Do-Over: From Misery to Victory

What is victory?

How would we define victory as a church?

How do we know when we succeed as a church?

Disaffiliation is done - finish line… you do or you don’t.

But victory is a different thing.

And not only that, but the way God works things out, the way to the victory God invites his church to is frankly upside down to our way of thinking… but we’ll get to that in a minute.

Today we are in a message series based on the book of Revelation. Many of us look to the book of revelation and try to make sense of it, but if you read it all and look at the book as a whole… yes it’s a vision given by God and recorded by John… but its a vision of Jesus in His Glory… it’s a call to worship Jesus… to live completely for Jesus in this life.... because we are shown the life that is to come.

Today we look at our third church, but its the second one in the order John wrote them. We aren’t following the route that Jesus laid them out. In fact, the book doesn’t tell us why Jesus dictated them in the order he did.

Our purpose in studying these letters is that we might learn from Jesus’s words to the church back - what we can learn from that and how we might apply it to our lives today in order that we might be a - victorious - church.

Let’s start by looking at just what Jesus said to the church in Smyrna.

Revelation 2:8–11 NLT

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: 9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. 11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

What’s unique about this letter is that Jesus doesn’t correct them for anything like he does in the letters to most of the other churches.

But that’s not the only thing different in this letter.

They are Instead, he acknowledges their situation and warns them of what’s to come before closing with a word of encouragement.

What is their situation? They are suffering and poor.

What is striking is that none of the other churches are dealing with this. This suffering and poverty is unique to Smyrna. What’s going on there?

Smyrna, which is Greek for the Hebrew name of the burial spice myrrh was destroyed in 300 BC only to be rebuilt by Caesar Augustus. And as we know, when Caesar builds something he spares no expense. The city was beautiful. It was one of Rome’s first planned cities. It included one of the grandest theatres in Asia. The city had been written off as dead but because of Caesar it had been given new life.

The city took pride in their status. Even printing on their coins - “First of Asia in beauty and size”.

In appreciation for the work of Caesar, the city built a temple to ROME in 195 b.c. The city soon acquired a reputation for patriotic loyalty to the empire and its emperor. In 29 a.d. all Asian cities were competing for the coveted favor of erecting a temple in honor of Emperor Tiberius. Smyrna won! It was a city fervent with emperor worship.

But what does that have to do with the church?

Well Smyrna, a city of tradesmen, had these --- you had to be a part of for work. And the only way to be a part of them was to do make sure you were in good standing with Rome.

In most cities they didn’t really pay attention to this, but in Smyrna where they were very patriotic, it would prove to be a problem. You see once a year everyone had to pay homage to Rome. They had to go to the temple of Rome and put some incense into a fire and pledge that Caesar is Lord and God. This would be a problem you see.

In order to be a citizen in good standing, you had to pledge allegiance to Caesar. That was a problem for the church. They would never declare anyone else as Lord and God but Jesus.

And since they wouldn’t do it, they couldn’t take part in the trade guilds… they couldn’t work - legally any way.

Jesus says I know of your suffering and your poverty… yet you are rich. He’s talking about their spiritual riches.

James 2:5 NIV

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

But in the worlds terms I know you are poor…

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Everyone had to make this pledge every year… everyone except the Jews.

The Jews had made a deal with Caesar. They would recognize him as their ruler, and in exchange they would pay a tax and not cause problems.

There was thought that the church should be exempted as most all of them were Jews, but the Jewish leaders slandered them saying that they were cannibals because they shared holy communion which Jesus himself had declared as his flesh and blood… Caesar was told Christians didn’t worship God, but a man… and so -

Jesus referred to these Jews as part of Satan’s Synagogue, the father of lies.. who weren’t really Jews at all because of their allegiance to Rome and Satan.

To the Church, Jesus says, Do not be afraid for what you are about to suffer.

He goes on in verse 10 to encourage them. Telling them that they are about to undergo trials… Satan is going to throw many into prison to be tested and they will suffer persecution for 10 days… but it doesn’t last forever… 10 days… so keep the faith… no matter what happens, it will come to an end even to the point of death… don’t fear… and you will receive a reward… the victors crown.

He goes on to say those with ears to hear let them hear for the one who is victorious won’t be hurt by the second death.

What is that? Jesus is talking about the final judgement, where we will all be judged according to our righteousness… or our faith in Jesus. He says those who keep the faith, don’t have to fear this judgement, because it is by faith you are saved… not by your goodness, but by the grace of Jesus in whom you put your trust.

Jesus tells them you have no reason to fear, no matter what your circumstances may look like, your future is secure.

That’s living fearlessly to the point of death.

Live fearlessly…

Normal to fear for your life… but that’s really not a risk for us today… but what is it that holds you back?

I know what it is… it is what holds us all back… its having a case of the WHAT IF’s

“What If...”

Economy drops? Get sick? Lose job? Spouse gets sick? Happens to retirement? Kids get hurt? Car wreck? Alone?

WHY DO YOUR “WHAT IF’S” MATTER?

What you fear most reveals what you value most

Fear something happens to your spouse… you value your spouse.

Fear something happens to your kids… you value your kids.

Fear something happens to your church… you value your church.

Now let me tell you why identifying this is important.

Because

What you fear the most reveals where you trust God the least.

Think about that for a minute.

What you fear most reveals what I value most

What I fear most also shows where I trust God the least

If my greatest fear is my health, not trusting God to care for me.

Not having enough, not trusting God to supply all my needs.

What is it that you fear the most?

(Give time)

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The solution to fear, the key to living a fearless life is trusting God.

We see in the text from today that God sees us, he knows what we are going through, and he has put a limit on what we will go through. He will protect us.

King David, when his son’s turned on him, seeking to have him killed, he wrote this:

Psalm 56:2–4 NIV

2 My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Thinking this way helps us put our fears in perspective, to change our way of thinking.

For someone who loves and trusts Jesus, this change in thinking happens when we get off the fear train…

You say you are afraid of losing your health… but when we stop and think for a minute about God’s promise to care for us...

WE say we fear not having enough saved for retirement… but when we stop and think about God’s promise to give us all we need...

When we seek the Lord, it really does change our perspective.

That’s exactly what John Wesley discovered some years ago:

"I have never known more than fifteen minutes of anxiety or fear. Whenever I feel fearful emotions overtaking me I just close my eyes and thank God that he is still on the throne reigning over everything and I take comfort in His control over all the affairs of my life.” John Wesley

It’s stopping to reset our faith.

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Now, beyond what this might mean to us individually, what does it say to us as a church?

Church… world today… no reward for standing up for the Biblical ideals. Sure if you want to help people in need that’s great, but helping people is no longer just the right thing to do.

In our world, it has been disconnected from the Christian worldview of loving your neighbor as yourself. It’s not part of that any more, so you no longer have the privilege of having an opinion or perspective that is contrary to culture.

We are seeing this more and more in our world.

I’m not a culture warrior… I don’t want to be a fear monger.

But Scripture teaches us that we can expect things to get more and more difficult as our culture moves further and further from the Ideals, Christian and otherwise, which we took for granted for so many years.

We see this at happening all around us as friends and neighbors, politicians and corporations, take on language and ideals that just a few years ago would have been radical… now we don’t even blink.

In a world that is getting less and less friendly to the ways of Jesus, let me ask you again… what is success for the church?

What is success?

Knowing what we are going to face in the years to come, here in Rock Hall, What are we to shoot for? Is it a full church? Is it a number? Is it a building? Is it something else?

For some it would be to conquer the world… to win everyone over… to save the world.

I know it is God’s desire that all will be saved, but he also says clearly that not everyone will be saved. So if we don’t have saving Rock Hall as our goal, what is?

In Smyrna, Knowing what they were to face, what would they be tempted to do? --- Seek SAFETY

But God says you won’t be able to avoid what is to come… so instead of safety, what does Jesus calls them to pursue? The only thing that, in the end, truly matters - Faithfulness

How do they do that? Seeking the one who gives the victors crown. Jesus is the finish line, not Caesar.

If we can’t avoid what is to come… even though we may join forces to work against it… what is our ultimate goal? Faithfulness… and What does that look like?

What did it look like in Smyrna?

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Several years later, there was John appointed one of his students to be Bishop of the church in Smyrna. His name was Polycarp

Now Polycarp may have been the Bishop of the church, but he was an uneducated Bishop. Yet he was bold. He ministered well into his 80’s until finally he got under the skin of the Romans… so much so that they sought to arrest him. In the mean time, Polycarp had a vision that he would be burned alive.

When they found him just outside of town, he was taken to be questioned by he magistrate and after frustrating the official, Polycarp told him that while the proconsul’s fire lasts but a little while, the fires of judgment (“reserved for the ungodly,” he slyly added) cannot be quenched. Polycarp concluded, “But why do you delay? Come, do what you will.”

Fearless! Come what may, I’m following Christ.

A faithful life is a fearless life.

What’s interesting about this city of Smyrna… they are named after the burial spice Myrrh which was a popular export here.

Not only was it a powerful fragrance, but it was very effective as a medicine. It was a pain reliever and an antiseptic.

Myrrh, if you didn’t know is made from the resin of the Myrrh tree. It’s a tree full of thorns, but they tap it like we would a maple tree to make syrup. The sap is dried into a resin, but the amazing thing is, the resin has no fragrance.

But once it is pressed, crushed, and ground into a powder, it gives off a very strong fragrance, one that will cover the oder of decaying flesh.

Think of faithful suffering that way… that our lives, as disciples, as the church, that as we endure, as we persevere, as we remain faithful to God’s call, no matter what pressure we go through in this life. It is producing in us something beautiful.

Something that is only possible by faithful - fearless - obedience.