Smyrna: The Crowned Church
Rev 2:8-11
Herman Lange, a German Christian who was executed by the Nazis during World War II. In his cell on the night before he was to be killed, Lange wrote a note to his parents. He said two feelings occupied his mind: "I am, first, in a joyous mood, and second, filled with great anticipation." Then he made this beautiful affirmation: "In Christ I have put my faith, and precisely today I have faith in Him more firmly than ever." Finally he urged his parents to read the New Testament for comfort: "Look where you will, everywhere you will find jubilation over the grace that makes us children of God. What can befall a child of God? Of what should I be afraid? On the contrary, rejoice!"
I fear dying, but I don?t fear death because I am a Christian. I believe that now, because I am not in situation where I am facing death, but how would I react if I were? Deb Wise gave me a great example of this as she dealt with the realities of cancer. At first she was scared, discouraged, but then as she realized that She was a Christian and so was her family, she was able to look at all the possibilities of cancer with the same reaction. No matter what might happen, she was at peace because was there to care for her and her family. Even if the worst came true and she was to die, she would see her family again in Heaven as they were all Christians.
It?s that understanding in our hearts as well as our minds that help us face whatever comes before us in our lives.
PRAYER
I. Poor, but Rich
A. The Wealth of Smyrna
1. Smyrna was a very wealthy city.
2. It was situated as a perfect harbor and entry way into that part of Asia Minor.
3. Even today is a thriving seaport of 200,000 people
4. During Roman times it was a magnificent city of beautiful public buildings and temples, mostly to the Roman Emperors.
5. One of the most incredible sights was ?golden street? because 5 great temples were built along this road.
6. Everywhere you looked you saw a city of untold wealth
B. Poverty of the Christians
1. In this city of great wealth was a group of Christians who didn?t seem to share in the wealth all around them.
2. You notice the poverty even greater when you have abject poverty next to incredible wealth.
a) When I say poor, I mean poor.
b) the Gr. word for poor used here means abject poverty.
3. It is quite possible that since these people wouldn?t worship the Emperor, they were excluded from the craft guilds where most of the money making opportunities were.
a) As a sign of religious and political loyalty, every Roman citizen of the city had to give a yearly sacrifice on the altar of Caesar. You were then given a certificate showing you had fulfilled this obligation.
b) Obviously the Christians of the city wouldn?t do this and paid a penalty more dearly than most Christians.
c) They could even be put to death for not sacrificing to Caesar.
C. Wealth of The Christians
1. God reminds these destitute saints that in fact they were richer by far than anyone else there.
2. How could that be?
3. That?s a question we even struggle with today
4. We are wealthy because we have something that outlasts anything on earth?Salvation
a) Our wealth doesn?t come from material thing.
b) It comes from spiritual peace and confidence.
c) We may never get rich as the world sees richness.
d) Yet the treasures we have laid up in Heaven!
e) No amount of money could ever buy What God has given us freely.
f) There is a saying, ?keep the main thing the main thing?
g) We need to remember the main thing is our relationship with God, nothing else should matter as much.
II. The Crowns of Smyrna
A. Word play
1. God uses some word plays when talking to the Christians in Smyrna.
2. He talks about the crown of life in vs 10.
B. A crown had a couple of significant meanings to the people of Smyrna.
1. Smyrna?s main temple on the Golden street were all on hills called acropolis.
a) These temples stood above the rest of the city, so they called Smyrna the crowned city.
b) It was also very high on the ?A? list of the Roman government and got special treatment.
c) Another reason for it being a crowned city.
2. The second meaning of crown was the wreath given to the winners of the athletic games and it was a highly prized reward
a) This was a simple laurel wreath that would wither and die.
b) Yet, it was a crowning moment for the men who earned this revered prize.
c) They would put it in a special box to protect it as much as possible, and keep it for the rest of their lives.
3. God promises a crown of life to those who overcame.
a) Just as those athletes overcame their competitors to win, so the Christian could overcome Satan to win.
b) While the crown of the athlete would wither and die, the Christian?s crown was eternal and a crown of life!
III. Faithfulness rewarded
A. Reward for faithful suffering
1. After the Crimean War, a great celebration was held in London to honor the heroes wounded in battle. Queen Victoria was present to give out the medals. Some of the soldiers appeared with empty sleeves, some came on crutches, and some had bandaged foreheads. To each she gave the same sweet smile and the same high award. At last, a terribly maimed soldier was brought before the Queen on a litter. His arms and legs were gone. He had sacrificed even more than the rest. At the sight of him the Queen, with tears streaming down her cheeks, stepped forward and pinned a medal on his uniform. Then stooping down, she kissed his brow and said with great emotion, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"
2. That is the picture you need to have in mind as you read vs 10
3. These Christians were not only destitute because they were faithful to God, they were badly persecuted.
a) That is a tough combination to overcome, but they did
b) God is so proud of these Christians because their faith is so pure and trusting.
c) It?s interesting that those who have nothing to lose can trust God so much.
d) They aren?t distracted by ?things? that so many of us worry about.
e) Their only hope for a better life is trusting in God.
B. Slander of the Jews
1. The Jews, who were supposed to be God?s people who worse persecutors of the church than the heathens.
2. God knows who are really his people and it isn?t defined by a race or name.
3. We get slandered for doing things that we feel best gets the gospel out to those around us.
a) This used to really bother me and made me want to fight back, but the wisdom of our elders set me straight.
b) I remember one attack and I was all hot and bothered and one of our elders said, ?Jim, are we doing anything wrong?? ?No?, ?Then it doesn?t matter what they say, God knows the truth.?
c) That was a defining moment in my ministerial life.
C. Connected to the Savior
1. This letter starts out by showing Jesus as eternal
2. It also talks about how he died yet rose again.
3. It ends by connecting those faithful even to death as living eternally and the 2nd death could never hurt them.
a) The saints of Smyrna suffered.
b) History tells us that Polycarp, a disciple of John?s and a great leader in the church was burned to death in Smyrna.
c) Yet their faithfulness even to death would be rewarded with the greatest of crowns and eternal life with our Savior
IV. Concl.
A. Can you identify with the Christians in Smyrna?
1. Do you feel so poor as you look at all the wealth around you?
2. You are rich! God has blessed you with things money can never buy.
3. Have you suffered because you proclaimed your faith?
4. Keep on proclaiming, God has the winner?s crown waiting for you.
B. This is a letter of assurance and hope for those who are in Christ Jesus. ARE YOU IN CHRIST JESUS?
