151004 The Good and the Bad

Revelation 2:8-11 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

⁹ “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Smyrna is located on the western tip of modern-day Turkey. It was one of the most important cities in the province of Asia. There seems to have been a large Jewish population there during the early years of the church. This letter directed to the church at Smyrna is one of the shortest of the seven letters. Jesus commends the church for its stability and warns the church of a soon coming persecution. Then he encourages them to be faithful unto death. In fact, Smyrna was the location of the first known martyr after the completion of the New Testament. That martyr was Polycarp who was the pastor of the church there.

Polycarp had grown up in Smyrna and certainly knew the apostle John. He may have been the pastor of the church there at the time John received the Revelation. We’re not sure why the Romans decided he must die. He was more than 86 years old at the time of his execution. We know that because he said that he had served the Lord Jesus for 86 years and Jesus had never done him wrong. When he was taken to the stake where he would be burned to death he refused to let them fasten him to the stake. He said that the God who enabled him to endure the fire would enable him to stay in the fire. One of the soldiers that was present saw the agony of the fire on this godly man and he drew his sword and reached into the flames to end Polycarp’s agony. This happened in A.D. 156. About 60 years after the writing of the Revelation.

In a wealthy city surrounded by civil and religious opposition the church at Smyrna continued to serve their Lord through…

Tribulation and poverty. In that magnificent chapter 8 of the letter to the Romans Paul talked about the tribulation visited on the Christians. Turn with me to Romans 8:35-39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The early Church, wherever it was located, suffered ongoing persecution and as a consequence often lived in poverty. Satan has always tried to cause the Church to somehow bring dishonor on its Lord. From the time Abel was born Satan worked to destroy the seed of the woman. He began with Cain killing Abel and went on to try to cut off the believing line that would eventually produce the Messiah. When the Messiah did appear Satan tried to tempt him into defeat and having failed to defeat him in temptation he set out to discredit Jesus. Having failed at that he stirred up his followers to crucify Jesus.

Jesus wanted the church at Smyrna to know the same things that Paul wanted the Romans to know — in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

The church in Smyrna was persecuted and poverty stricken…

Yet, rich. Tragically we usually measure riches with property or money in the bank. There are other riches we must remember! Turn with me to Ephesians 3:14-19. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Even in poverty or prison, or even death, the church must remember that we are rich. Jesus had said in the Sermon on the Mount that the meek are blessed and will inherit the earth (Matthew 6:5). And we must also remember that if we are children of God then we are heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. The things we suffer now are not worth comparing with our future glory (Romans 8:15-18) along with the church in Smyrna, in Christ Jesus, we are rich!

We should not be surprised at that. Like the church in Smyrna we will be…

Lied about. Turn with me to 1 Peter 2:11-12. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Jesus had said that we would be hated, ostracized, and lied about. And when that happens Jesus said we are a blessed people (Luke 6:22). We need to be certain that our conduct is above reproach. We should never be guilty when charged with wrongdoing. The opposition should always have to lie in order to charge the church of Jesus Christ with evil.

We can look further in Peter’s first letter. Turn with me to 4:14-17. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. ¹⁶ Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. ¹⁷ For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Jesus wanted the church at Smyrna to know that it is a blessing to be persecuted in the name of Christ. Peter enlarged on the idea that if we are insulted because we are Christians we will be blessed. We need to be certain that when we suffer unjustly we will not be ashamed. Instead we are to glorify the name of Jesus. There will be times of persecution coming for the church — even in America. Jesus told the church at Smyrna the same thing he would say to us…

Do not fear. We are to have an active part in getting fear out of our lives! Turn with me to Colossians 3:14-17. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

When we have put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We have a responsibility to put on love like a garment which is the beginning of the fruit of the spirit. And, along with love, we have to take action in allowing the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. When the word of Christ dwells in us richly we will be able to admonish one another in all wisdom and have thankful hearts towards God.

There will be times when we suffer for righteousness sake. Let’s go back to Peter to see what else he has to tell us. Turn with me to 1 Peter 3:14-15. But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

When we do suffer we are to honor Christ above all the things of the world. We must always be prepared to defend ourselves against anyone who asks for a reason for our hope.

A long time ago I heard someone ask the question, “If you are arrested for being a Christian will there be enough evidence to convict you.” I am afraid that there are times in my life when I might not be convictable.

When we face opposition we must always be gentle and respectful. Never give back anger for anger or argument for argument instead we are to let peace be the obvious outlook of your life.

The church at Smyrna was seriously warned that they would soon face opposition. They, and we, must keep in mind that Jesus was there in the beginning and will be there in the end. We must remember that Jesus died for our sins and came back to life. We must remember that he knows what our tribulation is really all about. We must remember that in Christ Jesus we have all the riches we will ever need.

There will be persecution and in the end we will receive the crown of life and have the privilege of casting it down at the feet of Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Yes there will be persecution but it will be a…

Limited persecution. Turn with me to the words of Jesus found in John 16:33.  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Jesus told the church at Smyrna that they would suffer by being thrown into prison and tested. He went on to say that they would experience tribulation ten days. I don’t believe that phrase represents a real period of time. I believe what Jesus is communicating to the church is that their persecution and tribulation will have limits on it.

Around the world today the Christian church is being persecuted in one way or another. This evil will come to an end and we will be more than conquerors through him who loves us. Jesus said we should have peace in him even in tribulation because he has overcome the world.

For everyone who serves the Lord Jesus Christ there remains…

The promised crown. Turn with me to James 1:12. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James was one of the earlier books to be written so it may have been as much as 60 years before the book of Revelation was written. Already James was seeing the opposition rising across the Roman Empire. James wanted his hearers (and us) to know that without a doubt temptation and trial would lead to a crown of life for those who love Jesus and stand the test.

Then John admonishes them to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. They are to…

Pay attention. Much like the apostle Paul admonished the church at Ephesus. Turn with me to Ephesians 6:16-20. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

No matter what we encounter along the path of life we need to be alert with all perseverance. We do this with faith granted to us by our Lord Jesus at the time of our salvation. We should become good swordsmen in the army of God. The Bible is the sword we use to face the enemy in our day-to-day walk. Friends, it is very important that we know how to use the Bible in our struggles.

When I read that the apostle Paul needed prayer that he would have courage I am humbled. If Paul needed prayer I need it much more! So please pray for me that I will speak the word of God with boldness at the right time and in the right way.

Things are often worse than they seem and at the same time things are often better than they seem. Every true Christian will from time to time suffer persecution of one kind or another. In our modern day it might just be in the form of workplace discrimination. We may confront slanderous charges of being in fearful opposition to situations that are clearly laid out in Scripture. While all this is going on we need to remember that Jesus Christ is the first and the last and died for our sins and came back to life. When it looks bad for us we need to remember that we have read the last chapter and we win! Have you put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you ready to face him in the judgment? In all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus our Lord. And that promise applies to those who have put their faith in him for their future.

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.