Suffering for the Savior | VII Pt. 2

As sure as the sparks fly upward, so is man born into trouble. —Job 5:7

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: There 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! —Revelation 2:8-11

“Before killing the Christians, Nero used the, to amuse the people. Some were dressed in furs to be killed by dogs, others were crucified; still others were set on fire early in the night so they might illume it. Nero opened his own gardens for these shows and in the circus he himself became a spectacle for he mingled with the people dressed as a charioteer.” —Tacitus

“If the Tiber River floods the city, or the Nile River refused to rise, or if the sky withholds its rain, or there is an earthquake, a famine, a pestilence, at once the cry is raised: ‘Christians to the lions!’” —Tertullian

There are the words of him who is the FIRST and the LAST, who died and came to life again. —Revelation 2:8

Things Jesus Rewards:

-You know what true wealth is

I KNOW your afflictions and your poverty…yet you are rich! —Revelation 2:9

“Your afflictions”: crushed under the weight of a boulder

God blessed you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. —Matthew 5:10-12

Things Jesus Rewards:

-Your endurance in the face of verbal attacks and false accusations

I KNOW the slander… —Revelation 2:9

Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message.

I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” Our Father is Abraham!” they declared.

“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God.

Abraham never did such a thing. No, you are imitating your real father.”

They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”

Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying?

It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning.

He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accus me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?

Anyone who belongs to God listens glad to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you DON’T BELONG TO GOD.” —John 8:37-47

Things Jesus Rewards:

-Their faithfulness in the face of persecution

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. —Revelation 2:10

10 days = “just a little while”

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. —2 Corinthians 4:16-18

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show your faith is genuine.

It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than were gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials,

It will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. —1 Peter 1:6-9

Things Jesus Rewards:

-Being faithful even to death

Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. 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. —Revelation 2:10-11

God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him. —James 1:12

“The hills and the sea added to the picturesque quality of the city. The city itself was nestled under the hill Pagos, which made an ideal acropolis.

This beauty was marred, however, by a drainage problem in the lower city which resulted in the silting up of the harbor and an accumulation of unpleasant odors.”

“Millions of American Christians pray in their churches each week, oblivious to the fact that Christians in many parts of the world suffer brutal torture, arrest, imprisonment and even death—

Their homes and their communities laid—waste—for no other reason that that they are Christians. The shocking untold story of our time is that more Christians have died this century simply for being Christians than in the first 19 centuries after the birth of Christ. They have been persecuted and martyred before an unknowing, indifferent world and a largely silent Christian community.” —Nina Shea

We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us imposters. We are well known, but we are treated as unknown.

We live close to death, but here we are, still alive. We have been beaten within an inch of our lives. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.

We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing and yet we have everything. —2 Corinthians 6:8-10

“He was so full of the grace of God, that they who were present, were astonished. And many now felt sorry that so godly a man should be put to death.

Nevertheless Polycarp was carried before the proconsul and condemned to be burned at the stake. ‘Denounce Christ and you will be released.’ With a calm and an unexplainable peace he said,

’80 and 6 years have I served him, and He never once wronged me, how then can I turn my back on my King who has saved me. I will not denounce Jesus Christ, so why do you delay…light the fire.’” —Martyrdom of Polycarp