HOPE OF THE CHURCH
Revelation 2:8-11 & Revelation 3:7-13
INTRODUCTION… HOPE IN HYMNS
#1 A Lamp In the Night
#2 Great is Thy Faithfulness
#3 My Only Hope is in the Lord
#4 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
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BACKGROUND OF THE CITIES
We are continuing our look at the Book of Revelation this morning, and we are looking at two letters that are similar. I think it is important, before we get into the two passages, to know who the letters are to! This is true of most letters, books, and articles… you understand the meaning of something better when you know the audience.
First let’s look at some characteristics of the city of Smyrna which is the recipient of the letter in Revelation 2:8-11. Smyrna is in Cobb County Georgia and is just north of Atlanta… no wait… wrong Smyrna! Smyrna, the one in Revelation, is located thirty-five miles due north up the coast from Ephesus which we talked about last week. Smyrna was a wealthy city of about 100,000 people, second only to Ephesus in this area. It is considered by historians as the most exquisite city the Greeks ever built because of the streets inside the city, the excellent protected natural harbor, and great roads that led to it. The city was surrounded by hills which were topped by temples for every known heathen god. On the side of one hill was an amphitheater large enough for over 20,000 people. It was constructed for emperor worship. By the time the Book of Revelation was written, emperor worship was commanded to all citizens of Rome. The churches were persecuted because they wouldn’t bow down to Caesar and burn incense in the temple. This letter was personally written to people under pressure. Every word He speaks to this suffering body is one of appreciation. Only two of the seven churches received letters of total commendation and encouragement: Smyrna is one and Philadelphia is the other.
Philadelphia is the second city we will look at today and is the recipient of the letter in Revelation 3:7-13. Philadelphia is famous for it’s cream cheese and cheese steaks… right? No wait… wrong Philadelphia! This Philadelphia in the Apostle John’s day was famous for its wines and healing hot springs. This city became known as the “Gateway to the East” because of its geographic location. The city was founded about 150 years before Jesus. The purpose for the city was to spread the Greek culture, language and manner of life to the east. She was intended to be a missionary city – to promote Hellenism in the land. This letter is written to a church that has done it right and is a church that we would want to make sure we emulate.
READ REVELATION 2:8-11
Revelation 2:8-11 "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 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 the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.”
READ REVELATION 3:7-13
Revelation 3:7-13 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars-- I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
I. HOPE OF THE CHURCH: FAITH
The passages that we read today have something very important in common. Both letters to the church in Smyrna and Philadelphia speak to the hope of the church which is faith in Jesus Christ. The unequivocal belief that marks Christians as different from every other religion in the world, the hope of the Church, is our belief in Jesus Christ. Belief in His identity, His life, His death, and His resurrection marks Christians as different from everyone else in the world. These two passages describe Who we worship in a very poetic and beautiful manner and on Whom we set every ounce of our hope.
First, we believe in “Him who is the First and the Last” (2:8). This verse echoes what is said about Jesus in John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” This verse echoes what Jesus says about Himself in Revelation 22:13, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” This title for Jesus as “Alpha and Omega” or “the First and the Last” is unique in the Book of Revelation. What does that mean? It means that Jesus Christ is God and He has always been which fills us with such hope. Jesus has always existed. This title or name for Jesus in 2:8 shares with us the deity of Jesus Christ which is an anchor for our faith.
Second, we believe in “Him who died and came to life again” (2:8). This verse echoes the purpose with which Jesus Christ came to Earth. Jesus did not just come to live, but to live perfectly and die for us in our place for our sins. He then rose from the dead and conquered death. The Apostle Peter reflects on Jesus’ purpose in Acts 10:39-41, “They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen-- by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” The Apostle Paul reflects on Jesus’ purpose in Romans 8:34, “Christ Jesus, who died-- more than that, who was raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” and again in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” What does all this mean? It means that Jesus Christ came with a singular purpose to die for us and to be raised again.
This means if we believe in Him and are in Christ, our sins are paid for. We have hope.
This means if we believe in Him and are in Christ, death is conquered and we have eternal life. We have hope.
This title or name for Jesus in 2:8 shares with us the divine purpose of Jesus Christ which is an anchor for our faith.
Third, we believe in “Him who is Holy and True” (3:7). This verse again echoes others in the Bible and sheds light that Jesus is God, but also that He shares all of His characteristics. God the Father is declared as the “Holy One” in Isaiah 40:25 and Isaiah 43:15. We also find that God is Absolute Truth in verses like Joshua 23:14, “You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed” and in Titus 1:2, “…faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time…” What does all of this mean? Isaiah and Titus and Revelation all speak out that in Jesus we find no sin and all promises are fulfilled. This title or name for Jesus in 3:7 shares with us the divine character of Jesus Christ which is an anchor for our faith.
Fourth, we believe in “Him who holds the key of David” (3:7). This title is specific and comes from Isaiah 22:22-23 in which the prophet says, “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 23 I will drive him like a peg into a firm place; he will be a seat of honor for the house of his father.” What does this verse mean? This verse gives a title to Jesus which establishes Him as the ultimate authority and hope-holder for us. Revelation doesn’t tell us what He opens or what He closes, but to be honest, the picture I get is that Jesus has the master key to any door He chooses and can do as He chooses. His will is ultimately followed. This is why when we confess Jesus as our Savior we call Him not only Savior… but also Lord. This title or name for Jesus in 3:7 shares with us the divine authority of Jesus Christ which is an anchor for our faith.
I just want to review for us briefly today who Jesus Christ is… because there might be some among us who are new to church or are just visiting and we aren’t so sure what the Christian faith is all about. Christianity is a religion which at its heart has faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. We firstly believe that Jesus is God. We secondly believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God physically died on a cross for our sins and He physically came back to life. We thirdly believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God was holy and perfect and true which is how He could die for all our sins in the first place. We fourthly believe that Jesus has all authority in our lives and we often use the term “Lord” to show we pattern our lives and wills after Him.
II. CHURCH COMPLICATION: FAKERS
The passages that we read today also have something else very important in common. Both letters to the church in Smyrna and Philadelphia speak to the hope of the church which is faith in Jesus Christ, but they also both had a similar problem which was plaguing their church: fakers. In Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9 both churches are dealing with some people Jesus calls the “Synagogue of Satan” which claim to be believers in God and brothers in the faith, but indeed are not.
Who or what is the “Synagogue of Satan?” Very simply put, the “Synagogue of Satan” are fakers. There are people in the churches which claim to be believers, but are not. They look like it, sound like it, but on the inside are not believers. They are liars and pretenders. To be honest, it is was easy to come to church then and not be a true Christian... just as it is now. It is easy to sound like a Christian and act like one on Sundays, but not have Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and have a personal on going relationship with Him.
Revelation is not the only place that we find such people described:
In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.’ Away from me, you evildoers!'”
In Luke 6:46 Jesus asks, "Why do you call me, ‘Lord Lord’ and do not do what I say?”
In John 15:4 Jesus proclaims, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
ILLUSTRATION… 11 Biblical Tests of Genuine Salvation; gty.org/resources/positions/p06/is-it-real
In 1746, about six years after the Great Awakening, in which Jonathan Edwards was the primary instrument of God to preach the gospel and bring about the greatest revival in American history thus far, Edwards wrote a small book entitled “A Treatise Concerning the Religious Affections.” He wrote it to deal with a problem not unlike one we face today and the one described in Revelation 2 and 3. Many people want the blessings of salvation, especially the hope of eternal security, but no more and balk at actually living out the Christian life.
In the explosive drama of the Great Awakening, it seemed as though conversions were occurring in great numbers all over the United States. However, it didn't take long to realize that some people claimed conversions that were not real. While various excesses and heightened emotional experiences were common, scores of people didn't demonstrate any evidence in their lives to verify their claim to know and love Jesus Christ, which led critics to attack the Great Awakening, contending it was nothing but a big emotional bath without any true conversions.
Partly in defense of true conversion and partly to ex¬pose false conversion, Jonathan Edwards took up his pen. He came to this simple conclusion: The supreme proof of a true conversion is what he called "holy affections," which are a zeal for holy things and a longing after God and personal holiness. To be honest, there is no “test” to see if you are a genuine believer or not, but we can ask ourselves some intensely deep personal questions to see if we are faking our faith.
#1 Have You Enjoyed Fellowship with Jesus Christ and God the Father?
* Do you do things to improve your relationship with God?
* Prayer, Bible study, attend church 3/4 Sundays, fellowship, small groups, accountability
#2 Are You Sensitive to Sin?
* Light and darkness do not coexist
* Genuinely repent and seek forgiveness for your sins
* Cut people and things out that cause you to be tempted
#3 Do You Obey God's Word?
* If you love God, you do what He says
* We change to live like the Bible describes.
* A life pattern of obedience to Jesus
#4 Do You Reject This Evil World?
* Influences can be false religion, errant philosophy, crime, immorality, materialism, and the like.
* Attracted to the way non-Christians live
* Pray to hate the things God hates
#5 Do You Eagerly Await Christ's Return?
* Hope in our hearts because this life is not all there is
* Hope in Heaven which Jesus is preparing for us
#6 Do You See a Decreasing Pattern of Sin in Your Life?
* Sanctification
* Growing up in your salvation
* Patterns of holiness rather than patterns of sin
#7 Do You Love Other Christians and those who are your enemies?
* Christ was marked by love and compassion… so should we
* Go the extra mile
# 8 Do You Experience Answered Prayer?
* Active prayer life seeking His will
* See prayers answered
#9 Do You Experience the Ministry of the Holy Spirit?
* Filling of the Spirit at Baptism
* Sense God’s presence in your life and guidance
* Fruit of the Spirit are evident in your life in some capacity
# 10 Can You Discern between Spiritual Truth and Error?
* You know what is True because it is in you
* You know what is True because you have studied it
#11 Have You Suffered Rejection Because of Your Faith?
* People often react badly to Jesus and His standards of life
* Active in praying for others and sharing your faith
* Put you down, put distance between you, laughed
Having people in church that are faking faith is not something new… but rather something the Church as a whole has always dealt with. Smyrna and Philadelphia dealt with it in their churches many centuries ago. We deal with it here at NBCC. Those of us who genuinely believe in Jesus Christ want to be found faithful and not fakers!
III. RESOLUTION: FAITH
What hope did the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia have? What is the church in Smyrna supposed to do as they work through being poor in a rich city? What are the Christians in Smyrna supposed to think when they are intensely persecuted for their faith? What is the church in Philadelphia supposed to do as false teachers infiltrate their ranks and tear down the faithful? What are the Christians in Philadelphia supposed to think when people come and lie about them? These are the issues facing the Christians in these two churches. Jesus spells it out for them that hard times and difficult people will come among them and make life horrible.
Jesus gives the two churches three commands which to be honest can all be summed up in one word: faith. Faith in Jesus Christ is all the hope any of us have and is all any of us need! This faith that Jesus commands is what is spoken of elsewhere in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” The Book of Revelation describes that faith in Jesus Christ is not just something you can have sometimes and not have sometimes. It is a way of life. Period. The Christian religion is a way of life in which we believe in Jesus Christ and set all our hope on Him.
Every time we face an obstacle the answer is hope in faith.
Every time we face a false teacher the answer is hope in faith.
Every time we face a liar the answer is hope in faith.
Every time we face a doubt in our lives the answer is hope in faith.
Every time we face a health crisis the answer is hope in faith.
Every time our spouse or child or grandchild disappoints us the answer is hope in faith.
Every time we face unemployment or something that shakes our life the answer is hope in faith.
Jesus says in 2:10, “Be faithful even to the point of death.”
Jesus says in 3:10, “[keep] my command to endure patiently.”
Jesus says in 3:11, “Hold on to what you have.”
Faith in Jesus Christ… according to Jesus Christ… is a life long commitment and is not something to be given up. Three times in the Gospels (Matthew 10:33, 24:13; Mark 13:13) Jesus says, “he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Faith is the answer at every step and at every stage in our lives. No exceptions. Faith in Jesus Christ is a life long commitment and is not something to be given up even when life absolutely is miserable beyond description and we just endure life day after day. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:12, “if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us.” Again, faith is a life long commitment and is not something to be given up.
CONCLUSION
