The Church at Smyrna
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The Church at Smyrna
The Church at Smyrna
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
“ ‘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. 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. 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.’
The Church
The Church
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
50 Miles Northwest of Ephesus
Considered the jewel of Asia by Rome
Won the opportunity to build a temple in honor of the Emperor
The Picture of Jesus
The Picture of Jesus
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
Some were dying in the name of Jesus.
Persecution should be considered a norm for Christians.
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
It is easy to serve Jesus when all is well. But, when persecution comes the true followers are Jesus are quickly known. Because they are the only ones who will show up Sunday morning.
The Encouragement
The Encouragement
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
He knows their works and tribulation
He knows their works and tribulation
God not only knows the suffering we bear for Him; but he also is keeping a record of those marks we bear in his name.
He knows their poverty
He knows their poverty
The may be poor economically.
However they are rich spiritually. And the rewards they will receive when they stand before their king in heaven will be innumerable.
He knows the persecutors
He knows the persecutors
He knows the slander of those who say that they are Jews but are not
Slander
say they are Jews but are not
A Synagogue of Satan
A Synagogue of Satan
Meaning and reason for the phrase. A continuation of the previous thought.
These Jews have capitulated with the world and the culture around them to be accepted and loved by the people and the culture around them.
And in doing so they have allowed the world and the culture around them to define what they believe.
As a result their rbeliefs are no longer defined by God but by Satan.
It is not easy to stand up for what is right when the world stand against you.
But you and I need to always remember that we do not stand alone. Jesus stands with you.
The Control
The Control
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.
DO NOT fear
DO NOT fear
Do not fear who you are about to suffer.
No where in the scriptures does God say that he is going to provide a means of escape from suffering .
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
The Devil
The Devil
Behold the devil is about to throw some of you into prison
The reason for this....
You may be tested
You may be tested
That sounds like the kind of test I want. Not really.
The purpose of the test.
God already knows the answer as to the extent of my faith.
But you don’t. None of us truly know how far our faith will take us until we have been forced to go there.
/And sometimes God takes us there as a means of encouragement to the church around us. And as a means of witness to the world around us.
Ten days
Ten days
Arrest during these times was only made in order to hold someone as they awaited trial.
Once a verdict was determined a punishment was met out immediately.
The encouragement for them and for us today.
Persecution and suffering are always temporary.
Be Faithful
Be Faithful
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
This is not a request. It is a requirement.
But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
The Victors Crown
The Victors Crown
You will receive the crown of life
The REWARD
The REWARD
First Listen
First Listen
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
In simple words “pay attnetion”
If we do not hear well. We will be unable to obey well.
Receive Life
Receive Life
The one who conquers or overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
God uses our faithful strength in the midst of our persecution and suffering to declare the power of Jesus to this world.
What is the second death.
Wait
What id death. Transition from one state of being to another.
What is the second death.
SO WHAT?
SO WHAT?
SUFFER WELL
SUFFER WELL
Suffering has a way of remind us which things in life really matter, forcing us to depend radically upon God, and thus purifying our obedience to God’s will for our lives.
Some of us in life are going to suffer greatly. While others will suffer little it seems. Why? I do not know.
Those questions are mysteries left unanswered by God.
So, they are not the questions we should dwell upon.
But rather what I can tell you from these letters in the book of Revelation is this: jesus command us to “OVERCOME!” And we are able to do so only through the strength that he alone is able to provide.
We live rather unique lives here in America. We like to say that America is God’s country. That it is a Christian nation. That it is uniquely blessed by God.
Why?
Because we do not face persecution. And based on worldly standards we are all very wealthy.
But this is what Jesus says in Matthew 24:9 when he was speaking of the end times.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.
All nations will hate us because we follow Jesus.
There is no such thing since the fall of Israel of a Godly or Christian Nation.
SUFFER WELL
SUFFER WELL
We need to always be prepared for the possibility that we may be required to die for Jesus name if necessary.
Daniel and His friends face ever increasing difficulties in their struggles with the Kingdom of Babylon. And Babylon was friendly towards other religions. But God gave them greater and greater tests in order for them to see that they would be able to stand firm in their faith even when faced with their own death. And jesus rewarded them for their ffaith.
And it is this truth that we may one day need to cling to. jesus will reward us when we remain faithful in the facer of rejection and persecution.
Jesus promises us a reward far greater than the power and status our oppresses may now enjoy.
When suffering comes and it will come in so many different ways, But it is going to come. We must stand firm in our faith. Even if we are faced with the prospect of our own death. We must stand firm in the belief that our lives are held by the very hand of Jesus.
And if. Wait no. When we face our own deaths. And one day all of us will. We must do so with hope and joy in a life lived well in the name of Jesus. And that in a moment our eyes may shut here and now. But they will open to the sigh to fthe arms of our saviour our Lord our King. Our God. Our Jesus.
Amen.
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