Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: Revelation 2:8-11

Theme: The Lord of glory has a message for his church today: A church is spiritually rich when is perseveres over persecution.

I have always wondered ... how do the Prosperity Preachers deal with text like Revelation 2:8-11?

The Health and Wealth message is a religious belief among some Christians — actually millions of Christian — who insist that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth.

It’s the belief that if Christians have faith in God, we are entitled to security and prosperity.

If only the believers in Smyrna had read Joel Osteen’s book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential maybe, just maybe they wouldn’t have experienced the afflictions or poverty or persecution from the Synagogue of Satan.

It’s obvious that the saints at Smyrna simply did not realize that they were born to win; that they were born for greatness; that they were created to be a champion in life.

Some of these prosperity preachers actually claim that poverty is a barrier to living a Christian life.

Did the Christians at Smyrna simply not have enough faith?

Was their positive confession not sincere enough?

Did they not give enough seed money to some preacher’s ministry?

Was their visualization lacking?

The Lord’s message to the Church at Smyrna is a message for those believers who are not experiencing their best life now.

It’s a message for the persecuted church and for persecuted Christians.

I. THE CHURCH CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE ETERNAL CHRIST

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life."

(Revelation 2:8, ESV)

1. Scripture tells us very little about the Church at Smyrna — in fact, this passage is the only place in the New Testament where this congregation is mentioned

a. Smyrna was about 40 miles north of Ephesus, and these two cities vied with each other as the most important city in Asia

b.

Smyrna was celebrated for its schools of science and medicine, and for it’s beautiful natural setting

c. it was an exceedingly wealthy city, with ornate public buildings which one poet referred to as “Smyrna’s Crown”

1) the city’s main thoroughfare was call the Street of Gold

2. like other Asian cities, Smyrna was probably evangelized as a result of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus

a. but it was difficult and dangerous for the church at Smyrna

1) the city was a hotbed of Emperor Worship

a) in fact, its citizens were so infatuated with Rome that in 195 B.C. they built a temple in which Rome itself was worshiped

2) there were major temples to Cybele, Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite, and Asklēpious

3) and we also know that the Jews in the city were especially hostile toward believers

3. as at Ephesus the message to the church at Smyrna is not from the apostle John, but the Lord Jesus Christ

a. when the Lord speaks to His people, we’d better listen

b. what’s the message?

A. THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD WATCHES OVER HIS CHURCH

1. Jesus proclaims that he is the "First" and the "Last"

a. speaking to a persecuted church Jesus reminds them that he is aware of their situation — I know, Jesus says, your afflictions and your poverty —

b.

I know, and I empathize with you ...

1) because I was afflicted ...

2) because I was impoverished

3) because I also faced a dark hour of trial

c.

Jesus tells this afflicted congregation, “I know ... I sympathize ... I understand ... and I’m standing by you in this hour of trouble.”

1) the one who empathizes with them is the beginning and ending of all things — seen and unseen

2) Jesus is the preexistent one — he was before all time and he will be the consummation of all things

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

And he is the head of the body, the church.

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell," (Colossians 1:15-19, ESV)

d.

He is the eternal infinite God, already in existence when all things were created and remaining after all things are destroyed

1) He is the first ... when other things were not, he was

2) He is the last ... when others things cease, he will not

3) he transcends time, and space, and creation

2. he is also the one risen from the dead

a. here is the great paradox of all paradoxes

1) how can the eternally living God who is beyond all time, beyond all space, beyond all history die?

2) because he came in the flesh as God incarnate, but also as mortal man, entering into time, space and history for the very purpose of dying for sinners

b. this is the heart of the Gospel

3. the one who died and came to life again, is the one who knows what this congregation is going through

a. these are comforting words to a church which is facing persecution

“I know your afflictions and your poverty — yet you are rich!

... ” (Revelation 2:9, NIV84)

II.

THE CHURCH CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL BE PERSECUTED

"Do not fear what you are about to suffer.

Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."

(Revelation 2:10, ESV)

1. whether that persecuted church is in 1st century Roman Empire or in 21st century China, a church which is faithful to Jesus will frequently be attacked by the enemies of the cross

2. the persecution faced by the Christians at Smyrna was only a foretaste of the persecution the church would experience over the next 2,000 years

a. it has been estimated that between 64 A.D. when Paul was executed by Nero and 325 A.D. when Christianity was legalized some 5,000,000 believers were martyred for their faith

b. it is estimated that 170,000-175,000 believers will be martyred for their faith this year alone

ILLUS.