Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Today, we're going to talk about the church in Smyrna.
And the church in Smyrna is unique among the Seven Churches in a couple of ways.
Reminder about Q&A
Ways Smyrna is Unique
1.
Only Smyrna and Philadelphia receive no condemnation from Jesus.
2. Smyrna is the only one of the Seven cities in which there is a church to this day.
Modern day Ismir.
Jesus doesn't have a whole lot to say to the church in Smyrna.
You'll notice that it's only four verses.
But for the next few weeks, we're going to be in these letters, in a miniseries that I'm going to call Jesus Says: and today, to the church in Smyrna and to his church today is "Endure!"
Let's read the letter to Smyrna and look at some of their background to understand more deeply the message of Jesus for his church today:
Smyrna was completely destroyed in 625 B.C.
They became known as "the city that died and came to life."
In fact, the name "Smyrna" is the same word as myrrh in Greek.
Remember, myrrh was given to Jesus at his birth and is used in his burial.
This was common.
So Jesus is using the language they used about their own city to talk about himself.
Smyrna was the center of the imperial cult in the Roman empire.
In A.D. 26, the Smyrnans petitioned the emperor Tiberius to worship him and build a temple to his name.
So they became rather prominent in emperor worship.
This means suffering for those who reject it.
They have been suffering!
This is a theme throughout all of Revelation!
The Church will experience persecution!
This is a part of what it means to follow Christ.
I don't want to understate this.
People think that if they just give Jesus their life, it will get better, and that's just not true.
A lot of times, it gets harder.
But we have a saying that is true: "Nothing worth doing is easy."
How are they rich?
They are standing strong.
Their reward is so secure it's like they already have it.
The Jew have made their case in Smyrna that Christians are not Jews and have won the legal battle.
As a result, they are outcasts.
They can't practice a trade (trade guilds), they can't make money.
Why are they not Jews?
Who are the Jews?
Look at what Paul says in Romans:
Do you see how he's defining Jew?
A Jew is someone who follows Israel's messiah.
You cannot be a true Jew and reject the Messiah.
Jesus made this point with the pharisees:
There is no ordained protection or blessing for Israel beyond that through their ethnicity, they brought about the Messiah.
They are a mission field as much as (if not more so than) muslims, pagans, buddhists, and EVERYONE who rejects Christ.
Do not be afraid is rendered by Greek grammatical structure as "stop being afraid."
Suffering is part of the christian life.
Chinese Christians: Do not pray for the suffering to be taken away, pray for a stronger back to bear the load.
Ten days comes from Dan. 1:12-14
The question that always comes up is, "is this a LITERAL 10 days?"
Most commentators say no.
Many commentators suggest that John may not be referring to a necessarily short time, but that the emphasis is on its limitation.
(kill the body and do no more).
But in terms of eternity, it is incredibly short.
This life is but a breath.
A vapor.
And any suffering we endure in this life will seem short compared to the eternity of being in Jesus' presence.
When faced with the imperial cult, you have one option only: die.
When faced with the options of compromise and social acceptance or faithfulness to Jesus and ridicule, you choose ridicule.
Crown of Life: Athletic crown.
And the beautiful thing is that John's disciple in Smyrna, Polycarp took this message and ran with it.
He was faithful until he died.
They tried to get him to deny Christ, and he responds:
"Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?"
When they tell him they're going to burn him, and they go to bind his hands, he tells them they don't need to do it.
That he would remain in the flame.
And he does.
And the flames would not consume him.
So they had to stab him.
And he received the crown of life.
Reminder about Q&A
He who has an ear... but also he who does not have an ear, let him not hear.
Jesus told parables to reveal and conceal the kingdom.
Don't forget that.
How does the church conquer/overcome?
What is the second death?
If you're in Christ, you don't need to fear this because you aren't in danger of going there.
So Jesus message to the church today is ENDURE!
Hold on.
Sometimes it feels like all you can do.
Sometimes we feel awash in a culture of insanity and violence.
And Jesus says, "Stand fast!
I love you!
And I'm coming back for you.
Hold on!"
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