The Unveiling
The “Beat Up” or “Bloodied” Church
Revelation 2:8-11
* From my observation we live in an increasingly violent culture. Hardly a day passes when we don’t hear of someone being killed or attacked. An honest look at our entertainment would indicate that America has bought into fighting as a valid style of entertainment. It would seem that Boxing has almost lost its market in lieu of WWF, Toughman, Ultimate fighting, & Cage Combats. One of the marks of these events are how bloody they are & and beat up the loser seems to get. Sadly, millions see someone being beaten up & bloodied as entertaining.
* The church at Smyrna was a church which could be described, at least from a human standpoint, as beat up & bloodied. As Jesus looks at them with those eyes of fire, He sees to the very heart of their circumstances.
* (TEXT) The church at Smyrna is a very unique local church (as are all local churches). Jesus speaks to each church a very personal word. From Him, “one size doesn’t fit all.” What He knows is very personal.
* Smyrna was a wealth, booming, and affluent city where the economy was booming and jobs seemed to be abounding. From a community-development standpoint, it had been well-planned as it was on the normal trade routes. Militarily, to this point they had never been on the losing side of a battle, so all that the community did seem too successful.
* Interestingly, the name for this seemingly great city means ‘bitter’ and comes from the word myrrh. Myrrh has many uses, but most all surround suffering, martyrdom, and death. The name itself means ‘bitter.’ What a name for a community, but it could well describe the conditions for the church located there.
* I submit that the environment for Smyrna and in America today is quite similar. While most people seem to have plenty, there is little to no time for Christ, His church, and His call. As long as His call doesn’t interfere with my own agenda, all is well. As long as the church doesn’t ask for too much and just gives me what I need, I’m fine. As long as Jesus doesn’t require me to change, all is good. Yet NONE of our conditions will ever stand because His call will always interfere with your life, His church is designed to give you what you need only as a response to your giving, and Christ – He is about changing your life. Status quo is never okay with Him. This church who had been so beat up & bloodied is the only church to which Christ gives no condemnation or correction. Ephesus was a ministry machine and yet Christ said, “I have one thing against you.”
* To the church in Pergamum he said (next week), “I know you are doing some good things, but I have SEVERAL things against you.” To the Church in Thyatira He said, “You are staying with in many ways but I have something against you.” In fact, the only church which Christ offered no word of condemnation was this church who had been so abused for their faith in and commitment to Christ.
* My first note is to remind us that these people we completely His. They had trusted Christ as Savior and committed their hearts, lives, priorities, and all that they had to Him. They would not cave into the pressure of the culture, they would not turn their backs on what it meant to be His and live like Him, and they would not compromise to the pressure. They had a bad case of Jesus (which is the call to us.)!
1. His Commendation – During the course of my ministry I have had the opportunity to serve in Military communities. Many times I have been invited and have attended ceremonies to award a service person a commendation. It seems to me that commendations are serious and well thought out. Certainly, Jesus does. It is with those two words of His, which should strike fear into all who hears it. HE says, “I know.”
a. I know the pressure you live under – Verse 9 in the HCSB uses the word “tribulation” but it could be affliction, suffering, and/or pressure. In fact, the Greek word (thlipsin) speaks of intense pressure. The picture is of a man under a large stone or heavy weight, and the weight is so heavy that ultimately, it kills. Picture yourself on a rocky mountain side when an avalanche occurs and you are pinned under a rock. You know if someone ELSE doesn’t come and remove the weight you will die. It reminds me of a friend from 30 years ago. His name happened to be Jerry. He was working under his car and it fell on him. What we were told was that because he was a big, strong man, he survived for a while but because he was alone, his body finally gave in. Truth is, most of us know of pressure, even crushing pressure. It could come from many sources or for many reasons. (I.E. Financial, Family, Business, School, etc). What is the reason for your pressure? For the church at Smyrna, it was because of their Christlikeness. Contrary to some of the modern-day opinion, ‘living for Christ will not make you popular, but it will make you powerful.’ That is, powerful enough to live for Him & with Him. If you are living for Christ, people will know it. If people know it, quite likely, you’ll lose some ‘friends.’ However, you will have the heart of Christ and the hand of Christ watching over and after you. In His divine and eternal plan, you will find your way to strength, satisfaction & joy.
b. I know the poverty you live in – Think about this word poverty. In the Greek language there are 2 words for poverty. One carries the meaning of having to work diligently for a living. It’s like working pay check to pay check (as opposed to the wealthy). This is not the word used in this passage. The other word speaks of abject poverty or having absolutely nothing! This is the poverty found in the church at Smyrna. Why? The pressure they were living under was being applied from the trade guilds (we know them as “labor unions”). Believers couldn’t get a job. The country was into Caesar Worship and the Believers in Christ were not. The word was, “If you don’t worship Caesar, then you don’t work.” Herein is both the pressure and poverty at work in their lives. We used to sing the song, “It pays to serve Jesus” but in Smyrna, that wasn’t true. In fact, it may serve us well to be reminded of 2 Corinthians 6:10, “as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything.” Jesus didn’t stop there, with the external pressure, He looked internal.
c. I know the perversion you live with – (Verse 9b) Notice the ‘slander of those who SAY they are Jews but are not’ and remember the words of Paul, “He who is a Jew is not one externally, but rather internally.” This tells us (pretty clearly) that even in the church which had been beaten down by the culture that there was a contingent of people inside the church who were ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’. Not only were they NOT MEMBERS, but they were being controlled by Satan. Make no mistake; people like this were trying to get the church to become more culturally compliant and acceptable. Also, Barclay suggests that these folks had started abusing the Lord’s Supper event and turned it into an orgy. Jesus is saying, “I know, I understand, and I’m with you through it all.”
2. His Caution - This is a little different than we expect. Actually, we expect Jesus to say, “I see, I know, and I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.” Why didn’t He? (We’ll have to ask Him when we get to glory. In fact, His message is this, “get ready because things will get worse.” There are several things here about which He gives a warning, and we don’t really want that type of message. When I see the 10 days, I am reminded that this means a full & complete tribulation. Could this have an extended meaning for the spiritual church in America today? For the first time in American history, the church is being told what they should believe, teach, and tell. The sensual tops the board. The day is now when the church should overlook sexual sins (I.E. fornication, adultery, homosexuality, incest, and more). The truths of God’s word are being challenged & what will we do?
* The pressure is mounting to change God’s word. This past year, the homosexual activist met with SBC leaders to try to change the minds of the leaders and then put out a bogus report that this had worked. Here is your caution, ‘be ready, because your beliefs may well begin to cost you what it never has cost you before.’
3. His Call – This call is for everyone today and just like the message is tailor-made for each church, it is tailor made for you. He simply says, “Be faithful unto death.” Before you can be faithful to death you must be faithful in life. This same Jesus who is speaking these words is the same Jesus who spoke words like, “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish (that means die and go to a place called hell), but have eternal life (that means go to a place called heaven). His first call to you is to come to faith in Christ and be born again. He said, “Except you are born-again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Once you have come to faith, now the call is to be faithful until death. And this was spoken to the church in Smyrna, later their Pastor, Polycarp was killed for His refusal to worship Caesar. All he had to do was say, “Caesar is Lord” and his life would have been spared. Instead his immortal words were, “Eighty and six years I have serve Christ & He has never done me wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” The response of the authorities was to ‘burn him at the stake.’ Be faithful unto death are the words of Christ, and many cannot be faithful through the week. Be faithful unto death & we run the first time those who ‘claim to be Jews’ raise their heads. Be faithful unto death & many times we are too fearful to stand up for Christ. Hear His call, “be faithful unto death.”
4. His Confirmation – This message could go on and on. First, with them facing death for their beliefs, He begins the message with identifying Himself as the “First & Last, the One who was dead & is alive.” In doing this, He is giving both the confirmation & encouragement that, whatever happens, HE IS IN CONTROL. Next, His words are that if you have come to me in faith and remain faithful I will give you the CROWN OF LIFE, which is the crown of a winner. Think about this; “Life is what Christ offers” and to receive the crown is a “Coronation.” He then confirms that as a “Victor” you will not have to be concerned about the “Lake of Fire” (the second death.) But of all His words, see this; Though you think you are poor, YOU ARE RICH. (Story of Brewster’s Millions)
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