Do you think it’s hard to be a good person? There are many factors, many influences, on each individual: family of origin, biology, social context, peer pressure, cultural issues, nature and nurture. But of course, what is missing from that list is the individual, the person, their heart, their soul. At the end of the day, we each make our own choices. But that doesn’t make context irrelevant. Jesus begins his letter to the church in Pergamum in Revelation 2:12–17, “I know where you dwell.” Context is not irrelevant. The “where” matters. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this passage, looking at the place of compromise, the faithful witness, and the blessings of God’s house.
Part of a series on the book of Revelation.
From Sunday Worship, April 12, 2026.
-------------------------------
Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions:
We are unlikely to eat the food of literal idols. However, in what areas of life do you feel pressure to compromise your values to get ahead or ensure financial security? What is going on in your heart that tempts you to compromise in this way?
Jesus tells the church that he knows exactly where they dwell. How does it change your perspective to know that Jesus deeply understands the specific pressures of the environment you live in every day?
In what ways does remembering Jesus as the Faithful Witness who faced the sword for us empower you to stand firm when you feel the reality of dwelling where Satan’s throne is?
How does the promise of hidden manna and a white stone with a new name offer a better kind of security and identity than the things we are tempted to chase in our careers or social circles?
-------------------------------
allsoulspca.org
All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.