The Church Of SMYRNA Revelation 2:8-11 May 25, 2025

Revelation 2:8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

This week we are going to continue to look at the letters to the churches in Revelation.

The letters to the church are important to us to today because there were many church during this time and Jesus choose these seven church to write to. We are never told why these seven church stood out but as we go through them if you see yourself in the description take it to heart and allow it to speak to you both for encouragement and for correction.

The city of Smyrna was a another thriving port city like the city of Ephesus. Unlike the church in Ephesus which had a rich heritage there is no clear founder of the church of Smyrna. Most think that it was founded by Paul during one of his missionary trip, and there is some speculation on which one of the trips.

By the early second century, the church was organized under a Bishop by the name of Polycarp with elders and deacons. Some think that both Paul and John invested into Polycarp.

Jesus reassures the people of Smyrna that He is the First and the Last.

I think that sometimes we forget that Jesus was around from the beginning of time. We sometimes think that he was only present in the New testament from the time of HIs birth.

He appears at different times in the Old Testament.

We see Him also in the book of revelation all the way to the end of the Bible leading into all eternity.

We also see Him as the first to have victory over death and that Jesus victory allows us to have victory too not over the first death but the second death. By the time we leave today I will make it clear what that means for each of us.

In His introduction Jesus is laying the foundation in allowing the people of the church of Smyrna know that the one that they are suffering for is well worth the sacrifice they are making here on earth.

Today I want you to know that the one that we serve is the First and the Last the one that was dead but is now alive.

Jesus is alive today for each of us. He is the risen savior.

Worship in Smyrna

Worship was a big part of life in the city of Smyrna. There were many religious building and there are even five known temples both to emperors and deities. Emperor worship was prevalent during this time and required if you were going to have any kind of life in the city.

This city was know for it’s large labor unions. Unions in them self are not bad but the labor unions in smyrna were connected to emperor worship. This was not something that was encouraged it was something that was enforced. See if you were going to work and make a living you had to have a document that was signed that say that you offered incenses to the emperor. Without it you were not able to work, bye or sale. You could say that it was a form of the mark of the beast. This was part of the culture of the day and the Roman Empire.

Death was the threat that Rome would hold over them if they didn’t worship the emperor. Jesus was reminding the church that He existed before the Roman empire and that He would exist after the Roman Empire. That if this life is taken from them that there is life for them with Him in heaven. All those that oppressed them would some day pass away but if you stay true to your faith in God you too will not pass away you will step into eternity. Jesus was encouraging them, He is there with them and He has the power over death and the grave. He is greater than any oppression they would face here on earth.

2 Timothy 2:11–13 “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful— for He cannot deny himself.”

Unlike the letter to Ephesus this letter to the church of Smyrna is only full of encouragement and reassurance. Jesus in His letter wanted them to Know that He was pleased with them and He saw everything that were going through because they believed in HIm. See the emperor didn’t mind if you served many gods little “g” as long as one of them was him. The church of Smyrna couldn’t bring them to say anyone was Lord except Jesus and Jesus was writing them a letter to asure them that their faith had a reward if not on this side of death but on the other side of death. Jesus over came death and the grave and paved the way for us to someday step into eternity with Him.

God Is Pleased With You

Revelation 2:9a “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich!

Jesus was telling the church of Smyrna that He saw the suffering that they went through and that even though by the worlds standards they were in poverty but because they kept the faith they were rich in Him.

This should reassure us that even though we face hardship that when we put our faith in Jesus we can be rich in Him through all of it.

Jesus pays them a huge compliment Jesus is commending them because of their faith. Many people tie their earthly prosperity to how pleased God is with them. This isn’t always the truth.

We see from this letter that suffering for Christ is noticed by Christ.

River Of Life I believe that Jesus sees the same things in you that He saw in the church of Smyrna.

That many of you have sacrificed for the gospel in many different ways.

Many of you here have participated in many of the ministries of the church in different way.

You have given of your time.

You have given of your talents.

You have given of your money for the operation of the church and the ministries that go on here.

Some of you have assisted in make christian education possible for the kids of our school. I am great full becasue some of those kids are mine. I am so great full that my kids a long with others are getting a christian education. That they have teachers that are concerned with their education on both sides of eternity.

Jesus was telling the church that he saw their suffering and the things they have given up or sacrificed because they were a follower of Christ.

There are decision that you make that you only make because you follow Christ.

Living for Jesus means that we live different from the world.

Jesus is your moral compass.

Jesus through this letter is encouraging us to live a life decayed to Him and not to the things of this world.

The ground that they were walking on was soaked with loyalty to Rome. There was not separation of church and state. The emperor didn’t want the people to look at him as a ruler or governmental official he wanted them to look at him as a god. A god to be worshiped with absolute power. They were not able to bye sale have a business. With these requirements it made it almost impossible to live as a christian..

It didn’t matter if you believed it in your heart and only did it for sermonical purposes. In some peoples eyes it would be a small compromise or only done for political purposes. The church of Smyrna couldn’t bring themselves to saying Caesar was lord it was more then a compromise it was a betrayal of everything they believed in. Jesus was Lord and there was no one or thing that could ever change that in their hearts. Because of their stance they were called traitors and enemies of the State.

Jesus was letting the church of Smyrna that He saw what standing up for Him cost them and that He was proud of them for their sacrifice. I believe that he says the same about you.

Remember Those Who Sacrificed All

This is Memorial day weekend and we are remembering all the men and women that have given their lives for this great country that we live in, I am truly grateful for their sacrifice so that we can worship freely in church today.

All through the ages men and women have given their lives and sacrificed for me and you to know about Jesus. To be called a christian it was not all ways the safes way to live.

In the church of Smyrna there was a man named Polycarp. He was a leader in the church during that time. It is said that he was turned over to the Romans and a young man was tortured to give up his location. The Roman official asked him to swear to Cesar as Lord and denounce Christ. Polycarp responded by saying “Eighty-six years I have served HIm, and He never did me wrong. How, then, can I blaspheme my King and my Savior? When Polycarp was threatened with a martyr’s fire. Polycarp answered you threatened me with a fire that burns for an hour and after a little while is extinguished but you do not know about the fire of the coming judgment of eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly but why do you wait on what you will. The roman official told everyone that Polcarp admitted to being a christian and the Mob called out for Polycarp to be burned at the stake. The mob gathered wood and placed it at his feet. They tried to use nails to make sure that he didn’t move and Polcarp told him the God that you serve will give me the strength to endure the fire without moving. So they tied his hands together. Polycarp said a prayer and and the fire was lit. It is said that Polcarp was safe inside the fire and the fire didn’t burn him. This forced the Roman official to order the executioner to stab and kill Polycarp. It is said that a dove flue out of Polycarp causing him to bleed so much that it put out the fire.

All throughout church history we have people that were martyred for their faith. They were killed in many horrifying ways. Some were made a spectacle of and used for entertainment.

Each time that we read through the Bible and we sing our favorite worship song know that there were many that gave their lives for us to have the right and the privilege to worship our Lord.

Some of them were martyred before the United Sates was ever formed, others were killed in battle to make sure that we have the right and the freedom to worship Jesus and call HIm Lord of our lives.

Lets honor them and the Lord by living a life for Christ.

In Revelation 2:10 Jesus tells them that some of them will face prison, but if you remain faithful even when facing death you will recieve

The Crown of Life

Dose this change your perspective on today looking forward to what is to come in the future.

Jesus wanted them to know that their suffering was not unseen by Him. Jesus was watching and Jesus was aware of their trials. That their pain was not their final chapter.

Jesus was the first and the last. Jesus was able to over come so you through HIm will be able to over come too.

That because He is the first and the last beginning and the end what was a head of them was worth every sacrifice. Eternity was worth the sacrifice they had to endure in the city of Smyrna.

Spiritual wealth is found in faithfulness not Bank account, what you have or what you don’t have.

Though the world sees you as poor Jesus see you as rich.

See Smyrna was the crown of Asia there is even an area of Smyrna called the “crown of Porticoes” this referred to part of the city's public buildings that circled the summit of Mount Pagos, like a crown. 

These were things that described the city and what some would say made the city so spectacular and majestic. The church in Smyrna would of know what Jesus was referring to as well as anyone else that read this letter.

Jesus would offer them a different crown. The Crown of Life. When we follow Jesus we have to be awear of the victors crown that we will receive in heaven.

In Conclusion

Revelation 2:11 “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.

Revelation 20:14-15 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Christians still exist in Smyrna, now known as Izmir, Turkey. There are indications of Bible-believing Christians living there under persecution from Muslims. Despite historical challenges, Christianity has persisted in Smyrna/Izmir, with some articles noting that true religion is on the increase and Protestant missionary efforts have been successful.