Revelation 2:8-9

Revelation 2:8-9; The Church of Smyrna

Imagine receiving a letter from Christ about the church you attend. What do you think the Lord might would say? Would he say how wonderful the services have been? Would he say that the church choir sounds the best it ever has? Maybe he would say that the church has been doing a wonderful job with all of the programs. We may love to hear Jesus commend us in these areas, but in reality, none of those items really are significant in the eyes of Christ. The Lord is more concern with a church that has a heart to reach the lost, to grow the kingdom, and step out of its comfort zone in faith, knowing that it is Jesus leading them.

Well, we come to our second church in Revelation, and Jesus is writing them a letter through the hands of John. He has an important message for them, and this message is relevant to churches of today. Let’s see what he has to say.

“And unto the angel of the church of Smyrna”

1. So, we begin with a similar introduction as to the church of Ephesus. Jesus is addressing the caretaker of the church and the congregation; however, this time it is at Smyrna.

2. Smyrna, is a seaport city, like Ephesus was. A beautiful city located just 35 miles north of Ephesus.

3. This was another city that thrived on commerce coming in and out of its docks, making it a very dominant city of the time.

4. Smyrna as a city was a rival to Ephesus and Pergamum for the title of the First City of Asia. However, it was unrivaled in its beauty. The city was elegantly laid out, its structures complimented the landscape, and it may it an appealing place to do commerce through.

5. With so many different people coming through this location, it too was an ideal location for a church to be established.

6. Now today, the city of Smyrna has been renamed to the city of Izmir, Turkey that has had a tumultuous history beginning around WWI. Once part of the Ottoman Empire, its collapse led the country to be divided and then with war within its borders. The country has rebuilt over the years and the city once called Smyrna has now taken more to its Turkish roots and become a metropolitan area.

7. Now, we are unsure who founded the church of Smyrna, but it is thought that perhaps Paul was instrumental in its formation. In Acts 19, Paul spends time in Ephesus for around 2 years. It is most likely that during this time, the church of Smyrna was founded. – Ref Acts 19:10

8. Now here is something of great interest as well, Smyrna in other parts of the Bible is translated to a different word – the word Myrrh. Now that will become more evident as we continue our study tonight.

“These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;”

1. In this next section of the verse, we read who this letter is from. Just like the letter to Ephesus, Jesus is sending this church a direct message, straight from his own lips.

2. Jesus establishes himself as the first and the last. Now what does Jesus mean by this saying. Well, he is referencing his deity, that he is God. That all things are encompassed in Him. He is the one who made it all, and he is the one who will bring it all to a close.

3. There is the expression that is used in movies, “you haven’t heard the last of me.” Well, this is definitely true when it comes to Jesus.

4. He refers to his death. Some want to dispute that Jesus never really died on the cross, but instead just passed out. This is called the Swoon theory, and some modern muslims believe in this. In addition, others have tried to debunk the idea of Jesus death by saying that he didn’t die on a cross but was instead hung on a pole and then brought down after a certain period of suffering.

5. This is nothing more than a misguided teaching, as there is much proof that the cross was used exclusively by the Romans of that day.

6. Jesus then confirms his death on the cross. That his life died that day, his literal heart quit beating and he was laid in a tomb.

7. But then the verse tells us on the back side of his death, that now he is alive. Jesus did not remain dead, he arose! The tense of this words used in this phrasing is present tense, meaning that he still is alive to this very day.

8. It is a glorious joy when one understands that Jesus conquered death. That he was victorious and he still communicates to us today. These words were given to the church after all of the crucifixion, and he continues to speak to us through these same words today.

Vs 9 “I know thy works and tribulation,”

1. In this verse, Jesus begins to speak of their works. Well, what is the works that Jesus is referring too? Well, the works that is being associated with them is their faith and willingness to continue to serve the Lord when faced with persecution.

2. The church of Smyrna was a suffering church, a church that was faced with some of the most difficult situations of any of the churches. Yet, they were like the burning bush of the churches. They kept their faith and continued to shine for Jesus, when most would have walked out on the Lord.

3. Here, literally, was a church that was under the pressures of government, the locals, and being attacked by the forces of Satan. But even through this pressure they remained faithful to the Lord.

4. Now, remember when we talked about Smyrna and myrrh? These are identified by the same word in the original language. Well, interesting fact, myrrh produces a aromatic perfume that comes when the plant is crushed or put under great pressure. The oil of the plant seeps out.

5. Now, myrrh is often used in situations of agony or death. For instance, when Christ was on the cross he was offered a drink of wine mingled with myrrh. Mark 15:23

6. It was used in the burial process, to anoint the body of the dead. When Mary anointed the feet of Jesus with spikenard, this would have contained the ingredient of Myrrh in it most likely. We can reference this in the Song of Solomon 4:14 and John 12:3

7. Here was a church that worked for the Lord through the trying times, and its during these times when Jesus takes notice.

“And poverty, (but thou are rich)”

1. Now, the economic situation at Smyrna was not good. Here was a church you might say was just getting by the seat of their pants. Living pay check to pay check. Maybe we can relate to these folks. Earning a living can be tough, and having enough for the Lord and ourselves seems impossible.

2. Well, this church, even though they were in a beautiful city, suffered through one of the greatest economic depressions of the ages. Many of these people had given much of their wealth to the church and the ministry, then to be hit with a economic collapse but much strain on them.

3. You could almost here the heathen come and say to them, you probably wished you didn’t give to the church like you did now. What would have been the answer from these folks? Well, I like to believe that they realize that wealth was not where happiness was found. I believe many of the people in the church were just as content with $2 as they were with $2 million. They found their riches in Jesus.

4. Jesus was no stranger to what they were experiencing. Jesus who owns it all gave it all up to live as a man where he didn’t even have a bed to call his own. But, in the end, he gained it all back by being faithful to his call.

5. Listen, I want you to know, just because we may not have as much as the Jones across the road, doesn’t mean we can’t be happy and wealthy in Christ. Here was a church that found joy in Christ and were wealthy beyond measure.

“I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan”

1. Now one of the main lies that many in the church believe, is that the church takes the place of Israel. But folks that is wrong. The church is never to take the place of the nation of Israel. The Lord is going to do a great work with that nation and I believe we will see it in the near future.

2. But there were some in this church teaching that they were now the Jews and they should adhere to the law of the Jews. Now they were no more of Jewish descent than you and I, but they thought they were Jews and that meant they needed to take on the strict law of the Jews.

3. Judaism and Christianity are founded through the Old Testament, but they become two separate things with Jesus Christ. This is why Paul was going around persecuting the Christians when he was Saul.

4. Now what these folks who were claiming to be Jews were doing, was distorting the truth of Jesus and the church. They were teaching lies and trying to get the church to believe in a misguided faith.

5. Folks, we have to be cautious with this, because all the Devil has to do is to get you to believe in just a little off from the truth, and when a person does that they have believed in a lie.

6. Well, Jesus is telling this church, that this teaching was not more than blasphemy. And can I say, this type of lie is still prevalent today. Many people think that they have to live under the strict laws of the Old Testament. That they are to only eat certain things and so forth. Well, these people are living in a falsehood of Satan and that is why the Lord called them the synagogue of Satan.

7. So, there was an element of this church in Smyrna that wasn’t really serving the Lord, but were serving the Devil. Perhaps they thought what they were doing seemed reasonable and logical in their eyes, but in reality it was nothing more than a delusion that Satan had convinced these people to believe.

8. This should serve as a warning to us, that Satan is still at work. Trying to break up congregations, trying to distort the Gospel and God’s Word with man made laws and lies.

9. Listen, we must remember, what is for Israel is meant for Israel, and what is meant for the Church is for the Church.

10. We have to be cautious and remember, Jesus has a plan for us, and we don’t need to believe in the blasphemy that some are teaching today.