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The Letter to the Church in SmyrnaText: Revelation 2:8-11 Introduction:
I. The city of Smyrna.
A. Smyrna was one of the most beautiful cities in the
known world when John wrote Revelation.
B. The city was favored with good harbors, thus it
became a maritime city, and received much wealth
from commerce.
C. Politically, Smyrna was aligned with Rome.
1. It had chosen the right side in all of the civil
wars.
2. It had built a temple honoring Rome.
3. It claimed to be first in Caesar worship.
a. In the days of Domitian, Caesar worship
became compulsory.
b. Once a year, everyone was required to burn a
pinch of incense on the alter to the godhead
of Caesar.
c. To refuse to do this was considered an act of
treason.
II. The church in Smyrna.
A. All we can read about the church is found here.
B. Probability, it was established when Paul stayed in
Ephesus in Acts 19.
C. This church has been described as the poor rich
church.
D. Only one of two of the seven letters in which
nothing bad is said about them.
III. Now, let us see what we can learn from this letter.
Body:
I. The Author: Verse 8
A. The First and the Last.
1. The Jehovah’s Witness doctrine of the deity of
Jesus Christ.
2. Jehovah used this expression to assure Judah of
His absolute Godhood whereby He was able to
drive out His enemies and redeem His people in
Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12. Now Jesus Christ
used the same expression three times in this
book thereby identifying Himself with the power
and everlastingness of the eternal God. (1:17;
22:13)
3. “The Seven Churches of Asia” Tolle, James M. p.
37
B. Which was dead and lived again.
1. He is saying “I have been through what you are
experiencing. They killed me, but I live.” “I
who lived in the flesh know what persecution is
even unto death. I have been through what you
are now going through. They did their worse to
me, but I live! I conquered death. Because I
live, you shall also. Therefore, be not afraid
of what men can do to you. They may kill your
body, but they cannot kill your soul. AS death
was to me but the gate to eternal glory…”
2. The affirmation of Jesus concerning Himself in
His message to the saints in Smyrna was
calculated to sustain them in their tribulation,
and it is calculated to do the same for all
other saints in every age, whatever troubles and
trials they face.
3. It was necessary for Jesus to die in order that
we can receive remission of our sins.
4. Without Jesus Christ raising out of the grave
then:
a. Our faith would be in vain. 1 Corinthians
15:14
b. Our baptism would be in vain. 1 Peter 3:21.
II. The Characteristics of the church.
A. Jesus knows their works.
B. Jesus knows their tribulations.
1. The word “tribulation” literally means
“pressing, pressing together, pressure,’
suggesting the threshing-rollers used by the
Romans, those great stones which ground wheat
and forced the juice out of grapes. Here the
word is used metaphorically to mean ‘oppression,
affliction, distress, straits… It signifies
trails of all kinds.
2. They were being tried yet they were pure.
a. Job 23:10 “when he hath tried me, I shall
come forth as gold.”
b. Just as physical suffering purifies, so does
suffering persecution with the Christian.
c. We can see the example of the outside
persecution in the first century – brought
the church together – when persecution
ended,…
3. All Christians will suffer.
a. 2 Timothy 3:12
b. 1 Peter 4:12-19
c. Matthew 5:11-12
4. Christ has suffered as they (and us today) as
they were beginning to suffer and will suffer,
even unto death. He can now give them
compassion and can succor them in these trials
(Hebrews 2:18; 4:15)
C. He knows their poverty.
1. Their poverty was probability the result of one
or both of the following:
a. They came from the poorer class.
b. Their good were partially confiscated.
2. They knew what it cost a man to be a Christian.
a. Matthew 16:24
b. Luke 14:33
c. How well do we understand and appreciate
these words? How much are we willing to
renounce in our lives in order to follow
Christ? After all, what can we renounce for
the sake of Christ as compared with what He
renounced for us?
(1) Matthew 8:20
(2) 2 Corinthians 8:9
3. Yet they were rich (spiritually – They were
laying up treasures in heaven.
D. He knows the blasphemy of those who claimed to be
Jews but were not that was directed towards them.
1. The true Jew is one who serves God. Romans 2:28-
29
2. I wish the pre-millennialists would learn this.
3. They were some of the most vocal enemies of
Christians. (Example of Polycarp, the Jews
joined the pagans in clamoring for his being
cast to the lions; and when there was an
obstacle to this, they then clamored for his
being burned alive, carrying logs for the fire
with their own hands.)
4. The real source – Satan (who used people who
claimed to be children of God).
III. Jesus’ Counsel.
A. Fear Not.
1. For He who became dead is now alive and able to
give victory over every obstacle, even death.
2. 1 Corinthians 10:13
3. Hebrews 2:18; 4:15
4. Romans 8:35-39
5. 2 Kings 6:16
B. “Be thou faithful unto death.”
1. They were to be faithful even to the very limits
of death. They were to trust in Christ, to be
loyal to Him, even when they were threatened
with death as the penalty for being His
disciples. In plain language, they were to risk
their necks for Him. And what are we willing to
risk for Christ?
2. What about your life?
3. There are those who are in the church are not
truly faithful to Him, who are willing to endure
some persecution and discomfiture for His sake,
but not to the extent of losing their lives.
4. He who gave His all for us demands that we be
willing to give our all for Him, for only by
such fidelity can there be access to God’s grace
that makes heaven possible.
5. The song “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?”
IV. The Reward.
A. Positive:
1. They (and us today) will receive a crown of
life.
2. A victory crown.
3. Matthew 10:39
4. Revelation 21:4
5. “When we have been there 10,000 years, we have
no less time to sing God’s praise than we first
began.”
B. Negatively:
1. They would not taste of the second death.
2. Revelation 20:14-15; 21:8
3. Mark 10:42f
4. “When we have been there 10,000 years, we have
no less time to suffer than we first began.”
Conclusion: Smyrna – poor materially; had persecutions – would you have assembled with them? If not…
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