Smyrna: Faithful to the End

About 50 years after Jesus used John to write the book of Revelation,

a man named Polycarp, who was one of John's students and disciples,

and an important figure in the early church, was executed for his faith.

Now, the execution of Christians, as you are well aware probably,

was not rare in the early days of the church.

But it was still after a series of murders in which some believers were taken into an arena

and literally fed to wild animals that the bloodthirsty crowd began to cry out for the blood of Polycarp.

He was 86 years old at the time, and the official charge against him was atheism.

Now, don't let that confuse you.

It wasn't that he didn't believe that there was a God.

But in the Roman context, anyone who would have rejected the plurality of gods that they worshipped

were considered atheists.

It wasn't so much that he didn't believe in a God.

It was his position on the exclusivity of Christ and the Christian God

that was so offensive to them so that they considered it to be a violation of their law.

That was the charge levied against him, and that's what ultimately led to his execution.

There was an early pamphlet among the early church written by a man named Irenaeus.

Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp.

Irenaeus, we have many of his writings, but one of them was called the Martyrdom of Polycarp,

where he recorded the details of how this unfolded in his teacher's life.

Martyrdom was becoming so routine among Christians in those days

that the booklet Irenaeus wrote began to be circulated as a means of encouraging

and teaching Christians on how to suffer well for the sake of Christ.

With extraordinary resolve, Polycarp was brought into an arena as a crowd roared for his murder.

As an influential Christian in the region, the Roman proconsul was determined to get Polycarp

to publicly recant. He thought if he could get him to turn away and publicly recant against these

anti-Caesar beliefs that he was teaching and encouraging other people to believe,

that it would begin to diminish the effectiveness of the Christian gospel in the region.

And one of the things that the proconsul wanted for Polycarp to do

in this attempt to convince him to recant is he said for him to swear by the genius of Caesar,

in other words, to claim Caesar as Lord is what he wanted him to do.

And then he said to repent and say, away with the atheists.

And of course, Polycarp's response to that was to motion toward the crowd that had gathered

and was calling for his murder and to indeed say, away with the atheists.

That's quite the resolve in that particular moment.

It's said that the proconsul, sensitive to Polycarp's age even and his weakness as an 86-year-old man,

was somewhat reluctant to go through with the execution.

And he even encouraged Polycarp to make this turn, even if he didn't believe it truly in his heart,

if he would just make this public confession so that he could be released

and he wouldn't have to go through this execution.

And it's to that that Polycarp responded with the famous words that I'm sure you've heard before.

86 years I have served Christ and he never did me any wrong.

How can I blaspheme my king who saved me?

And after that, a pyre was erected.

Polycarp was put to death and burned at the stake.

Polycarp was the pastor of the church in Smyrna,

which is the congregation to which Jesus delivers this message

and to whom it was first intended.

Let's briefly consider the sermon's place here in this chiastic structure.

I did remember to put it on the screen this week.

Remember, as we're following this literary structure that John, under Jesus' direction, is using here,

that the mirror church of Smyrna is the church of Philadelphia.

Now, these two churches are related to one another in the sense that

neither of the churches receive a complaint, correction, or a call to repentance from Jesus.

Of the seven churches, two of them are healthy.

Two of them have no complaint from the Lord.

Two of them are not called to repentance, and it's Smyrna and Philadelphia.

If you read through them, you'll also find that they share a familiar opponent.

Both congregations are being harassed by a group of Jews

that Jesus refers to as the synagogue of Satan.

In both letters or in both sermons, that's the terminology that he uses.

And what we discover is that under intense pressure from the culture in which they lived,

these two churches shine as a glowing example of perseverance

in faithfulness to Jesus and to the gospel

and to what it means to live a life worthy of the gospel.

They become our example in a culture that may not be threatening us

with the same form of persecution,

but is in just as much of opposition against us.

And what will we do?

That's the question that we come to here in this passage.

Now, the content of Jesus' sermon to Smyrna

is hugely significant on at least two levels.

First, it helps us to develop a proper theology of suffering.

It helps us to think about the reality of suffering for the Christian

and God's role in that suffering.

There's no room for the heresies of prosperity gospel

and the word of faith movement in this message.

They don't know what to do with passages like this

except to ignore them and to reject them.

This sermon reminds us that Christians should expect

some measure of suffering for the name of Christ

and we must recognize God's sovereignty in that suffering.

It reflects this cosmic war that begins to unfold

in chapter four of the book of Revelation

or just after chapters four and five

where those who follow Christ

will in this life always suffer

at the hands of those who do not follow Christ.

And what we see in this sermon to Smyrna

is an early instruction from Jesus

about what we will see continue to unfold in the book.

Second, this sermon shows us

that the only way possible

to deal with the inevitable tribulation

is to wholeheartedly believe

the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.

The only proper response,

the only proper and true hope

is to consider the gospel of Jesus.

How could Polycarp

and thousands of other Christians through the centuries

face persecution with such boldness and assurance?

How is that even possible to do that?

If you're like me,

you can't imagine being in a situation like that.

And if you understand your own weakness,

you probably don't think that you would respond

in the same way as Polycarp

and many others have done.

How can they possibly do that?

It's not because they're built different than us.

It's not what it is.

It's because they persevered

in the amazing hope

that can only be found

in the person and work of Jesus.

You can persevere through Christ,

but you will inevitably fall without Him.

So as we go through this sermon

and as we get to it here,

we want to consider those two things.

How is it that we are to develop a theology

of suffering as Christians?

What does that mean for us according to this passage?

And when we face it,

what do we do?

How do we respond?

Okay.

First thing I want you to see

is the church identity in Christ's title.

Again, we're going to be using these same points

as we work through each sermon.

But look with me at verse 8

as we think about these two things.

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write,

the words of the first and the last

who died and came to life.

The most notable thing

about the ancient city of Smyrna

for us this morning

is its intense loyalty to Rome.

From about 200 BC,

Smyrna was committed to Rome

even when its imperial success

was not a guarantee.

Even at the height of Rome's fight

and struggle against Carthage,

Smyrna historically

was very much loyal to Rome.

Cicero, as you will probably

at least recognize the name

from your history books,

said that Smyrna was one of Rome's

most faithful and ancient allies.

And loyalty was eventually rewarded to them

by Tiberius, who we see

in the New Testament Gospels,

as he chose Smyrna to be the city

and the guardian of a new temple

in honor of Caesar Augustus.

So this was a significant city

in the context of Rome.

They were very loyal.

To be Smyrna was to be a Roman.

They were proud of that.

They loved Rome,

and Rome loved them.

And it's this devotion to Rome

that explains why the citizens

of the city were so hostile

to Christianity.

Because Christianity represented

a threat against what they were

so loyal to in the imperial cult

of Rome.

And it also sets the tone

for Jesus' call for these believers

to be more faithful to him

than even their local

and national heritage.

That's an important implication here.

While Christ desires that Christians

be the best possible citizens,

our loyalty and our love for country

must pale in comparison

to our faithful devotion

to our Lord and Savior.

When it comes to it,

if it comes to it,

for you to decide

whether you'll be a faithful American

or a faithful Christian,

if those two things

are ever set in opposition

to one another,

Lord willing,

you'll choose to be

a faithful Christian.

That's what was happening

in Smyrna.

And that's what these Christians there

were up against.

And we need to keep this in mind

as we move forward

through this particular sermon.

Now let's think about

the Christ titles

for just a minute.

There's two of them here.

And before I mention them,

just remember,

this is not John's estimation

of who Jesus is.

This is Jesus's self-revelation.

He tells us who he is

so that our faith

is grounded in his words,

not just in what

John thought about him.

That's important to remember.

And how Jesus describes himself

to Smyrna

emphasizes that he is both God

and Savior,

sovereign over all things,

including life and death.

That's the significance

of the titles.

That Jesus is the first

and the last,

that's what he says in verse 8,

that he is the first

and the last

is a clear allusion

to the Old Testament descriptions

belonging only to Yahweh,

to God.

God describes himself this way

many times

through the prophet Isaiah.

Let me just read

two of them to you.

Isaiah 44, 6,

Thus says the Lord,

the King of Israel

and his Redeemer,

the Lord of hosts,

I am the first

and I am the last.

Besides me,

there is no God.

He says later in Isaiah 48,

Listen to me,

O Jacob and Israel,

whom I called.

I am he.

I am the first

and I am the last.

My hand laid the foundation

of the earth.

My right hand spread out

the heavens.

When I call to them,

they stand forth together.

What's Jesus doing here?

Jesus is identifying himself

with God the Father,

an explicit claim

of divinity

and oneness

with the Father.

And the significance

of this title

for the people in Smyrna

is that Jesus

is fully aware of

and sovereign over

their tribulation

and the persecution

and suffering

that they are indeed facing.

And the same is true for us.

It's true for us.

Nothing that happens to us,

neither the opposition we endure

nor the death

that we may face

for his sake

is outside

of the sovereign control

of the Lord Jesus.

He is the first

and the last.

He was before anything else.

He will outlive

everything else.

He is God alone.

This is a clear statement

to his sovereignty

over their circumstance.

That Jesus is the one

who died

and came to life

puts his gospel

front and center

of Smyrna's trial.

Do you see that?

He says,

I am your God.

I'm the sovereign one.

I'm also your Savior

capable of providing for you

what you fear most.

He reminds us

that we identify

with him in suffering

because he suffered

for us.

And if Jesus conquered death

through the resurrection,

we can face the threat

of death

without fear

knowing that he promised

the crown of life

to all who will

be faithful

unto death.

And in the end,

what we find

is that the sermon

to the church in Smyrna

isn't so much

about their suffering

as it is about

the glory

and the power

of the risen Lord.

That's really

what this sermon

is about.

Among other things,

these two titles

teach us that

in the context

of suffering,

we are comforted

by Christ's

divine sovereignty

and we have

our eternal hope

resting

on the fact

of his resurrection.

His resurrection.

The resurrection

is not something

we are to think of

on Easter weekend

alone.

It is our hope

every day.

We sing about it.

Because he lives,

I can face tomorrow.

Because he lives,

all fear is gone.

Because I know

he holds the future

and life is worth

the living

just because

he lives.

The resurrection

makes all the difference

when we come

and we begin

to develop

our theology

of suffering.

How do we endure that?

How do we face it?

We face it

with the gospel

of Jesus

front and center.

How will we persevere?

Only when we fully

are convinced of

entrusting in

the death

and resurrection

of Jesus Christ.

That's the significance here.

Well, let's look also

at the commendation.

Verse 9,

I know your tribulation

and your poverty

but you are rich

and the slander

of those who say

that they are Jews

and are not

but are a synagogue

of Satan.

Well, the commendation

here is implicit.

Jesus commends them

because they are

persevering

through this incredible

hardship

and what that hardship

and perseverance

is proving

is their faithfulness

to the Lord.

The Lord's knowledge

of their tribulation

is a statement

of their commitment

to the gospel.

It is actually

their faithfulness

to the Lord

that has produced

their suffering

and Jesus assures them

that he is fully aware

of it.

He knows their struggle.

I know your tribulation,

he says.

Tribulation here

is defined

by two other words.

It's defined

by poverty

and it's defined

by slander.

So just like

in the sermon

to the church

at Ephesus,

we could really

appropriately render

this sentence,

I know your tribulation,

namely,

your poverty

and the slander

of the Jews.

But it is important

to recognize

that the tribulation,

the suffering,

the affliction

that this church

is facing

is coming specifically

as a result

of their faith.

It's a specific

kind of affliction.

Jeffrey Weima

says it this way,

in this context,

tribulation refers

not to the kind

of common suffering

that can fall

upon all humanity

as a consequence

of living

in a fallen world,

but it is the specific

kind of suffering

that stems

from identifying

as a Christian.

Now,

we can take

implications

from this text

and apply it

to other suffering.

We could take it

and we could apply it

to suffering

with our health

or suffering

the things

that are common

to all people

as a result

of living

in a fallen world.

Jesus is still

sovereign over those things.

Our hope

in those things

is still the gospel

and the resurrection.

But what Jesus

has in mind

specifically here

and firstly

is this dynamic

of suffering

for the name

of Christ,

for being

a Christian.

Contrary to what

you hear conveyed

in popular

American Christianity

especially,

the Bible guarantees

that faithful Christians

will have to endure

some measure

of affliction

for Christ.

It's actually

a guarantee.

It may not be

to the extent

of Polycarp.

It probably

won't be

to the extent

of Polycarp.

But if you are

to live

a faithful Christian

life,

you will come

under some

measure

of affliction

as a result.

Jesus says it

in Matthew 10.

He tells the disciples

plainly,

you will be hated

by all

for my name's sake.

But the one

who endures

to the end

will be saved,

he says.

Paul writes

to Timothy,

indeed all

who desire

to live

a godly life

in Christ Jesus

will be persecuted.

That doesn't mean

put to death.

It just means

you're going

to face opposition

as a Christian.

And he goes on

and he says

this will happen

while evil people

and imposters

will go on

from bad

to worse,

deceiving

and being deceived.

But as for you,

he says,

continue

in what you

have learned.

Peter says

it this way

in 1 Peter 4.

Beloved,

do not be surprised

at the fiery trial

when it comes

upon you

to test you

as though

something strange

were happening

to you.

But rejoice,

he says,

insofar

as you share

Christ's sufferings

that you may

also rejoice

and be glad

when his glory

is revealed.

There are many

more passages

than just these.

But notice

the commonality.

There's a thread

that's bringing

all of these

together.

Part of the thread

is that we will

indeed face

opposition for our

faith.

If we are to live

it faithfully,

we will face

opposition.

The other part

of this thread

is this encouragement

from the apostles,

don't give up.

And from Jesus,

keep going,

be faithful

to the end.

Paul says to

Timothy,

but you just

stay steadfast,

Timothy,

in the things

that you know

to be true

in the Bible.

Peter,

rejoice in it.

Not that you're

happy to suffer,

but rejoice

in that you are

identifying with

Christ.

Stay faithful,

he means.

Like I said,

the odds of

any of us

facing martyrdom

are really

unlikely.

But still,

the fact is

that all of us

who publicly

confess Christ

and stand

boldly on the

gospel are going

to face some

form of persecution

that will test

whether or not

we're serious

about this faith.

The world

tests us.

And it should

be a conviction

to us

if we've never

really dealt

with this kind

of opposition.

If we've never

really felt

with any kind

of opposition

against our faith,

it might be

because

we're not

really pursuing

godliness at all.

there's no way

for the world

to actually

recognize that

there is a

Christianity

that we

subscribe to

because we're

no different.

Paul says

those who

desire to

live godly,

well not

everybody that

names the

name of Christ

desires to

live godly.

You say,

I haven't really

ever faced

opposition like

this.

Well that may

be the case.

You may not

be facing any

kind of opposition.

It could be

because you

have decided

to live in

such isolation

to the world

that they never

see your good

works that

could either

glorify your

Father which is

in heaven or

face the

opposition that

you face now.

It's not that

you don't live

godly, it's that

you don't live

in the world

that God has

left you to

live in.

That's a

problem.

It could be

that you're

living in the

world and that

you're living

godly but when

it comes to

things like

evangelism you

are just

unbelievably

silent.

When the

tough conversations

come up and

the spirit gives

you an opportunity

to step in and

be a witness of

the gospel you

are motionless,

silent.

Well how would

we expect to

face opposition

if we're not

actually living the

way that Christ

has called us to

live?

All of those

things matter.

But if you're

going to live

faithfully in the

way that Christ

has led us and

called us to

live this will

happen.

It's going to

happen.

Let's think about

the two particular

ways that Jesus

mentions their

affliction here.

First he mentions

poverty.

Poverty.

I know your

tribulation and

your poverty.

Now it is true

that many

Christians in the

early church

especially came

from the lower

social classes but

what Jesus has in

mind here is a

poverty that has

come as a result

of their Christian

faith.

And let's think

about how this

might have unfolded

for them.

There's several

ways that we can

discern this.

Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

10 and verse

34.

If you want to

write that in the

margin of your

notes you can read

it later.

I don't have it in

front of me but

Hebrews 10 34

speaks of Christians

being attacked and

their property and

belongings being

confiscated.

Being confiscated

not justly so but

simply on the

premise that they

are Christians and

they have enemies.

It's intimidation.

It's threat.

Christians deal with

this.

We deal with this

kind of stuff.

In that day a

worker's ability to

be successful in

trade was

tremendously hindered

when the larger

culture cut them

out of society.

Right?

So in the days of

Smyrna it was the

Christians who were

up against the

calls for boycotting.

Ironically it's the

Christians these days

that become so

vindictively boycotting

in the culture that

they have subscribed

to.

But in this day it

was actually the

Christians who were

under that threat.

They couldn't belong

to certain trade

guilds if they

didn't participate in

certain cultural

religious ceremonies.

Which means that they

were completely cut out

of the business trade.

Well if you can't get

anybody to come and

shop at your store

or if they skip right

over you in the market

you're not going to

make any money.

And because of their

faith as an extension

of this persecution

they have developed

this poverty.

Some in the church

were facing imprisonment.

We find that later

on in this sermon.

And of course this

brought another layer

of financial hardship

for their families.

What it boils down to

is the Christians in

Smyrna were faced

with a dilemma.

They were either going

to make a living

or they were going

to be faithful to Jesus.

Those were their

options.

They were in a corner.

What do we do here?

Do we kind of quietly

live our Christianity

here on Sundays

when we're at the

house church but then

during the week

we just participate

in what the culture

is because how else

are we going to

survive?

Is that what we do?

Or do we stay faithful

both in private

and in public

even at the risk

of our own wealth

and well-being?

That's the dilemma

that they face.

But then Jesus says

this interesting thing

here in verse 9.

While acknowledging

their poverty

he reminds them

of an eternal

perspective.

He says but you

are rich.

You're rich.

What does he mean

by that?

Christian poverty

and worldly riches

in this life

are somewhat

of a facade.

It's superficial.

In the end

the wealth

and prosperity

of this world

is going to perish

and it's going to

expose that those

who rebel against

the Lord

are actually the ones

who are truly

destitute.

But even though

a Christian

and a believer

may face affliction

that results in

poverty in this life

in the end

that poverty

will pass

and it will reveal

a kind of riches

that this world

cannot comprehend.

And it is Jesus'

intention

for the church

in Smyrna

and the church

at Lake Norman

to live in light

of this understanding

so that when they

and we

are faced

with this particular

dilemma

will we publicly

profess Christ

or will we only

hide it in the corner

so that we can still

continue to live

in comfort

in this life?

Jesus is later

going to say

give it all up.

Give it all up

for me.

Why?

Because you're rich

in a way

that this world

does not understand.

Those are hard words

from our Lord.

Those are hard words.

Well then he mentions

their slander.

There's a group of Jews

Jesus mentions

who are maliciously

slandering these Christians.

Now when John

uses the term

Jew here

he's using it

in the sense

of being the true

people of God.

That's the idea.

he's not talking

about ethnic

Israel.

He's talking about

who are the true

people of God.

That's why Jesus

says

or excuse me

not John

but Jesus

Jesus says

that they

claim to be Jews

but they are not.

Now what is

Jesus saying?

Jesus is saying

that though

they are

ethnically

and religiously

Jewish

they are not

the true

people of God.

Why?

Because they have

rejected

the gospel.

Rejected the gospel.

That's the sense

in which he's using

the term here.

Instead

he said

that they belong

to the synagogue

of Satan.

Christ

adversary.

That's what the word

Satan means.

It means

adversary

and he's the ruler

of this world

in the book

of the Revelation.

Now what is

this church

going up against?

Well there are

ethnic and religious

Jews in Smyrna

who are slandering

them.

They claim to be

Jews but Jesus

says they are not

the true people

of God.

Because they have

rejected me

they are not

my people.

The church

is his people.

The reason

these Jews

were slandering

Christians

is actually

fairly simple.

Judaism

was tolerated

in Roman culture

so long

as it was

not disruptive

to Roman

culture

and life.

Christianity

generally

was viewed

as a sect

within Judaism

and Christianity

by its very

nature

is disruptive.

Jesus

told us

in some sense

to be disruptive

not in a negative

sense

but as we

evangelize the world

that's going to

cause some problems

because people

are naturally

offended

by the gospel

message.

Christianity

is naturally

disruptive.

Judaism

is tolerated

so long

as it isn't

disruptive

and the

problem

for these

Jews

is that the

Romans

considered

Christians

to be

Jews.

That was the

problem.

So the Jews

knew their

hope for

survival

was if they

were the

ones who

were actually

turning in

the Christians.

If they

were the

informants

that were

making a

distinction

between

Judaism

and

Christianity

then that

in some

sense

in their

minds

would get

them off

the chopping

block

and they

would be

sacrificing

the Christians

instead.

But in order

to do that

it meant

that they

had to

actually

make up

lies

about the

Christians

and there's

lots of

historically

documented

lies

that they

were making.

They were

accused

of being

cannibals

and they

would accuse

them of

this because

of their

view of

the Lord's

Supper

when they

would come

together

Sunday

by Sunday

and they

would take

of the

bread

and the

wine

as it

related

and symbolized

the body

and the

blood of

Jesus.

Well the

Jews took

that dynamic

and that

theology

and they

told the

Romans

these people

are cannibals

because they

called each

other brother

and sister

in this

familial

relationship

they accused

them of being

incestuous.

There were

accusations

of treason

because

Jesus was

their Lord

more than

Caesar was

their Lord.

As we saw

in Polycarp's

case they

were accused

of being

atheists.

These are

all historical

charges brought

against these

people that

we read in

the documents

that we have

surviving

historical

documents from

Rome

describing what

this was like

for these

Christians.

You ever had

somebody tell

a lie about

you?

You ever

had somebody

maliciously

and intentionally

misrepresent

what you say

and what you

believe just

so that you

can face

hardship

and difficulty?

This is

exactly what

the Jews

did to

Jesus.

They tried

to accuse

him to

Rome

in Jerusalem

based on

Roman law

and they

maliciously

slandered

him which

resulted in

his crucifixion.

It's what

they did to

the church

in Smyrna.

It's what

they're going

to do

until the

Lord returns.

It's going

to keep

happening

that way.

Slander.

Poverty.

The question

is when

we face

this kind

of opposition

will we

stay faithful?

Will we

stay faithful?

That's what

Jesus deals

with next.

Let's look

at the

charge here.

Verse 10

Do not fear

what you're

about to

suffer.

Behold the

devil is

about to

throw some

of you

into prison

that you

may be

tested.

For ten

days you

will have

tribulation.

Be faithful

unto death

and I will

give you

the crown.

Well since

there's no

complaint for

the church

in Smyrna

neither is

there a

correction or

a call to

repentance.

So Jesus

directly charges

them,

commands them

regarding their

affliction and

especially how

their affliction

is about to

escalate.

He clarifies

how he expects

his people to

respond when

facing even

the severest

forms of

persecution and

the bottom

line is this

we must be

faithful to

the end.

Faithful to

the end.

That's the

expectation of

our Lord.

First,

Jesus commands

his people to

do what is

seemingly

impossible.

Do you see

that?

Very first

phrase in

verse 10.

Do not fear

what you're

about to

suffer.

And then he

goes on in

the very next

phrase and

says what

you're about

to suffer

actually is

that some

of you are

going to be

imprisoned and

executed.

10 days

here is

probably not

meant to

be taken as

a literal

10 day

time frame.

It's meant

to be

representative

of a full

and yet

limited

short term

type of

persecution

that they're

going to

endure.

It will be

limited because

it's going to

lead very

quickly to

their death.

Jesus

essentially

says this,

Satan is

about to

have you

thrown into

prison and

killed.

And I'm

going to

let him

do it.

I'm going

to let

him do

it.

But don't

be afraid.

What?

What do

you mean

don't be

afraid?

How can

you not

be afraid?

How can

you not

be absolutely

terrified?

But Jesus

does not

give this

as a

suggestion.

This is

an imperative.

He says

do not

be afraid.

Do not

be afraid.

Even

our

suffering.

What

stands out

here is

that Jesus

speaks as

being in

total control

of it.

He's in

total control

of this

situation.

Even

our

suffering is

part of

God's

plan to

strengthen

our faith,

to display

his glory,

to promote

his gospel.

I think it

was Tertullian

said that the

blood of the

martyrs is the

seed of the

church.

Historically,

that's what

we've seen

happen.

Could it

be that

that's God's

design?

Yes.

And make

no mistake,

Jesus says it

plainly,

Satan is the

agent of our

persecution.

But what

Satan intends

as a

temptation to

lure us

away from

the gospel,

God uses

as a test

to actually

draw his

people out

in faithfulness.

James tells

us this

plainly.

James chapter

one,

count it all

joy,

brothers,

when you

meet trials

of various

kinds.

For you

know that

the testing

of your

faith produces

steadfastness.

And let

steadfastness

have its

full effect,

that you

may be

perfect and

complete,

lacking

nothing.

In other

words,

James says,

count it

all joy

because God

is using

your suffering

to draw

you out,

to make

you more

faithful,

to strengthen

your faith

and your

closeness

with him.

James goes

on to say,

blessed is

the man who

remains

steadfast

under trial,

for when he

has stood

the test,

he will

receive the

crown of

life,

which God

has promised

to those

who love

him.

Is that

not an

echo of

the Lord

Jesus'

words here?

Jesus

taught that

this kind

of persecution

would ultimately

prove who

is a true

Christian and

who is not.

Do you

remember his

parable about

the soils?

In Mark

4, he

said,

these are the

ones who

are sown

on rocky

ground.

Those who,

when they hear

the word,

immediately receive

it with joy,

but they

have no

root in

themselves,

they endure

for a while,

then when

tribulation and

persecution arises

on account of

the word,

they immediately

fall away.

How does

God use

persecution and

opposition for

his glory?

Well, he weeds

out those who

are not actually

serious Christians

that are truly

converted,

and he exposes

them.

But then he

actually exposes

the glory of

the gospel in

those who

remain faithful,

and he uses

that to win

more and

more people

to Jesus

Christ.

The second

part of this

charge is that

while enduring

the persecution,

Jesus wants

us to remain

faithful.

Be faithful

unto death,

he says.

It's not the

only time the

Lord makes this

kind of statement.

The New

Testament is

full.

Statements

just like that.

But is it

really fair

and reasonable

for Jesus

to have this

kind of

expectation of

his people?

I think that's

an important

question for us

to ask and

to take

seriously.

Because what

the answer to

that question

is determines

whether or not

he's actually

a just God

or whether

we're wasting

our time.

And we need

to wrestle

with it.

Here's how

Jim Hamilton

says it.

Only Jesus

could make

this demand.

Only Jesus

has the ability

to reward

those who

would obey.

Jesus is

worth dying

for.

And if he's

worth dying

for, then

he's worth

living for.

Only those

who are gripped

by something

worth more

to them

than life

can be

truly

courageous.

And courage

is precisely

what Jesus

calls the church

in Smyrna

too.

He is

proclaiming

to them

that he

is better

than life.

And how

is it

that he

is better

to life

than life?

Well, look

at the promise

at the end

of the verse.

The one

who died

and came

to life

will give

all who

persevere

the crown

of life.

I heard

a missionary

say one

time, he

was a

missionary

to the

Middle East

and he

had gone

through some

significant

trials and

persecutions,

his life

threatened on

many occasions.

And he

had gotten

to a point

where his

faith was

so strong

in the

gospel that

he would

say, you

can't threaten

me with

heaven.

He had

this gospel

perspective

that even

facing the

severest,

most terrifying

persecutions,

he was so

trusting in

the gospel

of Jesus

and the

resurrection

of Jesus

that all

he could

see was

the life

of blessing

that comes

after.

And that's

what Jesus

is promising

here.

For all

who are

faithful

unto the

end, I

will give

you the

crown of

life.

Well, how

can we

know he'll

give us

the crown

of life?

Because he's

the one

who was

dead but

came back

to life.

He's

conquered

death for

us.

And he

offers this

eternal life

to all who

will truly

love and

trust him.

we don't

need to

fear death

because for

the believer

death leads

to true

life.

To be

honest, this

life is easy

to trade

for the one

who knows

that Jesus

will usher

them into

a life that

is far

better.

It's not

what Paul

said, for

me to live

is Christ

but to die

is gain.

in our

adventure

club a

couple of

weeks ago

one of the

kids, it

might have

been Gus,

was asking

about things

about heaven

and how the

mystery of

that is

sometimes

frightening

because all

we know is

this life

and this

world and

there's so

many things

that we

love about

this life

and what

the Lord

has blessed

us with

here.

And the

answer I

think that

Amy gave

him was

something to

the effect

of imagine

how great

this life

is and the

blessings that

God gives

here and

yet he

promises that

those who

know him

will receive

something far

better.

We can't

even comprehend

what this

crown of

life will be

like.

We can't

even begin

to comprehend

what this

life is.

Is this

life in a