Smyrna: Steadfast in Persecution
Notes
Transcript
Last week we highlighted number 1 out of 7, the church in Ephesus. The busy church, this church was not afraid to confront sin in a very dark and sinful community.
Jesus commended this church for its hard work, enduring hardships, not tolerating wicked people in the church, and calling out false apostles with bad doctrine.
But Jesus had this word of correction… the church has forsaken the love they had at first. They did not love Jesus and they did not love each other like they did at first. And, If they did not repent this church would no longer exist.
It’s the love of God that leads us to repentance.
We follow Jesus because we love HIM; we love people because we love JESUS. We confront sin and deal with sin because we love God and love people.
Repentance is the only way to our new life in Jesus… that resurrection life and Jesus made possible for us.
Sin separates us from God, it enslaves us to death but to protect us from sin, God’s plan is not to isolate us from the world. Jesus said that we are to be a light in our world. The church is that lampstand in the dark world that we live in.
God’s plan for HIS church is not for us to live in a bubble so we don’t get hurt so that we stay safe. Safety is never promised for those who follow Jesus.
There is real risk of persecution when following Jesus.
Our next church, Smyrna is that church that was promised persecution but was also promised life and victory through their persecution.
Revelation 2:8–11 (NIV)
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. 9 I 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.
PRAY
Why Smyrna?
Smyrna, like Ephesus, was a proud and beautiful city. It had a large library, stadium, and the largest public theater in Asia Minor. Smyrna also had earned the right to be self-governed.
The city had become a center for emperor worship. Smyrna received permission (over several other cities who requested) to build a temple to the emperor Tiberius in 23 BC. Emperor worship was required for all Roman citizens. Those who refused could receive the death penalty.
Once a year, all citizens were required to burn incense on an altar to Caesar, after which they would receive a certificate proving that they had done their civil duty. While this was more an act of political loyalty than a religious act, the citizen had to say, while burning the incense, “Caesar is lord.” Many Christians considered this act blasphemous and refused to do it.
Smyrna also had a large Jewish population that actively opposed the Christians. Thus, the church in this city struggled against two hostile forces: a Gentile population that was required to worship the emperor and a large Jewish population that also strongly opposed Christianity. Under this kind of environment, persecution and suffering were inevitable.
Years later, in 156 AD, Polycarp, the 86 year-old church father who was lead to Christ and discipled by John the Apostle, was burned alive in Smyrna.
As you can see, there were many things that contributed to this church being persecuted for their faith in Jesus.
Jesus gives a compliment, a command, and a commitment. Smyrna is one of two of the churches that did not receive any criticism from Jesus.
Jesus begins the letter with an introduction. A word of encouragement and truth.
Revelation 2:8 (NIV)
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.
Although this church was almost dead due to persecution, Christ was reminding them that HE still is sovereign and eternal.
Jesus has the power over time as well as the power over sin. Christ identified himself as the one who died and came back to life again. Even if believers have to suffer to the point of death, Christ, the one who “came to life again,” would raise them to eternal life with him
No matter what they faced, Christ already knew about it. As the “First and the Last,” nothing could take him by surprise.
Jesus’ Compliment
Jesus’ Compliment
9 I 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.
This church willingly endured afflictions and poverty. The church in Smyrna was suffering because of persecution, and believers faced poverty even in this wealthy city. This probably refers to material poverty because Christ immediately assured them that despite their poverty, they were rich—referring to their heavenly riches.
Contrast this verse with the church in Laodicea who considers themselves rich…
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Jesus says to the church in our poverty we are made rich according to Christ’ Kingdom and HIS economy.
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?
This poverty may have come as a result of sanctions against them as part of the persecution they faced.
Much of the persecution seems to have been coming from the Jews who were actively opposing Christianity. Christ identified them as those who claimed to be Jews but really weren’t. Even though these Jews claimed to have descended from Abraham, they rejected Jesus as Messiah and Savior.
In John 8 Jesus had a conversation with some Jews who wanted to kill HIM. As these Jews were defending their linage through Abraham and God as their Father, Jesus judges them by their actions, not their linage. Who is their daddy?
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
The phrase “synagogue of Satan” means that these Jews who were persecuting this church were not serving God’s purposes but Satan’s purposes as they gathered together to worship. They hated and persecuted the true people of God, the Christians.
Jesus complimented this church for their willingness to suffer for Christ. Are we willing to suffer for Jesus?
Jesus’ Command
Jesus’ Command
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.
Don’t be afraid...
Christ told the believers in Smyrna, who had already been facing persecution and suffering, don’t be afraid of what they were about to suffer. More was coming, yet they should remember that although the Jews and Roman authorities were carrying out the persecution, behind any actions against them was the Devil himself. Satan would cause some of the believers to be thrown into prison and even be killed. He would put the believers to the test—that is, he would test their faith. Jesus had told his disciples, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you.
28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
The persecution would continue for “ten days”—probably symbolizing that although persecution would be intense, it would be relatively short and have a definite beginning and end. God was in complete control.
Be Faithful.
The church was challenged to remain faithful to Christ even when facing death. Jesus encouraged the Believers need not fear death because it will only result in their receiving the crown of life.
Smyrna was famous for its athletic games. Each champion would receive a crown, a victory wreath. In ancient Rome this was the most sought-after prize. To have gained this wreath meant that one had done special acts for Rome and would be considered a patron of the Empire.
The message to the Smyrna church was to remain faithful during their suffering because God is in control and because his promises are reliable.
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Jesus never taught that by being faithful to HIM we would avoid troubles, suffering, and persecution. Rather, believers must be faithful to Christ even when suffering. Only then will their faith prove genuine. As believers we remain faithful by keeping their eyes on Jesus and on what HE promises for now and for the future.
God shows HIMSELF Faithful out of suffering
Pain is part of life, but it is never easy to suffer, regardless of the reason. Jesus commended the church at Smyrna for its faith in suffering. He then encouraged the believers that they did not need to fear the future—if they remained faithful. Don’t let difficult times turn you away from God. Remember that when you suffer, Christ suffers with you because you belong to HIM.
Philippians 3:10 (NIV)
10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.
Allow your suffering to draw you toward greater faithfulness. Trust God, and remember your heavenly reward. Out of suffering will come the crown of life.
Jesus’ Commitment
Jesus’ Commitment
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.
The call for anyone who is willing to hear to listen to the Spirit is repeated at the end of each letter.
Whoever is victorious—that is, whoever stands strong for the faith despite persecution and suffering—will not be hurt by the second death.
The Greek negative is emphatic—they will not in any way be hurt. We all will experience physical death, whether Believers or unbelievers . The first death for those in Smyrna may have been because they were martyred for their faith. But even then they would be victorious because they would not face the second death.
All people will be resurrected, but believers will be resurrected to eternal life with God, while unbelievers will be resurrected to be punished with a second death—eternal separation from God.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Stand strong, let nothing move you in your faith even in the midst of suffering, persecution, even through the reality of death. Jesus assures us that HE will be with us no matter what we face… He is the First and the Last.
Because we follow Jesus, we may rejected by family members, we may be locked up, we may be censored, we may be restricted from getting access to health care, or food, or money, we may even be killed because we follow Jesus.
These are not hypotheticals, these are realities for so many who choose to follow Jesus. Most Muslim families would completely cut off and renounce a family member if they had decided to become a Christian and start to following Jesus.
What are we afraid of loosing when we gain everything when following Jesus?
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Are we afraid of rejection, being alone, being embarrassed, maybe being wrong. Are we afraid of saying the wrong things with the wrong attitude.
Many of us say that we will die for Jesus but faith in action begins when we face a choice between Jesus and my paycheck… my food ration… my family… my comfort… my life.
We must first commit to living for Jesus daily if we are going to be able to die for Jesus.
Daniel, Jeremiah, the 3 Hebrew children,
Is this a choice we are willing to die for?
Take Away:
Stay faithful no matter what, because God’s WORD promises that HE will always be faithful
Don’t be afraid, God is in complete control, always trust in HIM.
If we remain in Christ we will be victorious no matter what our world looks like.