Victorious

When Faith Means Choosing Sides

Pastor Scott began by sharing how our culture increasingly mixes with the life of the church, sometimes to the point that truth becomes unclear. He named examples from the news and the denomination, pointing out:

"We want the best of both worlds. And what I'm here to do today is to remind you that God is an either-or. You're going to have to decide."

He confessed he did not grow up in church, adding perspective from outside and inside. He described the irony many feel, those outside the church longing for the life inside, and those inside looking outward for satisfaction. This theme set up the heart of the sermon: choosing Christ above comfortable compromise, even when the world presses in.

The Letter to Pergamum: A City Under Siege

The sermon turned to Revelation 2:12-17, where Jesus addresses a church living "where Satan has his throne." Pastor Scott explained the historical context and why this message matters now:

"What's happening is in this city, he said Satan's throne is there... you just heard Jesus say that this is where Satan has his throne... he emphasizes that Satan was literally in the city of Pergamum."

He traced the background: Pergamum as a powerful, pagan city, full of temples, emperor worship, and the pressure to blend in. Pastor Scott challenged us not to be passive about what influences our faith, emphasizing that spiritual battle is not something remote but present in any generation willing to follow Christ truly.

We Love Christ More Than Life

Pastor Scott insisted the first call from the text is clear:

"To be victorious in the last days, we must love Christ more than life."

He explained that Jesus does not rescue us out of every struggle but strengthens us to stand. He connected martyrdom in the church at Pergamum with the reality that living for Jesus may cost us comfort, safety, or even treasured relationships. He addressed our modern context:

"If you're going to have a spiritual battle and you're going to be tempted to walk away from Jesus Christ, you're going to be dealt with... if you want to maintain your comfortable life, you'll have to renounce Jesus. Don't you do it."

He also noted the distinctive Wesleyan approach to perseverance, clarifying why the warning matters only if real falling away is possible. He said this not to stir fear but to urge honest reflection and loyalty.

Relational Pressure: The Teaching of Balaam

Moving deeper, Pastor Scott showed how the enemy works through people, sometimes even those close to us, to entice believers away. He recounted how Balaam taught Moabite women to seduce Israel, blending idolatry and sexual immorality to fracture faith:

"What happens is the enemy uses people to influence individuals to try to trim some people off the... body of Christ."

With this, he challenged us to see compromise as more than an idea; it comes through relationships and habits we may not suspect. He extended the teaching to today's questions about faith and sexuality, not isolating one issue but naming all sexual immorality and idol mixing as a danger to our communion with God. He called the church to discernment, loving family or friends never means redefining what God calls true:

"If it's someone who loves Jesus, then you need to listen. If it's somebody who doesn't care what Jesus thinks... Stop listening."

Prevailing Over Obstacles, Not Escaping Them

The heart of the message turned to what it looks like to prevail. Pastor Scott made it clear that following Jesus means facing real obstacles, temptation, social pressure, even ridicule from those around us. Quoting Jesus's promise to the victorious, he described hidden manna and a white stone as symbols of deeper fulfillment and new identity:

"If you can be victorious, if you can overcome these spiritual obstacles, you can prevail. And if you can live a life of prevailing while these obstacles are thrown at you, then you can come and receive this Lord's supper."

A new identity, God's family, not defined by the world, follows as the prize. He asked us to give up ritual mixing, lifestyle compromise, and wishful thinking about where hope is found. Victory does not mean battle is easy or quick. It means we choose, again and again, to love Christ most.

A Pastor’s Story and a Plea

Pastor Scott admitted this path is costly, sharing personally how refusing to compromise has brought strain in his own family. He did not minimize the cost or speak with pride. Instead, he described the burden of being misunderstood, even called unteachable or ignorant:

"It was too hard on me to come into the church in the first place and to come into a relationship with Jesus to forfeit it over shenanigans. I'm not going to do it."

He ended with a solemn examination: Where are we mingling faith with beliefs or practices that do not belong? Who or what has undue influence over our thinking? Where are we tempted to walk away?

Living It Out

This week, we remember victory in Christ is not accidental or passive. We prevail by loving Jesus more than life, resisting comfort's pull, and saying no to anything that competes with our loyalty to him. The church is a family under pressure, but we are not alone. Our Lord goes ahead of us, offering daily bread and a new name for all who endure.

Discussion Questions

1. Where in your life do you feel most pressured to compromise your faith, and how does Pastor Scott's distinction between loving people and loving Jesus help clarify your response?
2. How does the story of Pergamum make you reconsider what counts as idolatry or spiritual influence in your own routines or relationships?
3. What does "prevailing" look like this week in a practical, tangible way for you or for our church family?