7 Churches: Smyrna

Intro

Revelation 2:8–11 CSB

“Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: Thus says the First and the Last, the one who was dead and came to life: I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.

I. I Know Your Afflictions and Poverty

“Suffering has a way of reminding us which things in life really matter, focusing us to depend radically on God, and thus purifying our obedience to God’s will.”

Job 2:9–10 CSB

His wife said to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!” “You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?” Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.

Job:

James 1:2–4 CSB

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

James 1:2

2 Corinthians 4:7 CSB

Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.

II. I Know the World Around You.

“In today’s society we have an opportunity - perhaps unique in human history - to dialogue in mutual respect with those with whom we disagree, trusting the Holy Spirit to use his truth to transform hearts.”

Leviticus 19:34 CSB

You will regard the alien who resides with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:

Luke 10:25-

Luke 10:25–29 CSB

Then an expert in the law stood up to test him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “How do you read it?” He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and “your neighbor as yourself.” “You’ve answered correctly,” he told him. “Do this and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Matthew 24:9 CSB

“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.

Matthew 10:16–20 CSB

“Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.

Matthew 10:16

III. Remain Faithful

John 15:13 CSB

No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

Application

Acts 12:1–5 CSB

About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church, and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.

Hebrews 11:35 CSB

Women received their dead, raised to life again. Other people were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection.