"the Crown Of Life" Series

To best understand the letter to Smyrna, we need to understand this city’s close relationship to Rome and the Empire. Compared to the others, Smyrna and Rome are the most closely aligned for good reason. Two hundred years before Christ, Rome was at war with Hannibal and the Carthaginians. That brutal winter, a battered Roman army received food, shelter, clothing, and medical aid from Smyrna. When word reached Rome of their kindness, Smyrna was rewarded. Over time, Smyrna became a miniaturized version of Rome with beautifully paved streets, Roman temples, baths, gyms, a stadium, and a large library that held collections from around the Empire. As Rome and Smyrna were so closely aligned, Smyrna hung on every word of Caesar. This included orders that targeted Christians.

Visiting Smyrna today, high up in the mountain crevices is the ancient tomb of Polycarp – Bishop of Smyrna. His name came up a few weeks ago. When John was released from his banishment on Patmos. John returned to Ephesus. In addition to writing the Gospel, his letters and Revelation, John took on disciples – one of whom was Polycarp. Mere decades after John’s death, Marcus Aurelius targets Christians with severe persecution. Christians who refused to recant their belief in Jesus Christ were punished – some faced the lions in Smyrna’s stadium. Bishop Polycarp was in his eighties when this persecution broke out. He went into hiding until a Jewish raiding party forced two servant boys bringing him supplies to reveal his hiding place. Placed under arrest, but understanding his popularity, putting an 86 year old man before the lions would have aroused much anger throughout the empire. Facing his accusers, Polycarp was given multiple chances to recant his faith. He refused. Church Historian Eusebius reveals his response based on eye witness testimony - “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me wrong, and how can I now blaspheme my king who has saved me?” Ultimately he was burned alive – dying faithfully rather than deny his Lord. This story too is crucial to understanding this text because the Smyrna letter – the shortest of all the letters – prophesied this persecution was coming.

It’s no wonder the Smyrna church held a pledge in common that Jesus cites in verse ten - “to be faithful unto death.” You did not hear words anything close to that with installation this morning. Nor does it appear in the forms for baptisms and professions of faith we’ll be reading next month - but it is real all the same for Christians of every age – to be faithful unto death. Between Smyrna’s relationship with Rome and the persecution that lay ahead, we have some good historical context in place to tackle this text.

Observe how the two-fold Christ title addresses their future persecution: “Verse 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.”

The first Christ title we have is THE FIRST AND THE LAST. Remember that Rome with the cooperation of the Smyrna Jews both denied that Jesus Christ is God. For Christ to identify himself as the first and the last asserts his claim to be God. Meanwhile Caesar was proclaiming himself to be the First and Last. Who is right? Turning to Isaiah 44:6 the answer is crystal clear – There we read, “This is what the Lord says – Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” By adopting this very same title, Christ’s deity is exemplified above Caesar or any other Roman God.

Then the second Christ-title. WHO DIED AND CAME TO LIFE AGAIN –This comes directly from the Gospels with multiple witnesses who saw his appearances. To know the experience of persecution is one thing – but to suffer and die for the one who died and came to life again -whose victory surpassed the power of death would have indeed come as great encouragement.

While Christian brothers and sisters in other lands today face such persecutions, for the most part, we have been spared. The fourth of July this week is a celebration of our freedoms and nation including the freedom of religion. On the one hand we CAN be grateful we do not experience persecution with a CAPITAL P. But the tide can turn as we face a barely detectable small letter p persecution. Pressures to deny God’s principals and adopt a redefined morality, threats against tax exemptions, challenges to educate children in Christian formation without undue interference from the state, to the Michigan House passing a preposterous bill criminalizing improper pronoun usage when deemed a threat to one’s safety and security. Such issues might seem disconnected from us, but each one represents systematic steps to turn the tide against Christianity in this country.