The Candlestick - Smyrna — Carter Conlon

The Church of Smyrna and the Work of God in Suffering

Traces of one of these churches we're about to speak of tonight the church of Smyrna. And I believe with all my heart that you'll some for sure will find traces of that church within your life. Father I thank you tonight.

Oh God for the anointing of your Holy Spirit. I thank you Lord that you are continuously taking us Step by step you're building us. Oh God. Image to image glory to glory strength to strength. Lord there is no turning back in you But a continual going forward and I thank you tonight that even when we don't think that we're going forward We are as long as our hearts are towards you.

Oh God. I thank you for your sovereign protection. I thank you for the anointing that breaks down every Misconception of Christ and destroys the works of darkness. Lord God I'm asking tonight that you would crush every weapon of evil that has been formed against any child of God in this house tonight Lord that you would send it forth your word like cannon fire into the ranks of the enemy and Release all in their mind and heart who are being cast down and tormented by the powers of darkness.

Father I thank you for your liberating word tonight. I thank you for the healing oil of Jesus in your precious name. Amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Revelation chapter 2 beginning at verse 8 and unto the angel of the church in Smyrna.

Write these things sayeth the first and the last Which was dead and is alive. I know thy works and Tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tried and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.

He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches he that overcometh Shall not be hurt of the second death. An interesting thing about this particular church is that it's one of only two in the book of Revelation that the Manifestation or the manifested presence of Jesus Didn't rebuke.

It was a church that had been birthed in difficulty a church that was going through Difficulty. Jesus said in verse 9, I know your works. I know your trial your tribulation your difficulty your poverty.

But you are rich and you see when Jesus comes into the midst of his church. We studied a week ago. There was a church called Laodicea that thought they were rich but when the presence of Christ came into that church and exposed the roots and the tents of the heart a Church that thought they were rich found out that they were indeed poor in the sight of God nevertheless a church that was poor in the sight of man and Seemed to be downtrodden and perhaps even being plowed over in many respects by the works of the the evil rulers of that day.

That church when Jesus came into the midst of that church his presence exposed a deep and rich spiritual heritage. Now, I know if you have an open heart tonight. We're going to examine the scripture and find that there are many even sitting here tonight.

That you have that heritage and Christ is about to speak some words to you. And he's about to lift you out of a place of difficulty and give you an understanding of why you are where you are. And where it is that you're going.

The Short Season of Tribulation

Verse 10. He tells this church. He said don't fear those things that you're going to suffer. The devil will cast some of you into prison. In other words, he's going to take you and put you into a place of captivity that you may be tried.

You shall have tribulation ten days. In other words, it's going to be a short season. It may seem long but remember the words of the Apostle James. Our life is just a vapor. It appears for a season and then it vanishes away.

It was a in another scripture. There's a warning to the rich man who appears and and seems to have all kinds of glory. But just as the flower of the grass in a moment in a season. He just fades away and he's gone and he's no more even though life seems long on this earth.

Sometimes brothers and sisters in the realm of eternity. It's just a vapor of smoke a billion years from now we're going to be fellowshipping together in heaven and looking back and Marveling at how short this life really was we thought it was so long.

That's simply because we're in the confines of this carnal body every day. Sometimes seems like a long time especially if you're knowing what it is to suffer and to go through some kind of tribulation.

Jesus said I know your works. I know your tribulation and your poverty, but you're rich. There was a richness found in this church. The remnants of this church I found throughout all ages and indeed I'm sure are here in this building tonight.

Don't fear those things that you're going to suffer. Now there we're not in this society and in Western in the Western world literally cast into prison for the gospel. In this hour, at least that we're living in I'm not sure that that's not going to come at some point in the future.

Smyrna's Historical Persecution and Christian Witness

Now throughout history we have known Churches have suffered there have been different difficulties and trials and times of imprisonment. History and tradition tells us that The Church of Smyrna was about 40 miles northeast of Ephesus the Ephesian Church.

We studied just a little while ago that it was the Apostle John that ordained Polycarp the first century Christian historian. Who was the first bishop of this church and polycarp tradition says at least died a martyr in that area?

Great tribulation great persecution. The Christians of that church were fed to wild beasts and The wild beast didn't intimidate them then they were burned. They were tortured. There was incredible hardship came upon this church.

I Was with my wife several years ago. We were in Rome and we went to the Colosseum in Rome where Christians were tortured and ripped to pieces. They were burnt. They were displayed and fought against and ripped apart and made a mockery of by the people and I remember standing in the middle of this gigantic Colosseum in Rome feeling so unworthy to be called even by the name of Christ.

That I had not walked in the footsteps. I was walking on cement that I know is drenched in the blood of the Saints and I was feeling so unworthy that day to even walk in that same place where they walk a church that had gone through such struggle and trial and I had read stories of how they tied people to stakes and set them aflame and they would go out singing the Psalms.

They would be worshiping God as the flames. Consumed their flesh. An absolute glory that was so upon these early Christians that people Who are unsaved who were in the stands who had come to see their death?

Would stand up and say their God is God if that if their God can Take them through into eternity that way then I want this Savior people stood and confessed Christ. Even knowing that they were the next to go to the stake or to be torn apart.

There was such a glory on that church. And there's a glory that can come upon that does come upon a life if if our heart is right if we have the right perspective in the heart and life of those who are going through Struggles and trials if we can understand that in the midst of all of the difficulties we face that Christ is with us.

He has never left us. He has never forsaken us. He's walking every step of the way and there is a cup of glory. There's a cup of his presence available to those who go through suffering and difficulty.

Spiritual Prisons of Rejection and Isolation

There were people who would say that there's no suffering really there are no prisons in this present system. Especially in the Western world, but that's not true. Imprisonment is basically the concept of imprisonment is when a Society takes a certain segment of his population and and shuns them puts them away into a corner puts them away into another place.

That's really the concept of imprisonment. Imprisonment is isolation. Putting somebody away into a place where they're sort of out of sight and out of mind. And I know that and I've seen over the years as a pastor people put into very real prisons.

Although there are no bars on these prisons. They're very real and if you are here tonight and you're in one of these, you know what I'm talking about. You can't see the bars, but it's a very real place.

It's a place of being isolated. It's a place of being rejected. It's a place sometimes of being written off by those that are closest to you close to your heart. It's a place where you can feel all alone.

You feel forsaken sometimes even erroneously feel forsaken by God. There are prisons of rejection. Rejection by friends. Jesus said in Matthew 10 25 It's enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his Lord.

If they've called the house the master of the house Beelzebub. How much more shall they call them of his household? There are people who have come to Christ in this room tonight in this sanctuary that you you have lots of friends and you were.

Perhaps somewhat at least popular in the places you traveled of the people you walked among. Then all of a sudden you've received Christ and it's the best news You've ever heard in your whole life. The darkness in your mind is dissipating the light has come into your soul.

You're beginning to walk and you know who you are. You know where you came from, you know where you're going and and for a season you are so excited and you want to tell all your friends and then all of a sudden you find that these same friends that Once you were able to associate with and relate to all of a sudden are rejecting you and wanting to put you off in a corner.

Wanting to shove you out of their company. You see a world that's sown in darkness will never accept or rejoice in the light. Light has no fellowship with darkness and sometimes especially if you're a young Christian.

It's so hard to understand how it is that you found such good news and those that you love because it's not wrong to love. Your friends, you know. But those that you love are pushing you out of their their company and you find yourself Isolated and you find yourself alone and it's sort of like they've imprisoned you.

They shut you out of their presence and you feel so alone and so rejected. It's even more difficult when that rejection comes from members of your own family. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10. He said don't think that I've come to send peace on the earth.

I came not to send peace but a sword for I'm come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and. A man's foes shall be they of his own household.

I suppose that's the imprisonment that this society offers that is for a Christian can hurt worse than any other prison. And some of you here tonight, you know what that's all about. You came to Christ.

You heard the gospel on a radio show or somebody came to you and told you or you picked up a tract or you came? To church you found Jesus. It was the best news that you'd ever heard in your whole life.

And you went home to your husband you went home to your wife or you went home to your children or you went home young people to your mom and dad and you tried to share this news and In the beginning perhaps there was a semi tolerance to your your newfound faith.

But the more you walk with God the more you love God. You find an Intolerance beginning to develop in those around you and in some cases it turned to a rage and there are women here tonight that it Costs you your husband to walk with God.

There are men that it cost you your wife. There are children. It cost you your relationship with your mom and dad deep deep wounds and bruises in your lives. And it feels like you're in a prison you go home that's the home is supposed to be a place of refuge and then you walk in the door, but it feels like a Prison with with a jail jailers all around casting you out of their presence and and treating you in a difficult manner.

Persecution in the Workplace

There are prisons also of persecution. Paul says in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 in verse 12. Yay, and all that will live godly in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution all. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus.

You can be at your workplace. All of a sudden evil spoken of for no apparent reason you you used to work with everybody you knew them you loved them. They seem to have a respect for you and all of a sudden now because you're doing things, right?

Because you're not falsifying documents because all of a sudden you you come in God spirits a whole got a hold of you. You're working hard. That means every sluggard is now going to have an envy towards you.

You're doing things, right? That means everybody that's doing it wrong is going to stand against you and you may have been well spoken of when you were. One of the boys or girls were quote-unquote. But all of a sudden now there's an evil speaking and some of you here know what I'm talking about tonight.

You go to work and you're evil spoken of it doesn't matter. It seemed how hard you work. You can't ever work hard enough. It doesn't matter how much you put in it seems when monthly assessment time comes out.

There's always something wrong with the things that you're doing at work. And all it is that is that because you confess Christ and you profess to love him and know him and walk with him. You were passed by consistently when times for promotion and betterment come up in you in the workplace.

I want to warn you don't let bitterness ever get in your heart over these things. God will defend you. He's a defender of his own children. You'll find that there's a buddy system in the workplace and you don't play the game and you don't go to it.

You don't get promoted. That's just the bottom of the bottom line of the whole way that the world operates. But I tell you that they may pass you by here. But there's a another bit passed by that's coming to them if they don't repent of their sin and turn to God.

They may pass you by but I'll tell you there's somebody a lot more important than than those over here. That are not is not going to pass you by. Hallelujah, very soon. The trumpet is going to sound and you might be sitting at your desk.

Maybe they're speaking evil of you. Maybe you've been passed by for all kinds of promotions. But I want to tell you that Trump is going to sound and all it's going to be left is your pencil on that desk.

Hallelujah, glory to God. There's a presence of loneliness. I meet so many lonely people. Isolated from work and isolated at family. Loneliness, I've over the years as a pastor. I've met situations that have broken my heart.

Loneliness Within Marriage and Family

Wives lonely in their marriage. Having had a husband that they felt close to and all of a sudden they come home they found Jesus and They find a separation now coming in their marriage. Not that they want it.

They desire their husband. They want to be close, but there's a separation because Christ is now on the throne of the heart. Those are difficult situations and it can seem like you're in a prison. It really can.

You know, everybody around you is free. But all of a sudden it just seems like Oh God, I want to love you. I want to serve you, but it just seems that ever-increasing disaster is coming upon my life a woman.

I heard a story of a woman recently that accepted the Lord in a Suburban middle-class family. She received Christ as her Savior went home all excited and for a season her husband endured this and then one day He came home and he said to her I There's this we're just growing apart.

The things don't seem to be going good at home anymore. If you'll just tone down this religion of yours if you'll tone it down everything's going to be all right. But if you can't tone it down, I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you and she had a very Real and difficult choice to make but she chose the Lord and I'm so I'm I'm happy for her.

Although it's hard and my heart hurts hurts for her. And so her husband left her for another woman and her two sons not understanding the situation. They also decided they wanted to go and live with their father.

And so here she is. Less than a short time after receiving Christ and she's lost everything. She's lost her husband. She's lost her sons everything that was precious to her on this earth is gone and folks Don't you ever underestimate the pain that is in somebody's heart?

When they have to make that kind of a choice if you've never had to make that choice You better thank God that you've never had to make that choice. But there are people all over the church who've had to make that choice and they feel that God I've chosen to live for you.

And now it seems like I'm in a prison. It seems like I'm shut in on all sides. I'm isolated. I'm lonely. I'm hurt and you can you can identify with how the Church of Smyrna felt. Receiving Christ being betrayed by family members.

Brother betraying brother unto the death being arrested by soldiers being thrust into a place of isolation. With and all it seemed is that there's just wild beasts in fire out there and there can come a moment of absolute despair upon the heart of a person who has given all for God and all of a sudden you find yourself in a place of trial in a place of testing in a place of loneliness a place of persecution and a place of Imprisonment but in the midst of it all.

God Will Never Leave His People

The writer of Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5 pens these words. And they're words that you need to write down on the table of your heart and never put it away. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. You're not alone.

No matter what your situation is no matter how hard it is No matter how much of a sacrifice you've had to make there is coming a day my brother and sister. We sing about it. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus life's trial will seem so small.

When we see Christ one glimpse of his dear face all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race until we see Christ. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Hallelujah, one of the tactics of the powers of darkness that when you're in this place is to say that God has forgotten you.

God has abandoned you you're all alone. Everybody at church is getting blessed. Everybody is experiencing the glory of God. Everybody around you is knowing victory, but here you are. Lonely abandoned imprisoned and forsaken.

There's some of you here tonight. You've come to this service and you're on your last legs. I sense that in my spirit the whole time sitting on the platform tonight. You're on your last legs. You say God if I don't hear from you soon.

I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't go on. I know there are people like that tonight because God's Holy Spirit is. Speaking that to my heart and the word of the Lord to you tonight is I will never leave you.

I will never forsake you. I'm never. Turn to the book of Isaiah, please chapter 49. Isaiah chapter 49 now this word is for you. Everyone in this house that have feel that you're in that place of imprisonment a place of difficulty.

God doesn't promise you at any time that he's going to take you out of it. But he promises you that he's going to give you the victory in the midst of it. He's going to take you through the fire. It's not going to burn you and he's going to take you through the water and it's not going to drown you.

That's the promise of God. You can have victory in the midst of your trial. The Church of Smyrna went out a glorious church. One of the only two churches that Jesus had nothing negative to say about in the midst of your trial.

There's a purification process that's going on in your life. That is precious in the sight of God. You're not looking to riches. You're not you're not walking in false peace and false comfort. You're your situation has forced you into place where what you have with God is real or you don't have it at all.

It has to be real because it can't get you through. Otherwise, it has to be real in chapter 49 of Isaiah verse 13 The Lord says sing Oh heavens and be joyful over and break forth into singing Oh mountains for the Lord has comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

But Zion said now that's some of the children of God. The Lord has forsaken me and the Lord has forgotten me. There are some here tonight that you feel that of God that God because of your situation you say God.

How is it you said that you came to give me an abundant life and Lord God? It feels like you've forsaken me. But you see God's going to reveal something to you tonight. The abundance you seek is not in your situation.

The abundance you seek is in him. It's in him and him alone your situation may never change. But your life will change and your outlook can change when you begin to understand. That you have in the midst of your poverty in the midst of your trial in the midst of your difficulty.

If you have him that's what he says to the church of spirit. You are rich in the midst of your difficulty in the midst of your poverty. I knew a lady one time her husband treated her like absolute dirt.

It was Excruciating just to watch him. It was all I could do sometimes not to not to literally. Take matters into my own hands. He would he would just berate her in public and treat her cruelly and. And she'd have no money and she's always just it was a terrible situation.

But that lady in the midst of that difficult situation that she was in had a treasure that I yearned for. She would be at prayer meetings and she'd be weeping before a holy God. She'd be praying for sons and daughters.

She'd be praying for people out on the streets. She'd pray for her husband day in and day out. He the more cruelly he treated her the more she lifted him up the more she would speak well of him in front of other People.

That woman had a treasure in her life. She had a treasure in her heart, even though her situation was difficult. God in his grace that man developed a very very severe illness that made him an invalid and Went when she could have said now.

You're getting your just reward for what you've done to me and how you've treated me all these years. No she became a nurse made to that man and kept him at home and Baited him and helped him to walk and look after him and still does so today and won his soul to God.

In the abundance of her poverty she was rich for she had the very presence of God in her life. Hall when I would meet with her she wouldn't want to talk about the weather. She didn't want to talk about the cows out in the pasture.

She wanted to talk about Jesus. She would always talk about the goodness of God and how God was blessing her. Oh, I'd tell you brothers and sisters. It was all I could do to look in that home and find an ounce of blessing in that place.

But God was blessing her. Her blessing was not in her circumstance. There was an interior blessing because of her poverty and deep trial that she was in she had turned to him and found him. Hallelujah, glory to God.

Glory to God and now in this hour. She is a one of the mothers of Zion. She's one of the pillars in the church. Hallelujah, never never ever having any place of prominence or preeminence in the church all she ever did for years and just serve and bring a cup of water if she noticed that the preacher was Struggling with his throat just little things in the church.

God had done something rich in her heart in the midst of her trial. She had found a treasure that many who've never known difficulty ever find. Oh, I've I've just praised the Lord for his faithfulness and what he did in her life.

Isaiah's Promise of God's Remembrance and Protection

But Zion said verse 14 as they're 49. The Lord has forsaken me and my Lord has forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child that she knew should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yay, they may forget but yet I will not forget thee.

Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands and now listen to the other part. Thy walls are Continually before me. Thy walls what walls you say Lord God you said you've engraved me on the palms of your hands.

I understand that. I understand that you went to Calvary. I understand that nails went through your wrist and my name was on the Very tip of one of those nails and my my name is engraved on your hand.

God. You won't forget me. I acknowledge that tonight. You'll never forget me. But what what are these walls and what the Lord is saying? I have encircled you. Haven't you seen me there? I am protecting you.

I have built walls around you. The enemy will not exact against you. Nothing can come against you. But that you're willing you're able to bear the Lord will not allow you to be tempted above that you can bear.

But with the trial or temptation will make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, you're not alone. You're not alone. God is with you in the midst of your struggle.

God has built a wall. He has encircled you. Look at that Psalm 91. Go back to Psalm 91. I want to show you this how he's encircled you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Psalm 91. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High.

Shall abide or lodge under the shadow of the Almighty. I will save the Lord. He is my refuge and my fortress. My God in him will I trust? Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence now.

Here's the walls. He shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings. Shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy shield and I buckler in other words thy protection. He will cover you with his feathers.

Sir, madam brother sister young person that's here. You've been in difficulty in trial, but you've never been alone. God has been with you and God will stay with you. He has built walls around you. Those walls are his own arms his own hands.

He's not going to allow the enemy to exact against you. He's not going to allow the powers of hell to destroy you but in the midst of that difficulty He's going to reveal to you himself. That's what he was saying to Smyrna.

It's the rebel. You're going to have a revelation of Jesus in the midst of that trial and that revelation is going to produce this Sweetness that others who've never known trial are never going to have if you can understand it tonight.

If you're in a place of difficulty, you're blessed of Almighty God in that place of difficulty. If you will turn to him, you will find him in a way that so few find him on this side of eternity. Hallelujah, thou shalt not be afraid verse 5 for the terror by night nor for the owl that flies by day.

Some of you you've known what it is to be terrified in the nighttime. And you've known what it is to get out of your bed. And the moment you're out I'll come the hours and they're flying at you from every corner direction of your own house even sometimes.

But he said you'll not be afraid of the terror by night nor for the hour that flies by day nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness nor for the destruction that wasted noonday a Thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand.

But it shall not come nigh thee only without eyes. Thou shalt behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the most high thy habitation. There shall no evil befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he will give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against the stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder the young lion in the.

The young lion and the dragon shall thou trample under feet because he has set his love upon me. Therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high because he has known my name. He shall call upon me and I will answer him.

I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him with long life. Will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah. Hallelujah, that's what the Lord is saying you tonight.

I will show you my salvation. I will give you a revelation. I will give you an understanding heart that one day. Something is coming your way and you will be comforted. You will be encouraged with this revelation.

That's what the presence of Jesus was to this church called Smyrna. Hallelujah one day your warfare will be accomplished. He said the Smyrna be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.

Waiting on the Lord and the Promise of Renewed Strength

Be faithful unto death. Let me just read to you from Isaiah 40, please. Hallelujah. Be faithful be faithful be faithful. Isaiah 40. Verse 1. Comfort you comfort you my people sayeth your God. Speak you comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that our warfare is accomplished.

That her iniquity is pardoned. For she has received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Now verse 28, please go ahead. Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth.

Fainteth not neither is weary. There is no searching of his understanding. He gives power to the faint and to them that have no might he increases their strength. Even the youth shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah, look at Romans, please.

Adoption, Suffering, and Future Glory

I want to show you the revelation now the revelation that Jesus gave to this church the revelation 15. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. But you have received the spirit of adoption.

Whereby we cry Abba Father in other words, you're not alone. You're not alone in your house. You're not alone at your job. You're not alone on the street wherever you are. You're not alone. We have not received the spirit of fear, but we have been adopted by Almighty God whereby we cry Abba Father.

I'm never I'm never alone. I'm not alone even in the darkest night. Even when things are the most difficult I'm never alone. He has said I will never leave you and I will never forsake you. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and if we're children Then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ's if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together.

Listen to what Paul says in verse 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy are not worth are not worth He to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Yeah, the sufferings are not worthy.

Jesus in books in the book of Hebrews chapter 2 the scripture says looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross? Despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God in the next couple of verses.

It says consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest you become weary and faint in your minds. Consider him who for the joy Paul says. I reckon the sufferings of this present time are not worthy.

Are not worth no matter how hard it gets brothers and sisters no matter what happens to our society. No matter where we end up on this earth as a church body the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to even compare.

With the glory that's going to be revealed in you and I as the body of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, the Bible exhorts us to have the eyes of Christ. His eyes were not on his situation. But he was looking ahead to the joy that was before him.

That's where you and I need to be looking this night. If you're in a situation of difficulty ask God for the grace to get your eyes off of your situation. In so much as is possible in the Holy Ghost and begin to look unto him the author and finisher of your salvation.

Look unto him who said I will never fail you a thousand will fall at your one hand and ten thousand at the other hand. But it will not come nigh you. Hallelujah now listen to what glory lies ahead. 2nd Corinthians, please.