The church at Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11) – 4/14/13
Smyrna was located about 35 miles north from the city of Ephesus, and it was a large city.
- In this city people made a sweet smelling spice used for embalming.
THESE CHRISTIANS HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT STRUGGLES.
a) Verse 9 –READ
b) The word “tribulation” does not sound all that pleasant.
c) Right after using this word John spoke about “poverty.”
d) Then he said these Christians were being accused of “blasphemy.”
2) Verse 10 – READ
a) Think about what is associated with the words “suffer,” “devil,” “prison,” “tried,” “tribulation.”
b) John spoke about working to avoid being “fearful” and warned about the possibility of death.
3) John assured these Christians that God “knew” what was going on in their lives.
4) At Smyrna God knew His people were facing some pretty serious hardships.
5) The word translated “tribulation” in verse 9 means “pressed” or “squeezed.”
6) Five of these congregations in Rev. 2-3 received some type of correction or rebuke.
7) Philadelphia, the sixth congregation, was not rebuked.
8) The other congregation that was not rebuked was Smyrna.
9) “Poor people” are sometimes God’s greatest people.
10) Christians at Smyrna were wealthy when it came to their spiritual lives.
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.
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1) The latter part of verse 9 tells us these Christians were victims of “blasphemy.”
2) Jews – non-Christians – were saying bad things about the church members at Smyrna.
a) Today some of God’s finest people are still blasphemed.
b) Attacks on good brethren have come from inside and outside the church.
c) If we are ever tempted to quit or reduce or service because we are attacked, we need to think about Smyrna.
3) The “suffering” faced by these Christians also got physical.
4) Verse 10 Satan was going to have some success in getting some of these Christians cast into prison.
5) These Christians were going to suffer for “ten days.”
a) “Ten” is a Bible way of symbolizing completeness.
b) God gave “Ten Commandments.”
c) In Num. 14:22 God said He had been tempted “ten” times.
THESE CHRISTIANS NEEDED TO KEEP GOING.
1) They were to obey civil authority (Rom. 13) as fully as possible.
2) “Beast worship” (Rev. 13) – following evil dictates from society/government was not allowed.
3) In our lifetime we might be asked to make a choice between God and government. Acts 5:29
4) If we choose to obey the government and make life easier Rev. 13 says “woe to us.”
5) If we stand up and say we must obey God at all costs, we may have to face some consequences.
6) Absolutely nothing in life is worth sacrificing the crown of life.
7) When we leave this life, what will be our fate – punishment or bliss?
