Number 7 In A Series of Studies on Revelation -

Smyrna: The Crowned Church - Revelation 2:8-11

The message to the church at Smyrna is the shortest of all the letters to the seven churches - just four short verses, 128 words.

1. City. Smyrna was located about 35 miles north of Ephesus. The city was the seat of emperor worship with the temple to Tiberias. It still exists today with its modern-day name of Izmir. Izmir and Istanbul are both large commercial centers. Consult map.

The word "smyrna" appears three times in the New Testament: Matt. 2:11; Mark 15:23; John 19:39. In each instance, the word is translated "myrrh." Myrrh was a perfume used for purification, embalming and gifts. It yielded its fragrance by being crushed. It is a fitting name for the church in this city.

2. Church, Revelation 2:8. "Unto the angel of the church of Smyrna write..." We may easily overlook the obvious. When this is addressed to the "church of Smyrna" we need to get the right picture. Don't get in your mind a building. Church buildings did not exist until the 3rd century.

This was not written to a demonination. Demoninations did not exists for centuries. When this mentions a "church" we are to understand this was a group of believers in Jesus Christ who had been scripturally immersed in water to publicly testify of their faith. This was an assembly of baptized believers who were committed to evangelism, baptism and a lifetime of obedience to Christ. This was a local, visible, recognizable body of believers bearing their light in dark Smyrna.

It is likely that this church was the outgrowth of the missionary zeal of the church at Ephesus. Acts 19:10 and 26 tells us that from the church at Ephesus the gospel spread throughout Asia so that "all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks."

3. Christ, Revelation 2:8. "Unto the angel of the church of Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive..."

Remember, this book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, so let's not fail to see Him.

"These things saith the first and the last..." (also 1:17). He is before all things and after all things. He came out of eternity and He moves into eternity. Psalm 90:2 says He is "from everlasting to everlasting."

"Which was dead and is alive..." He is the One which was dead and alive forevermore (1:18). He is not the One who was alive and is dead! That is true of Confucius, Buddha and Mohammed and every other religious teacher; but our Lord is in another category altogether - His tomb is empty! He overcame death. As we will see later, this was a very important truth about Christ for these Christians.

4. A Commendation, Revelation 2:9. Before we look at Christ's commendation to this church, slow down and think with me about those two words, "I know." Christ says to them then and to us now, "I know." This tells us of Christ's knowledge. He knows. He knows all things. That does two things to me.

* Comforts me when I have been wronged.

* Convicts me when I am wrong.

When Christ says, "I know" it means to know or understand, not simply by observation, but by experience. Christ has experienced what these Christians were going through. He understands by experience. Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

Service. "I know thy works...." Christians are not saved by works, but they are saved to work. What are you doing on earth for heaven's sake?

Suffering. "And tribulation..." These dear believers were in hot water. They were going through it. These were not the common trials which come to all who are in the human race (sickness, stress, separation). Christian tribulation is trouble you would not have had if you had not been a Christian. It is the consequence of our identification with Christ.

They were under constant pressure because they were believers in Christ. How would anyone know such a personal things as that? Because they had identified with a congregation, they attended worship with other believers, they witnessed openly to their friends about Christ.

2 Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

Philippians 1:29 "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

John 16:33 "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

According to Fox's Book of Martyrs, 5 million believers died for Christ between 100 A. D. and 300 A. D. Can you even imagine that? Believers' bodies were torn apart, joint from joint, upon racks of torture. Their fingernails were pulled out. They were wrapped in animal skins and thrown into sports arenas to be attacked and killed by wild animals. Christians were tied to stakes in Nero's gardens, covered with tar and set on fire to provide light for this wicked ruler.

Sacrifice. "And poverty..." They suffered materially and physically because of their allegiance to Jesus Christ. It is possible their jobs were terminated, their property confiscated.

There are two Greek words translated "poor" or "poverty." "Penas" means to labor for one's sustenance. Do not possess much; they barely get by.

The word here ("ptocheia") means "destitute, to have nothing." It is used in other places in the New Testament to describe beggars.

Our modern brand of Western Christianity does not sound like Christianity in first century Smyrna. Our kind of Christianity has become a way to get rich or have a big time in the name of God. Christians have their own celebrities, music, concerts, gift stores, fads, even cruises. Smyrna had no wealthy, well-heeled, well-connected Christians about which to brag. They were all persecuted. They were all poor!

Slander. "And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." Usually the idea of "blasphemy" is connected to what people say about God. But here it seems people were saying bad things about these Smyrnian believers.

Religious people, who were blindly following Satan, were circulating all kinds of stories. Because Christian celebrated communion and talked about partaking of the body and blood of Christ, they were accused of being cannibals. Because they refused to worship false gods they were called atheists and infidels. Christians talked about loving one another, so they were accused of engaging in sexual orgies. This slander was more than pettiness; at times it was deadly!

Status. "(But thou art rich)..." What really matters in life is not what other people think about you, but what God thinks about you! Remember, He knows. He knows your heart. He knows your motives. He knows your true status. "Rich" = we get our word "plutocrat" from this Greek word.

Smyrna was a poor rich church. Laodica was a poor rich church. They said Laodica was rich when it was poor, that Sardis was alive when it was dead, and that Smyrna was poor when it was rich.

5. A Condemnation. There was no condemnation laid on this church. Five of the seven churches received severe condemnation from Christ, but not Philadelphia or Smyrna. What I found interesting was these two cities are the only two which have had continuous existence.

Here is a church that has been through it and the fires of persecution purified it. No hypocrisy. No false doctrine. No inner strife. No pride. None of us like persecution, but persecution is a better friend to God's churches than is prosperity.

6. Counsel, Revelation 2:10.

Facing trials without fear. "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days..."

Attitude- "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer..." Christ had told John in Revelation 1:17, "Fear not..." They were not through with suffering yet! Like the fellow who was told, "Cheer up; things could be worse." He said, "Sure enough, I cheered up and things got worse!"

Adversary - "Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison..."

Affliction - "Shall cast some of you into prison..." "The Roman Empire did not have any concept of imprisonment as a punishment for a crime. They put one into prison only to await a trial or an execution," James T. Draper, Jr., p. 50. They were either fined, were exiled or executed!

Advantage - "That ye may be tried," that is, proven.

Allotment - "And ye shall have tribulation ten days..." A limited period, brief, but intense.

Facing death with faithfulness. "Be thou faithful unto death..." Read this carefully. It does not say be faithful "until" but "unto" death. That is, be faithful to the point of dying, even if it cost you your life. This is more than some Christians want to hear about.

"There is a cost for being a Christian?" Yes, you may lose your... * friends * job * popularity * health * life.

Recently, while conducting a Bible study with a couple, the young lady said to me, "I never knew Baptists were ridiculed so much. Every joke on the internet is about a Baptist."

I got to thinking about that. When we get to heaven and we are exchanging stories about our lives on earth I can imagine talking to some early believers. "What did you suffer?" "Beaten, robbed, martyred." "And you?" "Internet ridicule!"

"Be thou faithful..."

Not until the first lie is told on you.

Not until things don't go your way.

Not until your child get in trouble.

Not until your not recognized for something you did.

Not as long as folk are singing your praises.

Not as long as people are cheering you on.

"Be thou faithful." I love this. Look over at Revelation 19:11. In that verse Jesus is called "Faithful and true."

Our standard is always Jesus. We are not called to be faithful as long as your family or friends are faithful. Jesus is the standard!

Our strength is Jesus. Our faithfulness rests on His faithfulness.

Our success is in Jesus. We are victorious because He is victorious.

"Be thou faithful unto death." Now that is quite a price - death! The world may devise many ways to kill the Christian, but the believer can only die once.

"And I will give thee a crown of life." People, we are not working for our salvation, but for our coronation. We can't let down until we receive our crown.

7. Challenge, Revelation 2:11. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches..."

C. S. Lewis - "God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks to us in our conscience, shouts in our pain; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

Sometimes suffering is God's megaphone to rouse a dead church.

8. Comfort, Revelation 2:11. "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."

This promise mentions the second death. And look - we are not going to feel the slightest pain of the second death.

There are actually three deaths. * Spiritual death. Gen. 2: "In the day ye eat thereof ye shall surely..." What? "Die." Adam and Eve died spiritually and now all of his decendants are still born. We are all born in sin. We are born "dead in our trespasses and sins," Eph. 2:1.

* Physical death.

* Second death or eternal death, Revelation 20:15. The second death is the eternal, fiery fate of all who die without Christ.

The people of this world live to die, but the believer in Jesus Christ dies to live!

Fifty years after this letter was delivered, the church at Smyrna was still suffering persecution. Their pastor at that time was Polycarp. He was 86 years old. As a teenager he had known the apostle John. In 155 A. D., a crowd was stirred up against the Christians in Smyrna and the death of Polycrap was demanded. He was arrested and taken to the arena. When the crowds saw that Polycarp had been captured, they worked themselves into a frenzy, demanding his death. There, in front of the crowd, this 86 year old saint of God was urged to deny Christ, to say that Caesar was Lord. Finally, after much urging, Polycarp replied, "Eighty-six years I have served him, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"

The tribunall threatened him with burning, and Polycarp replied: "You threaten me with the fire that burns for a time, and is quickly quenched, for you do not know the fire that awaits the wicked in the judgment to come and in everlasting punishment. Why are you waiting? Come, do what you will."

For his refusal he was burned at the stake. As the flames engulfed him, he was heard praying for his accusers.

My friend, only one who looks beyond the present and sees into eternity can face adversity and death like that.

Churches in the first centuries were materially poor, but spiritually rich.

Churches in the last centuries are materially rich, but spiritually poor.

Jesus said the deceitfulness of riches choke the word (Matt. 13:22). I believe it.

Paul said because of the love of money people "err from the faith, and pierce themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim. 6:10).

If you happen to be among the poor today, let me remind you our Lord was poor. 2 Cor. 8:9 In His first recorded sermon He declared that He was anointed by the Spirit to preach the gospel to the poor, Luke 4:18.

Prepared and delivered by
Dr. Jerry D. Locke
Lake Worth Baptist Church
4445 Hodgkins Road
Fort Worth, TX 76135-2136