Introduction:
Jesus’ letter to Smyrna links the city’s history of death and glorious resurrection, to his encouragement to endurance through the trials and test.
Smyrna was established in the 11th Century BC and destroyed 580BC. It laid in ruins for 300 years until it was rebuilt in 290 BC by the Greeks. It was one of the few cities that were built to a plan, and it was described by ancient historians and writers as “the glory of Asia”.
But at the end of the Hellenistic period, Smyrna cut ties with Greece and appealed to Rome for help. In order to impress the Empire, Smyrna built a Temple to the Goddess Roma and was an enthusiastic supporter of the cult of emperor worship, also building a temple to the deified emperor Caesar Augustus. It was said that the Smyrnans were more Roman than the Romans.
The city lay in a natural harbour which was the outlet of a great river making it a trade centre. It was also famous for its schools in philosophy and rhetoric and is the birthplace of the poet, Homer. Smyrna was also the home and place of Polycarp’s martyrdom. A disciple of the Apostle John and his successor as head of the Christian Church in Smyrna.
Concrete Foundations:
Here is the message of the First and the Last, who was dead and has come to life again (Rev 2:8).
First and the Last
We often hear this term linked with The Alpha and the Omega. Not only is Jesus saying he is the A and the Z, but He is also everything in between. He was there before it all began, he is present every step of the way, and he will remain till all is said and done. Before him there was nothing, and He will be the last one standing.
I recently finished reading Simon Cleary’s, “Everything is Water” where the author quotes (p 196).
Herman Hesse’s Ferryman in Siddhartha
“Have you also learned that secret from the river that there is no such thing as time? That the river, is everywhere at the same time.”
This is a good description of God. He not only stands outside of time and space. He is everywhere at the same time within time and space. The first and the Last.
Who died and came back to life again
Tying into Smyrna’s theme of death and resurrection, Jesus declared his own truth: Unlike false gods, and man-made idols, I live! And not only does he live as the eternal living God, He defeated death: He is the God of life for ever.
Jesus opened this letter with a concrete foundation of who he is, with an underlying challenge whispered:
“I am who I say I am. Do you believe?”
Encouragements:
9 I know your hardships and your poverty, and though you are rich, the slander of the people who falsely claim to be Jews but are really members of the synagogue of Satan. Rev 2:9.
In the first Century AD, Christianity was not a legal religion. Those who refused to acknowledge Caesar as God could be, and were, put to death. Hardships can be translated, “affliction,” “tribulation,” “distress”. Poverty translates “beggary,” “extreme poverty”.
These guys were doing it more than a bit tough. Due to their lack of legal protection, others could confiscate their property, bar them from work, and or steal from them without reprisals. The Christians of Smyrna were hated and slandered by the Jews and persecuted by locals. Synagogue of Satan, or any reference to people being Satan, was Jesus identifying those being used by the Accuser rather than willingly being aligned with him. Eg. Peter.
Shared Suffering in the Test
Jesus Knew of his faithful followers suffering three-fold. From…
- His vantage point of being the first and the Last — He saw
- Paul’s encounter, “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me (Acts 9:4)”— He felt
- His time walking among us — He experienced
Everything our brothers and sisters suffer, every trial we endure, it is because he has suffered first John 15:20
Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too…”
But its more than this. Paul helps us understand how our suffering effects Jesus in his letter to the Colossians Colossians 1:24
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
Whatever we suffer for the name of Christ, He—Christ—suffers first. All wounds inflicted upon the church and the faithful, fall on Christ. It is only as we enter into relationship with God do we share in his suffering: It is His affliction first and foremost. He knows and understands our suffering because it is His suffering.
Can you hear the challenge:
I see, I feel, I know, I am with you, do you believe?
Exhortation
10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Rev 2:10.
All I can think on their behalf when I read this is, “Great. You say the sufferings that are coming to us? What about the ones we’re currently trying to survive?”
Sadly, this is the main message of the letter to the Church in Smyrna. Your suffering is not over, more is coming. But hang in there, remain faithful, it will not last forever.
But seriously, if God is who he says he is, why can’t he take it away? Aren’t we supposed to pray and believe? Aren’t we supposed to have faith like a mustard seed and see mountains moved? Doesn’t Scripture say, Pray, believe and it will happen? Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
It doesn’t seem to matter sometimes how much we pray, or have faith, or believe, or want… not all receive healing, or relief, or release. However, those who are left to suffer receive another gift. 2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Can you hear the challenge:
I can and will fulfil my promises, do you believe?
Testing?
Look, the Adversary is going to have some of you thrown in prison, in order to put you to the test; and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful, even to the point of death; and I will give you life as your crown. Rev 2:10.
So, if God is all-knowing, why do the faithful need to be tested. Surely, he can see our hearts, our actions, our love?
My friend and I were discussing “testing” the other day and she shared teaching she had heard from her church:
“We see testing as suffering or resisting temptation. But often, it’s not this, but more about how we think of things: Who he is and what we believe he is capable of. There is a discrepancy between what we actually believe and what we think we believe.” David Ruthven, North Pine Anglican Church
So, how do we learn the difference?
Last time we looked at how the Ephesians were accused of losing their first love. It’s natural for the blush of first love (when it is easy to be swept away) to fade, but it must be replaced with mature devotion which requires steadfast commitment. This can only be developed through testing.
It’s all about Growth
12 For although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the very first principles of God’s Word all over again! You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who has to drink milk is still a baby, without experience in applying the Word about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by continuous exercise to distinguish good from evil.
Paul, the Author of Hebrews, and John throughout the NT challenge believers to grow up. To develop and mature in our faith and obedience. We cannot do this from an armchair. This depth can only come from facing challenges.
This week we watched a Nick Cave interview where he spoke on the loss of his two sons. He said, Grief and suffering create cracks that take us deeper into ourselves: our self-awareness.
Friends, when suffering, grief, loss, pain, hardships, illness, challenge, testing happens to us, we have a choice. Always, we have a choice. We can let God into the new depth that had been carved out through our suffering and trials like an ice breaker carves into ice, or we can let bitterness in. Because as the void is created, something will rush in, like a backdraft. What that is, is up to us.
“Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance.”
Can you hear the challenge:
You are my child, I love you, do you believe?
Why?
All of that is well and good, but why should we bother? Things would be so much easier if we just went with the flow of the world around us. Aren’t we causing more grief and suffering to Jesus when we’re afflicted? Mathew 10:32-34
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Jesus reminds that from the moment we were born, we are at war: Either at war with God and at one with the world, sin and Satan; or we are at war with the world and one with God. There is no easy way. There is no smooth path… for long. It comes down to witnessing whom we love the most: ourselves or Christ. 1 Peter 4:16-17a
But if anyone suffers for being Messianic, let him not be ashamed; but let him bring glory to God by the way he bears this name. For the time has come for the judgment to begin. It begins with the household of God;
Stay Strong Smyrna
Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna to be strong and courageous because he knows:
- You are suffering – I know just how tough it is.
- What is coming – it will get worse: some will go to prison, some will die.
- I promise it will not last – I have ordained a certain amount of time.
- Your heart
- I’ve seen how all of this ends.
- To those of you remain faithful,
… I will give you the crown of life for your prize… for those who prove victorious will come to no harm Rev 2:10-11.
Can you hear the challenge:
“I am the first and the Last, do you believe?”
So What?
We started this study liking at the questions, “As a Church, and as individual children of God, what are our goals and how do we live, in these rapidly changing times?”
It is fair to say, suffering is coming. Whether we will be put in prison, denied opportunities to work, slandered, or killed, as the darkness builds, those of us in the Light will stand apart more obviously. But the good news is, this is as it should be: God is not surprised by this or caught off guard.
All of us who follow and love our Lord will be tested. Jesus promised. So it will be. But we are not being punished by God, we are being given the opportunity to glorify God—much like Job—through our faithfulness.
As we grow in faith, as God allows the icebreaker of testing to crack through our immaturity, we are given more and more opportunity to glorify God.
In every opportunity, as we live life in the love of God, the Light of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, through the good and the bad, as a Church, and as individual children of God, our goal is to remember our first love and grow in maturity in our faith. Acknowledge that testing is not punishment, but opportunity. Every challenge we meet, we live our lives in these rapidly changing times?” By answering the questions, do you believe:
- You are my child?
- I am who I say I am?
- I can and will fulfil my promises to you?
Echoing our Lord and answering; yes, yes, and amen.
The Test
In each and every way we are tested, we have opportunity to mature, and we have the choice to follow in our Lord’s footsteps, within the love of the father and in the power of the Holy Spirit, to continually prove ourselves tried and true to our identity,
- Child of God
- Our calling to obey
- Our purpose to glorify God
