AM Sermon preached at Central Christian Church 3rd in series on seven letters
"When is Enough, Enough?" (The Letter to the Church at Smyrna, Part 1) Rev. 2:8-11
[SERIES SLIDE WILL TRANSITION TO TITLE SLIDE]
This morning we’re going to look at the shortest of the seven letters found in Revelation chapters 2 & 3, the letter to the church at Smyrna. And yet even though it’s the shortest letter, there’s just so much here that I decided to preach from it both today and next Sunday.
As I read the letter, I encourage you to follow along in your Bible, or on the screen to my left. [SCRIPTURE SLIDES...]
8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
9 I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of 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 at all by the second death.
[BLANK SLIDE]
I remember years ago listening to a comedy sketch involving a mother and her children. I believe it was something done by Bill Cosby and I think the setting was a grocery store. In any case the comedian began to detail how the woman’s children keep pushing all of her buttons, doing all of the things they knew they weren’t supposed to be doing, ignoring Mom’s directions and instructions. As the kids turned up the disobedience, the internal pressure in their mother built up until it reached that point of emotional explosion....you know what I’m talking about---that point when Mom shouts out, "that’s it. No more. I have had enough!" The comedian then went into graphic detail describe the woman’s flaring nostrils, extended veins and bulging eyes. Any onlooker could immediately recognize that this was a woman who had had enough and you didn’t want to mess with her. For that mother somewhere along the line after "stop that right now" and “do you hear me?” and "if you do that one more time" and "help me Lord" came the point of having enough.
Growing up I figured out how to tell when my Mom had had enough. There were two telltale signs. Whenever Mom used your middle name---watch out---cause you knew she had had enough. Now that’s a telltale sign with most Moms. But a telltale sign for my Mom that was much more unique was her occasional us of everybody’s name. When my Mom hollered out, "Mac, Pat, Darren, Dirk, darn it, whichever one of you that is, get over here..." man you knew you were in trouble...you knew she had had enough.
But what about us? Has life turned up the heat on us? Are we feeling crushed by its pressures? Has hardship or tragedy got us feeling like we’re at the end of our rope? Have we reached the point where we feel we have had enough and we can’t take any more? Maybe we feel like we’re there---or maybe we’re thinking we’re approaching the breaking point---maybe that’s what we’re thinking….but what’s God thinking about our situation? Does He see things the same way we do? Talk about your tough questions to answer…. Whenever we think we’ve had enough does God think we’ve had enough too?
Here in our text we have the first century church at Smyrna. It’s being subjected to a lot of pressure and persecution. Instead of having an upbeat joy-filled worship gathering I can almost here them singing “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen.” These guys were singing “gloom, despair and agony on me” a couple of thousand years before the twang nasal Hee Haw version hit the airwaves. Many of them were thinking, okay, enough is enough Lord. We think it’s time you turned down the burners. And then along comes this letter from the Lord. As the old hymn puts it, “Jesus knows all about their struggles.” And surprise instead of Jesus agreeing with them that they’d had enough, the Lord says, to borrow a phrase from BTO, “you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Now believe it or not folks---There’s only one primary point that I want you to get from today’s message---not three, not five, just one and it is simply this... [SLIDE WITH FIRST POINT] 1. How you endure hardships matters more than what hardships you endure.
After identifying Himself as the sender, Jesus begins His message to the church with these words, "I know your afflictions." [SLIDE] The Greek word translated affliction here is in other passages of scriptures translated, "tribulation," "trouble," "burden." And it carries the idea of being pressed, pressured or painfully squeezed. In fact a few decades before Jesus sent this letter to the church at Smyrna through John, the Apostle Paul had spent some time in that area and he described his experience this way in 2 Corinthians 1:8...
[SCRIPTURE SLIDE]
8 "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life." The word translated pressure there in that verse is the same Greek word that’s been translated "afflictions" in the letter to Smyrna. Paul said of things in Asia, that they became so tough that he and others with him were hoping death would come and put an end to their suffering. [1st POINT SLIDE]
And here in this morning’s scripture passage we find Jesus telling the church at Smyrna that He knows about the afflictions they have been suffering. Jesus knows of the physical persecution, the slander and the poverty that Christians in Smyrna had been enduring and He goes on to tell them they need to get set for even more and they need to remain faithful to Him even if doing so brings means physical death. REREAD vs. 10.... [SCRIPTURE SLIDE] "10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."
By the way, a word of explanation---no one is certain what to make of Jesus’ comment that the persecution will last for ten days. [SLIDE] Some claim Jesus was talking about 10 twenty-four hour days. Some believe Jesus was prophetically referring to 10 Roman Emperors who would greatly persecute the church. And there are others who believe the number 10 simply signifies intensity---kind of like when the doctor asks you on a scale of one to ten how much does it hurt? Regardless of how well we understand the meaning wrapped up in the phrase "you will suffer persecution for ten days", the fact that Jesus calls for the church at Smyrna to be faithful through them is clear.
[BLANK SLIDE]
Jesus knows that as bad as it has been it is going to get worse. Already been enduring physical persecution. Already some had lost their jobs or business incomes because people began shunning them after they became Christians. All of them were being slandered by the Jews in Smyrna. And yet friends, Jesus knew things were going to get worse. Soon many of the Christians in Smyrna would be thrown into prison. Soon some would be thrown to hungry lions. Others would be boiled in oil. Some crucified. Some covered with animal skins and tortured to death by wild dogs. Some would covered with tar and set on fire as torches. Some would be burnt at the stake.
This would be the case for one of the most famous martyrs of the early church to be burned alive, the man Polycarp. Tradition holds that Polycarp was appointed elder over the church at Smyrna by the Apostle John. Records from the early church also indicate that when Polycarp was told to deny Jesus or face death, [SLIDE] Polycarp answered, "Eighty and six years have I served Him and He never did me any injury; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?" And when the sentence to be nailed to a stake and burned alive was given---as people piled wood around the old man and prepared to nail him to a stake, Polycarp claimed the nails wouldn’t be necessary. [SLIDE] He said, "Leave me as I am; for He that giveth me strength to endure the fire will also enable me without your securing me by nails to remain without moving in the pile." [BLANK SLIDE] Many have thought that the words of this letter must have coursed through Polycarp’s mind giving him strength and courage to endure knowing that his faithfulness would be rewarded.
Now friends, Jesus knew all that would happen in the days to come. He knew about the lions and the crucifixions, the slayings by swords and burnings. But other than telling the Christians at Smyrna about being cast into prison, Jesus didn’t go into detail about the various forms the persecution would take over the next few centuries...and I believe one of the main reasons Jesus didn’t go into spell all those things out, again, is because how we endure hardships matters more than what hardships we endure.
Jesus lets the church at Smyrna know that He knows about the upcoming persecutions they will be facing and He encourages them to remain faithful through them with these TWO promises...[SLIDE] ONE, if they remain faithful they will be given a crown of life and [SLIDE] TWO, if they overcome they will not be touched by the second death meaning they will enter heaven rather than be cast into the lake of fire.
And what was true for the church at Smyrna is true for us today as well. How we endure matters more than what we endure. Jesus said that in this life we will have trouble. And many of us can say amen to that, I’m sure. Whatever the trouble-- whether its illness or financial hardship or loss --understand that how you endure matters more than what you endure. [BLANK SLIDE #20] Don’t be like those people who let trouble come between them and the Lord...instead of moving away from God during times of difficulty, make an effort to move closer to Him. Keep your problems in perspective. And remember this--- it’s when the pressure’s on and times are tough that people are the most closely watching you.
Let’s look at a video clip that really drives this point home… [VIDEO CLIP]
{From the movie “Facing the Giants” --scene where player does the “death crawl” the length of the field. Available online.}
I don’t know about you, but when the coach put the blindfold on because he didn’t want his player to give up before giving his all, I couldn’t help but think of the scripture which says “we walk by faith and not by sight.”
I’m sure you noticed how the boys on the sidelines went from joking around and casual on-looking to being fully engaged and watching closely what their friend was doing on the field. And you can go ahead and admit it too---didn’t you find yourself suddenly intensely involved in what was happening on the screen? Here’s something you can be sure of---just as those other players were watching their teammate on the field---people are watching us. You can mark it down and count on it. Skeptics and unbelievers are watching us. The spiritually curious are watching us. Other believers are watching us.
[BACK TO BLANK SLIDE # 20]
And we need so much to understand that how we endure hardship can greatly impact those around us positively or negatively. We need to realize that how we handle hardship can either significantly increase our tragically reduce our witness to the non-Christians around us. In fact I believe that that’s one of the reasons God allows bad things to happen to Christians. God knows that when Christians endure hardship well, others notice and their receptivity to the message of Christ dramatically increases. I’m convinced that it’s not some kind of fluke that in proportion to the world’s population the church reached its greatest numbers during this period of persecution. No, it happened that way because people were watching and what they were seeing---the faith, the unquenchable hope, the courage and the endurance of so many Christians while they were under attack---it all worked together to open doors for the good news about Jesus.
And friends, people are watching you and me today. And as they observe us in action are they being influenced to open a little wider their own heart’s door to receive Christ or are they being turned off to Jesus?
To be sure, people are watching us. But most importantly--- God is watching us. Another thing I don’t think is a simple coincidence is the fact the name Smyrna means myrrh. [SLIDE] Myrrh was a sweet smelling perfume that was not only worn by the living but was also used in first century embalming practices. And when the Christians at Smyrna were persecuted, their endurance rose up before God as something sweet and beautiful. Can the same be said of us? Think about the difference between aromas of a lilac and a skunk...[SLIDE] which would you bring into your house---which would you keep out? [BLANK SLIDE] So then, when the pressure is on and things get difficult...when you’re being unjustly pushed around and people you thought you could count on for support have turned on you and are squeezing the joy out of things, do you maintain a sweetness of spirit, like the Christians of Smyrna, or do you react to life’s hardships and do you respond to the crud others dump on you by raising a little stink of your own? Pretty obvious isn’t it which kind of lifestyle a person will need to will be welcomed into God’s kingdom?
[SCRIPTURE SLIDE] In 2 Timothy 2:3 we’re told: "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus."
[SCRIPTURE SLIDE] Romans 8:28 assures that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him..." And of course, "All things" includes hardship.
And In Hebrews 12 enduring hardship is associated with undergoing discipline. We’re admonished there; [SCRIPTURE SLIDES] "2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees."
[NO SHOW]
Friends, how we endure hardships matters more than what hardships we endure. In your mind, for a moment, go back to that video clip. Recall how the coach kept encouraging his player---don’t stop now, come one, keep going. Don’t quit. Don’t quit” Now turn your thoughts from that coach to Christ. Jesus, the one who has promised never to leave us or forsake us is there for us throughout our lives cheering us on. He wants to see us crossthe finish line so He can place a victor’s crown upon our heads. This letter to Smyrna speaks to us----Remain faithful and you will come to know victory and the joy of being welcomed into heaven. Drop out of the faith race, and you lose it all.
In the next few moments, as our praise team leads us in our hymn of invitation and decision if you’d like to make a public decision for Christ today, we encourage you to come to the front as we stand and as we sing...........Just As I Am…
NOTE TO THOSE WHO READ AND OR CHOOSE TO MAKE USE OF ANY OR ALL OF THIS SERMON: I am sharing this sermon with the hopes it will be an encouragement to others. I apologize for any blatant typing errors! If you find any I’d appreciate hearing from you so I can correct them. I try to give credit where credit is due, noting writers and or sources to the best of my ability. I have for years been drawing from a wealth of sources including this website. I recognize that my mind and writing processes are fallible. I may occasionally fail to properly identify a source. Please do not take offense if you see anything of this nature. I never intend to plagiarize. Having said that I want you to feel free to draw from my message. When appropriate I hope you will give credit as I do. But most of all I hope Christ will be lifted up and God will receive the glory in all things.
