The Letters to the Seven Churches - Revelation 2:8-11

Introduction:

- Last Sunday began our seven-week sermon series through the letters to the seven churches in Revelation chapter two through chapter three.

- Revelation 2:1-7 begins with a letter to the church in Ephesus. This church received commendation for their purity but criticism for their lack of love for Jesus.

            - Jesus cares more about our heart than our actions.

- Of the seven churches five of them receive criticism from the Lord. This leaves two that does not receive any criticism from the Lord within their letter. The two churches that did not receive criticism from the Lord are: Smyrna and Philadelphia. Documents in the back.

            - This morning our focus is on the letter to the church in Smyrna.

- There is a map in the back to help you visualize the location of each of the seven churches. Their location is now modern-day Turkey.

- Smyrna is modern Izmir and the only one of the seven cities of Revelation 2-3 still in existence. It is 35 miles north of Ephesus.

- Politically, the city was close with Rome and the imperial cult, which was marked by emperor worship. Couple this allegiance to Rome with a large and influential Jewish population, and Smyrna had all the ingredients for a hostile environment as we will read about in just a moment.

- While we do not know for certain how the church at Smyrna began, it is reasonable to suppose that it came about from Paul’s ministry in Ephesus. Acts 19:10 tells us, All the inhabitants of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message about the Lord.”

- This was a church that especially needed encouragement. This is a church we can learn from. This is a church from whose example many will need to draw strength in the days ahead as they take up their own cross and follow Jesus. John Piper says this is a letter where “things are worse than and better than they seem.” Look with me starting in verse eight of Revelation chapter two. Stand with me in the honor of reading God’s Word together.

            - READ – Revelation 2:8-11 – PRAY

1. Church and Christ Relationship – Revelation 2:8

- “Thus says the First and the Last” – this is Jesus

            - Cross Reference this phrase to Isaiah 44:6 and Isaiah 48:12

            - The emphasis is on the deity of Christ, specifically His eternality and sovereignty.

                        - He is the eternal Lord over all of history, and He will have the last words.

                                    - This is an encouragement for the church!

                                                - He is the beginning and the end. Alpha and Omega

- “the one who was dead and came to life” – this is Jesus!

            - This phrase speaks to the humanity of Jesus

            - This phrase emphasizes His authority over death and life.

            - This is also an encouragement for the church!

                        - He endured suffering to the point of death and was victorious.

- Notice the beginning of verse nine, “I know your …”

- Jesus, the First and the Last, the one who was dead and came to life, KNOWS us. He knows our hearts. He knows His church.

Transition – This goes right into what Jesus knows about the church in Smyrna. Look with me at the rest of verse nine. READ – Revelation 2:9

1. Commendation for Faithfulness – Revelation 2:9

- The word “Smyrna” means “myrrh,” which was a sweet perfume used to embalm dead bodies. This was also a gift from the wise men to Jesus as a prophecy to His suffering and death.

- Now it seems that lot was cast on the church.

- “affliction and poverty” – the church in Smyrna received persecution from the Jewish community in Smyrna. Their “poverty” could be because people in the community did not do business with them because of their belief in Jesus.

- Jesus says in the first half of verse nine, “you are rich”

- James 2:5, “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?”

- In verse ten, Jesus tells them “Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer.”

            - You’re suffering is going to get worse – Don’t be afraid, expect it

- Some of you will be thrown into prison and you will experience affliction for ten days. Ten days is symbolic of a definite but limited period of time.

- This passage of scripture is for the church in Smyrna but it is also for us today.

            - Just as Jesus knows the church in Smyrna, He knows us.

                        - He knows our current culture. He knows the world we live in.

- The reality of today and our current world is those who oppose and reject true Biblical Christianity are going to oppose and persecute those who faithfully follow Jesus.

- They will say we are wrong. They will say we are bigoted, dangerous, evil. We will be slandered for the truth. We might be called antichoice, anti-diversity, antigay, anti-inclusion, anti-tolerance. We can anticipate economic boycotts, governmental restrictions, and social ostracism.

- Eventually more severe persecution and even imprisonment will likely be our experience, as we see in other countries across the world today.

- This is NOT an end times prediction; this is where the world is NOW and will be in the near future. Just as Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1, “Hard times will come in the last days.” The last days are NOW.

- When hard times come may we, “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” James 1:2-3

- So we, true genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we fight the good fight of faith and we finished the race because we LOVE JESUS.

Transition – The end of verse ten tells us the reward for those who remain faithful in all circumstances. “Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

III. Challenged by God’s Reward and Promise – Revelation 2:10-11

- The word for “crown” in the Greek is “stephanos” and it refers to a victor’s crown. This is not a participation trophy. This is not a perfect church attendance trophy. This is reserved for those who have been faithful to the end in all circumstances.

- James 1:12, “Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

- Crowns are mentioned seven times in the New Testament:

            - Crown of Life – Revelation 2:10 and James 1:12

            - Crown of Righteousness – 2 Timothy 4:8

            - Crown of Glory – 1 Peter 5:4

            - Crown of Gold – Revelation 4:4

            - Crown of Rejoicing – 1 Thessalonians 2:19

            - Crown of Incorruption – 1 Corinthians 9:25

- Each in some way draws attention to the blessings of salvation that are ours’s in Christ.

- Verse eleven ends with the sentence, “The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.”

- This “second death” is a reference to eternal hell. Christ came to rescue us from the “second death” we deserve because of our sin. For those who have come under the Lordship of Christ they will not be harmed by the “second death”.

- Approximately 60 years after John wrote these words to the church at Smyrna, there would indeed be a man “who would not be afraid of what you are about to suffer” and who was “faithful until death”. He was their pastor. His name was Polycarp. Irenaeus, who heard him teach, said he had been a disciple of John. Pastor Polycarp was greatly loved and respected by his people. However, the citizens of Smyrna and their governmental officials did not share their sentiment. In AD 155 Polycarp would be arrested, quickly tried, and martyred. He was burned at the stake and then stabbed to finish the job. Polycarp is the oldest account of a Christian dying for the Lord Jesus outside of the New Testament.

Invitation to Respond to God’s Word

- How might you need to respond to God’s Word today?

            - Faithfulness? Are you willing to be faithful to the Lord in all circumstances?