[AI translation] Dear Brothers and Sisters! Again an old letter to a very old congregation. This is the third such letter I have read to you recently. It begins exactly the same as the others: 'I know your business'! But this is the only one to which Jesus, when he says, I know your things, adds, I know where you live. So obviously that is what Jesus is trying to emphasize in this letter, where this church dwells. This is obviously the problem of this church, and this is where this church needs comfort and encouragement. So there was some kind of problem in its environment, in its circumstances. But why was the environment in which this congregation lived so special that it made it so problematic for it to live as a Christian?Well, in the letter Jesus says right away, "I know your ways, and where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is" (Rev 2:13) This statement, brothers and sisters, refers to the fact that at that time, on top of the 311-metre-high mountain that occupied the centre of the city of Pergamum (Pergamum), there was a huge altar to Zeus that rose up to the sky. These remains of pagan sacrifices can still be seen today in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Anyone who has been there will remember them. It has been reconstructed, rebuilt in much the same way as it may have originally stood. Tourists walk up and down its steps, schoolchildren chase each other between its huge columns. But in its day, there, at Pergamum, one of the most monumental works of ancient Greek architecture was used to make a sacrifice to the Greek arch-god Zeus. And that when someone sacrificed a hecatomb, that is, a hundred bulls, the fire that smouldered for days would illuminate this huge great altar and the stairs leading up to it with a red light as if it were a great throne of fire. 'Satan's royal throne,' said the slave Christians with horror, and they began to pray in fear. So this Pergamum was one of the centres of pagan sacrifice. That is why Jesus says in the letter we read, "I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is".
These churches in Pergamum felt that it was difficult to be a Christian and to live the Christian life in such a satanic atmosphere, full of influences. Because at that time the reality of Satan was much more vivid in people's minds than it is today. And then even later, in the Middle Ages, there was almost too much preoccupation with the person and work of Satan. They told gruesome stories about him and frightened each other. From the pulpit, too, people were often frightened by it. Later still, from the Age of Enlightenment onwards, and almost up to the present day, talk and teaching about Satan has been increasingly relegated to the background, apparently as a natural backlash against the overly fantastic idea of the Middle Ages. Well, let us be very careful with Satan! It's very easy to say that he is here or there, very easy to point to something or someone and say, well, this Satan or that Satan. Just as in the first centuries of Christianity, in the tribulations that the churches had to go through, they saw the Roman emperor as the personification of Satan. During the Reformation, there were those who saw Satan personified in the Roman Pope. Then again in other ages in someone else.
Everywhere, not only in Pergamum, there was Satanic influence and everywhere there is and everywhere there will be. And always has been and always will be. But let me say quite definitely, Brothers and Sisters, that I have so far encountered Satan only in my own heart. And I believe that any talk of Satan is irresponsible play until one understands it that way, until one seeks its effects in one's own heart. Do you know where Satan's royal seat is? Where a human heart sets a throne for Satan, in himself. That is the only realistic talk about Satan, all other fantasies are distractions from the point. Because the point is that there really is some Mephistine power in this world. There really is some satanic force that is really trying to corrupt everything that is beautiful and everything that is good. That mocks virtue and ridicules the holy, that drips poison into love and corrupts the heart. And that misleads good intentions and defiles every feeling and every action. But never in the way that people imagine, or ever imagined. Certainly not with horseshoes and tiny horns on its head, but always somehow there in your heart and in the mysterious recesses of my heart, secretly, often almost unnoticed. So at all times and everywhere. Only sometimes it acts with greater force, sometimes it retreats, but always ready to attack. Never speculate further than this about the person of Satan, for we shall inevitably arrive at some misconception. So once again, Satan's throne is where a man enthrones him in his own heart, that is, where a man obeys him.
This is why it was difficult not only in Pergamos, but why it is difficult at all times, even now, to live a truly serious Christian life. For man always dwells where Satan's influence is constantly at work. The people of Pergamum were frightened and thought that it was impossible to live a Christian life in such an environment as the one they were living in. And so Jesus encouraged them, "I know your business, I know where you live, but this environment should not be a barrier to you living your Christian life right there. You don't want to run away from it, you can't move somewhere else where you think you'll be less influenced by Satan, because it's there in the church. You have to stay where you are. You have to show the world what it means to be a child of God, a redeemed Christ on this earth.
This is a very modern warning from our Lord! Because, Brothers and Sisters, even today, circumstances can cause so many problems. Has not such a thought ever occurred to your heart, how much easier would the Christian life be if we had somehow different living conditions? For example, if I had a higher income, someone once said, I would be able to show what a good Christian I am. Or someone else said: if my home were different, if my home and family relationships were different, then my whole Christian life would be different. Or someone said: if I didn't have to work on Sundays, life would be so different! But I like to know that our living conditions are such that I don't get to church, even though I would love to. If I had different people around me in the office, I could show you how much I love you, Lord!
If...! And I could go on and on with different sentences beginning with "if", and this "if" means that I cannot live a truly Christian life because of my circumstances. Because of the misunderstanding, the hateful, the hostile, the malicious, the unbelieving, the satanic circumstances. Jesus says, "I know very well where you live, but don't complain about it. For if you go to live somewhere else, you will find Satan there too. You must stay where you are, and you cannot flee from there to another place. You cannot take the leaven out of the dough! Because the leaven is there precisely to leaven, to transform the whole mass. That's where you have to show the love of God and the power of the Spirit of Jesus and walk in this world with that. But, Brothers and Sisters, let me also say that it is not even true that circumstances prevent someone from living a Christian life. It is not true! What can prevent you from living a Christian life? What is there to prevent you from loving someone who has a hostile animus towards you? Someone who spews vile slander behind your back? But is not this not the command of Christ, that we love our enemies? What is to prevent you from loving your enemy? Or what's to stop you from doing more than your duty on paper? The people who taunt you, "Don't be such a fool, don't you work so hard? Is not the command of Christ that if someone makes you go one mile, you should go two with him? Who can prevent you from praying for him who has told you all the evil slanders and lies? For Christ says that it is for such a person that we should pray more fervently and more fervently and more often! Or who can forbid you to forgive? He who has sinned against you more? After all, one of the most essential features of the whole Christian life is that we live by forgiveness of sins and pass on forgiveness of sins. Or, for example, who or what can prevent you from remaining peaceful in an unpeaceful environment? It has to be Satan, right? Satan living and working in your heart! You see, this is why it is difficult to be a Christian always and everywhere!
But there is precisely no environment in which it is not possible to live in a Christlike way, to live in a Christian environment. I would almost dare to say that in the factory more than in the church, and among working, labouring people more than among people praying in thanksgiving. And among people who are hostile to each other more than to a best friend. Because that is where the Christian life has real value, that is where it is really valuable, where it flourishes, where it shines. The tiny light of the candle is needed much more in the darkness than in the daylight. Is it harder? But who said it was easy? In fact, if it's very easy, it's a little suspect. Because then it's not really Christian life. Because the Christian life is always difficult and everywhere difficult. Of course it's hard because of Satan in your heart. So, Brothers and Sisters, let us never want to pass the failures of our Christian life on to our living conditions, let us not blame our living conditions for it. Always only our own hearts! Because it is the heart that gives in more easily to Satan! Unfortunately, it yields more easily to the pull of the downward pull than to the influence of Jesus. But as strong as the downward force is, let me say that there is protection against it.
The New Testament always speaks of Satan as a bound enemy. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus is a decisive victory against him. Therefore, we too can have victory over Satan. And here, in Pergamos, it is also said, as is evident from the letter, that although Satan's throne is there, yet you have kept my name and have not denied my faith. So you persevered in the struggle and you remained the victor. So it is possible to win, the New Testament speaks of Satan as a bound enemy. In this connection I am reminded of an old experience. You may know that I am from Kecskemét, and I know the farms of Kecskemét well. I have had the opportunity to see more than once what dangerous, terrible dogs guard the farms there. It is certainly not advisable for a stranger to enter such a farm. I once wanted to enter one of these farms, but I stopped myself from a distance, because I could hear the barking of the huge bloodhounds and komondors guarding the farm, and I did not dare to come any closer. I waited for the mighty barking to come out. Little one came and called to me. It is safe to come by the road, because the dogs are tied up. Just stay on the road! And I went on my way, and walked safely along the road between the snarling dogs.
Well, that's kind of how we are with Satan. Take the road, the road that Jesus said, "I am the way"! (Jn 14,6) Only do not turn off this road, because on this road you will be safe. It is safe to walk along it, for the enemy who is bound will not reach it. Only do not let your heart be drawn to it, do not be tempted by it, stay on the path, and then all the powers of Satan will be in vain. There is only one protection: the way! Jesus! And that way leads to victory over all enemies!
But, Brethren, it is not only because of their living conditions that these people of Pergamos were in this situation, but there are often times in one's life when one feels that Satan's action is very much heightened. There was such a time of crisis in Pergamos, of which the writer of the letter writes: "In the days of Antipas, who was killed. So it must have been a time that particularly tested the faith of the church in Pergamos. But in every man's life there are such decisive hours and such decisive days. Once in a while God brings us to very hard decisions. Jesus once asked his disciples the same question: "Do you also want to go away?" (John 6:67) And then you have to decide whether you want to go away or stay. And that is when Satan casts his daggers in a special way. Perhaps you too have had such dark hours, when you have had a very deep sigh from your heart that God has left you! Or perhaps you have compared yourself with others and asked God accusingly, "Lord, why is it better for others who may not love you as I do? The words of an old brother, who prayed at the loss of his only son, ring in my ears: you have not heard my prayer, God, I will pray no more! Two families once lived side by side. One family had several children, the other only one. In both families, the great calamity, the laryngitis, came. And where there were several children, all were healed, and where there was one, death took him. And the desperate parents expressed their grief by saying: there is no God! Yes. Brothers and sisters, there are special times of crisis that occur in every person's life. These are the times of antipathy when God asks the question very, very hard, against me or with me. Can you accept everything from me, or do you want to arrange your life without me? And these times of antipathy are particularly favourable to Satan, the Satan in our hearts ready to pounce. Who can stand in the midst of such temptations, in such great days of antipathy in his life?
A few weeks ago, I am sure many of you read in the Reformed Journal, I read about the death of the Reverend Mother of Balfa. Once her husband, the pastor of Balfa, fell seriously ill and his condition became very critical. The doctor told the woman, "What will happen if her husband dies? The woman replied very humbly: 'I have received my husband as a gift from the Lord, he is His. I will give it back to him when he gives it back. This woman, frail in body but very strong in faith, stood the test. She won! Just as the people of Pergamum stood the test. So there is such a thing as being victorious in the Lord, abiding in the Lord.
Finally, the letter says, "To the overcomer... I will give... a white stone." (Rev 2:17) In those days, this little white stone was a ticket to the festive games. Symbolically, this white stone signified the feast day, the happy day, the celebration of victory. So whoever wins, has something great to look forward to. Happy, strong, blessed life. Not only in eternity, but here on earth. The more victories on the path of Christian life, the happier life. And each victory is a strengthening, a gathering of strength for another victory. So there is one who wins. Because Jesus has already won! He once said, "Trust, I have convinced the world"! (Jn 16,33) Take a firm hold of His hand and do not be afraid, He will take a much stronger hold of yours. Bless Him and bless us all!
Amen
Date: 12 June 1966.
Lesson
ApCsel 14,19-23