Sermon
#1210
Title: Christ’s Letter To The Church At Smyrna
Text: Revelation 2:8-11
Reading: Psalm 92:1-15
Subject: Faithfulness In The Midst Of Trial
Date: Sunday Morning - November 26, 1995
Tape # R-100[1]
Introduction:
Smyrna, like Ephesus, was a rich coastal
city. It was located about thirty-five miles north of Ephesus on the Aegean
Sea. It was a loyal ally of Rome, even before Rome gained its greatness. Smyrna
was a place of Emperor worship. The city built a temple for the worship of the
Emperor Tiberius. In a word, Smyrna was a wealthy, powerful, pagan city,
entirely given over to idolatry. But, in his merciful providence, God was
pleased to send a gospel preacher to that city and establish a gospel church in
her midst.
We
have no way of knowing for certain how this church began; but in all
likelihood, it was established by Paul during his ministry at Ephesus (Acts
19:10). This church had remained faithful for many years in the midst of great
trial. It was sound in doctrine, strong in faith, and in a spiritually healthy
state. There was nothing in this church that needed to be corrected. The
singular purpose of Christ’s letter to the church was to encourage his people
to remain faithful, even unto death. Christ, who knows all things, knew what
severe trials the church at Smyrna must face. In this letter he wisely prepares
his people for their trials.
One
example of the trials and persecutions of the church in Smyrna may be seen in
the martyrdom of its pastor, Polycarp.
Polycarp was a disciple of the apostle John. He was a faithful servant of God
for many years, until he was burned at the stake for Christ in the year 155 AD
His persecutors required him to confess that “Caesar is Lord,” but he refused.
They promised him liberty if he would deny Christ. And the old pastor said,
“Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me any injury: how
then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” When his persecutors continued to
press him, Polycarp said, “Since thou art vainly urgent that I should swear by
the fortune of Caesar, and pretendest not to know who and what I am, hear me
declare with boldness, I am a Christian!” This infuriated his tormentor, who
said, “I have wild beasts at hand; to these will I cast thee, except thou
repent.” When that did not break the old man, the tormentor said, “I will cause
thee to be consumed with fire, seeing thou despisest the wild beasts, if thou
wilt not repent.” Then Polycarp boldly defied his tormentor, saying, “Thou
threatenest me with fire which burneth for an hour, and after a little is
extinguished, but art ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of
eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. But why tarriest thou? Bring
forth what thou wilt!” The order was given, and the people began to gather wood
for the fire. The Jews, we are told, eagerly assisted them. And Polycarp, the
faithful old pastor of the church at Smyrna, was burned at the stake, because
he refused to deny Christ. He was faithful unto death. This brief description
of Polycarp’s martyrdom is just one of many that could be given. It gives us a
picture of the conditions of extreme trial which the people of God had to
endure in the first and second centuries.
Remember,
this letter was addressed particularly to the church at Smyrna, historically.
But it was intended by Christ to be a message to us today. Though we no longer
have to fear the persecutions of God’s church in days gone by, because God
providentially restrains the powers of wicked men, yet it is still true “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution” (II Tim. 3:12). If we follow Christ and seek to
live in this world for the glory of Christ, we will suffer abuse at the hands
of Christ’s enemies. Our Savior has told us plainly, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:13).
Proposition: Our
Lord Jesus Christ dictated this letter to John to comfort and strengthen us in
the midst of our earthly trials and to encourage us to persevere in the faith
of the gospel.
Divisions:
In
this letter our Lord does four things to comfort and encourage his church in
the midst of her troubles.
1. Christ calls our attention
away from our troubles to himself (v8).
2. Our Savior assures us of his
constant care (v. 9).
3. The Lord graciously quietens
our fears (v. 10).
4. The Lord Jesus Christ
encourages us to persevere (v. 11).
I. As the letter opens, IMMEDIATELY CHRIST CALLS OUR ATTENTION AWAY
FROM OUR TROUBLES TO HIMSELF (v. 8).
Smyrna,
was a flock of harmless sheep in the midst of ferocious wolves. The church of
God there was the object of malicious slander, reproach, and persecution. Her
troubles were many. And, like all of us in times of trouble, the people of God
at Smyrna were in danger of falling into the pit of self-pity, which always
leads to despondency, if not despair. In order to prevent this from happening,
the Lord Jesus says, “Do not look upon your troubles, but look to me.” That is
the thrust of this salutation: “These
things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive.” If we
could learn to meditate upon and look to Christ with believing hearts, rather
than meditating upon our earthly woes, our troubles on this earth would give us
far less trouble. Everything on this earth is temporary. Christ, who is the
first and the last, is eternal, and he has secured for us an eternal
inheritance in glory. Let every troubled believer look to Christ, our eternal,
unchangeable Savior, and his troubles will seem insignificant.
A. Christ Jesus is the first and the
last.
He is
the first, for by him were all things made. He is before all things. And by him
all things consist. Christ is the first, for he himself is God, from
everlasting to everlasting. And he is the last, for all things were made for
him. All things shall be brought to their final end by Christ. All things shall
be judged by Christ. And all things shall show forth the praise of Christ.
Christ is the first, for he is the foundation laid in Zion. And he is the last,
for he is the top-stone, the chief-cornerstone, and the headstone of the corner
in his spiritual temple, the church.
B. Our Savior particularly would have
us dwell and meditate upon his most glorious work and most glorious character,
as our all-sufficient, unchanging, exalted Mediator and King. He is the One who “was dead, and is alive.”
There
is no cure for despondent hearts like the knowledge of redemption by Christ.
The cross of Christ is like the tree Moses cast into Marah’s bitter waters.
Take the blessed gospel doctrine of blood atonement and cast it into your
bitter waters of earthly trouble, and it will make your bitter troubles sweet
to your soul. Whenever you look for something to comfort your heart, encourage
your faith, revive your soul, and cause your spirit to dance with joy, meditate
on these two facts:
1.
The Lord Jesus Christ was dead!
He
died as our Substitute, under the penalty of our sins. He died to satisfy the
offended justice of God for us to put away our sins. By his death, the Son of
God purchased salvation for us. Christ died for us, what reason then do we have
to fear?
2.
Having died under the penalty of sin as our Substitute, the Lord Jesus rose
again for our justification; and he is alive forever more.
Christ died to obtain salvation. And he lives
to apply salvation. (Rom. 5:10). Christ lives as our Priest and King forever.
·
He lives to save his elect (Isa. 53:9-11).
·
He lives to intercede for his elect (John 17:9, 20; I John 2:1-2).
·
He lives to protect his elect (John 10:27-30).
Surely,
when we are aware of what Christ has done and is doing for us, we can smile at
Satan’s rage and face a frowning world (Rom. 8:28-39).
II. Secondly, OUR LORD ASSURES US OF HIS CONSTANT CARE (v.
9).
More
tender, assuring, comforting words could not be spoken to troubled believers
than the words of Christ to us in this verse. He says, “I know.” It is enough for the child to know that his Father knows
what is troubling him. It is enough for the wife to know that her loving
husband knows her need. And it is enough for us to know that Christ knows our
peculiar circumstances. Here our Savior gives us five words of assurance.
A. “I know thy works.”
Christ,
who is the omniscient God, knows our works. For the unbelieving hypocrite this
is terrifying. But for the believer it is comforting. He whose glory is our
chief delight knows our works for him. And he accepts them, through his own
merit, and delights in them.
1. He knows the motive of our
works, that they are done out of love for him (II Cor. 5:14).
2. He knows the strength by
which we perform our works for him is the strength which his own grace
supplies.
3. And he knows that our works
are performed from a sincere heart that desires his glory (John 21:17).
NOTE: Believers never speak of
their own works to God. We recognize that our best works are marred by sin and
must be washed in the blood of Christ. But Christ will not fail to remember
even a cup of cold water offered in his name (Matt. 10:41-42).
B. “I know thy tribulation.”
This
is our Lord’s legacy to his church. He told us plainly that we must through
much tribulation enter into the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22). For the people
of God, this world is a place of sorrow. Believers are soldiers in a hostile
territory. Conversion is the beginning of conflict. To worship Christ is to
enter into warfare with this world. No one can follow Christ without paying a
price for doing so. In these early days of Christianity, believers suffered
banishment, imprisonment, and death by wild beasts or burning at the stake. In
those days the conflict is perhaps more subtle, but it is just as real. If you
and I follow Christ, we will have to march contrary to the world at all times.
It is the confession of Christ that causes the conflict. If I do not confess
Christ in the teeth of his enemies, I will have no conflict. But that lack of
confession will be a proof that I do not truly know Christ (Matt. 10:32-34).
(Illustration: Acts 4:7-12).
1. We confess Christ in baptism
2. We confess Christ when we
defend his honor.
3. We confess Christ when we
press his claims upon his enemies.
4. We confess Christ when we
make his gospel and his glory the rule by which we live.
C. “I know thy poverty.”
These
believers at Smyrna were brought to extreme poverty because of their confession
of Christ. It was not at all uncommon for a man to lose his job when he was baptized.
In those days, to be a believer, from an earthly point of view, meant real
sacrifice. Indeed, it is still true today, in measure. Believers frequently
lose much by following Christ. If I am a believer, anything that would keep me
from worshipping Christ or honoring Christ must be forsaken, though it may cost
me much in earthly goods. “Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.”
(Illustration:
A promotion; a better job; Sunday trade.)
D. “But thou art rich.”
For
the gospel’s sake, these believers suffered tribulation and poverty. But there
was no reason for them to begin to pity themselves. They may have seemed to be
poor. Indeed, they were very poor, in the matter of earthly goods. But they
were rich toward God, rich in spiritual possessions, and rich in grace (Matt.
6:20; 19:21; Lk. 12:21).
Child
of God, do not allow today’s prosperity prophets to deceive you. Earthly riches
are no sign of divine approval. And earthly poverty is no sign of divine
displeasure. If we are believers, if we are in Christ, we are rich! (Eph. 1:3).
1. All the riches of God’s
grace are ours in Christ.
2. All the blessings of God’s
covenant are ours in Christ.
3. We are heirs of God and
joint-heirs with Christ.
E. And our Lord assures us that he knows
his true people from those who
merely profess to be his people - “I
know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the
synagogue of Satan.”
There was a large population of Jews in
Smyrna. They had settled there, because Smyrna was a good place of business,
and built a synagogue. As always, these Jews were filled with hatred for the
people of God. They both blasphemed Christ and accused his people of horrible
crimes before the Romans. These physical descendants of Abraham thought they
were the people of God. But our Lord calls them the synagogue of Satan. I fully
agree with William Hendriksen’s comment
on this verse: “How anyone can say that the Jews of today are still, in a very
special and glorious, and pre-eminent sense, God’s people, is more than we can
understand. God himself calls those who reject the Savior and persecute true
believers ‘the synagogue of satan’. They are no longer his people.”
Yet,
this text has a wider application. Those assemblies which are set up in
opposition to the truths of the gospel, though they call themselves Christian
churches, are all synagogues of satan. He presides over them. He works in them.
and his interests are served by them. What are these synagogues of satan?
·
Any church that equates morality with righteousness (Rom. 10:1-4).
·
Any church that promotes will worship (Col. 2:23).
·
Any church that puts salvation and redemption in the hands of man (Gal.
2:21).
·
Any church that substitutes ceremonialism and ritualism for worship.
God’s
covenant people, the true Israel of God, is the church of God, Christ’s
spiritual seed. A man’s family tree, outward religious exercises, profession of
religion, and doctrinal creed has nothing to do with his relationship to God.
Christianity, faith in Christ is a matter of the heart. It is altogether inward
and spiritual - “They are not all Israel
which are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6; 2:28-29; Phil. 3:3).
It is
most comforting to believers, in the midst of their earthly trials, to hear the
Son of God say, “I know.” He who is
our Savior is the sovereign King of the universe; and he knows all about us.
His eye is always upon us.
III. Thirdly, OUR LORD GRACIOUSLY QUIETENS OUR FEARS (v.
10).
Again,
I remind you that, as long as we live in this world, we are going to suffer.
And our Lord here plainly warns us that the longer we live in this world the
more our sorrow will increase. Particularly, he is talking about the evil which
we must suffer at the hands of wicked men, who, unknowingly, are the pawns of
satan himself. Yet, our blessed Savior says, “Fear none of those things.” Though satan roars, he cannot devour
God’s elect. No matter how great our sufferings on this earth may be, here are
four facts which should quieten our fears.
A. Our sufferings in this world are
governed and regulated by our Savior (I Cor. 10:13).
It is
true, we often suffer at the hands of wicked men. And, like Job we suffer much
from satan himself. But both wicked men and satan are under the rule of Christ.
They can do nothing without our Redeemer’s permission (Job 1:12; 2:6). And
whatever God permits our enemies to do will be best for us.
(Illustration: Shemei - II Samuel
16:10-12).
B. Those things that we suffer will not last long.
Our
sorrow will not be perpetual. It will last for a set time and that set time is
really a very short time. “Ye shall have
tribulation ten days,” that is to say, “You will suffer for a definite, but
brief time.” Surely, we who live for eternity and live in eternity should be
able to patiently bear our light afflictions, realizing that they are but for a
brief moment in time (Is. 26:20; 54:8-10; Matt. 24:22; II Cor. 4:18; I Pet.
1:6).
C. The purpose for our trials is to prove
our faith.
God
allows the temptation, the trial, and the tribulation, “that ye may be tried.” God sovereignly uses satan’s vicious
attacks to prove his elect. Satan’s intent is to destroy us. But God graciously
uses his wicked designs to prove us (James 1:2, 3, 12).
“Suffering
times are trying times, whether men are real Christians or no; whether they
have the true grace of God or not; and whether the principles they hold are
right and true, and are worth and will bear suffering”. (John Gill)
Of this we can all be sure - Sooner or later,
God will prove our faith. It will be clearly demonstrated whether or not we
really trust him.
(Illustration: Abraham and Isaac;
Job; Ananias and Sapphira.)
D. All who endure temptations shall
receive a crown of life.
“Be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
NOTE: This
is not a promise of a special crown for martyrs. All who belong to Christ shall
receive a crown of life. God has promised this crown to all who love him (James
1:12). The crown is eternal life itself (I Cor. 9:25).
Faithfulness
is the one thing God requires of his people. And faithfulness is the one thing
all believers give. God’s people are faithful.
(Illustration: Once a sailor,
sailing through a storm made this statement: “God, you may sink me if you will;
You may save me if you will. But, whatever happens, I will keep my rudder
true.” That is the believer’s attitude.)
To
those who are faithful unto death, Christ promises the crown of glory, eternal
salvation (Matt. 10:22).
IV. In the midst of our trials
and tribulations on this earth - (1.) Christ calls for us to look to him. (2) He
assures us of his constant care. (3) He quietens our fears. And (4) THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO
PERSEVERE (v. 11). “He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second death.” Here is a promise to those who
persevere unto the end, to those who are conquerors and more than conquerors in
Christ.
A. There is a second death.
Death
in itself is the result of sin. And physical death is to men tormenting. But
there is a second, eternal, spiritual death, which is the death of the body and
of the soul in hell (Rev. 20:4).
B. But this second death has no claim upon
God’s elect.
Though
we may be put to death physically, we shall never die! (John 5:25; 11:25; Rev.
20:6).
1. We have been ordained to
eternal life (Acts 13:48).
2. Christ purchased eternal
life for us (Heb. 9:12).
3. We have eternal life now (I
John 5:13).
4. We shall soon obtain the
glory of that eternal life. Christ himself will give it to us.
Application: The
greatest encouragement the Bible gives to faithfulness and perseverance is the
assurance of our security and eternal life in Christ (Heb. 11:13-16; Col.
1:21-23).