REVELATION 2:8-11 // STICK TO YOUR GUNS

LAST WEEK

We looked at the Church that had forgotten their first Love.

We saw the importance of returning to our first love.

We realized that all of our works could never supplement our love for Jesus.

THIS WEEK

We are going to look at the Persecuted Church

We are going to see how Jesus encourages and prepares this Church to face persecution.

BEFORE WE GET INTO IT, WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES:

HOW IS THE CHURCH PERSECUTED TODAY?

RIGHT NOW:

THERE ARE AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND PLACED IN JAIL FOR THEIR FAITH

CHECK THIS OUT

In more than 40 nations around the world today Christians are being persecuted for their faith. In some of these nations it is illegal to own a Bible, to share your faith Christ, change your faith or teach your children about Jesus.

IN CHINA

The Government has imposed their will on everything that is faith based

They have what is called the Chinese Christian Council which used to be called the Three-Self Patriotic Movement

If you and your church want to worship publicly you must abide by their governance

You must abide in their theology

Not only are they Communist

You must support their Global Vision, which is inherently Communist

Many churches, have chosen to opt out from being governed by the State

They lean their biblical understanding

And they now practice privately in what is called the House Church Movement

The Church meets collectively in a home

A Pastor shares a Bible Study

The Congregation shares a meal

They collect a tithe

The money goes to meet the needs of the Church

Francis Chan, who wrote Crazy Love

Left his Mega Church in Simi Valley

Started over

And now has hundreds of House Churches throughout all of San Francisco.

HERE IN AMERICA

We don’t really face persecution from the government

Although the Left is trying to do what the Chinese Government has done to the Church in China.

The Church in America has been graced with favor from the Government

The ability to obtain a non-profit 501c3 status

The ability to write off everything that one contributes to the church

Our nations fathers knew the benefit of the church, and set it up to succeed.

Though there are some rumors about the government taking away some rights from the Church

If Jesus is who we say He is

We don’t have anything to worry about.

He will continue leading the Church

If our methods have to change, so be it.

If how we do things needs to change, so be it.

If Jesus is Lord, if He is Sovereign, what do we have to worry about?

That we can’t get a tax break anymore?

That we can’t meet publicly anymore?

That Mega Churches can’t abuse the financial side of things anymore?

Maybe these changes need to happen.

Maybe it would realign us with what Church is really about.

I’ll tell you what though, the American Church is being persecuted Socially

There are groups of people that don’t like what the Church stands for

They don’t like our tax exempt status

They don’t like our views of marriage

They don’t like our views on abortion & euthanasia.

They don’t like that we use the states schools to worship Jesus

They don’t like Chik Fil A, In N Out, Hobby Lobby, or any entity that Honors Jesus as Lord

We are also persecuted in our workplaces

People talk about us behind our backs

They point out every area where we have misrepresented Jesus

They gossip about the things that are questionable

They don’t give you Sundays off so that you can go to Church

Even the Christians at your work have stuff to say about you.

So how do we handle persecution?

How can we see persecution as an experience to glorify the Lord with?

TURN TO

Revelation 2:8–11 NKJV

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until 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. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’

PRAY THAT GOD WOULD GIVE US A HEART FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

PRAY THAT WE WOULD OPEN UP OUR EYES TO SEE PERSECUTION AS A WAY TO SHARE JESUS

Revelation 2:8 NKJV

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:

REV 2:8

TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH

TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA

To the Messenger

To the Pastor

IN SMYRNA

The Seaport Village that had been destroyed and rebuilt several times over

To the Church that was located by the protected Harbor of the Aegean Sea

The Church that was the home of the Temple dedicated to the Roman Emperor Tiberius

THESE THINGS SAYS

The First and the Last

Who was dead

And Came to Life

These are the titles that should speak to who Jesus is and what He has accomplished

To know that Jesus is preeminent is crucial

It should humble us to know that He WAS before everything WAS

As a Pastor

This should show us our place and His place in the Church

It should show us that before we even had the thought of being a Pastor

Before we even came into the Ministry

Before someone said “Good Sermon”

Before the Youtube Channel

Before the Podcast

Before the Church

Before the 400 years of Silence

JESUS WAS AND JESUS WILL BE

Before we had a following

Before we had a Social expectation

Before you thought about posting stuff

JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS

AND CAME TO LIFE

Church, we serve an everlasting God

We serve a Death Defying God

We serve a Conquering God

We serve a Loving God

We must never forget who and why we do what we do.

Revelation 2:9 NKJV

9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

JESUS KNEW WHAT THIS CHURCH WAS UP TO:

He knew their works

ERGON // Works, deeds, pain, affliction

ERGON // Works, deeds, pain, affliction

He knew their tribulation

THLIPSIS // Pressure, trouble, hardship, affliction

He knew their Poverty

PTOCHEIA // Beggary, Mendicity, Poverty

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 2

When cities had large concentrations of artisans and craftsmen, trade guilds or unions were established. These guilds often required their members to participate in certain pagan activities. The believers’ unwillingness to participate in these activities resulted in exclusion from the guilds and financial hardship.

THOUGH THIS CHURCH WAS GOING THROUGH IT

Though Jesus knew everything about them

How the Church saw themselves wasn’t how Jesus saw the Church

He says, “I know your Poverty”

“But I also know that you are rich”

I know that your spiritual wealth is greater than your financial wealth

I know that when it comes to Faith and the Gospel, you are Rich

CHURCH, WHAT WE ACCUMULATE BY FAITH, IS GREATER THAN ANY FINANCIAL RICHES WE COULD EVER HAVE

Our trust in Jesus

Our devotion to Him

Our decisions made by Faith

Everything we do for Christ may deplete our bank accounts here on earth

But in Heaven

Our Net Worth is innumerable.

JESUS ALSO KNEW WHAT THE JEWS WERE UP TO IN SMYRNA

He knew that though they had been nourished with the Word of God throughout their upbringing

When the Messiah came on the scene

They rejected Him, just as the scriptures said they would.

Remember how Jesus knew the poverty of the Church at Smyrna, but He considered them rich?

Here we see Jesus take those who had a supposed Faith Based LIfestyle

And He associates them with the extreme opposite of that

He calls the so-called people of God members of the Synagogue of Satan.

Its not that John is being anti-semetic

It is that Jesus is exposing their unequivocal hypocrisy.

CHURCH

And the people who knew not the Lord, had become his people.

Rev 2:10

WE CAN GO FROM BEING THE IMAGE BEARERS OF GOD, TO ALIGNING OURSELVES WITH ALL THINGS UNGODLY.

Revelation 2:10 NKJV

10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

WE CAN BE SWAYED BY WHAT OTHER CHRISTIANS FIND PERMISSIBLE.

WE CAN BE INFLUENCED BY WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ALLOW IN THEIR HOMES.

WHEN WE ARE GOING THROUGH IT, IT IS ALWAYS EASIER TO THROW IN THE TOWEL.

SO THE QUESTION IS:

WILL SUFFERING EVER STOP?

IS THERE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?

IS SUFFERING A REASON TO CALL IT QUITS?

DOES SUFFERING CAUSE US TO FEAR?

Revelation 2:10 NKJV

10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

TO THAT QUESTION, JESUS WOULD SAY:

“Do not fear the things that you are about to suffer”

If I was part of this Church, and the Lord spoke to me this way

I would probably respond

“About to suffer?”

We have been suffering!

Are you saying their is more?

INDEED THE DEVIL HATES YOUR GUTS

CHURCH, IF YOU LOVE JESUS, SATAN HATES YOUR GUTS

JESUS WARNS THEM

He is going to throw you into prison

NOTICE: How Jesus doesn’t prevent Satan from doing so

WHY? Jesus is ok with testing

Jesus wants us to show Satan, and Your Audience who our trust is in

Jesus knows that in testing, our faith comes alive

JESUS ALLOWS SATAN TO THROW THEM INTO PRISON

But He does put a limit on the time frame that they are in prison

This could be 10 literal days or a period of time.

DURING THIS TIME OF TESTING, JESUS DESIRES ONE THING

Be Faithful until Death

PISTOS // Be Faithful, Be reliable, Be believing

UNTIL YOU DIE

Don’t stop beliveing

Don’t stop being Faithful

Don’t stop being reliable

Don’t compromise.

AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE

This is like what James said

James 1:12 NKJV

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

For John, this was like a shot to the heart

Polycarp, one of John’s disciples was martyred in Smyrna in the Mid-100’s AD

If John was still alive, He would be able to recall this letter and be comforted

That Polycarp had recieved the Crown of Life

Revelation 2:11 NKJV

11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’

HE WHO HAS AN EAR LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES

This stuff isn’t for everyone

In fact, it seems as though the church sometimes doesn’t want to hear what the Spirit has to say

Suffering

Persecution

Hardship

Poverty

Will often distort the trust of God in our lives

We will be tempted to throw it all away

To walk away and just deal with life godlessly.

Though this is a very tempting reality

We must remember that this life is but a vapor

WHEN ITS EASIER TO GIVE UP, OVERCOME

WHEN ITS EASIER TO CURSE GOD AND DIE, REMEMBER JOB

WHEN ITS EASIER TO BAIL, THINK ABOUT THE SECOND DEATH.

What is the First Death?

The First Death is the death we experience here on earth as a Human

The Second Death is the the Ultimate Result of not following Jesus

For those who are listening

For those who are trusting

For those who overcome

The Second Death will have nothing on them

As Jesus was victorious over the first and second death

So will those who trust in the Lord.