Havasu Christian Church
January 21, 2024
Revelation 2:8–11
“Stay Faithful Smyrna!”
INTRO: Did a quick internet search for Smyrna. There are LOTS of places where Smyrna pops up on the internet. Here are some!
Smyrna Georgia, Smyrna Tennessee
Smyrna Delaware, New Smyrna beach Florida
Smyrna New York, Smyrna Golf course
Smyrna Dunes Park in Florida
Smyrna Yacht club, Smyrna Opera house
Smyrna restaurant, Alexandria Virginia
Smyrna Bowling center, There is even a Smyrna fig tree!
One Smyrna I didn’t have to look up… Our own Smyrna, Smyrna Jatib!
The Smyrna we’ll be talking about this morning is none of these. It’s the Ancient city of Smyrna in Turkey.
More specifically, we’ll be talking about the Church that was there, and what Jesus had to say to them!
Revelation 2:8-11 “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.’
- Smyrna Church, you are in for a batch of trouble!
- They are already undergoing tribulation!
- Life isn’t easy for the Church in Smyrna.
- They are already living in poverty.
- But Jesus says they are rich!
- They have what money can’t buy!
- They have the favor of God.
- This doesn’t mean they are protected.
- They have the treasure of living a godly life.
- When you live by God’s rules, things go better.
- They have treasure laid up in heaven.
- When God gives you treasure, no one can take it away.
- There is prison in their future.
- They will be tested
- This testing will be 10 days!
- Why 10 days? Is there some deep “spiritual” meaning to this number?
- Some commentators want to say these “days” are actually periods of time throughout the life of the Church.
- I tend to take Scripture literally. If it says “10 days” I think that’s what it means. Maybe there’s something more, but maybe not!
- Whatever the 10 days means, these guys are in for trouble!
- Smyrna Church, Don’t be Afraid!
- Fear will make you feel powerless.
- Fear will freeze you!
- Fear will make you run!
- Fear will wear you out.
- Fear will make you suffer in anticipation of what might happen!
Two interesting quotes about fear…
“A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once. It seems to me most strange that men should fear, seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.” William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
“The coward dies a thousand deaths, the brave but one'.... (The man who first said that) was probably a coward.... He knew a great deal about cowards but nothing about the brave. The brave dies perhaps two thousand deaths if he's intelligent. He simply doesn't mention them.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms
- Choose to live as though the bad things will not happen… If & when they do, deal with it.
- Suffering in anticipation of what may come is a hard way to live.
- Jesus saying “don’t be afraid” was undoubtedly soothing to Smyrna… Like a parent with a small child who trusts them.
Dark church buildings are scary! But when I was with my dad, no fear!
- Smyrna Church, Be faithful until death!
- They may not all survive this 10 day period of testing.
- This is bad news… but it’s also good news.
- Stay and endure, or go home!
- Don’t give up in the middle of the battle!
- Hold out until the end!
- If you survive, you live on to keep serving the Lord!
The first part of the letter isn’t exactly “upbeat!”
There’s no “everything is going to be great!” There’s no “God’s going to give you peace, prosperity, and everything you might want.” Instead, it’s “Just wait and see what’s going to happen!”
But it does end on a high note!
- Smyrna Church, if you are faithful until you die, You will receive the crown of life.
- Faithful…
- A faithful vehicle starts and runs.
- A faithful pet comes when you call.
- A faithful spouse can be depended on.
- Are these faithful things always Perfect? No.
- But Faithfulness means you keep at it!
- Faithful till death….
- The Church at Smyrna was going to be intensely persecuted.
- Many of them would survive.
- They might live a long life in service to their Lord.
- Some of them were going to die.
- Their life would be cut short.
- Either way, if they stay faithful, they will receive the crown of life!
James 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Apart from recognition of athletes and winners of various kinds of competitions, in the Greek-Roman world, the awarding of a crown or wreath signified appreciation for exceptional contributions to the state or groups within it. The recipients were usually public officials or civic-minded persons, serving at their own expense.
- This crown is an “attaboy!” WELL DONE!
- Overcome and you won’t be hurt by the second death.
- What does this mean? Let Scripture explain Scripture.
Revelation 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
- You are either with Jesus, or you are not! No middle ground.
- Those who are “faithful until death” are resurrected to join our Lord in eternity.
- Those who are not “faithful until death” are subject to the “second death.” HELL!
- If I belong to Jesus because I’ve been “faithful until death,” the “second death” holds no fear for me.
- WHEW!!!
Conclusion: What can the Church in Lake Havasu City learn from the letter to the Church in Smyrna?
- All of this has meaning to us as a Church and as individuals.
- We can apply these principles to our Church and to our individual lives.
- Church in Havasu, Don’t worry so much about your earthly circumstances.
- If you’re rich, great! If you’re poor, that’s Ok too!!
- This isn’t a call to be stupid with what God has given you.
- He gives us what we have to be good stewards of it….
- Money, time, talent, resources.. It’s all His and He expects us to use it in His service.
- Church in Havasu, WHO you serve matters!
- You can take the easy way out and serve yourself!
- If you do this, Satan has no need to take notice of you.
- You can just be selfish.
- But there are bad consequences for this choice.
- You can choose to serve Jesus.
