How many of you remember the “Hee-Haw” Show in the 70’s-80’s?
•How many would never admit to it if you did remember?
“If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. Gloom, despair, and agony on me”.
Some of us have one of those days. Others have one of those lives.
So what do you do when you have one of those days?
More specifically, how do you deal with suffering?
Once again, God in His sovereignty led me to preach this message several months ago.
•He knew exactly what we needed to hear today.
The truth is, everybody here today is probably suffering in some way.
We’re studying the 7 churches in Rev. and discovering how to be overcomers victorious.
Today, we’re looking at Jesus’ letter to the church of Smyrna. Turn to Rev. 2:8-11.
Here was a church enduring great suffering and persecution.
Jesus gives them and us some great advice on how to deal with suffering.
Prayer
Smyrna and Philadelphia were only 2 churches without a negative word.
•Ironically, they’re the only churches that still exist today.
I’d like to take a closer look at this passage and then take a closer look at suffering.
SMYRNA - Modern Izmir (in Turkey), about 35 miles north of Ephesus on the Aegean Sea.
It was a prosperous city, with a large, very hostile Jewish population.
The Church was probably started during Paul’s MJ to Ephesus (~AD54).
Smyrna comes from the word “myrrh”, which was an incense used in burials.
•Joseph of Arimathea used 100 lbs. of it on Jesus when He died.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus speaks about death to the city of “myrrh”?
What’s more, the Church of Smyrna was comforted by the One who had already died and rose again, claiming ultimate victory over death.
9 I KNOW YOUR AFFLICTIONS (“pressure”, tribulation, commonly used to describe End Times.)
It’s also used to describe birth pangs in Jn. 16:21.
Like the temporary pressure of giving birth, this church was also experiencing temporary “pressure” that would lead to new life.
(I KNOW) YOUR POVERTY - YET YOU ARE RICH. This was a rich, prosperous city, but the church, because of persecution by the Jews and the Romans, was under great economic stress.
•When they accepted Christ, they often lost their jobs and homes.
Jesus recognizes their material poverty, yet reminds them of their spiritual prosperity.
•Christians are the richest people on earth!
I KNOW THE SLANDER (blasphemy) OF THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE JEWS AND ARE NOT, BUT ARE A SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN. They were physical Jews, but not spiritual Jews.
Rom. 2:28-29 (NLT) FOR YOU ARE NOT A TRUE JEW JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN OF JEWISH PARENTS OR BECAUSE YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THE JEWISH CEREMONY OF CIRCUMCISION. NO, A TRUE JEW IS ONE WHOSE HEART IS RIGHT WITH GOD.
Not only were they not real Jews, but they were actually a synagogue of Satan.
Notice in v. 10 that their present suffering wasn’t over. More was to come. Oh, yay!
•It’s like a hurricane. When the eye hits, the other half of the storm is still to come.
YOU WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION FOR TEN DAYS – (prob. means a short, indefinite time).
The storm won’t last forever.
You may feel as if there’s no end to your suffering, but there is.
Jesus here gives them the best advice in the midst of suffering.
BE FAITHFUL, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF LIFE.
Don’t give up, even to the point of physical death and I will give you the victor’s/ overcomer’s crown, the crown of eternal life.
v. 11 speaks of THE SECOND DEATH - the eternal death of the wicked.
Rev. 20:14-15 THEN DEATH AND HADES WERE THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. THE LAKE OF FIRE IS THE SECOND DEATH. IF ANYONE’S NAME WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, HE WAS THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
Rev. 21:8 “THE COWARDLY, THE UNBELIEVING, THE VILE, THE MURDERERS, THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL, THOSE WHO PRACTICE MAGIC ARTS, THE IDOLATERS AND ALL LIARS—THEIR PLACE WILL BE IN THE FIERY LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH.”
Our present suffering is nothing compared to the eternal suffering of the ungodly in the second death.
(Dr. Beasley-Murray 83) “To die under the wrath of man is small compared with the prospect of suffering the judgment of God”.
AND HE WHO OVERCOMES WILL NOT BE HURT AT ALL BY THE SECOND DEATH.
If you’re a believer and you don’t give up, the second death cannot touch you!
4 TYPES OF SUFFERING: (and how we can deal with them)
1. Counterfeit Suffering Complainers. Pessimists. “Woe is me!”
They make a mountain out of a molehill. “If it weren’t for bad luck…”
What is counterfeit suffering? Suffering for a lie. It’s not really as bad as they say.
We all are tempted to be counterfeit sufferers at some point, aren’t we?
How do we deal with this kind of suffering? Avoid it.
Phil. 2:14-15 “DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME BLAMELESS AND PURE, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A CROOKED AND DEPRAVED GENERATION”
Jas. 5:9 DON’T GRUMBLE AGAINST EACH OTHER, BROTHERS, OR YOU WILL BE JUDGED.
2. Corrective Suffering Suffering as a result of our own actions
Suffering for a wrong choice.
For children, this comes in the form of discipline (the rod of correction).
As adults, we’re also disciplined/corrected, but fortunately, not by way of the rod.
Maybe it’s a result of a bad decision we make.
•Like buying a Yugo, eating Mexican food at an Amusement Park.
Some would say their marriage is a lifelong example of corrective suffering.
It may be because of sin, like getting AIDS from illicit sex or prison time for a crime.
When we mess up and fall into sin, our Heavenly Father disciplines us.
Heb. 12:5-11 MY CHILD, DON’T IGNORE IT WHEN THE LORD DISCIPLINES YOU, AND DON’T BE DISCOURAGED WHEN HE CORRECTS YOU. FOR THE LORD DISCIPLINES THOSE HE LOVES, AND HE PUNISHES THOSE HE ACCEPTS AS HIS CHILDREN… NO DISCIPLINE IS ENJOYABLE WHILE IT IS HAPPENING—IT IS PAINFUL! BUT AFTERWARD THERE WILL BE A QUIET HARVEST OF RIGHT LIVING FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRAINED IN THIS WAY.
If you’re a believer, you can guarantee discipline of some kind when you sin.
How do we deal with this kind of suffering? Avoid it.
If it’s a sin issue, stop doing it! Accept responsibility for your sin.
Confess it, seek forgiveness, and accept God’s discipline without blaming others.
If it’s simply a bad decision, we need to learn from our mistakes, accept the consequences, try to correct them if possible, and move on.
Think of it this way. Life is full of tests. We get to repeat the same test until we pass.
We take the tests in the School of Hard Knocks.
3. Cultural Suffering The consequence of living in a fallen culture/world
Suffering in the world.
This kind of suffering is inevitable because our whole culture is fallen.
Rom. 8:22 WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CREATION HAS BEEN GROANING AS IN THE PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT TIME.
Illus. 1 wk. after delivering a baby, I tried unsuccessfully to save a SIDS baby.
I saw 2 sides of suffering: I couldn’t save him, father lost a son.
We can’t escape cultural suffering. It’s a fact of life. Some face it more than others.
Is it right that Jerome suffered and died from cancer? No.
•Is it right that children are dying of AIDS or that women are abused? No.
•But for the grace of God, there go I.
How do we deal with this kind of suffering? Endure it.
Life is 10% circumstances and 90% perspective.
Jn. 16:33 …IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE. BUT TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.
I can’t understand how unbelievers deal with this stuff.
•They have no real hope, no real answers, no one to really lean on.
If you’re experiencing cultural suffering, you are not alone.
•There are countless other people who are probably suffering worse than you.
You have an Advocate; an Anchor. You have a Source of Strength; a Shield.
•It’s Jesus Christ! He knows your pain. He’s been there. And He’s here now for you.
Rom. 8:37-39 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, 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.
Heb. 13:4 NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU; NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU.
Jesus never promised to keep us from the storms, but He did promise to keep us through the storms.
•Go to the eye of the hurricane. That’s where you’ll find His perfect peace.
4. Christian Suffering (cf. Smyrna) Suffering because you’re a Christian
Suffering for your faith.
Again, this kind of suffering is inevitable for believers.
3 forces working against us:
The Accuser (Satan) despises us and will do everything he can to destroy us.
1 Pet. 5:8 HE PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION, LOOKING FOR SOME VICTIM TO DEVOUR.
The old nature keeps trying to rear its ugly head.
Rom. 7:18-20 I KNOW THAT NOTHING GOOD LIVES IN ME, THAT IS, IN MY SINFUL NATURE. FOR WHAT I DO IS NOT THE GOOD I WANT TO DO; NO, THE EVIL I DO NOT WANT TO DO—THIS I KEEP ON DOING.
The world (controlled by the devil).
Jn. 15:18-20 IF THE WORLD HATES YOU, KEEP IN MIND THAT IT HATED ME FIRST… YOU DO NOT BELONG TO THE WORLD, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD. THAT IS WHY THE WORLD HATES YOU. IF THEY PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL PERSECUTE YOU ALSO.
It’s a battle out there, whether we realize it or not.
•And we cannot win in our own strength.
How do we deal with this kind of suffering? Embrace it.
Get in there and fight - in His strength and in His armor. Fight the good fight.
2 Tim. 2:3-4 ENDURE HARDSHIP WITH US LIKE A GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST JESUS. NO ONE SERVING AS A SOLDIER GETS INVOLVED IN CIVILIAN AFFAIRS—HE WANTS TO PLEASE HIS COMMANDING OFFICER.
Christian suffering is actually considered a privilege.
Phil. 1:29 FOR IT HAS BEEN GRANTED TO YOU ON BEHALF OF CHRIST NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE ON HIM, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIM,
After being flogged in Acts 5:41, THE APOSTLES LEFT THE SANHEDRIN, REJOICING BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN COUNTED WORTHY OF SUFFERING DISGRACE FOR THE NAME.
If you’re going to suffer, it may as well be for something worthwhile.
God richly rewards those who suffer on His account.
1 Pet. 3:14-15 BUT EVEN IF YOU SUFFER FOR DOING WHAT IS RIGHT, GOD WILL REWARD YOU FOR IT. SO DON’T BE AFRAID AND DON’T WORRY. INSTEAD, YOU MUST WORSHIP CHRIST AS LORD OF YOUR LIFE.
Rom. 8:18 I CONSIDER THAT OUR PRESENT SUFFERINGS ARE NOT WORTH COMPARING WITH THE GLORY THAT WILL BE REVEALED IN US. (One of the best reasons for embracing suffering):
Our faith grows stronger through suffering.
Rom. 5:3-5 WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SUFFERING PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE; PERSEVERANCE, CHARACTER; AND CHARACTER, HOPE. AND HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US, BECAUSE GOD HAS POURED OUT HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM HE HAS GIVEN US.
Suffering gives us hope and hope overcomes all!
10 DO NOT BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SUFFER.
Jn. 16:22 NOW IS YOUR TIME OF GRIEF, BUT I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN AND YOU WILL REJOICE, AND NO ONE WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR JOY.
You may be going through severe suffering, but it’s only temporary. There is hope.
The church in Smyrna was facing incredible persecution.
People were murdered simply because they were believers. And it didn’t stop there.
•More Christians have been killed for their faith in this last century than in all the previous centuries combined! (China, Saudi Arabia, etc.)
Suffering for our faith and suffering in a fallen world is a reality of life.
To the Church in Smyrna and all believers today, Jesus says, “Don’t give up”. “Hang in there”. “This, too, shall pass”. “And the future will be infinitely better than the present.”
HE WHO OVERCOMES WILL NOT BE HURT AT ALL BY THE SECOND DEATH.
Suffering is a reality in this fallen world.
•There’s no escaping it, especially if we live like a believer.
How do we deal with it? If it’s our own fault, we avoid it.
•If it’s because of our fallen world, we accept it.
•If it’s because of our faith, we embrace it, because we have a hope that goes beyond the suffering, beyond the grave.
We know that our temporary sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that awaits us. So, let’s make the most of it.
•Make it a point to dwell in the eye of the hurricane, where Jesus dwells and where His perfect peace is present.
BE FAITHFUL, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF LIFE… HE WHO OVERCOMES WILL NOT BE HURT AT ALL BY THE SECOND DEATH.
The Bottom Line: You can make it. There is hope. Help is on the way.
Prayer/Reflection
