Suffering?! (Revelation 2:8-11)

How do I find encouragement when everything seems to be against me.

If you are a Christian you will suffer, you will undergo persecution.

Job 14:1 CSB

Anyone born of woman is short of days and full of trouble.

Matthew 6:34 CSB

Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

2 Timothy 3:12 CSB

In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

That word “persecuted” means “pursued.

Godly/righteous means “different” or ”set apart”

If you follow Jesus you are different and will be pursued.

Following Jesus brings about a good type of division.

Luke 12:51–53 CSB

Do you think that I came here to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

The Christian has been and is the punching bag for the world.

If you follow the principles of Jesus you will be persecuted

Dr. Adrian Rodgers once said “A Christian will be persecuted for the iLifestyle we show (Righteous living= To divide/different), The Lies we Suffer (The world does not play fair. People will lie against you), and the Lord we Serve (The world hates Jesus)Lifestyle we show (Righteous living= To divide/different), The Lies we Suffer (The world does not play fair. People will lie against you), and the Lord we Serve (The world hates Jesus)

Persecution= “to pursue”

The World is against you, Satan opposes, Religion will beset you

Satan has three lines of attack. First, he tries to keep men from becoming Christians. Then, if stopped here, he tries to keep them from being active and useful as Christians. And finally, as a last resort, he tries to destroy their character. (Lou Nicholes - Author and Missionary).

Passage Summary:

The letter to Smyrna, the shortest of the seven letters, was written to Christians being persecuted not only by pagan Gentiles but also by hostile Jews and by Satan himself. Smyrna, a large city, rebuilt by Alexander the Great, was wealthy and famous. I. Smyrna was a crushed Church. (vv. 9b-10a) 1. They faced persecution. This church was paying the price for its allegiance to Jesus.

Trials were real for this body of believers, and its real for you today.

It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian, and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, follow Christ, believe in Christ, confess Christ, requires much self-denial.- J.C. Ryle

Smyrna was a place that had anti-christians Jews, A temple to Zeus, A Temple to Emperor Tiberius

The Body of believers in Smyrna was going against the norm by following Jesus.

Matthew 5:11 CSB

“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.

Christian persecution is only the result of following Christ.

If you are not following Christ, then you are not being persecuted. That’s something else.

2. They faced poverty. They had none of this world’s goods because of their relationship with Jesus.

Smyrna was a rich city.

Yet the believers were poor in physical money, they were rich spiritually.

Physical money can be taken (Market crashes, Mark of the beast)

Spiritaul richness is based on God’s economy. Its Bull and Bear resistant.

3. They faced prison. Soon the Romans would begin imprisoning people for being Christians.

Luke 21:12 CSB

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you. They will hand you over to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

II. Smyrna was a consistent Church. (v. 9a) 1. They had a positive testimony. The Lord had no rebuke for this church.

Jesus testified of who they were.

Its easy to brag of yourself, but when another provides a testimony, it is a truth.

2. They had a powerful testimony. Jesus said to them, “I know thy works.”

Jesus said they were living right

Ephesus (had no love); Pergamum (was Worldly); Thyatira (wrong doctrine); Sardis (spiritually dead); Laodicea (luke warm).

Only Philidelphia and Smyrna were without condemnation by Jesus.

III. Smyrna was a comforted Church. (vv. 8-11) 1. They had the interest of Heaven. “I know your works.”

If know one was looking out for them God was looking Down on them.

2. They had the involvement of Heaven. Jesus comes to them as “the first and the last.”

Jesus communicated that God had come to get into trouble with them.

Despite what they would experience God would be with them.

3. They had their investment in Heaven. What they lacked God made up for in Heaven. 4. They had their inheritance in Heaven. Their faithfulness had purchased a great inheritance.

Eternal perspective affects our earthly priorities.

Matthew 10:22 CSB

You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

APPLICATION: I need to look at our Lord’s words to this struggling little congregation to find the encouragement that I need to be able to stand when all else is against me.