THE CHURCH CHRIST CROWNS 1
REVELATION 2:8-11
MAY 12, 2019
TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SECOND OF A SERIES OF SEVEN LETTERS THAT GOD DICTATES TO JOHN IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. WE RECENTLY COMPLETED A STUDY FROM REVELATION CONCERNING THE EVENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH, THESE LETTERS DEAL WITH ISSUES THE CHURCH CAN AND DOES FACE BEFORE THE RAPTURE.
EPHESUS WAS A CHURCH THAT ALTHOUGH VERY ACTIVE, WERE JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS AND RITUALS OF BEING A CHURCH. THERE WAS NO LOVE FOR THE LORD AND CONSEQUENTLY NO MEANING IN WHAT THEY DID.
SMYRNA IS ONLY ABOUT 40 MILES FROM EPHESUS AND IF WE WERE TRAVELING FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH IT WOULD BE SECOND ON OUR LIST.
SMYRNA WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY IN ALL OF ASIA. IT WAS REFERRED TO AS THE “FLOWER OF ASIA”, “THE CROWN OF ASIA”, OR THE “JEWEL OF ASIA”. IT STOOD ON THE TRADE ROUTES TO THE FAR EAST. ONE ANCIENT WRITER SAID THAT THE HARBOUR WAS SMYRNA’S FEET, THE VALLEY HER BODY AND THE HILLS HER HEAD, CROWNED WITH TEMPLES BUILT TO VARIOUS GODS.
SMYRNA WAS A WEALTHY CITY AND FULL OF CULTURE AND WAS NOTED FOR AN HERB FROM WHICH “MYRRH” CAME. THE WORD “SMYRNA” MEANS MYRRH AND YOU CAN HEAR IT IN THE WORD. MYRRH WAS A SWEET PERFUME USED IN EMBALMING THE DEAD, SO IT BECAME A WORD RELATED TO SUFFERING AND DEATH, AND WOULD BE VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA.
SMYRNA WAS FIERCELY LOYAL TO THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT, AND HAD A LARGE JEWISH POPULATION, ALL OF WHICH WOULD WORK AGAINST THE BELIEVERS IN THE CITY.
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE CHRIST WAS BORN PEOPLE WERE IN AWE OF ROME, AND A CULT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED CALLED “THE SPIRIT OF ROME. OVER TIME THE SPIRIT OF ROME BECAME IDENTIFIED WITH THE EMPEROR AND, IN AD25 CITIES COMPETED FOR THE HONOUR OF BUILDING A TEMPLE TO HONOUR EMPEROR TIBERIUS WHICH SMYRNA ALSO WON.
ALL OVER THE ROMAN EMPIRE THE DECREE WENT OUT THAT EVERYONE MUST UTTER THE WORDS “CAESAR IS LORD” OF THEY COULD FACE DEATH. THE PEOPLE OF SMYRNA WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE TEMPLE DEDICATED TO THE CAESAR, AND REPEAT THIS STATEMENT. IF THEY DID, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A NOTE OR A CHIP, A PENDANT OF SOME KIND, THAT WOULD TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD WORSHIPPED THE CAESAR, AND THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO BUY AND SELL MERCHANDISE.
NOW DOESN’T THIS REMIND YOU OF SOMETHING?
REVELATION 13:15-17:
15 THE SECOND BEAST WAS GIVEN POWER TO GIVE BREATH TO THE IMAGE OF THE FIRST BEAST, SO THAT THE IMAGE COULD SPEAK AND CAUSE ALL WHO REFUSED TO WORSHIP THE IMAGE TO BE KILLED. 16 IT ALSO FORCED ALL PEOPLE, GREAT AND SMALL, RICH AND POOR, FREE AND SLAVE, TO RECEIVE A MARK ON THEIR RIGHT HANDS OR ON THEIR FOREHEADS, 17 SO THAT THEY COULD NOT BUY OR SELL UNLESS THEY HAD THE MARK, WHICH IS THE NAME OF THE BEAST OR THE NUMBER OF ITS NAME.
THE PERSECUTION THAT THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA WOULD FACE IS THE SAME AS THE PERSECUTION THAT THE CHURCH WILL FACE DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION. THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA NEVER KNEW WHEN THEY WOULD COME UNDER THE PAINS OF THIS PERSECUTION.
IT WAS TO THIS STRUGGLING SMALL CHURCH THAT THE LORD WOULD SEND HIS SECOND LETTER THROUGH HIS SERVANT JOHN. IT WILL BE ONE OF ONLY TWO CHURCHS THAT IS SEEN AS FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD. THE WORDS SPOKEN TO SMYRNA ARE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, TO PRESS ON IN THE STRUGGLE. LET’S LOOK AT THE PASSAGE AND IN IT WE WILL DISCOVER AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN ASKED FOR CENTURIES, WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?
REVELATION 2:8: TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA WRITE: THESE ARE THE WORDS OF HIM WHO IS THE FIRST AND THE LAST, WHO DIED AND CAME TO LIFE AGAIN.
THE LORD HERE IS REFERRING TO HIMSELF IN WAYS THAT THE PEOPLE OF SMYRNA COULD UNDERSTAND. IN REVELATION 1:8:
REVELATION 1:8: “I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA,” SAYS THE LORD GOD, “WHO IS, AND WHO WAS, AND WHO IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.”
HE REFERS IN VERSE 8 TO HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. THE PEOPLE OF SMYRNA CAN RELATE TO AS IN 700 B.C. THEIR CITY WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AND FOR MORE THAN 400 WAS LEFT DESOLATE. BECAUSE OF IT’S LOCATION IT WAS REBUILT AS A PLANNED CITY. IT IN FACT WAS A CITY WHO DIED AND THEN CAME BACK TO LIFE.
REVELATION 2:9: I KNOW YOUR AFFLICTIONS AND YOUR POVERTY—YET YOU ARE RICH! I KNOW ABOUT THE SLANDER OF THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE JEWS AND ARE NOT, BUT ARE A SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN.
WHAT PERSECUTION DID THE CHRISTIANS IN SMYRNA LIVE UNDER.
1. THEY WOULD NOT WORSHIP THE EMPEROR. THIS WOULD CAUSE SOME TO DIE AND BE THROWN INTO PRISON FOR THEIR FAITH. THEY WOULD BE PENNILESS AND DESTITUTE. BECAUSE THEY WOULDN’T BOW IN WORSHIP TO THE EMPEROR. THEY WOULD HAVE NOTHING, NO HOME, NO FOOD, NO JOB, NO WAY TO MAKE AN INCOME. THE ONLY WAY WOULD BE TO DENY THEIR FAITH, WHICH THEY WOULD NOT DO.
THE SCRIPTURES TELL US TO BE TRUE TO OUR FAITH. WHILE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MATERIAL POSSESSIONS. THEY CANNOT BE THE ULTIMATE THAT WE STRIVE FOR.
MATTHEW 6:19-20:
DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL. 20 BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTHS AND VERMIN DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND STEAL. 21 FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO
IT’S BAD ENOUGH TO FACE PERSECUTION FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES LIKE THE ROMANS, BUT THEY ALSO FACED IT FROM FELLOW JEWS. THEY FACED SEVERAL SLANDEROUS LIES FROM THOSE WHO WERE JEWS IN NAME ONLY AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FAITH.
YOU MUST PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THIS, FOR THESE ARE ACCUSATIONS THAT ARE BEING SAID AGAINST THE CHURCH TODAY, EVEN FROM PEOPLE WHO CLAIM CHRISTIANITY, BUT THESE TOO ARE PART OF THE “SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN”.
1) ON THE BASIS OF THE WORDS SPOKEN DURING THE COMMUNION SERVICE, THIS IS MY BODY AND THIS IS MY BLOOD, SOME SAID THAT CHRISTIANS PRACTICED CANNIBALISM.
2) BECAUSE THE EARLY CHRISTIANS REFERRED TO THEIR COMMON MEAL AS THE AGAPE OR THE “LOVE FEAST” THE RUMOUR CIRCULATED THAT IT WAS AN ORGY AND CHRISTIANS PRACTICED SEXUAL IMMORALITY.
3) BECAUSE IT WAS TRUE THAT CHRISTIANITY COULD SEPARATE FAMILIES WHEN ONE MEMBER BECAME A BELIEVER AND OTHERS DIDN’T CHRISTIANITY WERE ACCUSED OF TAMPERING WITH FAMILY RELATIONS.
4) THE ROMANS ACCUSED THE CHRISTIANS OF BEING ATHEISTS BECAUSE THEY COULDN’T UNDERSTAND A WORSHIP WHICH HAD NO IMAGES OF IT’S GOD.
5) BECAUSE THE CHRISTIANS REFUSED TO CALL CAESAR LORD THEY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE UNPATRIOTIC OR EVEN TREASONOUS.
6) THE CHRISTIANS WERE ACCUSED OF BEING ARSONISTS BECAUSE OF THE TALK OF THE FIRES OF THE END TIMES.
THESE LIES HAVE BEEN PASSED ON THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND TEACH THIS TODAY. AS A CHURCH WE NEED TO STAND ON THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE. WHERE POSSIBLE, WE SHOULD SUPPORT OUR GOVERNMENT, BUT WHEN OUR GOVERNMENT TAKES STANDS THAT ARE BLATANTLY UNBIBLICAL, WE SHOULD NOT SUPPORT THEM IN THIS.
I FULLY BELIEVE THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, IF WE MAKE A STAND AGAINST THE SOCIAL VALUES THAT SOCIETY IS ACCEPTING TODAY, BUT WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY WRONG ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL REVOKE THE TAX-FREE STATUS OF THE CHURCH, KNOWING THAT SUCH A MOVE CAN CLOSE THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES. YET, NOT TO MAKE THAT STAND WOULD BE GOING AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT WE TRULY BELIEVE.
THE KEY MESSAGE IN THIS VERSE IS THAT GOD SAYS THAT HE KNOWS OUR AFFLICTIONS AND YOUR POVERTY. GOD WAS TELLING THEM THAT HE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. HE ALSO KNOWS THAT THEY DID NOTHING TO DESERVE WHAT THEY ARE SUFFERING.
HOW MANY OF US HAVE ASKED WHY SOMETHING BAD IS HAPPENING TO US, WHEN WE FEEL WE HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG TO DESERVE IT. WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER IS GOING WRONG IN OUR LIVES THAT GOD KNOWS ABOUT AND YET ALLOWS. DOESN’T HE CARE ABOUT US AS HIS CHILDREN?
PERHAPS YOU HAVE MADE A STAND FOR WHAT YOU KNOW TO BE RIGHT AND IT COST YOU. YOU GET FIRED FROM A JOB, BECAUSE YOU REFUSE TO LIE ON PAPERWORK. WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT DEAL WITH ONE TRAGEDY AFTERN ANOTHER, WHILE IT SEEMS THAT SOME GO THROUGH LIFE AS IF NOTHING IS WRONG.
THE REAL QUESTION THOUGH IS WHY DO YOU THINK GOD IS NOT WITH YOU WHEN WE GO THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES. WE MAKE A MISTAKE IF WE THINK THAT DIFFICULT TIMES OCCUR BECAUSE WE ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
SOMETIMES TRIALS COME INTO OUR LIVES BECAUSE OF POOR CHOICES THAT WE MAKE. SOMETIMES THOUGH THEY COME INTO OUR LIVES FOR OTHER REASONS:
1. TO SHOW THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD.
JOHN 9:2-3:
HIS DISCIPLES ASKED HIM, “RABBI, WHO SINNED, THIS MAN OR HIS PARENTS, THAT HE WAS BORN BLIND?” 3 “NEITHER THIS MAN NOR HIS PARENTS SINNED,” SAID JESUS, “BUT THIS HAPPENED SO THAT THE WORKS OF GOD MIGHT BE DISPLAYED IN HIM.
2. SOMETIMES BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE IN ORDER TO BE A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF OUR FAITH. ACTS 7:54-8:3 RECOUNTS THE MARTYRDOM OF STEPHEN. WE ARE OVERWEALMED BY THE DEMONSTRATION OF FAITH AND FORGIVENESS THAT HE DISPLAYED. IT BECOMES A MODEL FOR US.
3. SOMETIMES BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE BECAUSE THEIR FAITH IS STRONGER. I SOMETIMES HAVE WONDERED WHY GOD CALLED MY BROTHER HOME INSTEAD OF ME OR MY OTHER BROTHER. WELL MY OTHER BROTHER IS NOT SAVED, AND FOR HIM TO DIE WOULD HAVE MEANT GOING TO HELL. I STILL HAD A LOT OF GROWING UP TO DO, BUT DAVID WAS SOLID IN HIS FAITH. MY OTHER BROTHER STILL ISN’T SAVED, BUT I HAVE GROWN UP A LOT, THOUGH AT TIMES YOU MAY WANT TO QUESTION IT .
4. SOMETIMES BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ARE VICTIMS IN A SINFUL WORLD. GOD MADE US WITH PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS. I CAN’T JUMP FROM THE ROOF OF OUR CHURCH AND NOT GET HURT. IF A PERSON SHOOTS ME, I WON’T BE ABLE TO STOP THE BULLET EVEN THOUGH I AM A CHRISTIAN. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WITH LIMITS.
REVELATION 2:11:
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SUFFER. I TELL YOU, THE DEVIL WILL PUT SOME OF YOU IN PRISON TO TEST YOU, AND YOU WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION FOR TEN DAYS. BE FAITHFUL, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU LIFE AS YOUR VICTOR’S CROWN.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT GOD ALLOWS BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN TO BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS, IS BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY OF OUR ETERNAL HOME. PAUL TEACHES IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:6-9
2 CORINTHIANS 5:6-9:
THEREFORE, WE ARE ALWAYS CONFIDENT AND KNOW THAT AS LONG AS WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY WE ARE AWAY FROM THE LORD. 7 FOR WE LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. 8 WE ARE CONFIDENT, I SAY, AND WOULD PREFER TO BE AWAY FROM THE BODY AND AT HOME WITH THE LORD. 9 SO WE MAKE IT OUR GOAL TO PLEASE HIM, WHETHER WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY OR AWAY FROM IT.
AS CHRISTIANS OUR FUTURE HOME IS NOT IN THIS WORLD, BUT IN A WORLD NOT MADE BY HUMAN HANDS. THE SCRIPTURE TEACHES:
MATTHEW 10:28-31:
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THOSE WHO KILL THE BODY BUT CANNOT KILL THE SOUL. RATHER, BE AFRAID OF THE ONE WHO CAN DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY IN HELL. 29 ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A PENNY? YET NOT ONE OF THEM WILL FALL TO THE GROUND OUTSIDE YOUR FATHER’S CARE. 30 AND EVEN THE VERY HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED. 31 SO DON’T BE AFRAID; YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN MANY SPARROWS.
SOMETIMES BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO CHRISTIANS, BUT WE REMEMBER ALL THEY CAN DO IS KILL OUR BODIES, AND NOT EVEN THAT, FOR WE SHALL ARISE FROM THE GRAVE TRANSFORMED AND LIVE IN GOD’S GLORIOUS PRESENCE FOR EVER. BUT UNDERSTAND THIS CLEARLY, ONLY BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS HAVE THIS TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
REVELATION 2:10 IS TELLING US THAT THE PERSECUTION WILL NOT LAST FOREVER. JOHN WRITES IT WILL BE FOR TEN DAYS, WHICH IS FIGURATIVE, MEANING THAT THE PERSECUTION IS TEMPORARY. IT WILL NOT LAST FOREVER.
REVELATION 2:11: WHOEVER HAS EARS, LET THEM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES. THE ONE WHO IS VICTORIOUS WILL NOT BE HURT AT ALL BY THE SECOND DEATH
GOD CONCLUDES THIS PASSAGE WITH A PROMISE. IN VERSE 10 HE SAYS THAT IF WE ARE FAITHFUL EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH, HE WILL GIVE US THE VICTOR’S CROWN AND WE WILL NOT BE HURT BY THE SECOND DEATH.
THE VICTOR’S CROWN IS THE CROWN THAT IS GIVEN TO ALL THE RIGHTEOUS WHEN WE GO INTO THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE FROM OUR CONGREGATION WHO I KNOW WILL BE WEARING ONE. EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL IS WHAT WE WILL ALL EVENTUALLY DO WITH THEM.
REVELATION 4:10-11:
THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS FALL DOWN BEFORE HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE AND WORSHIP HIM WHO LIVES FOR EVER AND EVER. THEY LAY THEIR CROWNS BEFORE THE THRONE AND SAY: 11 “YOU ARE WORTHY, OUR LORD AND GOD, TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER, FOR YOU CREATED ALL THINGS, AND BY YOUR WILL THEY WERE CREATED AND HAVE THEIR BEING.”
TO LAY OUR CROWNS AT THE FEET OF JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE SYMBOL OF SUBMISSION AND RECOGNITION OF HIS SOVEREIGNTY.
WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS AND NOT NEED TO FEAR THE SECOND DEATH.
REVELATION 21:8: BUT THE COWARDLY, THE UNBELIEVING, THE VILE, THE MURDERERS, THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL, THOSE WHO PRACTICE MAGIC ARTS, THE IDOLATERS AND ALL LIARS—THEY WILL BE CONSIGNED TO THE FIERY LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH.”
THE CHRISTIAN WHO IS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD HAS OVERCOME DEATH, AND NEED NOT FEAR BEING SEPARATED FROM CHRIST FOR ETERNITY.
POLYCARP WAS THE 86 YEAR OLD PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA. IT WAS DURING THE PERSECUTIONS AND THE CROWD WAS CALLING FOR THE EXECUTION OF THE PASTOR. THE STORY STATES THAT WHEN THE ROMAN TROOPS ARRIVED TO ARREST HIM, HE ASKED TO BE ALLOWED TO PRAY FOR AN HOUR. AT THE SAME TIME, HE ORDERED THAT THE BEST FOOD AND DRINKS AVAILABLE BE BROUGHT TO THE SOLDIERS.
DURING HIS TRIAL THE GOVERNOR TRIED TO GET POLYCARP TO PRAISE CAESAR AND TURN HIS BACK ON HIS FAITH. HE TOLD POLYCARP THAT HE HAD THE POWER TO HAVE HIM THROWN TO WILD ANIMALS AND WHEN POLYCARP SHOWED NO FEAR AT THIS, HE TOLD POLYCARP THAT HE WOULD BE BURNED AT THE STAKE IF HE DID NOT RECANT. POLYCARP’S REPLY WAS “EIGHTY AND SIX YEARS I HAVE SERVED THE LORD AND HE HAS NOT FAILED ME. I WILL NOT FAIL HIM NOW.”
AS THE FIRE ROSE AROUND HIM HIS LAST PRAYER WAS “I THANK YOU, LORD, THAT YOU HAVE DEEMED ME WORTHY THIS DAY AND THIS HOUR TO TAKE UP THE CROSS OF CHRIST WITH MANY WITNESSES.”
IN ORDER FOR THE SWEET SMELL OF MYRRH TO BE EXTRACTED FROM THE PLANT, THE PLANT LITERALLY HAD TO BE CRUSHED. WHEN THE PLANT WAS CRUSHED, IT’S AROMA COULD NOT BE CONTAINED BY ANYTHING.
THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN WE AS CHRISTIANS, WILL BE CRUSHED AS WE STAND FOR OUR FAITH. IF WE ARE STEADFAST, THEN THE SWEET AROMA OF FAITH WILL BE MADE KNOWN TO ALL AROUND US.
THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA WAS CRUSHED BY PERSECUTION, AND ITS SWEET AROMA OF FAITH COULD NOT BE CONTAINED. IT WAS A CRUSHED CHURCH BY PERSECUTION, AND THE WAY THE CHURCH HANDLED THAT PERSECUTION GAINED IT A GREAT COMMENDATION AND CROWN FROM THE LORD.
WHEN WE FACE PERSECUTION AT FIRST BAPTIST, I HOPE WE CAN HAVE THE SAME RESULTS. WHEN YOU FACE STRUGGLES AND TRIALS IN YOUR LIVE, I HOPE YOU WILL STAND TALL FOR CHRIST, AND RECEIVE THE VICTORS CROWN AND ONE DAY IN PRAISE AND WORSHIP LAY IT AT JESUS’ FEET.
