by Janet Loughry

Revelation 2:8-11
May 5, 2002

Today is the first in the series of sermons on what Christ has to say to the church through His own words from chapters 2 and 3 in the Book of Revelation. Today we visit Smyna. It’s a word we don’t hear much in the United States - especially here in Ventura County - here in Moorpark. However, people all over the world are still being-- PERSECUTED. A few years ago, Chuck Colson wrote an article for Christianity Today entitled, "Tortured for Christ -- and Ignored." In that article, Mr. Colson gathered together several stories about how the church of Jesus Christ around the world is currently suffering persecution. There is still political brutality against believers in the Sudan, where Christians are given three options: convert, flee or be killed. Christian families are being torn apart as their children are sold as slaves, women are raped or sold as servants and some of the men are even crucified.

In 1995 in Ethiopia, government troops raided the largest evangelical church, arresting most of the people present. Many died in jail, their bodies thrown out to be scavenged by animals. Our own members Chris and Mabel Christie have shared with us, and ask that we continually pray for those being persecuted in their homeland of India. In particular, Christians in Gujaret, India, on March 1 of this year, experienced what is called, "the worse violence on religious peoples in more than a decade." Grandma Christie is there now and asks for our prayers for believers today. In Colson’s article he quoted a senator as having said: "Christians are the most persecuted major religion in terms of direct punishment for practicing religious activities, that is: public worship, evangelism and charity." As it is Now so it was 2000 years ago. The Christians at Smyrna were being persecuted.

The city of Smyrna was about 35 miles north of her larger sister city Ephesus. It had a protected harbor on the western shore of what is today, Turkey. This permitted a flourishing trade business. In 195 BC it was the first city in the Roman empire to erect a temple to the goddess Roma and the spirit of Rome. Then 175 years later the city was chosen by Rome to build a temple to the emperor Tiberius. These and other temples were built upon an acropolis - the highest point of the city - which produced a very dramatic visual effect - and was described as "the Crown of Smyrna."

Smyrna would became a main place of Caesar worship, and would, obviously come into direct conflict with the Christian community there. To refuse to sprinkle incense on the fires before Caesar’s image and also to refuse to declare the emperor, Lord, the living God, was interpreted as a lack of Roman patriotism, and seen as disruptive of the unity of the empire.

It has been said that perhaps the closest analogy to what the believers in Smyrna were forced to endure would be the experience of the Jews in Nazi Germany during the 1930’s. Their travel was restricted. Their shops were subject to frequent vandalism and looting. Their livelihood was destroyed. Their synagogues were defiled or destroyed. Their property was seized. They were humiliated, stigmatized, slandered, harassed and physically assaulted. Eventually, even their lives and their children’s lives were taken. The Christians in Smyrna experienced this same kind of unrelenting persecution and suffering - even unto death - because of their refusal to go along; because of their loyalty to Jesus as Lord, the only living God. So into this Jesus makes His challenging statement that this was a church living between completely opposite extremes: At the one end, the rich, nurturing, loving fellowship of the Christian church family and at the other end, the cruel and hostile surrounding society. Jesus knew all about extremes. He lived in the midst of extremes. He is, indeed the Lord of extremes....and everything in between.

Although this letter to the believers at Smyrna is the shortest of the seven letters, it is also the most warmly praising and congratulatory. Perhaps Jesus felt the most affection and bond with the believers at the church at Smyrna. After all, scripture does say that God is close to the broken hearted.

Indeed, Jesus does identify with those at Smyrna. More so, He wants them to identify with Him, and to be encouraged and challenged. So Jesus, the Lord of extremes, out of His own of His own experience of living with the threat of suffering and death on a daily basis, gives a warm and tender-hearted encouragement. He tells them He is the First and the Last. He is the only one who died and came to life again. In being the First, Jesus is the one who was present at Creation, came to this earth from heaven for the express purpose of dying for the sin created by humanity - their sin, your sin, my sin.

In being the Last, Jesus says He will be present at the end of history, when all who place their faith in Him as the Son of God and as their personal Savior will find their way into the loving arms of God the Father. What a tremendous, and even, awe inspiring, encouragement--and to receive this from their risen Lord.

In addition, His statement includes a bold and forceful challenge. For in the same breath Jesus tells them to literally "Stop being afraid." Why? Because Jesus remains with them. As we learn from the Mark passage that Bil read: Fear and faith don’t ride in the same boat, and are not welcome in the same church.

The One who was faithful to the point of death is telling these believers that Satan WILL continue in his aggression with them. Their hostile environment was going to probably grow more intense, not less. From this passage, and other places in the Bible, we are confronted with the biblical recognition of the existence of the devil and evil. There is harm which must be squarely faced for what it is. Yet, no attempt is made to explain away the reality of evil in its many forms. Evil and the damage of the devil are a real danger.

But the good news is that Jesus sets limits to our sufferings. Granted, we don’t know when or how our relief will come, but our tests will not last longer than we can endure, with Jesus’ help. Satan’s damage is not ultimate. The last word, both of judgment and hope, belong to God.
So Smyrna was being assured the pressure and persecution would not last forever...AND THAT Jesus would remain faithful to them...even unto death. Death was a real possibility for these believers, as is often the case, as we’ve heard, with those under persecution.

Yet, in all their suffering Jesus acknowledges that these believers have drawn closer to Him. In their faithfulness to Him, they have found Him faithful to them. And Jesus’ reward for being faithful even to the point of death is the fact there is no need to fear eternal judgment at His second coming. And, you know, like the believers at Smyrna, to be crowned with the crown of life COULD mean that WE live with a crown of thorns while on this earth.

But, this crown that Jesus speaks of is a crown of joy and victory for faithfully serving Christ and each other. This crown - not like the acropolis "Crown of Smyrna" - but Jesus’ crown of life - will last forever.

These are difficult days for Jesus’ church wherever we are. As individuals you might be experiencing difficult days, months, even years, right now. They may be lingering longer than you thought possible. We are not to be afraid. As a matter of fact, Jesus tells us to "STOP being afraid." We are to remain faithful to Jesus, because He remains faithful to us. Jesus promises that with Him, the pressure, the difficulties, the trouble will not last forever. No negative situation, hostile environment or shortage of human power is greater than the power of Jesus Christ. His power stands firm in the midst of ANY trial or trouble we will ever face.