My apologies for missing last week’s lesson but we are back on track this week. We have begun a new quarter and new unit. The lessons cover Revelation 2 and 3 which discusses the attributes of the seven churches of Asia Minor (present day eastern Turkey). These are Red Letter words in your Bible, so Jesus is the one evaluating the spiritual condition of the churches through the vision He gave to John during his exile on the island of Patmos.
June 6 recap - Ephesus was the subject of last week’s lesson. The church was commended for their works, their labor, their endurance, and their discernment. The church grew and stood strong in a spiritually dark setting surrounded by pagan temples and rampant immorality. But the Ephesian church did have a flaw. They had abandoned the love they had at first. I’ve heard these verses preached that the church had lost their zeal for evangelism – that is certainly plausible. Somewhere their good works had overtaken their zeal. The “joy of the Lord” had escaped them, and their works became a source of pride. When we lose our love, then evangelism will take a back seat to other good things. Fortunately, a remedy is offered to restore the church’s fellowship with Him. He calls them to “remember.” Remember how you once were. Remember the great depth and magnitude of your salvation and the gratitude you once felt. We all would do well to revisit the spiritual markers in our own lives to draw us nearer to heart of God. The second “R” is to repent. They need to turn around and return to regain the loving spirit they once possessed. The final step to regain their former passion is to do the works again. But this time do them from a heart of love. Think of what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13 – I can do all these great and good deeds, but if I don’t have love in my heart those deeds will amount to nothing. Thankfully, we are offered an avenue back to repair our relationship with God.
June 13 – Steadfast in Difficulties Revelation 2:8-11
The second of the churches of Revelation was located in Smyrna just to the north of Ephesus. Smyrna was a favored city of the Roman Empire. Smyrna housed a temple to the goddess Roma and also was the chosen location of a temple to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The city’s leadership sought to keep their most favored status so when Rome increased their persecution of the church Smyrna would follow their lead. There was also a large Jewish population in Smyrna that actively opposed the church. These elements combined to cause a great amount of strife for the church.
In verse 8 we see the recorded words of Jesus as he identifies Himself as the speaker. Jesus is the “First and the Last.” Elsewhere in Revelation 22:13 Jesus is additionally named as the Alpha and the Omega, and the Beginning and the End. He also asserts the key belief of Christianity that Christ who was dead is now alive again. Now that the source of the pronouncement is clear Jesus begins His evaluation of their situation.
Verse 9 First, Jesus is aware of their affliction or tribulation. The Christians were persecuted for not taking part in the worship of the emperors. The Jewish leaders were doing the work of Satan. They spread lies and rumors to slander the character of the Christian community. One prominent false charge was cannibalism. Their accusers would misrepresent the meaning of the blood and body of Christ partaken during the Lord’s Supper. The poverty they experienced was due in part that they were not allowed to participate in normal commerce like other citizens and much of the property they did possess was confiscated by the authorities.
Jesus then turns conventional wisdom on its head. He reminds them in God’s eyes they are rich. They are wealthy as God measures wealth. They have wealth because they are willing to lose all that they have for the sake of following Christ. They are wealthy because they depend on God rather than man to meet their daily needs. Their treasures are guarded in Heaven where they cannot decay, nor can they be stolen or destroyed.
Verse 10 Despite their oppressors Jesus tells them not to be afraid. Their suffering will come, and it will be severe. The term “ten days” most likely means the time will be brief and that in the end God will see them through. Even so some may not survive the ordeal as He asks them to “be faithful to the point of death.” We know as believer’s we can achieve victory even in physical death. Our victory comes through our faithful obedience. The Apostle Paul writes to the church in I Corinthians 15:55-57 that death has no victory or sting. But we have victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Their reward would be the Crown of Life. This crown was worn by those who overcame and were victorious in the race they were running.
Verse 11 The church in Smyrna is unique in that Jesus offered them no rebuke. He acknowledged their suffering and perseverance and reminded them that victory was theirs. Jesus said in John 16:33 “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We are to take courage and find peace in these words. Truly all who are saved by grace through faith, have overcome because of their position in Christ. Christ’s victory over sin and death is also our victory. Because He lives, we too shall live. Therefore, we have no need to fear the second death. The second death will only be experienced by those who have rejected Christ and His offer of eternal life.
My prayer is that we would not only trust Christ for forgiveness of sin and eternal life, but we would love Him, trust Him, and endure in Him when we encounter trials great or small. Then we too like the church at Smyrna will qualify to receive the Crown of Life.
