“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
“‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’” [1]
Tribulation? Poverty? Slander? This was the life of one church to whom the Lord of Glory addressed one of the letters that John wrote. This congregation received no condemnation in the Letters to the Seven Churches. Nevertheless, the Risen Saviour said, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer.” Now, that is a confidence builder if we ever heard one! You will experience every negative assault this world can throw at you, but don’t be afraid.
The Risen Saviour spoke to the Church of the Risen Saviour in Smyrna, promising them great trials. He comforted them by urging them to be fearless in the face of what was assuredly coming upon them. Jesus might well have been speaking to any number of churches in this day, though few of them would be located in North America. It is doubtful that many congregations in Canada have ever experienced tribulation. Some may speak of poverty, but poverty is a relative term, especially when compared with churches in many parts of our world. Perhaps more Canadian churches could speak of slander; but again, slander is a relative term.
Because we have not experienced tribulation of biblical proportions, or because we are not really familiar with grinding poverty, or because we have not been slandered does not mean that we shall never experience such attacks. I make no claim to be a prophet, but I know that I am on solid biblical ground when I say that our current condition of relative peace for the Faith of Christ the Lord is an aberration as demonstrated by even a casual examination of church history. Anyone who stays abreast of current events will realise that were it not for divine intervention, the Faith would have been extirpated in many regions of this dark world.
Almost twenty years ago, the words of a Catholic Bishop were captured on a cell phone belonging to a participant in a symposium at which the bishop was speaking. I was struck by what was said at that time; those unguarded words may well prove prophetic. Bishop George said, “I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square. His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization, as the church has done so often in human history.” [2]
I am certain that dark days do lie ahead for the faithful, for the churches of our Lord, days that are made darker still by the stark choice before us as Christians. As the future unfolds, either we will serve the Risen Son of God, or we will be true to our culture and to our class. Either we will exalt Christ over culture, or we will succumb to the siren call of this dying world to find ease by avoiding obedience to the Living God.
In order to explore what does lie ahead, it will be beneficial for us to look carefully at the Church of Smyrna. There are some initial truths that should be noted before we actually explore the message that the One who conquered death delivered to these saints. First, this congregation received no condemnation. It is fair to say that they could not have been a perfect church; however, God took note of the trials they continually experienced, commending them for standing firm in the face of real pressure. Unlike some congregations in this day who complain because they are no longer fêted, adulated or commended by the world about them, this congregation suffered. The Church of Smyrna had much in common with sister congregations located in Syria, in Iraq, in Indonesia or even in barrios of the Philippines. Tragically, this congregation may have much in common with what faces us in coming days.
AN IMPOVERISHED CONGREGATION — “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” [REVELATION 2:9]. The New Beginnings Baptist Church of Smyrna would never attract the attention of the rich and famous in this day; they had not done so in that ancient day. The congregation would never be a destination for the “church prowl” that characterises the search for a church as practised by many in this day. In fact, it is unlikely that the assembly of Smyrna would be sought out by most people looking for a church. Brides would not be fighting for the opportunity to have their wedding conducted by the pastor of the Church of Smyrna, and those who wished to give their loved ones a “Christian” burial would never consider the little church on 118th Street in Smyrna. We want something fancier for a wedding and something more ostentatious for the funeral of our loved ones. The assembly wouldn’t be able to afford to televise their services, and if they were able to do so, few people would be willing to watch.
I suppose it is human nature for us to want to be associated with success. We want to believe that God blesses the church we attend so that we will be associated with power, so that we will be part of what is seen as influential, so that people will respect us and maybe even fear us just a little. We find meaning for our existence through our affiliation with that which is significant in the estimate of others; we find meaning for our lives through the influence we wield, in the manner in which we are able to make the world sit up and take notice. We don’t want to think of our congregation as insignificant, as lacking in influence, as unimportant. To allow ourselves to fall into such a negative frame of mind would be to lose stature in the world.
Wealth and poverty are terms that can be quantitated in this life only. The influence of an individual may appear to be a matter of possessions or of power; but, how does one quantitate the influence of a Gandhi, a Martin Luther King, a Mother Teresa? The lasting example of one’s life is not measured by the wealth accumulated. Wealth can be a blessing, but it is often a curse as people are devoted to what the wealth can buy rather than thinking of wealth as a means of honouring God.
The story is told of Thomas Aquinas’ response to the boasting of Pope Innocence II. Conducting Aquinas through the Vatican, Innocence showed a large sum of money that was spread out before them, and many of the jewels of the papacy. As they gazed upon the treasures and the vast sums of money, the Pope boasted to Aquinas, “You see, Thomas, the Church is no longer in that age in which she said, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” Thomas’ reply was reported as, “True, holy father, neither can she any longer say to the lame, ‘Rise up and walk.’” [3] Wealth is not an indicator of spiritual power, of divine blessing. Wealth and treasures may be indicative of moral declination, indicative of the loss of spiritual stamina, indicative of spiritual death.
There is a tendency for church goers to choose the congregation they will attend on the basis of the building in which that assembly meets. Whether the building is imposing, boasting a spire with a cross atop the structure, padded pews and plush carpeting, whether the congregation uses paid instrumentalists and boasts a great choir to sing great swelling oratorios is the way in which we determine whether we will attend a particular church. Tragically, it is not uncommon that professing Christians will tolerate an anemic message delivered in a lacklustre manner so long as the illusion of grandeur is maintained by the church. It is alright to have a bold pulpit, as long as the boldness does not entail invoking the community’s displeasure.
However, we forget that some of the churches that exercised the greatest influence in history were not particularly powerful in the world. It is sometimes forgotten that the Baptist congregations of Great Britain were not particularly influential when a cobbler, newly ordained to the ministry, stood to argue for the value of overseas missions. He was abruptly interrupted by an older minister who sharply rebuked the younger man, “Young man, sit down! You are an enthusiast. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he’ll do it without consulting you or me.” [4]
Carey persisted in advocating for missions, eventually prevailing against the opposition of churches and churchmen who had been beaten into compliance by their supposed betters. Carey’s justly famous motto was, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” As result of his persistent advocacy, the Baptist Missionary Society was formed in October, 1792, and Carey offered himself as the first missionary of that society, sailing for India in 1793.
Opposed by the East India Company, which had full control of India, Carey sailed on a Danish vessel and settled in a location over which the Company had no control. There, despite severe deprivation, the missionary began to preach the gospel, supporting himself and his family by superintending an indigo factory. Through many hardships and incredible opposition, Carey almost single-handedly compelled the British government to ban the practise of suttee, the practise of burning the widow alive on her former husband’s funeral pyre. During the years of deprivation and opposition, Carey translated the Bible into Bengali so that the people of India could read the Word of God in their own language.
A. T. Pierson says of Carey, “With little teaching, he became learned. Poor himself, he made millions rich. By birth obscure, he rose to unsought eminence. And seeking only to follow the Lord's leading, he led forward the Lord's hosts.”
“The Christian Church,” according to J. D. Freeman, “owes more to William Carey and his mission than to any other man or movement since the days of Paul. He gave her a new horizon, kindled within her a new life and soul. Upon the trellis of the Mission Enterprise, the Church's vine has run over the wall. It has given her a southern exposure, through which she has felt at her heart the thrill of a new vitality, while bearing on her outmost branches a burden of precious fruit for the vintage of the skies.” [5]
The New World has, despite poverty and opposition, produced its own notable men and women to serve the cause of Christ. Adoniram Judson is not well-known in this day, though every student of world mission should know his name. The Baptists of America were not powerful, especially when compared to other denominations such as Presbyterians, Congregationalists or Methodists. Baptist congregations tended to be small and impoverished. There was a strong anti-missionary tendency among Baptists of that era.
The account of Judson and his labours that resulted in the introduction of Burma to the message of life in the Son of God is recounted in the book, “To the Golden Shore.” [6] We haven’t time to relate all the suffering of Judson, but you may be certain that he did suffer for the cause of Christ; his suffering was far beyond what we imagine that any servant of Christ should endure. Following the Haystack Revival that took place while Judson studied at Andover Theological Seminary, Judson and his wife, Ann, left on a ship sailing to Calcutta. During their journey, protracted study of the New Testament in the original language convinced the Judsons to become Baptists. Later, they would fellowship with William Carey until the East India Company ordered them out of India, forcing them to sail to Burma. Their first child born during a monsoon, died before the ship could reach land. The infant was buried at sea.
Upon arriving in Rangoon, Judson began a ministry of preaching. The Judsons laboured for six years without a convert! Can you imagine considering such paucity of results being tolerated today? We want action! We demand results! If things aren’t shaking, then it is obvious to us that God isn’t in the endeavour. Judson was imprisoned, and his wife suffered terribly, burying another child and ultimately expending her own life on the soil of Burma.
As a young man, Judson had cried out, “I will not leave Burma, until the cross is planted here forever!” After years of preaching and suffering, a Burmese Christian purchased a Karen slave and brought him to Judson to evangelise. Ko Tha Byu was a desperate robber who had been involved in over thirty murders. Judson taught this depraved man, who finally surrendered to the Saviour, becoming a flaming evangelist to his own people. Thirty years after his death, Burma had sixty-three Christian churches, one hundred sixty-three missionaries and over seven thousand baptised converts. To this day, the Karens are known as one of the great success stories of the Faith, many continuing to serve the Master.
At the dedication of the Judson Memorial Church in New York City, a son of Adoniram Judson spoke. Among his statements was this one, referring to his father: “Suffering and success go together. If you are succeeding without suffering, it is because others before you have suffered; if you are suffering without succeeding, it is that others after you may succeed.” [7]
We read these accounts of those who went before us, and we realise that we now live in a time that must be considered a historic anomaly. We who live in Canada and the United States have been spared intense opposition; we don’t really know what it is to be persecuted. We read of fellow believers being persecuted, some even to death, in distant lands, but the accounts seem somehow distant, unreal, certainly having no impact on us. Christians persecuted in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia somehow don’t stir us to compassion. Persecution of the brothers in Indonesia, in Pakistan, in India or even in Mexico don’t leave us with a sense of sorrow because these are our brothers and sisters.
We read how six thousand Christians—mostly women and children—have been killed in Nigeria [8], but that nation is so distant that their pain doesn’t have an impact on us. Church leaders in that African nation plead for help from the international community, in the wake of what they rightly call “pure genocide” at the hands of Fulani herdsmen. For the most part, the churches of Canada remain silent, as though these brothers don’t exist.
Have we who claim the Name of Christ in this blessed nation forgotten the admonition, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” [ROMANS 12:15]? Is it possible that we have taken for granted the peace with which we are blessed? If this is true, it must be because we are ignorant of the Word of God, ignorant of the rich blessings we enjoy and ignorant of the suffering of fellow believers in our world.
We are dismayed when some soul speaks ill of us, or when some government official, inflated with a sense of her own self-importance, disparages the work of Christ’s churches. She has an idea of what we Christians should do, and her concept has no room for acting with honour and mercy; her idea is that the faithful are responsible to do what people such as she herself have decided must be done. Above all else, the faithful are to remain silent, giving tacit approval of the wickedness promoted in the name of tolerance. And the faithful are astonished, hurt that someone would think ill of them or question the goodness of those serving Christ.
The congregation in Smyrna experienced tribulation; the Greek terms speaks of serious trouble. The early Christians exhibited unbounded courage in the face of persecution. They had stamina, the ability to stay in the fray despite opposition. They were much like saints who have suffered so terribly in this day at the hands of Muslim persecutors, at the instigation of Hindu mobs who beat and murder and burn. The determination to continue in the Faith in this day reveals that the Spirit of God is still working in our brothers and sisters throughout the world.
The Risen Saviour takes note of their poverty; He uses a strong word to speak of their poverty. The word speaks not of need, but of destitution. One scholar distinguishes this word from another word that could be translated “poverty,” by writing, “The pénes has nothing superfluous, the ptoxós nothing at all.” [9] Perhaps these saints had experienced plundering of their goods. Christianity was not legally permitted, making it easy for others to take advantage of those who would follow Christ. What is especially disappointing is that it appears to have been Jews who entered into the plundering of these saints.
As the writer of the Letter to Hebrew Christians pens that letter, he urges his readers, “Recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised” [HEBREWS 10:32-36]. Property can be plundered, but no one can plunder the soul of the child of God.
The Lord of Glory also notes the slander, the blasphemía, these saints were forced to endure. The words that are recorded may appear harsh, especially when the Master speaks of Jews as “a synagogue of Satan.” The Lord is exposing them as gathering, not God’s people, but Satan’s people, for Satan is exposed as “the accuser of our brothers” [see REVELATION 12:10]. Because Christianity was not a legal religion, the Jews found an outlet for their rage against the followers of the Christ. When Polycarp was martyred at Smyrna somewhat later, Jewish hostility against Christians was demonstrated when in their zeal to execute the aged pastor they cried out for burning. Then, even though it was the sabbath, they gathered wood for the fire in which the martyr was burnt. [10] They desecrated their religion to kill a Christian!
THE SOURCE OF OPPOSITION — “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation” [REVELATION 2:10a].
Imagine standing in the crowded room in which the congregation in Smyrna meets. A few oil lamps hanging from the walls give off a dim light making shadows dance across the faces of those standing throughout the room. As you silently survey those present, you note that many of your fellow worshippers are no longer present. Some have been jailed, and you know all too well that some have been murdered—they have sealed their witness with their lives. Of those that are present early this particular Lord’s Day morning, almost all have been incarcerated at some time. There are a few new faces, people that have thus far managed to avoid a flogging. Many of your fellow followers of the Saviour haven’t eaten in a couple of days—their goods were seized, and they were driven from their homes. No one will hire them; thus, they have no income, no way to support their families. For some that did have a meagre breakfast they shared with others, the meal consisted of a few crusts of dry bread, perhaps some lentils that had been boiled the night before and a sip of water.
There is a high price to be paid for worshipping the Son of God, and it is obvious as you look at those gathered. Surprisingly, the meeting isn’t pervaded with gloomy darkness. Gathered worshippers are obviously thrilled to be present; smiles light scarred faces and the greetings are genuine as they acknowledge one another. As word spreads that one of the brothers has been incarcerated or that a sister has been put out of her house, there are brief sobs before the saints break out in spontaneous prayer, thanking the Risen Saviour for the privilege of being counted as one of His servants. And what prayers these saints offer as they petition the God of Heaven for courage and for power to witness of Christ the Lord.
“Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
“for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus” [ACTS 4:24-30].
The Risen Lord of Glory was forthright in warning this congregation—people whom He loved and whom He had redeemed—that they were going to suffer. Faith in the Risen Lord would cost each one of these saints; there was no hiding the fact. Christ never hides from His people that they can anticipate opposition, and violent opposition in many instances. We have been shielded from the violence directed against many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world. God has been gracious to us in Canada. That mercy is unusual in the grand sweep of history. Perhaps the sheltering is about to cease.
Among the men I came to know when I had first come to Canada were two men whom I came to admire greatly. Both of these men had pastored in Quebec during the sixties. Both had suffered for daring to declare the message of grace freely offered through faith in the Son of God. Both of these men had been beaten and even jailed because they proclaimed the Faith of Christ the Lord. As I learned their story, I came to admire them for standing firm in the Faith of Christ Jesus. We forget that being evangelical in Canada was at one time very costly.
I remember sitting in a seminar as a woman who had grown up in the old Soviet Union spoke of the faith of Russian Christians during those dark days. She described the terror as the believers met for worship, the dangers inherent in gathering in the forests to pray, to sing and to hear a message from the Word. She told how the believers would seize every opportunity to gather in order to receive a message from the elders. Every wedding, every birthday, every funeral became an occasion to declare the message of Christ. She spoke of the cost that so many paid, even to the point of losing worldly possessions and incarceration that included hard labour.
Then, she spoke the most amazing words as tears began to streak her face when she said, “I miss it so much!” How could anyone miss such opposition, such danger, such pressure? The young woman continued, “The prayers were so real, and the worship was so sincere.” Ah, there was the answer! She didn’t miss the persecution; she missed the spiritual vitality of the churches. She continued by saying that much of what she observed of the life of the churches here in Canada was artificial, lacking sincerity, too often mere ritual that is offered up without passion. I realised that she was speaking a truth few of us were prepared to hear.
Canadian Christians seem unwilling to recognise the source of the opposition we face. Consequently, we are unable to stand against those who push against the Faith. In fact, we imagine that if only we can sing a little more loudly, sing a livelier tune or craft a sermon that includes some really moving stories, we can “really worship.” We seem to think that if we can only organise a noisy march or stand with placards denouncing some venial sin that we are really standing firm for the cause of the Saviour. We are engaged in an epoch battle, but it is unlike anything the mind of man could imagine.
Paul testifies, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” [EPHESIANS 6:10-20].
This is a battle against spiritual entities, and we are called to fight with spiritual weapons. We are taught, “Though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ” [2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-5].
We are not battling against Communist hordes seeking to destroy the churches of our land, though Communism stands opposed to the Faith. We are not battling Islamic zealots, though it is obvious that many Muslims are intent on extirpating the Faith from the earth. We are not battling against wicked bureaucrats who would silence the Faith if they cannot co-opt it. We do know that through looking to Christ the Lord and through seeking His glory through living lives that are righteous and holy, we are engaging the wicked of this fallen world. We realise that behind every opponent we may face, and behind every persecution unleashed on the saints of this fallen world, is the dark, bloody hand of the wicked one, that evil being who stands opposed to all righteousness. Therefore, we lift our hearts in prayer to God.
We hear the words of the Master, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause’” [JOHN 15:18-25].
It is easy to become so focused on the individuals who seek to dethrone the Master through injuring His faithful people that we forget who we are and what we are charged to do. One of my heroes in the Faith was a gifted man who successfully and heroically fought multiple battles against wickedness that had infiltrated the churches. One of the dark tragedies of that man’s life was that in time he forgot who the enemy was. He took his eyes off the Saviour and began to survey the field of battle. Consequently, good people were injured, and wicked people ridiculed what they saw as the irrational conduct of otherwise godly people. All this happened because he began to see anyone who disagreed with him as the enemy. He sacrificed power with God, authority to declare the message of life in order to protect his own private fiefdom.
GOD’S RICH REWARD — “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” [REVELATION 2:10b-11]. I have repeatedly stressed one truth that is easily dismissed by the faithful—faith in the Risen Son of God will bring opposition. Persecution is the lot of the one who continually, faithfully walks with the Son of God.
John warns followers of the Christ, “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you” [1 JOHN 3:13]. In writing this, John is merely echoing the Words that the Master prayed in His High Priestly prayer: “I have given [My disciples] your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” [JOHN 17:14-17].
Writing the believers in Salonica, the Apostle makes a telling statement concerning the trials Christians can expect. Paul writes, “We sent Timothy … to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know” [1 THESSALONIANS 3:2-4].
Scope in on the fourth verse: “We kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass.” As he preached, Paul had a message that continued to come to the fore of each sermon—expect suffering. If you follow the Christ, you will be persecuted, you will experience opposition. The issue is not “if,” it is “when.” What sort of suffering did the Thessalonian Christians experience? Paul writes, “You, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins” [1 THESSALONIANS 2:14-16]!
The persecution didn’t stop then—it continued. Later, in a second letter to this persecuted congregation, Paul noted the pressure these saints experienced when he wrote, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore, we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring” [2 THESSALONIANS 1:3-4]. The suffering this congregation experienced was not transient—it was ongoing, constant.
Jewish believers experienced opposition and suffering every bit as much as did Gentile believers. Writing Jewish Christians, Peter encouraged them by writing, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And
‘If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’
“Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good” [1 PETER 4:12-19].
The Apostles understood that embracing the Faith would entail suffering, and if those suffering focused on the sorrow they were experiencing when persecuted, they would lose heart. It is easy to quit if your focus is the immediate pressure you are experiencing. Instead of surrendering to the pain of the moment, the Apostles directed those who suffer to look forward to what was coming. Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” [1 PETER 5:6-11]. You will suffer; but the pain lasts only for a moment. Then, when it is past, you will receive the eternal glory that is promised in Christ. Amen; amen, indeed.
I have always drawn encouragement from Paul’s final words in his last letter to Timothy. “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” [2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8]. Focus on what is coming; don’t focus on what is now! Don’t sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the temporary! We believe the promise as recorded in John’s First Missive to the churches. “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” [1 JOHN 2:17].
John’s words echo the Apostle’s words written to the saints serving Christ in Corinth, “The appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away” [1 CORINTHIANS 7:29-31].
I’m speaking to believers who know something about opposition. Perhaps you haven’t experienced severe opposition, but you’ve felt the lash of rejection, the sting of ridicule and perhaps even the pain that accompanies persecution. I understand that the persecution in Canada is not often physical, but that opposition can nevertheless be painful. I know that some to whom I am speaking feel as though all Satan’s attention is focused on you at times. The devil isn’t focused on you exclusively, but the sorrow you experience, the pain you feel and the sense of disorientation that results from your present pain can leave you exhausted at times. I urge you, as pilgrims and sojourners in the world to look up, focus on what the Master has promised.
I’m not pleading for you to live in the sweet by-and-by; I understand that you live in the nasty now-and-now. I remind you that this present trial is momentary, but eternity is for a long time. This is message the Apostle delivered to all who follow the Master. “We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” [2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18].
The Apostle continued by focusing our attention on the Holy Spirit now living in us. “We know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
“So, we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” [2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-8].
Child of God, look up. The Master urged His people, “Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” [LUKE 21:28]. With the Apostle, I urge you, “My beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” [1 CORINTHIANS 15:58]. Amen! Amen, indeed!
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[2] Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago, c. 2010, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6823746-i-expect-to-die-in-bed-my-successor-will-die, accessed 16 June 2018
[3] Bartleby.com, https://www.bartleby.com/344/20.html, accessed 27 June 2018
[4] Christianity Today, https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/missionaries/william-carey.html, accessed 6 July 2018
[5] From Eugene Myers Harrison, Giants of the Missionary Trial, Wholesome Words Home, https://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/giants/biocarey2.html, accessed 6 July 2018
[6] Courtney Anderson, To the Golden Shore (Judson Press, Valley Forge, PA 1987)
[7] Edward Judson, quoted in “Adoniram Judson, 1788-1850, Missionary to Burma,” https://believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=43, accessed 10 July 2018
8] Bob Ditmer, “What You Need to Know About the ‘Clashes’ in Nigeria,” July 3, 2018, https://churchleaders.com/news/328186-nigerian-christians-plead-for-help-in-face-of-pure-genocide.html?utm_source=outreach-cl-daily-nl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text-link&utm_campaign=cl-daily-nl&maropost_id=&mpweb=256-7100411-742210145, accessed 17 July 2018
[9] Richard Chenevix Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan and Co., London 1880) 129
[10] Henry Scott Holland, The Apostolic Fathers, The Fathers for English Readers (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; E. & J. B. Young & Co., London; Brighton; New York 1897) 195–196
(+) A PDF version of the final edit of this message will be found after Sunday, 14 October, 2018, at https://newbeginningsbaptist.ca/category/sermon-archives/.
