Smyrna -- The Suffering Church

There is a famous statement, well known from the early history of the church: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” It was made by the church father Tertullian in AD 197 in a defense of Christianity to the Roman Empire. The actual quote found in his Apolegeticus (Apology) reads, “We multiply whenever we are mowed down by you; the blood of Christians is seed” (Tertullian, Apology, 227). There is much truth in this statement.

Suffering, persecution, and martyrdom have all been the calling of the church of the Lord Jesus somewhere among the nations throughout her entire history.

Time Magazine (Alter, “Deaths”) reported the number of Christian martyrs doubled between 2012 and 2013. Nigeria led the way in 2012, Syria in 2013, with Iraq, Rwanda, and Sudan not far behind. An estimated 100–150 million Christians have been martyred every year in recent decades. Some estimate that 65 percent of all those martyred took place since the dawn of the twentieth century (EWTN News, May 10, 2002). These statistics do not even take into account those imprisoned, tortured, and persecuted by other means

Let’s be honest here…we hear about persecution and suffering in other parts of the world meaning we have no idea what it really means to be persecuted here in America.

We are in week 2 of our study of the Seven letters to the seven churches = representative of all churches, everywhere, at all times…the messages Jesus gives to these churches are messages for us today…

He who has an ear… = singular…written to individual believers…the church is not a building, it is people…local churches are bodies of believers in a specific location united together…all of us need to hear what is said for we make up this local body…

Here is what we studied last week:

Ephesus – Careless Church

Busy doing all the right things, did not grow weary in doing the right things, but…it was RIGHT MOTIONS without the RIGHT MOTIVATION…they stopped loving Jesus the way they did at first…

What this means for us is that it is possible for us to be involved in doing good things for God, not out of love for Him, but simply because we think that is what churches are supposed to do!

We need to take an honest look within ourselves and determine what is our motivation for this action/attitude…is it out of genuine love for Christ (which we show by loving fellow believers by seeking to build them up, loving the lost by desiring to reach them)

Today we move on to the church of Smyrna…The Suffering Church (2:8–11)

Main Point: Be Faithful In Your Suffering

We need to understand what keeps people faithful…even unto death.

We ought to want to come to the end of our life and know that we have finished well.

Before we delve into the specifics of this letter I think it is important for us to know a couple of important things.

We need to know about life for the 1st century believer.

Please bear with me for a little history…I truly think this will help us put some this text in greater context…remember these were real churches, with real people, in real time...

The first century believers lived under the control of the Roman Empire and the Imperial Cult.

George Lucas and Star Wars is not the origin of the Imperial Cult…Rome was! (just thought you ought to know that!)

In the Graeco-Roman world, religion permeated all aspects of culture; there was no separation of church and state.

In common with the rest of the ancient world, the Graeco-Roman worldview included the categories that modern people distinguish as politics, ethics, economics, philosophy, and mathematics in their concept of religion.

For example, a religion could be based on mathematical theory, and trade guilds were religious organizations that involved worship.

It was a cultural expectation that every family participated in the religious life of the city.

A family’s failure to conform to the cultural expectations could be construed as a threat to Rome’s well-being, it was foundational for both essential religious responsibilities and the political structure.

Romans believed that gods influenced every part of the natural world and human interests, so maintenance of the cults and rituals was deemed a necessity central to Roman identity and welfare. Religious practice also kept the civilized world in order.

They were polytheistic which went against both Judaism and Christianity…

Included in their belief of many gods, the emperor was considered to be one of them, and thus the Imperial Cult developed shortly after the assassination of Julius Caesar…he was deified by the Roman Senate in 44 B.C.

There were sacrifices, temples, priests, and the like established for this worship of the emperor…certificates would be issued to those who came and paid homage to the emperor because those who did not participate could face death in the arenas.

Here is the critical point...

Initially, Rome treated Christianity as a part of Judaism and tolerated both.

But the monotheistic practice of Judaism among the Jews who were scattered throughout the Roman Empire was problematic—according to the imperial worldview, they failed to participate in the life and culture of the cities in which they lived and ultimately failed to associate with the empire.

Furthermore, because Jews did not worship the local deities on whom the health and welfare of the region depended, they were not doing their part to secure the welfare of the empire.

Since Judaism was not suspected of aggressively seeking converts, however, their apparently impious and antisocial behavior was usually not considered a major threat…they were exempted from the worship of Caesar.

When Paul enters the scene…there was a great conversion of Gentiles, the spread of Christianity was on a direct collision course with the imperial policy.

Christians were accused of atheism because they rejected the worship of the local gods that were supposed to be the source of health and welfare for the Roman Empire;

they were also accused of hatred of humanity because they refused to participate in city life that was defined by Roman religion.

Christianity became a direct threat to the empire because of the success of the Gentile mission.

In the eyes of Roman officials and the public, Christians were causing a decline of religion, including an increasing neglect of religious responsibility, a challenge to the empire’s unity, and a violation of Roman traditional morality. (this will become more important in just a moment)

There is much more that can be said here, but I encourage you to pull out your World History books and research this on your own…I believe you will gain a greater appreciation for this church of Smyrna in knowing the level of persecution they faced.

We need to know about life in Smyrna.

The city of Smyrna was about thirty-five miles north of Ephesus. It was a wealthy city, second only to Ephesus in the entire area and, like Ephesus, a seaport.

But unlike Ephesus, Smyrna is still a large city (modern-day Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city).

It was once one of the finest cities of Asia. “The city was called ‘the crown of Asia’ because of its planned development, its beautiful temples and ideal harbor.”

There were magnificent temples to the many gods and toward the top of the city a notable shrine to Zeus himself. There is also evidence that Smyrna had become the center of Caesar worship for all Asia.

For Christians, Smyrna also became well known as the place of the execution of Polycarp

He was a friend/disciple of John; and some historical evidence exists to suggest that he was the pastor of this church…

Google can be your friend here…google Polycarp…he was burned at the stake because he would not proclaim Caesar as Lord…and then when the fire didn’t consume him, he was stabbed.

Smyrna was actually a name for myrrh, the fragrant plant used in the anointing oil prescribed in the book of Exodus (Exod 30:22–33) and used in the process of embalming in Egypt and elsewhere. Its association with death (though not its only use) and suffering are well documented.

Smyrna then was famous for two things: first, its beauty and, second, its suffering… Smyrna is mentioned only here in Scripture, but from other literature it is evident that this city was noted for its wickedness and opposition to the gospel in the first century.

So with that backdrop to our text what does Jesus say to this church and to us?

Remember our main point…Be faithful in your suffering…to do that let’s spend the rest of time together developing a deeper relationship with Christ through the discovery of FOUR critical truths to help us handle suffering well.

Jesus is Sovereign over All Things

Revelation 2:8 ““And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:”

Remember Jesus gives a description of himself that is directly related to his letter to them.

· How does Jesus describe Himself to this church?

He is sovereign over time.

He is “the first and the last,” …protos and eschatos…Jesus declares Himself God.

This is a title used of God in Isaiah 44:6 ““Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.”

The emphasis here is on his eternality and sovereignty...

He is the eternal Lord over all time and history…He will have the last word…He is always aware of the circumstances of his people.

He knows their situation in real time…he knows your situation in real time…he has their future in plain sight…he has your future in plain sight.

Time is in His hands…Jesus is trustworthy…he is trustworthy today, and will remain trustworthy tomorrow...

He is the Resurrected Lord

He is sovereign over death and life.

Revelation 2:8 ““And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:”

First and last draws attention to his deity…who was dead and has come to life speaks to his humanity.

Jesus experienced death for us…a horrible death none of us can truly ever fully comprehend...

While on the cross, he bore the full weight of our judgment and God’s wrath…he paid the price for the sin of the whole world…John 1:29 “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

He was subjected to slander, persecution, rejection, imprisonment, and death. He is not someone who has no idea what we go through…he has borne it all!

He died and came to life!

He conquered death…He won…Just like he did, this church will walk the way of suffering and persecution…they will even face death…yet they do not have to lose heart!

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” …Being in Christ is a win-win…He lives, we will live with Him...

This description of Jesus serves as a providential reminder that whatever intervenes in the process of life and death is presided over by One who knew about all of it from the beginning and ultimately controls it all.

Critical truth #1 — Jesus is Sovereign Over All Things…Critical truth #2...

Jesus Knows When His People Suffer

Revelation 2:9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

He knows when we face trials and tribulations.

What words of comfort this must have been to this church…Jesus knows their tribulation.

Tribulation is painful and wearisome…it chips away at our joy, it demoralizes our perseverance, it grows harder and harder as it drags on.

Notice Jesus doesn’t minimize their struggles…he doesn’t say it really isn’t that bad, just rub some dirt on it…he doesn’t cheapen it by offering some unsympathetic advice…he encourages them through it…I know your tribulation.

One of the most discouraging aspects of our suffering is in feeling we are alone in our struggle.

Jesus tells them he knows, reminding them of his presence with them…He has firsthand knowledge...

He is saying the same thing to you...You are not alone in your struggle…Jesus is with you in this difficulty…He is not surprised by your struggle, nor are you out of his watchful care…Jesus knows what burdens weigh heavily upon you…He knows the daily pressures that affect you...

He knows our “poverty”.

The word used for “poverty” is the word for abject poverty, not just being poor.

These believers were lacking even the basics of life.

It may be that they were drawn from a poor group of people, but it is more probable that their extreme poverty was because they had been robbed of their possessions as part of their persecution and affliction.

Remember what I told you in the beginning…Christianity was at odds with the Imperial Cult…their lack of participation in the worship of Caesar meant they were ostracized and their businesses were boycotted…their homes were taken…they lost everything.

Even though we may not be wealthy by the worlds standards, we have a treasure trove of real wealth in Christ.

By telling the church in Smyrna that they are rich, Jesus redirects their perspective away from worldly standards of evaluation and reminds them of what matters.

The only thing that matters in the end is whether or not you belong to Jesus.

Regardless of the earthly treasures taken by their persecutors, there was no one who could steal their real wealth.

Here is a promise that because of the conditions of poverty and tribulation through which these believers were walking, their value in God’s eyes was of much greater worth.

We are rich because the wealth we have is secured in Christ alone…we are rich because because we have what will save life unto eternity.

Jesus knows who really opposes us

Two foes specifically named were hostile Jews and Satan himself.

We need to understand what is happening here.

These were descendants of Abraham by physical birth, not spiritual birth.

Jews were exempt from Emperor Worship.

As long as Christianity was under the Jewish umbrella, they too were exempt from emperor worship.

Once the Jews started denouncing Christianity, those who refused to participate in Roman idolatry could face retribution.

We get a glimpse of this in Acts 18:12-17.

I mentioned the martyrdom of Polycarp earlier…historical records of that event tell us that Jews went out on the Sabbath to collect the wood for the burning.

Jesus identifies them as a tool of the real enemy, Satan himself.

This is strong language here...Physical heritage is no indication of spiritual standing…they do not gather in their synagogue to worship God…they are really celebrating Satan’s kingdom...

These Jews were hostile, and bent on persecuting the followers of Christ…they were under the influence of Satan…

Satan = Hebrew word which means adversary…Scripture is clear about the reality of Satan and his position as the archenemy of God…Isaiah 14 & Ezek 28.

What this tells us is that all who oppose the cause of Christ this side of heaven are really allies with Satan and serve his kingdom…remember Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44)…look at what Jesus says in Matthew 12 30

Matthew 12:30 NASB95

“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

So that begs the question…whose side are you on?

Jesus wants them and us to know that He is fully aware of everything we experience and all those who stand in opposition to him…because He is sovereign over all things nothing is beyond his control…even those attacks Satan hurls at us.

Critical truth #1 — Jesus is Sovereign over all things; Critical truth #2 — Jesus Knows When His People Suffer…Critical Truth #3 --

We Can Anticipate Suffering

Revelation 2:10 “‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’”

We see both a command and a promise in this verse.

We are commanded to Trust and Promised to Suffer.

Do not fear…stop fearing…meaning we should anticipate it and not be afraid of it.

Jesus told them that the devil would do everything in his power to stamp out this church’s testimony in his domain, but Jesus would use Satan’s evil intentions to refine and prove them...

He will reveal their faith, loyalty, and love for Him.

Why do God’s people have to endure suffering?

The answer to this question is largely bound up in the doctrine of the sovereignty of God.

The Bible does help us with these explanations:

In some cases, suffering for a child of God may be disciplinary as indicated in God’s dealings with the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 11:30–32; cf. Heb. 12:3–13).

Suffering may also be preventive, such as Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7).

Through this affliction Paul was kept from pride in the revelation.

A third reason for suffering is that we may learn obedience.

Suffering teaches us what we could not learn otherwise (cf. Rom. 5:3–5).

Romans 5:3–5 “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Even Christ “learned obedience through what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8).

Hebrews 5:8 “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.”

Suffering also allows us to bear a better testimony for Christ.

This was true of Paul in Acts 9:16 “for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.””

The experience of the church at Smyrna, therefore, though certainly not to be desired, was designed by an infinitely wise and loving God for their good as well as for the better testimony of the gospel.

10 days…this is symbolic of a definite but limited period of time...Jesus allows it and will control its duration.

I’m reminded of what Peter says in 1 Pet 5 10

1 Peter 5:10 NASB95

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Don’t fear it, expect it…understand that a sovereign God is testing you, pruning you, and refining you…when we come through the test, God looks good.

Remember James 1:2-3

James 1:2–3 NASB95

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Critical truth 1 — Jesus is Sovereign over All Things

Critical truth 2 — Jesus Knows When His People Suffer

Critical truth 3 — We can Anticipate Suffering

We Can Respond With Faithfulness

Revelation 2:10–11 “‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’”

Notice there is no condemnation of this church...

Jesus provides two motivations here to help us respond with faithfulness.

Motivated by the Crown of Life

Jesus says be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.

Crown = this is not a crown that royalty would wear…it is the victors crown…it is the crown awarded to those who one the games...

James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

This crown of life is eternal life…it is the reward for all whose faith is in the risen Savior, Jesus Christ alone.

Motivated by our victory over the second death.

What is the second death? For this we need further instruction from Rev...

Revelation 20:14 NASB95

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:8 NASB95

“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

This is the death we must fear…but only if you are without Christ…this is your destiny…but for those in Christ, we ought to be motivated by the truth that because Jesus was victorious over physical death he provided eternal life for all those who trust in him…the second death is what Jesus rescued us from.

Revelation 20:6 NASB95

Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Jesus is challenging us…there is glory on the other side…

What are some implications for us in 2023 and beyond?

Regardless of what the world says about us, we are overcomers!

We may be poor physically, but we are rich spiritually…you don’t need to find your success in material possessions…our success is defined by God in being what He has called us to be.

Don’t allow the evaluations of the world to suck you in and tear you away from your relationship with Christ…if you are in Christ, you are an overcomer…you are already a victor…live victoriously.

No matter how severe our persecution or suffering may become there is nothing to fear.