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Two weeks ago in our series on the seven letters to the churches in Revelation we look at the letter to the Church at Pergamum. The letter speak of Christians living in a city where Satan's Throne dwells. Pergamum served as a capital city of worship to Dionysus, the Roman god you've heard so much of over the weekend. Dionysian worship culminated in the annual festival to Dionysius every year where there would be consumption of raw meat, drinking of incredible amounts of wine, and indulgence in rampant sexual immorality. Perhaps with all of the celebration of Dionysus and the imagery evoking the Last Supper over the weekend, we would do well to be reminded that for the first century church this wasn't some art installation, this was a matter of faithfulness to Christ and all that that would mean for a first century Christian under roman rule.
There are two tables. And the table matters. The Lord's Table is a table of humility, sacrifice, service, selflessness, and pure love. The Table of Dionysus is a table of pride, self, arrogance, indulgence, sensuality, and carnal debauchery. It is either the cup of Christ or the cup of demons. Jesus calls us to find our pleasure in our purpose, in the why of our being created. Dionysus calls us to find our purpose in our pleasure, a twisting of our created purpose. Pleasure serves a created purpose, but our purpose isn't in the pleasure. When we place pleasure above purpose we make a god of our appetites and worship creation rather than the Creator.
The letter from Jesus reads, "Write to the angel of the church in Pergamum: Thus says the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword: I know where you live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding on to my name and did not deny your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness who was put to death among you, where Satan lives. But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. In the same way, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. So repent! Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name is inscribed that no one knows except the one who receives it." Revelation 2:12–17 (CSB)
There is belonging, blessing, and becoming that you will never find in the idols of Pergamum.
‌You may live in Hell’s capital city, but you don’t belong there, you belong to Christ and His Church. You may be facing persecution and trial, but there is a blessing if you will be faithful. You may be surrounded by the political, sexual, and spiritual idols of this age, but push the idols aside and become who you were created to be in Christ Jesus.
Pergamum makes a lot of promises, but you will never find real satisfaction around Satan’s throne.