Faithful to the End

Received no correction only commendation

Philippians 2:29

Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9-17

Those who gave their life for Christ….

As the first and the last, who was dead and now is alive.

“I know about dying…I know that death does not have the final word.”

Jesus knows:

1) About the past and the future.

2) About death and life.

3) About suffering and peace.

4) About slander and truth.

5) About fear and perseverance.

Smyrna= tree that when crushed produces myrrh, a sweet perfume

What smells good to God is their fidelity

Tribulation:

1) Affliction – physical (used in entertainment, fed to animals, tarred and burned)

2) Slander -politically disloyal, spiritual pests, cannibals,

3) Poverty – couldn’t get their certificate to work because they refused to declare Caesar as god

Paul “momentary light affliction” 2 Corinthians

Martyrs used to be considered the heroes we would look up to

What comes out of them when they are crushed? There is more to life than life. The ultimate of life is fidelity to Jesus, the son of God.

When Christians under persecution are about to die, there are documented two traits that tend to come out of them:

Prayer

Song