Letters From the Lord: "Smyrna"

Jackie Hill

Letters from the Lord • Sermon • Submitted 8 months ago • Presented 8 months ago

Revelation 2:8–11

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Introduction:

We are continuing our series in Revelation 1-3 today.

In chapter 1, we got a very detailed description of our glorified Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we enter into chapters 2-3, we begin reading the seven letters to seven churches, authored by Jesus and written down by the Apostle John.

The letters from the Lord were for the churches of that day but they still apply to us today.

In these letters we see what Jesus desires for His church.

We learn what things in the church make the Lord glad and bring glory to Him and what things in the church grieve Him.

Jesus has some good things to say about His church but also some hard things that can sting. But He tells them and us these things because He loves us and wants the best for us.

Last week we read the letter to the church of Ephesus. Ephesus was a church that worked hard. They were solid of doctrine and theology and were big on righteous living and holiness. But they had lost their love for Jesus.

Today we are going to read the letter from the Lord addressed to the church in Smyrna. Smyrna is one of the two churches that Jesus only has good things to say about. Let’s take a look...

[Read Text]:

Revelation 2:8–11 (NASB)

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: 9 ‘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. 10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

The Greek word “smyrna” is the Greek form from myrrh. It was a plant that when crushed and boiled down, it released a pleasant aroma and it was used to embalm the dead. You’d think by the smell it would be sweet tasting but it was actual very bitter. So the name smyrna, when you boil it down, it means sweet smelling, bitter tasting.

And that was both the actual name of the city where this church was located but it was also the name symbolized the situation the church found themselves in. They lived in bitter circumstances but this church was a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

This letter from the Lord Jesus to the faithful church in Smyrna was like them hearing what Jesus said in...

Matthew 25:21 (NASB)

21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave...

That should be the kind of church we want to be. No matter our circumstances. No matter how good or how bad things are, our love for the Lord and our faithfulness to Him should remain true. Even in bitter circumstances God wants us to be a church whose love and faithfulness is a pleasing aroma.

If we are going to be a faithful church like Smyrna, we need to remember a few things. Jesus put them in His letter to Smyrna:

Faithfulness doesn’t guarantee FREEDOM from PAIN or SUFFERING.

(v. 9) “...I know your TRIBULATION...”

(v. 10) “Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days...”

Luke 9:23 (NASB)

23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

John 15:20 (NASB)

20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you...

2 Timothy 3:12 (NASB)

12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Philippians 1:29 (NASB)

29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake...

Faithfulness doesn’t guarantee FINANCIAL PROSPERITY or SUCCESS.

(v. 9) “I know your tribulation and YOUR POVERTY (but you are rich)...”

Smyrna was poor because of their persecution. Smyrna was the center for emperor worship in the Roman empire. The church refused to worship Caesar and as a result, they had trouble getting jobs or selling goods. No one wanted to do business with them. Part of the tribulation that were enduring was living in extreme poverty. And yet, Jesus said they were rich. Not rich materially, rich spiritually.

We are not promised financial prosperity of success here on this earth. Jesus didn’t even have that and He is God...

2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV)

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Matthew 8:20 (NASB)

20 Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Matthew 6:19–21 (NASB)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 19:23–29 (NASB)

23 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.

Philippians 3:7–8 (NASB)

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,

Faithfulness does guarantee FLAWLESS PROVISION and SECURITY.

10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer...

9 ‘I know...

...I will give you the crown of life.

...He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Matthew 6:25–34 (NASB)

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

John 16:33 (NASB)

33 “...In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Psalm 34:19 (NASB)

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

James 1:2–4 (NASB)

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Faithfulness does guarantee FUTURE PEACE and SALVATION.

(v. 10-11) “...Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”

Romans 8:18 (NASB)

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

1 Peter 5:10 (NASB)

10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

2 Corinthians 1:5 (NASB)

5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

Revelation 21:1–7 (NASB)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

Matthew 5:10 (NASB)

10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

In closing:

2 Timothy 2:3 (NASB)

3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Memory Verse of the Week:

2 Timothy 2:3 (NASB)

3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

What does this Scripture teach us about God?

What does this Scripture teach us about man?

Do you see any commands to obey or principles to apply?

Do you see any promises to claim or blessings to enjoy?

Do you see any truths to meditate on or Gospel messages to share?

Did anything else in the passage stick out to you?

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