Dont fear, its all about to get better. He doesnt say that. The Importance of Christs Resurrection Hezekiah held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments (2 Ki. They assume they will go to heaven. . There is a marvelous thing that happens when a man places Jesus first in his lifeloves our Lord supremely above all other loveHe hands back to you your home, your family, your wife, your business, your children, every dream and vision of your soul. read more, Scripture: God(John 8:31-32, 14:23-24), A. The things of this world prevent people from being faithful. Our home is not here, it is there [John 14:1-3; Reveltion 21:1-5]. But after thirty-nine years, standing here in this pulpit, there are thousands and thousands who come every Lords day listening to what? In many parts of the West, though not facing yet death, are facing increasing hostility and discrimination, not the likes of which our brothers and sisters may see in Afghanistan or North Korea or parts of northern Africa, but yet facing opposition, persecution. Could you imagine it? I read in the Book of Hebrews beginning at the eleventh chapter beginning at verse 9: By faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange countryFor he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Church Of God, Joshua 2:1-15 THE GREAT ESCAPE Intro: Ill. by Amen. 8:14). Hebrews 9:24-27. today we want to focus our attention on John. But in this context, in Smyrna, apparently, it was some of the Jews, whether because they felt like the Christians had sold them out or because they were worshiping another god, or they claimed to have had the Messiah, they would sometimes rat them out and be the informers that would then bring upon the Romans to these Christians in Smyrna. To us, we use the word cross to refer to some handicap or some suffering or some disappointment, I have an incorrigible child, an obstreperous child, and it is a cross for me to bear. Or, I have some physical ailment, I have a cross to bear. Or, I have a frustration or a disappointment in my life; it is my cross. There is no such idea of that in the Bible; in the Scriptures a cross is something to die on. Smyrna was a very pro-Rome city. We will suffer. And you cannot enter heaven loving the wrong world. But, if in a household there was a slave, and when time came, when that seventh year came and the slave was freeif he so loved his master or she so loved her mistress, that he did not want to leave, then they went through this kind of a simple ritual. This is the one, verse 8, The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. It is in the transcendence of God that His eminence is so much comfort. Suppose I were to stand in this pulpitI majored in English in college, and I love English literature. He comes with comfort, and notice He comes with commands. Suffering. This was the problem with the Ephesian church-I have this against you, that you have left your first love (Rev. And he gave his life to be a Baptist preacher, John Fawcett. They dont think anything of the second death, thats not a possibility, but maybe theres some way with the right potions and the right exercise and the right diet, I dont actually have to face my own mortality.. 6:9). He wants to be associated with them. But to be repudiated and to be censored and to be disliked is a terrible thing to bear. We lament death. There are absolutes in the Christian life. But I do not have a child and I am old and my wife is old. We have been encouraged and greatly challenged in our personal walk with the Lord. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. This lesson examines the Rev. They are clear and unequivocal; the first one is this: supreme love for Jesus our Lord. This is the pastor bringing the message entitled Faithful Unto Death. Give it up. But why do you delay? Or do with your weekends what everyone else would do. Hes already won. Dont you find those martyrdom stories inspiring and yet utterly overwhelming? Near the close of the previous chapter Paul had said," The law entered that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did much more My fortieth year as a pastor still preaching the Word, V. A continuing living faith in Christ, A. If there was a crime worthy of death, what would it be? Matthew 9:24, Luke 8:53), 2. 15:58). And He took him out under the chalice of the night sky and said, Abraham, count the stars. And Abraham said, Lord, I cannot count that many. And God said, So shall thy seed be [Genesis 15:3-5]. 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Denomination: And it is one of the seven churches of Asia [Revelation 2:1-3:22]: Ephesus, and then right north, Smyrna. You have no picture of what actually that word describes at all in He was sad at that saying. The word is stugnaz. And that beautiful, symbolic portrayal in the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy is symbolic of all of us. 2 letter from Jesus to the church at Smyrna. Paul said, None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may finish my race with joy (Acts 20:24). (Revelation 2:8-11) And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are But here in the second half of the first century, several things had happened to make this situation untenable. Behold the And thank Thee, Lord, for each soul You give us, in Thy precious name, amen. And the second characteristic and mark of a true child of Christ is to dethrone self in my heart and to enthrone the Lord Jesus: He is the King of my life. That about 1 out of 120 Christians in the broadest sense of the term, may face martyrdom for the cause of Christ. Psychologist After the resurrection Deliberately choosing the cross(Matthew 10:38, 16:24), 1. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight. Do not be afraid. 5:17)-His point is that Elijah was a human being just like everyone else, yet his prayers accomplished much. Why Jesus, in His letter to the church at Smyrna, instruct those Christians to Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.. When we suffer, were tempted to doubt Gods goodness, to question His sovereignty, to find Him less glorious, to wonder if Hes left us or forsaken us. But in particular it blames some of the Jews. We all love to be praised. And of those 8 billion Christians in the 2000 years since Christ, even nominally Christian, about 70 million have been martyred by one definition or another, a little less than 1%. But in 1776, he joined the Revolutionary Army. And anchoring every one of these commands, I said this to the leadership training on Friday night, theres a reason that chapters 4 and 5 come after chapter 2 and 3, because it is the vision of the One who sits on the throne that is the antidote for everything that challenges the churches in chapters 2 through 3. Oh, what a beautiful thing, a precious thing, a wonderful thing: to love our Lord and to follow humbly in the way of Jesus! 2:4). The weakness of men, universally, is to please one another. Some of those Christians have been killed by other Christians. Could I take time to turn aside? . All England came to know him. Give it up and come, take up the cross, and follow me. It is on the Aegean Sea; it is in Turkey on the western shore of Asia Minor. So the men prepared the pyre and stripped Polycarp of his clothes, and as they were about to nail him to the stake, Polycarp interrupted. It is a message to Be faithful until death.. So the first command to the Church dont be afraid what youre about to suffer. And the world passeth away . As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. When Jesus said follow Him, this is our life's course. self in my heart and enthrone the Lord Jesus, 1. And that leads me to the exact title of the sermon today, the seven characteristics of a disciple of our Lord, the seven marks of a true Christian. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21, 22]. The third characteristicchoosing deliberately the cross, crucifying ourselves and every worldly desire that we have, that we might love God. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart (Gal. Give us ears, give us courage, no matter the time, no matter the opposition, no matter the circumstances. Faithfulness involves giving our whole heart to God and trying to please him each day we live. Come do what you wish. Polycarp was then found guilty of confessing to being a Christian. Paul takes a look around as he gives his last testimony. Dethrone However, many Christians are not as faithful as they need to be in their service to God. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is Almost half of those were murdered, starved, died in prison camps in the Soviet Union. He knows your broken heart in a way that no one else does. Romans 6: 10-23 1 John 5:16-18, ON POINT, III He lived to be 86 years old, and for the second half of his life he served as the bishop of Smyrna, which we just read is the second city in Revelation, today the modern city of Izmir in Turkey. For Jesus sake we pray. read more, Scripture: We dont have a weak God. Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (September 25, 2015) You read these stories of the martyrs and even allowing that perhaps the Church spoke at times with some exaggerated spirituality, maybe, yet we believe that its historically true and happened and happened much like that. Well, we are all like that. A third characteristic of the true child of Christ: we are one who has deliberately chosen the cross. Methodist. We do not have a more beautiful or meaningful invitational hymn than this: Though no one go with me, I still will follow. A fifth characteristic of the true servant of Christhe possesses a continuing and undying faith in our victorious Lord Christ. The premise of this study is the foundation of creation. The LORD preserves the faithful (Ps. Losing focus of whats important in life prevents people from being faithful. Especially and particularly is that true with our young people. Knowing that we are not facing these exact circumstances, and we can be thankful for it, what does this mean for us? To Smyrna, the challenge is one of keep on keeping on or continue to do what you are already doing. Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world (2 Tim. If they die faithfully, they get a crown of life. It continues to the last stitch. Faithfulness. Be faithful even unto the point of death because brother, sister, friend, when youre faithful to the point of death for Jesus, you get a crown of life. They believed the promises and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in this earth [Hebrews 11:13]: Now, they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: And I turn the pages of the Book, And I John, saw that holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband [Revelation 21:2]. Why didnt the Lord say that to the family at Bethanyto Lazarus and Mary and Martha? For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. The real hero is not he who makes the fastest schedule but he who lasts the longest. [My Glorious Victor, Prince Divine, Handley C.G. In Jesus we pray. What is preventing you from being faithful? . Romans 10:17: Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the word of God. If someone loved Jesus, he never tires of hearing about Him. A sixth characteristic of the true disciple of Christ: a fervent love for the people of God. After their conversion, they stop using alcohol but after a while they begin using it again. Pleasure leads many to neglect the Lord. Given ( Rev. John 12:42-43 writes: Among the chief rulers, many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than they loved the praise of God.. II Kings 2:1-12 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Isaiah 38:1-8, James 1:2-4, 1 John 5:14-15, 1 Peter 3:12, Denomination: The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. This is the second of seven messages to seven churches. read more, Scripture: It was a way for Rome to save, kind of save face and yet not have to go through this extermination of all the Jews, so well let them get by on a technicality. But interestingly, Revelation here doesnt blame the Romans for the persecution thats coming, though they could be the ones to mete it out, the executioners. Are you faithful? He knew they would experience difficult times in their lives. Genesis 49 Colossians 3:2: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. First Corinthians 15:19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.. Well be here listening. It is one of the truths of life. When I was a youth growing up, Clarence Darrow, the great agnostic and atheist, literally covered the horizon in the legal profession. Its been translated into English. We all love to be accepted. So he tells him, Swear by Caesar, or recant. FAITHFUL Say away with the atheists. And I dont know if this meant to be humorous at the moment of his almost death, but heres the story Polycarp solemnly looked at the whole crowd of lawless heathen who were in the stadium. Believing it possible that through Christ we may live in the required manner, that we may avoid sin--desist from sinning--give it up and abandon it altogether, and put it forever away. The other place it is used is to describe the face of that young man. living faith, consumed with one desire to please Him(John 12:42-43), 1. Each sermon has to do with our Christian life down here in the earth. It has never happened in the history of the world. You cannot help but admire this young man. This is the apocalypse revelation written down by John, who was a Jew, so we ought not take this to be some sort of anti-Jewish polemic. If they overcome in the first death, they will not be hurt by the second death. We dont have a small Christ who is coming and just saying, Oh, I will shed a tear for you. No, this is the One who is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. WebKing James Version 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten love for Him so great, any other in comparison is as hate, B. How do you respond when you are living your best, walking by faith, serving God and the bottom falls out? Psalms 20:5-6 May I turn to 1 John 3:14? You can understand how this might happen. The text is taken out of our Lords message to the church in Smyrna [Revelation 2:8-11]. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important way stations that become a part of our pilgrimage. 6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he To Him be the glory, honor, majesty, and eternal throne, from generation to generation. We must No one is agathai but One, that is, God [Mark 10:18]. He literally opens up his heart and lets us look inside. WebSermons by Bible: Sermons by Category: Sermons by Topic: Sermons by Speaker: Sermons by Language: Sermons by Date: Staff Picks: Comments, ALL -1 sec: Top Sermons: Online Bible: Hymnal: Daily Reading: Our heroes of the faith(Hebrews 11:9-10, 16), 1. Centuries earlier, during the period when Rome was struggling with Carthage for supremacy, Smyrna sided with the Romans. Why didnt the Lord say that to Zaccheus? Baptist. FAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. I dont want it to come. WebFaithfulness unto death is Gods standard for human life. Its marking out the date and time of his death. The apostle John writes in 1 John 2:15-17: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. Revelation chapter 2, verses 8 through 11. It is in riches. But what our Lord refers to is, compared to our love for Himour supreme devotion to Himall other love for wife, child, home, brother, sisters, all other love, compared to our love for Christ is as hate; our supreme love for Christ. knows nothing about defeat (Romans 4:17-21, Genesis 1 John 5:13-17. Faithfulness in the midst of persecution doesnt mean you just grin and bear it, you suppress it, you pretend like it doesnt hurt. Yet Paul told Timothy that anyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We live, we die, we live again. He told the disciples do not worry about what you will say in that day. And on the first anniversary of that wonderful experience, he wrote that marvelous hymn: [O for a Thousand Tongues, Charles Wesley]. Smyrna won the special privilege to build a temple to Emperor Tiberius. Hes telling us from Gods Holy Scriptures about our Lord. 10:39). It may mean that you are faithful in the midst of opposition, when your own children make different choices, sad choices, sinful choices, and say that you dont love them and youre not loving if you wont affirm what theyre doing. WebBe thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. He knew they would be tested severely. And a youngster wants to belong to the group. They think theres a way to avoid death and they dont have to think because everyone just goes to heaven and consequently most people spend more time trying to avoid death than they do spending time preparing and making sure theyre on the path to heaven. Of those 36 billion who have lived in the past 2000 years, by a very generous estimate, 12 billion were evangelized, had some access to the Gospel. What was important to them in the beginning was no longer important. Jesus knows. His salary was less than two hundred dollars a year. Poem, I hope you have that somewhere in your regular rhythm. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, There was Any Amazon link on this site is an ad. read more, Scripture: And whenever you see a monument to Nathan Hale, you will find inscribed the last word that he said, I regret I have but one life to lose for my country. That is a little comparable patriotic devotion, like us in our supreme love for Christ. Thats a great man, a marvelous man; thats Gods man. Try to set an example from time to time to pray for it here from the pulpit. Our So we dont have to long for it and want it. FAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH WebIts a very tender and touching sceneone of the most moving and heartwarming farewell speeches thats ever been recorded in literature. And the Lord, looking deep in the soul of the young fellow, said to him, Your heart is in the world. It is like manna from heaven to a hungry heart. He was arrested by Herod when Philip of Tralles was high priest, during the proconsulship of Statius Quadratus, but while Jesus Christ was reigning as King forever. WebBe faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. 2:20). And that leads them into all kinds of things that break the hearts of their parents. He was a friend of Ignatius and he was a mentor to Irenaeus. The third thing that had happened is by the end of the first century, some Jews had compromised with Rome. In the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy is one of the most unusual parabolic instances of devotion that you could ever think for or find in all literature. [Luke 9:62]: No one, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.. Where, O death, is your victory? Money causes individuals to work long hours and thus neglect their families. And this commandment that we have from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also [1 John 4:21]. Gave his life to be a Baptist preacher, VII. In fact, this one disqualifying sin will exclude us from ever going to heaven and receiving eternal life. And when John Fawcett stood and preached before the king, the king was so moved he said to the preacher, Ask anything and I will give it to thee. And the wonderful preacher replied, Sir, I have nothing for myself, but one of my families has a boy, a wayward boy who faces the sentence of death for forgery, in the strict laws of that time. We can remember the love that God has for us. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. False doctrine prevents people from being faithful. Truly, temptations----works of the devil challenge our daily thoughts and decisions. There was a price on the head of our Lord. If we live as Christians simply to avoid death, we are not living as Jesus would have us live. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. You dont reject your Savior. Every Christian wants to be able to say with the apostle Paul, as he thought about his own death ( 2 Tim. In fact, as I said last week, the two most struggling churches, the ones facing the greatest weaknesses, at least in an earthly sense, Philadelphia and Smyrna, are the ones about whom Jesus has nothing but good to say: I know your tribulation and your poverty. He was soon to dieto be rejected [Mark 10:32-34]. II Timothy 4:6-8 Paul was looking with Because when the Lord looked into the heart of that rich, young ruler, he loved things more than he loved God [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21-22]. The shears with rust are spoiled and yet. It wasnt the procedure at this time that you would try to stamp out every Christian, but if somebody ratted you out, often your family, and you were brought there, then you were made to recant. Denial of self(Matthew 16:24-25), A. Because the one who overcomes this present, temporary, fleeting pain will not be pained by the second and everlasting death. Three points of application. And our Lord may the flow of our lives be in praise, and in adoration, and worship, and in love for Thee, O blessed God, that as grace and mercy reached down even to me. Remember Paul said to the letter in Romans that those are Jews truly who are ones inwardly, written on the heart. So this letter is saying these are not spiritual Jews as we would understand the people of God, but they are people who have stirred up trouble. WebClosed with a few words from Revelation chapter 2, including the line, "be faithful unto death." The sermons and original blog posts are Copyright by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr. WebSermon Series: RevelationSermon Title: The Church of Smyrna: Be Faithful Unto DeathScripture Text: Revelation 2:8-11Speaker: Rev. It is a place on which somebody is executed, a cross. Putting this altogether, you can understand why in some parts of the Empire it was the Jews who sometimes instigated this persecution against the Christians. Just do the sacrifices, just do the ritual, and if you want to say youre doing it to the emperors as rulers, to honor them, and not as gods, then so be it. Now the next verse: And God counted his faith for righteousness, because he believed in the Lord [Genesis 16:6]. He literally opens up his heart and lets You allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols (Rev. When the spies arrived in Jericho, they entered into what everyone thought was a harlot's house. 119:11). Come. They were most affluent and well-to-do. Elishas dedication to Elijah might Nathan Hale entered Yale University as a ministerial student studying to be a preacher. We can remember the great examples of Scripture. Suffering. It is one of the marks and the characteristics of a good disciple of Jesus; our love for one another. So 36billion total. Or see the movie or tell the jokes or visit the websites that everyone else. His face beneath the cross is the face of faithfulness. WebTrue faithfulness to God is maintained to the end. And if the challenge in Ephesus was lovelessness, here it is the hatred of those who do not love Christ, or love the truth. 2:10 )? That is what the Bible said about Jesus: Jesus, looking upon him, loved him [Mark 10:21]. He knew what it was to face external temptation when that suffering came. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for My sake shall find it. Its a letter from Jesus, who is the Jewish Messiah. If I die, praise His name, it is to be with Him. 5-12-03 empty and heart broken(1 John 2:15-17), IV. Web10/ 9/ 94 FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH REVELATION 2: 10 (PAGE 1785 COME ALIVE BIBLE) JESUS CHRIST is appropriately spoken of as "the faithful witness" (Rev. And the Lord noticed it. While we stand and while we pray. The one who overcomes, who conquers, will not be hurt by the second death, that is, the eternal punishment in the lake of fire. We could put it like this death comes to us all, heaven does not. We come to see that the thing of value is not speed but endurance. Have us live might Nathan Hale entered Yale University as a ministerial student studying to be a preacher privilege build... A preacher his last testimony would have us live Matthew 16:24-25 ),.. Thought about his own death ( 2 Tim a crown of life 16:24 ), a been encouraged and challenged... Gave his life for my sake shall find it a weak God do with our Christian life here... Give Thee the crown of life apostle John writes in 1 John:! 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's course the jokes or visit the that. The challenge is one of the term, may face martyrdom for the child of.. Supremacy, Smyrna sided with the Romans loved this present world ( 2 Tim temptation that! This is the second death. Jesus will be persecuted are living your,.