Are you aware that there have been more Christians killed for their faith in recent years than there were during the time of the Caesars? It has been estimated that since AD 70, there have been over 70 million Christians put to death for refusing to renounce their belief in Jesus Christ. This means that on average, just over 36,000 have been killed each year for their faith. Yet, in recent years that figure is closer to 200,000 Christians martyred for their faith every year. And most, if not all, of this persecution occurs in the non-Western world. So, you’d think that the church is rapidly dying in the non-Western world, wouldn’t you? Hardly! Christianity has grown so rapidly that it is now 80% of Christians now live outside what we consider the Western world. 80%!
Most of these Christians do not enjoy the freedoms we enjoy. Most of these Christians live in countries with poor human rights.
Most of these Christians live under the dark shadow of daily persecution because of their faith in Jesus.
“What gives those men and women the courage to stand firm in their belief, even in the face of death?”
“Do I have what it takes to stand firm for my faith in Christ, even in the face of persecution, ridicule, rejection, or even death?”
In Revelation 2:8-11...
Jesus challenges you and me to lay down our lives for Him.
Jesus challenges you and me to remain faithful to Him to the end. Are we ready for the challenge?
In Revelation 2:8-11, we are introduced to the church in Smyrna.
They were a faithful church. They were faithful to the end.
May we be that kind of church!
Let’s see what Christ says to this church (and to us) as we look at Revelation 2: 8-11.
Please turn to Revelation 2:8-11... [Read it]
We really have the same basic outline for all of these letters.
Let’s look more closely at who the addressee is in this letter.
1. THE ADDRESSEE (v. 8a)
The “angel” or “messenger” was likely the pastor or elders of the church in Smyrna. What do we know about this church and this city? Of the 7 churches Christ speaks to, Smyrna is the only city that still exists today. Today it is called Izmir in the country of Turkey. One of my friends that I grew up with in India actually lives in this city. Today, it is a city of around 500,000 people.
The city of Smyrna 2,000 years ago was a city of around 200,000 people, built on the slopes of Mount Pagus, a harbor city 2nd only to the city of Ephesus in exports. The city of Smyrna was described on coins as “First of Asia in beauty and size.” It had the largest public theater in Asia. It also had a famous stadium and library. The city had a strong allegiance to Rome. It was a center of Roman emperor worship. Evidence shows us that it was tougher to be a faithful Christian in this city than anywhere else.
The name “Smyrna” means “bitter.” It is the word used to translate the Hebrew word “myrrh.” Myrrh was used to make perfume and embalm dead bodies. Remember this was one of the gifts presented to baby Jesus by the wise men. Myrrh becomes fragrant when crushed. (We’ll return to this thought later on).
It’s been said, “The trials of life can make one bitter or better.”
It’s also been said that the same sun hardens clay that softens wax. For the Smyrna believers their trials were making them better.
Can you say the same? How are you handling the trials of life?
Are they making you bitter or better?
Christ has some words of encouragement for the church in Smyrna. This church and the church in Philadelphia are the only 2 churches that don’t receive any criticism or call to repentance.
Notice what Christ says to the church in Smyrna. Even how he introduces Himself must have been an encouragement to them.
Look at The Addresser in v. 8b...
2. THE ADDRESSER (v. 8b)
Isn’t it great how Christ introduces himself?
How encouraging it must have been to the church in Smyrna to hear Christ say, “I am the first and the last. I am the One who died and then came to life again.”
The city of Smyrna might have been first in Asia in beauty and in size, but Jesus Christ in the first and the last! Amen?
Jesus Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent, eternal God!
He is the Alpha and the Omega!
He is the First and the Last!
And this same Jesus willingly died as the ultimate sacrifice for your sin and my sin.
This same Jesus died, yes, but rose from the dead! Praise God!
This same Jesus conquered death!
This same Jesus defeated evil!
How comforting this must have been to the Christians in Smyrna who daily faced the threat of death.
They knew this same Jesus knew what they were going through. And He alone had the power to see them through it.
How encouraging these words must have been
And how encouraging they are to us today.
After introducing Himself, what else does Jesus say to the church?
3. THE ANALYSIS (v. 9)
Christ encourages the church in Smyrna with the words
“I know...” How encouraging to know that Christ knows what we’re going through. He knows the pressures we face.
He knew the pressures the Christians in Smyrna faced. He mentions 3 pressures that He knows they face:
• Political pressure (“afflictions”)
The words “afflictions” (“tribulations” in some versions) is a very graphic word. It paints a picture of a huge rock crushing whatever it is sitting on. The word has the idea of intense and constant pressure that often ends in death.
Jesus knew that the Christians in Smyrna were literally having the life squeezed out of them. How?
Remember that Smyrna was the center of Roman emperor worship.
Emperor worship was imposed on every citizen of Smyrna – with the threat of death if you refused to worship the emperor.
You can imagine the political pressure imposed on the Christians in Smyrna? Caesar is not Lord! Jesus is Lord!
Would you have cracked under that kind of pressure?
This is the kind of pressure the Christians in Smyrna lived with. But it wasn’t the only kind of pressure. They also faced...
• Economic pressure
(“...and your poverty – yet you are rich!”)
Because they insisted on worshiping Christ alone, the Christians in Smyrna faced tremendous economic pressure. Their businesses suffered. They were poor financially. But notice Christ says that they are really rich. How so? Rich spiritually!
As Mother Teresa used to say, “There are different kinds of poverty.” What did she mean? What she meant is that poverty of heart or spirit is far worse than poverty of the pocket book.
Here these believers were smack dab in the middle of God’s will for their lives, and they were poor financially. That’s not the message you hear from many of today’s TV preachers. They would probably tell the believers in Smyrna that they were out of God’s will. These preachers would tell the church in Smyrna that all they had to do was “name it and claim it.” These preachers tell us that God wants all Christians wealthy and if we’re not, we lack the faith to believe God for it. Don’t believe it! Don’t fall for it!
The church in Smyrna was suffering because they were in the will of God. Financial prosperity is not God’s will for everyone. Sometimes it costs to be a Christian.
It may even cost you financially.
Economic persecution can and will happen today.
It’s possible that you could lose your job because your faith will not allow you to lie, cheat, or manipulate. Yet we must always remember this:
Persecution has never been fatal to Christianity...
...but prosperity often has.
The persecuted church is a pure church!
The persecuted church is a powerful church!
The persecuted church is not a poor church...it is a rich church!
There’s a 3rd pressure this church in Smyrna faced...
• Religious pressure
(“I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan”)
Where was this “slander” (“blasphemy” in some translations) coming from? From unsaved Jews. They were especially antagonistic towards Christians.
Notice the strong words Jesus uses for these unsaved Jews. He calls them “a synagogue of Satan.” Ouch!!!
In today’s world some would say that Jesus is not “politically correct.” Yet, Jesus speaks the truth, openly and forthrightly.
By the way, when Jesus speaks, He doesn’t offer an opinion.
He speaks the truth with authority.
Is religious pressure relevant today? Oh, yes.
We all face this to a one degree or another.
In a recent article on the suffering church, FaithWorks listed different degrees of religious persecution:
1. Disapproval
2. Ridicule
3. Pressure to conform
4. Loss of educational opportunities
5. Economic sanctions
6. Shunning
7. Alienation from community
8. Loss of employment
9. Loss of property
10. Physical abuse
11. Mob violence
12. Harassment by officials
13. Kidnapping
14. Forced labor
15. Imprisonment
16. Physical torture
17. Murder or execution
In the face of all this pressure and persecution the church in Smyrna was facing, what advice does Jesus have for them?
Look at v. 10...
4. THE ADVICE (v. 10)
• “Do not be afraid” (Literally “fear nothing”) (v. 10a)
Listen to what else Jesus says about fear in Matthew 10:28...
“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (NASB)
God doesn’t want us to fear people or persecution!
He wants us to fear Him! Fear can be a debilitating sin!
Just as procrastination is the thief of time...
...so fear is the thief of peace.
The church in Smyrna was asked to take all their worries and stresses and lay them at the feet of Jesus. And so should we!
I don’t know what worries and stresses you are carrying today but God would have you give them up to Him.
Jesus has some more advice for the church in Smyrna... (10b)
• “Be faithful”
Even though Satan would put some of these dear Christians in Smyrna in prison, Jesus would limit Satan’s work.
God can be trusted.
He is faithful.
And because He is faithful, He asks us to be faithful to Him.
Following the advice to the church in Smyrna, Christ has some words to us. Look at v. 11.
5. THE APPLICATION (v. 11)
What are some principles we can take with us today from this passage? Let me offer 3 for you:
• God is in complete control of your circumstances
He always knows what’s happening. Yet, there are times when He doesn’t intervene in some circumstances of our lives. Why?
Many times it is to fine tune our character for His glory.
We’ve seen this already in our study of Romans, haven’t we?
God uses trials either as a barbell (to strengthen us) or a blowtorch (to burn something out of our lives).
God can use trials in our lives for our benefit.
God often uses trials in our lives to deepen our relationship with Him.
We might feel like God has abandoned us when we are in the midst of trials, but rest assured, He will stay with you, no matter what! You can count on it!
• God views human weakness as strength
Look at the strengths of this church as far as Christ is concern:
Afflictions, poverty, slander. Isn’t sad that these strengths are seen as weaknesses in the church in America? Why?
We don’t know the truth of “the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings.” (Phil 3:10).
Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words of what Christ told him as recorded in 2 Corinthians 12:9...
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
• God will see you through!
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
And we’ve just read that God’s grace is sufficient for you.
No matter what you are going through right now, or will go through in the future....God will see you through!
Contrary what many might be telling you today, there are no guarantees that material wealth or social prestige will come to the faithful in this life. Look at the church in Smyrna. They suffered.
They faced all kinds of pressure and persecution.
Yet Christ told them, and He tells us, to not be afraid.
Hang on! Be faithful! Be faithful to the end!
And, one day, you will be rewarded with the crown of life for remaining faithful to Him.
You will also not be hurt at all by the second death. What’s that?
Reminds me of a T-shirt that had on it:
“Born twice. Die once. Born once. Die twice.”
You can be born physically and spiritually (born twice) and die once (physically).
Or...you can be born once (physically) and die twice (physically and spiritually).
I know one believer that was not hurt at all by the second death. His name is Polycarp.
He was more than likely the leader in the church in Smyrna who actually received this letter.
Listen to his story...
The year is A.D. 155.
Polycarp is brought before the angry citizens of Smyrna.
They demand that he swear allegiance to Caesar and to denounce his loyalty and allegiance to Christ.
These are his words: Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never once wronged me. How then shall I blaspheme my King, Who has saved me?”
They threatened to burn him to death if he doesn’t change his mind. Here’s his response:
“You threaten me with the fire that burns for a time, and is quickly quenched, for you do not know the fire that awaits the wicked in the judgment to come and in everlasting punishment. Why are you waiting? Come, do what you will.”
The crowd grows larger. The Jews (even though they were breaking the Sabbath law) starts bringing wood for the fire.
They begin to tie him to the stake.
“Leave me as I am,” says Polycarp, “for He who gives me power to endure the fire will grant me to remain in the flames unmoved even without the security you will give me by the nails.”
So, they left him loosely bound as he burned to death.
Here was a man who was faithful to the end.
You will probably not be faced with the possibility of being burned to death because of your faith in Christ.
What is it that you are facing today?
What struggle?
What trouble?
What pressure are you facing?
What persecution are you facing?
May it be said of you, that you were faithful to the end.
