Smyrna: The Persecuted Church

Revelation 2:8-11

Here in the United States, we tend to judge a church by its size, with a perceived assumption that you are not successful unless you have more and more people coming to your church. The average Southern Baptist church is made up of 80 people. Does that mean those smaller churches can not be considered healthy or successful? What about financial health of a church - is the amount of money coming into the offering plates each week a standard we examine? It’s interesting that what Jesus saw as a measure of success is not necessarily what we would consider measures of success in churches near us. How about a church that was facing trouble and struggling to pay the bills?

The church at Smyrna was not rich by the world standards, but they were blessed by God.

Listen to what Jesus said to this congregation of Christians:

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "The First and the Last, the One who was dead and came to life, says: I know your tribulation and poverty, yet you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the Devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will have tribulation for 10 days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The victor will never be harmed by the second death. (Revelation 2:8-11 HCSB)

These are words of Him who is the First and the Last, who died and rose again: This is Jesus speaking - He is the authoritative Word.

Jesus said: "I know your tribulation and poverty - I know the struggles you face and the difficulty you live in." Isn’t it good to know that Jesus knows your situation exactly? Then He said, you need to know this, Smyrna: you are rich.

The church in Smyrna was challenged, yet blessed; afflicted, yet strong; poor, yet rich. How could it be so? They were poor in a rich city. Poor because they were persecuted and ostracized by the pagans & Jews there, and they dared to follow and trust in Jesus Christ.

They discovered the secret of success as a church: Put your full faith and trust in God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, and no matter what the world throws at you, you will be blessed with spiritual riches the world cannot explain, understand, or take away.

The church at Smyrna had faced a test, and passed it well.

Whether we realize it or not, every Christian is tested, every Christian is tried. Every person who claims to be a follower of Jesus is subjected to the rigors of life so that our profession of faith might be shown to be genuine or shown to be artificial. So that it might be obvious who really believes and who does not.

W.R. Malby said that Christ promised His people three things: (1) They would be in constant trouble; (2) They would be completely fearless; and (3) They would be absurdly happy. This truth reveals the irony and the beauty of the Spirit-filled Christian life.

The sad truth is this: many who initially say they believe, face the challenges of life and then their behavior says that they do not believe. Some say it in words, others with actions: We thought God loved us and saved us, but now we don’t think so.

What does Proverbs 3:5-6 say? "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

The resources of heaven are available to all who trust and believe, yet so many never get to that point. It’s like some folks start and quit before going anywhere! They never make it to the point of discovering the riches of God’s spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Never learning that suffering won’t last forever because Jesus has promised to bring us relief - He gives us hope no matter what.

Jesus reminds us as He reminded the Christians at Smyrna: I know what you face and I am with you! Be faithful to Me, and I will give you a crown of life.

So in today’s culture we must ask ourselves the question: Are we a poor rich Church or a rich poor church? Are we poor in worldly goods but rich in faith and things of God, or are we rich with the world’s stuff, but poor in spiritual ways? Are we more concerned about treasure on earth or treasure in heaven?

There are situations where God chooses to bless with both worldly wealth and spiritual blessings, and that is good. But those Christians and churches must be ready to prove their desire to have spiritual blessings above all else.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are poor in Spirit, for theirs is Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who are desperate for Jesus!

Even if world considers it foolish, Jesus wants people who will forsake all for Him. Just like the Christians at Smyrna did.

You know the symbolism of Lord’s Supper: that the bread is a picture of the broken body of Jesus, and the cup is a picture of the shed blood of Jesus. The difference is that in Smyrna, they not only partook of the Lord’s Supper, they lived like Jesus was their bread and drink, like He was all they lived for, the one they depended on, their all in all. Because He was!

So, do you want to be a poor, rich Christian or a rich, poor Christian?

The world, and the devil of it, may try to take away all that you have of earthly value to discourage you from seeking after God and His riches. Only remember this: The riches of God’s heaven are made available to those who choose to be poor in the ways of the world but rich toward Him. Jesus told the Smyrna Christians and He tells us: "Be faithful to Me and I will give you the crown of life." Whose crown do I crave? The one the world offers, or the one Jesus has for me? As the song says, "You can have all this world...just give me Jesus!"