The Persecuted Church

In our studies of the seven churches in Revelation, we now move up the road some 40 to 50 miles north of Ephesus and find a church whose name means "bitter".

Smyrna was a city of tremendous beauty. In fact it was known as "the beautiful" due to it's natural, commercial, and beautiful buildings. It was in part the rival of Ephesus. The roman laws against Christians were also very prominent here as well. Not much is said in the New Testament about Smyrna other than what we read here, but what is said here of this church is enough to know that they were a people that stood on their faith and belief in Jesus Christ. Now, let us look at what Christ said that he knows about this church.

I. Smyrna's Suffering.

A. Tribulation;

1. Tribulation derives from the Greek word "thlipsis", which suggests a pressing out of grapes for their juice. This church was feeling this "pressing out" because of their complete and open faith in Christ. Christ himself felt this "pressing out" in the Garden of Gethsemane.

2. Tribulation brings with it a time of discomfort. I don't know of anyone who would want tribulation. However, if we live an open faith and belief in Christ we need expect this to be part of our life.

B. Poverty;

1. Poverty is the lowest of both the physical and the spiritual scales. One either grows up in this place of their life or one gets their by unforeseen circumstances. This church, and when I use that term I am referring to the people not the building, suffered the loss of everything they had. Persecution was most often followed with confiscation of belongings. I know of a Missionary who was persecuted daily. His home was ransacked once or twice a week even while he was at home, but he never let that deter him from his calling to give that people the Word of God. II Cor. 8:9 tells us that though Christ was rich, he became poor for our sakes. What a wonderful message!

II. Satan's Synagogue.

A. Satan's Disciples;

1. We know that as God has his disciples, so Satan does as well. These Satanic disciples are called demons. Satan has been trying, and succeeding in many ways, to infiltrate the church. Here it is no different. A Judaizing movement was taking place here and these false preachers were teaching that Grace was accompanied with works of the old law. One could not really be saved by Grace alone, works were to be added as well. Eph. 2: 5 & 8 tells us that by Grace are we saved and Grace alone. Works are simply an outward showing of our inward condition, James 2: 2o. There are these same types of false preachers in the world today and many are falling to their traps. What are we doing to trip up these traps before others fall prey to them ?


III. Sanctified Saints.

A. Sanctified means to be "set apart". Christ is telling these Christians at Smyrna to be and to remain "set apart". It would have been easy to go the way of the false preachers to avoid any further persecutions, but the easy way is not always the best way. When we have a decision to make to either serve God or serve the world, and if serving God would mean untold troubles in our life, would we make that decision ? That is exactly what Christ told these people in verse 10. He told them to fear nothing of which they would suffer. Why, because He would be there just as He always had been. Salvation gives not a delivery from death, however, it does give us victory and triumph over death. We are promised the "crown of life", James 1:12. Christ can promise and fulfill this promise because He himself received this crown on that wonderful day of His resurrection! We as his children will receive this crown, but can also receive four more as well.

1. An incorruptible crown - I Cor. 9:25
2. A Soul winners crown - Phil. 4:1 & I Thess. 2:19
3. A Righteousness crown - II Tim. 4:8
4. The crown of glory - I Peter 5:4

Our goal should be to receive each and everyone of these crowns. We must strive to achieve as much for Christ as we can. Our time is drawing very short to win the lost to Christ. We can look at persecution in a positive light. When we are being persecuted and troubled then we are doing what Christ wants us to do. The Word of God has always offended some and will always do such as long as this world goes on. Rest assured that those that do the will of the Lord will be rewarded and that yours and my efforts for Him does not go unnoticed.