Smyrna: The Suffering Church Series

A. Revelation 1:8 (READ)

1. If you were about to be KILLED for your FAITH in Jesus, wouldn’t it be HEARTENING to know that

the One you would DIE for had DIED for you and is ALIVE again?

a. Getting a letter of encouragement from Jesus, the CRUCIFIED and RESURRECTED Christ, meant

a great deal to the Church of Smyrna.

COMMENT:

This church was undergoing severe SUFFERING for their FAITH. Many would be put to DEATH. Yet, the words from the One who SUFFERED and DIED and ROSE AGAIN, knew exactly

what they were going through.

b. Christ words had another MEANING for the church of Smyrna.

COMMENT:

The city of Smyrna was engrossed in IDOLATRY. Among one of the many gods worshipped by the PAGANS who lived there was DIONYSUS, the god of WINE and FESTIVITY whom the people believed had DIED and ROSE again. Each year the DEATH, BURIAL and RESURRECTION of DIONYSUS were acted out by the PUBLIC.

2. The GLORIFIED Christ who was the “first and the last” wanted to ensure His FOLLOWERS that only

He was the One who DIED and ROSE AGAIN.

COMMENT:

The Christians of Smyrna knew the difference between MYTH and TRUTH. DIONYSUS and his DEATH and RESURRECTION was sheer FANTASY. The DEATH and RESURRECTION of Jesus was HISTORICAL FACT.

B. BACKGROUND OF THE CITY: Smyrna was LOCATED about 40 miles north of Ephesus, and it, too, was an influential COASTAL CITY known for its SCIENCE, MEDICINE, FINE WINE (lot of vineyards),

beautiful ARCHITECTURE, and expensive FRAGRANCES (city was named after the Myrrh trees

scattered throughout the landscape).

1. Today the modern city of Izmir, Turkey is located where Smyrna used to be, but you are still able to VISIT some of the RUINS of Smyrna located right in the middle of Izmir (PHOTO: Ancient agora— a MARKET PLACE and PUBLIC SQUARE).

2. The city of Smyrna was also known as “THE CROWN CITY”.

a. Behind the city was a HILL called “Mount Pagos”.

COMMENT:

Although it is covered with RESIDENTIAL HOUSING today, in the first century it was covered with TEMPLES that housed their various GODS and GODDESSES. The EDIFICES were reported to

have ENCIRCLED the mountain, GLITTERING like a CROWN.

b. On top of Mount Pagos was a huge STADIUM that was originally built for OLYMPIC games, but

in the first and second centuries it became a place where Christians were tortured and put to death.

COMMENT:

On this HILL in 156 AD, approximately 75-years after John penned the book of Revelation, an ELDER of the church of Smyrna named Polycarp was asked to call Caesar “Lord” and sacrifice to him, but to do so would denounce Jesus as the One and Only Lord. Before being BURNED at the stake, Polycarp said, “Eighty-six-years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong.”

C. BACKGROUND OF THE CHURCH: Compared to the church of Ephesus, Smyrna was a much smaller

CHURCH and a POOR church.

1. The SUFFERING they were enduring came from both the JEWS and the GREEKS.

a. There was a large POPULATION of JEWS who lived in this city who were very much against

Christianity, and, therefore against the CHURCH of Smyrna.

b. Now, the GREEKS didn’t mind if these Christians worshipped another GOD named Jesus (to them, he was ONE of many gods), but they also demanded EMPEROR WORSHIP—the WORSHIP of

Caesar (that Polycarp refused to do).

COMMENT:

The city of Smyrna had a fierce ALLEGIANCE to Rome. When a Roman Emperor died, he was WORSHIPPED as a GOD. Smyrna was the first city in Asia to build a TEMPLE to the Roman

Emperors and erected IDOLS to each Caesar who had DIED—from Julius Caesar to Nero.

Each year when the PREFECT of Rome came, every citizen of Smyrna was to go to the Temple

and drop a pinch of INCENSE into the FIRE at the altar of CAESAR and say “Caesar is Lord”.

Rome didn’t feel this was an UNREASONABLE request! All that Christians had to do is say, “Caesar is Lord” only once a year and continue WORSHIPPING Christ without any MOLESTATION from Rome. But even as Polycarp, Christians knew to call Caesar “LORD” even ONCE, was to DENY Jesus Christ as Lord. They REFUSED!!!

2. Now Smyrna, along with Philadelphia, are the only CHURCHES of the SEVEN that Christ does not

have a REBUKE.

a. Christ tells the other churches, “I have this against you”, but He doesn’t mention anything He has

against these two churches.

b. It doesn’t mean they were PERFECT, but their MEMBERS sincerely endeavored, by the GRACE of God, to LOVE and SERVE the Lord with FERVOR and ZEAL letting their LAMPSTANDS

shine BRIGHTLY around them.

MESSAGE:

I. HELPLESS, BUT NOT HOPELESS- Revelation 2:8-10a (READ)

A. Christ wants this church to REALIZE that He KNOWS what they are going through.