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Dr. John B. Carpenter explains how Jesus' letter to the Christians in Smyrna is important for the church today, at Covenant Reformed Baptist Church, July 13, 2014, www.covenantcaswell.org.
Revelation 2:8-11
Turn with me in your Bibles, please to Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 2 verses 8 to 11 hear the word of the Lord and To the angel of the church in Smyrna write the words of the first and the last who died and came to life.
I know your tribulation and your poverty. But you are rich and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested and for ten days you will have Tribulation be fateful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.
Hugh has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. May the Lord add his blessings to the reading of his Holy Word. A couple of weeks ago I told you how I had a little experience as a journalist in Singapore.
I once interviewed a fairly well-known American Christian teacher who travels around and does seminars and mostly for youth. I'll call him. I don't. I won't give you his name, but he's missed. I'll call him.
Mr Basic youth conflicts now as seminars teach youth and really adults to what he believes are the basic principles for living. You know secrets or some sick for success and from Scripture supposedly how to try to take those principles and apply them to problems adjust your life and Of course live better now, he would certainly consider himself a Bible believing Christian conservative kind of Christian.
He believes in biblical principles or at least that's what he sell says. That's what he's teaching. I had the privilege of interviewing him and in the course of the interview he asked for a copy of the magazine that I was working for and he oped it up and you know and Flipped through and he noticed one brief one-page article unattributed didn't say who was by.
Which was very critical this article was in a sarcastic kind of way. Mocking a popular show on television at the time. Anybody remember Beverly Hills 9 1 2 1 0 now. Basically the article made fun of the silly show and attacked the immorality that was propagated in that show.
But mr. Basic youth conflicts saw this and quickly commented that that article wasn't right. It was better. He said to focus on positive things don't denounce sin. Promote virtue. Essentially pretend that evil doesn't exist and try to replace it with good uplifting thoughts.
And I just kind of smiled as he said all this. Since I was the author of the article that he was criticizing now for him and those who are like him you attain spiritual maturity and other success by the application of a basic life Principles you don't have to root out evil.
You only cultivate good. Try that with your garden, by the way, only fertilizer. No weed killer. See what happens now. They may never say it but with the implication is is that it's growth we need not conversion.
Which implies that what we already have a little bit of what what's necessary. We just got to cultivate that right make it grow. It's growth not conversion, even though he considered himself a conservative evangelical Christian.
He doesn't mention that I could tell The need for conversion just basic life principles,. I Wasn't at all surprised when the news broke earlier this year that mr basic youth conflicts had to resign from his position because of accusations of sexual harassment and molestation as Paul says in Colossians legalism what we call legalism, but they you know, basic principles do this don't do that.
He says those things aren't capable of Restraining the flesh now they can hide it for a while. Sure, you can put a veneer over the flesh for a while. But they don't deal with a problem because the problem with people isn't that they lack principles on how to live.
That is one of the greatest lies really that that's what people need. They need principles. They need teaching. They need cultivation. They need instruction. That is one of the greatest lies of the devil.
What are the greatest enemies of the gospel that all we need are these prints just help but principles. He's help adjusting the secrets to living that temptation in Chinese culture has given us Confucianism.
Confucianism is not really a religion that someone is converted to Confucianism and Confucius himself really taught basic life principles and he taught it about 2 ,500 years before mr. Basic youth conflict started doing it.
I was sure there are a lot of great Principles in Confucius. I read Confucius's analects and did not find one thing I disagree with in the whole book. Confucianism is all about wisdom to be a success, but it's not enough.
Because again the problem with people isn't that they lack basic principles of how to live. Is that they lack life? I don't guess mr. Basic youth conflicts would have been happy with the Lord. Jesus's letters to the seven churches.
You know after all. They're not all sunshine and roses. There are clouds and there are thorns in them even here in this letter to Smyrna. Which is one of only two letters of the seven only two to have no criticism at all for the church.
But even here it certainly doesn't deny the reality of evil. In fact is the evil outside the church in Smyrna that kept by God's grace evil from growing inside the church. Now the Lord Jesus here introduces himself to them as the first and the last.
Echoing what he said to John in chapter 1 remember that we said I'm the first in the last Alpha and the Omega we said do not be afraid. Before we were born. He was the Alpha and after we have died He will be the Omega.
They they will need to know this these Christians of Smyrna because this is not a fairy tale life. They're living in Smyrna kind of fat and happy, you know smooth sailing. Everything is just going humming along.
The reality of evil there was something that could not be ignored like many preachers today are told, you know. Don't preach against sin. Don't mention the cults. Don't mention immorality. Don't denounce it.
You might make people feel bad. Don't even just you know. Don't mention evil at all. Be positive and uplifting. Tell them that they can have your their best life now. If only they accept basic life principles now for these Christians in Smyrna evil was all around them prowling ready to pounce and some of them will be killed as.
Was the one? Who sent them this letter? He describes himself as the one who died and came to life. Now the Greek verb tense is there literally say who became dead and lived. Death was for him a passing phase for most of us.
We think the other way around. Oh, wait, he lived and he became dead for Jesus. He became dead and then he lived. Christ became dead. It was an episode. He went through and then he lived. Christians need to know that.
Because as much as we might want to deny it to ignore it to escape from that reality if Christ has not returned. We will go through that phase.
Too.
We will die and Come to life again. I Think a lot of Christians in our day are kind of fascinated with with in times teaching and all that in time stuff. Because they think in it they can get a promise their dreams will be fulfilled.
They'll get to continue to live oblivious to the world around them ignore the evil all around us because after all it's gonna burn up. Pretty soon after I'm beamed out, right. You know, so we don't have to we can pretend the evil doesn't exist.
One day we're gonna escape from it all free of suffering free of tribulation. But Christ speaks to us here. Not is the one who? Pretended brutal realities away who escaped from it just before they were about to come on him.
But is the one who went through them and that's good to know. Because we'll go through them, too. The Christians of Smyrna couldn't pretend evil away. They lived in a prosperous important city. Smyrna had been a longtime loyal ally of Rome.
They were the first city to set up a temple to the goddess Roma. That's Rome itself portrayed as a as a goddess and Rome honored them for their support for their patriotism when cities were competing for the privilege.
Which will be able to you know, get a license get permission to build the temple to the Emperor Tiberius. Kind of like today countries compete for you know, the honor of hosting the Olympics. Well Rome gave it to Smyrna so to be a patriotic citizen of Smyrna was to be a Supporter of Rome to declare that Caesar is Lord and to burn incense to his genius that.
The Christians couldn't just pretend was it there? They had to face it and they had to face the pressure to conform pressure that became so great. Imminent loss of jobs loss of business loss of money of freedom sometimes for some of their lives.
One of the great early churches great martyrs was the leader of the church at Smyrna man by the name of polycarp. Now the pagans interpreted their refusal to worship the Roman gods as it's not just a weird religion.
But as unpatriotic. You know, perhaps even treasonous. Maybe they're for our enemies. Why are they tearing apart our society by refusing to take part in what you know? What to them is a wholesome. It's a seller wholesome celebration of what has made Smyrna our great glorious city and Rome this great Empire.
Great, why won't they why don't they love it? To make life even harder. Not only were they suspected by the pagans. They were reviled by the synagogues. Many of them had come out of or were expelled from now in that society there were either pagans or there were Jews and The Jews were the only people who were legally allowed not to worship the pagan gods who did not have to burn Incense to Caesar but this Christians were neither.
They had been thrown out of the synagogues if they were Jews and so they weren't used legally. Even though they shared so much with the synagogues. They shared the same Old Testament the same morality the same God to them though to the Jews.
They were considered heretics. They were scoffed at and scorned the Lord Jesus sees that in verse 9 and says I.
Know I.
Know your affliction. The word of affliction or Tribulation there is a very strong got a picturesque word. It means a crushing Beneath a weight. Put something in them, you know, what they call a pestle that the hard thing and then get a mortar.
Crush it down to powder. So Lord Jesus is saying I Know you're being crushed beneath the weight. You're being squeezed. You're being pressed hard on. I know how hard it is. I Too was crushed. I went through that.
So however deep our sorrow our great our suffering He knows and cares. He knows to he says their poverty. There's three things. He says he knows their tribulation the second their poverty. He knows the things that they lack because they believe in him.
Okay.
And the poverty comes as a result of their faith in Jesus. It wasn't just that they attracted poor people into the church and they kind of stayed poor. But they they were made poor or kept poor because they believed in Jesus.
And so he says he knows their hunger pangs. He knows their ramshackle houses. He knows their raggedy clothes. He knows every need they suffered. And they've suffered real tangible needs. Because they loved him.
And he knows.
Their poverty came as if it just came directly. From their faith in Jesus as people who would not bow the knee to Caesar. They were ostracized. Few people would do business with them or employ them so if you had a Chinese restaurant or a Amish store in Smyrna and someone came in and saw hey these people they don't have a they don't have an idol to Rome.
Where's the idol to Roma or to Tiberius or to any of our other God? I'm taking my business elsewhere. Sometimes runaway mobs angry with the Christians for being unpatriotic would loot their property three weeks ago in Hebrews as Joe told us.
We we saw Christians joyfully accepting the confiscation of their goods. Now, why would they joyfully? Accept such a thing because they didn't believe it was evil. Kind of just denying us. This is an all-in illusion.
No because they pretended it wasn't happening. No, but as it says in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 34 because you knew that you had better and lasting Possessions the Lord Jesus here. He knows their poverty.
It's real poverty. They've experienced it because they believe in Jesus and so they had to live in the worst neighborhoods. They live in shacks. They had to eat, you know lower quality food. They had to go to McDonald's.
They couldn't afford the nice places. They'd wear simple clothes. Some of them lost fine things. They lost their luxuries, you know. Grandmoms antiques were dragged away by the pagan moms because they were Christians because they would not renounce Christ.
They had to suffer that poverty and their see their children raised in it day after day and Jesus knows. But he also knows. Something else about them. He knows they're rich. Unlike some of the other churches and in these seven, you know, some will say they're alive.
We are wealthy. We can afford a big building and all this and that but he says you're you think you're alive. You're dead. You think they're rich you're poor. The Christians of Smyrna on the other hand.
Sure, they are poor as far as how much they could write a check for. That's the real-life price that they have paid to follow Christ and the result. Well, they're rich. They have as Hebrew says better and lasting possessions.
Because with everything taken from them the only thing they had was Jesus and That made them rich. Jesus knows that they are rich and because they were materially poor and pressed. No one looked on them as successful.
You know one looked at the Smyrna Church. Look at that. I mean that their religion has really made them successful and powerful and wealthy. It has given them basic life principles that have put them on top of society.
No one looked at the church of Smyrna and thought like that. So they didn't attract those who are merely attracted to success. They didn't have members sort of with mixed motives, you know want to be where the crowds flock.
Maybe make contacts for business, you know, I can hop knob with him and share, you know, give my phone number. Give me a call. I can give me assurance. You need assurance, you know vote for me. I'm like that.
There was no one in Smyrna the Smyrna Church like that. The world around them had made sure of that. They had made the Christians there suffer and They had made it very costly. To love Jesus it meant at least poverty, but those who are willing to pay the price.
Jesus says.
Are rich.
He knows not only their crushing and their poverty, but he also knows their their slander. Not the slander they're saying slander said about them. I Believe that we're entering a time if we're not already here when to be a Christian is not only to be seen as something Of a kind of fanatic kind of weird but also to be as dangerous to society and their day the Christians of Smyrna were slandered as disloyal misfits who would not conform as.
Slandered as unpatriotic as divisive tearing apart society sometimes families one family member might become a Christian but the others aren't and so they have to their strife in the family that the one that's converted won't Honor the Roma and Tiberius and all these other things that they're tearing apart.
There's arguments all because of these Christians there and so they slander them. They're divisive. But all because they're saying that they had the only way to salvation. Now in our day it would it could soon be that to be a Christian didn't say the same say the things.
That the Bible says about some sin some sexual perversions will mean that we are slandered as you know. The spreading hate speech you're a hater. We are and will increasingly be slandered as backwards people.
We hate homosexuals. We are intolerant. We oppress our women and we repress our children with our primitive beliefs. And so we send our kids to college and the colleges we help fund with our tax money and they will be here a slander.
They're my professors who we help pay their salary with their tax money. Now if they are if the children are not well grounded in the faith they will be crushed by the world and believe the slander. But we must love the approval of God more than the smiles of our neighbor and That begins with us remaining here in church a place where the Word of God is Proclaimed unashamedly no matter how much we're slandered for it now many churches members don't want to be squeezed by the frowns of the world around them.
You they say that there they do that there what so. We have to ask them though, but you know if you're not gonna stand up now. You know when the pressure is so slight. When it's just frowns and maybe it's some few insults you have to put up with.
What will you do? When it really begins to crush you Jesus knows to. Those who are truly his people the Christians of Smyrna not only face crushing and plundering from pagans. But also the slander not just slander slander generally but he says specifically the slander of those who claimed that they were God's people and.
But the Lord Jesus here says that they are not God's people notice that there. They claim they are Jews Jews or God's we're supposed to be God's people. But he says they're not really they're a they're a synagogue a gathering an assembly of Satan.
They're Satan's people. That's who they are. Of course not because of their ethnic group. I'm not at all suggesting the Jews are Satan's people that you know, not any more than any other people are. It's not because of their ethnic group or anything like that.
But because of their actions. Despite the fact that they had the Word of God and should have known better. They slandered the people of God. Now first we need to see two things About this. It's a key.
We need to see one thing. I guess it's a key. It's really a lost key. I think to interpreting understanding what the Bible says about the last days and that is who are the Israel of God. Who's the Israel that God is concerned with.
You know.
I'm gonna say a lot of people when they talk about the last days look intently at all the news coming out of the Middle East think it's got to do with that nation of Israel because There are the people of God.
Really is that what? Paul used to the phrase Israel of God in Galatians chapter 6 verse 16. Who are they? Well, the people of God have never been and certainly are not now in the New Covenant. Those who simply are born into a family are born into a nation.
We saw in Joshua that Rahab even in Joshua of all places. Whether when Israel conquers the land of Canaan very Rahab the Canaanite the Gibeonites this whole Canaanite.
City.
They were.
They became the people of God we see in Romans 2 that it is those who believe. Who are God's people and we see the same here? Jesus knows those who are his that's why as much as we want our children We should want our children to be Christians.
We cannot assume that they are simply because they are born into Christian. Families have been in church every Sunday. Being one of God's people is not something that you kind of adjust yourself To as you adopt the right principles, you know, you're born into it is there and you can cultivate it.
It's not like that. It comes you are crushed by the convicting power of the Spirit and you realize That you need not mere principles for living because you are dead in your trespasses. You need life. You must be born again and you get that life through faith and Faith that makes you fateful.
Even through crushing through poverty to public ridicule. It's that faith. Not your ethnic group not your family. That marks you as one of God's people. Now the Lord Jesus first tells that he knows. He knows they're crushing their poverty the slander.
They've suffered and then he tells them Do not fear. That's the second time in this book. We've heard that in it Chapter one to John do not fear. Fear the Christians of Smyrna. Don't fear even though.
After the crushing and through the poverty and despite all the slander they have to live with they will have to suffer yet more. The devil he warns them is about to throw some of them into prison. We need to be careful here because we think we know what he means by prison.
We hear prison. Maybe we think like that place on County Home Road, you know. We people go sent for a while. Where's the detained teach them not to commit crimes again or to prevent them from doing so for a while?
But that's really not what a prison was for at this time in the first century. They did not keep people in prison to punish them. They kept people in prison to decide whether and how They were to be punished.
Maybe the executioner is away on vacation. They got to wait for him to come back, you know. So they keep them in prison till then as one scholar wrote people were only prisoners until they were let out to die.
So when you're told you've got a you're gonna be in prison. You probably don't like the way that's gonna end. Jesus says the devil is going to be going the devil is going to do it that you may be tested.
Now we could think Please. How haven't they been tested enough already? They've been crushed. They've been impoverished. They've been outcasts. They're being insulted all the time. To have their possessions dragged away.
They're commonly, you know called traitors and all kinds of Slander, is it that enough? Enough testing about enough. But when we think that way the way that's so natural for us. So, you know, I'm so absorbed to the world so attached to our culture and our things even our life.
We we really aren't thinking right. We're thinking if we only can adjust ourselves to this life learn the principles. Help make us a success. So we come to church for isn't it learn how we can over how we can avoid these problems.
Live happily here and now and hope God will take care of the hereafter. Notice that he says two things first the devil Will throw some of them into prison. So the devil is allowed to do some things here and secondly, they are to be tested.
We see this in Job the devil brings about some evil act and they're not to pretend. It's not it's not evil and and and ignore it. That would sound like Job's friends, wouldn't it? God may have to keep bringing trials till he finally get your attention.
You're gonna ignore him all the time. But even when is it even when it is an act of the devil? God uses it to test our adversary temps in order to destroy the our father test in order to refine and. And so looking at this evil acknowledging that the crushing the poverty the slander and the prison were real.
We still say with Paul in Philippians chapter 1 verse 29 for it has been granted to you. What a gift a gift is being given to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him. That's a great gift, isn't it?
But also to suffer for him. Hmm. I want to give that gift back. So many Christians today believe that faith is something they conjure up by themselves and Suffering is something there to avoid at all costs.
But that's what church is for Christianity is for to get us out of suffering here. We see that both are a gift. It's been granted to believe and to suffer. Well, but it's only ten days right, you know, it's not thrown into prison for ten days.
I can last in days.
Right.
Probably like most numbers in Revelation. This is symbolic probably for a short Completed period of time for ten days for a short time. They still will have and there's that word again tribulation. Crushing for ten days.
You'll be squeezed under a weight. That's been granted to you. Would you like that gift. So it's a short time, but then they get out of prison right short time. We're out. We're free. Well sort of. Remember what we said prison is for in those days.
They'll have tribulation. It's only a short time. Don't worry soon. You'll be free of it because they'll cut your head off. They get the first death. Now, we're really getting down to what our modern, you know Basic principles religion that thinks this is all about success.
We're getting down to what that kind of religion will scream and object and run away from. Jesus is here saying I know all your suffering. Don't be afraid. You'll be squeezed for a short time. Then you're free because they'll kill you and that's a promise and With that be faithful stand up strong.
Don't be afraid. They'll squeeze you. But don't be crushed. They've already impoverished you. But you're rich. They've slandered you but I say you're just.
They'll kill you.
But I'll make you alive so the Christians of Smyrna. They loved him for the strength that he gave them while being squeezed the riches. He gave them while being looted the favor. He gave them while being slandered and now the life he will give them while being killed.
The city of Smyrna was known for its athletic games and the athlete who persevered and won the race was given a crown Victors crown like we might give a trophy today or metal. Here the race set before them is to persevere.
Through suffering to keep going through the hours of agonizing death or the searing pain of being burned alive. Maybe the torture they put you through, you know. Sacrifice that incense to Caesar or.
Or else.
Whatever they would do. The mauling of being fed to lions. Perhaps just the years of living poor and the brunt of jokes and of you know. People insulting you because of Christ. Keep going like Jesus who passed through death and came out alive.
Christians Here are not told to ignore the evil. We should away pretend. It's not there but to go through it and come out.
With a crown a victor's crown.
Those Jesus says will not be hurt by the second death. Oh, yes, they'll be hurt by the first death. He tells them to be faithful through that first death. Overcome their fear overcome the temptation to compromise.
To be crushed by the squeezing. Be fateful through death. Death after all still has a sting, but then it's over. It's only a short sting and like a nurse giving you a shot. It's a sting a little. It's over.
And then they'll have nothing else to fear. They'll be free. Not because they adjusted themselves to being happier or healthier or wish their problems away or pretended their poverty and their pain and the death.
But because they went through them. Because they were first crushed by the convicting power of the Spirit and they were born again. Because they had treasure in heaven. They knew they had better and lasting possessions and they kept their eye on that.
Because God will do in their bodies what he had already done in their spirits. Convert them from death to life. That's what the Spirit is saying to Smyrna and what he's saying to us. Do you right now?
Be fateful through suffering and disappointment. Heartache. When others around you aren't fateful. The loss of wealth loss of things loss of opportunities loss of relationships. Despite the pressure of the world that wants to squeeze you into its mold or else crush you.
Keep going keep going all the way through death until like Jesus. You come out the other end.
Alive again.
And that Will be your crown of life. You will then be an overcomer having conquered the loss of the things that so tied you to this world. And You'll have a crown a victor's crown, you know, there's a danger to growing up in church as a Christian.
You imagine all the world is like this. You people are good to you because people are good. You've been given so many positive things and come on. I Mean which of us has really had to suffer? For Jesus.
The government has it hurt you for being a Christian yet. If you're deep enough into the church culture You almost think you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by being a Christian or at least saying you are It's convenient to be a Christian.
You're raised with the assumption that being a Christian is something you you know. Kind of born into you can adjust to just one principle at a time. You get baptized when he suggested it to you that it's time to do so, you know how to speak the language.
You know how to look good. Because that's how you were raised. There's a danger to all this because many of those raised like that Will fall away. Like one young adult I know who used to go to church every time the doors were open and now doesn't.
Couldn't couldn't quite remember when she was baptized. She was she knows but don't remember. Didn't say anything about conversion and Was surprised that the pastor of the church he attended as a child wouldn't perform the wedding for her and her live-in boyfriend.
But it's just as bad friends for those who kind of coast along.
No.
There's they're still going to church decades later. Solid reliable church attender. Just listening for every sermon. For those basic life principles that will help them. To be a success. Still in church.
Just not crushed by the burden of your sins. Not converted and without conversion. You won't be fateful when the pressure is on and Jesus knows Who you are? Jesus knows how many of us would would last.
Should we find ourselves in? Smyrna. You know being threatened impoverished and slandered. Like getting wine from grapes. We have to be crushed. Suffering purifies the church. It keeps out those with mixed motives.
You know those who are just going along this is the place to go. It's the place to hobnob my family goes. I'll mama will like me. If I go she'll approve. Might be even be good for business. You know hand out some business cards.
Make some contacts. After all. Anyway, that's the way we're raised and. And you know if I ever thought about it, maybe I don't even remember why I come to church other than me. I guess it's good for me when such people are faced with the stark choice of Christ and poverty and suffering.
All bound up together on the one hand or acceptance and popularity and Prosperity on the other. When they have to make that choice.
Then.
The church will be purified. Because some will leave. Suffering will purify the church as people looking for for principles of success will find themselves being crushed and they'll leave only those who know They're sick with sin.
Who have been crushed by the conviction? Of their sins by the Spirit who know that they need not just principles for life. But that they need life itself and only Jesus has that life. Who believe in better and lasting possessions only those will be left and Jesus knows Who they are.
As we go through these seven letters and think which applies to us to this church to you individually. We should face the fact That we've never yet been purified like this. By suffering we've never been crushed like the Christians of Smyrna.
We're asked to come a few times a week. We're asked to give to serve and we're told you know to seek God personally in your in your prayers at home. Read your Bible that he needs to be the most important thing in your life.
There were to be separate from the world. To think differently to value differently there were not to be. Unequally yoked with unbelievers, but those who deny either in their doctrine are in their life that Jesus is Lord.
Now, do we do that? Are we able to suffer, you know those slight losses? Or are we willing to be squeezed by God if not. Would we really be able to stand? Up under what these Christians of Smyrna are to withstand the crushing the people of Smyrna?
Withstood do our lives are our giving of our time and our money really show that we believe We have better and lasting possessions.
Does it or are?
We only Christians of convenience. Friends look at your life now. Examine yourself and ask. You know ask yourself if I were in Smyrna Were to be a Christian meant to be crushed to be poor to be slandered to be killed.
If I were in Smyrna Would I be a Christian?