WHAT CHRIST IS SAYING TO THE CHURCH 3

Revelation 2:8 ESV

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

Revelation 2:9 ESV

“ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 2:10 ESV

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:11 ESV

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CHURCH - JESUS DOES NOT CONDEMN IT

EVERYTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CHURCH – THE WORLD CONDEMNS IT

Everything can be right in you, spiritually, and yet everything can be going wrong on and around you, spiritually

We have to keep this in mind lest we misunderstand pain and suffering to be judgments from the Lord.

Going through does not mean that things are wrong between you and God

Going through means that everything is right between you and the Lord

WHEN THE FIRE COMES DON’T FEAR - BE FAITHFUL

I. BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR PAIN

Rev 2 9-

Revelation 2:9 ESV

“ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

A. I Understand your fear

THE COMMAND TO NOT FEAR IS GIVEN BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID.

It was not a life of fear - but the moment of fear when what it happening to you.

apprehensive; the feeling that something being unpleasant

JESUS SAYS - I UNDERSTAND YOUR FEAR

LETS CONSIDER THIS FOR A MOMENT

THIS IS NOT A COMMAND GIVEN AS A STERN REBUKE

IT WAS A LOVING COMMAND AND COMMAND OF UNDERSTANDING

IN OTHER WORDS THE LORD DOES NOT JUDGE OUR FEAR, BUT HAVING TASTED OUR FLESH, HE UNDERSTANDS OUR FEAR

HE IS COMPASSIONATE BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT WE ARE AFRIAD, NOT BECAUSE OF OUR LACK OF TRUST IN HIM, BUT BECAUSE, AT TIMES, WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US IS SCARY!

JUST LIKE IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE (LET THIS CUP PASS; TREMBLING, SWEATING BLOOD) - NOT BECAUSE OF LAKC OF TRUST IN THE FATHER BUT THE IDEA OF BEARING THE CROSS FOR SIN WAS DAUNTING

JESUS UNDERSTANDS THOSE MOMENTS WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES SEEK TO OVERWHELM OUR FAITH AND OUR HOPE AND OUR OBEDIENCE

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT IS RELATED TO OUR OBEDIENCE

B. I KNOW WHAT YOUR SUFFERING IS

Jesus knows OUR tribulation - our RIGHT NOW - pain

HE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH

HE KNOWS THE DETAILS OF THE TRIBULATION BUT HE ALSO KNOWS THE DETAILS OF YOUR HEART AND YOUR STRUGGLES TO MAINTAIN – HE KNOWS

· HE KNOWS THE STRUGGLES OF MAINTAINING THAT RELATIONSHIP

· HE KNOWS THE PAIN OF YOUR LOSS

· HE KNOWS!!!!

I WANT YOU TO REST IN THAT KNOWLEDGE TODAY

BECAUSE THEY DAY WILL COME WHEN YOU WILL BE TEMPTED TO QUESTION IT (TO FEAR)

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT HE CAN HANDLE YOUR DOUBT

HE CAN HANDLE THOSE MOMENTS

WHEN OUR FAITH IS FOREIGN TO US

WHEN OUR TRUST HAS BEEN TOPPLED BY TRYING TIMES

WHEN OUR BELIEF IS BAFFLED AND BEWILDERED

HE KNOWS, AND HE CAN HANDLE IT BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU AND IS LOVING YOU IN THE MIDST OF IT.

C. I KNOW WHERE ITS COMING FROM

Revelation 2:9 ESV

“ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

JESUS IS SPECIFIC: THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN

JEWS (THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE IN THAT CONTEXT)

BUT THROUGHOUT REDEMPTIVE HISTORY

The saints were/ARE being blasphemed (slandered) by false Christians (of the synagogue of Satan)

- Dogs in the church

Philippians 3:2 ESV

Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

WATCH THOSE DOGS

- Satan infiltrates the church

CHURCH CAN BECOME A SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN

JESUS IS SPECIFIC BECAUSE HE WANTS US TO KNOW:

WE DON’T HAVE TO FIGHT THEM - HE KNOWS WHO THEY ARE

JESUS IS SAYING: ‘I GOT THIS”

TRANSITION: DONT’ BE AFRIAD BUT REMAIN FAITHFUL IN YOUR PAIN

II. BECAUSE FAITHFUL SUFFERING IS THE FAMILY BIRTHMARK

- BURNS MEN - SLOW GETTING TO THE PARTY

- FAMILY MARK OF EVERY BELIEVER: FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH

JESUS EXPERIENCED IT

Revelation 1:9 ESV

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

“MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE AND ALL THEW WORLD GO FREE? NO THERE’S A CROSS FOR EVERYONE, THERE’S A CROSS FOR ME”

- JESUS SAYS - THE TRIALS YOU ARE EXPERIENCING HAVE TWO SIDES

A. THE TRIALS YOU ARE EXPERIENCING HAVE TWO SIDES

1. SIDE ONE: IT IS THE ACTIVITY OF THE DEVIL TEMPTING YOU TO TO DENY YOUR FAITH

2. SIDE TWO: IT IS THE SOVEREIGN WORK OF CHRIST TESTING OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH

JESUS WANTS TO SEE WHAT’S UP WITH YOUR FAITH

IS IT LIVE OR IS IT MEMOREX!

GOD IS TESTING TO DISTINGUISH TRUE FAMILY FROM IMPOSTERS

You said that the Lord is good – LET ME SEE

You said that the Lord is worthy – LET ME SEE

You said that the Lord is deserving of your praise – LET ME SEE

You said that the Lord will make a way some how – LET ME SEE

You said the Lord is good all the time and all the time the Lord is good – LET ME SEE

JESUS IS TEACHING SMYRNA AND US THIS IMPORTANT TRUTH:

WHILE THERE MAY BE TRIALS THAT TEST FAMILY ALLEGIANCE, THERE IS NO TRIAL THAT CAN DIVIDE OR DESTROY GENUINE FAMILY

III. BECAUSE SUFFERING IS GENERATIONAL-ETERNAL WEALTH BUILDING

JESUS SAYS DON’T BE AFRIAD AND REMAIN FAITHFUL EVEN WHEN IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITHFULNESS THAT ARE YOU IN THIS SITUATION

THEN HE SAYS SOMETHING INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT: DON’T FEAR AND REMAIN FAITHFUL - BUT MORE IS COMING

Revelation 2:10 ESV

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

WHAT YOU ARE “ABOUT TO SUFFER”

- Blood of the martyr-seed of the church

We suffer for the GLORY OF GOD AND THE GOOD OF OTHERS

THAT’S WHY JESUS SAYS IN VERSE 9: (BUT YOU ARE RICH)

WHY? BECAUSE HE WANTS THEM TO SEE THEIR PRESENT TROUBLES HOW HE SEES IT

- See you are rich NOW even though you feel poor (ct Laodicea)

- But how

One thing about wealthy people is that when they were not wealthy, they acted like it because they kept the vision in their sight

- SO LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT JESUS WANTS YOU TO SEE

· HE SEES EVERYTHING AND HE SEE EVERYTHING PERFECTLY

· HE SEES WHAT OUR CONTEXT WILL NOT SHOW US

· HE SEES WHAT OUR EYES BLURRED THROUGH THE TEARS OF PAIN AND FEAR

· HE SEES SOMETHING AND THE CALL NOT TO FEAR IS THE CALL TO SEE WHAT HE SEES

· BUT THIS SEEING WILL DEMAND SOMETHING

IT WILL DEMAND THAT WE LOOK ABOVE

DAVID SAYS IN PSALM 121-

Psalm 121:1 ESV

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?

Psalm 121:2 ESV

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

NOW, JESUS IS CALLING US TO LOOK - NOT TO THE HILLS - BUT THE A HILL! THE HILL WHERE GLORY FELL UPON - THE HILL GOLGATHA:

I WANT YOU TO SEE IT IN YOUR MINDS EYE THIS MORING, LIFITNG THEM FROM THE SUFFEREING AND PAIN YOU SEE - TO THE HILL WHERE SUFFEREING AND PAIN WERE DEALT A FINAL BLOW

· JESUS CLIMBED THE HILL OF GOLGATHA

WITH THE WEIGHT OF THE CROSS ON HIS BACK –

HIS BODY AND FACE, BRUSIED AND BLOODIED - CAN YOU SEE IT?

HE GARMENTS SOILED BY THE PERSPERATION OF HIS SWEAT MIXED WITH BLOOD AND THE AGONY OF THE MOMENT -

BUT THERE HE IS, WEIGHED DOWN, THIRSTY, HUNGRY AND ALONE – CLIMBING THAT HILL CALLED GOLGATHA -FOR ME

AND ON THE HILL, THERE HE IS

MOCKED, AND SLANDERED – DO YOU SEE IT?

THERE HE IS ON THAT HILL

NAILS BEING DRIVEN THROUGH HIS HANDS – BLOW AFTER BLOW (FOR ME)

NAILS DRIVEN IN HIS FEET – BLOW AFTER BLOW – CAN YOU SEE IT?

THERE IS THE SAVIOR OF MANKIND

RAVISHED BY THOSE HE CLIMBED THE HILL TO SAVE

THERE HE IS,

THE SON OF GOD; GOD IN THE FLESH

SUSPENDED BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH

BETWEEN TWO THEIVES – MEN WHO DESERVED TO BE THERE

YET THERE IS

THE RIGHTEOUS ONE

THE OBEDIENT ONE

THE HOLY ONE – HANGING LIKE A COMMON CRIMINAL ON THE CROSS

THERE HE IS –

THE ONE WHO IS LIFE – IS NOW DEAD

BONES BROKEN - FOR ME

SIDE PIERCED - FOR ME

HEAD BOWED - FOR ME

DEAD - - FOR ME

CAN YOU SEE IT

JESUS WANTS YOU TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND HIS GOLGATHA SO THAT YOU CAN SEE YOUR GOLGALTHA MOMENTS IN LIGHT OF HIS GOLGALTHA

JESUS WANTS YOU TO SEE GOLGALTHA!!!!! BUT...

HE WANTS YOU TO SEE SOMETHING ELSE?

HE WANTS YOU TO SEE A TOMB

A BORROWED TOMB

HE WANTS YOU TO SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE TOMB IS WHERE PEOPLE WOULD GO TO REMEMBER THE DEAD

HE WANTS YOU TO SEE SOMETHING ABOUT HIS GRAVE – THAT HIS GRAVE IS EMPTY

JESUS WANTS YOU TO SEE YOUR GOLGATHA MOMENTS BUT NOW, IN THE LIGHT OF THE EMPTY TOMB.

VERSE 8 IS IMPORTANT IN THIS LIGHT

Revelation 2:8 ESV

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

JESUS IS TEACHING US THAT OUR WEALTH IS THIS:

THAT WE ARE, RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS POVERTY AND PAIN - HE WANTS US TO SEE THAT

THIS IS WHY JOHN DESCRIBES HIM AS THE ONE WHO DIED AND CAME TO LIFE!

HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE OF DEATH AND NOW, WE, ARE NOT SIMPLY WAITING FOR THE RESURRECTION,

BUT WE ARE LIVING IN THE POWER OF IT - NOW!

PAUL - KNOW THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION

Philippians 3:10 ESV

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

IN THE CONTEXT OF SPEAKING ABOUT SUFFERING PAAUL SAYS THIS OF US

2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

YOU MIGHT BE HARD PRESSED NOW - BUT FROM YOUR CRUSHING COMES THE EXPENSIVE FRAGRANCE OF HEAVEN

SO,

WHEN THE FIRE COMES DON’T FEAR - BE FAITHFUL

Because He Knows Your Pain

Because Faithful Suffering is the Family Birthmark

Because Suffering Is Generational - Eternal Wealth Building