"Smyrna-the Suffering Church" -Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts.
Sermon series on the Letters to the 7 Churches of Rev 2-3
When school report cards are issued, it’s can be a stressful time. Any assessment we receive is supposed to help us see our strengths and weaknesses, to show where we need to improve. Whenever we receive a performance appraisal it’s usually for our benefit alone...but the 7 evaluations we’re considering are for all believers. They come from the Lord Jesus, Who stands in the midst of His churches.
Ancient Smyrna is the modern-day city of Izmir, one of the largest cities in Turkey. It sits at the head of the Gulf of Hermuz, about 35 miles up the coast from Ephesus. It is the only one of the 7 cities still in existence. Smyrna, or Izmir, is blessed with a well-protected harbor and a natural outlet to the Aegean Sea. The coins of ancient Smyrna depict merchant ships ready to sail. The city was originally a Greek colony, and the birthplace of the poet Homer. It was a prosperous city and well-known for its schools of science and medicine.
Jesus is described as "the First and the Last" (vs 8); He is the Lord of history, the eternal God Who has always existed and who always will exist. He is in control regardless of the evil circumstances affecting believers. In 1:8 Jesus declares, "I am the Alpha and Omega, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty." Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet…Jesus is the first, last, and everything in-between. Ralph Carmichael composed a hymn, "He’s Everything to Me." Is Jesus everything to us? Is He our "Alpha and Omega"? Smyna was called the "First of Asia". I suppose their motto was "We’re number one!" The city was first in beauty and loyalty to Caeser, but Jesus is first in everything. He deserves our undivided loyalty and devotion.
In vs 8 Jesus also refers to His resurrection; He "died and came to life again." Our Lord is making an analogy to the city’s own experience of death and rebirth. Smyrna had been invaded, destroyed, and rebuilt. This reminds me of the German city I last lived in, Wuerzburg, which was leveled by the British during WWII, but today it is completely restored. Smyrna was called in John’s day "the pride and flower of Asia," renown for its beauty. Historians describe it as the most splendid of the 7 cities. The name Smyrna refers to myrrh, a sweet perfume (the same given by the Magi). We have no Biblical account of the founding of the church of Smyrna, though scholars believe the church began as a result of Paul’s 3rd Missionary trip (Acts 19).
Smyrna’s citizens were among Rome’s strongest allies. In 195 BC they built a temple to the "spirit of Rome" as a sign of their loyalty to the Empire. Emperor worship became compulsory for every Roman citizen on threat of death. We can imagine their opposition to Christians, whose refusal to conform to state worship was interpreted as disloyalty to Rome. Jesus states that He is well-aware of their "afflictions" (vs 9).
It must have been exceptionally difficult to live as a follower of Christ in Syrna. Believers were regarded with suspicion and were subject to discrimination.
Jesus also refers to their "poverty". Why was this church so poor in such a prosperous city? Economic sanctions may have been imposed against these non-compliant Christians; they may have been denied trade and employment opportunities.
The faithful of Smyrna suffered hardship, but they were spiritually prosperous. James tells us in his letter, "the poor of this world are rich in faith" (2:5). Christ commends the church for its spiritual wealth. It’s possible to be monetarily rich yet spiritually bankrupt.
Jesus then directs some harsh words toward those who claimed to be children of Abraham but who were not living a godly life. It is not enough to be born into a religious home. We have to individually come to the point of decision-will we trust the Lord, or go our own way? There was tension between Christians and Jews living in Smyrna. Hostile slander was being leveled against the followers of Christ, who were regarded as heretics. The slander came from people pretending to be religious Jews, who viewed Christianity as a threat to Judaism. Yet Christianity is thoroughly Jewish. The Old Testament is the foundation for the New. Paul asserted that "If you belong to Christ, then you are the children of Abraham" (Gal 3:29). Christianity finds its true identity in connection with Israel. The writers of the New Testament did not regard Christianity as a religion distinct from Judaism. These early followers of Christ did not leave Judaism. They saw their relationship to Jesus the Messiah as the fulfillment of their faith. The stronger our Christian faith, the more Jewish we will regard ourselves. We could not exist without Judaism. But Jesus here refers to evil-doers who He condemns as "the synagogue of Satan."
In his book Our Father Abraham, Gordon College professor Marvin Wilson points out that God’s covenant with Abraham was a promise that he would become a "father of many nations." The Hebrew word for "nations" is goyim, which can be translated "Gentiles". Here is a promise that God’s family would be enlarged, that non-Jews would one day name Abraham as their father.
Jesus encourages the church to be faithful and fearless in the midst of suffering, vs 10. The "ten days" may imply that the opposition will not last a long time. Hardships can make us bitter, or they can draw us closer to God for comfort. We find it reassuring knowing that God is in control,
even when our world seems ready to topple over. We know that God loves us, is with us, and that there is a purpose for every trial. We should not be surprised by suffering. Paul points out, "Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (II Tim 3:12).
For those who resist the pressure to swear allegiance to Caesar, to those who remain faithful amid opposition, there will be the reward of "the crown of life", vs 10.
Smyrna was famous for its athletic games. A victory wreath or garland was presented to winners of the various athletic events. They didn’t give out gold, silver and bronze medals! Garlands were also given on other occasions to non-athletes who distinguished themselves by showing loyalty to Rome. Coins from Smyrna depict faithful servants of the city wearing laurel wreaths upon their heads, as symbols of patriotism. Smyrna itself was described as a crown because of the beauty of its buildings and skyline. Loyalty to Christ may result in a crown of thorns, but it will ultimately bring a crown of glory. The faithful cannot be defeated-they may be persecuted "to the point of death" (vs 10) but they will not be affected by the "second death" (vs 11). Pain in life is inevitable, but we have a secure hope in God. The "second death" is a rabbinic term for the punishment of the wicked in the next life, beyond the grave. Later on in the book of Revelation this second death is identified as the "lake of fire" (20:14). Greater than any fear of physical death should be the fear of God’s judgment. The second death means eternal separation from God. Over the faithful it has no power. We will all die once, physically, but we will not die twice. The "second death" has no power over us.
Unlike the other churches, there is no critique given-not a word of rebuke, only compassion, encouragement, and comforting words.
We know from history that the church of Smyrna remained steadfast. Even after the city fell to Arab invaders, the messianic believers withstood the coercive, militant spread of Islam. A castle on the inner harbor remained a Christian stronghold till 1402. Even today the city maintains a large Christian population (primarily Eastern Orthodox), and is largely regarded as an "infidel" city by Moslems.
If we determine to serve God, we may suffer. But we are confident that Jesus is the First and the Last--He died, and He lives! He knows our trials, controls our destiny, and will present us with the crown of life at the end of the race!
Prayer: Lord God, strengthen Your church. Make us able to withstand affliction and guard us from apathy. May our desire to serve Christ overcome any fear of rejection and persecution. Help us to do some self-reflection, to determine if our faith really is genuine. Our health and possessions may depart, but not our faith. May our trust in Christ result in praise, glory, and honor, when He is revealed. Amen.
