What do you fear? One website lists the top ten fears among humans: 1-Fear of spiders, 2-Fear of people, 3-Fear of flying, 4-Fear of open spaces, 5-Claustrophobia, 6-Fear of vomiting, 7-Fear of heights, 8-Fear of cancer, 9-Fear of thunder & lightning, 10-Fear of death.
The top five fears that kids have are: Losing parents, Going blind, Academic attainment, Wetting in class, and Parental arguments. Also on the list - getting caught lying or accused of stealing. Kids seem to be more mindful of their behavior than their circumstances.
No where in the kid’s top 20 fears is the fear of death or harm. They are much more fearful of losing relationships like friends, teammates, and parents. In fact, there are no common fears between kids and adults.
I think this is instructive - kids are more internally focused on behavior, adults are more focused on suffering harm from an external source. When it comes to looking at the letters to two of the 7 churches of Revelation - I think we can learn something from the kids. We are afraid of outside harm (when we really shouldn’t be in Jesus), but we are not afraid at all of what internal compromise can do to us and our relationships with others and with God. With the two churches we look at today: one church feared an outside threat and learn they don’t need to; another church didn’t fear an internal threat, and suffers because of it.
Smyrna
Smyrna is about 35 miles up the coast from Ephesus. It was a very wealthy city with a powerful Jewish population and powerful emperor worship. The Jews there considered Christianity to be a cult. This is the only one of the 7 cities of Revelation 2-3 to still exist. Today it is called Ismir - in modern day Turkey.
8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ’The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
9 "’I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that 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 throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto 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. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’
A temple was built Smyrna and during the reign of Domitian, emperor worship was required of all Roman citizens - under penalty of death. In addition, the Jews there actively opposed Christianity - so they got it from both sides.
As a result, Smyrna was a small church - by outward appearance it was ready to be snuffed out - but spiritually it was strong.
Verse 8
That’s why Jesus starts out the letter saying He has died and come back life. Literally these people faced the real prospect of death or their faith - something we in the 21st century American cannot even fathom. And even as they had died with Jesus on the cross and been raised from the dead with him - they can never really die.
Verse 9
"I know your tribulation and poverty." Apparently not only was this church attacked, it was also poor financially. It’s odd for them to be poor in such a rich city - but then again, riches can actually be a hindrance to entering the kingdom. In Matthew 19:23 Jesus said "only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of God." So in a place where wealth is important - more than the usual number might not become Christians - a family that shares together even their financial resources.
Not only attacked and poor - but poor-mouthed by supposed Jews. They would think they were Jews - but since they had rejected the Messiah and were actively persecuting His servants - they were no more than a synagogue of Satan as they gathered on Saturday - doing the Devil’s will, not God’s.
Verse 10
It’s hard to imagine being afraid that when you go to bed at night you never know who will come to kill you before morning. But it is also wonderful to know that with Jesus - we never have to fear.
Jesus was realistic with this group - they are about to suffer. The Devil himself was about to let lose on them - throw them in prison, and test their faith. It reminds me of when Jesus said to Peter:
Luke 22:31-32 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat , 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. ESV
They would experience this for "ten days" which could simply be an encouragement that it won’t be a long persecution - their job was to be faithful, even if it meant giving their lives.
Why could they remain faithful? Because God is in control.
Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ESV
Notice that there was no threat given to this church, no rebuke - only an encouragement to be faithful, no matter what. In the end they would receive "a crown of life." No death here can take away that crown.
What does this mean to the church as a whole?
There is a saying that’s pretty popular these days - what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. Though in reality no attack can "kill" the church - it is true that when we undergo trial and especially persecution, we become stronger.
We have seen this in our brother Gideon Mudenyo in Kenya, Africa. They are experiencing more and more persecution - even government laws that would work against Christianity. But the gospel is spreading at incredible speed. They have seen hundreds and hundreds come to Jesus. Where there is persecution there is growth in ways we do not understand. Paul said "when I am weak then I am strong."
I think we can also see in this that just because a church is small doesn’t mean it’s ministry can’t be big. Jesus talks about "conquering." We have seen this at work here at Calvary Chapel Newberg. We are a small church - but we have been able to reach out to the world, see people come to Jesus and grow in their faith in countries around the globe. Even our own little fellowship has launched missions helps trips, and reached out to the homeless community. How big is your God?
What does this mean to us?
Jesus said "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Paul said "What can separate us from the love of God?" "Life or death or any other created thing."
Psalms 118:6-7 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. ESV
You may feel poor in this world - but you are rich in heaven. To the rich young ruler Jesus also said:
Luke 18:22 Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven ; and come, follow me." ESV
In Jesus we have tremendous wealth - stored up for us in heaven - wealth that will never rot.
Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ESV
One misunderstanding people have is: if God is with me then nothing bad will happen to me. That’s simply not true. The Smyrnan church was facing even more persecution - Jesus didn’t say He’d keep them from trouble - only that they needn’t fear it.
He said the same thing to His disciples: "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." (John 16:33).
Threats can come from the outside - and they often galvanize the church. But when temptations come they should be considered a graver threat - but often aren’t - and the results are compromise, rebuke, and potential loss.
Pergamum
12 To the Church in Pergamum "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ’The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
13 "’I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’ ESV
The Pergamum church held fast to the name of Jesus, but allowed so much filth into the body of Christ that Jesus Himself threatened to wage war with His Word against them.
Verse 12 - 13
Pergamum was a city of idolatry. Four Greek cults existed there (to Zeus, Athene, Dionysius, and Asclepius). It’s no wonder that here it is called the city where Satan dwells. It was a center of the Emperor worship as well. The city had been granted "the right of the sword" which meant they could perform executions. So God tells them that He holds the ultimate judgment (two edged sword).
We don’t know anything about Antipas. But they would have.
Verse 14
Jesus didn’t have any rebuke for Smyrna - but for Pergamum He has more than one rebuke. The first is that they tolerate teaching like that of Balaam. The story is found in Numbers 22-25. In short, Balaam was a sorcerer hired by Balak, a Moabite king, to put a curse on Israel as they came through their territory. If you remember the story - every time Balaam tried to curse only a blessing would come out. He’s also the guy who talked to a donkey.
But in the end, Balaam figured out how to defeat Israel - that was not with the external curse or threat of the sword - but through moral compromise. We learn about it in:
Numbers 31:16 Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD. ESV
Balaam had Moabite prostitutes go in among the people and seduce the men into sexual immorality. It was so bad that God told Moses to hang the chiefs of the people in the sun - and 24,000 people died of a plague. They also worshiped Baal Peor and committed idolatry.
So essentially even though Satan could not harm them from an external threat - he accomplished his goal through internal compromise. They must have entered into the idolatry in their city - and sexual immorality was actually a part of these pagan celebrations. So it was also letting the debauched culture infiltrate the church.
Verse 15
Another problem they had was the teaching of the Nicolaitans. This was the same problem facing the Ephesian church. Essentially the Nicolaitans thought they could be Christians and still have fun in the world and "get along by going along" with the immoral practices in their society. The Ephesians recognized this hypocrisy, the church in Pergamum apparently didn’t catch on.
Verse 16
Being in the church is not an excuse for sin. Being forgiven doesn’t give us the right to do just whatever we want. If they didn’t have a change of heart and mind - they would find Jesus Himself fighting against them. As we’ll learn later - you don’t want to be on the sharp side of Jesus’ sword. It doesn’t mean they are being sent to hell - if they are true believers - but judgment would happen, and it wouldn’t be pretty.
Verse 17
But if they listen - Jesus promises they will conquer over their sin. And they will eat of manna, get a white stone and a new name.
I think this fits with what was going on. God created us with appetites - in themselves they are okay - we want security, joy, intimacy, peace - and the like. It’s not the need that’s sinful, it’s how we fill the need that is. One person said that sin is when we put the need in place God - the thing we want becomes THE thing - in place of God as the center of our lives - and that is idolatry.
So Jesus promises to provide what we need - all the joy, peace, satisfaction, intimacy, and security - but in Him. In Jesus we no longer are a slave to our desires, but a slave to Him. No longer do we have to be directed by our old sinful nature - our old name, so to speak, but we get a new name - a new start. We don’t exactly know what the stone means - in ancient times they were used like food stamps - so maybe the inference here is that we are poor and need God’s mercy.
Conclusions
Suffering
There are basically three kinds of suffering: The kind that is a result of living in a fallen world, the kind that is a result of our own choices, and the suffering that comes from belonging to Jesus.
The first kind you can’t do much about - you get sick, people die, natural disasters happen.
The second kind will happen - but the more you grow in Jesus, and recognize the importance of internal transformation - hopefully this will happen less and less.
The third kind is going to happen as well - and though we don’t experience it much in America - it is very real in other parts of the world and real in your world to one degree or another.
As you consider your life, and the bad things that happen - it’s helpful to put them into one of these three categories. If it’s a part of the fallen world - then just know that God is in control, will take care of you, and one day will set the world right again - it doesn’t mean God is punishing you.
If it’s your own choices - take responsibility, repent, have a change of mind, seek to be cleansed and changed - and move on. And be on the watch for the pull towards compromise.
If you suffer for your faith in Jesus you are in a very special group that the Lord cares for very greatly. Don’t panic, don’t fear - God holds you in His hand and nothing can harm you unless He allows it - and He will deliver you safely into His hands when the time is right.
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