Sermon Tone Analysis

February 17,2012

By John Barnett

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As we open to Revelation 2:8-11 we are opening to the second of Christ's seven personal letters to individual churches of the late 1st Century.

We looked at them as a group, but now we are taking a look at each individual church.

As we read these words, the historical context is that the Church at Smyrna was going through the second wave of persecutions that the early church had to endure.

*A Short History of Early Church Persecution*

Someone told me this week they could save the first half hour of my messages by just “Google-ing” what I talk about, and implied they wanted me to just stick to reading the text of the Scripture.

But for the rest of you that are willing, if you will bear with me, I’d like to give you a sanctified mind’s analysis of Church History: something that they could never get on Google.

The reason I share with you the background details of each passage we study is to show it to you through the lens of Scripture, and with my own lifetime analysis of these facts, what is vital to increase our understanding.

That is actually one of the elements of expository preaching, which is my lifelong pursuit.

*Church History records three notable waves of persecution from the Roman Emperors:*

• Wave #1: Emperor Nero (54-68 AD) This persecution was sporadic and limited mainly to Rome, sweeping up Paul and Peter to execution .

• Wave #2: Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD) This persecution was wider than Nero’s, across some of the Roman Empire’s provinces, and hitting both the church at Smyrna and exiling John to Patmos.

• Wave #3: Emperor Diocletian (284-305 AD) This persecution was the greatest of any Roman Emperor against Christ's Church.

Diocletian, who was one of the most administrative of all Rome’s rulers, began a systematic purge of Christianity, through an Empire-wide eradication of the Church, and he almost succeeded.

For the final nearly 10 years of Diocletian’s reign he systematically decimated Christ's church.

The main reason that there is not one single complete manuscript of the Bible today, and all we have are 20,000 fragments and partial manuscripts is because of this one very powerful man.

Under Diocletian’s wave of persecution: every church meeting place that could be identified was pulled down; every pastor that could be found was killed; and every copy of God’s Word that could be discovered, was destroyed.

The church came closest to extinction in those years.

*Why are they called the Roman Catholic Church?*

Have you ever wondered why the Catholic Church is called the Roman, Catholic Church?

The answer comes right here in this third and final wave of persecution.

The result of this Empire-wide extermination of Christianity era was the rise to power of Constantine, who legalized Christianity.

When the Roman Emperor Constantine designated Christianity as the State Church, he also merged all of Rome’s pagan worship establishment into this State Church.

This blending or syncretism of truth (the early church) and error (the pagan religions of Rome), are what actually prompted the birth of what we call Roman Catholicism today.

The Roman part of the Catholic church was the merging of traditions, vestments, orders, practices, buildings, superstitions, and priests from paganism into the early New Testament church.

Now open with me to Christ's letter to this church under this next wave of persecution, and listen with me to His Voice speaking to them through these words:

Revelation 2:8-11 /“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.

11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”

’/

*SMYRNA WAS UNDER A WAVE OF PERSECUTION*

This second wave of persecution that broke over Smyrna had its start way back during the Life of Christ.

The Emperor in Christ's last years was named Tiberius and in 26 AD an altar to Emperor Tiberius was built there in Smyrna (just 40 miles north of Ephesus).

This was the official start in that city of Emperor Worship.

To stay a happy part of the Empire one had only to stop by the Temple and scoop a pinch of incense and put it on the fire.

Then a certificate was given, like our auto license renewal stickers.

That event and paper called a libelli, verified that you had passed.

It was an annual homage to the Emperor that became the one action that unified the masses of people in the Roman Empire.

Today we see the shadow of intense, falling across the church at Smyrna.

In about 94 AD Domitian says, get the Christians to go with the flow or pay the price.

Can you imagine the pressure?

The whole city is lined up, one by one they come through the archway leading into the Forum area.

Soldiers stand guard, the city clerk sits with the registry of names, his pen, and a bowl of incense in front of him.

The stream of citizens walk by, take a pinch of the power, drop it onto the coal fire burning in the censor and taking their certificate—walk out into another year of peace and security.

There you are in line, if you just go with the flow, your children, wife, husband, friends, job, home—all are secure.

But if you refuse, if you believe that only Jesus is Lord, if you say that Caesar is not God, Jesus Christ is the Lord, then the slow grind of that efficient machine called Rome will begin to hunt you down and either force you to recant, or take your life.

So with that historical backdrop:

*THE BELIEVERS AT SMYRNA LEARNED HOW TO SUFFER AND DIE*

The most important decision you will ever make in life is how you want to die!

The saints at Smyrna wanted to die in Jesus.

They learned the lesson well because, after the letter arrived from Jesus in Revelation 2, their pastor went on to die a martyr’s death.

Let me give the last moments of this pastor at Smyrna, who was the last living person from this period that had known the apostle John personally and face-to-face.

The Jews in Smyrna were violently opposed to Christ’s Church and were blaspheming and persecuting the Christians.

This event is not mere speculation because history has left us with an account of the death of Polycarp, the pastor of the church in Smyrna.

Here is the record of his death:

“It was during the time of the public games; the city was crowded; and the crowds were excited.

Suddenly the shout went up: Away with the atheist; let Polycarp be searched for.

They came to arrest him, but not even the police captain wished to see Polycarp die.

On the brief journey to the forum the officer pled with the old man: What harm is it to say, “Caesar is Lord” and to offer sacrifice to be saved?

But Polycarp was adamant that for him only Jesus Christ was Lord.

When he entered the arena [the] proconsul gave him the choice of cursing the name of Christ and making sacrifice to Caesar or death.

“Eighty and six years have I served Him,” said Polycarp, “and He has done me no wrong.

How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

So the crowds came flocking with burning coals from the workshops and from the baths, and the Jews, even though they were breaking the Sabbath law by carrying such burdens, were foremost in bringing wood for the fire.

The soldiers were going to bind Polycarp to the stake, but he said, “Leave me as I am, for He who gives me power to endure the fire, will grant me to remain in the flames unmoved even without the security you will give by the nails.”

So they left him loosely bound in the flames.

Pastor Polycarp faithfully died for Christ.

That was just one incident in the life of the church at Smyrna as they endured the second great wave of persecution.

There is a clear lesson for each of us whether we face such direct persecution, or lesser, but equally persistent trails:

*HOPE IN JESUS WHEN LIFE IS PAINFUL*

The message Christ gives is so simple in verse 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.

The entire message to this church is: fear not.

The most important lesson for each of us from this church is: fear not.

No matter what lies ahead in our daily lives, health lives, career, finances, or anything else, the message is simply fear not.

God does not give us a spirit of fear, the world, our flesh, and the Devil do, but God does not.

Fear not, instead in v. 10 Christ says: be faithful, trust Me! Why?

Because look back at:

*V. 8 JESUS WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR SINS*

Look again at v. 8 and the very name of this church is written as: “Smyrna”.

This word is not only the name of this assembly, Smyrna is also the Greek word translated “myrrh”.

It is a substance taken from a thorny tree and was the chief product of this city, the seaport of Myrrh.

Myrrh is always associated with suffering and death, because it is produced by injuring the bark of the tree, each cut made by knife or machete is healed with the resin from which is refined myrrh.

Think of the symbolic message of this spice and the life of Christ:

• At Christ’s Birth while coming in the form of a servant He endured being born into poverty for us, according to Matthew 2:11, wise men came from the East and brought Christ gold, frankincense and myrrh.

• At Christ’s Crucifixion as He suffered the weight of sin, and separation from God for us, according to Mark 15:23, He was offered wine mixed with myrrh.

It served as an anesthetic.

His crucifiers were trying to dull His senses so the pain wouldn’t be so bad.

• At Christ’s Burial He was placed in a tomb wrapped in myrrh after suffering the wrath of God for our salvation, according to John 19:39: a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight, was used to prepare the body of Jesus Christ for burial in a borrowed tomb.

• At Christ’s Return in Glory He shall be presented with gold, frankincense but, not myrrh according to Isaiah 60:6.

Jesus came only the first time as a suffering servant, His Second Coming is as King of the Universe!

Isaiah 60:6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land.

The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.

Then He will appear as the mighty Sovereign Lord, not the Suffer.

Myrrh is only associated with the suffering present at Christ’s birth, death and burial.