STEADY AS SHE GOES
Revelation 2.8-11
S: Suffering
C: Faithfulness
Th: God Speaks to the Church
Pr: UNWAVERINGLY KEEP THE FAITH.
CV: We will passionately pursue full devotion to Jesus Christ.
I. THE CORRESPONDENT
II. THE CHURCH
III. THE COMMENDATION
IV. THE COMMAND
V. THE COUNSEL
PA: How is the change to be observed?
• Understand that how you endure hardship is more important than what hardship you endure.
• Faithfully finish the race of life.
Version: ESV
RMBC 1 February 09 AM
INTRODUCTION:
Do people know the truth about you?
ILL Persecution (S)
There is a story of a professing Christian who got a job in a lumber camp that had the reputation of being very unfriendly toward Christians. A friend, hearing that the man had been hired, said to him, "If those lumberjacks ever find out you’re a Christian, you’re going to be in for a hard time!"
The man responded, "I know it, but I really need the job!" The next morning he left for the camp. After a year had passed, he decided to come home for a visit. While in town, he met the friend who had predicted the ridicule and persecution he would receive from the other lumberjacks.
"Well, how did it go!" asked the friend. "Did they give you a hard time because you’re a Christian`?"
"Oh, no, not at all," the man replied. "They didn’t give me a bit of trouble - they never even found out!"
That’s not a good sign, is it?
For the Christian, complete silence is not an option.
For the Christian, being exactly like those around us is not a priority.
Take that personal for a moment…
If Jesus was to speak directly to you right now, would He be happy with the testimony of your faith to those round and about you?
What would He say?
You see, the most important person to speak into our lives is Jesus.
And He is speaking!
OUR STUDY:
Our theme for our messages in Revelation is “God Speaks to the Church.”
And that reflects a truth for us…
God is speaking to the church.
The question is, of course, are we listening?
In Revelation 2.8-11, He speaks this…
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.”
I. THE CORRESPONDENT
Jesus scrutinizes and assesses the church.
Jesus is visiting the church in Smyrna and He is inspecting it.
He is checking them out.
He is seeing what they are up to, giving them a thorough examination.
He is evaluating whether it is the kind of church that is worth His connection.
And…
He speaks with authority as the Incarnate Lord.
He is the First and the Last.
He is the one who died, but was victorious over death.
He comes as the glorified and exalted Lord.
He is nothing less than the Lord Jesus Christ.
II. THE CHURCH
He now comes to the church in Smyrna.
This is the second of the seven churches Jesus comes to speak to specifically.
Last week, we were to the south of Smynra, in Ephesus.
Smyrna was another seaport, a competitor to Ephesus, and was a wealthy city.
Interestingly, of the seven cities, it is the only one that still exists.
Smyrna is today’s Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey.
Smyrna had a strong allegiance to Rome.
It was a hotbed of emperor worship and had a temple dedicated to Emperor Tiberius.
As Jesus comes to speak to the church in Smyrna, there is no word of rebuke.
For…
The church in Smyrna was fragrant.
Smyrna was named after the myrrh tree, which was beat into a resin that was a perfume for the living and used to embalm the dead.
The church here was fragrant to God because they refused to compromise and say Caesar is Lord.
Their endurance was worship that rose up before God as something sweet and beautiful.
III. THE COMMENDATION
They had not compromised.
Remember…
They were living under the authority of Emperor Domitian who has sent the apostle John into exile to die on Patmos.
These were dangerous times, as it became a capital offense to refuse to offer the yearly sacrifice to the emperor.
Jesus comes to them and says that he understood their distress.
They were under tremendous pressure.
The word sometimes translated as tribulation is also used to describe what happens to grapes and olives in the presses.
They are crushed.
This is what was happening in Smyrna.
They were living in complete poverty for their faith in Jesus.
They’ve got nothing.
And to make it worse, the unbelieving Jewish population is bringing accusations against them.
They are wicked and slanderous informers, hoping to destroy the Christian faith.
You see, Judaism was recognized and accepted as a separate religion by the Roman government.
Christianity had no such protection.
It was considered nothing less than an atheistic cult.
But Jesus tells them that…
They had full bank accounts in heaven.
Again…
This was no health and wealth gospel.
There is none of that heresy going on here.
They were wealthy though.
Not according to the world’s standards.
But they did have what really mattered.
They had salvation.
They had holiness.
They had grace and peace and mercy.
They had the companionship of fellow believers.
None of these things could ever be taken away.
IV. THE COMMAND
Now, Jesus is about to tell them what He needs them to do.
But note this…
After He tells them that He understands their affliction and tribulation, He offers them more good news.
More is coming!
Now that does not seem like good news to me.
But Jesus is encouraging them with the knowledge that the reality of their faith was going to be proven.
For a period of ten days, they were going to experience a major assault against their faith.
It was going to be intense, but brief.
So Jesus offers this command.
Don’t be afraid!
Stop being afraid!
In Scripture, God communicates and orders us to stop being afraid – over 200 times.
God wants us to be full of courage when it comes to our faith.
For we are to keep our perspective.
Do not fear those who can kill the body (Matthew 10.28).
Note how Matthew quotes Jesus…
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
There is no doubt that the threat of martyrdom would cause the fainthearted to relinquish their hold on Christ, but Jesus says to hold on to those eternal values.
This will be temporary.
So Jesus encourages them to be conquerors.
Receive the crown of life!
They will experience physical death.
But they will never ever have to experience a spiritual death.
Never.
The church in Smyrna survived the trial that was coming their way.
We know this because one of John’s disciples became pastor of the church.
ILL Martyr (S)
Polycarp was a personal disciple of the apostle John. As an old man, he was the bishop of church in Smyrna. Persecution against the Christians broke out there and believers were being fed to the wild beasts in the arena. The crowd began to call for the Christians’ leader, Polycarp. So the authorities sent out a search party to bring him in. They tortured two slave boys to reveal where Polycarp was being hidden.
Polycarp was resting upstairs in a country home. The came in like a posse, fully armed as if they were arresting a dangerous criminal. Polycarp’s friends wanted to sneak him out, but he refused.
He was brought to the arena and the Roman authorities saw the senselessness of making this aged man a martyr. So when Polycarp was brought into the arena, the proconsul pled with him, “Curse Christ and I will release you.”
“Eighty-six years I have served Him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?”
The proconsul reached for an acceptable way out, “Then do this, old man. Just swear by the genius of the emperor and that will be sufficient.” (To do this though would be a recognition of the pagan gods and religion.)
“If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.”
The proconsul continued to attempt in persuading Polycarp with various punishments, and finally said, “I will have you burned alive.”
“You threaten fire that burns an hour and is over. But the judgment on the ungodly is forever.”
Sadly, he was burned to the stake, but note this…he was not afraid.
He had given his best for Jesus.
CHALLENGE:
V. THE COUNSEL
We all need to hear and respond to the message.
As we continue in this series, I think it is appropriate to ask the question…
If Jesus was speaking to Randall, what would He say?
Would He commend us for our faith?
Or would He criticize us for our lack?
So, as we study the church in Smyrna, we need to hear and respond to the message.
You see..
Persecution and trials are an inevitable and essential part of the Christian life.
We all experience suffering at some level.
It could be losing a job because of your ethical stand.
Someone taunts your children because of your faith.
But understand this…
Understand that how you endure hardship is more important than what hardship you endure.
You may have an illness of some kind.
You may experience a financial hardship.
You may face a loss of a loved one.
Whatever it is, remember…
How you endure the hardship is more important that what hardship you endure.
Every once in a while, I hear someone say, “I know what you are facing is tough, but no offense, mine has been harder” or something along those lines.
It is not a contest!
How you endure the hardship is more important that what hardship you endure.
UNWAVERINGLY KEEP THE FAITH.
You see, it is steady as she goes!
Keep the faith.
Do it unwaveringly.
Do it steadfastly.
Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to stay true to your faith?
For I wonder…
What would we do if as we left this building, people were outside waiting to beat us with clubs?
What would we do if we arrived at work only to be told we were fired, that our house was being repossessed, and that all that we worked for in this life was being confiscated?
What would we do if the very person sitting in the pew next to us went to the police and laid slanderous charges against us?
I often imagine things like this.
But the tests of faithfulness begin now, not later.
They may seem like little things, but we have opportunities to stand true to God every day.
We have opposition.
Sometimes they are nothing more than little snide remarks that insult our Lord.
But how will we ever succeed with the big challenges if we are not successful with the small ones?
So let’s…
Faithfully finish the race of life.
See, here is the good news…
We can be known for genuine faith.
We can be known for our love others.
We can be known for caring about the eternity of those that do not know Jesus.
For Further Study: Psalm 56.11; Isaiah 44.6; Matthew 5.10-12, 10.32-33; John 16.33; Acts 14.22; I Corinthians 9.24-27; II Corinthians 8.9, 12.9-10; II Timothy 2.3, 3.12; Hebrews 12.1-3; James 1.2-4; I Peter 3.18, 5.10; Revelation 20.14, 21.8
COMMUNION:
ILL Persecution (S)
Charles Spurgeon…
"If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem to be against us, we do not believe Him at all.”
Hebrews 12.1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Jesus endured the most unjust and severe persecution anyone ever suffered.
It is why we come to the table today.
We want to remember that.
We want to pause and patiently worship our Lord Jesus
I hope you know Jesus today, for there is nothing greater.
We are here today, because it is all about Jesus.
If you know Jesus today, you are invited to share in the elements of the table.
You do not have to be a member of our church, but we do ask that you know Jesus and have a relationship with Him.
We practice "communion" because we are to remember the death of the Lord Jesus.
We take the bread to remind us that it was by the body of our Savior that our salvation came.
He died in our place.
He became our substitute.
PRAYER
The apostle Paul writes, "The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
Let’s partake together.
We take the cup to remind us that it was by the blood of our Savior that our salvation came.
He died for our sins.
He became our sacrifice.
PRAYER
Again, the apostle Paul writes, "In the same way, after supper he took the cup saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Let’s partake together.
Deacon offering
ILL Endurance (S)
Film Clip: “Facing the Giants”
Prep before clip…
• Football
• Coach is going through a series of failures and losses
• Team has lost three straight
• Parents and boosters turning against him
• Rethinks the purpose of football as a Christian
• Determined to give God glory whether life goes his way or not
Scene 12 until the camera backs up to view the whole football field.
Are you prepared to give your best?
BENEDICTION:
Stop being afraid.
Keep the faith.
Give God your best.
Philippians 4.13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
It is more than just you when God is with you.
Give God your best
RESOURCES:
SermonCentral:
Brincefield, Larry Smyrna
Gauthier, David Smyrna: Grace Under Fire
Kilson, Jim The Church at Smyrna
McCormick, Darren When Is Enough, Enough?
Moore, David Smyrna – The Suffering Church
Owens, David Faithful to the End
Scudder, David Freedom from Fear
Other:
"’I Am a Christian’: Polycarp’s Powerful Witness." Glimpses, no. 11 (1990).
Jeremiah, David, and Carole C. Carlson. Escape the Coming Night. Dallas: Word Publishing, 1990.
Keener, Craig S. The Ivp Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
MacArthur, John, Jr. Revelation 1-11. The Macarthur New Testament Commentary. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.
Mounce, Robert H. The Book of Revelation. The New International Commentary on the New Testament, ed. F. F. Bruce. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977.
Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament. Colorado Springs: ChariotVictor Publishing, 1989.
