The Revelation of Christ – Part 4:
Smyrna The Steadfast Church
HOFC - Pastor Bruce A. Shields
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SERMON
INTRODUCTION
The
Book of Revelation, or the Revelation of Christ, is the most difficult book in
the bible.
Because
of this fact, many avoid it, or ignore it all together. Some fear lack of
understanding, others afraid to misinterpret, which I guess it is better to
avoid than dive in and get it completely wrong.
Many
times, when a new believer comes to me for direction, they want to jump right
into Revelation and find out what’s to come.
This
is equivalent to deciding one day to learn Mandarin and sitting down to author
a novel in Chinese that very same day.
Or,
a kindergartener learning how to count, and then trying to calculate quantum
mechanics calculations.
The
words in Revelation have caused much debate on rapture, judgement, even some
who claim John was writing about the events in his day in code rather than
Jesus Christ revealing to him about the coming events and Judgment.
A
special blessing is promised to those who read Revelation.
Although
it may be a difficult book, we could all use a special blessing, reading this
is good for us all, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will take the
Revelation of Christ in small portions and gain understanding, little by
little.
SERMON SERIES
THE THINGS WHICH
ARE – The Church Age (Age of Grace)
Part 3 – Ephesus The
Backsliding Church
Part 4 – Smyrna
The Steadfast Church
Part 5 – Pergamos The Immoral Church
Part 6 – Thyatira The Careless Pagan Church
Part 7 – Sardis The Dead Church
Part 8 – Philadelphia The Favored Church
Part 9 – Laodicea The Church God Hates
THE THINGS WHICH
SHALL BE – The Coming Judgment
Part 10 – The Throne of God
Part 11 – The Living Creatures (Various Angels)
Part 12 – Heavenly Worship (As it is in Heaven)
Part 13 – The Sealed Book (Various Books)
Part 14 – The Lion and the Lamb
Part 15 – The First 6 Seals
Part 16 – The 144,000 Jews
Part 17 – The Tribulation Saints
Part 18 – The Seventh Seal
Part 19 – The First 4 Trumpets
Part 20 – The 5th Trumpet
Part 21 – The 6th Trumpet
Part 22 – The Mighty Angel
Part 23 – The Two Witnesses
Part 24 – The Seventh Trumpet
Part 25 – The Woman and the Dragon
Part 26 – Manchild
Part 27 – Michael
Part 28 – Overcomers
Part 29 – Persecution
Part 30 – Antichrist
Part 31 – The Lamb
More sermons in the series listed in Part 1
TODAY’S SERMON
Part 4 – Smyrna The Steadfast Church
Revelation
1:3
“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and
blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in
it, because the time is near.”
SCRIPTURE READING
Revelation
2:8-11
“To the angel of the church in Smyrna
write:
These are the words of him who is the
First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions
and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say
they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 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 life as your victor’s crown.
11 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.”
I.
INTRODUCTION AND UNDERSTANDING
a.
Who is speaking?
i. “These are the words of
Him, who is the first and the last, who died and came to life again.”
ii. The words of the Lord are recorded in this letter.
b.
The first, the last, who died and came to life again
i. “the first and the last”
1.
Throughout scripture the
Lord refers to Himself as the “Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end.”
2.
Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, 48:12;
Revelation 1:8, 1:17, 2:8, 3:14, 21:6, etc
ii. “who died and came to life
again”
1.
Important for many reasons
to state this fact;
a.
Dying, Jesus was the
perfect atoning sacrifice for us
b.
Living again shows God the
Father accepted the Lords sacrifice and returned Him to life, showing approval
2.
Dying was not enough,
coming back showed the Lord accomplished what He set out to do.
3.
Isaiah 55:11 “so is my word that goes
out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I
desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
c.
The Lord understands our struggles
i. We know from earlier verses that the Lord stands among
the lampstands (churches) and that He alone decides which candle will bear His
light.
ii. Because He stands among them, He knows and understands
what takes place in them.
iii. This means He not only knows our sins but understands
our obedience’s and struggles.
1.
I know about your
afflictions
2.
Your poverty
a.
Yet, you are rich!
3.
I know about the slander of
those who say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
a.
Synagogue of Satan
i. Revelation 2:9, 3:9
ii. Those who claim to be Jews, but deny the Lord Jesus as
Christ and Messiah are not true Jews, but a church of lies, a synagogue of
Satan
iii. John 8:44 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want
to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not
holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his
native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
4.
The Lord also refers to
them as a “Brood of vipers” in Matthew
3:7, 12:34, 23:33; Luke 3:7
II.
ENCOURAGEMENT AND INSIGHT
a.
Do not be afraid
i. Isaiah 43:1 “Don't fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called
you by name; you are Mine.”
ii. “Do not be anxious about
anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the
peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~
Philippians 4:6-7
iii. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
iv. “There is no fear in love.
But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The
one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
~ 1 John 4:18
v. “Therefore do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.” ~ Matthew 6:34
vi. “He got up, rebuked the
wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it
was completely calm. He said to his
disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” ~ Mark 4:39-40
b.
Fear is Faith
i. We are told in the verses above;
1.
Don’t fear because;
a.
I have redeemed you
b.
I have called you by name
c.
You are mine
d.
In every situation pray
with thanksgiving and present your requests to God
e.
God has NOT given us a
Spirit of fear!
2.
You will receive;
a.
The Peace of God
b.
Guarding of your heart
c.
Guarding of your mind in
Christ Jesus
d.
A Spirit of power
e.
A Spirit of love
f.
A Spirit of sound mind
g.
Perfect love that drives
out fear
3.
Why are you afraid? Do you
still have no faith?
c.
Insight of what is to come
i. There will be troubles in this life
ii. We are told “the
storm comes”, “the rain falls on the just and the unjust”, “troubles will
come”, “but woe unto them from whom they come by”, NOT woe to them with
troubles!
iii. Our house is built upon the rock of our salvation,
Christ Jesus, and we can, through the power of Christ, withstand any and all
troubles which we face int his life.
iv. Greater is He whom is in us than he who is in the
world, and all things are possible through Christ Jesus, then what do we have
to fear?
1.
Absolutely nothing in this
life.
v. The Lord warns Smyrna of their coming troubles but
encourages them “Do not be afraid of what
you are about to suffer.”
III.
INSTRUCTION AND REWARD
a.
Instruction (Command of Christ)
i. The Lord then commands them with these instructions
when the trouble comes
1.
Be faithful (faith in God
not in fear)
2.
Even to the point of death
(do not fear dying)
b.
Being obedient to Him
i. The Lord knows our situation, and He understands when
we are afraid, this is why He encourages us, instructs us, and knows when we
are obedient to His command.
ii. He would not call us to obedience unless we CAN be
obedient.
c.
The Reward
i. REMEMBER
1.
Our obedience unlocks the door for the Lord to;
a.
Pour out His blessings
b.
Allow His Spirit to protect
c.
Activates the Whole Armor
of God
d.
Gives us the supernatural strength
we need
2.
Obedience is the secret to
allowing the Lord to do a work in your troubles!
ii. The Word says in I John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because
fear has to do with punishment…”
1.
Fear has to do with
punishment
2.
The one who should fear, is
the one who comes against you!
iii. Matthew 18:6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who
believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large
millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
iv. Now, who is it that should fear?
1.
Enemies of God
2.
Broods of vipers
3.
Synagogue of Satan
4.
Storms in your life
5.
Trials in your life
6.
Tribulations in your life
7.
Those who come against
children of God
CONCLUSION
– Whoever has ears, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches
Ephesus
- To the one who is VICTORIOUS I (Jesus) will give the right to eat from the tree
of life, which is in the
Paradise of God.
Smyrna
- The one who is VICTORIOUS will not be hurt at all by the second
death.
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