I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, FOR MOST MODERN DAY CHRISTIANS TO FULLY COMPREHEND WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO RISK ALL THEY HAVE FOR CHRIST!
MOST, IF NOT ALL OF US, STILL STRUGGLE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING PUBLICLY EMBARRASSED, HUMILIATED, OR SOCIALLY REJECTED FOR SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT OR MENTIONING THE NAME OF JESUS.
LET’S FACE IT, WE JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MARTYR. THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY CHURCH HAS LITTLE OR NO UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF LAYING DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL.
BEYOND WORDS SUCH AS "COMMITMENT" AND "SACRIFICE," WE REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT IT ACTUALLY MEANS TO BE COUNTED WORTHY TO DIE FOR CHRIST.
WHETHER BURNED ALIVE AT THE STAKE FOR NERO’S ENTERTAINMENT, TORTURED IN THE DUNGEON DURING THE MIDDLE AGES, OR CONSTANTLY ATTACKED BY THE A.C.L.U., OR THE "AMERICANS FOR SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE," CHRISTIANS HAVE ALWAYS FACED SOME FORM OR DEGREE OF PERSECUTION. THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA WAS NO DIFFERENT.
SMYRNA WAS A BEAUTIFUL CITY LOCATED ON THE AEGEAN COAST ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH OF EPHESUS. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS CITIES OF ASIA. THE RUINS OF THIS ANCIENT CITY ARE NOW COVERED BY THE MODERN TURKISH CITY OF IZMIR.
THE WORD SMYRNA WAS DERIVED FROM THE WORD MYRRH, WHICH WAS A FRAGRANT HERB USED IN THE MAKING OF ANOINTING OILS AND PERFUMES. IT DOESN’T SURPRISE ME THAT THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA WAS LITERALLY A SWEET SMELLING SAVOR TO THE LORD.
DESPITE THE PUTRID SMELL EMANATING FROM WITHIN THE CITY THE CHURCH MAINTAINED HER SWEET FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST. THE TOWN LITERALLY SMELLED SWEET AS IT MANUFACTURED THE PERFUMES AND THE CHURCH SMELLED SWEET AS IT CARRIED OUT ITS MISSIONS AND MINISTRY.
THE CITY OF SMYRNA, OF ALL THE CITIES IN ASIA, HAD THE GREATEST REPUTATION FOR BEING LOYAL TO THE ROMAN EMPIRE. BECAUSE OF ITS LOYALTY THE CITY BECAME ONE OF THE MAJOR CENTERS OF EMPEROR WORSHIP.
AS EARLY AS 26 A.D., DURING THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CAESAR, A TEMPLE HAD BEEN BUILT TO HONOR THE EMPEROR. AT ITS COMPLETION, CHRISTIANS OF SMYRNA WERE SOON CONFRONTED WITH THE INTENSE PRESSURE TO ANNUALLY CHOOSE BETWEEN SAYING "JESUS IS LORD," OR, "CAESAR IS LORD."
LATER IN THE FIRST CENTURY, THIS ACTUALLY BECAME A TEST THAT THE ROMAN AUTHORITIES APPLIED TO ALL THEIR CITIZENS. IT MEANT THAT A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE AND PERSECUTION CAME UPON THIS CHURCH BECAUSE OF THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO SAY "CAESAR IS LORD."
IN FACT, IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT ONE OF OUR GREAT CHURCH FATHERS, POLYCARP, WAS BURNED AT THE STAKE FOR REFUSING TO PROCLAIM THAT CAESAR IS LORD.
POLYCARP HAD BEEN BISHOP OF THE CHURCH FOR OVER 40 YEARS. HE WAS NOTED AS SAYING, "FOR 86 YEARS I HAVE SERVED HIM AND HE HAS DONE ME NO WRONG. HOW THEN CAN I BLASPHEME MY KING WHO SAVED ME? I AM A CHRISTIAN."
POLYCARP WAS CONDEMNED AS "THE TEACHER OF ASIA, THE FATHER OF THE CHRISTIANS, THE DESTROYER OF THE GODS." PERSECUTION WAS, INDEED, THE WATCHWORD OF THIS PARTICULAR CHURCH!
IN EVERY AGE SINCE THEN, THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS SUFFERED THE RETALIATION OF AN UNBELIEVING WORLD. WHILE THIS HAS TAKEN DIFFERENT FORMS, IT HAS ALWAYS REVEALED A SHARP AND UNDENIABLE CLASH BETWEEN THOSE WHO BELIEVE GOD AND THOSE WHO DO NOT.
THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA STANDS AS A CONSTANT SOURCE OF CONSOLATION TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUFFERED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE. THE MESSAGE GIVEN TO IT HAS OBVIOUSLY CALMED MANY SOULS WHO HAVE BEEN MADE TO STAND CONDEMNED BEFORE THE DEVIL’S PEOPLE AND FORCED TO BOW THEIR EARTHLY LIVES BEFORE THE ENEMY’S SWORD.
WHEN THE STRUGGLE BECOMES SEVERE AND INTENSE, AND HOLDING OUR GROUND BY A THREAD IS THE ONLY COURSE OF ACTION WE HAVE LEFT, THE LORD COMES TO GIVE US STRENGTH AND TO SPEAK WORDS OF COMFORT TO US.
HE DOES NOT LAY UPON US BURDENS WE CANNOT BEAR, BUT URGES US TO KEEP THE FAITH. WE WILL NOT BE ASKED TO ENDURE ANYTHING BEYOND OUR CAPACITY, AND IN IT ALL AND THROUGH IT ALL, THE LORD JESUS WILL BE WITH US.
THIS IS WHY JESUS TELLS US IN VERSE 10, "FEAR NOTHING YOU WILL SUFFER. THE CALL WAS FOR SMYRNA THEN AND IT IS OUR’S NOW TO GIVE FEAR NO PLACE IN OUR HEARTS.
WE MUST LOOK AT OUR AFFLICTIONS AS SHORT AND BRIEF ONLY FOR A MOMENT. SOON, WE SHALL BE WITH THE LORD, WITH ALL ADVERSITY BEHIND US.
NOT ONLY HAS CHRIST INSTRUCTED US TO NEVER BE FEARFUL, HE HAS ALSO TOLD US TO ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH.
WE REMAIN FAITHFUL BY TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, MORALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY.
JUST AS CHRIST BORE HIS CROSS FOR US, WE MUST BEAR UP UNDER OUR’S FOR HIM IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A TESTIMONY OF SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE.
PHYSICALLY: WE ARE ONLY THE TENANTS OF OUR BODIES. GOD IS THE LANDLORD WHO IS THE REAL OWNER OF OUR BODIES. WE MUST USE OUR BODIES, AS THEY WERE DESIGNED TO BE USED, TO HONOR AND PLEASE GOD.
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20, "DON’T YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO LIVES IN YOU AND WAS GIVEN TO YOU BY GOD? YOU DO NOT BELONG TO YOURSELF, FOR GOD BOUGHT YOU WITH A HIGH PRICE. SO YOU MUST HONOR GOD WITH YOUR BODY."
WE MUST STRIVE TO EAT RIGHT AND KEEP OUR BODIES ACTIVE, HEALTHY, AND STRONG. WE MUST ALWAYS BE WORKING TO RESIST THE URGE TO GIVE UP.
TV, VIDEO GAMES AND TODAY’S COMPUTER DRIVEN BUSINESS WORLD ARE JUST A FEW OF THE CONSTANT LURES FOR OUR LIVES TO BECOME SEDENTARY AND UNHEALTHY. WE MUST CARE FOR OURSELVES PHYSICALLY.
MENTALLY: WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES MENTALLY. WE NEED LEARN MORE ABOUT GOD’S WORD. SCHOLARSHIP HAS NEVER BEEN A POPULAR SUBJECT BUT IT’S WHAT WE NEED.
FOR EXAMPLE, CHRISTIAN LIVES, FAMILIES AND MARRIAGES ARE FALLING APART TODAY NOT BECAUSE OF "IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES" BUT DUE TO IGNORANCE.
THEY FALL APART BECAUSE PARENTS AND SPOUSES DON’T OPEN GOD’S WORD TO STUDY AND LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GODLY PARENT, WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GODLY HUSBAND AND A GODLY WIFE, AND HOW SERIOUS GOD TAKES THE MARRIAGE COVENANT.
GOD HAS GIVEN US LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN THE DEPTH OF HIS WORD. UNFORTUNATELY, NOT VERY MANY CHOOSE TO TAKE HIM UP ON THE OFFER.
BUT STILL, SOME STILL CHOOSE TO REMAIN IGNORANT. JUST REMEMBER: WE WILL NOT ONLY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT GOD’S WORD, BUT WE WILL ALSO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE FAILED TO LEARN OR EVEN REFUSED TO LEARN.
2 TIMOTHY 2:15, " STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKER THAT DOESN’T NEED TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.”
PROVERBS 4:5, 7, "GET WISDOM, GET UNDERSTANDING; DO NOT FORGET MY WORDS OR SWERVE FROM THEM…THOUGH IT COSTS ALL YOU HAVE, GET UNDERSTANDING."
THINK OF ALL THE BIBLE TRANSLATIONS, STUDY BIBLES, COMMENTARIES, DEVOTIONAL BOOKS, COMPUTER SOFTWARE, AND INTERNET WEB SITES THAT ARE OUT THERE TO HELP US LEARN. WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES MENTALLY.
MORALLY: WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES MORALLY. IT HAS BEEN SAID, "TEMPTATION IS THE ATHLETIC OF THE SOUL, THE INDISPENSABLE TRAINING FOR ITS ATTAINMENT OF HIGH MORAL EXCELLENCE." WE NEED TO STOP GIVING IN AND GIVING UP.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13, "BUT REMEMBER THAT THE TEMPTATIONS THAT COME INTO YOU LIFE ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT OTHERS EXPERIENCE. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL.
HE WILL KEEP THE TEMPTATION FROM BECOMING SO STRONG THAT YOU CAN’T STAND UP AGAINST IT. WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL SHOW YOU A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU WILL NOT GIVE IN TO IT."
THE POWER OF THE MIND IS AWESOME. IT IS EVIDENT WHEN WE REALIZE THE MIND IS THE CONTROL TOWER OF OUR CHARACTER, CONDUCT AND CONVERSATION. WE CANNOT THINK EVIL AND LIVE IN A GODLY WAY.
GODLY LIVING IS THE RESULT OF GODLY THINKING. NO ONE FORCES YOU TO WATCH QUESTIONABLE TV PROGRAMS, LISTEN TO MUSIC FILLED WITH VILE LYRICS, OR TO READ PROVOCATIVE AND OFFENSIVE LITERATURE.
YES, OF COURSE, SATAN IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO BRING ALL THESE THINGS TO OUR ATTENTION! BUT REMEMBER TEMPTATION IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT SIN! IT ONLY BECOMES SIN WHEN WE WILLFULLY CHOOSE TO GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION SET BEFORE US.
IT’S TIME FOR CHRISTIANS TO DO AWAY WITH ANY THOUGHT OF GETTING THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. COMPROMISING ALWAYS RESULTS IN BEING CONQUERED. NO ONE EVER INTENDS TO BECOME AN ALCOHOLIC WITH THE FIRST DRINK OR A DRUG ADDICT AFTER SWALLOWING THEIR FIRST PILL.
WE NEED TO STOP DRESSING UP OUR IMMORAL BEHAVIOR WITH FANCY WORDS AND EXCUSES TO JUSTIFY OUR BEHAVIOR. WHAT WE ALLOW IN OUR LIVES THAT GOD FORBIDS WILL EVENTUALLY CONQUER US. WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES MORALLY.
SPIRITUALLY: WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES SPIRITUALLY. WE ARE TO REALIZE THAT CHRIST KNOWS ALL ABOUT US TODAY JUST LIKE HE KNEW THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA.
ALTHOUGH THEY WERE PERSECUTED, AND ALTHOUGH THEY WERE POOR, CHRIST DECLARES THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY RICH IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH. THEY ARE RICH IN THEIR FAITH BECAUSE THEY FIXED THEIR EYES ON JESUS AND NOT THE SITUATION THEY WERE IN.
BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH THE GRACE OF GOD WAS LIBERALLY APPLIED TO THIS CHURCH. THOUGH THEY WERE POOR IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, THEY WERE RICH IN THE SPIRIT.
WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE STRIVING TO ENHANCE AND STRENGTHEN OUR OWN HOLINESS. THIS SPIRITUAL JOURNEY IS WHAT JOHN WESLEY REFERRED TO AS "GOING ON TO PERFECTION."
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE IS THE SIMPLE, SINGLE-MINDED LOVE FOR GOD. IT IS THE WORSHIP OF GOD WITH THE WHOLE HEART, SOUL AND MIND.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE STRIVING FOR PERFECTION IN OUR HOLINESS, GOD KNOWS WE WILL NEVER LIVE A PERFECT AND SINLESS LIFE WHILE HERE ON EARTH. THAT’S NOT AN EXCUSE TO GIVE UP AND SAY "IT’S NO USE, SO WHY TRY?!"
IT IS, INSTEAD, A BATTLE CRY TO SAY, "WITH GOD’S HELP, I CAN!" GOD REQUIRES US TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT STRIVING TO BECOME HOLY. IT’S ONE THING TO AT LEAST TRY THAN TO NEVER PUT FORTH ANY EFFORT AT ALL.
THE FIRST PLACE WE CAN START TODAY IS TO ONCE AGAIN GRIEVE OVER OUR SINS INSTEAD OF JUSTIFYING THEM OR MAKING EXCUSES FOR THEM.
WE MUST EARNESTLY PURSUE HOLINESS AS THE WAY OF LIFE RATHER THAN JUST A PART OF OUR LIFE. WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES SPIRITUALLY.
THE MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA WAS THAT THEY SHOULD NEVER BE FEARFUL AND TO ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH.
CAN THE FRAGRANCE THAT EMANATED FROM SMYRNA BE THE SAME AROMA THAT COMES FORTH FROM US? IF THIS IS OUR PRAYER TODAY, THEN CAN WE MAKE A COMMITMENT TO START RISKING ALL WE HAVE FOR CHRIST?
CAN WE TRULY LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL? WILL WE TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE COUNTED WORTHY TO DIE FOR CHRIST?
LET US, LIKE THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA, IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION, TRIALS AND HARDSHIPS, MAKE A PLEDGE TO GIVE FEAR NO PLACE IN OUR HEARTS.
LET US, LIKE THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA, REMAIN FAITHFUL BY TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, MORALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY.
JUST AS CHRIST BORE HIS CROSS WE MUST BEAR UP UNDER OURS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A TESTIMONY OF SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE THAT IS A SWEET SMELLING FRAGRANCE TO GOD.
