The Church on Trial Pt. 2
Storm Survivor
Revelations 2:8-11
You will recall last week, we talked about the church at Ephesus; chapter 1 verses 1 – 7. And God convened a hearing and he indicted the church at Ephesus because according to the text they had left their first love. So he asked a question, and the question was “what does love have to do with it?” And the reality is that love has everything to do with it. If it didn’t he wouldn’t have stretched his arms, he wouldn’t have gave his feet, he wouldn’t have gave his head nor his back.
But today my brothers and sisters, he has convened another hearing. And the one thing we have to understand about the churches in the book of Revelation, is that these churches can be any church. As a matter of fact, let’s just put it on the table and be done with it, this actually represents us. I hope you can see yourself in the text, but
8) And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9) I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10) Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes, would not be hurt at all by the second death.
I want to lift up the thought today if you will entitled, the church on trial. But I want to lift up a sub thought which is what we’re going to argue from today, and I want to lift as a sub thought, the verdict is storm survivor.
Here God is my brothers and sisters, he is arguing against the churches. Those that claim they represent him. Notice in the text, even on last week, that he was talking to people that claimed they have been called by him. But there is a problem, because if you will, when you look at the text, the first one he talks about at Ephesus, he says, listen I know you claim that you are a part of me, but your actions don’t represent me.
As a matter of fact, you have walked away from your first love. Things in the world are more important than I am. So the question was, “What does love have to do with it.” We found out that love has everything to do with it.
But today brothers and sisters, he is talking again to the church. Now last week, they were convicted and indicted. In this situation he convenes another court hearing, and now he is laying the evidence out and he has come to the conclusion based on service of the church at Smyrna that he has rendered a verdict and that verdict is that they are a storm survivor.
I looking for some people on today that can say, Pastor, I’m right there. I’m in a storm right now, I just got out of a storm, I’m headed into a storm, but I’ve decreed and declared that it doesn’t matter what comes my way, I shall survive.
Is there anybody here that can say, I’ve been through some stuff? Is there anybody who can say I’m in some stuff now? Is there anybody that can say I’m just getting out of stuff, but what we need to do is serve notice on the devil, that in spite of what I’ve gone through, am going through, and will go through, that God has decreed that I shall survive?
Is there anybody that believes by faith that whatever you are going through, that you are going to make it? Oh come on and tell your neighbor, I’m going to make it through this. As a matter of fact, we’re going to get through these thing because God is with us.
Storm survivors are a person that is telling the adversary, you can hit me with your best shot, but I’m still going to survive. A storm survivor is someone who has been through hell and back. And in spite of what Satan has attempted to do, you have still come out.
My brothers and sisters, a storm survivor is somebody that in spite of sickness, in spite of financial issues, in spite of relational issues, in spite of other issues, you are still coming out on the winning end.
See you got to understand that it’s not by your power, but it’s by his might. It’s not because you’re all that and a bag of chips, but it’s by the grace of God. It’s not by your own strength, but the word says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I didn’t make it on my own, it was by the grace of God. I didn’t get out of that situation on my own, it was by the grace of God. I’m not here today because I woke my own self up, it was by the grace of God. So I am a survivor because God let me survive.
I wish I had a witness right through there. I’m trying to talk and help somebody today that’s going through some stuff and you trying to figure out why me, why can’t this just happen to somebody else. God said because you are a storm survivor.
I want to prove through you that in spite of all the hell that jumps off in your life, when you got ME backing you up as insurance and assurance, you can make it through your stuff. But you got to put yourself in my hands. Because when you’re in my hands you are in good hands.
Now is there anybody in here that can say, I am in good hands. That in spite of all the stuff. Now I need to let you know, that there is going to be some days that you’re going cry, but he says “weeping may endure for a night…
Ya’ll ain’t getting on today. I’m just going to preach this to myself. You need to understand, there is going to be some giants in your life. But God says the bigger they are, the harder they fall. I need a witness in here today that can say Pastor, I’m starting to get ya now. I understand what you’re talking about.
You need to understand that it wasn’t an accident when God said I made you, I designed you a certain way so that when you come out on the other side you can say… I’ve been through the storm and rain…but I made it. Life has not been the same…but I made it. My best friend, they let me down…but with the help of God and Jesus he did his part…I made it. Why? Because I am a storm survivor.
Tell your neighbor I’m a storm survivor. I know some of you ain’t feeling that because you know right now, you feel right now, your down at your lowest point, you feel depressed. You’re letting things and situations and people in places get you down. But I refuse to let somebody get me down. I refuse to let my situation to dictate my happiness. I refuse to let my dilemma to stop me from praising God.
Because whether you know it or not, whether I’m sick or well, God is still worthy to be praised. Whether I got money in my pocket, or a hooptie in the garage, God is still worthy to be praised. Whether I’m by myself or got many friends, God is… come on somebody… God is worth of the praise!
See I made my mind up, that regardless of whatever storm I face, I’m going to still give God some praise.
I think Job said it this way. He said “Though he slay me, he said yet will I trust him.” And that tells me that whatever Job goes through, Job had made his mind up, that I may not have a whole lot, but I’m still going to lift my hands. I may not have a lot of friends, but I’m still going to lift my hands. I may have to cry day and night, and night and day, but on Sunday morning, I’m going get up and give God some praise.
Because… wait, I ain’t got to wait till Sunday because I can praise God on Monday… I can praise God on Tuesday… I can praise God on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday… because God is all the time… and all the time… God is good.
Tell your neighbor I’m a storm survivor. Now some of ya’ll need to get some get up and go about yourself, and you need to start speaking life because as long as you’re trying to tell yourself I’m living defeated, you will be defeated. I choose to take the other road. I choose to say I am a storm survivor. Because I’m serving notice on Satan that I’m taking your best, and yet I’m still getting up. I’m taking your best, and yet I’m still rising. I don’t know how I’m getting there, but by the grace of God, God is making a way.
Now the question may come, now we need to look at the verdict now. Because the verdict was that they were a storm survivor. That was the judgment if you will. But let’s understand how God arrived at that conclusion. And it’s right there in the text. Look at verse 8 and 9 of Revelation chapter 2.
Committed to the cause of the Cross. The first reason why God came to that conclusion was, that they were committed to the cause of the cross. Look at what Jesus says to the Church at Smyrna. And you have to understand that Jesus is the person speaking in verse 8, because in verse 8 this is what he says.
8) And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Jesus says I am the alpha and the omega. I am the beginning and the end. I am he who was dead and is now alive forevermore. That’s Jesus talking.
But now in verse number 9, Jesus, points out there commit as a storm survivor. Look at verse 9
9) I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty
Jesus says even thou you went through it, you weren’t by yourself, I was right there with you. That’s the thing you got to understand. I know sometimes it feels like nobody understands. I know it feels like people don’t care. But you got to understand Jesus made you a promise when he said: And lo I am with you. Not just on Monday, not just on Tuesday. He says I’m with you always even until the end of the world. And that’s the shouting news right there my brothers and sisters. Jesus says: I’ll never leave you nor will I forsake you. So whatever I’m going through, Jesus says, I got your back. As a matter of fact, does anybody remember that little ole poem called footprints? …
God is telling you now, I can carry you through your divorce, I can carry you through your sorrow, I can carry you through your sickness, I can carry you through the loss of a job, I can carry you through a heartache, because I can do anything but fail. Tell your neighbor I’m going to be a storm survivor, because Jesus is going to carry me through this thing.
So here he is, he says I know your works, I know your poverty. I like this because he says but thou art rich. I’m going to get back to that, but he says I know the blasphemy of those that say they are Jews. He says but the reality is that they are part of the synagogue of Satan.
Jesus says in essence, I can see that you are focused, I can see that I am first place in your life. You got to understand brothers and sisters, that anytime that you decide to make Jesus the center of your life, all hell is going to break loose in your life. Yeah, all of a sudden you got money issues, all of a sudden you have relational issues, all of a sudden you got… can I get a witness? Somebody ought to cosign this.
He says when you make me first place, that’s when the world is going to begin to tug on you. Saying oh now you a holy roller, oh yes I’m a holy roller in Jesus now. Oh so now you go to church? That’s right I’ve seen what the world has to offer, and all the world wants to do is chew me up, and spit me out, and at the end of the day I still ain’t got no joy. But I met a man named Jesus.
Tell your neighbor I met a man named Jesus. He’s sweeter than a honeycomb. I met a man named Jesus, and he’s sweet I know, because I tried him for myself. And I found out, if you’re real, can’t nobody do me like Jesus can. Can I get a witness?
Jesus, listen, I need to make you aware that when you decide to make Jesus your choice, that’s when everything starts going crazy because the devil is trying to keep you so distracted, so caught up in your situation, you can’t see left from right, you don’t know up from down. You don’t know which way is the right way. But Jesus says listen all you got to do is trust me. All you got to do is let me lead you.
Can I just give you an analogy? Any of you ever taken your child to bed at night; they were sleep someplace else? But then you took them to bed. They kind of half sleep holding your hands, not really knowing where they are holding your hand. They don’t really know where they are, but they know that they are going to get to their destination.
And I’m trying to tell you that when you’re going through your storm, sometimes you can’t see your way. Sometimes it gets dark and you don’t know which way to go. But as long as you’re holding on to his hand, as long as you keep trusting in him; he says the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And though he may stumble, he shall get back up because God holds him in his holy, righteous hand. And that’s why I saying I’m a storm survivor because God is going to make a way.
Tell your neighbor I’m a storm survivor. I need you to get that in your spirit because the more you get that in your spirit, the more you become bold in your faith. And whatever comes your way, it doesn’t make a difference because you say I’m a survivor. I’m a survivor because greater is he who is in me, than he that is in the world. I’m a survivor, because no weapon form against me shall prosper. I’m a survivor, because weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. I’m a survivor. Ya’ll ain’t hearing what I’m saying, because we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. I’m a survivor.
Listen the reason why I’m telling you that you are a survivor is because the bible already tells us that we are going to go through some stuff. God ain’t going to let you go through some stuff and don’t have a solution to your problem. Why do you think he’s called the Alpha and the Omega? God is already at the end of time, and God has designed your life. So whatever the problem, there is a solution to your problem. What you have to do is trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. And in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your path. You need to let God do it.
See the problem is you’re trying to figure it. If you could have figured it out, you would have been out of trouble. Ya’ll ain’t hearing me. If you could have figured it out, you would have been figured out how to get that relationship together. That’s why you need to get down on your knees and pray. And if you can’t get down on your knees, you ought to say: Lord here am I your servant I’m standing in a need of a divined intervention. I ain’t got a 911, I got a 111, because 911 can’t solve my situation, I need the 111 the Holy Ghost, Jesus, and You to work my situation out.
See I need to tell you right now, Psalm 34:19. I need you to understand that just because you give your life to Christ, it doesn’t mean that you’re going to walk on easy street. The minute you make your mind up, that I’m getting serious, that’s when Satan is going to launch an all-out attack against you. Lets’ see what it says: Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but?” Ya’ll ain’t hearing me. The but tells you that there is something on the other side that counteracts what I just read to you.
Ya’ll ain’t hearing me. I said there is something on the other side of the but, that’s going to counteract what you just saw. So he says many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord does delivereth them out of all. What that tells me is that no matter what I’m going through, God is still in the delivering business right now.
Look back to this text, back to the church, the bible says in verse #8 I believe it says that they were in poverty, they were poor. And the bible eludes, many theologians say that they were well beyond poverty. I mean they were destitute, they had nothing. But there situation did not determine their praise. In spite of the fact that they literally had nothing, it didn’t stop them from giving God some praise.
And I’m saying to you, in spite of your situation, nothing and nobody ought to ever stop you from give God some praise. Because God is worthy whether you’re sick, whether you’re well. He’s worthy whether you got money, or you’re living out on the street. Whatever the situation is, God is still worthy.
My question to you is can Greater South Central hook up with this church and say I will praise God in spite of. Can South Central give sacrificially to the point it causes you to hurt a little bit in your personal life? Ya’ll getting real quiet. But that is what he is asking. Because sacrificial if you will, poverty literally means, they gave everything for the cause of the cross. And my question to you is, can you give just sacrificially? I didn’t ask you to be poverty stricken, but can you give sacrificially?
Cause if you give sacrificially, God is like, oh there Jackson is. He’s giving, let me make sure he’s got everything he needs so he can keep on doing what he’s doing. And that’s why the bible says give and it shall be given, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. God is saying, when you do it my way, I’ll make sure that whatever you need to do my job, I’m going to make sure you got it.
Solid in the Scriptures. So God says, I made the verdict that you are a storm survivor 1st off based on the fact that you are committed to the cause of the cross. But secondly God says I arrived to that conclusion was not only were you committed to the cross, but that you were also solid in the scriptures. (Verse 9-10b)
See listen, when you are going through something, you got to know some word. Yeah, you got to know some word: Yea thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, why? ‘Cause thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days.
The Lord is my light and my salvation of whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and mu foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
You got to have enough word, you got to have the word injected, you got to have inoculated with the word, so that when things aren’t going the way it should, you can remember that God says that Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
You can remember that when you’re going through something that God says that man that is born of a woman his days are few but they are full of trouble. You got to remember that the bible says that when you are going through, it says the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, though he may stumble he will not fall.
You got to be ingrained with the word that the bible says the righteous man falls 7 times but yet he still gets up again.
You got to be ingrained with the word, that when you’re crying at night, you can remember that weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming in the morning.
When you’re going through stuff, you got to remember that they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like an eagle. They shall run and not get weary, they shall walk and not faint.
You got to have enough word in you that when you’re going through you can say, but thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through Christ Jesus for I have determined that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities shall separate me from the love of God. I’m talking about you got to be solid in the scriptures.
See the problem is the devil keeps running over us because we don’t have enough word. Reverend I can’t understand the King James. That ain’t the only bible translation out there. If you can’t understand it, go get another version so you can understand it. It’s time out for us being kids in the word of God.
And that’s what it tells us over in Hebrews 5:11 where he says, by now you ought to be a teacher, but I’m still having to bottle feed you. Tell your neighbor it’s time to grow up.
You got to be solid in the scriptures, and I’ve been here a while, and time is about out, but if you will, look verse 9, I need you to understand why you should be solid in the scriptures. He is pointing out some people here in the text that were Jews, but Jesus says that they aren’t the real thing.
And brothers and sisters, I need to very transparent. You can’t look at everybody and emulate everybody’s life that carries and cross and a bible. Just because you carry a cross and bible, doesn’t mean that you’re saved. There’s a whole bunch of people out there that carry crosses, while they robbing and killing folk.
There’s a bunch of people with bible, but the only time they read is when they ain’t got nothing else to read, or just on Wednesday night, or Sunday morning. That’s what Jesus is saying, there are some people out there that got their own church, and they are Jews, but the bottom line is their walk don’t match what they profess.
These were people that were publicly saying they were apart of Jesus’ family, but in the end Jesus say no, these are people with a building but they don’t have no belief. These are people with a book, but not the bible. These are people that are singing, but they are not saved. Jesus says, you might look like, just because you got a 3 piece suit on, you walk up in here on Sunday, you got all the church lingo down, it don’t mean that you’re saved. You can clap your hands all you want, but until you confess and believe you cannot be saved.
As a matter of fact, Jesus says it this way: they profess, they got a building, Jesus says it’s a synagogue of Satan, I’ll call the Satan worship center. Because what they were really doing, they weren’t practicing what they were preaching.
Recipients of God’s Rewards. So here God is. Here is how God arrives at the verdict. God says I arrived first of all because you are committed to the cause of Christ. Secondly because you are solid in the scriptures. And because you are solid in the scriptures, when you are committed to the cause of the cross, then you become a recipients of God’s rewards.
Look what it says, it says be faithful. Be faithful means don’t quit. Be faithful means don’t give up. Be faithful means stay the course. Be faithful means keep your eyes on Jesus. Be faithful means don’t let nobody deter you, don’t become distracted, don’t become dishearten, don’t quit in the mist of it.
But then watch this. Then it says and. And is a conjunction that connects 2 things together. He says be faithful unto death AND I WILL give you a crown. Back in the day, there use to a church mother that would say, “I got a crown, you got a crown, all God’s children got a crown. When I get to heaven I’m going to sing and shout, I’m going to walk all over God’s heaven.”
I waiting for my crown. It’s already there. That’s why I praise God now because I know that I’ve got to go through some things. But when I get through, I’m going to a land where there is no more trouble, there is no more distress, there is no more heartache, there is no more sorrow. I’m going to a land my brothers and sisters that is not made by hand. I’m going because God has been good to me throughout my situation. So I praise God, I can put up with a little stuff right now.
Because I know there is going to come a day where trouble is going to cease. I’m going to come to a day where the wicked are going to cease. I’m praising God now because I know that it might be rough now but every now and then God reminds me Jackson it’s just a test. Jackson what I need you to understand, I’m qualifying you for the blessing. Because even when you go through stuff, the bible lets us know that after we go through the storm, the son always shines.
Is there anybody that can testify and say yes Reverend I’ve been through some stuff and God keeps blessing me over and over again. Is there anybody that can say I know what you’ve been talking about? You’ve been walking down my street all day so I’m right there with you. I am a survivor.
I am going to make it. That’s why the songwriter said it like this. I’ve had some good days, I’ve had some hills to climb. I’ve had some weary days. And some sleepless nights. But when I look around, and I think things over. He says all of my good days, outweigh my bad days. He says I won’t complain.
Why won’t he complain? Because God has been good me. God has been good to you. That’s why you got to tell your neighbor, hang on in there, just a little while longer. Tell them hang in there. I know it might be dark right now, but God says just keep your eye on me. Just stay in that word. God says keep watching me and things will get better. Is there anybody here that can testify and say I know what you’re talking about?
That’s when you know that you’re a storm survivor when in spite of your situation you can still say thank you Lord. In spite of the tears running down your eyes, you can still say thank you Lord. In spite of the pain in your body, you can still say thank you Lord. In spite of the fact that you’re about to lose everything, you can still say thank you Lord. In spite of the fact that you feel alone, you can still say thank you Lord. Because you know that God is there with you.
