No, this is not about the 1972 song performed by the band Stealers Wheel. Although, if you are familiar with the song it will now be stuck in your mind while you read this post.
When you use the phrase ”stuck in the middle” or even the phrase “between a rock and a hard place” you are basically saying that you are currently in a dilemma. You are in a difficult situation and not quite sure what to do.
The 3rd church that Jesus references in the book of Revelation was in a dilemma. The church in Pergamum was basically a good church, or at least they started out that way. But they were stuck in the middle of a very worldly and even satanic culture. Like 5 of the 7 churches Jesus refers to in this book, He has a praise and a reprimand for Pergamum. He praises them for “holding fast” to their faith in Him in the midst of being surrounded by a city filled with idol and satanic worship. Like all the other churches, Jesus assures them that He knows where they are. He knows they are in a tough spot. He knows their struggles. Just like He knows those things about us. And He has compassion for them. And He has compassion for us too.
But somewhere along the way, the church in Pergamum began to be affected by the culture around them. Instead of influencing the culture, they were allowing the culture to influence them. Sounds a little too close to home doesn’t it?
The charge that Jesus has against them is that they began to believe and in some cases practice the false teaching around them. They were still coming to church, and many were holding fast to their faith, but still many were mixing the words of Jesus with the words of the world.
Even those that didn’t necessarily practice or believe the false teaching, He also condemned them for simply allowing the teaching to come into the church. Some in the church evidently became very tolerant of the false teachings and practices. They weren’t practicing it but they were allowing it to go on without saying a word.
As I studied the church in Pergamum and the issues they faced, it became very clear to me that many of us modern-day followers of Christ look very similar to the church Jesus wrote to. How many messages of the world have we allowed to infiltrate and even affect what we believe and practice? Have we mixed things we like to hear with the truths of God’s word simply because it sounds better that way? Have we become so tolerant of the world that sinful activity that used to appall us, now barely gets us upset? While we may not practice in the activity, we are also not burdened when we see others that are involved in it. Have we become so calloused that the “little” sins of the world have no affect on us at all?
I’m not sure that picketing events and sharing messages like “turn or burn” are the best way to stand up for God’s word and what we believe in. But I’m positive that to sit back and do nothing is wrong. We have to stop doing church and begin to be the church in a lost and dying world. After all, that’s what Jesus commanded us to do.
Deron
