To The Church…Part 3: In Distress

INTRO

We all go through hard times. It’s a part of life.

Most of our hard times are illness related, relationship related, or mental health related.

Going through difficult times is not something that most people look forward to.

Distress and suffering, while not pleasant, do have a positive purpose most times.

IT IS NOT UNTIL GOD IS ALL YOU HAVE THAT YOU DISCOVER GOD IS ALL YOU NEED. - TIM KELLER

This is the message that Jesus gives to encourage the Church in Smyrna, the Church in Distress.

Revelation 2:8–11 ESV

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. 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. 10 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. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the 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.’

1) We Serve a Sovereign Lord! (v.8)

Jesus is the first and the last.

Jesus is Sovereign over time.

Jesus is Sovereign over creation.

Jesus is Sovereign over all that has a beginning and an end.

Jesus is the one who died and came to life.

Jesus is Sovereign over life.

Jesus is Sovereign over death.

Jesus is Sovereign over all that is experienced.

Why do we experience suffering if God is Sovereign?

God’s Chisel Skit.

We live in a broken and dead world, broken by sin, dead in rebellion to God.

When we are saved and come from death to life, our flesh of death is still very real, but our Spirit of life is very real also.

Suffering and surrender to hope in Jesus helps us to rely more on the Spirit than we do the flesh.

In God’s Sovereignty, we experience suffering as an act of goodness to us. (Spiritual paradox)

As Christ followers, suffering should drive us to the one who is the first and the last, who died and came to life.

If suffering drives us away from him, then our view of him is too small and how we view ourselves is distorted.

If suffering drives us to Him, the how we view God and ourselves is in proper focus.

2) Sources of Suffering (v.9)

Tribulation

Pressures faced in life.

In Smyrna, pressure to embrace false idol worship and the imperial cult.

For Christians, we all face pressure to accept the godless norms of the culture around us.

When you try to draw near to God, there are pressures that seek to keep you apart.

When to try to walk in righteousness, there are pressures to divert your path.

When you try to hold to God’s standards and views of the world, there are pressures to compromise.

John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Poverty

Part of the pressures of living in Smyrna was to make sure you embraced the imperial cult even in trade and goods.

It was not uncommon to display acknowledgement to Caesar in the marketplace.

Failure to acknowledge allegiance to Rome would result in a denial of trade in the port city of Smyrna.

Most likely more strongly here due to not being a major port city, such as Ephesus, and seeking to win more favor with Rome.

As Christians living in an imperial cult, the temptation to compromise was very strong, yet the Church in Smyrna is believed to have experienced poverty because they would not yield allegiance to anyone but Jesus.

Jesus says that though they may be poor on this earth, they are indeed very rich in reality.

It is costly to stand in allegiance to Christ-alone, yet the spiritual and eternal gains are immeasurable.

Matthew 6:19–21 “19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The Church of Smyrna, even in their distress, had their heart fixated on Christ and treasured Him.

May we never compromise our allegiances to anyone, anything, or any ideology apart from Christ, even if it costs us in this life!

False views of God

In an attempt to distance themselves from Christians, Jews were slanderous to those who aligned themselves with Christ.

They weren’t passive deniers, they were active persecutors.

The false view of God held by the Jews showed they did not belong to Him, but rather they were the “synagogue of Satan”.

There are many in our culture who claim the name of Jesus, but the view of God they promote is either so small or so compromising to sin that it is a counterfeit and distortion of who God truly is.

Vance Havner Quote:

The devil is not fighting religion. He’s too smart for that. He is producing a counterfeit Christianity, so much like the real one that good Christians are afraid to speak out against it. We are plainly told in the Scriptures that in the last days men will not endure sound doctrine and will depart from the faith and heap to themselves teachers to tickle their ears. We live in an epidemic of this itch, and popular preachers have developed “ear-tickling” into a fine art.

When we stand for the One True God, as He has revealed Himself in His Word and in The Word made flesh, we will face suffering from the culture.

When we stand in opposition to sin and expose sinners as such we will face slander from Cult-Christianity and fake Christianity.

When we experience discomfort, pressure, and suffering…Do not fear!

3) Suffering is Short-Lived (v.10-11)

Suffering has happened, is happening, and will continue to happen.

Suffering should not invoke fear, but rather it should draw out faith and faithfulness.

Ten days is not the source of comfort.

The idea is not to pull up your bootstraps and power through for 10 days.

In apocalyptic literature, it is necessary to explore biblical parallels, especially in OT prophets, to understand meaning within the context.

Being for tested for 10 days is seen elsewhere in scriptures: Daniel 1, where Daniel and friends were tested for 10 days with food that was honoring to God rather than the Kings alloted portions and foods. At the end of 10 days, they stood out from among the rest. They were proof that God’s way is always better.

The Sovereign Lord is still Sovereign in Suffering.

Even if our suffering is so intense it results in death…No worries. Jesus promises a crown of life!

“The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”

CLOSING

Pressure is what reveals what an orange is made of and also what turns coal into diamonds.

Suffering and tribulation is not something to be feared by the Christian. It should be expected and embraced.

Acts 5:41 ESV

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

Dear friend…dear Christian:

Would you resolve yourself today to hold so fast to Christ no matter the cost, that we would not shy away from being a Church in Distress, but rather that we would be a Church found faithful, no matter what?

Let us commit today that should be we be a church in distress we would not be discouraged, but rather we would be found faithful and rejoiced as counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus!