This episode of the Beyond Sunday podcast looks back at the Sunday sermon in the church’s series on the seven churches of Revelation, focusing on the letter to the church in Pergamum. Pastor Robby and Pastor James begin by recapping the setting of the passage and the unusual description of Jesus as the one with a sharp, double-edged sword.

They spend time explaining that image as symbolic language for God’s word, which convicts, judges, and exposes the thoughts and intentions of the heart. They connect this to the idea that Jesus sees not only outward actions, but also the reasons behind them, and that the letter begins with a warning because Pergamum is addressed in a serious way.

The conversation then turns to Pergamum itself, described as a city marked by persecution and by the presence of pagan worship. They say the church remaine ...