THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA

WHAT DOES JESUS THINK OF HIS CHURCH  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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THE SUFFERING CHURCH

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The Message to the Church in Smyrna

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

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The Message to the Church in Smyrna

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

The Message to the Church in Smyrna

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

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The Message to the Church in Smyrna

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

The Message to the Church in Smyrna

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

​
​

The Message to the Church in Smyrna

8 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

9 “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

11 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

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This is the shortest of the seven messages that Jesus gave to the churches in the book of Revelation. It’s also worth noting that Jesus had no critical words for them. He simply commended them and encourage them.
Smyrna was an actual congregation in Asia Minor. At this time in history Smyrna, along with Ephesus was a center of paganism and false worship in fact Smyrna was n=known for its loyalty to Rome—was renowned for the worship of Caesar. It was almost like a contest among the occupied territories of Rome as to who would build the best shrine to Caesar. And it turned out that Smyrna won the contest. An d were known for their emperor worship and they declared that, “Caesar was Lord.”
The followers of Jesus in Smyrna, however, refused to say “Caesar is Lord” instead they would say “Jesus is Lord” and that was an offensive, countercultural message in the city. See Smyrna was a tough place to be a Christian. If you took a stand for Jesus Christ, you would pay the price.
But the church of Smyrna was not only under persecution from the pagan Romans who wanted them to worship Caesar, but they were also being harassed by Jews who were out of fellowship with God. Jesus called them “a synagogue of Satan.”
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And in all this Jesus tells His people in vs 10 “be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life.”
At this time Jesus was not giving them happy news about their future on earth. He didn’t tell them to think positive, He told them to stay faithful. Why? Because He knew that even more suffering was coming their way.
And so it did. The believers in Smyrna, as well as the Christians in Rome itself, suffered greatly for their faith. Thousands upon thousands of Christian men, women and children were put to death simply because they would not say “Caesar is Lord” Roman historian Tacitus wrote the tragic record about what happened to them:
Besides being put to death they were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were covered with wild beast skins and torn to death by dogs. Some were crucified and some were set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylights failed.......Or tied to stakes in Nero’s gardens while he drove around in his chariot,......gloating over the dying agonies of his victims.
I can’t imagine how horrible this was. The emperor Nero began to tyrannize the church of Jesus Christ, but the persecution actually intensified under Diocletian. But it didn't work out so well for Rome, did it?
You can visit Rome today the sites of the old Roman world and what would we see?wreckage and remains. A column here, a viaduct there, a piece of the Roman road appearing and disappearing under turf or drifting sand.
BUT the church of Jesus Christ? Is alive and well, all over the world. Jesus said and the gates of hell will not prevail against His church (in ). Instead of destroying the church, the Roman emperors actually strengthen it.
The persecution has a purifying effect, and nominal, halfhearted believers left the church. But the truly commited Christian men and women stayed and went from strength to strength in the Lord’s power.
So God used the persecution of His people, which had been meant for evil, to advance His kingdom. But it was terrible difficult and heartbreaking for those who endured it.
Persecution now
Revelation 2:8–11 NLT
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive: “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.
And even in this present day, there are thousands of Christians around the world still being persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, raped, flogged, sold into slavery, and killed because of their loyalty to the name of Jesus. It has been estimated that since the early church was formed to the present day that millions and millions of Christians have been martyred.
revelation 2:
We are told in “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”
This is a promise from the Word of God.......but it’s not one that we usually claim. We like to lay hold of promises of provision and protection. No we don’t pray that, who wants to be persecuted, nevertheless if we are living a godly life, persecuting will come in some form or another.
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SO LETS LOOK AT SOME ENCOURAGING POINTS
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1) HE IS ETERNAL
In verse 8 Jesus opened His message to the brokenhearted believers in Smyrna saying “These things says the First and the Last, who was dead and came to Life”
In Revelation chapter 1, verse 17 and 18, He said”Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last, I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”
In other words Jesus was saying “Remember this; I am eternal. I always have been, I always will be, and whatever is happening to you right now is only temporary, because you have believed I am eternal. You too are immortal. You will spend eternity in My presence, So whatever you sufferings, remember that it won’t last forever!”
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17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

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2) JESUS KNOWS ALL ABOUT IT
Jesus Himself said that He knows about our sufferings. In verse 9 He said to the Smyrna church. “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty.” The word used here for I know doesn’t just mean that He knows by watching. The word also implies that He knows because He has passed through the same thins Himself. He was saying. “You’re hurting. You’re suffering. I know.....I have suffered too.”
They may be people who haven’t experienced particular trials that we have and will go through, and they may be very caring and sympethetic, they try and relate to us, but they really can’t. Buth then we talked to sonmeone who says, “I know,” and you learn that the really do. And that all the difference. Someone has passed throught the fire we are still endurning, and somehow they came out of it alive. That’s a helpful thing to know. They are able to comfirt us with the comfirt that theyselves have experinced.
Jesus doesn’t give the suffering believers in Smyrna a long sermon of some worn-out platitudes. He really didn’t have a lot to say to them. But what He did say is very, very significant. He said, “You’re suffering. I know. I understand. I've been there, too. I am with you.”
3) IT WON’T LAST FOREVER
In tells about the paralyzed man lying by the pool of Bethesda. the man had been paralyzed for 38 year. The Gospel of John says that “when Jesus Jesus saw hum lying there, and knew that he already been in that condition for a long time,” He spoke to him, eventually healing him (in )
See even though Jesus is eternal, has lived forever, and will live forever. Jesus acknowledged that for this man, 38 years paralyzed was “a long time.”
He understands that. He knows. But He also reminds us that even though our sufferings seem to go on and on, they won’t. They will be over soon. There will be a beginning, a middle and an end to them.
He told the people of Smyrna: Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days” (in vs 2:10)
That is ten days....not eleven, and not one hundred. The suffering will come, yes, but is would also go.
So maybe we are going through some hardship right know or we will be going through soon, we are either going into a trial, in the middle of a trial or coming out of a trial. We may pray “Oh God just get me out of this situation, But the Lord knows what we are going through and Hie says” My grace is sufficient for you. I am eternal. I am in control. There will be and end to this, you need to persevere and. It won’t last.”
He says the same thing to us in our disappointments and heartaches: “I am in control. I am with you. I am sovereign.”
4) HE HAS A PLAN
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4 HE HAS A PLAN
4 HE HAS A PLAN
In vs 10 Jesus said, “The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you”.
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Jesus knew this would happen, He had a plan, and the Devil’s intentions would not supersede His plans.
Why do bad, sorrowful, hurtful things happen to us? I don’t know. We can be sure that the Devil is behind some of it. But we need to remember that whatever Satan proposes, if it happens in our lives God has permitted it.
The story of Job is a perfect example of this. Satan came before the Lord and essentially said “Let me have some time with Job, this favorite of Yours. Let’s see what he’s really made of.”
And God could have said “Back off, Devil!! You leave Job alone.”
But for some reason He didn’t.
The Lord who loved Job, allowed Satan to cruelly oppress Job for a time.
In the same way, God will allow certain trials and tests in our lives. The Devil may intend to harm us or destroy us with those trials, but God will allow suffering to refine us instead. I’m so thankful for and its assurance that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to Hid purpose for them” notice it doesn’t say all things are good that happen, He uses the good the bad and the ugly to work according to our good!!
So Jesus reminds the believers of Smyrna (and us) that events aren’t out of control, even when that feel out of control. He has a plan.
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