Lesson 3 - Smyrna and Pergamum: The Pressured Church & The Compromising Church

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Samson Cannon
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1 Lesson 3 - Smyrna and Pergamum: The Pressured Church & The Compromising Church Revelation 2:8-17 Questions Day 1 - Review 1. What did you learn in the commentary notes from last week s lesson? 2. What did you find meaningful about the lecture? 3. In what way have you been challenged in your thinking or actions from last week s lesson? Day 2 - Revelation 2:8 4. Smyrna was a coastal city some 40 miles north of Ephesus. Emperor worship was prevalent there in the first century, and Christians were forced to choose between Jesus as Lord or Caesar as Lord. There was also much Jewish hostility aimed at those in this church. Ray Stedman says: The name Smyrna means myrrh. It is a fitting name because myrrh is a perfume, the fragrance of which is released by crushing. Here was a church being crushed through persecution. Describe a time you were persecuted because of your Christian faith. (Hint: Persecution is simply being mistreated because of your beliefs.) 5. How is Jesus described in v. 8? 6. Thought Question: What do you think is significant about Jesus mention of His own resurrection considering He is addressing a persecuted church?

2 7. What do the following verses say about the persecution of Christians? John 15:20-2 Timothy 3:12-1 Thessalonians 3:4-8. How do the following verses help a Christian under persecution? Matthew 5:10-2 Corinthians 12:10-2 Thessalonians 1:4-2 Timothy 3:11- Day 3 - Revelation 2: List facts that stand out to you in vs (Hint: Use only words from the passage and do not paraphrase.) Fact # 1- Fact # 2- Fact # 3- Fact # Record lessons learned from the facts just listed. (Hint: Look for a command to obey, a promise to claim or a principle by which to live. What s being done that is good? What s being done that s bad? What do you learn about God?) Lesson # 1-

3 Lesson # 2- Lesson # 3- Lesson # How might you personally apply these lessons to your own life? (Hint: State your personal application in the form of a question.) Application # 1- Application # 2- Application # 3- Application # 4- Day 4 - Revelation 2:9-11 There are several phrases used in vs that seem difficult to interpret. It s always wise to interpret scripture with scripture. See what insights you glean from the cross references corresponding with some of these hard to understand passages. 12. Thought Question: What lesson do you learn from you will suffer persecution ten days in v. 10? (Hint: Use 2 Corinthians 4:17 for your answer.) 13. Thought Question: When speaking about false Jewish apostles, what does the phrase a synagogue of Satan in v. 9 mean? (Hint: Use Mark 7:6-7, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:15 and Titus 1:16 for your answer.) 14. Thought Question: What is the crown of life mentioned in v. 10? (Hint: Use James 1:12)

4 15. Thought Question: What is the second death mentioned in v. 11? (Hint: Use Revelation 20:14 and 21:8) 16. Contrast your understanding of the crown of life vs. the second death. What do these promises motivate you to do? Day 5 - Revelation 2:12-13 The city of Pergamum was known as an intellectual center. It had a 200,000 volume library and a medical center. We get our English word scalpel from the pagan Greek god of medicine named Aesculapius. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the great altar of Zeus (possible reason for reference to Satan s throne) was located there. 17. What was the sharp, double-edged sword? (Hint: Read Hebrews 4:12) 18. In Ephesians 6:10-18, there is a reference to the sword of the Spirit. What is the main purpose of the sword in this Ephesians passage? (Hint: Look at vs ) 19. For what did Jesus commend this Pergamum church? 20. When has God given you an opportunity to remain true to his name? Explain your answer. Day 6 - Revelation 2:14-17 According to Henry Morris, The doctrine of Balaam was to gain control over God s people by seducing them to compromise with the world, especially in sexual sins and going along with those who worshiped false gods. 21. For what did Jesus condemn the Church at Pergamum in v. 14?

5 22. Not much is known about the people called the Nicolaitans or their teachings in v. 15. What conclusion do you draw about the Nicolaitans teachings here and in v. 6? (Hint: Even though we don t know exactly what they taught, we do know how Jesus reacted to their teaching.) 23. Thought Question: Why is it important to not just believe the right things but to reject the wrong things? (Hint: Read Isaiah 32:6 and Colossians 2:8) 24. What emphatic command is given to this church? 25. What are the consequences of rejecting this command? 26. Based on your understanding of the sword from passages cross referenced in questions 17 & 18, what do you think fighting them with the sword of His mouth means? 27. What two things are promised by Jesus to overcomers?

8 "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:

8 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: Revelation 2:1-29 Letters to: Ephesus Smyrna Pergamos Thyatira Ephesus 1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the