The Church That Married The World

[Music] don't preach about the church that married the world the church that married the world as a warning to the world lay of us in here this morning that God despises Christians who compromise amen amen and to the Angel of the church in Pergamos write these things says said he which have the sharp sword with two edges and know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is and our holdest fast my name and has not denied my faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth but I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication so have our also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth verse 17 reads he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches to him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it thank you you may be seated grass withers and the flower that all afraid of the way but the word of our God shall stand forever if Ephesus was the fallen church plagued by fundamentalism if Smyrna was the fearful church plagued by ritualism Pergamos was the faltering Church plagued by clericalism the city of pragmas was the capital of Asia Minor two special features caused this city to stand out in its time Brigham us had a library with over 200 volumes 200,000 volumes of books and that may not seem like much in our time but in those days books were handwritten on papyrus and parchment parchment paper was invented in pritam us and there were 200,000 handwritten volumes of books in that library in the 1st century and then in Pergamos was the temple of asclepius as klaris was the god of healing and the god of medicine it was symbolized by intertwined snakes or the staff which is even now a symbol of medicine in our time in the temple of Asclepius a person who was sick would go in that temple and spin the night the temple was covered on the floor with snakes that were snakes all over the temple and a sick person would go in there and spend the night in a temple full of snakes and they believed that if a snake crawled over you without causing you harm you are healed of your sickness it is the Christian congregation in this city that Jesus addresses this letter they were in desperate need of a word from the Lord and that's why Jesus appears to them as the one with the sharp sword with two edges the sharp sword with two edges symbolizes the Word of God the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword and Jesus appears to them to give them a word from the Lord this church brothers and sisters was doctrinally pure but they had drifted into compromise there is always the danger lily Grove that we might hold right doctrines but still drift into compromise with the world because you can know the scriptures and still be carnal Leslie worldly and compromise Jesus has for them in verse number thirteen a word of commendation he says I know your works and I know where you dwell even where Satan's seat is he knows brothers and sisters best situation the church operated in the middle of a city chosen by Satan as his headquarters on earth contrary to popular belief and erroneous doctrine being spewed even at the church Satan is not yet inhale as a matter of fact Satan hates hell more than the unregenerate Satan does not want to go to hell he will ultimately end up there but Satan has not been bound and cast in the hell yet come on talk back to me if you can it's false you can tell people who are ignorant who say I bind the devil how are you gonna do what God hasn't done yet God hasn't bound him to hell yet Satan is not yet in hell Satan is at viñagrow [Applause] he's at your house he's on your job he's in your family he's going to and fro seeking whom he may devour Sidon is not in hell because he is the god of this world God small G he is the god of this world he is the Prince of the power of the air we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against spiritual wickedness in high places the devil is everywhere in the world and he's not in Hell yet because he is trying to destroy the Church of God he says I know your situation and then you said I know your steadfastness about two words translated dwell in the New Testament one word dwell means to take up a temporary dwelling but in this particular verse the other word dwell means to settle down to stay it means to take up permanent residence this church at Pergamos had settled down to stay they did not move out of their community even though Satan was persecuting them some some months ago some of the brothers and I went over to a bank here in Houston to try to secure financing for the building of our new of sanctuary and we sat down with them and they looked at our financials and they looked at all of our bank statements and they looked at our record and they were really impressed about how we handled business and how we move as a church and they have sat down with us and they were ready to they were ready to make the move until they came to see whether church walls they became in the neighborhood in the hood where the church is and and decided that we would longer the money if you were in West University or if you move the church on to 88 but they could not see loaning a huge sum of money in this depressed neighborhood and a lesser Church would move to where they could get the money but the sin is not in West University the drugs are not on to 88 the problems are not in River Oaks the church has got to be where the problems are because they that oh well don't need a position somehow lord help me talking Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repent and as the body of Christ where sin abounds grace are much more of a we don't need to move away from this corner because there's sin on this corner there are sinners in this neighborhood and no matter how beautiful this church is it's not what God wants it to be if we don't reach the laws if we don't go after the perishing if we don't rescue the dying if we don't preach the gospel with just a beautiful building [Applause] so so we told them thank you for sitting with us thank you for your consideration but we're not moving our church because this is where the problems are I know that some problems in the suburbs I know there are some problems in gated communities but God has called us to witness on this corner God has called us to be light and salt on this corner and if we don't do what God calls us to do it don't matter if we move on to 88 it don't matter if we move to pearland if we're not doing what God told us to do we just a beautiful building on the corner of Key West and Adam and then people don't come to the church because we got a nice building people don't come to this church because they want to hear good singing people come from all over the city because they want to hear word from the Lord and whether word is preached people who love the word will get up and find our way to where that church is cuz let it grow they on the way know where you got to find your way back here on this corner but it was a good piece of meat being cooked someone helped me appreciate if the word is being preached people were fine where you are [Applause] [Music] [Applause] jesus said he commends them because they hold fast to his name they hold fast to his name nothing touches you visit and the name of Jesus is never mentioned beautiful music wonderful band lights and and and show but the name Jesus is never mentioned and we ought not ever come in church or ever hear preaching does not call the name of Jesus I'm here this morning because of a name I'm saved today because of a name I'm on my way to heaven today because I've got confidence in that name there's power in that name does healing that's sweetness that's delivered as John does Pete and I haven't even called that name yet [Applause] you gettin excited just at anticipating the sound of their name he's a rock in a weary land he's a shelter in a time of storm he's a friend when you're friendless a doctor in a sick room and I haven't even called that name yet he's Adams Redeemer Able's vindicate oh Abraham's sacrifice know about Moses bush I haven't even called that name yet Jesus Jesus is a sin killing name Jesus is a life imparting name Jesus early in the morning Jesus let any Jesus in your midnight off Jesus there is a name I love to hear I love to sing his work it sounds like music in my ear it's the sweetest name on it oh I wish I had somebody to help me ah love Jesus and the reason why I love him it's because He first loved me we held fast to the name and they did not deny the faith there are some non negotiables in Christianity there are some non-negotiable in Christianity now we can negotiate the color of carpet we can negotiate to have flowers artificial alive on Women's Day we can negotiate salaries church and pastors anniversary that's open for negotiation but there are some non-negotiable and let me list them for you this morning the Bible is the inspired Word of God in errant and infallible that's non-negotiable Jesus was born of a virgin that's non-negotiable Jesus died a vicarious death on the cross that is efficacious for my sin that's non-negotiable Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday morning that's non-negotiable [Applause] don't ever let the world squeeze you into its mode where you start talking that's silly talk that the Bible is just a good book no to kill a mockingbird is a good book I wish I had one don't you more with war and peace Pride and Prejudice are good books but when I read them I don't get salvation but when I read the Bible somebody ought to help me preach it that's power in the world that's written because the Bible written is God's speech and when God speaks that's non-negotiable he says I know your works I know your sacrifice he talks about the martyr for the faith at the church at Pergamos named Antipas Antipas every year the the citizens of Rome had to take a pinch of incense and put it on the fiery altar of the temple and page that Caesar is gone when the Christians refused to acknowledge Caesar as God and so they were being persecuted because they would not bow to season so they made an example of Antipas and made him a martyr at the church at Pergamos they made a brass bull and put Antipas in that bull and set fire underneath that bull and roasted octopus alive killed him martyred him for the faith but instead of a church getting weaker the church got stronger and brothers and sisters you hear me if you would live godly in Christ Jesus you will suffer persecution and the only people here that the devil ain't bothering is people here who ain't bothering the devil somehow help me appreciate because if you're trying to live a godly lifestyle I will be temptations and trials and persecutions because the devil knows that in God's hand you are a mighty tool so he will do everything he can to snatch you out of Godhead but I had Jesus say Who I hold in my hand the devil in hell came plucking my you'd be manipulated by the devil stimulated by the devil motivated by the devil activated by the devil but you can never again be possessed by the devil because when Christ saved you he put a sign over your soul under new management I am not the same but then he says I got something against you all the aforementioned he says I appreciate you you're standing for doctrine and you and I appreciate your holding fast to my name and you haven't denied the faith I appreciate the sacrifices that you made for the cause but I've got something a few things against you because there are those among you who hold the doctrine of Balaam my brothers and sisters you got to read the Bible to help me preach it he confronts their compromise the name premise means married they were literally in an unequal yoke with unbelievers there's corruption in their membership you got to read the Bible to help me right here because in the Old Testament in the Book of Numbers around chapter 22 there was a prophet a false prophet by the name of Balaam and Balaam is hired by Balak the king of Moab and the king of Moab who hires Balaam this prophet who wants money he's a prophet PR o F idea I wish I had time to stay right there but what he's doing what he's doing for profit and so he he is he is hired by Balak king of Moab to curse the children of Israel but God is watching I wish I had a Bible reader every time he curses Israel God turns it into a blessing [Applause] four times he classes the children of Israel and four times God cares that curse into a blessing read it when you get home and so Balaam goes back to be like king of Moab and say we're not going to be able to curse these people because every time I try to curse them God turns that curse into a blessing he said I got an idea instead of kissing them let's corrupt them somehow the hill musician he corrupts them with pagan worship idolatry in morality he rather than curse them because God turns the the chasis and the blessings Balaam says if they corrupt themselves God is going to have to punish them and if God punishes them because he can't live in the do it their doing without consequences they will be right where we want him and brothers and sisters you hear me the devil in CS CS Lewis's book the Screwtape Letters he has a young apprentice nee wormwood that he sins to to to try to tempt a one at the church and he does not bring things before him that will not tempt him he rather corrupts him because the devil knows what will not kill you and he will not try you with what will not tempt you talk back to me if you can but the devil knows how to corrupt you so that your witness will become anything Hollow are you order you've been corrupted shout are you pleased you've been corrupted praise all day long if you want you have been corrupted and then after he messes with the membership after he corrupts the membership he corrupts and confuses the leadership because if you can't get the members messed up if you mess up the leadership that would carry up the membership someone ought to help me preacher and they use the doctrine of the Nicolaitans to corrupt the leadership that name nikolai turn means to counter the people and i told you their plague was clericalism they had a hierarchy of offices in the church much like we have in church now and we have it in the church now for a reason but listen to me the office of deacon is a biblical office and the person who serves in that office ought to be respected because he holds a biblical office but if he's not going to do the responsibilities of that office he ought to resign or be asked to move [Applause] [Music] see awkward you got right there if you ain't gonna pray if you ain't gonna show up on Tuesday night see how glad you got right there if you're not go time if you're not gonna lead and worship don't have us embarrass you just resign because you are not holding the office in the spirit of Christ the same thing goes for the pasta and the preacher the same thing goes for the Sunday school teacher and the president of the mission same thing goes for the usher the choir if you not gonna hold these offices in the Spirit of Christ resigned or we go ask you to move [Applause] because they corrupted leadership has up a membership people know when you ain't doing nothing they may not say anything but they know you ain't doing nothing and you know you ain't doing them and we know you ain't doing nothing but looking good on Sunday morning and I care about you looking good on Sunday morning I said I said to him I said to someone in my circle that um my sister Gwen is in the hospital and she's having some some memory problems she's going to be a long time convalescing she's going to come out to get down to the hospital to live with me and I'm going to I've committed myself to taking care of her because she would do the same thing for me and I said to someone in my circle and members of my family and and and people went when the headlines was that she had a stroke and the Facebook was that she had ten aneurysms it was excitement and an opportunity to get sympathy not only for her but for members of the family who so and so oh I feel so bad for you you stand up at the hospital all night and I wasn't excited at all because I knew when the dust settles when the long process of taking care of Gwyn would come into play all the headline grabbers would go back to work and go back to their lives because when the hard work comes you can find them with a congressional search warrant and that's the way it is at the church everybody looks good serving on Sunday but where are you on Friday oh I wish I had time to stay right there I'm running out of time but when you corrupt the leadership you can tear up the membership and brothers and sisters we got to correct for and that's not pleasant that's not popular that won't get you any admiration people will not love you when you're telling the truth but I got to answer the gun I've got to give it a count of how I led this church as the pasta and if I got to live by certain standard you've got to live by a certain stance and the standard is the same for everybody holiness [Applause] sadly I failed at it sometime and I've got to get on my knees and ask God for forgiveness because it's right here in the text he says you better repent because if you don't repent here's what he says I will come and fight you with the sword of my mouth let me tell you what that mean the church is the Bride of Christ and any man who calls himself a man and won't fight for your woman [Music] it's not worth it to be called a man [Applause] [Music] someone ought to help me please no no no no you can you can say anything you want to say to me just me and you but not all clown me in front of my woman [Applause] don't me in front of my wife because my manhood is on the line and somebody going to take me off of your black someone ought to help me here Jesus loves the church so much that he died for it and if he died for it he shall not go fight for it that's how a husband ought to love his wife like Christ loved the church he loved the church so much that He gave His life for and anything you're willing to give your life for you show within the fight this last word and imma leave you alone because y'all mad with me already and I'm gonna get an email this week like I got last week I'm gonna get a letter this week from somebody who won't sign their name and I wish I knew who it was so I could cut them out right now you if you're your you [Music] [Applause] let me get back to the tech I didn't I didn't read it so it doesn't matter I just know about it because you know if you throw a stone in a pack of dogs the only one that hollers ya is the one you hit dog yeah that's what I called you this last word anything that's right here in the text and I was waiting I've been waiting on the morning I've been waiting all the week to get to verses 14 through 17 he gives them a word of consolation after he gives them a word of commendation after he gives them a word of confrontation he gives them finally a word of consolation and I've been waiting to get all the way down to verse number 17 he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches here it is to him that overcome will I give to eat of hidden manna hidden manna hidden manna you remember in the Old Testament when they were in the wilderness and they got hungry bread was cooked in hell it was bread from heaven it was food that angels dined on that just fell on the earth and it was called matter because manna means what is it they did not know what it was because they had never seen anything like it no tasted anything like it and it just fell like morning dew but here here's the road they could not keep any overnight because if he tried to store it up it was spoiled I was ahead of Bible rule but to commemorate how God kept them roses took a cup and put some manner in it and put it in the Ark of the Covenant that rested behind the holy of holies the second was separated by the curtain of the most holy and that cup of water would not spoil someone will help me clothe him and so when he said I would give you to eat of hidden manna what he's saying is don't sit at the table with the world and die [Music] I got some food that's better than that [Applause] you don't have to be like them you don't have to talk like them you don't have to live like them I've got some resources that the world don't know anything about bread and heaven bread of heaven feed me yeah I wanna move blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled that's hidden man and then he says I will give him a white stone people help me close this wanted that white stone was used in the court system in the first century that if you were brought up on charges and you were found guilty they put a black stone in your hand to signify your guilt but if you had been acquitted they would give you a white stone which meant that everything was exonerated one Friday on the cross Jesus died and took that black stone out of my head took that black heart out of my chest and replace that black stone that black heart with a white stone and a heart of purity and then that white stone signified citizenship and when I became a Christian I became a citizen of another country I live here in Houston but my citizenship is in heaven and then that white stone meant victory after you completed competed in the Olympic Games and in the it's mmmm games they gave you a white stone that said you can go anywhere you want in the city you were a celebrity and then that white stone signified friendship friends would write their name on a white stone and break it in half and it would be separated for years and years and then they would come back together and put that stone together and rekindle their friendship Jesus went away to prepare a place for me and he and I took a white stone and broke it in half and I got my half and he got his head and when he comes back again we're gonna put our two halves together and we'll be friends all over again and we'll go walking down the streets of heaven and the angels won't be able to tell the difference between he why because our white stone signifies our friendship is renewed and then that white stone signified access you could go in God's presence and if you saw that white stone anything you wanted he would give it to you and then finally that stone has a new name written on it you're gonna help me close this won't you back in those days in the days when John wrote this letter dictated by Christ when a nobleman invited you to dinner they would put a white stone on your seat you'll help me close it won't it and then the host would write a special message underneath that stone that only the host and the guests knew what that message was that's what the text is teaching us this morning that when we get to heaven that will be a white stone and underneath that stone will be a new name risen because I'm going to pull my chair back at the marriage Feast of the Lamb and when I pull my seat back in my seat that would be a soul and underneath that stone that would be a new name written I don't know what that name is I don't know what that name means I just want to pull my chair back raise up my stone and see my new name I don't want to know what it is but that doesn't excite me to know what my name is I'm just glad my name will be written on that stone when the roll is called of younger I will be there because my name is already written in the Lamb's Book of Life is there anybody here who know your name is already written on your stone you're not trying to be better than anybody else you're not here this morning to impress anybody you just came to thank God for your new name your name might signify what kind of Christian you were here on earth and whatever kind of work you did in the church that might be what your name is your name might be encouraging your name might be joyful person but whatever your name is just be happy that your name is written on your stone I wish I had a believer here who know you've been born again you know your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life you know you've been redeemed you don't always get it right you sin and mess up sometimes but God loves you he loves you so much that he died for you and so you came here this morning and you don't care who's looking at you don't care what nobody says about you your name is written only your soul and you came to shout about that if the love opened doors for you praise His name if the Lord been good to you magnifying me if the lot save your soul thanking for His grace why don't you grab somebody why don't you hug somebody tell em I'm glad I do my name I'm glad he knows mommy I'm glad [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] he has a stone with his name on it and I got a stone with my name and one of these days we go put our stones together and I'm going to sing I'm going to shout I'm going to cry loud of the mercy of God of the Grace and the goodness of God because he left me enter into his presence [Music]

Channel: lillygrovembc

Views: 140,661

Rating: 4.6832333 out of 5

Keywords: Reverend Terry Anderson Pastor Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church Houston Texas

Id: 3x9CLEwjO4U

Length: 47min 48sec (2868 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 19 2017