Christ Lutheran Church: Welcome

We Live in Pergamum - February 27, 2008

We Live in Pergamum

Fourth Wednesday in Lent

February 27, 2008

Rev. Dave R. Garwick

"Well, Pastor, we're back.  It's good to be back," the father said on Sunday.  "You haven't seen us since Christmas, but now the kids' basketball season is over.  They've had the kids playing on Sunday mornings, can you believe it?  That really bothers me," he continues.  "I just don't know what they're thinking these days.  What makes them think this is OK to do?" he wondered.

"You," I said.  No, not really - I didn't really say that out loud.  When he said, "What makes them think this is OK to do?" what I said was, "Well, they know they can get away with it."

I have this conversation at least once every season with a parent who is just flipped out that their various sports leagues have made them keep their kids - and them - out of church for some entire season.  We're not talking about the public schools here - we're talking about a number of outside youth sports leagues that involve all the sports.

Of course, I'm wired to get my socks all in a bunch about those programs that require that if a kid wants to be involved, he and his entire family must give up virtually every other thing n their lives, church included.  I resent those programs and I personally resent any leaders who entice and pull kids and their families away from the worship of God.

But you know what?  As exercised as I can get about those programs that steal my sheep from the pen, I have to back off a little bit and say that nobody "steals" these sheep.  These programs do not "force" anybody to sacrifice their worship.  THAT is the decision of the parents themselves.

This is nothing new.  God's people have always been surrounded by a world that is hostile to God.  And most people who claim to be Christians have always taken the bait,  The bait itself may differ from time to time, but is has always been Satan on the other end of the pole.

So, even though I do get all hot and bothered by Sunday morning youth sport activities that I will always oppose in any way I can, it is not them that I hold responsible.  It is the parents who make the choice.

In this congregation there are a number of parents who have taken untold grief for standing fast and refusing to allow their children and their families to be taken away from worship on Sunday mornings for any reason - kids' jobs, kids' sports, kids' Saturday night sleepovers or whatever.  Some of these parents and some of these young people have given up a lot to be faithful.

These are the Pergamum-ites of the congregation.  In His Revelation to John, the Risen Jesus sent a letter to a church in the city of Pergamum in present day Turkey.  Not Purgatory - but Pergamum.  In that letter Jesus acknowledged that the Christians there were living in the very city where He said that SATAN had his throne.  In fact, He said that twice.  Now what Jesus meant by that was that this city was the center of pagan worship for all that part of the world.  One of the first Christians was put to death there.  This was literally a stronghold for the enemy of Christ.

So the very first thing that Jesus said to the Christians in Pergamum is something that kind of sounds a little threatening:  "I KNOW where you live."  Yikes.  Kind of sounds like getting an anonymous message that simply says, "I saw what you did and I know where you live."  Oh boy.  Dead bolt the doors, pull the shades, turn on the lights and get the baseball bat ready.  "I KNOW where you live."

But that is not what Jesus was saying.  When He said, "I know where you live," Jesus was saying that He knew that His followers in Pergamum had a particularly tough assignment.  And then He compliments them for hanging in there.  "Yet you remain true to My name.  You did not renounce your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives."

People are saying all the time how this world, how our culture, how these times are becoming more and more ungodly.  As if this world ever WAS godly.  We just can't keep our kids safe anymore.  When were our kids EVER safe?  We have ALWAYS lived in Pergamum.

In fact, the last long prayer Jesus ever said was where He said to the Father, "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, ...My prayer is not that you take them our of the world but that You protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." (John 17)

One of the last things Jesus said to His chief apostle was this, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."  (Luke 22:31)  The game is the same as it always has been.  Satan has ALWAYS been trying to sift us.  The only things that take us away from Jesus are the things we CHOOSE to take us away.  We live in Pergamum.  And yes, I AM preaching to the choir.  You are the one who ARE here worshiping tonight.  But every single one of us will constantly be tempted to give up our worship of God by replacing it with anything else.

Sports can be wonderful and those who lead youth sports can be some of the greatest gifts to our youth.  But when they require you to put THEM in the place of GOD on the Sabbath, realize that you are dealing with something very, very deadly.

When you allow a job to frequently put itself in place of God on the Sabbath, be very, very wary.  We DO live in Pergamum.  Where Satan lives.  Jesus knows where we live.  Tonight I want those of you who ARE at worship to hear the first thing Jesus said to those in Pergamum:  "Yet you remain true to My name.  You did not renounce your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness, who was put to death in your city - where Satan lives."

But we are surrounded by so many other false gods here in Pergamum.  And I know that some of you who are here tonight are going to be tempted to replace Jesus with another god called sports, another called work, another called retirement.  So I want you to hear the last thing Jesus said to His followers at Pergamum:  "To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.  I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."

What did He mean by that?  Well, that is for Him to know and for us to find out.  So stick around.  Persevere.  And believe it:  that nothing you get from sports or work or retirement on Sunday morning is likely to hold a candle to the gift we will receive from the God WE worship - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.  May it be so.