Encouragement for Suffering Christians:

Transcription

1 Encouragement for Suffering Christians: Revelation 2: /20/16 AM Michael Osladil, Calvary Bible Church, Hanover, PA Christians across the world face persecution. While we naturally want to avoid persecution, if possible, I was interested to hear an elderly leader in the Chinese house church movement, express gratefulness for how persecution helped to establish the Chinese Church. Watch this interview that Tim Keesee with Frontline Missions conducted with Uncle Zhao, an elderly leader in the house church movement in China. Christians around the world face persecution. What encouragement does Christ give to Christians experiencing suffering or distress caused by persecution? What encouragement does God give to you and me in the midst of our suffering? This morning we will look at Christ s messages to the second of seven churches in Asia Minor. We will see the encouragement Christ gives to Christians experiencing suffering or distress because of their identification with Christ. We will draw five lessons from this encouragement Christ gives to suffering Christians. Look with me at the encouragement Christ gives these suffering Christians in Smyrna. Turn with me in your Bibles for our Scripture reading to Revelation 2:8-11. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 I know your tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until 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. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death (Rev 2:8-11 NKJV). Now the church of Smyrna was approximately thirty-five miles up the coast from Ephesus. 1 Smyrna is today known as Izmir, a seaport city of almost three million people on Turkey s Aegean coast. Christianity may have first reached Smyrna through some Jew of Asia present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9) 2 or it may have come during Paul s three-year stay in nearby Ephesus. We will see that Jesus message to this church was a message of comfort, consolation and encouragement as He prophesied that some of its members would suffer martyrdom. Smyrna, like Ephesus, was a proud and beautiful city. It had earned the right to be selfgoverning. The city was noted as a center of learning, especially in science and medicine. It had a large library, stadium, and the largest public theater in Asia. It was the center for many temples to various gods. Mount Pagus rose above the harbor with an acropolis built on it that was considered the city s crown. A famous Golden Street traversed the city with a temple to Zeus at one end and a temple to a local mother goddess Sibylline (Cybele) at the other. Other temples to other gods and goddesses [Apollo, Asclepius, and Aphrodite] lined the way. Perhaps even more important, the city had become a center for the cult of emperor worship.

2 2 Smyrna received permission (over several other cities who requested) to build a temple to the emperor Tiberius in 23 B.C. Under the emperor Domitian (who ruled from A.D. 81 to 96), emperor worship was required for all Roman citizens. Those who refused could receive the death penalty. Once a year, all citizens were required to burn incense on an altar to Caesar, after which they would receive a certificate proving that they had done their civil duty. While this was more an act of political loyalty than a religious act, the citizen had to say, while burning the incense, Caesar is lord. Many Christians considered this act blasphemous and refused to do it. In addition to being a center for the imperial cult, SMYRNA ALSO HAD A LARGE JEWISH POPULATION THAT ACTIVELY OPPOSED THE CHRISTIANS. Thus, the church in this city struggled against two hostile forces: a Gentile population that was loyal to Rome and supported emperor worship and a large Jewish population strongly opposed to Christianity. Persecution and suffering were inevitable in that kind of environment. Polycarp an early Christian leader who identifies himself as a disciple of John, presumably the apostle, was twenty-six years old when this message from Christ to Smyrna was received. Born to a Christian family, he was later appointed bishop of Smyrna. Sixty years after Revelation was written, in A.D. 155, the eighty-six-year-old church father, Polycarp, was burned alive as the twelfth martyr of Smyrna. So it s important to note that believers in Smyrna were persecuted, as well as throughout the Roman Empire. 3 The Lord s message to this suffering church is very applicable to us, both as we suffer persecution, but also as we face other trails and suffering. Notice in your Bibles in Rev 2:9 that Christ says: I know your tribulation and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan (Rev 2:9 NKJV). 4 Jesus tells this suffering church, I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan (Rev 2:9 NASB95). What does Christ mean when He talks about those WHO SAY THEY ARE JEWS AND ARE NOT, BUT ARE A SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN? He means these are unregenerate Jews. For an indication of that look at Romans 2:28-29: A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person s praise is not from other people, but from God (Rom 2:28-29 NIV). The burden of Paul s argument in Romans 2 is that Jews cannot depend on their covenant status, symbolized by the law and circumcision, for salvation. And the reason they cannot, he argues, is because they have transgressed the law by disobeying its precepts. 5 Paul goes on to explain that a true Jew, i.e., a Jew in a right covenantal relationship with God is one who believes in the Messiah. Those who do not believe in Christ are unregenerate Jews. And these unregenerate Jews were persecuting Christians. 6 The strong contingent of Jews by nationality in Smyrna slandered the Christians in the community with the result that the Christians were exposed to the penalties of the law. In a city such as Smyrna with its strong ties to Rome, false charges laid before the magistrates could easily have resulted in persecution by

3 3 the civil authorities. Christians in Smyrna were probably charged with political disloyalty to the Emperor and his representatives. Some of the Christians in Smyrna must have been converted Jews. Otherwise, the antagonism of the rest of the Jewish community would not have been so strong. Polycarp, who as I mentioned earlier was martyred in AD 155, tells an interesting story about what happened in Smyrna. He states that the Jews hostility against the Christians was so great that even though it was the Sabbath day, they gathered wood for the fire so a Christian could be burned at the stake. Now remember what the Jews thought of gathering wood on the Sabbath, on Saturday and yet they were so set in their persecution of believers that they gathered wood for the burning of this martyr. So Christ addresses here this intense persecution of Christians by unregenerate Jews. He describes these unregenerate Jews who were persecuting the Christians as being of the synagogue of Satan. While these Jews by birth and religion gathered in their synagogue to plan their assault on the church they were putting themselves at the disposal of the devil to carry out his will. They may have claimed to be the assembly of the Lord (cf. Num. 16:3, 9; 20:4; 31:16), but in heaven s eyes these people were not true Jews, but emissaries of the prime adversary of God and His people, the devil [i.e., the Slanderer] or Satan [the Adversary]. We do well to remember that: Opposition against us because of our faith in Jesus Christ is ultimately Satanic in its origin. Notice that Christ goes on to talk about TEN DAYS OF INTENSE TESTING these Christians would face. Look at Rev 2:10 in your Bibles: Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days (Rev 2:10 NKJV) I take it that Christ is speaking of a literal ten days of intense persecution the church would experience. 7 Jesus reveals specifically the nature of the intensified persecution they will experience. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you might be tried, and you will experience tribulation ten days. Often the prisons in the ancient world were a place where the accused awaited sentencing which resulted either in execution or banishment (cf. Acts 12:1 5). They also served as a place of temporary confinement and punishment (Acts 16:23; 2 Cor. 11:23). The devil s purpose in stirring up his people to arrest the Christians was so they might be publicly tried and executed. So these ten days most likely refers to a literal ten days in which some of the Christians at Smyrna would be arrested, tried and condemned to death. Smyrna was noted for its gladiatorial public games and it was one of the cities where periodical festivals were held in honor of the emperor. On such occasions the Christians at Smyrna would often be in special danger. It is likely to such a time that Christ is preparing them to face triumphantly. Here are five lessons for our lives from Christ s message to these suffering Christians. First, Christ tells us from this message:

4 4 Give yourself fully to the Lord to experience fullness of life. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself (Rev 2:10c NET). Jesus wants us as His people to be prepared to remain faithful to Him in spite of persecution, trials and testing. Here he warns the church of Smyrna: The devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days (Rev 2:10b NKJV). You will experience intense persecution, he tells them. Christ encourages the believers in Smyrna, and encourages us: Be faithful until death. In other words, Be ready to die for your faith in Christ. And Christ promises, I ll give you the crown of life. Or as in the translation above, I ll give you the crown that is life itself. [ILL] In the musical Fiddler on the Roof the Jewish people of Anatevka joyously sing the hopeful song, To Life, in the face of an uncertain future. It also serves as a toast to celebrate a wedding agreement between Tevye and Larzar. The song begins: To life, to life, l'chai-im,! L'chai-im, l'chai-im, to life! 8 Remember that song? Well, it doesn t just mean I m alive. I m a breathing mass of flesh. It doesn t mean that. It means I M ALIVE AND I M ENJOYING LIFE. LIFE! LIFE! That s what Jesus is talking about. Life! FULLNESS OF LIFE! So those who are put to death, Christ promises, I ll give them a crown of FULLNESS OF LIFE. Jesus promises, I will give fullness of life to those who give themselves fully to me. Jesus is not talking just about existence. I will give you the crown, which is FULLNESS of life. Jesus emphasizes THE ABUNDANT BLESSING He provides for us as we give ourselves fully to Him. Notice how Christ concludes this message to the persecuted believers in the church at Smyrna. Look in your Bibles at the promise of fullness of blessing Christ gives for the faithful at the end of v. 11: He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death (Rev 2:11 NKJV). The NET captures the sense even further with its translation: The one who conquers will in no way be harmed by the second death (Rev 2:11b NET) What a tremendous promise! Fullness of life for all eternity comes as you give yourself full to the Lord. You may lose your physical life here on earth, but you will experience, fullness of life for all eternity. You will not be hurt at all by the second death. Living our lives for the Lord causes us to experience real life. Think about your life as a believer, what would your life have been like if you had not put your faith in Christ. Jesus is not saying that our faithfulness is a means of earning eternal life, but that such perseverance in spite of tribulation furnishes tangible assurance that we will receive eternal life through our faith in Christ. The incentive for faithfulness the Lord gives to Smyrna is LIFE AFTER DEATH, whether that death comes by martyrdom or otherwise. 9 Seeking to live a life surrendered fully to the Lord also brings THE FULLNESS OF LIFE for which all of us long. Jesus came to give us life, He states in John 10:10, more life than we would ever expect (cf. John 10:10). [ILL] I had shared three weeks ago the testimony of Ben Zobrist. At the time the Cubs were down three games to one in the World Series against the Cleveland Indians. The Cubs, of course, came back to win the next three games and win the World Series. And Ben Zobrist won the Most Valuable Player Award. I had to smile when my dentist, asked me this past week, I

5 5 guess you probably didn t watch the World Series, did you. When I had seen him this summer and discovered he was a baseball fan, I had shared the testimony of Ben. Ben as a teenager just out of high school sought to honor the Lord and his parents. He was ready to go on to Bible College where he was accepted if his parents thought that was best. With their approval he accepted the one college scholarship offered to Olivet Nazarene University. He s continued to seek to walk wholeheartedly with the Lord over these past ten plus years as a professional baseball player. As he shared in a postgame interview after he was given the MVP award, God has blessed him in ways that he never dreamed. The greatest blessing though, I m sure, has not winning two consecutive World Series or the MVP award for this year s World Series. I believe he would say his greatest fulfillment comes in the opportunities God gives him to serve the Lord through interaction at Bible studies with other players, and other ministry opportunities. Did you notice how the description Jesus gives of Himself would have encouraged these persecuted Christians facing the threat of death? Look at how Christ emphasizes in v. 8 that He is the eternal one who has conquered death. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life (Rev 2:8 NKJV). Christ describes Himself as the Eternal One, the first and the last. He is also the one who was put to death and came to life. What an encouragement to suffering saints! Christ has gone before us, as the Eternal One, who has conquered death. He encourages us: Don t fear to give yourself fully to Me. I will give you fullness of life. Some of you find yourselves currently facing a life-threatening illness or other trails or testing. Jesus, says to you, as He does here to the believers facing the threat of death, DO NOT FEAR! I have conquered death! Keep your trust in Me. Your response of trust in the face of trails and testing also has a positive witness to those around you. Christ s message to the church of Smyrna encourages us to be bold in our witness. [ILL] A few years ago Bible teacher, Stanley Toussaint, shared about a man in south China, who was part of the Christian organization known as the Navigators. Toussaint shared that this single man believed you should not be a secret believer. He would say, What s this whole idea being a secret believer? We re supposed to be a city set on a hill. You can t be a city on a hill if we remain hidden. We re supposed to be a light in the world. So this man is open in his testimony. He fearlessly gives the gospel to people. Toussaint said, I don t know how many he has led to the Lord. He has a Bible study, which has only taken place in McDonalds. This man said he knows the secret police are there because he would often see them taking pictures of him and those at the Bible study. Some people would have their Bibles or something with them, and then underneath they would be taking pictures. They would be taking pictures of everybody in the room. And he said, Sure enough one time when he was out of town and somebody else was taking the Bible study, the authorities closed it down. So he just moved to another McDonalds. He is fearless. You know what he said. WELL, THE WORST THAT THEY CAN DO IS KILL ME. 10 Wow! What an outlook!

6 6 Most of us don t even begin to face that. We don t even think about having to face such persecution. But, the worst they can do is kill me. Well, that s what he said. BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. Christ calls us to be faithful unto death. This idea of WHO CHRIST IS, is really a testimony to people who are in areas where believers are being actively persecuted for their faith, as well as to each of us as we face trails and testing including life-threatening circumstances. A second lesson for us from Christ s message to the church at Smyrna is that: Christ is aware of your suffering. Notice how Christ provides encouragement to these Smyrnan Christian by letting them know His awareness of their persecution and the sufferings coming from that persecution. Look at v. 9: I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) (Rev 2:9a NASB95). 11 Christ let s these persecuted believers know He is aware of the distress they are experiencing caused by persecution. What encouragement this provides for us as we face the ridicule of an unbelieving world around us, as well as the trials and testing of this life. Jesus tell us: YOU ARE NO T ALONE! I AM AWARE OF WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR LIFE! I, THE ETERNAL ONE, WHO HAS CONQUERED DEATH AM WITH YOU. Such encouragement also encourages us to be bold in our witness. Jesus prepared and encouraged His own disciples while on earth with the knowledge of His awareness of the persecution they would face. Look at this teaching on being bold in our witness, Christ gives us in Matthew 10:24ff. A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master. 10:25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more 10:26 will they defame the members of his household! Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 10:27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 10:29 Aren t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father s will. 10:30 Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. 10:31 So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many 10:32 sparrows. Whoever, then, acknowledges me before people, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 10:33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven (Matt 10:24-33 NET). Christ wants you to know: He is aware of your suffering, whether this is suffering because of persecution, or physical or emotional suffering you are experiencing because we live in a fallen world. Jesus tells you: If not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from our Father s will, so too Christ tells you: Know that I am aware of the events taking place in your life. I know everything going on in your life. All the hairs on your head are numbered (Matt 10:30). How reassuring to know that our Lord knows everything going on in our lives! This helps us live a life of dependence on the Lord. It also encourages us to continue to be bold in our witness, even when facing opposition. YOU ARE NOT ALONE in your struggles, in your trials, in your temptations, in your suffering. I know your suffering, the Lord says to you and me.

7 7 A third lesson from this passage that gives encouragement is this: While persecution may cause financial hardship recognize how rich you are. Persecution may take the form of financial reprisal. Apparently because the Christians at Smyrna had remained faithful to the Lord and not offered sacrifices to the emperor the community boycotted them economically. This public condoning of their being snubbed and excluded from society may have also led to their goods being pillaged by Jewish or Gentile mobs, as seems to have been the fate of some (cf. Heb. 10:34). The result was that the Christians in Smyrna lived in abject poverty as they experienced a hand-to-mouth existence. Again in Rev 2:9 we read, I know your... poverty (but you are rich) (Rev 2:9 NKJV). While poor in a material sense, the Christians at Smyrna were spiritually rich before God. Spiritual resources are far more lasting and important. Whose value system are you pursuing? Are you living with eternal values in view? If so, then you should view your financial resources as assets God has entrusted to you to manage for him (cf. Luke 16:10 15; Matt. 6:19 24). Finding our identity in WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, rather than in what we do or have, provides stability for the ups and downs of life. Some people get so caught up in succeeding at their work, that they neglect their spiritual walk with the Lord. They neglect their family. When our focus is on our identity in Christ, who we are in Christ, then we have a source of strength for the ups and downs we experience in life. Christ encourages these persecuted believers who have experienced financial reprisal because of their faith in Christ: REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE! REMEMBER HOW RICH YOU ARE IN CHRIST. Paul reminds us of our riches in Christ. In 2 Cor 8:9 he states: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich (2 Cor 8:9 NET). Paul speaks here of the rich blessings we have because of Christ giving His life for us. Do you recognize how RICH you are in Christ? You have forgiveness of your sins! You are jointheirs with Christ! You will rule and reign with Him! A rich spiritual heritage awaits us in heaven! We have Christ s promise that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He has promised that His goodness and mercy will follow us ALL the days of our lives, and that we will dwell in the house of the Lord FOREVER! [ILL] Christian music publisher, Haldor Lillenas, was strongly influenced by the song, God Leads us Along. Haldor had immigrated to America from Norway. As he marveled at how God had led him through the years and given him the desires of his heart, of sending the good news about Jesus Christ around the world, he wondered if the author of the song that had become his theme song since he came to faith in Christ, was still alive. He thought, How I d love to have the story of how the author wrote that song, God leads me along. He was sure it would be a good story. As Dr. Lillenas made inquiries he learned that George A. Young, the preacher who wrote the song had died, but his widow was still alive. Dr. Lillenas, who lived in the Kansas City area, discovered that Mrs. Young lived in southeast Kansas, two hours or so away.

8 8 One morning bright and early he started off. When he arrived at the small town in which the woman lived, he pulled into a gas station. When he showed the attendant the address he had for the woman the attendant s face darkened. Why sir that s the County Poor House up that road about three miles and mister when I say poor house I really mean poor house! His description was not too inviting. Dr. Lillenas says, For a moment I almost said to him, Fill up my gas tank. I ve got to get back to Kansas City. For he reasoned, How can I go into a place such as this fellow describes and comfort a woman who perhaps is spending the rest of her life there? But something seemed to say, Haldor, you ve come all this way so you had better go. And how glad he was that he did, for he met one of the most unusual women he ever met. After he had been introduced she said, Why you re Dr. Lillenas and you ve come all the way from Kansas City to see little me? Then she smiled and straightening her whole 4 10 form said, Of course, that s just the way our blessed Lord leads, doesn t He? She continued, You know, Doctor, I came to know Jesus Christ when I was a young girl. One day I met a young man. He, too, was a Christian. Soon we had fallen in love. As we began to make plans for our marriage we did not forget to include our best Friend. Together we pledged we would go anywhere and do anything the Lord Jesus asked of us. God would do the leading and we would do the following. Oh, Dr. Lillenas, it was so wonderful! We saw Him do miracles in our lives! And you know through the many years we never went hungry! Oh, sometimes WE DIDN T HAVE TOO MUCH OF THIS WORLD S GOODS BUT, DR. LILLENAS, WE ALWAYS HAD SO MUCH OF JESUS. As she continued to talk her face turned serious as she said, One day God took my sweet husband home. Oh, how I missed him for we had always served the Lord together. In my heart I wondered, Where will God lead me? The seriousness vanished from her face as it became radiant and she exclaimed, DR. LILLENAS, GOD LED ME HERE! I m so glad he did, for you know, about every month someone comes into this place to spend the rest of their days and Dr. Lillenas, so many of them don t know my Jesus. I m having the time of my life introducing them to Jesus! DR. LILLENAS, ISN T IT WONDERFUL HOW GOD LEADS! Two young people starting out in life to serve the Lord and though to some it would seem to be a life of privation, yet to this dedicated saint the thing that mattered was to serve the Savior. Though even her husband had been taken and she had to spend the remaining days in a nottoo-luxurious poor farm, even for that she was thankful. For here she could lead men and women to know her Christ. Keep before you an eternal perspective. Away from the mire, away from the clay, God leads His dear children along, away up in Glory Eternity s day, God leads His dear children along. 12 A fourth lesson, by way of application from the previous one, is this: Even though we may be materially poor we can enrich others. Paul speaks about this in 2 Cor 6:10 when he states As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;... poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (2 Cor 6:4, 10 NIV).

9 9 I love that. While we may have very limited financial resources, as we use our spiritual gifts to minister to others, we can enrich the lives of others. You don t have to be wealthy to make the widows heart sing for joy. If you are looking for a place to serve the Lord, one area you might consider is taking part in our Caregiver s Ministry. Those involved in Caregiver s normally meet twice a month and are given names of people in the church to visit, usually shut-ins. What a blessing to go and visit a dear saint, who cannot get out to church anymore. You go there to be a blessing, but you are often the one blessed. [ILL] Last Sunday afternoon, I took the two young men with whom I m currently doing some pastoral mentoring with me to visit Bob/Kathleen Landvater. Bob had two strokes a little over a year ago. He was told when he had the second stroke it was too soon to give the needed medication that could have reversed it, so he has some limitations on the left side of his body. We visited with Bob/Kathleen for a half-hour or so. Then due to schedule demands had to leave. But what joy to hear Bob/Kathleen share about various experiences in their lives. As Micah Wildasin shared with Nate Swanger and me, I could have listened to them for a lot longer. There s so much wisdom there. You don t have to be rich to have a listening ear to people, and minister to them by your care and concern. You can be poor and yet make other people rich. A fifth lesson from Christ s message to Smyrna is that: The church of Smyrna shows us how to suffer for Christ. This church shows us how to suffer for Christ. Let me give you three ways the church of Smyrna shows us how to suffer for Christ. First: No fear. No fear: Operate from faith in Christ rather than out of fear. Notice in your Bibles the first part of Rev 2:10. Jesus says, Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer (Rev 2:10a NKJV). As Christians we are to operate out of faith and trust in the Lord, rather than out of fear. Before it went bankrupt in 2011, you used to see in the late 90 s and early 2000 s t-shirts that said, No Fear. Jesus tells this church in v. 10: Do not fear what you are about to suffer. In Psalm 56:11 David proclaims: In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Ps 56:11 NKJV). What about you? Are you responding to a trail you are facing in faith or fear? A second way the church of Smyrna shows us how to suffer for Christ is this: Be Faithful to death (v. 10). Be faithful to death (Rev 2:10). Notice in your Bibles what Christ goes on to say in Rev 2:10: Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death (Rev 2:10b NKJV). Be faithful to death. Whether you face death due to persecution, or due to a potentially life-threatening illness, Christ says to you and me: Be faithful until death.

10 10 And a third way the church of Smyrna shows us how to suffer for Christ is this: Look to Christ (v. 8). Look to Christ (Rev 2:10b). That s why Christ gives us this description of Himself. He is the eternal one who has conquered death. Keep looking to Him for the strength you need. The description of Himself Christ gives to this church, Christ reminds us: I am sovereign and eternal. No matter what you face, I already knew about it. As the First and the Last, nothing can take me by surprise. Christ also identified Himself as the One who died and came back to life again. Even if we have to suffer to the point of death, Christ, the one who came to life again, will raise us to eternal life with Him. In contrast with the temporary nature of the suffering, Christ wants you and me to know that He is the First and the Last, and the reality of His victory over death is the guarantee of the same victory for us, His followers. The title the First and the Last used by Isaiah for the God of Israel (cf. Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12) sets forth Jesus eternality and sovereignty over all events of life (cf. also Rev. 22:13). Christ was already in existence at the beginning of all things, and will be after all comes to an end. Neither time nor things within time pose any limitation for Him. Isn t it wonderful to know we are connected to that one! Christ directs our attention to the hope we have beyond the grave by emphasizing His victory of bodily resurrection. WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE ONE WHO HAS CONQUERED DEATH. As the eternal, living Savior who has conquered death He is able to perform his promises (cf. Rev 2:10c 11). As Christ experienced death and rose in triumph over it, so will the martyrs for Christ, as well as all of us who have put our faith in Christ. Christ s eternal nature guarantees this. You can have stability and security even when your world is unstable and tenuous by directing your attention to our eternal Savior who has conquered death. Christ ends with a call for us to take to heart this message of encouragement to suffering Christians, and also gives us a promise. In Rev 2:11 Christ exhorts: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev 2:11a NKJV). Listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The Spirit of God urges you and me: be faithful to the Lord. It may not be persecution that tests your faith but it might be the trials and temptations of this life that tempt you to forsake Christ. Jesus here encourages us: Remain faithful to Me even to the point of giving your life, if necessary. And what s Christ s promise to us? Christ gives this promise at the end of v.11: He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death (Rev 2:11b NKJV). The sense is: The one who overcomes will absolutely not be harmed at all by the second death (Rev2:11b). The second death is the lake of fire, which is the destiny of unbelievers (cf. Rev. 20:14; 21:8; Dan. 12:2; John 5:28 30). Faithfulness to Christ in spite of opposition guarantees that you will not

11 11 experience this eternal death. This promise again ties in with the early chapters of the Bible (cf. Gen. 2:17; 3:22; cf. also Rev. 20:6). The persecution of these believers at Smyrna reminds us that THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME. Our purpose on earth is to faithfully serve the Lord, living with eternal values in view. God s primary concern is not our physical comfort in this world, although He is very gracious to us. His primary concern is for our ultimate benefit that we use the few days we have on earth to faithfully love, represent, and serve Him. May God help you and me do that this week. Let s be faithful in seeking the lost and equipping the found. Remember your trails, testing and temptations you are not alone. You are connected to our eternal, risen Savior who has conquered death. 1 No city was rebuilt on the ruins of ancient Ephesus, thus there are more archaeological ruins uncovered there, than in Smyrna, where there are still people living. 2 Colin J. Hemer, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in the Local Setting, JSOT Supplement Series (Sheffield: Univ of Sheffield, JSOT Press), Cf. B. B. Barton & G. R. Osborne, Revelation: Life Application Bible Commentary, The word works is not in the best manuscripts, and was added here and in v. 13 to make it agree with where it was used with the other churches [cf. Rev 2:2; 3:2, 8, 15]. 5 Douglas Moo, The Epistle to the Romans: NICNT, Widespread animosity by Jews toward Christians is well known from Luke s historical record of the early church in the book of Acts (Acts 13:50; 14:2, 5, 19; 17:5; 26:2; cf. also 1 Thess. 2:14 15). Three sources of antagonism to Christians emerge in these seven messages, Jewish (here), pagan (Rev 2:13), and heretical (Rev 2:24). 7 Two examples that suggest these were ten literal days include, first, the example of a king giving one day for the enemies of the Jews to persecute them. In Esther 3:13 we read Letters were sent by the runners to all the king s provinces stating that they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions (Esther 3:13 NET). That would just be one day of intense persecution. The other example, while in a somewhat different context still includes a test regarding the faith of God s people. We see Daniel requesting a ten day test. In Daniel 1:12-14 we read, Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 1:13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who are eating the royal delicacies; deal with us in light of what you see. 1:14 So the warden agreed to their proposal and tested them for ten days (Daniel 1:12-14 NET). 8 Cf. accessed 11/15/16. 9 Perseverance in spite of tribulation furnishes tangible assurance that we will receive eternal life through our faith in Christ. God expects and calls for us as His people to be faithful to Him in the face of persecution. Jesus teaches us in Mark 4:16 17: These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. 4:17 But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away (Mark 4:16-17; cf. 2 Tim. 2:11 13.) Persecution and trials can test a person to show whether their faith is truly genuine. Jesus replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me John 12:23 26.

12 12 Why will the one who loves his life lose it? To love one s life is a fundamental denial of God s sovereignty, of God s rights, and an arrogant elevation of self to the pinnacle of one s perception, and therefore an idolatrous focus on self, which is at the heart of all sin. Such a person loses his life, i.e., causes his own eternal destruction. By contrast the one who hates his life [i.e., this person does not allow his preferences to override God s will (the love/hate contrast reflects a Semitic absolute scale: cf. Gen. 29:30 31, 33; Deut. 21:15)] will keep it for eternal life. Thus the person who chooses not to pander to self-interest but at the deepest level of his being declines to make himself the focus of his interest and perception, thereby dying, shall live forever with God. As Jesus crucifixion is the path to his glorification, so the believer s death is the path to vindication [ My Father will honor the one who serves me. ] 10 Stanley Toussaint, class notes from BE107. Hebrews, General Epistles and Revelation, Unit 8: Revelation; Video 8: Revelation 2: (τα εργα [ the works ] inserted after οἶδα [ I know ] here and in 2:13 by some manuscripts is a secondary harmonization with 2:2; 3:2, 8, 15). G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1999), This account adapted from God Leads Us Along, in Al Smith s Treasury of Hymn Histories, pp