He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. He has witnessed their continual affliction and the slander theyve suffered from those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. The fact that these hardships have not escaped their Saviors attention surely would have strengthened the Body and served as a loving reminder of Jesuss abiding presence. I was just going through my mind of what I was going to say. They had no food. Jesus gives them two instructions in verse 10 as to how to handle this impending suffering. Kingdom Citizen, not "Christian"--What's In a Name? Just say Caesar is lord to save your life. And he would not do it. He was faithful until death and he lost his physical life, but he gained so much more which brings us to the fifth reminder to help us suffer well. He is not referring to eternal life here because you do not work for eternal life. How does 2 Corinthians 6:10; 8:9 and James 2:5 shed light on this? Smyrna: The Suffering Church Revelation 2:8-11. As believers, we should expect persecution and suffering in this life. I am so thankful. But, in the process, when I am in the middle of it, it is hard to find joy in why He has me there. And finally, Smyrna was the only congregation besides Philadelphia that did not receive admonishment from Jesus. Be thou our vision. Do not be afraid. 3. 4. She read, He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. (NIV). And whenever we do, the vision of Jesus standing among us in all His glory, and the words of promise He speaks, will sustain and guide us.7, I hope you all have had a great week studying about suffering. Jesus is upfront about the fact that we will experience trouble in this world, but He has also promised that His peace, grace, and abiding presence are our refuge during our trials (Matthew 28:20). It was the loveliest of all the cities. Read Revelation 2:8-11 (Our focus will be on verse 8 today, but read the entire letter to get an overview.). Kingdom 103: The Governor is Meant For All, Kingdom 103: The Holy Spirit is Your Guide and Teacher, Kingdom 103: Your Legacy and the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: The Misrepresentation of the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: Earthly Holidays Misrepresent the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: His Name is All Authority and Power, Kingdom 104: His Law, the Source of All His Principles and Truth, Kingdom 104: Failing to Know Your Kingdom Assignment Brings Boredom, Kingdom 104: The Purpose of the Sabbath--Rest and Teach, Kingdom 104: The Sabbath or Seventh Day God's Way, Kingdom 104: The Sabbath or Seventh Day God's Way Pt 2, Kingdom 104: Living in the Kingdom Culture, Kingdom 104: Your Eternal Foundation Will Sustain You, Kingdom 104: The Diluting of the Kingdom Message, Kingdom 104: Being Deceived From Your True Identity Pt 1, Kingdom 104: Being Deceived From Your True Identity Pt 2, Kingdom 104: Being Deceived Without a Solid Foundation, Kingdom 104: What Profit Has Righteousness in the Kingdom? 5. Explain your answer. Scripture does not give us any information concerning the founding of this church, nor is it mentioned in the book of Acts. . I had no choice. Smyrna was a seaport city about 35 miles north of Ephesus. I went into her office and I said you know I just wanted to ask you a question. 11. When Jesus refers to the crown of life, is He referring to eternal life or to a reward for those who are faithful through tribulation on this earth? Most of us will never die for our faith and I hope we do not. It is like Sally and I were saying this morning. 3. So with that context in mind, let's take a look at Revelation 2: 8-11. 2. My human flesh cries out and I will do everything I can to avoid it. I never wanted to open my mouth to pray because my words seemed so shallow compared to the prayers of these godly men and women who had suffered greatly. What was Jesus message to the church in Smyrna in Revelation? It was one of the chief cities of Roman-dominated Asia and competed with places such as Pergamos and Ephesus for the title "First City of Asia." The ultimate reward is life. The Holy Spirit is Christ's presence on Earth, forever guiding and convicting to keep his followers on the right path. We would always leave and say, you know I want that kind of relationship with God! Its association with death perfectly pictures the suffering church at Smyrna. Then, I got my purse and I drove home. They had no way to make a living. How then can I blaspheme my king and my savior? Well, they threatened to bring out live beasts and he said to bring them on. I do believe that hell is a literal place. The second thing He promises is eternal life. I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 2:8-11. Why would this promise be especially encouraging for the church at Smyrna? These actions would have given the believers could a measure of favor with the government and secured a much easier life. Anytime there is a sense of spiritual awakening or spiritual revival or the sense of the spirit of God moving in lives I will tell you, it makes Satan scream. Why are these blaspheming Jews referred to as a synagogue of Satan? Father, I pray that we would be people who suffer well, who would please you in a way that we handle anything that comes up. How can you better realize the fact that our trials will be limited and temporary? 1. 9. Verses 9 and 10 also go on to tell us a third thing we need to remember in order to suffer well. She and her husband have five childrenthree who have already flown the coop and two adopted teens still roosting at homeplus two adorable grands who add immeasurable joy and laughter to the whole flock. Jesuss short correspondence with His people in Smyrna gives us incredible insight into this group of believers way of life and faith. Jesus was reminding these suffering Christians in Smyrna who may be facing death in the near future. Its streets were wide and paved. If so, how is that evident in your life? He looks for people who oh, lets see, boy, shes always critical. She is always a gossip. She is always kind of stirring up the pot about one of the leaders saying I do not like the way he is doing this or I do not think they should. Be careful, because he is looking for someone he can just grab and go, yeah, build on that, talk that up in your church, yeah, talk about that leader. They were poor. What three things did Jesus mention that He was aware of concerning the church at Smyrna? Are you secure concerning your eternal destiny? 4 Reasons Why We Have a Hard Time Talking about Loneliness. As a result, the Smyrnaean believers lived in genuine poverty for their faith. It is not for you to carry around and have them saying, wow, look at my crown! Your crown is a little small there. Look how many I have. These crowns are not for the purpose of making you feel good about your life on this earth because we are told in Revelation 4:10 that we will go before the throne of God and we will go on our knees and our faces before Him and we will cast our crowns at his feet. Spend some time thanking Jesus for what He endured for us. They said you make light of that then we will burn you at the stake! The Jews who hated him gathered the wood for the fire. Death means separation. All Christians cannot stand on their own feet and you could not do this if you had to. How do our stubbornness, recklessness, and selfishness contribute to a church's dysfunction? It is believed that a man named Polycarp was the pastor of this church at Smyrna when this letter was written. The Church of Smyrna: The Church that Remains Faithful Amidst Persecution (Revelation 2:8-11) Summary and Explanation: Smyrna was home to a large Jewish community hostile to Christians. They were going to nail him to the stake, but he said they did not have to nail me, I will stay. What helps you endure? 7. How does the fact that Jesus knows your pain and feels your pain help you persevere in times of trials and confusion? He does not want you to go deeper in Gods Word. The Message to the Church at Smyrna. So I kept my guard there, but I said, have I done something? She told me to shut the door. Time and time again, wars, massacres, earthquakes, and plagues have threatened to destroy Smyrna, but the city has always bounced back and rebuilt. He just came in. The church at Smyrna was to undergo some intense persecution and tribulation. After college (the first time), Crickett was on staff with C More. The church at Smyrna was to undergo some intense persecution and tribulation. Presumably, this church was founded during Pauls ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:10).1, The Greek word translated Smyrna was used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) to translate the Hebrew word for myrrh, a resinous substance used as a perfume for the living (Matthew 2:11) and the dead (John 19:39). If they sought praise from menif they wanted to please the people around themthey would not be so readily targeted for persecution. Revelation 20:14 and Revelation 21:8 tells us that the second death is the lake of fire and brimstone. What does it mean to be faithful until death? When we suffer, we may think that Christ is absent, but He is not. They had absolutely nothing. The second death will be eternal separation from God in torment. (NASB). They cannot coexist. I went into the bathroom and I sat down and I cried. We would be amazed at their love for God and just the depth of their walk with him. The second instruction He gives them is to be faithful until death. Father, I just thank you for the privilege of knowing you personally. Property Reports > U.S. > Georgia > Cobb County > Smyrna > 30080 > Church St > 975 . What does God want me to share with someone? List reasons why those Jews were not considered real Jews in Jesus eyes. 1. It is the only one of the seven cities still in flourishing condition. I noticed it and after a few weeks I thought you know I think I need to say something to her. What Does God Say about the Church at Smyrna? Well, the second thing we need to remember is that the ultimate test is suffering. That is the doctrine or the view of annihilation of hell. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. John was then to send the divine dictation to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. (Revelation 1:11). The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25). We need to look for that end result. in Christian Education with a focus on Women's Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary. For example, the letter to Ephesus . 7 Richards, L., The Teacher's Commentary (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1987), 1075. So, I caught all kinds of grief, you know, comments made like: oh, you would fit well into grandmothers generation. You are really out of touch with reality today. Just cruel comments. Jesus thus says in effect, you know what, I know what it is like to be persecuted by your enemies. They are for us to give back to Him. (Notice the similarities to the description of Christ in 1:17-18). In Revelation 2:9 He says, , 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. The use of the strong term, blasphemy, here indicates how evil, how wicked, how intense this slander was. Among them, 347 clergymen of the Smyrna region and Metropolitan of Smyrna Chrysostomos were tortured and martyred. How do these verses affirm Christs equality with God? 4 MacArthur, New Testament Commentary, 71. Maybe you are in a season that everything is going great and you are just loving life. Third, at the end of Smyrnas letter, Jesus makes this promise to whoever has ears to hear: He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death (Revelation 2:11, KJV). He wants to stop us. The question we have to ask ourselves is, are we operating to the opposite tune that Jesus commands as this Synagogue and the church of Smyrna were starting to? Smyrna was a church where people's agendas were in opposition to Christ's. They had sufferings to overcome and learn from, but most chose to run the course their way and tarnish His Way. But every born-again Christian is called to die to the things of this world (Galatians 2:20, Luke 9:23), become a bondservant of Christ (1 Corinthians 7:22; Ephesians 6:6; 2 Timothy 2:24), and to consider all earthly things loss compared to the worth of knowing Jesus as Lord (Philippians 3:8). Toggle Name and characteristics subsection 1.1 Definition. Smyrna was a hotbed for pagan worship. A Russian no" for the rights and freedoms" of the Ukrainian people in the 18th century (1) This article is devoted to the policy of the tsarist authorities against the Ukrainian territories which were part of the Russian Empire in the 18th century. You know that it is spiritual warfare where you get discouraged by things you hear said. Life was hard for these Christians. The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in Their Local Setting by Colin Hemer. The challenge for us is to suffer well. He says, Do not fear.. I went home that night and I got angrier the more I thought about it. He wants to discourage us. The second death is spending eternity in hell, separated from God forever. In Jesus name, amen. Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. Kingdom 103: What Gospel Are You Preaching? It is a gift. Of course, all the other med techs are sitting there pretending like they were not listening. They could not advance in jobs. 2. 2. How do you demonstrate faithfulness? Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Every day there is just a wonderful surprise and you are just in a great season of life. They had laid up for themselves treasures in Heaven,where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:20) No doubt, Jesuss commendation would have been a timely affirmation that their sacrifices had not been made in vainand that they should continue basking in the abundant life Jesus had purchased for them. Today it is called Izmir, Turkey. It can be seen that Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7), though a local church in the apostle's day, is typical of the first century as a whole; Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) characterizes the church under persecution, e.g. Jesus wanted to encourage them to stand strong, even if it meant physical death. They would tell us about their relationship with the Lord and they would tell us about the things they had endured during the Cultural Revolution because of their faith in Christ. The Bible tells us that. I know your afflictions and your povertyyet you are rich!Followers of Jesus living in Smyrna were seen as a cult and persecuted by the hostile Roman empire. So, I would go to these dinners hating it because all they would do was just drink and drink. He mentions four ways that this church is suffering because He knows exactly how they are suffering. 1. She was saying you know Crickett God has lain on my heart that because things are going so well right now that we are going to be right in the middle of some spiritual warfare soon, because Satan is not going to like what God is doing. So, they were infatuated with the Roman government and they worshipped the emperors. I wish I had more time to go into detail of his story. How do you respond to suffering and tribulation? What is in the way of my listening to God? Oh, youre too good for us. Ch 1 pt 3, Kingdom 104: Masculine-Minded Men of the Kingdom Government Pt 1, Kingdom 104: Masculine-Minded Men of the Kingdom Government Pt 2, Kingdom 104: The Benefits of Understanding the Simplicity of the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: The Benefits of Discernment, The Kingdom Is the Crux of the Problem Pt 1, The Kingdom Is the Crux of the Problem Pt 2. The troubles we face can cause us to fear so we seek to cover them up with our pride and/or bitterness. Who is it that overcomes the world? But we do experience our own pressures, suffering, and afflictions. What season of life are you in today? Like myrrh, produced by crushing a fragrant plant, the church at Smyrna, crushed by persecution, gave off a fragrant aroma of faithfulness to God.2. Christianity has never completely left this city. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Revelation 2:11). ), Note: Jesus use of the strong term blasphemy, which was usually reserved for hostile words against God, indicates the slanders wickedness, intensity, and severity.4, 4. We may not be worshipping Satan, but when we run the church by our ways and agendas, we are, in fact, worshipping Satan, because Christ is not only ignored, He is being opposed! First, the letter is the shortest of the seven, at only 90 words. Pt 2, Kingdom 103: Student or Disciple of the Kingdom? Is there something difficult going on in your life today? Very few of us today know that kind of pressure, but they refused to worship Caesar. Jude identifies characteristics of the advisory. Seldom has a decade gone by without a significant event ravishing the city. Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 1-5). Tina said, you know Crickett, or at that time I was Janene. Satan does not want believers to study the book of Revelation because he does not want you to know your eternal hope. Another kind of pressure they were under was a pressure to worship the pagan gods and goddesses. Whatever it is, it is a hard season of life. This article is part of our larger End Times Resource Library. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. And He genuinely cares about what happens to His children. But, if we are really serious about going deeper, suffering is part of that process. They took him to the amphitheater where the proconsul tried over and over to persuade him to renounce his faith. You are so in love with the Lord. Just trust the One who holds your life in His hands. Hand over those difficult and overwhelming situations to the One who knows and cares. He is an enemy who will stop at nothing. After introducing the first vision, John is commanded to write a letter to seven churches. Those crowns are not to make us feel good about ourselves. These early believers could have participated in a few cultural customslike sprinkling incense on the fire that burned in front of the emperors statue.
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