The Church in Smyrna
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The Church in Smyrna
La iglesia en Esmirna
What is this sermon supposed to do?
Prepare church for persecution/suffering & encourage them to remain faithful.
INTRO:
FORMAT OF THE LETTERS TO THE 7 CHURCHES:
“To the angel of the church of...”
These are the words of… (Description of Jesus)
“I know your works/deeds” and also sometimes, “But I have this against you”
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
“A promise of future gain”
Spanish
"Al ángel de la iglesia de..."
Estas son las palabras de... (Descripción de Jesús)
"Conozco tus obras" y también a veces, "Pero tengo esto contra ti"
"El que tenga oído, oiga lo que el Espíritu dice a las iglesias".
"Una promesa de ganancia futura"
Smyrna and Philadelphia were the only two churches not rebuked by the Lord.
TEXT:
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
8 »Escribe al ángel de la iglesia de Esmirna: Esto dice el Primero y el Último, el que murió y volvió a vivir:
9 Conozco tus sufrimientos y tu pobreza. ¡Sin embargo, eres rico! Sé cómo te calumnian los que dicen ser judíos pero que, en realidad, no son más que una sinagoga de Satanás.
10 No tengas miedo de lo que estás por sufrir. Te advierto que a algunos de ustedes el diablo los meterá en la cárcel para ponerlos a prueba, y sufrirán persecución durante diez días. Sé fiel hasta la muerte, y yo te daré la corona de la vida.
11 El que tenga oídos, que oiga lo que el Espíritu dice a las iglesias. El que salga vencedor no sufrirá daño alguno de la segunda muerte.
BODY:
Smyrna was an extremely persecuted church.
Persecution was intense for believers in Smyrna , simply because they wouldn’t say the phrase “Cesar is Lord”.
Jesus said in Mat. 16:18 “the gates of hell would not prevail against the church” (gates of hell = euphemism (eufenismo) for death.)
There would be deadly attacks from Satan against the church and even martyrdom… but even still they had to be faithful to death, satan could not prevail against the church.
Persecution is and has always been a reality against believers, preachers, churches, etc.
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
33 Yo les he dicho estas cosas para que en mí hallen paz. En este mundo afrontarán aflicciones, pero ¡anímense! Yo he vencido al mundo.
12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
12 Es cierto, y todo el que quiera vivir una vida de sumisión a Dios en Cristo Jesús sufrirá persecución;
he repeatedly said you’re going to suffer… But fierce persecution believe it or not is actually good for the church.
1 Peter 5:10 (NLT)
10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
10 En su bondad, Dios los llamó a ustedes a que participen de su gloria eterna por medio de Cristo Jesús. Entonces, después de que hayan sufrido un poco de tiempo, él los restaurará, los sostendrá, los fortalecerá y los afirmará sobre un fundamento sólido.
Persecution doesn’t destroy the church… it makes it strong.
suffering serves to purify a church.
Because of its suffering, the church at Smyrna had been purged of evil and sin. Therefore Jesus had no rebuke for them / no condemnation.
Just 4 verses today...
VERSE BY VERSE:
v.8
Smyrna means Myrrh, this church was a pleasant aroma before God.
Description of Jesus: the first … the last … was dead … is alive — The attributes of Christ intended to comfort the Church of Smyrna under its persecutions;
v.9
suffering because of persecution.
Depleted resources due to persecution.
“but thou art rich”—in grace. (Contrast Laodicea, rich in the world’s eyes and her own, poor before God. “There are both poor rich-men, and rich poor-men in God’s sight”)
Jews by national descent, but not spiritually of “the true circumcision.” The Jews blaspheme Christ as “the hanged one.”
The Jews, who might have been “the Church of God,” had now, by their opposition and unbelief, become the synagogue of Satan.
They say they are Jews (the people of God), and they persecute those who believe in Jesus the Messiah (the true people of God). In reality, by rejecting the Jewish Messiah, they have renounced their status as “true” Jews, and that is why Jesus calls them “liars.”
Opposition to Jesus pushed those so called Jews closer to the devil.
Smyrna place where satan has his church. (next week we’ll see in Pergamum where satan has his throne).
Satan's synagogue is not so much a locality as it is a group of Jesus haters.
v.10
Don’t be afraid of coming persecution & suffering
“You will suffer for ten days”
Not 10 literal days but rather a representation of the short duration of the persecution.
This is meant to be grounds for consolation. “The time of trial shall be short, but the duration of your joy shall be for ever.”
10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
10 En su bondad, Dios los llamó a ustedes a que participen de su gloria eterna por medio de Cristo Jesús. Entonces, después de que hayan sufrido un poco de tiempo, él los restaurará, los sostendrá, los fortalecerá y los afirmará sobre un fundamento sólido.
v.10 (cont…)
Ten is also a number of the world powers hostile to the Church; compare the ten horns of the beast, Rev 13:1.
1 Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.
1 Después vi a una bestia que subía del mar. Tenía siete cabezas y diez cuernos, y una corona en cada cuerno; y escrito en cada cabeza había nombres que blasfemaban a Dios.
7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.
“The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name… It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” -Revelation 13:1,7
Entonces vi que del mar subía una bestia, la cual tenía diez cuernos y siete cabezas. En cada cuerno tenía una diadema y en cada cabeza un nombre blasfemo contra Dios… También se le permitió hacer la guerra a los creyentes y vencerlos y se le dio autoridad sobre toda tribu, pueblo, lengua y nación.” -Apoc. 13:1,7
Nations like to brake up into 10’s...
FEMA DIVISIONS FOR THE U.S. /
U.S. Zip codes
12 The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast.
13 They will all agree to give him their power and authority.
14 Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.”
12 Los diez cuernos de la bestia son diez reyes que todavía no han subido al poder; pero éstos serán designados como reyes por un breve momento para reinar junto con la bestia.
13 Los diez estarán de acuerdo en entregarle a la bestia el poder y la autoridad que tienen.
14 Irán juntos a la guerra contra el Cordero, pero el Cordero los derrotará porque él es el Señor de todos los señores y el Rey de todos los reyes. Y los que él ha llamado y elegido y le son fieles, estarán con él».
There are currently 7 economic unions around the world already:
3 more to go:
-North America (NAFTA)
-Africa
-Asia
v.10 (cont…)
“But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”
crown of life—Jam 1:12; 2 Ti 4:8, “crown of righteousness”; 1 Pe 5:4, “crown of glory.” The crown is the garland, the mark of a conqueror, or of one rejoicing, or at a feast; but diadem is the mark of a KING.
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12 (NTV)
12 Dios bendice a los que soportan con paciencia las pruebas y las tentaciones, porque después de superarlas, recibirán la corona de vida que Dios ha prometido a quienes lo aman.
8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
8 Ahora me espera el premio, la corona de justicia que el Señor, el Juez justo, me dará el día de su regreso; y el premio no es sólo para mí, sino para todos los que esperan con anhelo su venida.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
4 Así, cuando venga el Gran Pastor, recibirán una corona de gloria y honor eternos.
v.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.”
“El que tenga oídos, que oiga lo que el Espíritu dice a las iglesias.
El que salga vencedor no sufrirá daño alguno de la segunda muerte.”
VICTORY...
11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
11 Ellos lo han vencido por medio de la sangre del Cordero y por el mensaje del cual dieron testimonio; no valoraron tanto su vida como para evitar la muerte.
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
9 Si confiesas con tu boca que Jesús es el Señor y crees en tu corazón que Dios lo levantó de los muertos, serás salvo.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
10 Porque con el corazón se cree para ser justificado, pero con la boca se confiesa para ser salvo.
SECOND DEATH...
Re 2:11
the second death—“the lake of fire.” “The death in life of the lost, as contrasted with the life in death of the saved”
The phrase “the second death” is peculiar to the Apocalypse.
The first death, will sooner or later pass over all of us.
“The life of the damned is death”.
8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
8 »Pero los cobardes, los incrédulos, los corruptos, los asesinos, los que cometen inmoralidades sexuales, los que practican la brujería, los que rinden culto a ídolos y todos los mentirosos, tendrán su destino en el lago de fuego que arde con azufre. Ésta es la segunda muerte».
15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
15 Y todo el que no tenía su nombre registrado en el libro de la vida fue lanzado al lago de fuego.
INVITATION TO ACCEPT CHRIST!!!