The Crowned Church—Smyrna
Text—Revelation 2:8-11
Introduction.
Clarence Jordan, the author of “Cotton Patch”, is a minister in Americus, Georgia. Jordan was getting a red-carpet tour of another minister’s church. Now Clarence was the minister of a poor, struggling, inter-racial congregation in the poor part of town and the congregation’s building he was touring was that of a rich congregation in the wealthy part of town.
The minister pointed out the imported pews and luxurious decorations to Clarence, and he did so with pride in their accomplishments. As they stepped outside in the darkness, a spotlight was shining on a huge cross atop the steeple of the building. The minister smiled and told Clarence, “That cross alone cost us ten thousand dollars.”
Clarence Jordan replied, “You got cheated on the cross, because there were times when Christians could get them for free.”
What did Jordan mean by that remark? What did he mean when he said once upon a time, “Christians could get crosses for free…”?
Well it’s quite simple actually. He meant that thousands of Christians had died for their faith. They died on crosses—they died in arenas—and they died in lonely prison cells.
Christians throughout the ages
have suffered terribly for their faith.
In recent times, some missionaries in the Honduras were attacked by a group of wicked men who robbed them of their computers and other equipment, and they robbed them of their personal possessions. The missionaries had to return to the States and underwent intensive counseling.
One person who heard about this tragedy asked, “Where was God?” The incident was harsh; but, how harsh compared to Christians in the first century? How would we measure up to them in times of intense persecution? I know it’s hard to believe, but there are many places in the world where Christians suffer greatly for their faith….they even face the possibility of death for their faith. “Where is God when this happens?”
The same question could have been asked in the first century in a city in Asia Minor called Smyrna. Smyrna was not a friendly place to be a Christian during the first century. The Church in Smyrna received one of the seven messages from Jesus Christ’s revelation to His apostle, John, in the Book of Revelation.
Let us read…
Revelation 2:8-11
---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.”
Jesus said this only in the beginning—“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer—I know your affliction and your poverty…I know these Jews, which are not Jews and that slander you; you will be persecuted for 10 days, so be faithful, even unto death, and I will give you a “CROWN of LIFE”.”
Like I said, Smyrna was not a friendly place to be a Christian. Could we be like them if we were called upon to be?
“Smyrna”
He said, “Poor, but Rich”. Wow! How do you figure that?
History says that Smyrna was a very wealthy city. It was situated as a perfect harbor and entryway into that part of Asia Minor. Even today, it is a thriving seaport of 200,000 people. During Roman times it was a magnificent city of beautiful public buildings and temples, mostly honoring the Roman gods and emperors.
Cicero, the famous Roman lawyer and historian, called Smyrna, “…one of Rome’s most faithful ancient allies.” One of the most incredible sights there was a street called “Golden Street”, so called because 5 great temples were built along this road. These were temples in honor of Roman gods.
There was even an altar honoring Caesar where, once each year, every citizen—and I emphasize every citizen—was expected to burn incense and declare, “Caesar is Lord.” After the incense was burned, the person offering was issued a certificate; and, anyone refusing to acknowledge Caesar as Lord would certainly be ostracized by these people. This would mean unemployment and poverty.
To acknowledge Caesar as Lord would be heresy for Christians. However, initially, members of the Church were exempted from this requirement. Then came the persecuting Jews and what they did to the Christians in Smyrna. The following is what one notable historian had to say about Smyrna at this time in history.
“Normally, the Roman empire required all of the subjugated peoples within the empire to venerate the Roman gods, including to offer sacrifices to the image of the Emperor. Each conquered people group would be allowed to continue the worship of their traditional deities, as long as they also paid homage to the gods of Rome, thus demonstrating their loyalty as good citizens who sought the political well-being of the empire. But for the monotheistic Jews, Rome made an exception. As long as they prayed for Caesar, they would not have to violate the first commandment by committing idolatry.
In the early years, when Christianity was viewed as simply another sect of Judaism, Christians were also given this exception. But as time progressed and the Jews became more intent on persecuting Christians, the Jews began to argue that Christians were not really Jews at all. In fact, they accused Christians of being seditious. For these Christians believed that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord (Acts 17:7). They were a dangerous element in society that needed to be eliminated for the good of the community.”
Apparently, the Jews in Smyrna were persecuting the Christians. We read about them doing this all over the Roman empire, and we wonder, well, what were they really doing to the Christians?
This is what they were doing. The Jews were convincing the leaders in town that Christianity was a dangerous religion—not connected to Judaism—and that they were a threat to the good of the community and of Rome itself. Thus the Christians would lose their exemption of having to honor the Roman gods that the Jews had. The Christians would suffer financially and faced the possibility of imprisonment and even death.
Thus the phrase, “I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan…” (Revelation 2:9).
When you came into Smyrna, everywhere you looked, you could see wealth. You could also see a group of Christians who were not being permitted to share in that wealth. The city of Smyrna was not an “equal opportunity employer”. The Greek word used in verse 9 means “abject poverty”.
You have “poor” and “pôôôr”. This poverty is like Roy Clark described on Hee Haw. He said that when growing up on the Mississippi River, his family was so poor that when steamboat rides were a dime, all him and his brother could do was run up and down the riverbank beside the boat and yell, “Ain’t that cheap!”
If you think about it, I’m sure these Christians in Smyrna were asking themselves some questions, just as we would in the same situation.
1. Where is God?
2. Why am I suffering like this?
3. What am I doing wrong?
One preacher explained this by using the example of when his small daughter had chicken pox. I can remember when I had chicken pox….if you look close enough at me, you’ll see a little spot between my eyes that serves as a reminder of this really nasty disease.
The preacher said his daughter kept asking him to make it stop hurting and itching. Being a small child, she couldn’t really appreciate that other children also suffered with chicken pox, because she really only understood that she had them.
Maybe this was the way the Christians felt when they suffered intense persecution….“It hurts so bad...why does this happen?”
The Bible Says Christians Will Suffer.
1st Peter 4:12
---12---“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you…”
1st Peter 5:8-9
---8---“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
---9---But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
John 16:33
---33---“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
John 15:20
---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; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
· We will suffer in this world.
· Christians will be persecuted.
· Christians will face hardships and loss.
· Christians will die.
· We WILL suffer in this world….Some Way!
Why Do We Suffer?
We suffer because we live in an ugly, sinful world….a world so often filled with hate and selfishness that it’s hard to understand and difficult to explain.
That’s the only explanation for Columbine High School, for the World Trade Center, or for the Pentagon, or explosions on Spanish trains.
A selfish, sin-filled world is the only explanation for why Christians, who only mean to help others, suffer persecution and deprivation and death.
When we suffer, I believe we want to hear the same thing the Christians in Smyrna needed to hear—and that is words of comfort and that everything will be all right! Maybe that’s why Jesus told them that these bad things would not last forever.
Revelation 2:10
---2---“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.”
· I believe the Christians in Smyrna needed to know God hadn’t forsaken them…
· That God hadn’t forgotten them…
· That their cries for help were being heard.
And so Jesus told them what they needed to hear: “I haven’t left you…” and “I know what you’re enduring…” (verse 9).
The Real Wealth of Christians.
I want us to notice what Jesus said to this suffering Church in verses 8 and 9.
---8---“…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).”
Now that statement might make some back up and say, “How do you figure that? How can suffering, poor Christians be rich?” Well, that’s a question we struggle with, even today…”God, if I’m good, why ain’t I rich?”
We ARE wealthy, because we have something that outlasts anything on earth…It’s called Salvation!
Our wealth—the wealth of the Christians of Smyrna—does not come from material things. It came to them…and still comes to us…from spiritual peace and confidence. We may never get rich as the world counts richness—yet we have treasures laid up in heaven! No amount of money could ever buy what God has freely given us.
There’s an old saying—“Keep the main thing the main thing!”
We need to remember the main thing is our relationship with God. Nothing else should matter as much. I think the Christians of Smyrna understood this; and, I think this explains their steadfastness despite living in horrible times.
God Rewards Faithfulness.
How do you reward faithful service?
After the Crimean War, a great celebration was held in London to honor the heroes wounded in battle. Queen Victoria was present to give out the medals. Some soldiers came with empty sleeves in their shirts, some came on crutches, and some came with bandages on their foreheads. To each, the Queen gave the same sweet smile and the same high award.
Then she came to a terribly maimed soldier who had lost his arms and legs. He had sacrificed even more than the rest. The Queen, with tears streaming down her cheeks, stepped forward and pinned a medal on his uniform. Then, stooping down, she kissed his brow and said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Now, that is the picture we need to have in our minds when we read verse 10.
These Christians were not only destitute because they were faithful to God, they were badly persecuted. They had not gone to prison or suffered death at the time of writing, but they would.
God would reward their faithfulness. He said if they would remain faithful unto death that He would give them a “crown of life”.
A crown had a couple of significant meanings to the people of Smyrna. Smyrna’s main temples stood above the rest of the city, so they called Smyrna the “Crowned City”.
The second meaning of a “crown of life” was that of the wreath given to the winners of the athletic games….and it was a highly prized reward. It was a simple laurel wreath that would wither and die; but, it was a crowning moment for the men who earned this revered prize.
God promises a crown of life to those who overcome. Just as those athletes overcame their competitors to win, so the Christians could overcome Satan to win. The crown of the athlete would wither and die—the Christian’s crown would be for eternity.
What would it be like to die for, or because of, your faith? That’s an awesome thought, isn’t it?
Herman Lange, a German Christian, was executed by the Nazis during World War II. In his cell on the night before he was to be killed, Lange wrote a note to his parents. He said two feelings occupied his mind: “I am, first, in a joyous mood, and second, filled with great anticipation.”
Then he made this beautiful affirmation: In Christ I have put my faith, and precisely today I have faith in Him more firmly than ever.”
Finally, he urged his parents to read the New Testament for comfort: “Look where you will, everywhere you will find jubilation over the grace that makes us children of God. What can befall a child of God? Of what should I be afraid? On the contrary, rejoice!”
Well, what about Smyrna? I believe that same knowledge allowed the Christians at Smyrna to remain faithful in a very difficult situation.
The early Christian writers wrote about Smyrna’s most famous preacher. His name was Polycarp and he was a close friend of the Apostle John. The writers recorded this conversation between Polycarp and the Roman Proconsul who demanded that he recant his faith.
The Proconsul said to Polycarp, “I have respect for your age.” (Polycarp was 86 years old) “Simply say “Away with the atheists!”
He meant the Christians—instead, Polycarp pointed to a group of pagans that had gathered and said, “Away with the atheists!”
When asked why he was so obstinate in the face of death, Polycarp replied: “Eighty years I’ve served Him, and He never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my “KING” who saved me?”
Polycarp was led away and burned to death for his faith.
Boy, that sounds a lot like what the Apostle Paul wrote to the young evangelist, Timothy, in his second letter from prison when he knew he would shortly die for his faith in Christ. He said:
2nd Timothy 4:6-8
---6---“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
---7---I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;
---8---in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
What would we do? Would we feel like Herman Lange? Would we be like Polycarp and the Apostle Paul? I don’t think anyone can truly answer that question until their back is up against the wall. We hope and pray that our faith is up to that final question.
Can you identify with the Christians in Smyrna? Do you feel poor as you look at all the wealth around you?
You are rich and so am I! God has blessed us with things money can’t buy. Have you suffered because you proclaim your faith? We need to keep proclaiming and God will give us a “Crown of Life”.
This message of hope and assurance is written to the Christians in Smyrna because they were in Christ.
Are you in Christ?
Invitation.
The questions were:
Where is God at times like these?
The same place God has always been—with His people!
Why am I suffering like this?
That’s the way it is in a fallen world….we just suffer!
What am I doing wrong?
Nothing—you’re suffering for doing right! So, keep on!
ARE you one of His in spite of the circumstances?
I think that should be the first question….Are you one of His?
