SHEGZNSTUFF | Scripture, Soul Care & Everyday Faith

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Yes, I know. There are no perfect Churches… blah blah blah… we say that, but if we’re honest, we all have subtle (sometimes, not so subtle) unspoken expectations of what our Churches should do and be, and how certain things could better be done (especially if we were in charge!).

So let’s get past the denial and bargaining phase and move straight to acceptance. In your ideal world, what does your "perfect" Church look like? Go ahead, list out three of your top “requirements.”

1. ___________________________________
2. ___________________________________
3. ___________________________________

On your list may appear things like: Biblical teaching, Christ centered Worship (but really excellent), a Passion for Prayer, Love for one another, Justice (caring for the oppressed), authenticity, Missions, Evangelism, etc.

Did you know that there was once a Church that Jesus would have scored a perfect 10 (factoring in that there are indeed no perfect Churches)? The Church I speak of  is the sixth Church in our blog series through the 7 Letters of the Book of Revelation, the Church of Philadelphia.

Check out what Jesus thinks of them starting in Revelation 3:7. “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”

Before we meet the Church, let’s chat briefly about the JESUS of the Church.

To the folks in Philly, Jesus introduces three qualities about Himself that should instantly cause us to become alert, attentive, and to stand in awe. He says, He is “Holy”, He is “True”, and He’s got the keys to the door of every opportunity & every blessing you will ever experience.

They key is called, the “key of David”. 

While Christ being holy and true sounds familiar to us, the “key of David” may be unfamiliar. First off, this isn’t a reference to a literal key king David used to have.  To appreciate what Jesus is getting at here, you need to jump back to Isaiah 22:22 where the key of David is symbolic of great authority and power. In that account, God placed, “the key to the house of David” on the shoulders of a man named Eliakim so that he could now access all the treasures and wealth of the king (In those days, keys were often larger and often times carried on one’s shoulders).

So when Jesus says He holds the key of David, it should conjure up in our minds images of kingship, a kingdom, and Lordship. Jesus is saying that all the gold and silver (and precious stones) on earth (seen and unseen) come from His treasury. 1 Chronicles 29:11-tells us that every fortune 500 company and every mama and papa shop belongs to HIM, and it’s at His discretion that men are made great.  Proverbs 21:1 says the hearts of the kings and presidents, or presidential-hopefuls are in His hands and He directs them wherever He pleases. Get this, even our salvation, our ability to believe Him by faith, is a key He holds in His hands, for no man can come to the Father unless Jesus Christ draws them near by His Spirit (John 14:6).

Now here’s what should really cause you to stand in awe and at attention; because Jesus holds the key to every door of opportunity in your life and for your Church, no man, no angel, and no evil scheming spirit will ever be able to stand in the way of what He intends to do in and through your life! It’s not within their power to shut doors in your life (though they will try!), and on the same token, whatever door Jesus shuts, it’s pointless and futile to try opening it.

It’s thus with this understanding that He starts His letter to the awesome-but-not-perfect Church in Philadelphia, the home of Rocky Balboa and the most delicious cheese-steak sandwiches ever. I’m just kidding. Carmine’s in Netcong, New Jersey has the best cheese-steak sandwiches!

To their credit, the Philadelphian church (actually located in present day Alaşehir, Manisa, Turkey) receives nothing but commendations from Jesus. There’s not a single reprimand, simply just compliments and blessings. That’s not to say they were a sinless or perfect church, for no church like that exists. It’s just that Jesus saw nothing wrong with them (at the time) that rose to the level of being seriously rebuked.

In verse 8, Jesus says He knows their deeds, which can also read as, “He was deeply impressed with their good works…” He was so impressed that He was going to bless them with three things. First, He was going to place before them an open door of opportunity that no one could or would be able to shut. This was more than likely an open door of opportunity for unprecedented growth/outreach in ministry. Though they had “little strength”, Christ was about to open the floodgates of heaven and shower them with ministry rewards! In verse 9, we get a glimpse of what’s about to happen when Jesus says He will humble a group of people who had been making life miserable for them.  He calls the group the “synagogue of Satan.”

These were pretentious Jews who falsely believed they were doing God a favor by persecuting or making life difficult for Christians.

For our purposes, this refers to anyone in your life who makes life difficult for you in any way, shape or form because you follow Jesus Christ. Jesus says He is going to bring them low in humiliation, so much so that they would come to the Philadelphian Christians asking how it is they could know Jesus.

Jesus was essentially reassuring them, saying, “Listen Church, I know you have little strength and haven’t experienced much growth due to the persecution you’re facing. But stand back and prepare yourselves because I am about to bring more lost people to your doorsteps than you’ve ever seen. I myself, the one who holds the key to salvation will draw even the most antagonistic of Jews to your doorsteps so that they will be the ones asking, what must we do to be saved? I HAVE THE KEYS! GET READY FOR THIS OPEN DOOR”

This beautiful encouragement begs the question: What open doors has God placed around you? (Whether personal or Gospel related?). From your vantage point, it may not look like an open door, until you walk up to it and turn the doorknob to find out it’s been unlocked (just for you by Jesus!).

In my faith and experience, I’ve observed that God often times goes ahead of us to prepare hearts to be ready to receive a conversation we may spontaneously initiative with friends about the Gospel. OPEN DOOR! Other times, He’ll go ahead of us and make people favorably predisposed towards us before we ever show up. OPEN DOOR!

I worked at Grace Church on the Mount through seminary as an intern ministering to young adults. At the time, Grace Church was in search of a senior pastor, and they found one in Armin Sommer (presently still the senior pastor). At the time of his hiring, I knew that budget cuts needed to be made. Since I was an intern, it seemed clear to me that I would be the first to go. So I began preparing my resume as I prayed through where I would land a new job. Unbeknownst to me, however, was the fact that Armin had been looking into the work I was doing at Grace and was highly interested in bringing on board a full time pastor to oversee the young adults at Grace.

In my first conversation with him, I had prepared a speech and a plea for him to allow me to continue with lesser hours as an intern. But of course, God had already gone ahead of me and provided an open door. From the moment I said, “Hi, pastor Armin, my name is Segun and I was wondering if you would consider….” I never even finished the sentenced. He was so enthusiastic about having me on staff that he subtly, but firmly insisted that I stay the course and continue with Grace because I was a part of the future he envisioned for Grace.

Like I said, God often goes ahead of us to OPEN DOORS! (You may, however, need to walk up to said-door and actually check the doorknob!)

So I ask again, as you look at your life and surroundings, where may God have opened some doors around you?

Ponder that some more when you have plenty of free time, in the meanwhile, here’s what else Jesus has in mind for the folks in Philly! Revelation 3:10-13, Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Sometime after the death of Jesus Christ, a powerful earthquake hit the Philadelphian region and greatly shook up the city of Philadelphia. Though the emperor at the time assisted greatly in helping rebuild the city, its citizens lived in constant fear of experiencing another earthquake, so much so that the daily aftershocks forced many of its citizens to abandon the city and live temporarily in the surrounding countryside. This obviously would have forced many of its citizens into a lower standard of daily living, which means, if you weren’t wealthy in the first place (as was the case for many Christians), then life just got even more difficult.

Consider the (literal) unstable world these Christians were living in and put that in the context of Jesus promising to make them unshakeable and unmovable “pillars in the temple of God” in the new Jerusalem when heaven meets earth.

Would you describe this season of your life as somewhat shaky? Perhaps you’ve faced one major trial, or you’re experiencing the aftershocks of someone else’s trouble?

If that describes you, Jesus says, “Just keep walking with me and keep keeping your eyes on me. This is only a trial run for your reign in the city of God where I will soon bring you.” In fact the next promise ties into this promise. Jesus speaks of personally writing new names on us, three names in fact. The name of God, the name of the city of God, and a very personal name that He Himself will give us.

When I first read this, I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s a lot of new names! How am I supposed to remember them all and not get confused about who I am? Is it even possible to have an identity crisis in heaven?” My best guess here is that these are all referring to the same thing. In other words, these are not so much three different names we’ll have to remember, but rather, they’re all picturing one truth, which is that we will have a true citizenship in the new heaven and the new earth, a place we can finally call home.

This is great news, my friends! It means that your name has been securely marked down and spelled out in the book of life in the registry of the new city of heaven. It means God knows your name. Jesus knows your name. The Holy Spirit knows your name. Every high-ranking angel and ministering angel will know your name. All the Old Testament saints will know your name. All the believers in the Church age will know your name, and any other creatures we find in heaven will know your personal name.

They will all know your name because you belong there and because Jesus Himself has written on you that name!

So when you ponder the doors of opportunity for the Gospel God has placed before you, consider the fact that it’s also about populating heaven’s registry with more names of people you’ll spend eternity with.

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It’s a rainy Sunday morning at the 10:00 am worship service of a local Church.

In spite of the weather, the Church is packed full. An email was sent to the congregation earlier in the week that an important, possibly Church-altering announcement will be made at the morning service.

A nervous anticipation fills the air.  The worship team has just finished their worship set and the upcoming-events video is wrapping up. Everyone is eager to hear what the “new news” is.

The senior pastor walks to the stage and straightens his notes on the pulpit. His face looks a little somber. He doesn’t open with his usual humor, but with a pensively low tone.

“Church, I …we …something important has come up that we have to talk about.”

The “something important” is a very personal letter he's received from Jesus for His Church. This particular Church exists during a time in history when Jesus clearly and powerfully communicates to His Church through apostles and prophets. The letter the pastor holds in his hands was hand delivered to him the previous night by an apostle who walked closely with Jesus.

The senior pastor hesitates and wipes tiny beads of sweat from his face. He’s read and reread the letter a dozen times in the last 12 hours. He knows its shockingly troubling contents by heart, which makes what he’s about to do even much harder.

“I… we… um… we received an important word from the Lord last night.” He says.

Excited Cheers, applause and a few “woots-woots” resound through the sanctuary, but the pastor hushes the congregation. He knows the letter in front of him does not call for celebration. He’s spoken with the other senior pastors in the region, the pastors of the Churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum, and he knows they received similar letters from Jesus with contents pertaining to their respective congregations. It pains him deeply as he takes another look at the report card Jesus just sent his Church.

“Folks, I don’t know how else to say this, but to simply read what the Lord Jesus has sent us through His apostle, John.”  The pastor explains with a deep sigh.

Clearing his throat one last time, he begins reading:

“To the members and leaders of the Church of Thyatira. These are the words of God's Son, the one with eyes pouring fire-blaze, and standing on feet of furnace-fired bronze. I see everything you’re doing for me. Impressive! The love and the faith, the service and persistence. Yes, very impressive! You get better at it every day.”

A few congregants excitedly yell out, “Amen!” and “Praise da Lawd!”, unsure of why their pastor isn’t more excited about Jesus’ greetings.  

Looking up from his notes to his wife, she nods backs empathetically, encouraging him to press on. Rallying his emotions once again, he looks back at his notes, then in the direction of a particular group of congregants seated on the far left front section of the Church and directs Jesus’ next words at them.

“But why do you let that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet mislead my dear servants into Cross-denying, self-indulging religion? I gave her a chance to change her ways, but she has no intention of giving up a career in the god-business. I’m about to lay her low, along with her partners, as they play their sex-and-religion games. The bastard offspring of their idol-whoring I’ll kill.”

Shock and awe doesn’t even begin to describe the reaction of the congregation. Terrified looks fill every face, and surprisingly, a few people immediately burst into silent sobs.  The Holy Spirit had clearly already begun stirring the hearts of some folks about their involvement in this matter.

Returning his concerned glare to the rest of the congregation, the pastor continues:

“Then every church will know that appearances don’t impress me. I X-ray every motive and make sure you get what’s coming to you. The rest of you Thyatirans, who have nothing to do with this outrage, who scorn this playing around with the Devil that gets paraded as profundity, be assured I’ll not make life any harder for you than it already is. Hold on to the truth you have until I get there. “Here’s the reward I have for every conqueror, everyone who keeps at it, refusing to give up: You’ll rule the nations, your Shepherd-King rule as firm as an iron staff, their resistance fragile as clay pots. This was the gift my Father gave me; I pass it along to you—and with it, the Morning Star! Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.”

End scene.

Can you imagine being a congregant in this Church on that Sunday morning? Picture the woman (along with her followers) who was the main culprit in Jesus’ letter hearing these words from the senior pastor. Imagine her trepidation (or perhaps, obstinacy). Imagine the rest of the congregation looking around in confusion, wondering if they were guilty or caught up in this Jezebel-cult (as Jesus describes it).

I assure you, this was one worship service no one would ever forget because this Church would never be the same after that letter.

Do you want to know what’s even more troubling than all that? It’s the fact that though this Church setting is a fictional scenario, the actual letter is not! What you just read is THE MESSAGE translation of the same letter Jesus sent to the very real Church in the very real ancient city of Thyatira in Revelation 2:18-29.

This is clearly not the kind of letter any Church, or any Christian for that matter, ever wants to receive from Jesus Christ! To be fair, though, Jesus does commend them for doing a few things right, four to be exact. So it isn’t all bad, though mostly.

Firstly, in verse 19, Jesus says they were a hardworking Church (“I know your works/deeds”). So, this was the Church that never struggled to get volunteers. You’ve heard it said that 20% of the Church does 80% of the work? Well, in Thyatira, they were so hardworking that each congregant served in at least one ministry capacity or another.  They had 100% volunteer rate! They served in Children’s ministry, in youth ministry, women's ministry, and with the homeless. They hosted a canned good collection for the community regularly, they partnered with the non-profit organizations in their city to care for the needy regardless of religious affiliation. They were the kind of Church that homeless people sent their homeless friends to! In fact, Jesus says at the end of verse 19 that they were presently doing more than they did when they first launched as a Church. So, they received much kudos there!

Secondly, Jesus says they were a loving Church (“I know [of] your love”). So, this was the Church that everyone in the community felt welcomed in. They not only cared and loved one another, but they were the kind of Church you would feel super comfortable bringing your non-Christian, and even gay friends to! They were seeker-sensitive and super sensitive about everyone’s feeling. They loved without regard for race, gender, or creed, and were tolerant of everything and everyone, which we’ll discover in a moment, might not always be a good thing.

Third and fourthly, They were a Church that was full of faith and they excelled at service and perseverance. This means they were not afraid to take bold leaps for the Gospel; at a minimum, it means they were a praying Church. More importantly, perseverance means that they were not easily broken or shaken in times of difficulty.

Based on these four commendations from Jesus Himself, one has to admit that on the surface, they weren’t a shabby Church! If you visited the Church of Thyatira on any given Sunday church, or checked out their website or online videos, you’d be impressed and might even be inclined to start attending their Church because they were a such a caring, loving, and tolerant bunch.

Jesus, however, had a different point of view, literally. Looking with His fiery blazing eyes, that have the ability to see past every veil, He sees something very disturbing that causes Him to say, “Hey, good job with those four things, but there are some serious issues in your midst that you have failed to address”, or in His own words, “ Nevertheless, I have this against you:” (verse 20)

To give you some perspective on what’s happening in the Thyatiran congregation, consider the fact that their diagnosis sounds awfully similar to that of the Church in Pergamum. Both Churches had ill-intentioned people in their congregation who were teaching people to engage in sexual sin and eat foods offered to idols at the local pagan feasts. The Church in Thyatira, however, had taken their sin a step further. Whereas the folks in Pergamum may have been ignorant to the deceit of the false teachers in their midst, (or too intimidated to confront them), the Church in Thyatira was fully aware and openly tolerating the false teachers so that they continued unhindered in their deception. Hear Jesus Himself explain it, “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.” (verse 20)

So it could be said that if the Christians in Pergamum were “dating” the false teachers, then the congregants in Thyatira were already “married” to them. If the Church in Pergamum was occasionally engaged in sexual foreplay with false teachers, then the Church in Thyatira had already engaged in sexual intercourse multiple times with the false teachers and had produced several babies…in Church! (I'm speaking metaphorically).

Specifically, the Thyatirans had been infiltrated by a spiritually dangerous woman who had gathered around herself quite a following. She was claiming to be some sort of prophetess who had divine access to spiritual truths no one else was seeing. This apparently impressed many in the Church as they allowed her to increase in influence and prominence. They were such a loving, accepting, and tolerant Church that they allowed what was clearly an unholy-union, to continue happily ever after. She grew so bold that after a while, she cast her pretension aside and blatantly began teaching those she had lured into her cause “Satan’s so-called deep secrets” (verse 24).

It’s for this reason that Jesus takes such a harsh and severe tone with the Church’s tolerance of her. This woman in question is the one Jesus refers to as “Jezebel.”  Jezebel is clearly not her real name, but Jesus assigns it to her to reveal to the Thyatirans her true nature. The story of the real Jezebel can be found in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings 16:29-34, and all you need to know is that she was a vicious, evil, crazy, witch-queen who violently imposed idol worship on the Israelites. Her idol of choice was a cult-deity named Baal, whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness.

In Thyatira, this Jezebel-like woman was doing something similar to her predecessor. She was aggressively seducing and misleading the Church through sexual enticement and false teaching, all of which led many congregants to engage in spiritual adultery (and very possibly, actual adultery).

Let’s take a moment here and consider the intentions of this woman and its relevance to our actions today as Christians, because Jesus is NOT playing nice with her!

It’s one thing for you and I to struggle with a sin that has a stronghold over our lives, but it’s another thing to be the person importing that sin into the Church and misleading others to engage in it. Is that you? Are you a spiritual predator dressed as a sheep in Jesus’ Church? Are you knowingly spreading unbiblical teaching or enticing others in the Church to engage in any form of sin or rebellion?

If that describes you, then know this, the LORD OF THE CHURCH, CHRIST HIMSELF, the One whose eyes blaze like a fiery furnace and whose feet are as strong as burnished bronze is onto your game! You may have your present Church fooled, but “the One who sits enthroned in heaven laughs; He scoffs at you, and will soon rebuke you in His anger and terrify you in His wrath.”

Incidentally, Jesus was incredibly gracious to this woman and her followers in the Church. According to verse 21, He had actually confronted her in the past and revealed her sin to her as well as given her time to repent of it, but she had refused to turn from her sexual immorality. She had unfortunately now reached the point of no-return.

Judgment was inevitable.  What makes His judgment even more petrifying was the extent to which Jesus was going to carry it out. Look again at what He says starting in verse 21-23, “I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 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. 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.”

Now, because of the terrifying nature of the judgment Jesus pronounces on the Church (and even more specifically, the woman), let me clarify what I believe Jesus is getting at here because this is not a warning as much as it is an announcement of a judgment that’s soon about to take place. I don’t believe Jesus is speaking to those of you who have an addiction or a sin you are struggling with and longing to overcome. Jesus is speaking here to those of you who, whether willfully or unintentionally, are spreading your sinful trade to others within the church, and are unrepentant about it.  

Note the play of words He uses in verse 22 when He speaks of casting her on a, “bed of suffering” and striking dead the children that come from that affair. So, in other words, the very sin you are engaged in and unwilling to repent of, will be the very source of what you will be judged by. He’s saying, “The bed you lay on to commit adultery is where you will die on, and when I’m done, everyone in the Church will know that I can see past every façade.”

Make no mistake about it, Jesus is very involved and protective of His Church because She is still His bride. He already gave His life for her, can you imagine the extent He would go to keep her pure and safe?

While Jesus was going to deal directly with the root source (the false prophetess) of the trouble in the Thyatiran Church, there was of course still the issue of the rest of the congregation who turned a blind-eye and allowed the errors to continue. Clearly, those who were directly involved with the woman (“…those who commit adultery with her”; “…her children…”) would be dealt with too, but I’d imagine that there were many in the congregation hearing the words of Jesus and thinking to themselves, “Wait, but what about me, Lord? I haven’t engaged in these sins with them. I’ve been tempted, and I’ve strayed a few times, but I have repented and haven’t engaged in it since. Will I get swept away in judgment with everyone else?”

It is in response to this concern that Jesus writes what He says next in verse 24-29, “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,  except to hold on to what you have until I come.’  To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 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. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

What I find most encouraging (and you should too) about these words is the fact that Jesus can tell apart those who are His from those pretending to be His! (Ever read the parable of the weeds and wheat?). To His own who have remained faithful, He even goes as far as to encourage them, saying, “I will not impose any burden on you” but to urge you to keep doing the great work you’ve already been doing despite all the ungodly craziness around you. It brings to mind another statement He made during His time on earth in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  

That’s the first piece of good news for those who “keep at it” and remain faithful to Him. The second encouraging news is the promise and future reward from Jesus that they will be given the authority to rule over nations, the right to serve as judges over the affairs of His coming kingdom, and something unique called, “the Morning Star.”

To really appreciate the incredible significance of these rewards, you need to understand that Jesus is speaking here of a thousand-year period known as the Millennial kingdom. This is a period still in our future that will be ushered in upon the 2nd return of Jesus Christ (seven years after the rapture of the Church), a time during which every believer will rule alongside Him as His representatives. It’s in this time and place that many of the promises of scripture about prosperity and blessings will FULLY be realized.

This means that, as a reward for not “signing up” with the Jezebel-cult, and as a result of choosing to remain faithful to Christ in a tolerance-gone-corrupt culture, Christ Himself will entrust you with a governing office position to administer His justice over nations. Did you catch that? You will someday rule over NATIONS!

There’s an interesting verse in 1 Corinthians 6:3 that gives some insightful perspective on the extent to which believers will rule with Christ. According to Paul’s words in that verse, it appears that followers of Christ will not only be entrusted with governing human affairs, but even angelic affairs; “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!” The best part is that every believer will have a glorified body in the Millennium and the mind of Christ, hence we won’t lack for wisdom on what to do and how to do it!

Then of course, there’s the question of the “Morning Star.” Every Biblical indication is that this phrase is a reference to Christ Himself. In other words, you and I will have unprecedented access to Jesus Christ. Whereas today, we may sometime feel unsure if Jesus heard our prayers or "gets" us, on that day, you'll have something tantamount to an all-access pass to meet with Him. On that day, you will regularly see Him face-to-face, you'll be able to run your ideas by Him, you'll be able to chat with Him over lunch at Panera Bread (because there WILL be Panera in the Millennium!), you'll be able to seek His direct advice on matters, and you'll be able to personally invite Him to a celebration you’re hosting, and so on …allow your imagination to run wild here! It's as if Jesus Himself were saying, “In the Millennium, I will be there when you need me, so much so that while your prayers are still on your lips, I will hear you and answer you!!”

This is ultimately what our hearts long for, isn’t it? Christ Himself.

So let’s wrap this up with the big idea put forth earlier.

The loving grace of God covers ALL our sin and He invites us daily to surrender our burdens to Him. However, what may prove problematic in your relationship with God is if you are the source through which sin is being imported into the lives of others. Jesus expresses as much in Luke 17:1 when He says, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!” Other versions say, “…but woe to anyone through whom they come.”

Is that you? Are you a spiritual predator dressed as a sheep among Jesus’ flock? Are you knowingly spreading unbiblical teaching or enticing others in the church to engage in immorality?

Understand (again) that Jesus sees in High Definition every activity that takes place under the sun. In His great mercy, He will repeatedly call you to repent and surrender your sin to Him, but if you persist and stubbornly hold on to your sin and rebellion, and you’re unwilling to change, your time may soon be up.

The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. While there is no sin so great that the cross of Jesus isn’t greater than, there is a point of no return where unrepentance can and will lead to severe judgment.  

A word to the wise, if you are a sin-importer, cease your evil trade immediately, otherwise the LORD Himself will do it for you! 

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In C.S Lewis's book, "The Great Divorce" he tells the story of a busload of people who journey to the outskirts of heaven on their way to hell. During the tour, many of the bus-riders are turned off/intimidated by the atmosphere of heaven and run back to the comfort of their bus. One individual, however, a Ghost who is continually pestered by a talkative red lizard (symbolic of lust) constantly perched on his shoulder, presses into the surroundings of heaven and encounters a fiery angel. 

C.S Lewis uses the ensuing encounter between the angel and the Ghost as a parable of God's invitation to break the power of sin in our life and to transform it into something for his glory. For the purposes of this blog post, I will use it as an illustration of what it looks like to sever off unhealthy toxic relationships that may be leading us to compromise our integrity. 

In the story, the great flaming angel approaches the Ghost and seeks his permission to rid him of the burdensome red lizard on his shoulder. The Ghost hesitantly agrees at first, but backs away when it dawns on him that killing the lizard will involve some pain on his part.

The angel makes his request again, seeking the Ghost’s permission to help him kill the red lizard. But again, the Ghost complains about the pain he is having to endure as a result of being separated from his beast of a friend.   

"May I kill it?" The angel persisted.

"Honestly, I don't think there's the slightest necessity for that. I'm sure I shall be able to keep it in order now. Some other day, perhaps." The Ghost tried to argue.

"There is no other day …." Replied the angel.

"Get back! You're burning me. How can I tell you to kill it? You'd kill me if you did." The Ghost countered.

"It is not so."

"Why, you're hurting me now."

"I never said I wouldn't hurt you. I said it wouldn't kill you."

On and on their conversation went, until finally, the Lizard itself chimed in (in a last bid attempt to save its own life). "Be careful," it said. "He can do what he says. He can kill me. One fatal word from you and he will! Then you'll be without me for ever and ever. I'll be so good. I admit I've sometimes gone too far in the past, but I promise I won't do it again…."

Ignoring the voice of the red lizard, the angel again sought the Ghost's permission to once and for all kill the creature. In his desperation to finally be free, he relented and permitted the angel to do as he pleased.

Lewis beautifully captures what follows, “Next moment the Ghost gave a scream of agony such as I never heard. The Burning One [angel] closed his crimson grip on the reptile: twisted it, while it bit and writhed, and then flung it, broken backed, on the turf. Then I saw, unmistakably solid but growing every moment solider, the Ghost materialize into a man, not much smaller than the Angel. At the same moment something seemed to be happening to the Lizard. At first I thought the operation had failed. So far from dying, the creature was still struggling and even growing bigger as it struggled. And as it grew it changed. Suddenly I stared back, rubbing my eyes. What stood before me was the greatest stallion I have ever seen, silvery white but with mane and tail of gold. The man, now free from his torment, climbed upon the stallion that had been his sin and rode into the glowing sunrise towards the Savior.” (C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (HarperCollins, 2009), pp. 106-112)

Like the Ghost in Lewis's story, some Christians are presently yoked in a relationship with their own "red lizard", a relationship which may be proving to be spiritually toxic to their faith. 

In this 4th part of our blog series through the 7 letters of Revelation, we will meet a Church congregation in the city of Pergamum that has fallen into this trap, a Church that has compromised its values and literally allowed Satan to get a foothold in its community. 

Jesus has some strong words for her, as well as for us if indeed there are spiritually toxic relationships in our lives we're allowing to carry on. Here's the story of how to break free and bring to an end those unhealthy friendships.

This introduction from Jesus is a little scary. It’s not the opening line you ever want to read in a letter or an email from a loved one.

To give you some perspective on how troubling this introduction is, compare it to the way Jesus introduces Himself to the two previous Churches. To the folks in the Church of Ephesus, Jesus says in Revelation 2:1, “These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.”  

To the congregants in the Church of Smyrna, Jesus says in Revelation 2:8, “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. Both uplifting, right?

But, to the folks in the Church of Pergamum, Jesus essentially opens His letter with this terrifying picture, “These are the words of the one wielding a sharp double-headed machete, and oh, by the way, I also see that Satan has an apartment in your backyard!”

This immediately tells you something is wrong in the Church of Pergamum, and the city itself is probably not the most hospitable place to live.

Twice in verse 13, Jesus actually points out that Satan has his throne in their city!

It’s a troubling thought, but it makes me wonder what city in the world Satan presently has his throne? While no one can say for certain where it is, can we at least agree on NOT rolling out the red carpet for him? (Yes, I’m talking to you, New York’ s temporarily shelved project to rebuild replicas of the arch from Syria’s Temple of Baal!!!!)

If you want to know what happens when you let Satan hang out on your front porch, let’s get back to Pergamum and see.

VIDEO: The Acropolis of Pergamum

The city of Pergamum was one of the most influential cities in the Roman empire. It was an important center for pagan and imperial religion. In fact, the people of Pergamum were known as the temple keepers of Asia. That's because the city hosted temples dedicated to Asklepios, the god of healing, to Zeus, in whose honor an especially massive stone altar was built and set on the Acropolis (one of the highest points in the city), and to “divine Augustus and the goddess Roma.”

Satan felt at home in this city and established his throne there. 

The Christians in the city lived in constant danger of harm from the emperor worship cult. Whereas, Christians in other cities were primarily in danger on the one day of the year when they were required to offer sacrifices to the emperor, the believers in Pergamum were in danger every day of the year because of the strong demonic influence in the city.

Living as a Christian in Pergamum in those days may have been indistinguishable from living as a Christian in Ramadi, Iraq under ISIS’s rule today. Except, in Pergamum, instead of an Islamic Shiite agenda, it was literally Satan’s agenda.

It’s to these small gathering of believers in this demon-run city that Jesus writes His letter to (Revelation 2:12-17). It’s also for this reason that Jesus introduces Himself with such fierce imagery, “These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword” (v.12). He was trying to let them know that He too knows how to do battle and bears a razor-sharp double-edged sword that penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; and judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  

This is vital for every follower of Jesus Christ to grasp, especially in the heat of battle of a spiritual attack. You are not powerless nor are you weaponless in the fight (2 Corinthians 10:4-6). Christ, who is seated far above every spiritual authority, has delegated His authority to you to stand against the fiery attacks of Satan and has provided you with a spiritual armor to withstand whatever may come. So, you’re not a victim.

Stand! Submit to God. Resist the enemy and fight back!

For the believers living in Pergamum, they not only withstood the direct onslaught of Satan, but Jesus Himself commends them for their faithfulness to Him in a place where they could have easily assimilated into the idolatrous culture. In verse 13, Jesus says to them, “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.”

Tradition suggests that Antipas was a pastor in Pergamum and was martyred by being burned to death inside a hollowed brass bull. One account records this: “They (his persecutors) became enraged as wild beasts and dragged the aged Antipas to the temple of Artemis before which stood an ox cast in bronze. They heated the bronzed ox and hurled the servant of God into the red-hot molten ox as he burned to death. From within the molten ox, St. Antipas glorified God with thanksgiving, as once did Jonah in the belly of the whale or the three Youths in the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel. Antipas prayed for his flock and for the entire world until his soul parted from his weakened body and ascended among the angels into the Kingdom of Christ.”

Like Antipas, the Pergamum believers fought a really good fight, even though it came at the cost of some of their lives. They always remained true to the name of Christ.

While all that was good and true, they left a few “cracks” open through which Satan [red lizard] had slipped into their Church. I’ll let Jesus tell you Himself in V.14-15, “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. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”  

In order to understand the problem Jesus is referring to, you need to know the story of Balaam. In the Old Testament book of Numbers 22-25, and 31, we’re introduced to a Moabite king named Balak. Balak wanted to weaken and destroy the Israelites, who on their way to Canaan [the promised land] had moved in on his territory. So he sends for a rogue prophet named, Balaam to place a curse on them with the promise of a hefty financial compensation.

Balaam, however, was instructed by God to do no such thing. Instead, He was told by God to bless, instead of curse the Israelites. Eventually realizing the futility of trying to go against God’s direct instruction, Balaam took a backdoor approach to ensure he received a monetary reward from Balak. Since he couldn’t curse Israel directly, he came up with an evil scheme for Israel to bring a curse upon themselves. He counseled Balak to have his Moabite women seduce the Israelite men so that their hearts would be gradually drawn away from the devotion to God. Part of the seduction involved the Israelite men engaging in sexual orgies with the Midianite women, which involved eating foods sacrificed to idols and the actual worship of idols (Baal of Peor). For this, God plagued the Israelites and 24,000 men died, (Numbers 25; Deuteronomy 23:3-6) and Balaam himself was eventually killed (Numbers 31:8).

As a result of this devious act, Balaam’s name became synonymous with the use of God’s gift for illicit purposes. “The [false] teaching of Balaam” Jesus speaks of in Revelation 2:14 is the philosophy that one can be fully immersed in the lusts of the world, yet, still wholeheartedly serve God. Several Bible passages speak of Balaam’s deceptive philosophy of ministry:

• 2 Peter 2:15 says they are the ones who have, “… left the main road and are directionless, having taken the way of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophet who turned profiteer, a connoisseur of evil”

• Jude 1:11 describe them as those who have, “…been sucked into Balaam’s error by greed; ”

• Earlier in Jude 1:4, he explains how their sins affect the Church, “I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. ”

Putting all of these together, it becomes apparent who and what Jesus was speaking of when He says to the Church in Pergamum, “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. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.” (Since we don’t have much detail on the teachings of the Nicolatians, we can safely assume it had many similarities with the teaching of Balaam).

Clearly, some ill-intentioned people [red lizards] had finagled their way into a position of influence in the Pergamum Church and were convincing the congregation that they could engage in all the idolatrous affairs in their demon-run city and still wholeheartedly love Jesus. So whereas Jesus speaks of His followers being “in” the world, but “not of” the world (meaning that we’re to live with a missionary mindset), the Baalamites and Nicolatians were encouraging the Christians that they were not only “in” the world, but were “of” the world, needed to be loved by the world, and should have no problem compromising with the world!

It’s the modern day belief that a “little sin” or a little compromise here and there in our faith isn’t so bad, especially if it results in some form of personal profit, or even better yet, “if it will bring more people to Jesus.”

Jesus would of course, beg to differ because “It only takes a minute amount of yeast…to permeate an entire loaf of bread.” (Galatians 5:9). In Balaam’s day, it only took one small flirty look from a Midianite woman for most of Israel to fall into apostasy. Unfortunately, the same was happening and had happened in the Church in Pergamum.

What Jesus seemed to have the greatest problem with, however, was the fact that the believers who had “remained faithful to His name” were tolerating the false teaching in their Church. They had become super-comfortable with the red lizard to remain on their shoulders!

Why do you think the Jesus-loving believers were allowing the demon-influenced false teachers to carry on their unbiblical agenda in the Church?  

Having grown up in the Church, let me propose a few reasons I’ve observed for why this so easily happens in our Churches. It’s possible that the folks corrupting the Church were family members or even friends of key leaders in the Church. It’s even possible that these individuals causing problems were some of the biggest financial givers in the Church and their expulsion would have resulted in a financial crisis for the Church. It’s also very possible that the believers in Pergamum simply hadn’t grounded themselves in truths of the Gospel so that the false teachings appeared as Biblically sound.

Though speculatory, they’re certainly all plausible; otherwise, why would they tolerate such toxic relationships in their congregation?

Allow me to turn this mirror around for a moment.

Are there presently relationships in your life that are spiritually toxic to your maturity as a follower of Christ? Perhaps someone, or a group of “friends” who draw your affections further and further away from Christ? Is there a red lizard on your shoulder?

The question we’re asking the congregation in Pergamum is also the question I must ask you now, “Why are you tolerating these spiritually unhealthy relationships in your life instead of just nipping them in the bud?”

Whatever your reason is, and whatever the reasons the believers in Pergamum had, here’s what Jesus had to say about it in verse 16, “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” In other words, “If you don’t wise up and sever those relationships quickly, I will step in myself and cut them to pieces with my sword-sharp words.”

I don’t know what that looked like in real life relationships in Pergamum, but here’s what I know: Swords hurt when they slice and harsh-but-true words cut deep. If I’m in a close relationship with someone experiencing either , I’m bound to experience some of its residual impact.

So, painful surgery needs to be done.

I suspect that in such a scenario [in your life], it's no point pulling off the bandage gently. You may need to abruptly break off contact from those unhealthy toxic friendships. Make no mistake about it, it will not be easy nor will it be fun, but it will be the right thing to do!

You may need to utter something similar to this, "Hey, in order for me to mature in my faith in Christ and to remain healthy, I cannot continue in this manner of friendship with you. I think it best we bring this to an end."

Like the red lizard in Lewis's story, toxicity will fight to maintain its hold on your life. You simply have to desire spiritual health, Jesus Himself more than you desire whatever fulfillment you perceive you're receiving in what's clearly an unhealthy relationship.

I don't know how else to say it, some unhealthy people in your life simply need to be gone!

As in the two previous letters, with obedience to Jesus’ instructions come several mysterious rewards. There’s two of them in verse 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.”

Let talk about Manna. If you recall the episode of the Israelites in the Sinai desert after fleeing Egypt, you’ll remember that God provided them with food from heaven, literally. In the evenings, He sent them poultry dinners falling from the sky, and in the mornings, He rained down some sort of honeyed bread called, “Manna.”

So, in that arid environment, God nourished their physical needs with heavenly food.

This promise of Jesus to the Church in Pergamum, then, is a reassurance that if they sever those spiritually toxic relationships with the Balaamites and Nicolatians, and even if it comes at a financial or emotional cost to them, He Himself will replenish their need, hence the promise of being given “hidden Manna.”

Let’s turn that mirror on ourselves one more time (Especially if you’re struggling with the thought of severing emotionally toxic or spiritually unhealthy relationships in your life).

What is it you’re afraid will happen if you sever those spiritually unhealthy relationships for the sake of honoring Jesus Christ? What is it that you think will lose or miss out on? Whatever it is, Jesus Himself is saying in these verses that you need not worry and you need not fear. In the same manner that God rained down physical nourishment from heaven to replenish the Israelite’s appetite in the dessert, so in the same way, God will replenish your unfulfilled needs if you honor Him in your relationships.

Hidden manna awaits, my friends. Hidden manna!!!

There’s also the promise of a very personal gift, a unique piece of white gemstone with your new name written on it, “a name known only to him who receives it.” I don’t know exactly what this stone means, but here’s what I do know. There’s 7 billion people on earth. 2.2 billion of those people profess to be Christians. Factoring all the numbers of Christians who have lived and died since the birth of the Church, we can surmise that there are many billions of believers in God’s presence.

That’s a lot of people and a lot of names to remember. I can barely remember the names of some of my cousins! Hence, the promise of this personal stone is that in the midst of a massive multitude of humanity, Jesus will not only know your name, but will know you more personally than you know yourself!

Though you’re one in several billion, Jesus’ knowledge of and relationship with you will be deeply personal.

Furthermore, a new name indicates a new story and a new destiny, right? So then, if we honor His words and sever off spiritually unhealthy relationships, Jesus is promising us a new sense of adventure and mission in the world He will establish. In other words, the question of, “Why am I here?” and “What is my purpose in life?” will immediately become as crystal clear as a scene on a 4K Ultra HD screen. You will finally know, see, and live the life you’ve always wanted because it will be the life Jesus Himself has plotted out for you!

That, my friends, is worth giving up some unhealthy relationships for!

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Martyrdom is a test every single Christian hopes to pass, but none of us would ever want to take.

I’ve never had a gun pointed at my face or a knife held to my throat accompanied with a demand to renounce my faith in Christ. I’d like to think that in that moment, I would be faithful to Jesus, even to the point of death.

I fear the opposite may be true, though. While I’ve never publicly denied Christ, I have on occasion been timid in social gatherings where an opportunity presented itself for me to make Christ known. So I surmise that if I’m not bold enough for Christ then, then I may struggle in those most-extreme moments.

This isn’t a pity party. It’s an honest self-evaluation. Feel free to insert your personal confession [_____ here ______].

The scary truth is that such a scenario may someday become a reality for many of us within Christendom. It’s certainly already true for many brothers and sisters in Christ around the globe who are presently been martyred.

In fact, He writes very specifically about what we are to do should we find ourselves in a tough spot where we are required to be faithful (to Him), even to the point of death.

It’s in Revelation 2:8-11 in His letter to the Christians in the Church in the small city of Smyrna. I could read it to you and explain the what, where, why, who and how, but I’d rather tell you a story that took place in the very city Jesus was writing to, a story that illustrates the big idea He’s getting at in His letter to the believers in Smyrna, a story that occurred some 50 years after the writing of His letter.

His name was Polycarp.

He was a Christian who lived at the end of the age of the original 12 apostles, right about when the Church was making a critical transition to the second generation of believers. Tradition suggests that he was personally discipled by the last living apostle, John (author of the book of Revelation) and others who had personally sat under the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Polycarp was a staunch defender of the Christian faith and was eventually appointed as bishop of the city of Smyrna.

He had little formal education, but was direct, unpretentious, yet, humble. In one account, Polycarp confronts a heretic named, Marcion, a Gnostic, and calls him, “the first born of Satan.”  

Polycarp, however, lived during a period of history when Christians were deeply hated.

Wealthy influential Jews opposed and oppressed the small band of, mostly poor Christians in the city of Smyrna. The oppression also flowed in from their Roman rulers. Violent persecution of Christians was the order of the day when Marcus Aurelius was the Emperor of Rome (161-180). Any and every excuse was given to burn Christians, impale them, or feed them to wild beasts in their arenas.

One author writes this about the experiences of the Christians in that period, “They (the hostile Jews) slandered them for cannibalism, saying they ate flesh and drank blood (at the Lord’s table). They slandered them for lust and immorality because they greeted one another with a holy kiss and held love feasts (as Paul instructed). They slandered them for home wrecking because one member of a home became a Christian and it brought a sword into the household. They slandered them for atheism because they rejected the worship of emperors and the deities of Rome. They slandered them for rebellion and political disloyalty because they said it was tantamount to mutiny. The Jews, wanting to destroy the Christian faith, went to the Romans to report the Christians, that they might lose their lives.”

This was the "afflictions and poverty" and "slander" Jesus said the Christians in Smyrna would encounter.

It’s not quite clear why, in 156 A.D, the hostile city of Smyrna suddenly began to cry out, “Away with the Atheists; let Polycarp be sought out!”

When news reached the elderly Church father that his life was being sought, he didn’t panic nor was he in any measure disturbed, rather, he simply continued to carry out his work of ministry. However, in deference to the wish of those who loved him and were concerned for his well being, he was persuaded to leave the city.

Settling down in a country house not to far from the city, he busied his time, night and day interceding in prayer for any and everyone the Lord brought to His mind and for the Churches throughout the world. It was during one of these prayer times, three days before he’d be martyred, that he was shown a vision. In it, he watched as the pillow he lay his head caught fire. Upon waking up, he spoke to those who were with him, prophetically saying, “I must be burned alive.”

The hunt for the elderly man continued. Each time his pursuers neared him, he was able to move on to another location before they closed in. Once, when his persecutors could not find him, they arrested two youths who had been with him and tortured at least one of them till he revealed where the Polycarp was staying.

When the authorities finally caught up with him, they found him lying down in the upper room of a cottage. Though he still had the means to escape [prior to their arrival and before his actual arrest], Polycarp refused and simply said, “The will of God be done.” Going out to meet the men, he presented himself. His arresting offices marveled at his age and faithfulness, and said to themselves, “Why was so much effort made to capture a man like this?”

Immediately, Polycarp invited them in for food and drink, then requested that he be given an hour to pray uninterrupted. They agreed and Polycarp stood praying for almost two hours, being so full of the grace of God. Those listening were astounded and many of them began to question their decision in coming to arrest such a godly devoted old man.

When he was done praying, the men loaded him up on a donkey and led him into the city on the Sabbath. As he neared the arena (where he knew he would be killed), there came a voice from heaven saying, “Be strong, and be a man, O Polycarp!” No one saw who spoke, but they all heard the voice.

When Polycarp finally entered the stadium and the crowds heard that he had been captured, there was an uproar. The Proconsul approached him and queried if he was indeed Polycarp. Polycarp did not deny himself or his faith.The Proconsul then tried to get him to apostatize, saying, “Have respect for your old age, swear by the fortune of Caesar. Repent, and say, ‘Down with the Atheists!’” [Atheist being, Christians].

Polycarp gazed sternly at the hostile multitudes in the stands and waving his hands in their general direction, he looked to the heavens and said, “86 years have I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

Again, the Proconsul pressed him. “Renounce your faith!”

Polycarp responded, “Since you are vainly urgent in having me recount my faith in Jesus Christ, then hear me clearly on this: I am a Christian. If you wish to learn what the doctrines of Christianity are, set a time and a date and I will gladly lay it all out for you.”

The Proconsul replied, “Then persuade the crowds!”

But Polycarp said, “I thought it appropriate to share my faith with you, for we are taught to give due honor to government authorities that have been put in place by God. But as for these crowds, I do not deem them worthy to receive any testimony from me.”

The Proconsul continued, “I have wild beasts waiting behind these gates. I will set them loose on you if you do not renounce your beliefs!” 

“Call them then, for it is unthinkable for me to repent of what is good in order to adopt what is evil; besides, it serves me well to be transformed [in death] from what is evil [the flesh] to what is righteous [glorified body].” Polycarp replied.

“Wild beasts don’t scare you? Then I will have them burn you alive at the stake!”

“You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour and is afterward extinguished, but you are completely ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly. Why are you waiting for? Bring on whatever you want.”

The Proconsul truly was astounded at the elderly man’s confidence and grace in the face of imminent death, so much so that he sent his herald into the crowd thrice to proclaim, “Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian.”

The crowds, eager for blood, cried out in one voice in uncontrollable fury, “This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, and the overthrower of our gods; he who has been teaching many not to sacrifice or to worship the gods.” They urged Phillip the Asiarch (superintendent of the public games and religious rites) to set loose a lion on Polycarp. But Phillip answered that it was not lawful for him to do so, seeing that the shows of wild beasts were already done for the day. The crowds then switched tones and called for the burning alive of Polycarp, which was the very death Polycarp had foreseen in his dream.

What happened next occurred in less time than it takes to explain it. Multitudes immediately gathered woods and bundles of sticks from nearby shops and public baths. The Jews, who, as usual were all too eager to help, joined in. When the pile was ready, Polycarp began to undress as he climbed on the pile. When they tried to secure him to the stake with nails, he responded:

So they simply tied his hands behind his back like a ram being readied for a sacrificial slaughter. Fully ready to be an acceptable burnt offering to God, Polycarp prayed, “O Lord God Almighty, the Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, …I give you thanks that you count me worthy to be numbered among your martyrs, sharing the cup of Christ and the resurrection to eternal life, both of soul and body, through the immortality of the Holy Spirit. May I be received this day as an acceptable sacrifice, as you, the true God, have predestined, revealed to me, and now fulfilled. I praise you for all these things, I bless you and glorify you, along with the everlasting Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. To you, with him, through the Holy Ghost, be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

As soon as Polycarp pronounced his, “Amen.”, the fire was lit, and the flame blazed furiously. Those believers who were present describe immediately witnessing a great miracle. They explain that the fire shaped itself into the form of an arch, like the sail of a ship when filled with the wind, and formed a circle around the body of Polycarp. Inside the fiery arch, Polycarp looked not like flesh that is burnt, but like bread that is baked, or gold and silver glowing in a furnace. They also explain, that rather than burnt human flesh, they smelt a sweet scent, like frankincense or some such precious spices.

Eventually, when his persecutors saw that the fire was not consuming his body, an executioner was ordered to pierce him with a dagger. Different stories have circulated about what happened the moment Polycarp was pierced, but all agree that it marked the final breath of this godly man, apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of Smyrna.

I don’t know about you, but I was thinking that last moment would have been the perfect time for Jesus to make a dramatic entrance, right?

Polycarp was already not burning, it would have been the perfect moment for Jesus to show up and prove what he wrote to the Church in Smyrna some fifty years earlier when he said, “I am the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” (Revelation 2:8). 

In other words, death has nothing on Him!

But Jesus chose not to show up.

Why?

Because death, though sorrowful, is not the end.

In the latter part of Revelation 2:10, Jesus calls for believers to, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”

The only reason Jesus would do this is if He knows something about death no one else does (which, of course we all know now).  Ready for this?

You see, at the cross, Jesus rendered Satan, sin, and death’s power useless. In fact, Hebrews 2:14-15 explains exactly what happened, “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”

Here's His point: Though physical death still hurts, Jesus stripped it of its ultimate sting so that a nano second after you take your last breath in this life, you awake in the next in a magnificent glorious bodily form that's sturdier and healthier than you ever were even in your best of days!

Polycarp understood this truth, which is why he was able to endure the persecution and execution he faced. He knew that though Satan might "slander" him and his Church through those who "claim to be Jews (but are not)", and though he and many in his Church would be "put in prison, and suffer persecution for ten days” which would more than likely end in their death, Polycarp understood that the “second death” (eternal separation from God) had already been conquered by Jesus. 

Hence, death in this life is actually sweet release.

This is the promise of Jesus Christ Himself should you or I ever find ourselves in a tough spot where we need to prove faithful [to Him], even to the point of death.

The truth is, death will hurt and its sting is very real and present.

Death for the believers, however, only brings us closer to our eternal union with the lover of our souls in our eternal home.  Through the cross and His blood shed (that is applied to our lives when we trust in Him), Jesus has ensured that we’ll not only never have to face the “second death”, but we will live eternally and blissfully with God the Father.

It’s this reminder that Jesus encouraged the Smyrnans and every believer with, should we have to face our own moment of death.

Most of us living in the western hemisphere of the world will probably not face the kind of persecution that leads to death (at least not anytime soon). Let's be honest here, despite all the opposition Christianity may be facing in our culture today, no one is banging down our doors with guns or flaming torches, demanding we recount our faith. 

So, where Jesus' words may be most applicable to us is in the perseverance of our faith in the face of emotional or spiritual weariness. For example, you may have been waiting for several years for an answered prayer and are starting to grow weary of trusting in God. You may be facing financial, relational, emotional, or even health troubles, and all of it is wearing you down. In your experience, the daily grind of life may prove to be a greater threat to your faith than the actual threat of death.

Hence, Jesus' words, "Be faithful, even to the point of death", may be better rendered to 2016 Americans, "Be faithful, even when you feel worn down and beat down."

So the encouragement here to you is this: Do not become weary in doing good deeds and do not throw in the towel because your labor isn't producing immediate fruit. Jesus if far more concerned with your faithfulness to the tasks assigned to you than He is about the level of results you produce. 

Stay faithful to HIM, even to the point of death, ...or spiritual, ...or emotional exhaustion.  

In due time, He who called you will reward you with a victor's crown.

I used to think I'd make a phenomenal parent ...but then I became a dad. 

Now, my boys actually like me, or in the words of my oldest son, "You're the best daddy out of all the daddys out there, dad!"

(And I didn't even have to give him any extra candy to say that!) ...but  if I'm being honest though, I sometimes fail at the one job I'm supposed to be great at!

Only recently, I had to drop him off at school. While the other children were walking quietly to class in an orderly fashion, he challenged me to race him to the door. Rather than being a grown-up dad, I put on my gameface and decided it was time to show my four-year-old who was boss! Giving him a good head start, I burst into a full sprint trying to catch up with him…. which I did, right before he tripped and fell full-faced into the pavement in front of his teachers and a dozen parents (all of who were probably justified in whatever malevolent thought about me crossed their mind in that moment). After a visit to the nurse’s office (which, let’s be honest, was really detention for me), my son now wears a fading scar that reminds me that my actions have a lasting impact on those who come behind me.

I’m probably making a bigger deal out of that incident than I should. My son’s minor boo-boo is nothing compared to the long lasting emotional wounds parents (unintentionally or intentionally) sometimes pass on to their children. Without laying the blame for all our woes on our parents, the truth is, many of us today carry around wounds from childhood that have shaped how we view ourselves as adults and how we interact with other adults. Whether it was affirmation we needed that we never received, or it was an unhealthy expression of affection we received that we could have lived without, many grown-ups are walking around today with old exposed/untreated wounds. This explains why you’ll sometimes encounter people who seem to react disproportionately to what would seem like an otherwise innocent-enough action (or statement).

So, what is my deepest fear as a parent? That I’ll pass on to my children my unresolved emotional junk.

An older friend of mine who also doubles as a mentor, shared with me an eye-opening encouragement that helped put my fear in perspective. But before I share that with you, permit me to tell you a quick story that got me thinking about this.

A long time ago in the Biblical Middle East, there lived a man named John the Baptist. He had a knack for getting on people’s nerves. Powerfully anointed and on a mission from God, he had no qualms about calling people out on their sins. He told tax collectors and soldiers to stop acting like the Mafia, and he called religious leaders, a “brood of vipers” (which is pretty much one of the worst things a prophet can call you) .

John’s sternest rebuke, however, was saved for the big boss, a king named Herod Antipas, and his new wife, Herodias. Along with a long list of devious scheming, the story goes that Herodias had been the wife of Herod’s half brother, Phillip. After an extended adulterous affair, both Herod and Herodias decided to separate from their spouses so they could marry each other. News of this incestuous affair reached John, and John being John, speaks out and condemns publicly the marriage of the newly weds. In so doing, John adds his name to Herodias’ black list. She nurses such a deep grudge against him that she wants him dead, but her husband won’t carry out the deed because he fears an uprising on account of John’s popularity with the masses.

Wanting to silence him (and obviously silence his own conscience), Herod has John arrested and locked up in chains.

A while later, Herod throws a party at his lavish home and all the nobility and brass in Galilee are in attendance. As entertainment, and perhaps a gift, Herodias has her daughter (from her first marriage) dance for Herod. Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us the daughter’s name was Salome, and she would have been anywhere between 14-15 years old. Though the passage doesn’t say it, I’m inclined to think this dance was lascivious in nature. When you consider the atmosphere the dance was being performed in and Herod’s sexual tendencies, one can only assume this 15-year-old’s presence wasn’t simply an innocent case of a proud step-dad admiring his step-daughter’s cute dance moves. Whatever the case may be, Herod was so pleased with her dance that he promises with a public oath to give her whatever she wants. He even offers to split his kingdom in half and give it to her if she so requests.

Pause here for a second and take in this moment.

Think about the potential fortune that just landed in this teenage girl's lap. Salome has just been offered an opportunity of a lifetime. Though I agree with those who point out that Herod’s statement might have been spoken in a drunken state, or perhaps even just as a figure of speech, there’s still plenty of reason to believe he would have honored a portion of whatever request she made. 

Salome at first makes what seems to be a smart move. She consults with her mom. Sounds like a smart move so far, right? Herodias, in this moment, also has the opportunity to pass on to her daughter a legacy that could sustain her for years to come by suggesting something wise to request (perhaps a small financial fortune that could last her for years?). But remember that Herodias has been nursing a deep grudge, and people who nurse grudges and bitterness are not visionaries and can’t see past their own spite. They only know how to pass on their bitterness. This unfortunately is going to result in a tragic missed opportunity and a damning legacy for both her and her daughter. According to Mark 6:24-25, Herodias counsels her daughter to request for the head of John the Baptist.

Did you catch that? 

Mom just told her daughter to ask her stepdad to give her the chopped-off head of a man she (mom) despises.

My heart sinks as I think of this request, which by the way, the king reluctantly grants. Think about it, not only has mom just squandered whatever blessings her daughter could have inherited from the king, but Herodias has just passed on deep bitterness and grudge (not to mention murder) from one generation to the next! 

What lessons do you think Salome (at a very young age) learned about men from this event? How do you think she’s going to approach men later on in life when she really wants something for herself?  

Ever met a really bitter manipulative woman (or man for that matter) who uses their sexuality as a deadly weapon? That’s Salome. You wanna know what the sad part is about people who end up like this? Their baggage more than likely all started with an emotionally unhealthy and unavailable mom or dad.

Herod, Herodias, and Salome’s story struck a chord with me, not because my son has ever asked for his classmate’s head on a platter, but because it’s made me more attentive to the lessons my sons are picking up, just from observing my life.

I mentioned earlier that my older friend/mentor shared with me an eye-opening encouragement. Here’s what he said when I expressed my parenting fears about passing on my emotional junk unto my kids: 

He had a way with words.

Upon further discussion, I came to understand what he was getting at. It is virtually impossible to raise children without “dropping the ball” several times. They will see and experience us at our best and they will see and experience us at our worst. When one lives in such close proximity to another human (however little they may be), it’s inevitable that our unresolved junk will ooze.

But that’s where Jesus Christ comes in.

Along with salvation to eternal life, several stories in the scriptures indicate that He’s also in the restoration business.

• Peter had a problem with his mouth and often spoke up when he should have kept shut, yet Jesus said of him “…upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
• Nathaniel was prejudiced, yet Jesus said of him, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel--a man of complete integrity.”
• Mary Magdalene had 7 demons. Jesus expelled all of them out of her. She never left his side and was rewarded with the privileged of being the first person to see the resurrected Christ.
• James and his bro, John, had some serious anger issues, yet Jesus called them to be part of his inner squad! 

If you share my (potentially unrealistic) fear as a parent, my point here is this; THERE’S HOPE FOR US!

Jesus can undo any mess we create. He loves our children more than we could ever imagine, even more than we do. So rather than spending our time worrying about what we might get wrong, what if we set our kids up for a future-win by focusing on bringing/introducing them to Jesus.

I once heard success defined, not as the sum of all you accomplish in this life, but as what you leave behind and what people say about you when you’re gone. So how rewarding would it be, long after you and I are boxed up in the earth, our kids stand up and say:

Now that’s an ending worth striving for as a parent. 

So, put your worries aside fellow-dads (and moms), and let's do this, yo!

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