Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Introduction  

Disciples of Yeshua are rarely uncertain about Messiah’s commands to be faithful – and at the same time, they are often haunted by their own memories’ of giving in, giving up, quitting, running, abandoning the fight, sending someone else.

If you know what it is to regret looking for an out when you should have stayed in…if you want encouragement to keep in the fight, push the ball a little further…then this passage is for you.

You need not be ashamed that you need to hear this passage today, because here in Yeshua tells an entire messianic synagogue that to get a crown, you must stay in the fight despite the adversity that is happening or about to happen.

If you are as human as they are, and need a little nudge towards faithfulness sometimes, read with me what we all need to know.

Scripture Reading  

“To the angel of Messiah’s community in Smyrna write: “Thus says the First and Last, who was dead and came to life.

I know your tribulation and your poverty (yet you are rich), as well as the slander of those who say they are Jewish and are not, but are a synagogue of satan.

Do not fear what you are about to suffer.

Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.

Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach is saying to Messiah’s communities.

The one who overcomes shall never be harmed by the second death.””

(, TLV)  

Prayer for Illumination  

Heavenly Father, we have nothing to hide from you, there is no faking it with you.

You know our public and private record.

Yet, you do not abandon us, and you stay right by our side.

We come before you today, all of us, with memories of regret, times we gave up too soon, heal our hearts and minds, wash us clean but today teach us your ways, give us a better source of power, a better love, a better faith, a better hope to stay in the fight, to get the crown you promise.

Open our eyes to behold beautiful things from your Word today.

Introduction

Somewhere this morning, a husband and wife, are sitting down to breakfast with their children, smiling on cue at every funny joke, saying a prayer for their meal, but each of them is wondering, “What does God require when you no longer love the one you married?”

There is a widow, whispering her amens to every promise of divine providence that she hears on Christian Television, she is frightened to death because the un-killable beast of a wall-street drop has devoured her savings.

A father, the congregational model of hard work and integrity, is coming unglued because he cannot stomach, much less understand, why someone in his office is spreading lies about him.

A young mother just had her first child, she is in her car driving around in endless circles, she does not know what time it is right now, she has lost track, she is absolutely paralyzed, she does not understand why God let cancer form in her pancreas.

A faithful wife of one of the leaders at an Orthodox Synagogue is terrified because today they are going to lose all their friends and most of their family, including two of their three children, her husband will tell the Rabbi and other elders that He believes Yeshua is their Messiah.

Ordinary people, all of them, and there are a lot more where they come from.

What they all have in common is a sense that everything is all wrong where it matters to them most.

What they desperately need is a miracle of faith to know that life at the center is all right, but instead of a miracle of faith most of them will hear a gentle request, “Be faithful through this testing.”

For purposes unknown to me, but known to God alone, God places his people in situations where there will be no miracle deliverance, adversity is inevitable, and yet we are called upon in these moments to make Yeshua matter the most.

We are promised that there is a crown at the end of the trial only if we crown Him Lord of our lives.

I think that most of us would like God to tell us that a miracle deliverance is coming rather than “you must bear your cross through this trial” and on a future day, “there will be a crown” waiting for you but during the meantime, “make Yeshua matter the most.”

Questions come into all of our minds, “God don’t you love me?

God, I can’t do this?

Why me?

Yes, he matters but don’t I matter?”

Trials and adversity test all of our faithfulness.

There are only two outcomes possible to any trial: be overcome by them or overcome them.

But we can overcome our most significant adversity by learning from Yeshua charge to the disciples at Smyrna that to be faithful to make Him matter most through all kinds of trials in

[Scripture Bond].

Instead of seeking miracle deliverance from trials, Yeshua motivates his disciples to make Him the first, and the last, the one who died but yet is alive.

Here is what Yeshua promises all of us, there is a crown, for those who crown Him LORD (the one who matters most).

If the messianic Synagogue at Smyrna had a slogan, it would be this: We know how to suffer.

There are only two congregations of the seven in Revelation that does not receive a rebuke from Yeshua and Smyrna is one of the two.

We need to understand what it is that keeps Messiah’s people faithful during trials is making Yeshua matter the most, making Him Lord of all of our lives.

To be faithful through financial adversity, Yeshua must matter most to you (v.8-9a).

The believers in Smyrna were targeted for economic oppression (9a).

Tribulation and poverty are a hendiadys.

Smyrna was the “Beverly Hills” of Asia Minor due to its wealth and beauty.

It was a city that had excelled in medicine and science.

Some of the best silversmiths and goldsmiths in the world called Smyrna home.

But to be in these guilds, you had to be a member at a Jewish synagogue or worship a roman deity or at least offer incense to Caesar.

What could be more comforting to the believers in Smyrna than Yeshua, saying he knows their economic oppression.

Financial hardship has a way of eating away at your faithfulness that could make even a locust envious.

Poverty, lack, a loss is painful and strenuous, it can take the wind right out of your sails.

Make every bill feel like a gut punch.

Yeshua does not trivialize their suffering or cheapen it.

Yeshua ennobles their pain and comforts them in it.

Exalts by comparing: Both opposed by power structures.

Comforts by presence: He is with them as Lord of Menorah.

Yeshua transforms their economic oppression into the riches of heaven.

Yeshua was greater than loss, lost opportunities, and lack of opportunities.

Captured by His Glory and Beauty

He is the First

He is the Last

Cheered on by His Victory

His Death

HIs Resurrection

 Illustrate: Germanicus was looking to be triumphant in Smyrna.

Smyrna was just one of those prosperous towns.

In the year 155 AD or so, only 50 years after this letter was written, there was a young man named Germanicus in Smyrna.

He was named after Germanicus Julius Caesar, the name Germanicus was an honorary war title “meaning conqueror of the Germanic people.”

Germanicus family had high hopes for the son but late in his teen years, probably 18 or 19, he fell in league with a group that called themselves “Christians.”

They were a weak group, barred from most of the guilds, many of them were among the poor classes.

But their teacher Polycarp said he was a disciple of John, an eyewitness of Yeshua.

And Polycarp cared for people, he gave more away than he would ever keep.

He was an honest and generous old man, and that persuaded Germanicus to give his heart and life to Yeshua as Lord and God.

That caused no small stir in Smyrna.

A young wealthy ruler believed in some Jewish person as Kurios es Deus, “Lord and God.” Poison, the Romans thought.

They tried to persuade him to offer incense Marcus Aurelius and pay him homage, but he refused.

I can only imagine what his friends and family said to him.

The proconsul called on him and pleaded with him in light of his young age to abandon this foolish religion.

He had his whole life in front of him, ‘Don’t throw it away on some Jewish fable about a resurrected Messiah.”

We are told from historical sources that were present that Germanicus would not be conquered by fear, not be defeated by the fear of losing wealth or loss of opportunities.

He stood his ground, and we are told that he did not hesitate when the wild beasts were released upon him in the stadium.

We are told that he was looking for a better treasure than the treasures Rome could offer, that future life could offer, he had his eyes on the prize.

I imagine from that stadium Germanicus could see all the glimmering building that Smyrna was famous for, he saw all his wealthy friends in the stadium with the best clothes and attire; yet, in all this, he saw an even greater treasure, a treasure so high it made all of this look like rubbish.

A faithfulness that remains strong and steady day-in-and-day-out through financial adversity arises seeing Yeshua as mattering more than money.

We are rich because we have what will save us unto eternity.

Babylon the great is a splendidly wealthy city that falls apart at the appearing of one in outdated clothes, on a horse, not a car, with a sword and not a gun.

When the world boasts of its wealth, we know there is a much better treasure.

We don’t measure our wealth in dollars, cents, phones, cars, and houses but in Messiah’s death and resurrection.

Yeshua also tells the messianic Synagogue in Smyrna that he knows all about the social hostility they were going through.

To be faithful during social hostility, Yeshua must matter more than your most essential relationships.

To be faithful during social hostility, Yeshua must matter most to you (9b-c).

They were the target of public scrutiny (9b)

Slander slays a relationship by twisting the truth.

Slander was working against the Smyrna Disciples (v.

9b).

Slandered as Idolaters