“The 7 Churches and Beyond: Smyrna”
Sunday, March 9, 2025
Revelation 2:8-10 (NIV)
“To the angel of the church of Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 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 the crown of life.
Commendation WITHOUT a Condemnation: There wasn’t a negative word Christ could say of this Church.
If there was one thing the first century church was familiar with, it was persecution… and persecution of the worst kind.
- By the time the writing of this letter… every other Apostle has died a martyr’s death. Paul… Peter… James… Andrew… all of them.
- As of the writing of this letter, the persecution by Nero against the Church is 30 years past… the death of Christians in the coliseum to lions, Christians dipped in tar, put in cages, and set on fire to light the streets of Rome at night. Persecution of the Church was no longer “if”, but usually “when” and “how”.
It’s very difficult for us to imagine this kind of persecution, yet persecution of the church is a reality!
- Just two weeks ago… 70 Christians in Democratic Republic of Congo were taken captive by militant Muslims, locked inside a church, and killed with machetes and hammers. When interviewed, one of the family member’s response, “we don’t know what to do or how to pray… yet may God’s will alone be done.”
- According to Open Doors US, a Christian is martyred for their faith every 2 hours, that’s 12 per day, conservative estimates are 4,000-5,000 Christians will be killed in 2025; and 1 and 7 Christians world-wide will experience severe persecution… from beatings to imprisonment… in 2025.
We struggle to embrace these words of Jesus:
- “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
- “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. …I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. …If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”
- “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Despite the persecution, Jesus gives this promise:
Revelation 2:11 (NIV)
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.”
Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV)
“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Jesus is promising the believers of Smyrna they wouldn’t have to experience a second death! The first death is temporary… a moment… too short a time frame to measure…
Paul says, “to be absent from this body, is to be present with the Lord.”
But the second death… this death is eternal… eternal separation from the Lord. Thus, he promises all believers, “He who overcomes will not experience the second death.”
Hebrews 9:27-28 (NIV)
“Just as man is destined to die once, [and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
This verse is an incredible verse, because it ties all redemptive history together…
beginning – middle – end
Beginning – “man sins and now is under the curse of death.”
[Genesis]
Middle – “Jesus dies once… so that we only have to die once…”
[The Gospels]
End – “He’s coming back… not to die, but to rule.”
[Revelation]
Revelation 19:11-14 (NIV)
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Revelation 20:1-3 (NIV)
“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”
Revelation 20:6 (NIV)
“Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
Revelation 20:7-10 (NIV)
“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – God and Magog – to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”