“A Challenge to Remain Faithful”

The New International Version Chapter 2

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. 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. 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.

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.

A Challenge to Remain Faithful

 Revelation 2:8-11  

Introduction: Jesus' letters to the churches are to all be heard by the church throughout time. Man's heart does not change. It shouldn’t surprise us to find that there are people who think man will one day get his act together. The fallen condition of man is the most verifiable fact of human nature. Without Christ and His transforming power, we are selfish, greedy, and incapable of loving unconditionally (Jeremiah 17:91). 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? We just don’t have the capacity to do what is right all of the time. We tend to think that God wants us to outsmart one another, have dominion over one another, or to think we are better than others. This attitude creates contention in every phase of life. Godly leaders can turn things for a time, but inevitably the wicked gain power, hearts harden, and God must intervene with judgment. That is the cycle of the history of mankind. Are we living in the real world at this present moment and time? The answer to that question is yes if you are breathing and sitting here listening to me today. Whether you believe it or not, Jesus is coming again! He is going to establish the Kingdom of heaven on earth (Daniel 2:442)! But in the meantime, by faith we have access to Christ’s kingdom rule now, it’s not a kingdom of this world, but a heavenly eternal one where Christ reigns in our hearts (John 18:363; Hebrews 12:224).

In this letter to the Church at Smyrna we see the need to nurture the love we had when we first realized the greatness of God's forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus (2:45). This letter is to the next large city on the postal route, Smyrna. It is an ancient city on the Aegean coast with an excellent harbor. It was destroyed by the Lydians and was in ruins for centuries. The Greeks rebuilt it in 290B.C. Though not the largest or most affluent, it was said to be the most beautiful city of Asia. It was one of just a few cities that had a planned layout before it was built. From early on it was aligned with Rome, even building a temple to worship Rome. Its most famous street was called The Street of Gold, with temples at each end, one to Cybele and the other to Zeus. It had numerous other temples including one to Tiberius Caesar. It was the home of the famous poet, Homer (not Simpson). The city has survived to this day and is called Izmir.

Jesus Knows “What” we are going through.

8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. Revelation 2:8 Each letter starts with a description of the Lord from the first chapter. We saw before that "the first and the last" is a description of the eternal God of Israel in Isaiah 44:6. The expression tells us Jesus is one with God. Jesus, as God the Son has eternally been with God the Father (John 1:17). 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He is the beginning and end of all things. There is nothing throughout all time that escapes Him. He knows who will be elected or enthroned and He is not worried about how things will turn out. He is already on the other side of it all. And to this persecuted church, He is telling them to trust the One who sees everything that happens to them. They are not going through a dark time because God is somehow absent. He will see them through. The promise of Christ is not the absence of trouble, but His presence with us through it.

After all, He was dead, and He came back to life. He conquered death. So do not fear those who kill the body but after that have no more that they can do(Matthew 10:288). Jesus conquered death and hell so that we too could have life, eternal life, and He is able to raise us up (John 6:409). This must be a precious description to our brothers and sisters all over the world who are struggling with the conflict of life. This same message must be proclaimed by faithful Christian who live by the Word of God. The government does not have the last word. Jesus does! They can kill us, but they cannot keep us from being raised! Fear not! We serve a mighty King who can reign even amid man doing his worst.

9 I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.Revelation 2:9 This is one of only two out of the seven churches that did not receive correction. Jesus begins by saying He is aware of what they are going through. I know your tribulation. That is, He knows your affliction, what distresses or troubles you. The Greek word means a crushing burden. Sometimes we think no one knows or cares about what we are going through, but Jesus does. He knows better than anyone. Sometimes the pain in our hearts can be worse than a physical affliction. Jesus not only knows, He feels it (Hebrews 4:1510). You will never find a friend like Jesus. It is just not possible. Even a fellow believer who cares about you cannot feel your pain like Jesus can.

The church of Smyrna was being slandered by the Jews. Jesus knows that too. That slander would be especially hard for the Jews who found Jesus as their Messiah and Savior. They once considered these fellow Jews as their friends and family. Now they are hearing things from them that are so ugly, so vicious, that it is breaking their hearts. Hurtful words can be more painful than physical injury.

There is a burden that comes from being born again. You genuinely care. But you also know you dare not speak on your own but must wait on the Holy Spirit (Proverbs 29:1111). And so, we often grieve for the people who turn against us, slander us behind our backs, and even tell lies about our character. We grieve for them because we care, even more than before, about their eternal souls. They malign us by assigning evil motives to the good things we do from a loving heart. It cuts like a knife. We pray for them, and we pray we can forgive quickly and completely like we have been forgiven by our Lord (Matthew 6:14,1512).

Jesus also knows your poverty. In these free Roman cities, every guild or trade had a god or goddess that they worshiped and counted on for protection and successful business. When Christians refused to make sacrifice or offer incense or pray to that god, they were expelled from the group, meaning that they could no longer make a living by their trade. Or it could have been the confiscation of their goods by Jews taking advantage of Christianity being illegal at the time Revelation was written.

Here is what Jesus was saying to the believers of Smyrna and to believers today! You may have lost your better paying jobs and are just living day to day, slandered and persecuted, but you are rich. You are connected to a family of believers, a faith that is true, a God who knows your hearts and will see them through, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit provided to comfort you, and an eternal home in heaven. That is true wealth (James 2:515).

See Things from God’s Point of view (Rev.2:9b-10)

We need to see things not as man sees but from God's viewpoint. The world says that temporal things make you rich. If you have your gold and silver stashed away, a nice home and car, money enough to retire comfortably, you might be rich. Maybe. You can have all that and be rich, but it is not because of those things. Real wealth is eternal things, your relationship with God, your real family of the faith that will stick with you to the end and on, your heart knowledge of God's Word, and His love for you. What you see as genuinely valuable is where your heart will be (Matthew 6:2116). That is where you will invest your time and your heart. What is valuable to you (Hebrews 11:2617)?

Jesus had a harsh term for the local synagogue. He called it the Synagogue of Satan. This was not anti-Semitic as some claim. Jesus and John were Jews and probably a good part of the church in Smyrna were too. That is why the other local Jews were so upset with them. Jesus does not worry about labels, for He speaks the truth. Of course, Jesus can make a judgment like that because He sees their hearts. He knew the power that was behind their slander. It was Satan himself. They were a gathering of Satan's people. That should have encouraged the church. If you are not being effective for God's kingdom, Satan will not bother with you. It is an honor to be so successful that Satan would incite his people to persecute and slander you (Matthew 5:11,1218).

10a Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Revelation 2:10a Persecution purifies and strengthens the church. It has always been that way. It is being experienced in much of the world. It must really frustrate Satan that whenever he physically attacks the church, it gets stronger and purer. It happened in Russia and China. It is happening now in Iran and Afghanistan as well as other places. The insincere will not stay because of the danger, and the genuine believers grow up fast because they are desperate to be prepared to die. They are not as distracted as most of us are in affluent nations (Luke 6:2019).

Remember, Smyrna is an intensely Roman town. They worshiped Rome and its emperors. The believers would no longer worship Caesar, and that could cost them their life. They were called unpatriotic and even called atheists. There was bound to be a clash of cultures, that of Rome and that of the kingdom of God. There is bound to eventually become a clash of cultures with what America is becoming and the kingdom of God. Are we concern or are we just playing church not seeing the deplorable condition that is upon us.

Suffering is part of our struggle, but Jesus tells them not to be afraid. When you know God is all-powerful and omnipresent, and that He loves you as a dear child (Ephesians 5:120), then you do net need to fear what man can do to you (Psalm 56:1121). Jesus will see you through. The promise in Scripture is that if we suffer with Him, we will also share in His glory (Romans 8:1722)! I cannot think of a greater hope than to share in the glory of Jesus. The world sees us as crazy, or "Delusional!" But we have a very different perspective, an eternal one. Believers are the only ones who have a reason not to fear. We know God who is in control of all things will bring us safely to our heavenly home where we will be overwhelmed with the beauty of His holiness.

Persevere and you will get your crown (Rev.2:10-11)

10bBe faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10b Endure, even if it is to the loss of life. Endure until the day of your graduation into your heavenly home. Jesus has a crown of life for those who do. Of all the things we put on the list of being a good believer, the one thing that Jesus looks for is faithfulness. Remember that He told the story of the man who invested His resources. To those who earnestly did so He said, "Well done good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:2125).

The church can get wrapped up in a million different programs, but God is not looking for a program. He is looking for faithfulness. Do what He shows you, not what He showed the other guy. Faithfully use the talents and gifts He gave you and do not try to imitate anyone but Jesus. Faithfully seek to hear His still, small voice and let the Word of God speak to you each day, and act on what you hear (1 Kings 19:1226). That is being faithful. And keep it up until the day you are home. Then you can know you will receive the crown of life.

What is this Crown of Life? James said that it was rewarded to those who love Jesus and stand the test by persevering to the end (James 1:1227). It is not defined more than that. It sounds like eternal life itself. Do you want to be sure you are on your way to heaven? Then you should persevere. Do not give-in to temptation. Stay faithful till the day you die, and you are promised to receive a crown of life.

11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.' Revelation 2:11 We have the invitation again to hear not just what was said to this church, but to the churches. We must be willing to hear. It seems today this is a quality that is disappearing as hearts harden. Real life has a way of testing the validity of our beliefs.

Jesus is telling the church at Smyrna that if they will persevere to the end, they may be killed for their faith, but they will not face the wrath of God for their sins. The word "not" here is an emphatic negative, "you will not no way be hurt" by the second death which is the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1428). The Living One who was dead and is alive forevermore guarantees it. Because He passed through death, we can believe Him when it comes to the subjects of life and death.

What Jesus said here is a serious message to those who believe they can say a prayer and then live like they want. The promise is for the conquerors, the overcomers. They overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Revelation 12:1131). The blood of the Lamb paid for their sins, and their testimony says that they were new creations. Their love of Jesus is greater than their love of this temporary life. They know He was victorious over death.

We will all die if the Lord does not return first. Will we be leaving behind the things we love or going to the One we love? Will we be leaving home or going home? Do you have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches? Be faithful unto death and our Savior, Jesus, will give us a crown of life!