The Church at Smyrna-Under Pressure

Introduction

I think that we would all agree that storm clouds are brewing over the Church in Western cultures.

As followers of Jesus Christ in North America, we’ve witnessed our society drift away from biblical principles. It has been happening for some time. Many Godly women of God have warned the Church it was happening,I remember the illustration I heard of when sailing, when sailing, your navigation plan must be absolutely 100% precise. If you travel just one degree off course:

You will miss your target by 92 feet.

For every 60 miles you sail, you will miss your target by one mile.

Sailing around the equator will land you almost 500 nautical miles off your intended target.

So the question is if the boat was already steadily drifting off course how much more off course will it be when a storm comes!

Jesus confronted the Jewish authorities in Lk 12:56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?

Red sky in the morning sailor take warning red sky at night sailor’s delight!

Folks I think we have a red sky!

We’ve felt social hostility toward biblical teachings intensify. We’ve witnessed the rise of legislations affecting religious freedom. And we’ve started to think more seriously about what it means to follow Jesus when tempestuous waves begin rising around us.

Some have recognized changes in Canadian laws such as this most recent law criminalizing any attempts at engaging in Conversion therapy (which is basically makes it illegal to try to influence anyone who is struggling with gender confusion, or same sex attraction to not act on pursuing those lifestyles or gender reassignment. This is in direct opposition to the declaration that Jesus made when he announced the arrival of Kingdom of God and reading from the scroll of Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,”

Additionally, we are presently experiencing this attack on our human rights to exercise sovereignty over our own bodies and the bodies of our Children and not be subjected to undergo experimental medications as was determined by the world court at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi War criminals

Over 340 million Christians living in places where they experience high levels of persecution and discrimination 4,761 Christians killed for their faith 4,488 churches and other Christian buildings attacked 4,277 believers detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned

We might not experience the kind of persecution many Christians around the world endure. Maybe we’ll never be called to stand before a jury, spend years in a labor camp, or pay the ultimate price for our faith. One thing is for certain, we don’t know what will happen next.

As followers of Jesus Christ we are not on that sailboat we with Jesus. That does not mean the storms won’t affect us Remember the disciples that were in the boat with Jesus?

They were afraid for their lives.

The fact is the storm is coming

But we do know that Paul told Timothy, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:12, ESV).

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Let’s pray

Our text is

8“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

11Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

In the Book Revelation chapter 2:8-11 it is a letter from the Lord Jesus to the suffering church in Smyrna a city in Asia Minor under Roman rule , many think Scholars think that Revelation was written during the rule of the roman emperor Domitian around AD 90. He like his predecessors demanded worship . The Emperor worship cult was utilized for this purpose . As Domitian’s reign continued, people began to refer to Domitian as Dio Cassius or Master and Lord.

The church at Smyrna was most likely established in connection with Paul’s missionary work in Ephesus Acts 19:10

Knowing that following Jesus means sharing His sufferings, how can we prepare to live fully for Christ in hostile environments?

What we can observe in the text is the Lord Jesus articulating 3 things that I want to focus on (for the sake of time)

Who he is and that he is with us vs 8

He knows what we are going through 9

He will give grace to endure 11

In the Letter to the Church at Smyrna was a church experiencing extreme pressure because of affliction/ tribulation in the form of persecution as a direct result of their Faith in and their allegiance to Jesus Christ. They rejected Emperor Worship as well as any other form of idolatrous worship of the local deities of Roman polytheism.

In fact, 1st and 2nd Century Christians were viewed as Atheists, who practiced religion that was unrecognizable to them.

To the Church in Smyrna

8“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

We can see that the transmission of this message is as follows from God the Father to the Lord Jesus Christ , to his Angel to his servant John to this 2nd church of Seven Rev 1:1

Vs 8 b The Lord Jesus Christ restates WHO HE IS as He identified himself in Rev 1:8,18 I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!

In our passage he refers to himself this way:

“These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again”

Jesus is reminding the readers of his supremacy here which affirms his absolute Sovereignty over everything! The First letter of the Greek alphabet is Alpha and there are 22 letters in between it and the the Last letter Omega which is just a way to say His Sovereignty encapsulates the Beginning , everything in between and the end! All history , past present future .

In his hands are the keys to hades and death.

He is it, Brothers and Sisters ! You hear people talk about a Higher power? Well he is the highest power there is and ever will be

He went to the Cross and died but through His resurrection he , defeated the power of sin and through his resurrection He is victorious over the most feared enemy of All- Death

Romans 6:9 (LEB)

Knowing that Christ, because he has been raised from the dead, is going to die no more, death no longer being master over him.

2 Timothy 1:10 (LEB)

But has now been disclosed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought to light life and immortality through the gospel,

1Peter 3:18

1 Peter 3:18 CSB

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Revelation 2:9 CSB

I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Here the Lord makes the statement acknowledging his awareness of their situation. He is fully aware!

Not only of their present situation As he is standing in the midst of the Lampstands (His Churches)

But he knows intimately what they are going through because He went through himself!

He knows what it is like to be afflicted through tempted and tried arrested ,falsely accused by slanderers, tortured and brutally killed. Jesus , more than anyone knew affliction as man.

He led the way all the way to the cross

These Christians in Smyrna were poor because economic pressure from local authorities operating under Roman decree which would have resulted in of loss of employment or exclusion from being able to earn a living due to local trade guilds, which provided work but often promoted pagan religious activities that caused Christians to compromise their faith. In addition,their property and or assets seized due to hatred for their Faith IN and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Heb 10:34

These authorities and Trade union representatives towed the Roman Imperial line and used the full authority of the Roman legal apparatus to punish the Christians of Smyrna

When ever you need to reject something that is aligned

with the God of this world (Satan) and his representatives acting in an office here on earth on his behalf and punish Jesus’s followers

Her this Jesus Knows what you are go through!

I know you are poor but you are rich?

James says in James 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

How many believe that Jesus is worth more than any earthly treasure that we can possess?

Before I married Sylvia , I had decided that if we were to consider getting married, I would need to see what it was like on the Mission field if I was cut out for it . So I went to Mexico on a short term Mission with YWAM. This one particular day we went to Shanty town in region in Tijuana. It was to be an outreach to a poverty stricken area not far from the Border to the US. It had exposed electrical wires and limited available running water.We brought gifts (very inexpensive by our standards)

shared food , did puppet shows , shared the word of God and gave testimonies with a portable microphone and speaker

The people were so thankful it was extremely humbling for the whole team.

For these people , they were not persecuted Christians but were poor because of there situation and lack of opportunity.

I was amazed to hear a Mexican woman who was a Christian share that She knew that they were very poor , but becuse they had Jesus they had everything they needed!

There was no social welfare but the Kingdom of God was theirs.!!!

The Poor were rich in Faith

When financial pressures come though persecution we must exercise faith more than ever

When we go through these things remember our Lord Knows what we are Going through.He himself was stripped of his Clothes and at the time of his death had no tomb of his own but was laid in a borrowed tomb.Will our Lord find us rich ?

I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not,

The context here is that Jews in Smyrna were legally exempt from worshipping the Emperor, and initially Believers in the Messiah where some had been Jews part of the Smyrnean Synagogue and were being denounced by the Synagogue authorities as heretics and ejecting them. They also would accuse them falsely in Court

Revelation 2:10 KJV 1900

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Do not be afraid of anyone who can inflict suffering on you. The Lord identifies the source of the persecution (The devil)and foretells that it will be a test and puts a specific amount of time to it; 10 days

The Lord says don’t be Afraid!

Why ? Ordinarily the idea of persecution , getting thrown into prison or worse would be to most people slightly unsettling!

A common but powerful biblical example Is Shadrach , mEshach and Abednego - not Prison , the Furnace!

What did they say?

Isaiah 41:10 ESV / 230 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Romans 8:35-38

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Psalm 44:22

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Proof of faith!1 Peter 1:7 so that the proven character of your faith -

Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed.

Vs 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.