THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA ICU Notes

SEVEN KEYS: Living in Uncertain Times

ICU Group Notes

Session 2: January 21, 2018

"The Key of Faithfulness"

Revelation 2:8–11 (NKJV) And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”

Smyrna was 35 miles north of Ephesus. The presence of a Roman imperial cult and a large Jewish population made life difficult for believers in Smyrna. However, the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia are the only two of the seven not rebuked by Christ in some way. Of the seven cities addressed in Revelation 2 and 3, this is the only one which exists today; it is the modern Turkish town of Izmir. In the first century it was a wealthy seaport, and a place of advanced culture for that time.

We Christians have troubles, pressures, or “tribulations”. The word which is translated “tribulations” (Gr. thlipsis) was also used in classical Greek to describe the way the Romans would torture someone by applying the pressure of heavy stones to the chest of a criminal. This heavy pressure had the effect of slowly mashing the individual to death.

1. What was the problem in the Smyrna church?

a. Persecution

b. Fear

2. What is the key, the process that will fix the problem?

a. Overcoming fear

b. Faithfulness

3.  What prize is promised?

a. The "Crown of Life"

b. Eternal life

4. What provision does God give us to accomplish this task?

To aid in your study and discussion, I am providing some additional material by Charlie Wolcott. The material has been adapted from Charlie's articles on the seven churches found on the "Worldview Warriors" webpage, and has been edited for our purposes. You can read the entire article at: http://worldviewwarriors.blogspot.com/2018/01/to-church-at-smyrna.html

To the Church at Smyrna

The second letter from Jesus to the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 is to Smyrna. Smyrna had it rough with numerous persecutions, poverty, and slander against them. Jesus’ letter to them was a letter of encouragement. This and the letter to the church in Philadelphia were the only two of these seven without a warning against a particular sin. This is a letter warning that the hardships were about to get worse, but it would be worth enduring them.

Jesus first reminds this church that he is the First and the Last, the one who died but now is risen. He knew the works of Smyrna. He knew the tribulations they were going through. He even knew their poverty and yet declared they were rich. And he knew that there were other Christians and Jews claiming to be as such who were not and were blaspheming both them and the very Christ they claimed to follow.

The first century church was a church that lived the way Christianity was supposed to live. Yes, they had many flaws and many faults, but the Bride of Christ worked as a whole unit, endured fierce persecution, and was willing to leave everything on the field to go after Christ. They were dealing with Nero’s formal persecution but also much of the informal persecution which Paul often saw. They were not wealthy, yet they had riches no one in the world system could see. False believers were speaking openly against them with slander. There is a lot of similarity to this among the true Christians today.

We in America do not have the formal persecution going on which was endured in the Roman Empire or the 1500s Inquisition. However, we are experiencing the informal persecution and it’s getting worse. Christians have been bullied out of business because of standing for their beliefs.

Jesus warned the church of Smyrna and he warns those of us being persecuted for nothing other than actually standing up and saying what the Bible says. He encourages us to hang on and endure. Some will be arrested and put into prison; others will be silenced.

Jesus told us, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Yes, that means stay true to what you believe, even unto the point of death. Those who endure and will not renounce the name of Christ at the cost of job, popularity, social prestige, finances, family turning on you, or even death, will not be touched by the second death (verse 11). There is no way to endure this persecution without knowing the God of the Bible in His power in your life. Head knowledge won’t do it. Emotional passion won’t do it. Only the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in his power can do it. Persecution is coming, and God will offer all the grace necessary to get through it.