord, first 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:22.039 of all, began commending them, saying, I know 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:26.359 thy works and where thou dwellest. And he commended 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:29.739 them on the fact that thou holdest fast my name 00:00:29.739 --> 00:00:35.619 and hast not denied my faith. But then in that 00:00:35.619 --> 00:00:39.820 14th verse, he begins by saying, But I have a 00:00:39.820 --> 00:00:45.359 few things against thee, because thou hast their 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:53.740 sum that hold the doctrine of Balaam. Now what? 00:00:54.380 --> 00:01:02.399 was the doctrine of Balaam. The essence of Balaamism 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:07.540 is today that which we would call worldliness. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:11.299 Oh, the church is in great danger when it makes 00:01:11.299 --> 00:01:15.980 a union with the world. I mean that. Satan first 00:01:15.980 --> 00:01:18.819 tried to destroy the power of Christianity by 00:01:18.819 --> 00:01:23.140 persecution. But the church grew stronger than 00:01:23.140 --> 00:01:28.659 ever. Now he seeks to nullify its power by mixing 00:01:28.659 --> 00:01:33.819 Christianity with worldliness. And he found it 00:01:33.819 --> 00:01:37.420 to be great success. Haven't you heard people 00:01:37.420 --> 00:01:41.400 say about some questionable thing? Oh, there's 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:48.340 no harm in that. Everybody's doing it. What harm 00:01:48.340 --> 00:01:53.579 is there in doing it? You can know right then. 00:01:54.299 --> 00:01:56.719 that they are losing their Christian influence 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:03.819 through compromise. And you can lose your Christian 00:02:03.819 --> 00:02:09.159 testimony and your Christian experience and your 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:14.520 fellowship with God. You can get into a backslidden 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:18.860 condition through compromise quicker than anything 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:22.539 that I know anything about. And this was the 00:02:22.539 --> 00:02:27.599 trouble with the church at Pergamos. We're to 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:32.620 be in the world, the Bible teaches, but not of 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:35.740 the world. The Christian must be in the world, 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:42.439 but not let the world get in him. A ship in the 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:44.599 water is a thing of power and beauty. Oh, it's 00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:49.650 marvelous. Seen that great... ocean voyager out 00:02:49.650 --> 00:02:53.789 there in the middle of the water. Truly, it is 00:02:53.789 --> 00:02:58.169 a thing of beauty, is a thing of power. But when 00:02:58.169 --> 00:03:04.189 the water gets in the ship, there are tragic 00:03:04.189 --> 00:03:08.710 results. Now then, you can go out in this world 00:03:08.710 --> 00:03:11.389 to your office, to your store, to your place 00:03:11.389 --> 00:03:14.990 of business, to your place in society. And you 00:03:14.990 --> 00:03:19.530 can be a strong witness for Christ through a 00:03:19.530 --> 00:03:23.689 consecrated Christian life. Your testimony, your 00:03:23.689 --> 00:03:28.750 very presence, can mean much to those with whom 00:03:28.750 --> 00:03:32.129 you associate. Or you can go out in the world, 00:03:32.250 --> 00:03:36.710 mix with it, do as it does, go where it goes, 00:03:36.770 --> 00:03:42.120 sink to the depths that it sinks to. All of your 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:47.000 power as a Christian will soon be gone. All of 00:03:47.000 --> 00:03:53.819 your power of testimony will soon be gone. God 00:03:53.819 --> 00:03:56.780 says that whosoever will be a friend of this 00:03:56.780 --> 00:04:00.939 world is the enemy of God. Surely God does not 00:04:00.939 --> 00:04:04.340 mean that we are to despise the people of this 00:04:04.340 --> 00:04:10.199 world. Not at all. But we are to hate all the 00:04:10.199 --> 00:04:14.699 worldly and carnal things that come between us 00:04:14.699 --> 00:04:19.800 and the Lord. And if there is something in the 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:24.939 world that has come between you and the Lord, 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.500 something that is robbing you of your testimony, 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.459 something that is robbing you of a consecrated 00:04:29.459 --> 00:04:34.579 life, something that is robbing you of that deep, 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:37.199 wonderful communion and fellowship with Him, 00:04:37.949 --> 00:04:43.449 something that is robbing you of your first love, 00:04:43.930 --> 00:04:49.730 then, beloved, that thing has become sin to you. 00:04:50.189 --> 00:04:53.389 I mean that. We need to preach about those things 00:04:53.389 --> 00:04:56.250 more than we do. Sometimes I feel convicted because 00:04:56.250 --> 00:05:01.810 I do not preach against those things more. Now, 00:05:01.810 --> 00:05:05.949 continue with the second chapter of the Revelation. 00:05:06.670 --> 00:05:09.410 this message that was given to the church at 00:05:09.410 --> 00:05:17.990 Pergamos. We now hear Jesus saying, Repent, or 00:05:17.990 --> 00:05:20.730 else I will come upon thee quickly and will fight 00:05:20.730 --> 00:05:25.970 against thee with the sword out of my mouth. 00:05:26.790 --> 00:05:30.170 And here we see him coming to judge. He doesn't 00:05:30.170 --> 00:05:33.389 say that he's going to harm the faithful Christians. 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:38.000 but only those who are not living as they should. 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:42.699 Oh, what would happen today if Christ came upon 00:05:42.699 --> 00:05:47.300 our churches with the sword of judgment? I wonder. 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:52.279 How many would be cut off? Would you be among 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:55.740 those who would suffer? Only you can answer that 00:05:55.740 --> 00:05:59.259 question, for only you know how you are living, 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:03.439 what compromises you are making. or how you have 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:07.639 leapt down in your Christian morals and standards. 00:06:08.060 --> 00:06:11.560 Only you know the secrets of your heart. Only 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:16.699 you know your motives and desires. There were 00:06:16.699 --> 00:06:20.500 two groups in the Pergamos Church which Christ 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:24.639 would fight against. Those who were mixed up 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:28.800 with the world and all of its sinful practices. 00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:38.100 compromise, and those who wanted to lord it over 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:44.579 God's people. He would treat the same group in 00:06:44.579 --> 00:06:50.000 our church the same today. Read it. It's there. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:52.240 The second chapter of the book of Revelation. 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:58.540 Begin with the 12th verse and continue through 00:06:58.540 --> 00:07:07.459 the 17th. Now, In closing, Jesus makes two promises 00:07:07.459 --> 00:07:15.060 to those who overcome. First, he will give them 00:07:15.060 --> 00:07:20.279 to eat of the hidden manna. Oh, it's glorious 00:07:20.279 --> 00:07:26.420 it's there. He that hath an ear, let him hear 00:07:26.420 --> 00:07:31.399 what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:37.540 that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden 00:07:37.540 --> 00:07:43.160 manna. That's the first thing. Manna, you know, 00:07:43.259 --> 00:07:46.779 was the food given to Israel in the wilderness. 00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:53.899 The psalmist called it angel's food. And this 00:07:53.899 --> 00:08:00.689 manna was a type of Christ. All that he is. and 00:08:00.689 --> 00:08:06.009 needs is hidden to the carnal man. But if we're 00:08:06.009 --> 00:08:12.069 living for him above all, surely all of the sweets 00:08:12.069 --> 00:08:15.689 and the joys of Christ will be ours to feed upon 00:08:15.689 --> 00:08:23.350 and enjoy. That hidden manna, that heavenly food, 00:08:23.470 --> 00:08:30.509 that mighty strengthening food, give to them 00:08:30.509 --> 00:08:35.049 who will dare to overcome, to eat of that hidden 00:08:35.049 --> 00:08:41.110 manna, given daily, satisfied. Are you living 00:08:41.110 --> 00:08:48.169 that satisfied life? Completely satisfied in 00:08:48.169 --> 00:08:52.830 him? I'll tell you what the secret is. You have 00:08:52.830 --> 00:08:58.340 been feeding on that heavenly manna. that he 00:08:58.340 --> 00:09:01.159 has promised to give to those who are living 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:07.259 a life of full dedication and consecration. Now 00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:11.240 go a little bit further. He has also promised 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:21.120 to them that overcometh the stone, a white stone, 00:09:21.379 --> 00:09:26.450 and in the stone a new name written. which no 00:09:26.450 --> 00:09:32.210 man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. So 00:09:32.210 --> 00:09:36.990 here he promised to give them a white stone. 00:09:39.129 --> 00:09:43.889 Now in ancient times, this white stone meant 00:09:43.889 --> 00:09:48.610 several things. First, it meant acquittal. When 00:09:48.610 --> 00:09:52.129 a man was tried by the court, the jurors would 00:09:52.129 --> 00:09:56.980 lay down a white stone. to signify that the man 00:09:56.980 --> 00:10:01.519 had been acquitted of a crime. And so Jesus here 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:07.379 was saying, I am giving you the white stone to 00:10:07.379 --> 00:10:12.340 signify that all of your sins are gone. They 00:10:12.340 --> 00:10:15.720 had been forgiven. They had been cast into the 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:23.129 deepest sea. Oh, the wonderful fact. to know 00:10:23.129 --> 00:10:28.289 that our sins are all gone, all forgiven. To 00:10:28.289 --> 00:10:33.149 him that overcometh, I will give that stone of 00:10:33.149 --> 00:10:37.309 acquittal. I will forgive that one. That one's 00:10:37.309 --> 00:10:41.330 sins are all forgiven. They're all blotted out. 00:10:41.610 --> 00:10:45.590 And that one stands forgiven in my presence. 00:10:46.730 --> 00:10:51.559 That marvelous white stone. Then the white stone 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:55.080 was used to gain hospitality, just as we use 00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:58.980 a credit card today. The man who carried the 00:10:58.980 --> 00:11:02.759 white stone on his travels was entitled to hospitality 00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:07.980 in certain places. Isn't Jesus saying here, I 00:11:07.980 --> 00:11:12.779 am giving you the white stone to signify that 00:11:12.779 --> 00:11:20.389 all I have is yours? Whatsoever ye shall ask 00:11:20.389 --> 00:11:29.830 in my name, ye shall receive. Now here comes 00:11:29.830 --> 00:11:36.269 something that to me is very thrilling. The white 00:11:36.269 --> 00:11:41.909 stone was used for friendship. In those days, 00:11:42.090 --> 00:11:45.769 two friends would take a white piece of marble. 00:11:46.539 --> 00:11:50.179 and divided into two pieces. They would write 00:11:50.179 --> 00:11:55.559 a secret symbol on each stone. Then this stone 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:59.659 would be handed down from father to son and on 00:11:59.659 --> 00:12:04.000 to the next generation. And then at some future 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:09.100 time, if a man who held one piece of the stone 00:12:09.100 --> 00:12:13.720 found another man holding the other piece that 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.960 would match the stone that he was holding, He 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:20.960 would claim shelter and protection and provision. 00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:25.620 Doesn't that do something to you? Don't you understand 00:12:25.620 --> 00:12:29.899 what it means? There are two sides of salvation. 00:12:31.620 --> 00:12:38.639 Christ has already done his part. And when we 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:47.399 do our part, we are bound together forever. Oh, 00:12:48.100 --> 00:12:52.559 to me, that's the most thrilling thing in the 00:12:52.559 --> 00:13:00.240 whole world. Sure. He holds the one part of that 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:05.659 white stone. He's holding it securely this hour. 00:13:06.940 --> 00:13:12.080 On of that white stone is my name. He knows me 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:16.559 better than I know myself. He knows the very 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:22.720 intents of my heart. The very hair on my head 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:29.340 is numbered the master. He knows me. He's interested 00:13:29.340 --> 00:13:35.539 in me. He is so interested in me that he'll hear 00:13:35.539 --> 00:13:39.179 the slightest whisper from my heart. And when 00:13:39.179 --> 00:13:42.879 I pray, he listens as though I were the only 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:46.879 person in the whole world who was praying. And 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:49.679 in that hour when I came and accepted Jesus as 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:52.700 my personal Savior, there was rejoicing in heaven 00:13:52.700 --> 00:13:56.480 as though I were the only person who had ever 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:02.179 accepted the pardon. On the cross of Calvary, 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:07.399 I'm personal. I'm individual in the sight of 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:13.259 God. He's holding half of that white stone in 00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:18.940 His hand. With my name on it. In exactly the 00:14:18.940 --> 00:14:23.980 same way, you are individual. You are personal 00:14:23.980 --> 00:14:32.100 to him. As personal to him as I am. And he's 00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:37.279 holding in his hand half of that white stone 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:46.240 with your name upon it. Oh, sure. But it isn't 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:49.960 one -sided. Sometimes I think we act as though 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:54.039 salvation is one -sided. And it's all on His 00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:59.220 side. We thrill to the fact that God gave His 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:03.460 only begotten Son. We thrill to the fact that 00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:07.080 one day Jesus offered Himself through the Holy 00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:11.080 Spirit to be given that you and I might have 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:15.610 life eternal. We thrill to the fact that God 00:15:15.610 --> 00:15:18.730 gave his only begotten son, that there is salvation 00:15:18.730 --> 00:15:23.309 in Christ Jesus. We thrill to the glorious fact 00:15:23.309 --> 00:15:27.409 that there's a heaven to gain. But we forget 00:15:27.409 --> 00:15:34.330 that there are two sides to salvation. His side 00:15:34.330 --> 00:15:44.429 and our side. His part and our part. Christ has 00:15:44.429 --> 00:15:51.669 already done his part when he gave his life and 00:15:51.669 --> 00:15:56.370 promised to forgive. But, beloved, we must do 00:15:56.370 --> 00:16:03.649 our part in coming to him, confessing our sins, 00:16:03.950 --> 00:16:08.009 confessing the fact that we need a Savior to 00:16:08.009 --> 00:16:13.269 forgive us from our sins. We need... to come 00:16:13.269 --> 00:16:19.090 in deep and sincere repentance. And then after 00:16:19.090 --> 00:16:22.009 we have come to him and after we have accepted 00:16:22.009 --> 00:16:25.049 the pardon and after we become a very part of 00:16:25.049 --> 00:16:29.669 him, beloved, we must still continue to do our 00:16:29.669 --> 00:16:35.610 part in living for him the life of consecration. 00:16:36.350 --> 00:16:43.730 A daily Christian life in the world. but not 00:16:43.730 --> 00:16:50.149 a part of the world. In the world, giving our 00:16:50.149 --> 00:16:54.669 testimony, a shining light, representing him, 00:16:54.850 --> 00:16:59.470 for we as Christians are the only Christ that 00:16:59.470 --> 00:17:04.049 many an unsaved person sees any time during the 00:17:04.049 --> 00:17:11.890 24 hours of his day. And then, remember, that 00:17:11.890 --> 00:17:18.710 when we do our part, the two stones come together 00:17:18.710 --> 00:17:25.609 and we are bound together with him forever and 00:17:25.609 --> 00:17:33.869 ever. He that hath an ear, let him hear what 00:17:33.869 --> 00:17:38.730 the Spirit saith to the churches. Amen.