Then, they would want to pray with us. Thus, it is not that much of a stretch or even a job relocation to be a church of Satan, since we are already such a place. Satan had plans to cast some of the Smyrna church into prison. Finally, one of the soldiers took his sword and he ended the life of this great martyr, Polycarp. They took him to the amphitheater where the proconsul tried over and over to persuade him to renounce his faith. It was one of the chief cities of Roman-dominated Asia and competed with places such as Pergamos and Ephesus for the title "First City of Asia." What was Jesus message to the church in Ephesus in Revelation? So, I caught all kinds of grief, you know, comments made like: oh, you would fit well into grandmothers generation. You are really out of touch with reality today. Just cruel comments. Smyrna is still a large seaport with the present population of about 275,000 people. I had some coworkers in Dallas who used to joke about the parties they were going to have in hell. Do not fear. Its system of coinage was old, and now about the city coins of every period are found. How do these verses affirm Christs equality with God? They had no love for God. It may seem as if people were the enemy, the Jews in the synagogue of Satan, or the government that wants you to worship its emperor. How is it possible to not fear impending tribulation and suffering? Property Reports > U.S. > Georgia > Cobb County > Smyrna > 30080 > Church St > 975 . Kingdom 103: The Governor is Meant For All, Kingdom 103: The Holy Spirit is Your Guide and Teacher, Kingdom 103: Your Legacy and the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: The Misrepresentation of the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: Earthly Holidays Misrepresent the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: His Name is All Authority and Power, Kingdom 104: His Law, the Source of All His Principles and Truth, Kingdom 104: Failing to Know Your Kingdom Assignment Brings Boredom, Kingdom 104: The Purpose of the Sabbath--Rest and Teach, Kingdom 104: The Sabbath or Seventh Day God's Way, Kingdom 104: The Sabbath or Seventh Day God's Way Pt 2, Kingdom 104: Living in the Kingdom Culture, Kingdom 104: Your Eternal Foundation Will Sustain You, Kingdom 104: The Diluting of the Kingdom Message, Kingdom 104: Being Deceived From Your True Identity Pt 1, Kingdom 104: Being Deceived From Your True Identity Pt 2, Kingdom 104: Being Deceived Without a Solid Foundation, Kingdom 104: What Profit Has Righteousness in the Kingdom? I do not want to simply stand there. What is in the way of my listening to God? Today, we look at the letter to the church at Smyrna, a church known for suffering. Why is it that when we seek to run "His" church "our" way, we embarrass and dishonor Him and His Way? We would go and sit in their homes. Life is not going so great. Laodicea lay in Phrygia's Lycus Valley, ten miles west of Colosse and six miles south of Hierapolis. Before they lit the fire, he prayed, Oh Lord, almighty God, I thank you for counting me worthy of sharing the cup of Christ among the number of your martyrs. They had no food. I had the opportunity while I lived there to visit in the homes of some Chinese believers who had undergone some serious persecution for their faith during the years of the Cultural Revolution. Ancient coin inscriptions describe Smyrna as first of Asia in size and beauty, and The Ornament of Asia.. Consider this: when we are independent from Christ in our personal lives and in running our churches, we are forsaking and opposing Him. They said you make light of that then we will burn you at the stake! The Jews who hated him gathered the wood for the fire. How can this give you hope for your church? I shut the door and I stood there. They were Jews by race and that is it. Well, the second thing we need to remember is that the ultimate test is suffering. Let me tell you one other thing. 1. Many were placed on the rack where they were stretched so far that their legs and their arms were pulled out of their sockets. What is your Motivation for Moving Forward? I just thought, you have no idea.. This second death means that those who fail to accept Christ will also be resurrected, only to die again in the "lake of fire." They were doing Satans will and not Gods. It may seem like they are the enemy. 5. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victors crown.(Revelation 2:8-10). I wish I had more time to go into detail of his story. They were boycotted. You are struggling. Even after I left to go on staff of Campus Crusade, she wrote me while I was in ministry. What should you do? 3. Smyrna, originally peopled by Asiatics known as the Lelages, is located 56 kilometers (35 miles) from Ephesus and 79 kilometers (49 miles) from Pergamos (Pergamon). Is it fire, is it brimstone, is it gnashing of teeth? He is the overcomer and it says here in Revelation 2:11. 7. I went into her office and I said you know I just wanted to ask you a question. If they kill you, they just ended your physical life. Look at the conversation between Jesus and the Jews in John 8:31-47. The crown of victory belonged to the victor alone, and every other competitor was considered defeated. These churches were seven real churches at the time, and some believe they represent seven church ages, while others argue they represent seven church types that have existed since the church began, and will exist until Christ returns. It is eternal torment. 5. Kingdom 103: Your Faith is Essential in the Kingdom, Kingdom 103: They Praise Him, But Fail to Obey Him, Kingdom 103: The King's Will and the King's Word, Kingdom 103: Know Your Purpose While on This Earth. They despised and hated Jesus Christ. It was celebrated for its schools of science and medicine, and for its handsome buildings. Oct 04, 2021 41:20. But instead, through their surrendered lives, the Holy Spirit empowered the Smyrnaean Christians to choose spiritual wealth over worldly gain. What was Jesus message to the church in Smyrna in Revelation? Christians were viewed as antisocial elitists for refusing to participate in it. For the first He says in Revelation 2:10, Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. They were going to nail him to the stake, but he said they did not have to nail me, I will stay. Give it to the Lord, trust His hand, and look ahead to the blessings that await you eternally. What did the future hold for the church at Smyrna and what would be the purpose? It is not for you to carry around and have them saying, wow, look at my crown! Your crown is a little small there. Look how many I have. These crowns are not for the purpose of making you feel good about your life on this earth because we are told in Revelation 4:10 that we will go before the throne of God and we will go on our knees and our faces before Him and we will cast our crowns at his feet. Her debut childrens book, What Is A Family? 105 views, 1 likes, 1 loves, 0 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Buncombe Baptist Church Lexington: Welcome to the home of Intentional. They will eventually die and they will eventually be put out of their misery. Verses 9 and 10 also go on to tell us a third thing we need to remember in order to suffer well. Kingdom 103: The Kingdom Mindset of Authority, Kingdom 103: Ephesus, Its Believers' Characteristics, Kingdom 103: Ephesus, Its Believers' Characteristics Pt 2, Kingdom 103: Smyrna, Its Believers' Characteristics, Kingdom 103: Pergamos, The Compromising Church, Kingdom 103: Thyatira, Its Believers' Characteristics, Kingdom 103: Thyatira, Its Believers' Characteristics Pt 2, Kingdom 103: Sardis, Its Believers' Characteristics, Kingdom 103: Philadelphia, Its Believers' Characteristics, Kingdom 103: Philadelphia, Its Believers' Characteristics Pt 2, Kingdom 103: Laodicea, The Lukewarm Church, Kingdom 103: He Came Under the Cloak of Darkness, Kingdom 103: Authorized Power for the Heavenly Government, Kingdom 103: Never Assume in Marriage Pt 1, Kingdom 103: Never Assume in Marriage Pt 2, Kingdom 103: Love in Marriage Needs to be Refreshed, Kingdom 103: Fatherlessness, the Source of Disobedience and Sin, Kingdom 103: The Simplicity of the Kingdom Gospel, Kingdom 103: Kingdom Culture Displayed to the Blind. Whatever it is, it is a hard season of life. It's incumbent on us to listen up and give heed to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches. I believe it is something so horrible that it is hard to describe in words. So, I would go to these dinners hating it because all they would do was just drink and drink. Be encouraged as you study the message sent to this church. What does He promise to the one who overcomes? Yet, He is there, guiding us with a beacon that says. Those crowns are not to make us feel good about ourselves. The challenge for us is to suffer well. I know what it is like to face death at their hands. So, I went into her office, which was at the back of the lab. How have you seen God use trials and suffering in your life? I walked out and thank goodness it was 3:30 which was the time to go home. Pt 2, Kingdom 104: Christianity Misrepresents the Kingdom Pt 1, Kingdom 104: Christianity Misrepresents the Kingdom Pt 2, Kingdom 104: A Focused Representative of the Kingdom, Kingdom 104: Where Are the Masculine-Thinking Men? They were reporting false allegations to the government about these believers, saying things which were not true about them. If we are going to suffer well, the first thing we have to remember is that Jesus Christ is the ultimate victor. What does God want me to share with someone? He wants to stop us. Satan does not want believers to study the book of Revelation because he does not want you to know your eternal hope. He knows us more intimately that we can imagine and desires that we be in Him and glorify Him fully. Take some time to praise God for who He is in light of the Scripture you read today. You know that it is spiritual warfare where you get discouraged by things you hear said. Maybe you are dealing with an illness. There was no rebuke for this church and because they were faithful until death, their candlestick has never been removed. The 2 nd century Church bishop and . He knows the tough times. 3. They had absolutely nothing. Based on His intimate awareness of their spiritual condition, Jesus uses these letters to dig deep into the inner workings of each church and flesh out areas of commendation or correction. How do you demonstrate faithfulness? In this same verse, Jesus offers great comfort to His church by assuring them that He is the God who sees, knows, and cares about their troubles. Scripture does not record the founding of the church of Smyrna.
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