Cornerstone Church,
Revelation 2:12-13 (NKJV) 12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, 'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
When I was a teen, I lived in a bad part of town. We joked about living across the tracks, but it was more like we lived ON the tracks. There was constant fear caused by consistent crime. As I look back at that time in my life, it could have literally gone either way for me. By God’s grace and a new job for my dad, we were able to move out of that neighborhood and to a new state where I could turn over a new leaf.
Pergamos lived in a rough town. As you read that passage, it says twice that they dwelt in the town “where Satan’s throne is,” “where Satan dwells.” Before we go too far, let me clarify a bit of theology. Satan is not “omnipresent.” Omnipresence is the ability to be in all places at all times. Only God is omnipresent. Only God. That means that the seat of Satan’s kingdom in the world at that time was in their hometown. It means that Satan was dwelling, literally living there. I don’t pretend that your hometown was as bad or worse than my hometown, but I can tell you this, we never had it that bad.
Here is the take away. Jesus knew their context. Yet He calls them away from the excuse to use their circumstances as a reason to compromise. We often hear, “well, you don’t know my circumstances,” or “If you knew my parents, you would understand why…” The reality is that Jesus did know. He knows exactly the context of your temptation and yet He calls for you to not compromise with sin. Let’s close with this timely reminder from Paul’s letter to the Corninthians.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
- Pastor Joel Johns
Revelation 2:12-13 (NKJV) 12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, 'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
When I was a teen, I lived in a bad part of town. We joked about living across the tracks, but it was more like we lived ON the tracks. There was constant fear caused by consistent crime. As I look back at that time in my life, it could have literally gone either way for me. By God’s grace and a new job for my dad, we were able to move out of that neighborhood and to a new state where I could turn over a new leaf.
Pergamos lived in a rough town. As you read that passage, it says twice that they dwelt in the town “where Satan’s throne is,” “where Satan dwells.” Before we go too far, let me clarify a bit of theology. Satan is not “omnipresent.” Omnipresence is the ability to be in all places at all times. Only God is omnipresent. Only God. That means that the seat of Satan’s kingdom in the world at that time was in their hometown. It means that Satan was dwelling, literally living there. I don’t pretend that your hometown was as bad or worse than my hometown, but I can tell you this, we never had it that bad.
Here is the take away. Jesus knew their context. Yet He calls them away from the excuse to use their circumstances as a reason to compromise. We often hear, “well, you don’t know my circumstances,” or “If you knew my parents, you would understand why…” The reality is that Jesus did know. He knows exactly the context of your temptation and yet He calls for you to not compromise with sin. Let’s close with this timely reminder from Paul’s letter to the Corninthians.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
- Pastor Joel Johns
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