Series: Letters to the Churches
Title: Persevere in Faith
Text: Revelation 2: 8-11
Date: March 7, 2013
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Today, our text will be
Revelation 2: 8-11. Revelation 2: 8: And
unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write. The letter is written to the
church in Smyrna but it is just as much to us right here today.
Smyrna was just up the coast
from Ephesus, on the Aegean Sea. It was a rich, pagan city, given to
idolatry. But God established a church
there, probably using the apostle Paul.
Acts 19: 10 says in the 2 years Paul preached at Ephesus, “all they
which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
Proposition: The Lord gives no correction to this
church. In this letter, the Lord Jesus encourages us to persevere in the faith.
The Lord Jesus promises a crown of life to all who persevere in faithful unto
death.
Divisions: I. CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO PERSEVERE BY
REMINDING US WHO HE IS—V8: And unto the
angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last,
which was dead, and is alive; II. CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO PERSEVERE BY
REMINDING US THAT HE KNOWS US AND HE KNOWS OUR ENEMIES--V9: 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; III. CHRIST ENCOURAGMES US TO PERSEVERE BY
TELLING US NOT TO FEAR THE THINGS WE SHALL SUFFER—10: Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the
devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall
have tribulation ten days:; IV. CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO PERSEVERE REMINDING
US OF WHAT AWAITS US—V10:…be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life. 11: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the
second death.
I. CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO PERSEVERE BY REMINDING US WHO HE IS—V8:…These things saith the first and the
last, which was dead, and is alive;
When we face troubling
times, usually our attention becomes focused on the waves of trouble. So the first thing Christ does in his
salutation is to lift up our heads to him—v8: These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is
alive;
The First and the Last
Christ is the First and the
Last—the Alpha and Omega. We would say,
“A to Z.” It means Christ our Savior is the eternal God—the whole of all
things.
Concerning the covenant of grace: Christ is the first and last. He is the Mediator, surety, and messenger of
it. Christ is the one who ratified and
confirmed it in his blood. He is the covenant itself. All its blessings and promises are in him—and
he is the sum and substance of those blessings.
Concerning the Scriptures: Christ is the fulfillment
and end of the law and Christ is the Gospel.
Christ is in the first verse of Genesis, “In the beginning God” and
Christ is in the last verse in Revelation 22: 21 “The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you all. Amen.” And
Christ is the whole of everything said on every page in between.
Concerning salvation: Christ
is the whole of salvation. Justification,
sanctification, adoption, redemption, eternal glorification, all spiritual
blessings are all in Christ Jesus.
Concerning all providence: Christ is the first cause
and the last end of all things that come to pass—whether good or evil—all shall
glorify God and work for the good of his people by him.
Isaiah
45:7: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
It means Christ is
Perfect—the fullness of the Godhead. He is perfect God and perfect Man in one
body. With all fullness of power, wisdom, grace, and righteousness as our
Mediator and we are complete in him.
Colossians
1: 16: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. 17: And
he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18: And he is the head
of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead;
that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19: For it pleased the Father
that in him should all fulness dwell.
Christ is the First one we
behold when he saves us by his grace and for all who believe on him until
death, Christ shall be the Last one into whose arms we shall remain for all
eternity.
Revelation
1:8: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which
is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Application: Do you see how
he encourages us to persevere in faith by telling us he is the beginning and
the end? Not only that, but since he is encouraging us to persevere in faith
unto death he reminds us of this:
Dead and Alive
These things saith he “which was dead, and is alive.” Christ Jesus is about to tell us that all
who remain faithful until death shall receive a crown of life. Before he does so, he reminds us that he is
the Firstborn from the dead, which was
dead and is alive.
Christ our Forerunner took
our sins, took our punishment, took our eternal death, and has conquered death
and hell for each and every sinner for whom he died. Now, Christ our Forerunner
is Alive! Christ is our Foundation; Christ is the Builder of his House and
Christ is the Headstone.
Application: The next time your hands begin to hang
down and your weary steps begin to falter—remember Christ was dead for us as
our Substitute but now he is alive for us as our all-powerful Head and Advocate
with the Father.
Romans
5: 8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us. 9: Much more then, being now justified by his
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.10: For if, when we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Be sure to get that last part: WE SHALL BE SAVED
BY HIS LIFE!
II. CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO PERSEVERE BY REMINDING US THAT HE
KNOWS US AND OUR ENEMIES--V9:
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;
Whatever our trouble,
wherever our pathway leads, whoever we encounter along the way—Christ Jesus our
Lord and our Savior knows.
I Know Thy Works
Let this world boast of
their works—we will keep our mouths shut about our works and rest assured that
Christ knows our works—that is all that matters—Christ knows.
I Know Thy Tribulations
Christ assures every
believer of two things. First, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2Ti 3:12 AV) John 16: 33: In the world ye
shall have tribulation. Secondly, “but
be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16: 33)
Isaiah
43: 1: But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that
formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee
by thy name; thou art mine. 2
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God, the
Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia
and Seba for thee. 4 Since thou wast
precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee:
therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 5 Fear not: for I am with thee:…
I Know Thy Poverty
Christ says, “I know thy
poverty (but thou art rich).” One day we
will once again face what the early believers faced. When they confessed Christ and were “put out
of the synagogue” it meant they lost all standing in the community, their jobs,
everything.
Hebrews
11: 35…others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain
a better resurrection: 36 And others had
trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and
imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they
were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about
in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they
wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of
the earth.
Oh, but though poor in
temporal things, the Lord Jesus says, “but
thou art rich.”
Luke
6:20: And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor:
for yours is the kingdom of God.
2
Corinthians 8:9: For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though
he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty
might be rich.
2
Corinthians 6:10: As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Believers have the
unsearchable riches of Christ; the riches of his glory; the riches of his
grace; the riches of the full assurance of understanding, of the mystery of
God, and of the Father, and of Christ; treasures in heaven, where neither moth
nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
I Know the Blasphemy
I know the blasphemy of them
which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan;
The Lord knows those who are
truly his and those who are not.
Churches that teach sinners are saved by their morality is a synagogue
of Satan. Churches that teach sinners
that God has done all he can do now it is up to the sinner is a synagogue of
Satan. Churches that preach works for
salvation is a synagogue of Satan.
Christ knows them that are
his. God our Father wrote our names in
the Lambs book of life before the world was made. Christ said, “I know my
sheep.”
Luke
3:17: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather
the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
Application: So believer, when you feel surrounded
by a host of will-workers who belittle you for being in the minority—for being
a remnant—just remember the Lord knows.
Psalm
1:6: For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly
shall perish.
Psalm
37:18: The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be
for ever.
III. CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO PERSERVER BY TELLING US NOT TO FEAR—V10: Fear none of those things which thou
shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may
be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days:
Fear None of Those Things
There is something
comforting to hear the Lord forewarn us that we shall suffer—yet he says “fear
none of those things which thou shalt suffer.”
Men under the power of the devil shall try their best to bind the word
of God from going forth by throwing his people into prison: and there are many
different kinds of prisons—various kinds of bondage and restraints.
Illustration: Did it work with John Bunyan? It afforded him a quiet place to concentrate
all his efforts on writing works that are still being read to this day.
Remember Christ is the First
and the Last—the devil can do nothing but what Christ permits—and if Christ
permits it then it is certainly best and will issue in a good ending. Remember
what our Savior told Pilot?
John 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power
at all against me, except it were given thee from above:
Notice it is for a reason—v10: that ye may be tried. Follow the example of our Savior.
1
Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
1Peter
4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a
Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
And notice the Lord gives a
definite, set time to the suffering—10
days—it means our suffering will not last forever. Everything on this earth
is temporary—including our troubles.
Luke
12:6: Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is
forgotten before God? 7 But even the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value
than many sparrows.
Application: Brethren, Christ has redeemed us—he
purchased us with his own blood—we belong to him for eternity—and none shall
pluck us from his hand. The worst a man
can do to us will be the best thing for us—if they kill us they just open the
door to eternal bliss with our Savior.
IV. CHRIST ENCOURAGES US TO PERSEVERE IN FAITH TELLING US WHAT
AWAITS US—V10:…be thou faithful unto
death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11: He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be
hurt of the second death.
Be Thou Faithful unto Death
Christ says, “Be thou
faithful unto death.” Cast all your care
upon Christ for he careth for you. Never
cease trusting Christ. Trust him unto
death
A Crown of Life
And I will give thee a crown of life—what a crown—a crown of
life! The crown for every believer shall
be eternal life itself. The way it will
be proven that we are truly chosen, truly redeemed by his blood, truly born of
his Spirit is “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope
firm unto the end.” (Heb 4: 6…
Hebrews
3: 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be
in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while
it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of
sin. 14 For we are made partakers of
Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
No Hurt
Christ says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the
second death.” That separation from
God which Christ suffered on the tree—is the second death—which he conquered
for those he represented. For those who do not trust Christ—physical
death will just be the beginning of death.
Then comes the second death: the worm that never dies.
But those who die in faith
shall live with Christ forever and ever.
He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (John 5:25; 11:25;
Rev. 20:6). We have been ordained to eternal life (Acts 13:48). Christ
purchased eternal life for us (Heb. 9:12). We have eternal life now (1 John
5:13; Heb. 11:13- 16; Col. 1:21-23).
Now, come back in the second
hour and we will see what we can learn about our eternal inheritance.
Amen!