INTRODUCTION
SLIDE #1
What would you do if not too long after you became a Christian, bad things started happening to you?
What would you do if when you became a Christian, people started persecuting you, you lost your job, you lost all of your possessions, and people would slander you?
What would you do if you were thrown in prison? What would you do if the government came into our church this morning and made you bow down and burn incense and say, “The United Nations is lord”?
After doing this you would receive a token from the government that would allow you to operate your business, without the token, you could not do business. If you refused to burn the incense, you could be put to death.
What would you do if religious groups here in town were working for the government as spies to tell on you if you were not complying? What if they were telling lies about you.
What if you were a person considering becoming a Christian and you saw this happening to the church? As a Christian, if you saw this happening in the church, what would you think about God? Would you keep the faith? Would you run from God? Would you compromise your faith to stay alive?
SLIDE #2
The letter that we are going to look at today is the letter to the church at Smyrna. Smyrna was a beautiful city that was famous for its wide paved streets, which ran from one end of the city to another. The city possessed a famous stadium, an impressive library and laid claim to the largest public theater in all of Asia Minor.
The city was fiercely loyal to the Roman Government; there was a large Jewish population that which was not very loving to the Christians.
The letter that we are going to look at today was written to a church that was experiencing all of the things that I mentioned above. This was a church that was experiencing a great deal of suffering.
Are you ready to join?
In this letter, we find no criticism of the church. This is what you would expect. If you are giving it you best in the face of adversity, you do not need a kick in the tail.
This is a letter designed to encourage the church at Smyrna. Today I want us to look at the Picture Jesus paints of Himself, the Persecutions that the church was enduring and the promises that Jesus makes to the faithful!
SLIDE #3
SERM0N
I. A PICTURE OF JESUS (8)
• SLIDE #4
• Revelation 2:8 (NASB) 8“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
• What does this image mean?
• SLIDE #5
1. The meaning of the picture.
• Jesus says that He is the first and the last. This means that Jesus has been there and done that. He knows what it means to suffer because He had suffered Himself.
• SLIDE #6
• Jesus is saying that He defeated death! ROM 6:9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
• When we face difficult times in life, don’t we want to be comforted by someone with whom we know has been through what we have been through before. PEOPLE WITHOUT KIDS GIVING PARENTAL ADVICE.
• SLIDE #7
2. The relevance of the picture.
• These people were facing some very difficult times; Jesus wants them to know that He understands what they are facing.
• What is the one thing other than a tax audit that all people fear? DEATH. Jesus lets them know that He is the one who defeated death!
• No matter what we face in life, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus Himself knows what we are going through and not only does He know, but He cares also.
• This in itself can and should be a source of comfort for us.
• Jesus wants them to know that death was not the end for them.
• SLIDE #8
II. THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH (9-10)
• Persecution can show up in many ways let us look at a few of the things that were happening to the church.
• SLIDE #9
• Revelation 2:9 - 10 (NASB) 9‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
• SLIDE #10
1. The types of the persecution.
• Tribulation
This comes from a word that means pressure that is brought upon someone from without. It carries the idea of grapes in a winepress that were crushed by pressure or by trampling of feet.
Do you feel squeezed or pressured? Are you aware that Jesus wants to help you?
The church was facing a lot pressure from the world at the time. The church did not fold or give into the pressures. Who could blame them if they did? Jesus could, He did not quit in the middle of His tribulations. Jesus wants to help them deal with the pressure. Jesus wants to help you with the pressure if you will trust in Him!
SLIDE #11
• Poverty
• There are two words for poverty that could have been used, one deals with not having enough to buy the extras in life, and the other word deals with not having enough to buy the basic necessities of life.
• When Jesus says He knows their poverty, He is saying that He knows that they do not have enough for the basic needs of life.
• Doing business in Smyrna depended on having the little token you would receive from the government each year at the altar for proclaiming that Caesar is lord.
• Notice that Jesus tells them that even though they are struggling in this life, that in the eyes of God, they are rich.
• The word that Jesus uses for “rich” has the idea of being in a position of power and authority because of wealth. The people of the church were in a position of authority because of the treasures that they were storing up in heaven. They were rich in the sight of God.
• SLIDE #12
• LUKE 12:15 Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."
• Matthew 6:19-21 warns us not to store up treasures on earth.
• There was a financial cost for these people to follow Christ; they were willing to pay that price, are you?
• SLIDE #13
• Slander
• The Jews would try to get the Christians in trouble; they would say whatever they had to do to ruin them.
• It works that way for us at times; there will be people who will not like you because of who and what you stand for.
• SLIDE #14
• ROM 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
• SLIDE #15
• Prison
• Paul spent time in prison for his faith, as did many of the followers of Jesus. There are people to this day who are put in prison because of their faith.
• Jesus wanted to remind then that their punishment would be for a short time. Jesus did not want them to loose heart because of short-term problems. We must keep eternity in view as we deal with tough times.
• SLIDE #16
2. The cause of the persecution.
• The reason the church was persecuted was because they stood firm with Jesus.
• Fear causes us to compromise our faith. Jesus tells them not to be afraid.
• SLIDE #17
3. The instigator of the persecution
• Satan is the enemy. Satan was behind what was happening to them, he was trying to get the people to abandon their faith as so many others would. THIS KEEPS US FROM SEEING PEOPLE AS THE ENEMY, THE LOST ARE VICTIMS OF THE ENEMY!
• SLIDE #18
• EPH 2:2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
• SLIDE #19
III. THE PROMISES FOR THE FAITHFUL. (10-11)
• Let us look at verses 10-11 so we can see the promises made to the church.
• SLIDE #20
• Revelation 2:10 - 11 (NASB) 10‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’
• Let us look at the promises
• SLIDE #21
1. Jesus knows the situation.
He is interested in the people
Jesus is saying, “Don’t be afraid, I am with you”!
SLIDE #22
2. The faithful will receive the Crown of Life.
Two types of crown. Ruling crown worn by royalty. This is not the word here.
Victory crown given to the winner of a race. A Festival crown worn at a wedding. A crown given for faithful civil service. All three of these meet this.
SLIDE #23
3. The faithful will not be harmed by the second death.
The first death is physical death. This is part of the curse we all receive as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin.
The second death is what those who do not belong to Jesus will be subject to. It is the hell. It is what will happen to the devil, his angels and his followers. It is eternal damnation.
SLIDE #24
REV 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
REV 21:8 "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Jesus promises that those who are faithful to Him will not experience this second death, but will have eternal life with Him!
CONCLUSION
In this letter, Jesus finds no fault with the church. He wants to encourage them in what they are doing.
Jesus wants them to know that He is with them and He is also faithful. He will do what He promises. It may look to them that He is not there, but He is.
When you are facing difficulties in life, rest assured, Jesus is there with you.
Jesus offers an eternal reward for the winner of the race of life!
Life is tough. We need to encourage one another as Jesus would.
