VA: Have you been caught up in false teaching? Have you been
faithful to His name but tolerated false teaching?
CHURCH AT EPHESUS: WHAT WAS PROBLEM? WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WERE THEY?
Working for Lord, had deeds, but Jesus said they had ?left their
first love.? HOW CAN YOU GUARD AGAINST LEAVING YOUR FIRST LOVE?
Prayer in life, take time to guard love and nurture it.
ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE CHURCH IN SMYRNA? Suffering WHAT WAS WRONG
WITH CHURCH IN SMYRNA? Nothing WHAT HAD THEY DONE WITH SUFFERING?
Use their suffering to bring closer to Lord, rich in spite of poverty
WHAT CAN TRIALS ACCOMPLISH IN OUR LIVES? Can be used to draw us
to the Lord.
WHAT SHOULD OUR ATTITUDE BE IN TRIALS? Consider it all joy (James)
THERE WAS NO REPROOF IN SMYRNA BECAUSE THEY HAD ALLOWED THEIR SUFFERING
TO CONFORM THEM TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST.
HOW DOES MY LIFE MEASURE UP WITH LOVING THE LORD WITH ALL MY HEART?
HOW DO I HANDLE SUFFERING AND AM I WILLING TO ALLOW IT TO BE USED
BY GOD TO STRENGTHEN MY FAITH?
PATTERN IN CHURCHES: God, I don?t want to ever leave my first love
and we can pray for others (Ephesus). God, help me to use the suffering
I go through to draw me close to you (Smyrna).
PERGAMUM: DESCRIPTION OF JESUS, COMMENDATION, REPROOF, INSTRUCTIONS
AND WARNINGS, PROMISE TO OVERCOMERS, MESSAGE OF THE SPIRIT TO THE
CHURCHES (COLUMNS)
HOW IS JESUS DESCRIBED TO THIS CHURCH? One who has the sharp two-edged
sword. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT SHARP, TWO-EDGED SWORD? WHAT IS
THIS SWORD? Eph. 6 says it is the Word of God. WHERE IS THIS SWORD
ACC. TO REV. 1:16? Out of His mouth. WHAT DOES THIS SHARP TWO EDGED
SWORD ACC. TO HEB. 4:12? Alive, powerful, sharper than any two edged
sword, able to judge thoughts and intentions of heart. ACC. TO REV.
22:15 WHAT WILL JESUS DO WITH THIS SWORD? He will smite the nations
with this sword.
WHAT IS THE COMMENDATION TO THIS CHURCH? I know where you dwell,
where Satan?s throne is. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THE CITY OF PERGAMUM
WHICH HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHERE SATAN?S THRONE IS? Pergamum
is center of pagan worship and idolatry, great altar of Zeus, official
center in Asia for Emperor worship.
WHAT DOES JESUS SAY THEY DO? Hold fast My name and did not deny
My faith. WHAT DOES HE MEAN WHEN HE SAYS THEY HOLD FAST HIS NAME?
To hold fast His name is to hold fast to what the Word of God says
He is. JESUS SAID THEY HAD NOT DENIED HIS NAME.
WHAT HAD YOU LEARNED ABOUT JESUS NAME? Isaiah 9:6 Hold fast to
the fact that Jesus is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal
Father, Prince of Peace
WHAT ABOUT MAT. 1:21-22? To hold fast that Jesus is the One who
saves people from his sin. PHIL. 2:9-11? That God has exalted Him
above every name, to hold fast to the fact that Jesus Christ is
Lord. ACTS 4:12? To hold fast that salvation is in no other name.
TO HOLD FAST THAT JESUS IS GOD, SAVIOR, IMMANUEL AND LORD AND THERE
IS SALVATION IN NO OTHER ..... HOLD FAST TO EVERYTHING THE WORD
OF GOD SAYS HE IS.
WHAT IS NEXT PART OF COMMENDATION? You did not deny My faith. WHAT
WOULD IT BE TO DENY HIS FAITH? Deny His Word and deny His teaching.
IN JUDE, WHAT DID JUDE TELL THE BELIEVERS TO DO? Earnestly contend
for the faith which was once for all delivered for the saints. TO
DENY HIS FAITH COULD BE THE SAME AS TO DENY THE FAITH. PUT ON VA
... YOU DID NOT DENY MY FAITH.
BASED ON II PETER 1, 3 AND I TIM. 3 TO HOLD FAST THE FAITH IS TO
BELIEVE WHAT ACC. TO THE WORD OF GOD? I Pet. 1 ?Men moved by the
Spirit spoke from God.? II Pet. 3 ?Word spoken from God Himself.?
II Tim. 3:16 ?All Scripture is inspired by God.? WHAT WAS JESUS?
ATTITUDE TOWARD OT ACC. TO MAT. 5:17-18? Whoever annuls shall be
least in the kingdom. Jesus came to fulfill the O.T.
LUKE 24:25-27 ... WHAT DID JESUS SAY MOSES AND THE PROPHETS EXPLAINED
ABOUT HIM? Jesus said the OT contains the truths about Him. ACC.
TO REV. 22:18-20 HOW SERIOUS IS IT TO ADD TO THE WORD OR TAKE AWAY
FROM THE WORD? Jesus says anyone who adds to the Word that God will
add to Him the plagues spoken of in the book.
TO HOLD FAST THE FAITH IS TO HOLD TO THE ABSOLUTENESS OF THE WORD
OF GOD ... NOTHING IS TO BE ADDED AND NOTHING IS TO BE TAKEN AWAY.
TO HOLD FAST HIS NAME IS TO HOLD TRUE TO ALL JESUS IS.
WHEN DID THEY NOT DENY HIS FAITH? Even in the days of Antipas,
My faithful witness, one who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
ACC. TO THIS, WHO WAS ANTIPAS? He was faithful. He was killed where
Satan dwells. WHO IS SATAN? Father of lies. ?Has God said??
WHAT WERE THE THINGS JESUS HAD AGAINST THEM? Some hold to the teaching
of Balaam (VA)
WHAT IS THAT TEACHING OF BALAAM? WHAT DID BALAAM TEACH BALAK TO
DO? To put a stumbling block before the children of Israel ... (VA)
taught to eat food sacrificed to idols and commit acts of immorality.
CROSS REFERENCES HISTORICALLY: WHAT DID BALAK WANT BALAAM TO DO?
Balak the king of Moab was in great fear and wanted Balaam to curse
the sons of Israel. Balaam did go back with the messengers and in
3 different times and places Balaam ended up blessing Israel. Numbers
25:1-9 THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL REMAINED AT THIS PLACE, THE PEOPLE
BEGAN TO PLAY THE HARLOT WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB .... SACRIFICES
OF THEIR GOD AND ATE SACRIFICES TO THEIR GOD.
NUMBERS 31:16 THIS CAME THROUGH THE COUNSEL OF BALAAM. HIS COUNSEL
WAS TO TRESPASS AGAINST THE LORD. REV. 2 ... SOME WERE HOLDING TO
THE TEACHING OF BALAAM ....
IN JESUS? MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM, WHAT COULD HAPPEN
TO THOSE WHO HELD TO THIS TEACHING? Those who held to this teaching
could eventually eat food sacrificed to idols and the immorality.
ACTS 15:22-29 WHAT WAS STAND OF EARLY CHURCH FATHERS REGARDING
EATING THINGS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS AND IMMORALITY? They were to keep
themselves free from these things.
JUDE .... Ungodly men rushed into the error of Balaam. They were
among them (among believers but not true believers). WHAT KIND OF
TEACHING TODAY MIGHT CORRELATE WITH TEACHING OF BALAAM? Easy believism
IN JESUS? MESSAGE WHAT ELSE DOES HE REPRIMAND THEM FOR? In the
same way, some hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans (2:15)
THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS HATED THE DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS. SOME
IN PERGAMUM WERE HOLDING TO IT. WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT REGARDING
THE NICOLAITANS? Some believe they were a sect whose deeds were
reprobate. Others say the Nicolaitans taught moral looseness. Others
say they were followers of Nicolas in the early church who apostatized.
Others felt the term was symbolic. THE GREEK WORD MEANS: Nikos (victory
or to conquer) Laos (people or laity) Could mean victory over the
people. Superiority or dominance over believers. Some believe this
was a sector of early Gnostics who felt they had superior knowledge
to other believers. Others believed they referred to some clergy
who felt they were more spiritual and had the right to dominate
the people
ACC. TO WORD OF GOD WAS THERE TO BE A SPIRITUAL DISTINCTION AMONG
BELIEVERS? ACC. TO REV. 1:6 WHAT DOES IT SAY JESUS MADE BELIEVERS
TO BE? They are made to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father.
HOW DOES I TIM. 2:5 EXPLAIN THE PLACE FOR SPECIAL DISTINCTION FOR
BELIEVERS? One Mediator between God and man and that is Christ Jesus.
ACC. TO HEB. 10:19-22 WHAT IS THE RIGHT OF EVERY BELIEVER? Confidence
to enter Holy Place by the blood of Jesus through His flesh.
DO THESE VERSES CONFLICT WITH HEB. 13 AND I TIM. 5 WHERE GOD TELLS
US BELIEVERS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THOSE WHO LEAD? God says,
?Obey your leaders and submit to them .... Your leaders deserve
d honor.? THERE IS NO CONFLICT. GOD HAS PLACED LEADERS, ORDER OF
AUTHORITY, AND THEY ARE TO OBEYED, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO TEACH AND
RULE.
POSSIBILITY FOR TRUTH TO BE DISTORTED .... POSSIBLY THIS IS WHAT
WAS HAPPENING HERE.
DID ANYONE LOOK UP MEANING OF BALAAM OR COME UP WITH MEANING OF
BALAAM? Some sources say word Baal means to conquer and hala which
means ?the people? which sounds very similar to meaning of the Nicolaitans.
BALAAM may mean the ?devourer of the people?. Zodiates says the
two meanings .... outwardly professing Christianity while practicing
these things.
ATTEMPT TO GET THOSE IN CHURCH OF PERGAMUM TO COMPROMISE.
SOME WHO SAY THEY ARE CHRISTIANS ARE FOLLOWING FALSE TEACHERS .
THEY SAY THEY ARE CHRISTIANS BUT ARE FOLLOWING FALSE TEACHERS .
REVIEW COMMENDATION. MOST OF THEM ARE COMMENDED FOR HOLDING FAST
BUT SOME ARE HOLDING TO THESE FALSE TEACHINGS. JESUS IS SAYING,
?YOU AS A GROUP ARE HOLDING FAST THE FAITH BUT AMONG YOU THERE ARE
SOME WHO ARE HOLDING TO THESE FALSE TEACHINGS.?
WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU ABOUT THE CHURCH? It is a mixed group. They
are only professes of belief but not possesses.
WHAT ABOUT GROUP THAT ARE HOLDING FAST? They are holding fast but
they are allowing false teaching to be held. IN MANY CIRCLES TODAY,
IS FALSE TEACHING BEING TOLERATED? yes.
WHAT IS THE CORRECTION GIVEN? Repent or I am coming to you quickly
and I will make war with them with the sword of My mouth (VA) WHO
IS THE THEM HE IS TALKING ABOUT? Those who hold the teaching of
Balaam or the teaching of Niciolaitans
WITH WHAT WILL HE MAKE WAR WITH? The sword of His mouth. WHO IS
JESUS CALLING TO REPENT? Those who were holding fast to His name
and the faith and those who holding to false teaching. WHAT WERE
EACH GROUP TO REPENT FROM? Ones who held to false teaching and those
who allowed it.
IF THIS GROUP REPENTS, WHAT WOULD IT CAUSE THEM TO DO? If those
allowing the false teaching repents, they will make war with Word
and show those who are holding false teaching. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE
BE FOR US TODAY FROM THIS CHURCH, EVEN IF YOU ARE HOLDING FAST?
Earnestly contend for the faith (VA - Message of the Spirit to the
churches)
IF WE ALLOW FALSE TEACHING, EVEN IF WE ARE NOT CAUGHT UP IN IT OURSELVES,
WE STILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.
WHAT DOES JESUS GIVE TO THE ONE WHO OVERCOMES? Some of the hidden
manna, a white stone, a new name written on the stone which no one
knows, but he who receives it (2:17) (VA)
ARE THERE ANY THOUGHTS REGARDING HIDDEN MANNA? Related to Word of
God. WHITE STONE? Judges of that day placed in urn a white stone
and a black stone . If white stone comes out, no condemnation.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF HOW JESUS DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS THE ONE
WITH THE SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD AND THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH? There
is a need for this church to hold fast to the true Word of God and
to put aside false doctrine and teaching otherwise Jesus will come
and use His sword in war against those who hold to this doctrine
and teaching.
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE TO THE CHURCHES? You hold fast the faith. Don?t
tolerate false teaching. Hold fast His name. WHAT IS THE ONLY WAY
YOU WILL KNOW IF YOU ARE HOLDING FAST? By holding fast to the Word
of God. HOW WILL YOU KNOW IF SOME ARE FOLLOWING THE TEACHINGS OF
BALAAM AND THE NICOLAITANS? Unless you know the truth yourself,
you will not know.
YOU CANNOT HOLD FAST WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW.
AS YOU LOOK AT THE CHURCHES, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT EPHESUS? Left
first love ... need to keep relationship the priority. WHEN YOU
LOOK AT SMYRNA? Suffering ... suffering causes us to draw closer
to Him. WHEN YOU LOOK AT PERGAMUM? False teaching ... need to hold
fast the truth.
WILL YOU HOLD FAST THE TRUTH IN THE WORD OF GOD? |
