Choosing  Your Kingdom

Daniel 7:1-28

June 19, 2016

 

(No  notes available for this sermon)

The Church that Provoked Jesus
Revelation 2:18-29
June 19, 2016

I truly hope that the study of these churches
Has proven as valuable to you as it has to me.

Even now studying through them for the fourth time, I am amazed at how relevant and convicting the messages given to these churches continues to be.

And this morning is no different.
The message to the church at Thyatira
Is so RELEVANT and so TIMELY and so NEEDED.

But for this church I find it important to do a little THEOLOGICAL WORK
Before we get into the study of the church.

You are going to clearly see that
No church has angered Jesus like the church at Thyatira.
This is the church that gets to see the fire in His eyes.

• Jesus was heart-broken over Ephesus
• He was filled with pride regarding Smyrna
• He was concerned about Pergamum
BUT HE IS TICKED WITH THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA

Aside from the specifics that Jesus mentions
I THINK IT IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHY.

Understanding the issue at Thyatira
Requires that you understand what it means to be saved.

I want to begin by reading:
Romans 6:15-23 “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Without diving into the background too much, it is enough that you are aware that there was a group of people called the ANTINOMIANS
Who basically believed that grace was a license to sin.
Paul annihilates that notion here.
And reminds the Romans as to what salvation actually is.

Salvation is when God moves a sinner enslaved to sin
To the position of a son who is set free from sin
And enslaved to righteousness.

The best ever living illustration of this is found in John 11 when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Sinners are dead in sin
Jesus calls them out
And the expectation is that those to whom Jesus grants life will choose that life and not seek to return to the death that once held them captive.

The great imagery is found in the statement Jesus makes
Just after Lazarus steps out of the tomb.

John 11:44 “The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

That is a picture of salvation.
When we are lost we are literally slaves of sin.
• Now because sinners also crave sin, it doesn’t always feel like slavery, but that’s precisely what it is.

• It is a lifestyle of gratifying the flesh that leads to judgment, and sinners don’t realize that they are enslaved until it is too late.

The grace of God is that which opens our eyes to the danger
And then grants us deliverance through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
And the filling of God’s Holy Spirit.

This is what Paul was referring to in Romans 6.
You were set free from your slavery to sin, why in the world would you return to it?

AND IF WE HAD TIME we could continue on by walking through
Romans 7 and 8 where Paul describes the bondage he was in
And how Jesus finally set him free and made him alive.

• Paul describes how Jesus came and made Himself our sin offering so that we
might be set free.

• He then describes how God sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in us so that we would
no longer crave the evil things of this world and be lured back into slavery.

AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT
ALL OF THIS COMES WITH AN EXPECTATION FROM GOD.

Romans 8:12-14 “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh — for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

In short, God didn’t send His Son to die for you
And then send His Spirit to dwell in you
So that you could continue to live like you lived
Before you were saved.

That would be like Lazarus immediately putting the grave clothes back on
And walking back into the tomb.

Those who see the salvation of Jesus as a freedom to sin
Have totally missed the point.
The salvation of Jesus is a freedom to live righteously.

HOWEVER…
It is important that you know that living righteous is NOT AUTOMATIC.
There is war; there is a battle.

Galatians 5:16-24 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

The war is between your flesh (which is your old sinful nature)
And God’s Spirit who has moved in to guide your life.

The two do not agree with one another.
• The flesh loves sin, the Spirit loves righteousness
• The flesh loves self, the Spirit loves others
• The flesh loves comfort, the Spirit loves sacrifice

The call to the believer is to yield to the Spirit and kill the flesh.

Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

Colossians 3:5-6 “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,”

Romans 13:12-14 “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

That is really the call of the believer.
It is called SANCTIFICATION

It is the process of becoming on the outside
What Jesus has already made us on the inside.

And this is God’s will for the believer.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…”

In fact the night before Jesus died, this is what He prayed for believers:
John 17:15-19 “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.”

Jesus died to save you from sin,
His prayer for you is that you now live free from sin.

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL…
We also know that there is a TEMPTER.

All the tempter does is offer the flesh what the flesh wants.
Obviously you should never listen to the tempter,
He will only make the battle that much more difficult.

So, as a church you would think that the goal would be
To come together and encourage one another
In our common battle against sin.

You would think that we would:
• Confront our sinning brothers
• Encourage one another with the truth
• Bear one another’s burdens
• Expose temptation and the work of the enemy
• And basically do whatever we can to help our brother not stumble

That’s what a church ought to look like isn’t it?
That’s what a church ought to be doing isn’t it?

Well with that backdrop, I think you’re ready to see
Why the church at Thyatira was making Jesus so mad.

5 things this morning.

#1 THE CHURCH
Revelation 2:18a
“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:”

Thyatira was different than the three previous cities we looked at.
• Ephesus and Smyrna were port cities with implied immorality.
• Smyrna and Pergamum were Roman loyalist cities with extensive Emperor worship.
• All three of those cities were major religious centers for false religion

That really wasn’t Thyatira at all.

That’s not to say there wasn’t idolatry or immorality, there was.
It’s just that those things aren’t what the city was known for.

Thyatira was a working man’s town.
The fabric industry was big there as was the dying of fabrics.

You may remember the lady Lydia whom Paul led to the Lord outside of Philippi.
Acts 16:14 “A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.”

Thyatira was a working man’s town and neither persecution, nor pagan worship, nor emperor worship were terrible threats there.

The issue at Thyatira was what is known as the “TRADE GUILDS”

If you wanted to keep a job or run a business you had to be a member of a guild. (similar to a modern day labor union)

The problem was that
• Each guild had its own symbolic patron deity in whose honor feasts were held.
• At those feasts sacrifices were made to idols, and the meat was eaten.
• Things like drunkenness and immorality ensued.

I really think the best analogy to what went on in Thyatira
Is what we would call being a “Good Ole Boy”

The pressure then came for Christians to participate in all of these feasts and immorality if they were to maintain a job or a livelihood.

It was a battle against WORLDLINESS.

The Church
#2 THEIR LORD
Revelation 2:18b
“The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:”

Again we get a unique revelation of our Lord to the church in Thyatira.

And quite frankly, this one might be the Most Terrifying.
Here Jesus reveals Himself as THE JUDGE

All of the titles and analogies used here indicate
The One with ultimate authority, insight, and judgment.

John 5:22-23 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

And that is precisely what the “eyes like a flame of fire” indicate.
He sees all and He is angry.

The “feet…like burnished bronze” indicate
His dispensing of judgment on the guilty.

Jesus will spell all this out a little clearer later in the letter.
(2:23) “And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”

I see and I judge.
Obviously there isn’t much comfort coming here
From the revelation of Jesus to the church in Thyatira.

The Church, Their Lord
#3 THEIR EVALUATION
Revelation 2:19-23

Instead of separating what they do well from what they do wrong,
I opted to look at them together, namely because I am not convinced that the commendation given here is a full-hearted one.

“I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.”

But if you’ll notice He doesn’t give any specifics as to what those “deeds” where.
• He told Ephesus about their testing false teachers…
• He told Smyrna about how rich they were…
• He told Pergamum about their faithfulness in the days of Antipas…

But He gives no specifics for Thyatira.
It really reads more like Jesus just being courteous
Before He gets to the real issue.

“You have done this well and this well and this well, and you have shown improvement…BUT…”
Thyatira is a church, and they aren’t all bad,
But it is obvious that their failure
Greatly out shadows their successes.

It is a reminder that none of us are just trying to do the bare minimums.

Luke 17:7-10 “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? “But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? “He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'”

If you employ a person to mow the grass and then pay them for mowing the grass, you really shouldn’t have to give them a plaque and throw an awards ceremony.

And that is true with the followers of Jesus.
Things like “good deeds” “love” “faith” “service” and “perseverance”
Are really just kind of expected, not necessarily rewardable.

Remember what Paul told the Corinthians?
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

Paul is there speaking of genuine believers who are saved and who will go to heaven, but they will do so without reward because they only did the bare minimum.

That is Thyatira.
They did the bare minimums and Jesus recognized it.
The problem is their failures that are greatly over shadowing it.

So Jesus gets to the problem…
(20) “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

Here we have another reference to an Old Testament villain.
• Pergamum had some who held to the teaching of Balaam,
• Thyatira has a woman like Jezebel.

It’s rather unlikely that this is her name,
But from Jesus’ perspective it might as well be the same woman.

Do you remember Jezebel?
• You will remember that after Solomon, his son Rehoboam became king,
• But he was foolish and the kingdom was split
• Israel fell into idolatry almost immediately with one bad king after another.
• But the worst king to ever sit on the throne of Israel was clearly Ahab.

Let me show you why:
1 Kings 16:29-33 “Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him. It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. Ahab also made the Asherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.”

Ahab married the daughter of a pagan king
And she spread a terrible influence throughout the land.

She introduced baal worship and all sorts of pagan practices.
• In 1 Kings 18:4 she is given credit for killing nearly all the prophets of God.
• In 1 Kings 19:1-2 she places a bounty on the head of Elijah.
• In 1 Kings 21 she is responsible for killing Naboth simply because her
husband wanted his vineyard.

Her life is summed up:
1 Kings 21:25 “Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife incited him.”

• And ultimately God issued a prophetic death in which she would die and be
eaten by dogs…and it happened.

Jezebel is easily seen as the most wicked woman of the Old Testament.
She incited more rebellion and idolatry in Israel than any other person.

Whoever this woman in Thyatira was; Jesus compared her to Jezebel.

Jesus explained her like this:
She “calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads my bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

She was a self-proclaimed spokesperson for God.
(Take a lesson here and recognize that not everyone who claims to hear from God and speak for God actually does.)

Thanks to the charismatic movement
There is a new rise of self-proclaimed prophets hitting the air waves
And I shouldn’t have to tell you how dangerous this is.

We believe God spoke in Scripture, we are not looking for new revelation.
Jeremiah 23:28-32 “The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the LORD. “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who steal My words from each other. “Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ “Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.”

Just understand that true prophets proclaim the word of God.
We know that to be the Bible.

Jezebel was a self-proclaimed prophet
Who spoke from her own imagination.
And her preaching was having a devastating effect
On the believers in Thyatira.

“she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray to that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

We don’t know specifically what she taught,
But we do know what her teaching produced and it wasn’t holiness.

• Maybe she told believers it was ok to participate in the guilds.
• Maybe she told them it was ok to participate in the immorality to keep their job.
• Maybe she convinced them that God wanted them to be happy and wealthy and a little immorality doesn’t hurt.

Look the prosperity gospel gives us all that junk today.
Seeking to convince selfish people that
God actually wants them to get everything they can from the world.

When Jesus told us NOT to store up treasure here.
And Paul told us to fix our eyes on things above, not on earthly things.

And John told us:
1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

And James told us:
James 4:4 “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

We are never called to get all we can out of this life.
We are called to sacrifice this life for the next.

It is clear, that Jezebel was teaching just the opposite.

Her teaching was absolutely undoing
The very purpose for why we were saved.

• God sent His Son to die in our stead that we might be free from sin.
• God sent His Spirit to dwell in our hearts that we might have victory
over the flesh.
• Jesus’ desire is to present His bride holy and blameless and without
spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
• AND JEZEBEL WAS UNDERMINING IT ALL.

Worldliness is the exact opposite of Christ expects from His church
And that is precisely what the church at Thyatira was falling into.

What did Jesus think about her teaching?
(21-23) “I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. ‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. ‘And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”

Jesus had obviously already confronted her and told her to stop,
The problem is that she said, “No”.
She didn’t want to, she loved her sin and the benefits of it.

So Jesus said, I’m about to punish her.
• And everyone who is buying what she is selling is about to go “into great tribulation”
• And all the little preachers who are follower her lead (“her children”) I’m about to “kill” them “with pestilence”)

And by doing so I’m going to send a message
To every church around that
“I am he who searches the minds and hearts;
and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”

Jesus said that He’s about to clean house
And make an example out of Jezebel and her followers.

That is severe to say the least!
I told you Jesus is passionate about the purity of His church.

SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM IN THYATIRA?

Look back at the first part of verse 20.
“I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel…”
• Here is a woman that Jesus has so much disdain for that He is not about to leave her untouched.
• He’s already warned her and He’s about to eradicate her,
• But He is most upset with the church at Thyatira because they weren’t doing anything about her.

They TOLERATED her.

“tolerate” is the same word used of Ephesus back in verse 4
When Jesus told them they had “left” their first love.

The church in Thyatira just left her alone.
• They allowed her to preach
• They allowed her to teach
• They allowed her to spread her message of worldliness and depravity
• They never corrected her
• They never rebuked her
• They never challenged her

AND JESUS WAS FURIOUS!
Thyatira was weak.

Paul told Timothy:
1 Timothy 1:18-20 “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

Paul told Titus:
Titus 1:10-11 “For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”

Someone had to stand up against this heresy and no one would
So now Jesus was on His way to bring judgment to that church.

Believe me when I tell you that
He does not allow this stuff to spread unchecked.
Jesus was angry.

The Church, Their Lord, Their Evaluation
#4 THEIR COMMAND
Revelation 2:24-25

This is actually one of the saddest commands
Given to any of the churches.

Jesus looks at those who do not agree with Jezebel.
(They haven’t rebuked her or silenced her, but they don’t agree with her)

Jesus here calls her theology “the deep things of Satan”
• Satan is a liar and the father of lies
• Satan is a deceiver and a manipulator and a slanderer

But at his core Satan is filled with selfishness and ambition.
It was his selfishness that led him to be removed from heaven
And his temptations are filled with this same selfish ambition

He loves to whisper in your ear
How you are being cheated or mistreated or that you deserve better.
Prosperity gospel preachers even train people to think that it is actually God who is telling you those things instead of Satan.

It is dangerous stuff.
While not everyone in Thyatira believed it, no one did anything about it.

So what is the command from Jesus?
NOTHING

“I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.”
• It was too late for action.
• It was too late to deal with it.
• They were about to have a lot of funerals in Thyatira because no one would stand up.

And now Jesus wasn’t even asking them to anymore.
Just sit there until I come deal with it.
Can you hear the disappointment?

It is the fulfillment of Isaiah 63
Isaiah 63:1-6 “Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment. “For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. “I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. “I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

Ezekiel 22:30-31 “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. “Thus I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; their way I have brought upon their heads,” declares the Lord GOD.”

That was Thyatira.
The church that loved the world, tolerated heresy,
And was told to just sit back and do nothing
Until Jesus came and destroyed the sinners.
I don’t think Thyatira is an example we would want to follow.
#5 THEIR EXAMPLE
Revelation 2:26-29

Here we have it again, the call to all the churches.

We are asked to overcome and if we will Jesus says that “To Him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.”

Jesus is obviously promising authority to rule the world.
• What else could “authority over the nations” mean?

Jesus is promising intimacy with Himself
• Since He is “the morning star.”

SO WHAT IS HE SAYING?
• The call today is to overcome worldliness and it’s damning influence.
• It is the call to stand against the heresy of false doctrines that promote worldliness and turn grace into a license to sin.
• It is the call to forsake this life for the sake of the next.

And if you will Jesus will let you rule the next.
If you’ll forsake this world Jesus will give you the next one.
If you’ll forsake yourself Jesus will give you Himself.

BUT YOU CANNOT EXPECT
To spend your life chasing the world and the lusts that it offers
And expect that Jesus is going to allow you to have both.

Do you want tribulation?
Do you want judgment?
Then just keep seeking the world.

Keep gathering around you that multitude of teachers
Who will tell you what your itching ears want to hear.

But if you want glory in the next life…
If you want Jesus…

Then it’s time to turn your back on the flesh
And turn your back on the world and run whole-heartedly for Jesus.

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

This, after all, is what Jesus intended for the church to be.
And when the church forgets that point, Jesus is furious,
And He promises to judge His church accordingly.

For The Glory of God
Daniel 6:1-28
June 12, 2016

I think we are all settling in with an understanding now
Of what the book of Daniel is really about.
It is a book devoted to the glory of God.

• Written during one of the darkest times in Israel’s history (the 70 year exile);
• A time when various world powers came in and out of control,
• God continues to leave no doubt regarding who is really in control.

It is God who sets up rulers and it is God who brings them down.

And the objective of all that God has done, is doing, and will do
Is to the end that He and He alone will receive the glory.

That has been clearly seen thus far in the book of Daniel as we’ve seen God teach very dramatic lessons to two of the world’s leaders.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR
• First God warned Nebuchadnezzar with a dream.
• Then God reminded Nebuchadnezzar with an appearance in the furnace.
• Then God convinced Nebuchadnezzar with 7 years of insanity.

BELSHAZZAR.
• God actually wrote his judgment on the wall and over through him that very
night.
• And by the end of chapter 5 Babylon was an afterthought.

This nation that invaded Israel, burned the temple, and deported God’s chosen people was now nothing more than a chapter in a history book.
God raised them up, and God tore them down.

So it is not a surprise to us in the least that God is at work
To display His glory and demonstrated His sovereign control.

THE QUESTION FOR TONIGHT IS:
What is my role in all of this?

This is one of those important balances to understand
Any time we discuss the sovereignty of God.

Those who reject a theology where God is in complete sovereign control of all things generally do so by arguing, “Then I guess we just sit back and do nothing.”

• “Why evangelize if God has His elect already?”
• Or “Why pray if God has already decided what He’s going to do?”
• Or “Why vote if God already picked His candidate?”
And I’ll be the first to admit there is an obvious mystery here.
I don’t understand how God’s sovereignty works with my responsibility.

There is a mystery to me how God can allow me to do and choose and request and decide, and yet still perfectly accomplish His will.
I don’t fully grasp it.

But it does pose a good question.
WHAT IS MY ROLE IN ALL OF THIS?

In particular we are talking about when we find ourselves
IN A LESS THAN FAVORABLE SITUATION.

LIKE DANIEL
He was a prisoner in a foreign land, living under a corrupt government.
So what is Daniel’s role in glorifying God in the midst of that situation?

I ask that question because
I believe the story tonight to be a tremendous example of precisely that.
More than that, I believe the story tonight
To be a story that is told (and expected) throughout Scripture.

Tonight is an example of how God used Daniel to glorify Himself.
• For Nebuchadnezzar God used insanity.
• For Belshazzar God used judgment.
• For Darius, God will use Daniel.

And to set the stage for the story
There are a couple of texts that I would read.

1 Peter 2:11-17 “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”

Like Daniel, Peter lived during the reign of an unfavorable world ruler.
• For Peter it was Nero.

And yet Peter understood that God was sovereign over all things,
And all that God was asking from him was submission.

Peter knew he needed to have
• Excellent Behavior.
• Respect for Authority
• Love For God’s People
• Trust in God.
And Peter knew that if he would maintain such an attitude
That God would use him to glorify Himself.

Later Peter wrote:
1 Peter 4:15-16 “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”

There Peter demonstrated the flip side of his previous argument.
• On one hand we glorify God through our respect and submission.
• On the other hand we glorify Him by refraining from things that He forbids.

Both indicate the reality that
Living according to God’s standard brings glory to Him.

This is implied in the often quoted statement from Jesus:
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

In short, the way we live our lives matters.
God is sovereign and He is working to bring glory to Himself,
And it is apparent that He can and will use us to do that.

Tonight I want you to see an example.
And for that we study the familiar story typically referred to as “Daniel in the Lion’s Den”

There are four main divisions in the text tonight.
#1 THE DILEMMA
Daniel 6:1-5

Now the dilemma here is not yet Daniel’s dilemma,
It is the dilemma of those who hate Daniel.

Here we find that under a new regime
There is a new style of government in control.

This style is different from that of Babylon.

• Whereas Nebuchadnezzar clearly had free reign and ultimate authority, it is obvious that Darius has more limitations.

• You will see that Darius certainly has some control, but that he is also at times bound by certain protocols and stipulations.

• But the first way his government is different is that it is clear that he has more of a delegation type system of governing.

• Under Darius would be 3 commissioners (Daniel was one)
• Under the commissioners would be 120 satraps who would be in charge of the kingdom.

All of this was done so that “the king might not suffer loss.”

Their entire duty was to protect the king and his kingdom.

And I point that out because it is apparent that Daniel was really good at it
(3) “Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom.”

Yes Daniel had “an extraordinary spirit” but trust me Darius didn’t like him because he could tell that Daniel was a devout man of faith.

Darius liked Daniel because Daniel served the interest of Darius well.

It hearkens back to that passage in Colossians:
Colossians 3:22-24 “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

• Daniel just did his job to the best of his ability.
• He obviously greatly benefitted the king’s own agenda.
• And so Darius wanted to promote Daniel.

And that was the dilemma.
It wasn’t a dilemma for Daniel,
But it was a Dilemma for those who wanted Daniel’s job.

(4-5) “Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.”

These men went after Daniel.
They were looking for two main things.
Any evidence of corruption or any evidence of negligence.

• Was there anything Daniel did that he shouldn’t have done?
• Was there anything Daniel didn’t do that he should have done?

And they couldn’t find anything on him anywhere.

And again this is not referring to Daniel’s religious faithfulness,
This is referring to Daniel’s work for the king.

Daniel did his job well and these men could find nothing.
They had a dilemma.
They knew there was only 1 reason that Daniel would defy the king
And put himself in a situation worthy of punishment;
That was “with regard to the law of his God.”

In addition to Daniel being the hardest worker among them,
They also knew that Daniel was a man of impeccable love for God.
And this would be the only chance they would have.

NOW, STOP THERE FOR A MOMENT.

I know we talk about mission trips and witnessing opportunities and things like that.

And I’m certain that many of you have thought about
Your work place as a mission field.

If you want a good example of what that looks like, here it is:

Daniel’s co-workers knew three things about Daniel.
1) You can’t corrupt him (no corruption)
2) You can’t outwork him (no negligence)
3) He loves God

If you are looking for a good workplace testimony,
That is a great place to start.

So there is the dilemma.
#2 THE DECISION
Daniel 6:6-18

We call it the decision,
But in reality there are several decisions made in this section.

• There is the decision of the conspirators
• There is the decision of Darius
• There is the decision of Daniel

The DECISION OF THE CONSPIRATORS is to devise a plot that would get Daniel in hot water.

(6-8) “Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! “All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. “Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.”

The lies and corruption here are obvious.
“all the commissioners”? (I can think of 1 who didn’t consent)

These men were lying and dirty from the get go.
It was a scheme purely for the purpose of condemning Daniel.

Isn’t it impressive however that Daniel had such a reputation
That people knew all it would take to condemn him
Was a law that said you couldn’t pray?

We live in a day where we constantly implore Christians to pray more.
I don’t even know if such a law would affect many believers,
But it did Daniel.

So they devise a plot to get the king to sign an injunction
That no one prays to anyone but him for 30 days.
What a notion!

Well, I guess we see what type of man DARIUS was BECAUSE WE SEE HIS DECISION next.

(9) “Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.”

What type of person so sets himself up in the seat of God that he would actually sign a bill that no one could pray to anyone but him?
• Darius obviously has problems.
• His pride is off the charts.

Nevertheless, his decision is final, his decision is law,
And his decision cannot be revoked.

So let’s look at DANIEL’S DECISION.

(10) “Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.”

Isn’t that quite a statement?
“Now when Daniel knew…he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day…as he had been doing previously.”

Windows open, right on schedule, Daniel didn’t change a thing.
Daniel wasn’t looking for trouble,
But he also wasn’t looking to hide who he was.

Sometimes the most extreme difficulties
Give opportunities for the most noticeable testimonies.

Daniel could certainly pray with his windows closed
(Jesus even mentioned not praying in front of men)
But Daniel was simply praying has he always had.

Something in him knew that this was not about praying,
But it was about being faithful no matter the cost.

Daniel prayed publicly because in this hour of testing
It was important to him that the rest of the world know
That he still prayed to God.

It is a tremendous decision by Daniel.

Martin Luther wrote:
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is more flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”
(sited in: MacArthur, John; The Truth War, Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception; [Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN; 2007] pg. 26)

Daniel is fighting the battle on the battlefield before him.

• He is not being disrespectful
• He is not seeking to start a revolt
• But he is remaining faithful to God

And that is all these men were waiting for.
(READ 11-18)

• So Daniel is caught
• Daniel is condemned
• Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den

It is true that the king regretted it.
• After all Daniel had greatly benefitted the king.
• The king wanted Daniel alive to continue to serve,
• But this king was bound by law and there was nothing he could do.

(Make a note to be careful when listening to flattery. These other commissioners flattered the king, and now they owned him)

So he gave the orders to have Daniel thrown into the den of lions.

He did so with this one word of encouragement for Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”

This isn’t a declaration of faith by Darius,
But it is a recognition that God is Daniel’s only hope.

(I guess even Darius now realizes that praying to him won’t help)

So do you see how the stage has been set?
Through Daniel’s obedience to work hard and pray faithfully, God now has the most powerful man in the world watching to see what He can do.

God has used Daniel’s simple and humble submission
To set the stage to glorify Himself.

And as we read, the king had all night to contemplate this.

(18) “Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.”

The Dilemma, The Decision
#3 THE DELIVERANCE
Daniel 6:19-24

• It is clear that the king was watching for the sun to peak over the horizon.
• He had spent the night wondering if Daniel’s God could in fact deliver this man whom the king valued so greatly.

The king ran to the tomb and yelled in, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

It’s clear that Darius is confused.
He knows God to be “the living God” but doesn’t know if He is “able to deliver”.

He’s about to find out.

(21-22) “Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.”

Apparently God is able.

It is one of the greatest deliverances in the entire Bible.
• And yes, we know that God doesn’t always do this.
• Many genuine believers were fed to the lions under Nero in the New Testament.

But it is a tremendous reminder here
That God can accomplish anything He desires
When it fits His purposes.

That includes rescuing His children
From the flame or from the mouth of the lion.
God is able!

The king certainly rejoiced and then gave orders
For Daniel’s accusers to receive the fate they planned for Daniel
And we see what the lions were really capable of.

So God delivered Daniel.
#4 THE DECLARATION
Daniel 6:25-28

And there we have it once again.
• God’s sovereignty has been put on display and yet another foreign ruler is declaring that God alone is in control.

• And now Darius understands the pure insanity of declaring that men should pray to him.

Darius couldn’t rescue Daniel from the lions, only God could do that.
All men should pray only to Daniel’s God.

“For He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever.”

This chapter began with Darius being an arrogant man
Only interested in who could best protect his reign.
Darius ends by being a worshiper of the living God.

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
God used a humble and submissive servant.

Think about it. This story isn’t even like some of the other great ones.
• Daniel didn’t fight any giant.
• Daniel didn’t build an ark.
• Daniel didn’t go to battle against a foreign army.

What did Daniel do?
• He worked hard for the king
• He prayed faithfully to God
• He let God use his life for whatever purpose best glorified Him.

There is not a person in this room who can’t have that testimony.

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

1 Peter 2:11-17 “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”

That is the type of testimony God has called for throughout Scripture.

But if I can show you one more, I’d show you that this was also the exact type of testimony that Jesus gave as He sought to glorify God.

• In the upper room the Bible says that Jesus gave the sop to Judas who took it. The Bible says that Satan entered him and Jesus told Judas to go do what had set out to do.

• Once Judas left and the entire process had been set in motion, here is what Jesus said:

John 13:31-32 “Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.”

• Jesus knew that His decision to submit to God’s plan would in fact bring glory to God.

Want to see the parallels?

1) DANIEL WAS INNOCENT
They could find no grounds by which to accuse him.

JESUS WAS ALSO INNOCENT
He had never sinned, nor was there any deceit found in His mouth.

2) DANIEL WAS ACCUSED BY FALSE WITNESSES
They said all the commissioners were in agreement when they clearly were not.

JESUS WAS ALSO FALSELY ACCUSED
False witnesses were produced many times to condemn Jesus as He stood before Caiaphas.

3) DANIEL WAS TRIED IN A CORRUPT COURT
It wasn’t the judge who ran the show (Darius) it was the conspirators who ran the show.

JESUS WAS TRIED IN A CORRUPT COURT
Many illegal procedures occurred during His trial that should not have been allowed and it was the accusers who won the day, not the actual judge.

4) DANIEL WAS CONDEMNED BY A WEAK RULER
It may have been true that a Persian injunction could not be overturned, but that doesn’t mean Darius couldn’t save Daniel.

Darius just couldn’t save Daniel and save Darius at the same time.

JESUS WAS ALSO CONDEMNED BY A WEAK RULER
Pilate could have saved Jesus. Pilate just couldn’t save Jesus and save Pilate so he decided to let Jesus die.

5) DANIEL’S JUDGE MADE A HALF-HEARTED DECLARATION AS DANIEL WAS LED AWAY.

It is quite humorous to hear Darius declare how God would protect Daniel.

JESUS’ JUDGE ALSO MADE A HALF-HEARTED DECLARATION.
We actually see Pilate nailing a sign above Jesus’ head that He is king of the Jews.

6) GOD DELIVERED DANIEL FROM DEATH
God shut the mouths of the lions.

GOD DELIVERED JESUS FROM DEATH

7) THE LIFE OF DANIEL MEANT DEATH FOR HIS ACCUSERS

THE LIFE OF JESUS ALSO MEANS DEATH FOR HIS ACCUSERS

8) DANIEL’S HUMBLE SUBMISSION LED TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

JESUS’ HUMBLE SUBMISSION ALSO LED TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

The point is that Daniel’s blueprint for glorifying God
Is not a unique one.

• Daniel did it.
• Peter commanded it.
• Jesus did it.

It is what is expected from us in a backward world.
Submit yourself to God.

Do the things He requires with all your heart
And trust that He will use these things to bring glory to Himself.

He has done it time and time again…

1 Peter 4:15-16 “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.”

When Jesus Goes To War
Revelation 2:12-17
June 12, 2016

In his first letter to the Corinthians
The apostle Paul exposed the church for an awful account of sin
That had gone unchecked.
He actually spoke of an incident of incest that was literally unheard of even in the world
And the Corinthians had done nothing about it.

1 Corinthians 5:1-2 “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.”

Paul called the Corinthian’s failure to deal with this sin “arrogant”.

But that wasn’t all that it was.
Failure to deal with this sin was ALSO EXTREMELY NAÏVE.

He went on to say:
1 Corinthians 5:6 “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?”

I don’t know what the particular thinking of the Corinthians was
Regarding this man’s sinful decisions, but regardless of their reasoning,
WE DO KNOW THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

Allowing things like this to occur and endure in the church
Can only have a destructive effect on the rest of the body.

It will permeate, it will spread, it will influence, it will corrupt.
It is a threat to the body and Paul commanded the Corinthians
To cast that man out and protect the church.

What we learn from incidents like that is that
NOT EVERY THREAT TO THE CHURCH IS EXTERNAL.

Some attacks of the enemy come from within.

When Paul wrote to the Galatians he said:
Galatians 5:7-9 “You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.”

• You will remember that the Galatians were being pushed toward legalism, specifically in the area regarding circumcision.
• But it sure wasn’t the lost and unbelieving world that was pushing the Galatians to be circumcised.
• It was false brethren, those who snuck in to steal the liberty of the Galatian church, who had craftily spread their heresy throughout the church.

The Galatian church was under attack.
It was not an attack with swords and stones,
It was an attack with deception and lies.

Jesus Himself warned the disciples:
Matthew 16:5-12 “And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? “Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? “Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up? “How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

To the disciples, physical problems like a lack of bread were a big issue.
To Jesus that was no issue at all.

The big issue in Jesus’ mind was the deceptive influence that
The Pharisees and other hypocrites were having on the church.

It is the Satanic attack from within.

Not every threat to the church is external.
And typically it is not the external threat that concerns Jesus the most.

This is seen clearly in comparing the church we study today with the one we studied last week.

• The church at Smyrna was under direct physical attack from the devil.
• Jesus knew about their tribulation, their poverty, and even that they were being blasphemed by false believers.
• He knew they had more tribulation to endure.
• He knew about the devil’s plan to throw them in prison.
• He knew that some of them might even be killed.

And yet all Jesus did was remind them that He had overcome death
And He asked them to not fear and be faithful.

Pergamum however is under internal attack (they don’t realize it, but they are)
And here Jesus is about to show up
And go to war with the sword in His mouth.

NOW YOU TELL ME WHICH CONCERNS HIM THE MOST.

As you will see, Pergamum is a church that has been invaded by spiritual terrorists.

To explain what I mean, listen to what Jude wrote in his letter.
Jude 3-4 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Jude would go on to say:
Jude 12-13 “These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.”

And
Jude 16 “These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.”

And
Jude 19 “These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.”

They are spiritual terrorists.
They worm their way in, they flatter, they lie, they deceive, and they plot just to find the right time and location to let off their bomb and destroy the church from within.

Jude wrote to say – WAKE UP!
Jesus here writes to Pergamum to say the same.

We’ve covered this church now 3 times that I am aware of and every time we have done so, I’ve called Pergamum the compromising church.

I’m going to change that this morning.
I don’t think compromising is the best word.
PERGAMUM was THE NAÏVE CHURCH

They were so distracted by dangers outside
That they grew naïve to the dangers inside.

A Trojan horse had been rolled into Pergamum and no one was aware except for Jesus and He was about to go to war!

So let’s look at this church this morning.
6 things
#1 THE CHURCH
Revelation 2:12a
“And to the angel of the church at Pergamum write:”

Again, it helps us understand the dilemma of the church
When we better understand the city in which it existed.

Pergamum was not a port city like Ephesus or Smyrna,
But it was considered the greatest city in Asia.
You would call Pergamum much classier and well to do than the others.

• I might compare Ephesus or Smyrna to Las Vegas or New Orleans, which are cities that have a reputation for sin and immorality.

But you would compare Pergamum more to a city like Boston.
• It was more cultural, more historical, more refined.
• It is was city which housed a great library of 200,000 volumes which Anthony later gave to Cleopatra as a gift.
• It was believed to be the place where parchment was invented. (Originally called pergamena)

The downfall to Pergamum was that it was also filled with idols.
The false gods Athena, Dionysus, and Zeus were prominently worshiped there
The city housed the temple of Asklepios and also a giant altar to Zeus.

Pergamum was also a Roman loyal city much like Smyrna was.

When you put all this together,
You begin to understand that Pergamum may not have been as rough as a place like Smyrna, but it was just as dangerous, just as depraved, just as lost, and just as difficult to minister to.

In this idolatrous city rested the church at Pergamum
Which you will soon see faced enormous external persecution,
Even to the point of martyrdom.

The Church
#2 THEIR LORD
Revelation 2:12b
“The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:”

Again Jesus is drawing from that vision revealed in chapter 1.
• To Ephesus He focused on His location with the church.
• To Smyrna it was His victory over suffering and death.
• But here He focuses on the fact that He wields the sword.

The sword is very unique weapon.
It is not a tool, it is not a decoration, it has one distinct purpose…to kill.

And when Jesus wields the sword, it is NEVER against His church,
It is only promised for the unbelieving.

Revelation 19:15 “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”

The sword from the mouth of Jesus
Is always for the destruction of the wicked.
Jesus reveals Himself to Pergamum as the Warrior about to go to battle!
While this is timely and relevant to the situation and Pergamum,
It might surprise you exactly where the battle is going to be fought.

The Church, Their Lord
#3 THEIR SUCCESS
Revelation 2:13

Before we get into any criticisms or corrections to the churches
It is always important to first recognize what these churches do well.

This is important so we don’t easily pass them off
As just uncommitted or unconcerned Christians.

It is important that you understand how real they were
And how committed they were and how devoted they were.
That will help us see how easily these dangers can happen to anyone.

Jesus again starts with those all-important words “I know”.
• It again brings memories of Him as our high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses and can come to our aid in our suffering.
• It is always comforting to remember that Jesus gets it!

And to Pergamum, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is;”

STOP AND LET THAT SINK IN.
This is the church that apparently exists in Satan’s capitol.

Jesus later says that Pergamum is “where Satan dwells.”

Look that is purely seen with spiritual eyes.
There is no way to have known that other than Jesus expressing it.

PERGAMUM WAS SATAN’S HOME TOWN AND CAPITOL CITY.

So, for help in putting it all in perspective,
Imagine being a member of First Baptist Church Khartoum, Sudan.

The church at Pergamum must have felt like
“A Christian booth in the middle of Ramadan.”

And yet Jesus said of them, “and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you,”

• One can only imagine the pressure to keep quiet about Jesus in Satan’s home town.
• One can only imagine the pressure to be ashamed of the gospel in Satan’s capitol city.
• One can only imagine the pressure to go underground when the most faithful among you are being rewarded with death.
It is safe to say that we know nothing of
The external dangers that Pergamum faced.

“Antipas” was called “My witness, My faithful one”
Most likely because he was so much like Jesus.

Both of those titles are titles reserved for Jesus.
Revelation 1:5 identified Jesus as “the faithful witness”

The point is that the more you were like Jesus
The more dangerous it became for you.

If there was ever a church tempted to put their light under a basket
It would have most certainly been the church at Pergamum.

It was NOT in your best interest
To go around proclaiming the gospel or the name of Jesus.

And yet, the church at Pergamum did!
• They did not grow silent about the name of Jesus.
• They did not become ashamed of the gospel.
• They could not be bullied or intimidated or pressured away from the Jesus they loved.

Matthew 10:32-33 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

1 Peter 3:13-17 “Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.”

The church at Pergamum understood that and embraced it.

This is partly why I don’t think “The Compromising Church” is really a fair title to them.
• They were not noted for compromise when it came to the name of Jesus.
• They were not noted for compromise when it came to the gospel.
• They were not noted for compromise when it came to being killed.

This church was bold and faithful and committed and courageous!

Jesus told the church at Smyrna not to fear and to be faithful.
It appears that the church at Pergamum
Was obedient on both of those counts.

They were solid and Jesus commended them for it.
• Jesus loves a church that loves to proclaim His name.
• Jesus loves a church that won’t deny Him before men.
• Jesus loves a church that chooses Him over safety and comfort.

The church at Pergamum was definitely commendable.

SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Well, while they were courageous to the outside threat,
It appears that they were also naïve to the inward attack.

The Church, Their Lord, Their Success
#4 THEIR CRITIQUE
Revelation 2:14-15

The words of Jesus here are sobering:
“But I have a few things against you…”

It sort gives me a mental picture of Jesus going through a report sheet with the pastor.
• I see here you proclaim My name… good, good
• I see here you keep the faith… excellent
• I see here you’ve suffered persecution … well done

But I’m seeing some things here in this report that we cannot overlook.

Now, at the very least let this remind you of the passion of Jesus.
His goal and objective is to make us perfect, not just acceptable.

Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

Did you pick up on those words?
“glory” “no spot” “no wrinkle” “holy” “blameless”

Jesus wants Pergamum to be perfect
And she had an area where she was lacking badly.
“you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

It is the same phrase used twice.
“you have there some”
“you have some”

The church at Pergamum had built a monumental defense
Against the influences and attacks from those outside the church,
But she failed to recognize the attack that was being waged from within.

They weren’t necessarily compromising,
But they had been compromised.
There were traitors in her midst.

They are often described as wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Would you expect anything else from the city where Satan dwells?
He is after all a deceiver and schemer.

While Satan had the church distracted by the attacks from outside,
He had managed to plant terrorists on the inside.

What did they look like?
• Did they have swords?
• Did they have bombs?
• No, they had sinful influence.

Jesus compared them to Balaam.
Balaam was of course that prophet for hire in the Old Testament.
You can read his story in Numbers 22.

When the children of Israel were wondering in the wilderness the Moabite king named Balak feared that the children of Israel might wipe him and his people out.

Numbers 22:4 “Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.”

So the plan was for Balak to hire Balaam to come and curse the children of Israel.

Numbers 22:5-6 “So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. “Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

Now if you remember the story,
• Balaam asked God if he could and God said “No, you cannot.” So Balaam declined.

• However, Balak came back and offered Balaam more money So Balaam asked God again. This time God said, “Sure” but God planned to kill him on the way.

• Where it not for the smartest donkey in the history of the world, Balaam would have been killed by God.

• When Balaam learned of God’s displeasure he did not curse the children of Israel.

However, Moab succeeded in attacking Israel in a more deceptive way.

In Numbers 25 the Moabites sent out their women.
(presumably with big hair, miniskirts, painted eyelids, etc.)
And those women started inviting the men to come to their feasts.

The men did and thus participated in idolatrous feasts
And that infuriated the LORD.

God was so angry that He sent a plague among the children of Israel
And 24,000 people died.

What we learn later in the book of Numbers is that the Moabites got this idea of using the women to seduce the Israelites from Balaam.

Numbers 31:16 “Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.”

Balaam was a crafty, deceptive, scheming man
Who did not attack with a sword from the outside,
But who used deceptive influence from the inside.

He didn’t use FEAR as a means of accomplishing his goal,
He used the FLESH as a means of accomplishing his goal.

He infiltrated, he deceived,
And he led God’s people to judgment at the very hand of God.

And Jesus said to the church at Pergamum
“You’ve got some Balaam’s in your midst!”

Undoubtedly they had some people there who were deceiving and scheming and pushing the people of the church into immorality.
They were appealing to the flesh.

While the church was doing a good job of not denying the name of Jesus,
They were actually denying Him by falling into immorality.

Jesus went on to say “you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

Again, we aren’t sure who the “Nicolaitans” where, or what they taught.
(Most try and associate them with one of the first deacons named Nicolas in Acts 6, but that is a reach)

What we know is that Jesus hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans.
He taught us that in verse 6 of this very chapter.

(He didn’t hate their doctrine, He hated their deeds)
They also were immoral.

So you have this church that would not deny the name of Jesus,
But that was falling from the inside
Through a deceptive and immoral influence.

There was a dangerous influence emerging
That threatened the entire body

The Church, Their Lord, Their Success, Their Critique
#5 THEIR SOLUTION
Revelation 2:16

Well that was simple:
“Therefore repent”

The entire church needed to repent.
Wait! Don’t you mean that the people who were doing the sinning needed to repent?

NO, I MEAN THE ENTIRE CHURCH NEEDED TO REPENT.
FOR ALLOWING IT!!!
FOR NOT DEALING WITH IT!!!

May I read again what Paul wrote to the Corinthians about their dilemma?
1 Corinthians 5:1-5 “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”

Paul told the Corinthians that they were arrogant and naïve to think that
They could just let sinners keep sinning in the midst of the church
And that it would pose no threat to the church.

That sinning brother had to be dealt with!

And now you are beginning to understand what Jesus means by “repent”
• They had to repent of their arrogance
• They had to repent of their apathy
• They had to repent of their willingness to overlook

AND WHAT A TIMELY WORD TO THE CHURCH TODAY

Oh how the church has begun to misuse words like:
• Tolerance
• Unity
• Love
• Mercy
All of those things are good things
When they are expressed as Jesus expressed them.

Tolerance and mercy is what keeps Jesus from destroying sinners while giving them time to repent,

But He never intended either of them to mean
That sinners didn’t have to repent.

Unity is what Jesus expects from His church,

But it was never intended to be achieved
Around a circle of iniquity or involving false doctrine.
Jesus intended for His church to be sanctified in truth and unified there.

Love is the greatest attribute of Christ we can think of. It is what motivated Him to lay down His life for us.

But that love was never of sin
And it was never expressed by leaving sinners in their sin.

But today so many in the church get this backward.
Things like church discipline are viewed by many to even be unbiblical when it is expressly commanded many times throughout the Scripture.

Do you want to know Jesus very first teaching on the church?
He first mentioned the church in Matthew 16 where He said He would build it.

His first instruction to the church comes in Matthew 18.
Matthew 18:15-18 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Jesus cares about the purity of the church.
And yet many churches today do not.

They only care about being inclusive and non-confrontational
And warm and welcoming, etc.

Look, there shouldn’t be a warmer or more welcoming body on the face of the planet than the church, but that does not mean that Jesus intended the church to overlook sin in order to make people feel welcome.

THAT IS MISSING THE POINT FOR WHY HE DIED TO BEGIN WITH.

Jesus here is commanding the church at Pergamum
To fix this flaw in their system.
• It is time to confront immorality in their body.
• It is time to discipline sinning believers.
• It is time to expose false believers.

And do you want to see how serious Jesus is about this?

He actually gives the church an ultimatum.
“Therefore repent; or else…”

“or else” what?

“or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

When Balaam deceived the children of Israel
Who came and killed the 24,000? God did.

And Jesus said that is precisely what I am about to do.
• He wasn’t going to kill the genuine believers at Pergamum.
• He wasn’t going to remove them from being a church.
• But He was going to come in and kill those who threatened His church from within.

He was not about to stand idly by and watch His church
Be destroyed from the inside out.

The only way the hypocrites in Pergamum could be spared
Is if the faithful ones took care of the issue before Jesus did.

If you really care about the sinners in your church you had better confront them before they face the judgment of the Lord.

Today sinners are left alone because we “love” them
And don’t want to hurt their feelings or make them feel unwelcome.

If you truly loved them you’d confront their sin
And save them from certain judgment!

James 5:19-20 “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

If you want an even more graphic demonstration.

That plague that killed 24,000 in Israel, do you want me to show you how it was finally stopped?
Numbers 25:6-9 “Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. Those who died by the plague were 24,000.”

Today some would frown on Phineas for that.
Let me show you what the LORD said.

Numbers 25:10-13 “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. “Therefore say, ‘ Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.'”

Now obviously we are in the New Testament
And not asking for people to start killing people with the spear.

But the point is clear that God expects the church at Pergamum
To deal with this sinful influence
That is threatening the entire congregation.

If they don’t, He will, and it will not be pretty.

The Church, Their Lord, Their Success, Their Critique, Their Solution
#6 THEIR EXAMPLE
Revelation 2:17

Again we come to the application to the church everywhere.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
“To Him who overcomes…”

“Overcomes” what?

Let’s call it what Paul called it – ARROGANCE
• It is arrogant to think that: Any church can survive while sin is allowed to exist in the congregation.
• It is arrogant to think that: The leaven will not spread.
• It is arrogant to think that: Disobeying the clear command of Jesus regarding discipline won’t have damaging effects.
• It is arrogant to think that: Jesus won’t deal with the church that won’t deal with sin.

How can we think that we would survive when others did not?

We must overcome this arrogant mindset
That thinks we know better than the Lord.

If Jesus said they must be disciplined…
If Paul said they must be disciplined…
Then who are we to say they must be tolerated?

That is arrogance and Jesus here confronts it.

Then Jesus commends those who get it right.
“To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”

“manna” was of course God’s supernatural provision in the Old Testament.
• It was God’s way of taking care of His people in a situation when it didn’t seem possible.

Understand that when you obey God, He makes things work,
Even when every scenario you play out in your mind seems like it won’t.

God has provision for the obedient.

The “white stone” was unique to the Roman culture.
• When athletes competed in a competition, the winners were invited to the banquet. Their ticket was the “white stone” with their name engraved.

Jesus is here offering the victors who overcome the situation
The trophy of victory and access into the banquet where they will be rewarded.
The call and command of Jesus is clear.
Be the church that overcomes arrogance
And be the church that is rewarded for it.

 

Jesus’ Message to a Suffering Church
Revelation 2:8-11
June 5, 2016

As you are well aware, we live in a society that has fallen in love with what is called “The Prosperity Gospel”.

(If you aren’t familiar with it, it is that line of thinking that says that
It is God’s will for you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy.)

And I don’t suppose it should surprise us that our world loves it:
2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,”

2 Timothy 3:1-2 “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,”

1 Timothy 6:3-5 “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”

Paul was adamant that these types of preachers were on the way.
• Paul knew there would be people who loved money
• Paul knew there would be preachers who loved money
And so it only stood to reason that it wouldn’t take long
For those people to hire those preachers.

It has become the perfect storm,
An exact fulfillment of Paul’s prophetic warning.

And today this prosperity gospel is everywhere.
People who seem to view God as some sort of a genie in a bottle,
Whose #1 job seems to be nothing short of making sure that
Those who follow Him want for nothing and never lack comfort.

ADDING TO THE PROBLEM has been the POOR COUNTER ATTACK to this gospel waged by those who do see through it.

The proper defense against the prosperity gospel
Is a true understanding of the sovereignty of God.
But many evangelicals have resisted that truth as well.

So instead they have developed this sort of hybrid theology that says
• God would never allow or do those bad things in your life.
• After all, God loves you and it’s never His will to do those bad things.
• That’s all the devil’s fault.
• The devil does that, blame the devil, give the devil the credit.
• God loves you, and He never wants those types of tragedies to occur.
• Just know that when those tragedies do occur that God will be with you every step of the way.”

It sounds like the perfect answer.
We blame the devil everything negative in our life
And assure people that God never intended it,
And even promise them that God will fix it all quickly.

THE FALLOUT?
We are a society that is getting absolutely blindsided by suffering.

We are continually promised that
• God doesn’t want us to suffer
• And that God can fix suffering
• And that God’s plans for us only include blessing and prosperity and health
and healing…

And then life throws us a curve ball and it totally catches us off guard.
• “WHY?” is the common question.
• “How could you?”
• “Why have You not fixed this?”

In short, the spreading of the prosperity gospel
Has produced a generation of people that neither understands
The purpose of suffering or God’s will for them in the middle of it.
Only a people who are confused and angry when they suffer.

BUT HERE IS THE TRUTH.
God is not trying to make your life super comfortable all the time.

That is clearly portrayed in this passage this morning, is it not?
How else could Jesus look at a church who is suffering,
Tell them that He knows they are about to suffer even more,
And then ask them to be faithful even if it kills them?

How could He ask that unless suffering is part of the plan?

• Maybe we just haven’t wanted to see it.
• Maybe we’ve all had itching ears to a degree where those false preachers sounded pretty good.

But when you read the Bible…
Jesus never said anything about putting an end to suffering in this life.
In fact Jesus promised suffering.

Matthew 10:21-25 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!”

John 15:18-21 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘ A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.”

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

What else could we have thought Jesus meant by a statement like that?
• The cross was the form of capital punishment.
• The cross was cleverly devised to torture and kill.

There is no way to look at a statement
Where Jesus requires us to take up the cross
And expect that suffering isn’t part of the deal.

Beyond those obvious promises of persecution.
We are also familiar with passages
• Like the one we recently studied in Hebrews 12 where we learn that God uses “discipline” in the form of suffering to produce righteousness in us.

SUFFERING IS PART OF THIS THING.
Jesus continually spoke on it.

Never do we find from Jesus this notion
That it is God’s job or even God’s desire
To rescue us from every form of discomfort or difficulty.

The truth is that many times God is using those things for our good.

AND TODAY we learn His counsel to a church in the midst of this suffering that was promised.

I know what those prosperity preachers tell you when you’re suffering.
But aren’t you the least bit curious about what Jesus would tell you in the middle of your suffering?

Welcome then to Jesus’ message to the church at Smyrna.
Of the 7 Smyrna was “The Persecuted Church”

Let’s look at it together.
5 things
#1 THE CHURCH
Revelation 2:8a, 9
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:”

As you’ll see with all these churches, it is important to understand a little about the city and area where these churches existed.

You are already familiar about the setting of the day regarding Rome and emperor worship.
• Domitian had caused the increase of church persecution because of his demand that the emperor should be worshipped. (a thing the church obviously could not participate in)

But even with a command like that,
There would still be places where resistance to that command
Would be a bigger thing than others.
(there would have been regions where it wasn’t so dangerous to refuse)

Smyrna would have been
One of the worst possible places to refuse such a thing.

Located 35 miles north of Ephesus, Smyrna is a city that still exists.
It is modern day Izmir, Turkey.

Smyrna was a city that absolutely loved Rome,
Roman citizenship, and Roman leaders.

John MacArthur records one incident in Smyrna revealing this reality:
“Smyrna was a long a staunch ally of Rome. In fact, its citizens were so infatuated with Rome that in 195 B.C. they built a temple in which Rome was worshiped. A century later the Roman general Sulla’s ill-clad army faced bitter winter weather. When the Roman soldiers’ plight was announced in a general assembly of Smyrna’s citizens, they reportedly took off their own clothes to send to them.” (MacArthur, John: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary; Revelation 1-11, Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1991; pg. 70)

Smyrna loved Rome and the emperor.

John Walvoord writes:
“Smyrna is mentioned only here in Scripture, but from other literature it is evident that this city was noted for its wickedness and opposition to the Christian gospel in the first century.” (Walvoord, John F. [“The Revelation of Jesus Christ” Moody Press, Chicago, Ill, 1966] pg. 59)

If you’ve ever read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, you may be familiar with the early church father known as Polycarp.

He was an infamous martyr of the early church.
Polycarp was a church leader in Smyrna.

Foxe writes:
“After a respite, the Christians again came under persecution this time from Marcus Aurelius, in A.D. 161. One of those who suffered this time was Polycarp, the venerable bishop of Smyrna. Hearing his captors had arrived one evening. Polycarp left his bed and welcomed them, and then asked for an hour alone to pray. As soon as he had finished his prayers, they put him on [a donkey] and brought him to the city… Brought before the tribunal and the crowd, Polycarp refused to deny Christ, although the proconsul begged him: “Consider yourself and have pity on your great age. Reproach Christ and I will release you.” Polycarp replied, “Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He never once wronged me. How can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?”
(Foxe, John; Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Barbour Publishing, Urichsville, Ohio, 2001, pg.18)

Polycarp was both burned at the stake and stabbed.

I think you get the idea of what type of city we are talking about
When we talk about Smyrna.

In short, if you are looking for a city where your resistance to emperor worships will be accepted, Smyrna is not that city.

This church was in a very difficult position.

Therefore it’s no wonder the reality we read about in verse 9
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

That statement from Jesus fits precisely
Into what we would expect from a city such as Smyrna.
This was “The Persecuted Church”

And Jesus is writing to them.

The Church
#2 THEIR LORD
Revelation 2:8b
“The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:”

Jesus addresses each of these 7 churches a little differently.
For each church a different attribute from that initial revelation is emphasized.

You will remember that to Ephesus He revealed Himself as “the One who holds the seven stars and walks among the seven golden lampstands.”

In short, Jesus revealed Himself to Ephesus as
“He who is with you to guide you”

That proved to be fitting since Ephesus had in fact left Him.

To the church at Smyrna Jesus emphasizes a different reality.
“The first and the last” is of course a reference to His eternal nature.
• He is eternal.
• He was in the beginning with God, and He will always be.

“who was dead, and has come to life” is certainly reminiscent of His victory.
• Jesus didn’t enter this world and remain immune from suffering.
• Jesus embraced suffering.

Hebrews 2:14 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 5:7-8 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.”

Jesus reminds the church at Smyrna
That He was no stranger to hardship and suffering.

Images flood to our mind about Jesus praying in the garden, “Let this cup pass from Me, yet not as I will, but as You will.”
• We picture the grief and the sorrow He bore.
• We see Him standing falsely accused before Pilate.
• We see Him under the weight of His cross and then crucified upon it.
• We can hear the jabs and remarks of the religious leaders standing around.

Jesus understood pain
Jesus understood suffering
Jesus understood death
He reminds the church at Smyrna that He gets it.

But He also reminds them that He knows the secret to overcoming it.
He is the One “who has come to life.”

Revelation 1:18 “…I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

Jesus is the victor.
Obviously this is the perfect way to reveal Himself
To a church that was facing persecution and death.

They did not have a savior who couldn’t identify
And they didn’t have a savior who couldn’t deliver.

Jesus knew death and He knew how to conquer it.
HE IS WHO THE PEOPLE OF SMYRNA NEEDED TO HEAR FROM

The Church, Their Lord
#3 THEIR ENCOURAGMENT
Revelation 2:9
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

Two words listed here are the ultimate form of encouragement.
“I know”

• The church at Smyrna faced “tribulation”
• The church at Smyrna faced “poverty”
• The church at Smyrna faced frustration in the form of fake Jews who pretended to be real, but where actually blasphemers.

And Jesus knew of all of those things all too well.

He knew what “tribulation” was like.
• Do we remember His home town trying to throw Him off a cliff?
• Do we remember the temple priests seeking to arrest Him?
• Do we remember the constant debates with the religious elite, or all the false accusations against Him?
• Do we remember the garden?
• Do we remember the trial?
• Do we remember the cross?

Trust me you can’t endure a single ounce of “tribulation”
That Jesus can’t identify with. He gets it.

This is of course the very thing
That makes Him a sympathetic high priest on our behalf.
Hebrews 2:17-18 “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”

That is precisely what He is doing here.
He is coming to the aid of those in Smyrna.

He knows their “poverty”

The reality here is most likely that the church at Smyrna
Wasn’t just made up of poor people, but rather that these people had lost their possessions due to their faith in Christ.

• It could have been that like the early church they used up all their resources to care for one another.
• It could have been that like the Hebrews their property was seized by non-believers.

Either way, they were earthly poor.
They didn’t have the comforts of this world.
They didn’t have the excesses of this world.

BUT JESUS UNDERSTOOD THAT
• Jesus was so poor He reminded His would be followers that “the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
• Jesus was so poor He borrowed 5 loaves and 2 fish from a boy that He might feed a multitude.
• Jesus was so poor He had to get money from the mouth of a fish to pay the tax in His own temple.

He understood “poverty”
But He also understood the difference
Between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure.

Do you notice that parenthetical statement Jesus threw in there for the church at Smyrna?
“(but you are rich)”

And we say, “You mean that they were rich in other things like love and joy and peace, etc.”

No, Jesus means they are in fact filthy rich.
How?
Matthew 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The church at Smyrna was poor on this earth,
But they couldn’t see their “off-shore” account.

Jesus could see their heavenly bank account
And He assured them that money was no problem for them.
He was looking at their spiritual bank statement
And assured them that they were “rich”

And that’s pretty encouraging too.

Another that comes to mind was the apostle Paul,
• Who according to 2 Corinthians 12, was allowed to see his reward in heaven, but because of it he was given a thorn in the flesh to keep from getting conceited.

But such revelations did allow Paul to say:
Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Or
2 Corinthians 4:17 “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,”

Paul had the privilege of seeing both affliction and eternal riches,
And though he couldn’t speak in detail about it,
He could remind us that there is no comparison!

That is what Jesus told the church at Smyrna here.
You may be poor in this world (a poverty I understand) but I’m here in heaven, and let me tell you, “you are rich”

Jesus also understood “the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are note, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

This is a frustration I’m sure many of you have felt in your life.
These were a group of Jews who went to synagogue and claimed to be God’s people, and claimed to love God, but in reality were nothing but blasphemers of God.

What do you mean?
Romans 2:17-24 “But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.”

Paul would go on to say:
Romans 2:28-29 “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”

Even from every book in the Old Testament,
There has always been this distinction.

• We see outward Jews, and inward Jews.
• We see outward believes, and inward believers.
• We see those who outwardly love Jesus, and those who inwardly love Jesus.
• We see those whose religion is for show, and we see those whose religion is born out of a genuine love for God.

And that in itself is frustrating enough.

But to make matters worse,
When those who are outward persecute those who are real,
It really becomes frustrating.

And this was the frustration Jesus felt every day of His life!
• Read Matthew 23 and listen to Him literally bewail the Pharisees as “hypocrites!” over and over again.
Listen to statements like:
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

He understood the frustrations
Of dwelling in the midst of those who were fake.

IN SHORT, Jesus could look into the situation at Smyrna
And He knew exactly what was going on.

• He knew who was real and who was false.
• He knew who was rich and who was poor.
• He knew who deserved reward, and who deserved punishment.

And this is a great form of encouragement!
Jesus knows what is going on.

How great that in the midst of our trouble
We know that our great high priest is sympathetic to our situation.

The Church, Their Lord, Their Encouragement
#4 THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
Revelation 2:10

And this is where (in light of the prosperity gospel)
You might be a little surprised.

The prosperity folks would look at the situation and say:
• Well, you’re suffering when you don’t deserve it.
• Jesus sees and knows all about it.

“You can expect a breakthrough any minute!” “Jesus will soon step in a deliver you from the attacks and accusations!” “We declare it finished”

You’ve heard all the banter…

But that is NOT what Jesus says.

The first thing Jesus says is that they haven’t even seen the worst of it.
Did you catch those words “about to suffer”?

What, you mean it’s not over?
“Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.”

Jesus even says, “Be faithful unto death;”

You are suffering, but more is on the way.
Prison and even possible death.
It was certainly death for Polycarp.

Now some say, “See, but that wasn’t Jesus, that was the devil who did that.”

Friend, open your eyes.
Either Jesus allowed the devil to do it,
Or the devil just beat Jesus, now which do you think it was?

Did we not read Job and see Satan ask God permission to torment Job? (Permission which God granted)

Or remember this passage:
Luke 22:31-32 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

So Jesus knows that more is on the way.
Jesus may have even given permission for it to happen.

WHY?
6 words tell the whole story.

“so that you will be tested”
• We know that there are real believers in Smyrna.
• We also know that there are false believers in Smyrna (aka “synagogue of Satan”)

How do you tell which is which?
You test them.

1 Peter 1:6-7 “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;”

James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

You get the idea?

Trials serve all sorts of purposes.
• They can purify us
• They can be used to build compassion in us
• Here we see that they can be used to prove us.

1 Corinthians 11:19 “For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.”

How else are you going to tell the difference
Between the wheat and the tares?

Jesus isn’t seeking to be cruel, He is exposing what must be exposed.

Can I tell you that trials have the same effect in our own lives?
• Trials may reveal to you that your faith wasn’t real, in which case
having been exposed, it’s time to run to Jesus.

• Trials may reveal to you that your faith was real, in which case you
receive much hope, peace, and security of mind.

But the testing is necessary.

Jesus knew they were suffering, but He was using it.

NOW, NOTICE HIS MESSAGE TO THEM. There are 2.
• “Do not fear what you are about to suffer”
• “Be faithful until death”

“Do not fear” and “Be faithful”
That is way different from the message we hear from the prosperity people.

Jesus wasn’t going to take this trial from them.
He required them to be faithful and unafraid in the middle of it.

YOU NEED TO KNOW that:
Jesus knows what is going on and He can handle it.
After all, He is Him “who was dead, and has come to life”

BUT YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW that:
Jesus knows what He is doing so you must be faithful regardless of what you face…even death.

That is the message to Smyrna.
I know what you are facing.
I am asking you to face it with courage and endurance.
How you handle it will most certainly reveal what you are.

And notice, there was no rebuke for this church.
He didn’t tell them a single thing they were doing wrong.

In short this wasn’t because He was angry at them.
This trial was NOT punishment.

It was a necessary test for their benefit.
Their responsibility was to embrace the suffering and pass the test.

The Church, Their Lord, Their Encouragement, Their Responsibility.
#5 THEIR EXAMPLE
Revelation 2:11

There it is again.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

This is for you and me.
“He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”

What is the second death?
Revelation 20:14 “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”

90% of what we do today is to try and avoid the first death.
Seatbelts, medical exams, safety precautions, etc.

Jesus said, it’s the second death that you should be worried about.
Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

And the entire objective of suffering
Is to help you discern whether you are on the path that will escape that second death.
And then to help you escape it through purifying you.

Genuine faith equals escape from the second death.
Hypocritical faith equals punishment in the second death.
Suffering is the way we find out which we have.

That is why Jesus is not in such a hurry to just remove it.
The purpose of this suffering is too important.

His command is for you and me to “overcome”

“Overcome” what?
• FEAR
• FRUSTRATION
• FATIGUE
• Anything that would cause us to turn away from Christ.

That temptation is real, especially in the midst of hardship.
That is when you must exercise faith and continue on.
Go by what you know, not what you feel.

Trust Jesus and endure, even if it ends in death.
This will prove that your faith is genuine,
And that the second death is no concern of yours.
To the church at Ephesus: OVERCOME COMPLACENCY,
And remember that nothing matters more than loving Jesus.

To the church at Smyrna: OVERCOME FEAR,
And stick with Jesus no matter the cost that your faith may be proved genuine and your soul saved from hell.