Revelation 02 8 11

The Church of Smyrna

Revelation 2:8-11

Introduction:

Last week we looked at the letter to Ephesus

·         A description of Jesus:  holds the seven stars/walks in midst of Churches

·         A commendation of the Church: works, labor, patience, separation

·         A condemnation of the Church: left their first love

Next letter is to the Church of Smyrna

·         Only mentioned here in the Bible

·         located about 30-35 miles north of Ephesus

·         Called the Port of Asia – on the Aegean Sea

·         As a result of its location it was a very wealthy city

·         Church struggled:

o       Jewish population that was opposed to Christianity

o       Non-Jewish population was loyal to Roman emperor

·         Historically the city was known for its wickedness and opposition to the Christian gospel in the first century

1. An encouraging description of Christ
2. A Commendation of the Church
3. An exhortation to the Church
4. A promise to the Church

I.                   An encouraging description of Christ v. 8

1.      The first and the last

This description was common in Revelation 1:8,11,17-18

Points to time and eternity:  Jesus has always been and will always be

There is nothing that can change that or take that away

Application:  In the hardships that the  Church was facing Jesus Christ was something that they could hang on to that nothing could take away

Grandmas refrigerator:  When you get to the end of your rope, tie a big knot and hang on.  Jesus was the knot that they could hang on to.

2.      The one who was dead and has come to life

Jesus faced the greatest persecution every

·         He was rejected by men

·         Unfairly tried in the court of law

·         Hung on a cruel cross to suffer and die

·         Buried in a tomb

Jesus was the greatest victor when He overcame death

There is no greater suffer and no greater victory

Application:  If Jesus could overcome death, was there anything that He could not help those in Smyrna overcome?  Or us?

Valley of dry bones Ezekiel 37

II.                 The Commendation of the Church

Note:  There is no condemnation of this Church

1.      I know your tribulation and poverty v. 9

Word works is left out of oldest manuscripts

Makes it much more direct:  I know your tribulation….

As I mentioned historically Smyrna was known for its opposition to the Gospel

Anyone who would not name Caesar as Lord in Smyrna was severely persecuted and banned from taking part in much of business and city life

Jewish religion was accepted by Rome, but they certainly were not sympathetic to Christianity either

So often in the midst of suffering what hurts more than anything else is the fact that we feel as if no one knows and no one understands.  Encouragement here is the fact that God knows and God understands!!

2 Timothy 3:12-14

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them…

If we live godly lives today we will suffer for it:  a life for Christ goes against the flow of society that does not know Christ!

Jesus told His followers that they could expect to face opposition and suffering:  and yet we are surprised by it.

The Church of Smyrna suffered to the point of poverty

·         Speaks here of abject poverty: as opposed to slight poverty

·         Yet Jesus reminds them of their true riches

2.      I know the blaspheme of those who say they are Jews but are really of the synagogue of Satan v. 9

A great number of Jews had come to Smyrna as a result of the sea port there:  persecution came to a large extent from their hands

Yet real source of persecution was Satan himself.

Ephesians 6:12-13

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

What do we think of today when we think of persecution?

Teasing, limiting places to share our faith, unequal access with other religions, unfair treatment, etc.

In the Church of Smyrna these things were expected, and yet that is not the persecution that Jesus is commending the Church for persevering against.  They were suffering to the point of prison and death. 

Historian Ignatius recorded that shortly after the book of Revelation was complete that Polycarp, the pastor of the Smyrna church was martyred for his faith.

Because of his age they took pity on him and told him that if he would just proclaim Caesar is Lord and then offer even a pinch of incense to Caesars statue that he would be spared

 He responded:  Four score and six years I have served the Lord, and He never wronged me:  how then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?

He was then burned alive at the stake

It would have been easy to be mad at Caesar or to take anger out on the Roman government, but while they carried out the persecution they were not the cause.  Satan is/was the driving force behind it. 

Same is true today of the lesser persecution that we may suffer.

III.              The encouragement and promise to the Church vv. 10-11

1.      You will continue to have persecution v. 10a

This may not sound like great encouragement:  follow me for a minute

Jesus told His disciples (and us) the same thing

Matthew 10:22

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.

Matthew 24:9-13

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Luke 21:17

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.

John 15:18-20

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

How then is this encouraging?

Luke 6:22-23

Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!  For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

I also think of Jesus telling His disciples before His death about the things He would suffer.  Why?  So that when they saw those things happen it would testify to the truth of all that He said to them.

2.      Fear none of those things

      Why?

                  Jesus would be with them

                  What they had in Christ could not be taken away

                  The suffering would end:  ten days

Not a literal 10 days, but figurative it would not last forever

3.      Be faithful to death and I will give you a crown of life v. 10

      v. 11 will not be hurt by the second death

Second death is to be forever separated from God and to experience His torment and wrath forever.

Encouragement is that there will be suffering, there will be persecution but we can stand in the midst of it knowing that someday it will end and we will be rewarded in Christ!!