Love Notes to the Church
Part 2
“Smyrna: The Loyal Church”
Rev 2:8-10 “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 works, 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.”
Last time we saw that, in 22 chapters of prophetic revelation, Jesus took the entire 2nd and 3rd chapters to address seven churches that existed when John received the Revelation.
What Jesus said to these seven churches carries a powerful, relevant message to us today!
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Now, the number one key theme of the book of Revelation is given in chapter one, which is the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ—His visible, literal return.
It’s called the PAROUSIA (par-oo-see’-ah) meaning “presence or arrival.”
Vs 1:7 says, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so. Amen.”
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With that in mind, our first message in the brand new series Love Notes to the Church, was on the church in Ephesus, known as the LACKING CHURCH.
It was lacking because they had left their first love.
After addressing the LACKING church at Ephesus, Jesus turns his attention to the second church, the church in Smyrna.
While the church in Ephesus was the LACKING church, the church in Smyrna is the LOYAL Church.
Now, Smyrna was a wealthy city, famous for its schools of medicine and science.
—Yet, as Jesus pointed out, many of the Christians in this church were suffering in poverty and persecution.
And in spite of their material poverty, the Lord points out that they are spiritually rich, and that’s the greatest riches of all!
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The glorified Savior immediately identifies himself to them as “He who was dead, and came to life.”
He is returned from the dead, he is resurrected!
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Then, He begins his message to them with the words, “I know…”
9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich);”
Jesus knows everything they’ve been doing in his name.
And he knows the ‘tribulation’ they’ve been experiencing.
TRIBULATION means ‘distress, pressure, inward stress.’
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And he also knows all about “the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are part of a synagogue of Satan.”—2:8-9
The Jews during this time of the early church viciously attacked Christianity.
They routinely blasphemed Christ, mocking him with sarcastic phrases like “the hanged one.”
As they had everywhere else, they bitterly opposed Christianity in Smyrna.
By attacking Jesus and the church, they had joined hands with Satan!
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And then the Lord drops a bomb—their troubles were about to get worse!
“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days.”
Let me break this down to how it matters to us today:
I. Jesus knows what trials are coming your way
The Lord Jesus knew exactly what they were about to experience.
He knew what the devil was up to.
He knew how the trial would go down—some of them would go to prison.
This is why he always identifies himself to the churches with the words “I know.”
He knows all, sees all, anticipates all.
We need this because we can’t see what he sees!
Paul wrote:
“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”—1 Cor. 13:12 NLT
We see only bits and pieces and momentary glimpses of what the enemy is doing—even of what God is doing—but Jesus sees it perfectly and prays for us!
Remember when He told Peter,
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to have you, to sift you like wheat,”
—Satan’s about to come after you, Peter, to throw your life into disarray and to challenge your faith in me.
32 “but I have pleaded in prayer for you that your faith should not completely fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen and build up the faith of your brothers.”
Likewise, Jesus knew what was coming to the church in Smyrna, he knew what was going to come against Peter, and he knows what is coming against us—and HAS PRAYED FOR YOU AND ME!
And his word to Smyrna and to us is, “Don’t be afraid!”
Don’t allow fear to grip you!
He’s in charge!
His hand is on the temperature control of your trial!
And He will strengthen you with grace to endure it!
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We also see that:
II. He knows how long our trials will last
It’s interesting—in my devotional time this week I read of David asking God,
“My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?”(Ps 6:3 NIV)
—Jesus told the christians in Smyrna that “ten days” of suffering were coming.
Now we know this wasn’t a literal ten days, but was symbolic of seasons or eras His church would pass through.
It could be referring to the ten terrible periods of persecution unleashed by the Roman Empire under ten different Caesars.
Or it might simply mean they were facing seasons of trouble that would come in ten distinct waves.
We don’t know for sure.
But what we DO know is, HE knew how long!
And He knows how long your trials and mine will last.
And in the trial He will work His wonderful will into our lives:
James 1:2-4 LB “Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, 3 for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”
And here’s the Lord’s promise for as long as the trial lasts:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”—Is 41:10 NIV
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And then lastly we see that:
III. Jesus calls them to faithfulness in the trial
2:10 “But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”
The call of Jesus on the church throughout the ages, right down to the last-days church we’re in now, is to REMAIN FAITHFUL in tough times.
Faithful to what?
ONE, faithful in your profession of Him. Jesus said:
“If you stand before others and are willing to say you believe in me, then I will tell my Father in heaven that you belong to me. 33 But if you stand before others and say you do not believe in me, then I will tell my Father in heaven that you do not belong to me.”—Matt 10:32-33 ERV
TWO, faithful to stand with and for the truth of His word. Jesus said:
“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
THREE, faithful even when it hurts.
Notice, Jesus says some of them will go to prison for their testimony—and would face death threats because they confess Him!
But faithfulness when it hurts is the story of all God’s saints!
Faithful to Him, faithful to His word, and faithful when it hurts.
And Jesus promised them a great reward:
“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
The crown of life—is a gift from God that will be awarded to those who faithfully endure trials and tests on earth:
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”—James 1:12
So don’t be afraid
Stand tall for him in faithfulness
Tough times don’t last, tough ppl do!