Comforting the Persecuted: The Church of Smyrna
Introduction: This week Assyrian Christians have been driven from their homes by ISIS and placed in refugee camps. Christians there admit they laugh when they hear their government promise aid and relief is coming. They know better and they learn quickly that you do not thrive in a refugee camp you do what you can to survive in a refugee camp. Marolin Sabri a 28 yr. old mother of three says they are only surviving by the help of NGO's and the church. There are 1.2 million refugees in Kurdish territory and that number is growing as ISIS continues its unchecked reign of terror.
We wonder why this happens? Christians just want to bless and help others and love, worship, and follow their Lord Jesus. Why would that cause any harm? We read in 2 Timothy 3:12 that “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” After the Supreme court put their stamp of approval on homosexual marriage. Rev. Franklin Graham warned the church that persecution wasn't far behind. That makes sense. When the true gospel church is going one direction and the culture is going the opposite direction there is bound to be conflict. One of two things will happen once the church takes a stand against the culture that it disagrees with; 1) we will either see the culture change and reflect Christ or 2) we will see the cultural resistance (Hollywood, education, legislation, pop culture, etc.) become even more hard-hearted and attack the church. If you can find any good news in persecution it would be that it fans the flame of revival and it drives away the false Christians. Hypocrites won't hang around to be persecuted.
There are only two churches out of the seven in Revelation that didn't receive a rebuke from the Lord. Smyrna and Philadelphia. Smyrna is the only city of the seven that still exists today. It's modern day Ismir, Turkey, which by the way like Smyrna, also means myrrh. Just as it was then it is valued for its trade, diversity, architecture, climate and it's beauty, because it is nestled among hills and along water. It's a port city that in biblical times was full of idolatry, cults, and commerce.
Jesus addresses them first by saying in verse 8: “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” He introduces himself as Christ the Lord to every church but in different ways considering the need of the church. Like a man who is a doctor in the hospital he introduces himself as Dr. Smith, at his child's ball game, He introduces himself as Mr. Smith, and at Church he is known as Bro. Smith. Jesus lets this church in Smyrna know that by Him all things were made, and that He was before all things were created. He was with God in the beginning and is God himself. He has the first word and he will have the last, for He is the first and the last, the eternal almighty God. Want proof? He was dead and came to life again. For a suffering church, this would be encouraging to hear. The one that they love and follow and suffer for, let's them know that He knows what its like to be beaten, abused, and mocked. He knows what it's like to be humiliated, insulted and He knows what it's like to die! And yet he still lives, and gives them instruction and encouragement.
Transition: I want to share with you four ways Christ identifies with their miserable situation: Christ comprehends their affliction, He comforts them in their attrition, He cautions their detention, and He crowns their devotion.
Christ Comprehends their affliction
“I know your afflictions and your poverty . . . I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” v. 9
He knows. We sometimes think that God forgets what we are going through. We might be tempted to believe that in governing the universe, he can't possibly see my pain nor would he care. We might believe that He has forgotten us. Nothing can be further from the truth. I have a friend who was going through a difficult time and he was becoming more and more discouraged if not depressed. If he wasn't in the middle of an emotional downward spiral, He certainly was headed there. And just like Elijah, He heard that still small voice say two powerful words that would change the direction of his mood completely. He was facing confusion, loss, demoralization and then he heard the words “He knows”. And once he heard those two words, His soul was immediately uplifted. You might ask how could those words change anything? Well I agree, and if they were spoken by anyone in the church or by his parents or by his friends, they wouldn't have meant much at all. You see it wasn't the words that encouraged him, it was the one who spoke the words that encouraged him. The fact that the Lord by the Holy Spirit, would deign to give those two words to his spirit personally, was amazing to him. He was encouraged and found renewed hope to continue on and eventually He climbed out of that gloomy state.
Jesus lets the church of Smyrna know that “He knows”.
A) He knows their afflictions. Smyrna Christians had to deal with enemies from all sides; the Greeks, the Romans and the Jews. Afflictions could refer to physical persecution. From what I've studied about Smyrna during this age there was a lot of Caesar worship, and Hero worship, for example,there was a great monument built to honor the Poet Homer who was a native to Smyrna. There were also those who called themselves Jews. And there were also temples made to Apollo, Aphrodite, and Zeus. And in the middle of all this idolatry was a small poor Christian church.
Christians at Smyrna would've been robbed, plundered, beat up, and deprived of anything that anyone would have considered worth having. Caesar was considered a god and the people of the area were to burn incense to him and if they did so they would get a certificate proving their loyalty to him. Smyrna Christians wouldn't do this, and would have been persecuted, if not be put to death for it.
God is greatly dishonored when his name is used to promote the interests of the devil. I think any Christian should be personally offended when they see Homosexuals perverting God's covenant sign of mercy (rainbow) as their symbol. But the more I think about it the more it seems appropriate because it's only because of God's great mercy, that He has not yet rained Hell out of Heaven upon them, like he did upon Sodom and Gomorrah. He knows the apathy, he knows the insolence, he knows the heresy, he knows the blasphemy, he knows the hypocrisy that we are surrounded with. He knows.
B) He knows their poverty. They were poor 'Ptochos' because of their love for Jesus. They were totally destitute of anything. They had absolutely nothing but clothes. Some say they were probably slaves. Jesus assures them that He knows their poverty.
“If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith?” Matthew 6:30
If God clothes the field with beautiful flowers which last only a short time and then are cut down and thrown into a persons stove for warmth, how much more important are you who are given richly all things to enjoy. He knows when you are broke. He knows when you have nothing. He not only knows that you are behind on that credit card bill, but see that you will be 50 dollars short on paying that electric bill 10 years from today. Jesus knows your poverty. Jesus knows your pain, Jesus knows your problems. He knows!
C) He knows the slander. God knows the gossip, back biting, slander and evil speeches of his churches enemies. In Smyrna's case their enemy called themselves Jews, but Jesus said they were not Jews, they belonged to a synagogue of Satan. They were a collection of devils, or they may as well have been.
Jesus said something similar to the same type of people in John 8:44 “You belong to your father the devil and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” It's no surprise when the enemy lies and slanders us. He has been doing it from the beginning, and he will continue to do so until the end.
2 Timothy 3:3 says that in the last days they will “not be lovers of the good.” better translated as “not lovers of good”. It wont be just good people they despise but the good itself they will despise. Remember Isaiah's warning “Woe unto those who call evil good and good evil . . .” in the last days that is exactly what you will see. A culture continually calling evil good and good evil.
Today it seems that our long time ally Israel is now being called evil and our long time enemy Iran is now being called good. Well it isn't Israel holding up AK 47s and shouting “Death to America!” “Death to America!” Today our culture promotes and encourages the perversion of God's nature, whether it's in the creation of men acting and dressing like women or vice verse or perverting his and marriage institution with homosexuality, polygamy and then hailing such perverts as “pioneers”, “heroes”, “courageous”. And then anyone who dares to refer to the biblical definition of marriage are called “haters” “bigots” and worse. This is calling evil good and good evil. This week Planned Parenthood was busted for the disgusting group they are. Willing to take money for body parts like a butcher would take money for a side of beef. The New York Times in a feeble attempt to defend this brutality said “Planned Parenthood affiliates only accept money - between $30 and $100 dollars per specimen.” So according to the NYT its ok because more profit isn't being made. Calling evil good and good evil.
None of this escapes Christ's attention. He knows that we can not stand the evil that exists around us. He knows that we are tired of the filth and feel helpless. He knows that we are frustrated almost to the point of sin. He knows what our enemies call us and say about us and how they talk about us even behind closed doors. HE KNOWS!
Transition: For this reason He comforts the Smyrna Church in their attrition
Christ Comforts them in their attrition
“. . . yet you are rich . . . Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. .” (v. 9,10)
He not only knows, He cares. They were a mournful group of Christians for sure, but Jesus said “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” and that is exactly what Jesus does here.
Attrition is the wearing down, wearing away, weakening. And that surely was where their hope must have been. They were wearing down, wearing out, they were getting weaker. He knows their troubled state and and that more trouble was coming and He comes in to give them hope in the middle of hopelessness. He says He knows their poverty, yet you are rich. They were poor in temporals but rich in spirituals – poor in spirit yet rich in grace.
There are those who are rich in temporals are poor in spirituals like Laodicea. They thought they were rich but were not only poor but were wretched, pitiful, blind and naked as well. This is why we shouldn't pity the persecuted church, if anything we should envy them a little. Not for their persecution, but for their faithfulness. Spiritual people can see spiritual wealth the way material people can see material wealth. Material people look at those who are rich and envy them; whereas spiritual people look at those persecuted Christians and admire and esteem them.
Jesus comforts them and says “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.” I would be thinking “You mean there is more?!” But The Lord lets them know that even though there will be more to suffer they shouldn't be afraid. David said “Thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me, your rod and staff they comfort me.” -Ps.23:4 There is no reason to be afraid when you have Jesus comforting you. His rod and staff guides us and leads us to green pastures and still waters, what then should we be afraid of? Nothing.
Transition: Those who will be faithful to Christ must expect to go through many tribulations; but Jesus takes particular notice of all their troubles and cautions them of more troubles coming
Christ Cautions their detention
“I tell you the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for 10 days. . .” (v.10)
He warns. In Amos 3:7 we read “Surely the sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” What a grace he extends to all of us by letting us know ahead of time what to expect in the last days. Without a warning who knows what Smyrna Christians would've gave up on the 7th day of imprisonment, or the 8th or the last. Christ warns this church that things are not going to get better, they are going to get worse for you. That kind of flies in the face of “your best life now” doesn't it? But He lets them know that there is an end to it. Praise God how good it is to know that no matter how bad things are there is and end to the suffering. Some sweet day that suffering will all end.
Peter encouraged his friends saying “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” I Peter 4:12
Smyrna is the model of a suffering church. Suffering is inevitable. Jesus said in John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." having trouble is a promise but so is overcoming trouble through Jesus. You can't escape the storm. You can't go around it, under it or over it, sooner or later you must go through it. But Praise be to God, there is an end to every storm.
Transition: And when we make it through that storm there is a calm and a peace. Christ not only cautions their detention but promises to crown their devotion.
Christ Crowns their devotion
“. . Be faithful even unto death and I will give you the crown of life.” v. 10
What a wonderful realization, that our labor is not in vain. Our love is not in vain. Our hope is not in vain. Praise God our pain is not in vain! Although all the pain in the world shouldn't and couldn't win us the crown of life. It's only by the grace of Jesus that any such gift is offered to us. In essence if we give him our life, even unto death, he will give us the crown of life, life eternal.
JRR Tolkein wrote the novel 'The Lord of the Rings'. A story that centers primarily around a ring that has all power. And everyone that encounters it, are intoxicated with it and they do anything they can to get it or keep others from getting it. It seems we live our life chasing the ring. We chase that one thing we “know” will bring us happiness. Some people look at happiness as a destination, but happiness is never found in a noun (person place or thing). If I could just have this or that I would be happy.' 'If I had that car, truck, motorcycle, boat, etc. I would be happy.' 'If I moved away, got a new house, got out of this relationship and into a new relationship, then I would be happy. If I had more friends on facebook I would be happy.' The truth is, many people gain these things and they are still unhappy. Why are they unhappy? Because they are putting their hope for happiness in the wrong place. Paul said “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” -Phil. 4:11 He later says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Once our hope and trust and faith is put in the right place, in Jesus, then all things are possible: hope is possible, joy is possible, love is possible, peace is possible, and everlasting life is not only possible but promised!
Conclusion: He ends by saying “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.” v. 11
We all must die once, but by the grace of God we don't all have to die twice. If we receive Jesus as our savior we can be like him and live again. The second death is Hell, literally. The first death with all of its pain and agony is only temporary. The second death is eternal. A pain in the body here on earth is localized by neuron-receptors to the brain but in hell you have no body, so pain in hell is more intense and will be felt all over. But all of us who partake in Christ's resurrection – the first death can't hurt us and the second death has no power over us.
About 50 years after this letter, the Pastor of Smyrna, Polycarp was burned alive at the age of 86. The Jews broke Sabbath laws to carry logs and sticks to burn him alive. He said before he was burned “You threaten me with the fire that burns for a time and is quickly quenched, for you do not know the fire that awaits the wicked in the judgment to come and in everlasting punishment. Why are you waiting? Come do what you will.”
It is interesting to note that Smyrna means Myrrh and it is bitter to the taste but pleasing to smell.
“And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.” Leviticus 1:9
Myrrh was a pleasing fragrance but was also associated with death. Dead bodies were anointed with myrrh. If animal sacrifices were a pleasing aroma to the Lord, then how much more would the death of the saints be? Those like Polycarp must have been a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Paul provides some perspective in I Corinthians 13, “if I surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” Martyrdom is not just throwing your life away, it is willingly laying it down because of sincere love and true devotion for God and mankind, when the situation demands it.
Could you give up your life for Christ? He doesn't call all of us to be martyrs, but we must ask ourselves would we, could we lose our life for Jesus? He said “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” whoever is so desirous to save their life and keep it from persecution, insult, ridicule, hate, slander, that they would deny Christ to preserve their life will lose their life forever, but for those who would give up their life and all the former interests of their life to follow Christ to the very end, even if that end is death, they will find what it means to truly live.
