On my last time with you here in the book of the Revelation, we considered the church in Ephesus, which is in the second chapter of the Revelation from verses one down to verse seven. That church was exhorted in the midst of their great orthodoxy to repent because they had left their first love. It's important for us to know Bible doctrine and be well acquainted with what the scripture teaches. But it's more important to be in love with Christ. This morning we come to what has been entitled the persecuted church. And as we consider this morning the Lord's message to his persecuted people, let me draw you back to an account in history of the church in Smyrna. This is not found in the inspired texts of the Book of Acts, but from, as James Ramsey puts it, one of the most interesting scraps of early church history. Ramsey writes, a little more than 70 years after this, after this letter was written, In a fierce persecution led on and stimulated by the Jews, Polycarp, its chief bishop and a disciple in his youth of the Apostle John, suffered martyrdom here in extreme old age. The narrative has been often repeated, but we cannot refrain from giving here at least the answers of the aged martyr when summoned before the pro-council. and addressed in the customary language. The proconsul said to Polycarp, swear, curse Christ, and I will set you free. To which Polycarp said, 80 and six years have I served him, and I have received only good at his hands. Can I then curse him, my king and my savior? I will cast you to the wild beast if you do not change your mind, said the proconsul. Bring the wild beast, hither, said Polycarp. For change my mind from the better to the worse I will not, or to that which is evil I will not. Do you despise the wild beast? I will subdue your spirit by the flames. The flames which you menace endure but for time. and are soon extinguished, calmly rejoin the martyr. But there is a fire reserved for the wicked. Wherefore, you know not the fire of a judgment to come and punishment everlasting." Then it is recorded by some witnesses that the fire was lit and the blaze flamed furiously. We who are privileged, he says, to witness it saw a great miracle. And this is what they saw. The fire shaped itself into a form of an arc, like a sail of a ship when filled with the wind, and formed a circle around the body of the martyr. Inside it, he looked not like flesh that is burnt, but like bread that is baked, or gold and silver glowing in a furnace. And we smelt a sweet scent like frankincense or some such precious spices. Eventually, when those wicked men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they commanded an executioner to pierce him with a dagger. When he did this, such a great quality of blood flowed that the fire was extinguished. The crowds were amazed at the difference between unbelievers and the elect. The centurion, then seeing the disturbance caused by the Jews, took the body and publicly burnt it. Later, we collected his bones, more precious than Jews and better than purified than gold, and put them in a proper place. Polycarp was ushered into glory. Some of you may be wondering why I'm bringing these words to you here in the 21st century, in a land with Christian liberty, freedom of religion. Beloved, we enjoy great measures of peace today in America, but we must never forget that we sojourn in a fallen world. And we are not cosmic civilians. If we belong to Christ, our citizenship is in heaven. And as people of another kingdom, we have been enlisted as soldiers of our homeland so long as we are in enemy territory. We are the church militant. I hope we don't forget our brethren in China, in North Korea, in Afghanistan, in Somalia, in Libya, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Nigeria, and India, just to name a few places today where our brothers and sisters are on the front lines of the battle against the kingdom of darkness. They must endure much physical persecution. And we may also in the future. But it seems that our ancient foe has waged another type of offensive on this front in the United States, the land of ease, We'll take up this tactic in subsequent studies, Lord willing. However, I believe the captain of our souls has left this word here in the revelation for us today. It was given to the saints in the early church, and it still speaks throughout the centuries to everyone who names the name of Christ. Let me remind you that the aged Apostle John was exiled on the isle of Patmos, according to the ninth verse of the first chapter, because of the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. It was on the Lord's day that he hears a loud voice as a trumpet and receives this vision of the glorified Christ. And on that holy day, he was commissioned, according to chapter one, verse 11, to write in a book what he sees and send it to the seven churches in Asia Minor. Verse eight of our text says, and to the angel of the church in Smyrna write. The structure of each letter follows the same general pattern. First, a general greeting to the angel of the church. Secondly, a description of Christ, usually taken from the vision in chapter one. Thirdly, a commendation for faithfulness and good works, which is absent in the case of the Laodicean Church. Fourthly, a condemnation of sin, except in the case of Smyrna and Philadelphia. Fifthly, a word of warning Sixthly, a call to hear. He that hath an ear, let him hear. And seventhly, a promise to the victors, or the overcomers. Let me first, as I did in the previous letter, give a little background concerning this city where this church was planted in this busy Roman province. And secondly, something of how the Lord Jesus is described to this church. after which I'd like to focus our attention on the remainder of this letter under two heads. First, the approval in verse nine, and secondly, the admonition in verse 10 and 11, of which I'm sure we will have to look at next Sunday. Unlike Ephesus, the ancient city of Smyrna is still in existence today. It's known as Izmir, Turkey, about 40 miles northwest of Ephesus. It is said that Smyrna was a beautiful city. The ruins that remain today give a glimpse of the once-connected buildings that comprise a magnificent mall where much of the buying and selling took place. We think that shopping malls didn't become popular until the mid-1950s. We're terribly mistaken. The mall in Smyrna was so grand that it was called the Crown of Asia. This city is not mentioned in the Book of Acts. It's likely that this church was formed when Paul ministered in Ephesus, as we read of in Acts 19. And this continued for two years, this preaching of Paul, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. This city, along with Ephesus, boasted of its allegiance to the imperial cults, which viewed the ruling Caesar as a god. And all but a select few were expected to bow to Caesar or die. The name Smyrna means myrrh. Myrrh comes from a thorny tree or bush and is used for medicines and perfumes. Because of its aromatic fragrance, it was considered gift-worthy. Therefore, we read in Matthew 2 that the wise men brought myrrh along with gold and frankincense to the young Christ child. Solomon speaks much of the perfume of myrrh in the canticles. And we are told in John chapter 19 that Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes for the burial of Jesus. So we see it is associated with death. which becomes a vivid picture of this suffering little church which endured unto death. The reason I say this is significant is because this tree had to be crushed to yield its fragrance. God allowed his holy people, who did not leave their first love, who maintained their passionate zeal and whose faithfulness led to persecution, to be crushed. Remember the words of the apostle, yea, all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Second Timothy 312. John writes to the angel, the messenger of the church, and describes its head in verse eight. These things says the first and the last, which was dead and is alive. That's the King James rendering. The New King James says, these things says the first and the last who was dead and came to life. If you're reading New American Standard, it says the first and the last who was dead and has come to life says this. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, the words of the first and the last who died and came to life, reads the ESV. This designation is taken from chapter 1, verse 17, where the glorified Christ lays his right hand on John, a symbol of his power, and says, do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. This, brethren, is the name the Lord Jehovah, or Yahweh, took for himself as he speaks to his ancient covenant people. Who has performed and done it, calling the generation from the beginning? I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last, I am he, Isaiah 41, 4. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts. I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is no God, Isaiah 44, 6. Listen to me, O Jacob and Israel. My called, I am he, I am the first and I am also the last, Isaiah 48, 12. Then God says in verse 13 of Isaiah 48, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand has stretched out the heavens. This God, the first and the last, is the creator of all things. should bring to your mind those familiar verses from John, that familiar verse from John, where we read, all things were made through him and without him, nothing was made that was made. Speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, the word would become flesh and dwelt among us. Colossians 1 16 says all things were made through him and without him, nothing was made that was made. And in Revelation 22, verse 13, the Lord Jesus says, I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. This is the language, brethren, of Revelations chapter one, verse 11 and verse 17. Christ is the eternal sovereign one who transcends time. And when time shall be no more, he is the great I am. Listen to the words of Psalm 90, a paraphrase given by Isaac Watts. Before the hills in order stood, our earth received her frame. From everlasting, thou art God, to endless years the same. The hymn writer highlights the eternality of Christ. But our text also says in verse 8, who was dead, The great I am, the first and the last, the eternal one, the Bible tells us that he was dead and came to life. The ESV says he died, but the eternal second person of the Godhead couldn't die unless he became a real man. This speaks, brethren, of the incarnation. Therefore, in all things, he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. The Greek says, I became dead. Can you hear the words of John 10, 17, and 18, where the good shepherd speaks? And he says, therefore, my father loves me, because I laid down my life. that I might take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from my father. Beloved, this Emmanuel, God with us, was born to save his people from their sin. So we lived a perfect life, fulfilling all the law's demands, thus providing an alien righteousness for us, for needy sinners. And then he died that shameful substitutionary death, taking the punishment for a multitude of guilty sinners. We sing that song in my place. Condemned he stood. He sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah. What a savior. I can still hear old preachers saying, young man, I remember when I was younger, they'd say, young man, I guess I'm an old preacher now. But I can hear them saying, don't leave Jesus in the grave. He got up early Sunday morning. Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph over his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain and he lives forever with his saints to reign. He arose, he arose. You don't have to be a Pentecostal to say hallelujah. Christ arose. The commentator Linsky said this designation applies perfectly to the contents of this letter. In particular also to the martyrdom awaiting some of the believers in Smyrna. This is a letter from the Lord who himself was put to death by his enemies and yet rose again in glory. Beloved, should persecution befall us, even that of the severest kind, on to death, remember the word of Revelation 1.5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. When you think your faith shall fail, lay hold of this reality, that Christ is the sovereign Lord of the universe. He is eternal sovereign according to the Bible in Revelations 1.8, he says, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. This is the foundation of our assurance and our hope. This is what will get us through those difficult times, knowing that this, our Lord, has experienced what many saints have experienced through the ages, and perhaps maybe some of us may even experience in our lifetime. The one who is and the one who was and the one who is coming is found only in Revelation. In verse 4, it applies to the father, the first person. Yet this designation is employed by Jesus in verse 8, also referring himself as the second person to be co-equal with the father, the first person of the Godhead. Linsky writes, the one who is means who is timelessly from eternity to eternity. And the one who was means who was before time and the world began. And the one who is to come, when time shall be no more, when he shall come for the final judgment. He is the firstborn of the dead, whose unique triumph over death has given him the rank of firstborn and guaranteed the resurrection of all who are found in him." If you trust Christ and you believe in Christ, this Christ who died and rose again will raise your bodies in that day. He is the firstborn. He is of the highest rank, Wilson says. As a note, brethren, the firstborn of all creation does not mean He was the first created, as our Aryan friends, if you will call them friends, teach. A heresy that was battled and dealt with even in the fourth century by Athanasius. But we still have Aryans coming to our front doors and knocking on our front doors, teaching this heresy, saying that Jesus is a little god, or he was a created being. No, this first born does not mean that he was the first created. In Colossians chapter 1, we read about this one, the first born, verse 18 of Colossians 1. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence. over all things, this Lord Jesus. The context itself teaches us that this does not teach that he was a created being, for verse 16 says, for by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through him and for him. And Isaiah 44 talks about, there is no God formed after me, and there are no gods formed before me, says Jehovah. The Lord Jesus Christ is very God of very God. In that Messianic Psalm 89, we read, also I will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. What is meant in this unique supremacy of Christ over all creatures as a mediator of their creation? And so, in our text, Christ reigns over death. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Our Lord wants this suffering church to understand something about their bodies and their souls being separated, and not to fear those things that shall come upon them. They need comfort. They need help. They need instruction during these turbulent times, these times of persecution. And our Lord comes and lets them know that he is in control of all things. He is the sovereign of the universe, and he controls death and all things. Do you remember the words of our Lord in John chapter 11? So when Jesus came, he found that he had already been dead in the tomb four days, speaking of Lazarus. Now, Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away, and many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him, but Mary was still in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give it to you. Let me stop here, brethren. Is that what folks say about you? I know what you ask God, God will give it to you. Are we known as people of prayer? Are we known as people who have an audience with God? Do your co-workers or relatives or friends or neighbors who have difficulties and illnesses come ringing on your doorbell because they know you have a direct line to heaven? We ought to be like our Lord. That ought to be the testimony of the world, of us to the world. I know whatever you ask God, he'll hear you. Do we pray? Verse 23 says, Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. And Jesus said to her, and I may say it reverently, woman, you're looking at the resurrection. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Brethren, I ask you this morning, do you believe this? That those who believe on Christ, though they die, yet shall they live. If that is true, brethren, hear this word of our Lord. Do not fear those who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, Matthew 10. Christ wants this church to know that he controls all things and not to fear. And he tells this church in Smyrna not to fear. Do not fear any of those things which are about to come upon you, which you're about to suffer. We live in a land where we want our Christianity to be easy. We want it to be painless. That's not the Christianity of the Bible. And next week, we'll look more in depth at this reality. But we've not been called to a life of ease. We really are soldiers. And there's nothing easy about being a soldier. Because there's an enemy that seeks your demise. We are in a battle. And I fear sometimes we live our Christian lives as if we're on vacation. Brethren, Christ is preparing his people for the inevitable. A lot of us would like to think that we will escape and Christians won't have to go through these kinds of things. We fail to forget. As we read in Hebrews chapter 11, all those who were sawn asunder and were in caves. Have we read our church history? Have we read of those who've gone before us? We don't even have to go back that far, brethren, to see that there are men and women, boys and girls, who love Christ, who are suffering for their faith even today. We don't know anything about that, do we? not that measure, not that degree of suffering. In 2007, in Islamabad, Pakistan, my classmate, Arif Khan, and his wife, Kathy, were murdered in their home. He planted Grace Baptist Church in Rawalpindi. And two of its members were a part of this brutal killing. Dear ones, this is still the disposition of sinful men and women today. As Romans 3, 15 says, their feet are swift to shed blood. And there may come a time in our country when Christians' blood will be shed. not because of some foreign country or military coming to fight against the red, white, and blue. But Christians will shed their blood because they love the Lord Jesus Christ. We're already seeing, as Pastor Sean mentioned, we're already seeing encroachments upon Christ's church. And we see the power that the government has in directing things, we should just look back at the pandemic and see that many churches closed their doors for fear. Brethren is coming. Great tribulation. Have we forgotten how 21 Egyptian Christians were beheaded in 2015 on a beach in Libya? There were more Christian martyrs in the 20th century than in the previous 19 centuries combined. This is not something in the past. Jesus is speaking to the church in Smyrna, and he's speaking to us. He is in control of all things. Well, Lord, if you're in control of all things, well, why don't you just make this all go away and disappear until we can live happy, peaceful lives? He says, I know your tribulation. And he doesn't say I'm gonna get you out of it. Some of you are gonna be put into prison. Some of you are gonna die like I died when I was hung on that Roman gibbet. and my blood was spilt. Some of you too will lose your lives in like manner. Today we're called to the same persevering faith. Even if we never face martyrdom, we may be slandered for our witness to Christ. We might lose our jobs. Many have, during the pandemic, lost their jobs. People may call us names, or we may be even disrespected by our families. Regardless, we will reign with Christ according to the scriptures. Persecution and trials come in all varied forms. Here, Christ is speaking to the severest kind in our eyes to lose one's life for the name of Christ. If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us. Many of us fear persecution. We say, Lord, I don't think I can endure that. I don't think I could take the torture I don't think I can, and many martyrs would recant and bow to Caesar and afterwards would repent and ask God to give them the grace to endure. When Polycarp was martyred, they brought him to the stake, and they were going to nail him to the stake, and he said, the God who has given me the strength to endure these flames will keep me here without struggling. He trusted in this Christ who also died and shed his blood. Brother, we must look to Christ. We must look to Christ to keep us. You say, these are dark things. Yes, these are dark things, and this is part and parcel of being a Christian. As Dr. Sinclair Ferguson points out, this is not a letter condolence to those suffering, but rather a letter of encouragement to perseverance to the glory of God. Brethren, Christ doesn't say, I'm sorry I got you into this trouble. He doesn't say that. I don't know what's going wrong. You were not supposed to have such difficult times in the earth. Christ doesn't say that. If you are a Christian, You will at some point suffer for Christ's name. Brethren, this is part and parcel of the walk of faith. This is no strange thing. It may be strange to us, but it is no strange thing. Look at first Peter. You don't have to take my word for it. Look at first Peter chapter four. Verse 12, beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you. For the spirit of glory and of God rest upon you. On their part, he is blasphemed, but on your part, he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, or an evildoer, as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for the judgment to begin at the house of God. And if it begins with us first, what will the end be of those who do not obey the gospel? Peter teaches these pilgrims of the dispersion to rejoice in the cause of Christ. And yes, suffering comes to those who identify with Christ. Perhaps the reason why some of us, or some professing Christians, don't suffer is because they don't identify with Christ in this dark and fallen world. Maybe too many in the modern church spend too much time trying to convince the world that they're not so different under the guise of becoming all things to all men to win some. Be careful about being friends with the world, lest you make yourselves God's enemy. Know this, if the world hates you, You know that it hated me before it hated you. That's what our Lord said. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they keep my word, if they've kept my word, they will keep yours also. All these things they will do to you for my name's sake, because they do not know him who sent me." John 15, verses 18 through 21. Our Lord says, if you identify with me and you let the world know it by the way you live, by the way you talk, by the way you dress, by what you do, If the world sees that you are different and that the message that you preach is not music to their ears, but they hate it because they hated Christ, don't be surprised if you're hated. No one likes to be hated. We all want to be loved and liked. And sometimes I fear we compromise. I stand as Christians in a dark and evil world. And we don't speak the truth in love. And we don't expose the works of darkness all around us. And we let those who are in our families and our neighbors and our coworkers march on to hell without the gospel ringing in their ears because we preached it to them. Because we're scared we're going to be persecuted. Jesus said, if you're ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you. And if they hated me, they're going to hate you. I'm controlling all things, don't forget that. And they killed me, but I rose again. And if you trust me, so will you rise again to newness of life. Our Lord is our comfort, brethren. Let us not give way to compromise and being ashamed for the gospel of Christ. Let us have it tattooed to our brain that this gospel that we love is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. There are some here this morning who do not identify with Christ and walk with him. You may be well catechized and knowledgeable of Christian doctrine, but I ask you this morning, do you love Christ? If not, ask God to give you faith and repentance. And like Jacob say, I will not let you go unless you bless me. Brethren, our Lord comes to his churches. And these messages were given to the churches. It was a circular letter. So all of the seven churches heard these things that the Lord wanted them to know and to prepare them for what was about to come upon them and what they were even then experiencing. The Lord wants us to be prepared, brethren. We probably won't experience what our brethren in other countries are experiencing. We may not. But where are you being tempted to compromise? And where are you being tempted to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ and your Lord? Do you fear the world? Don't fear those who can kill the body and that's all they can do. That's for Hollywood and movies. That's the worst thing that could ever happen to you in the movies is that you die. The worst thing is a second death, is to be cast into the lake of fire throughout all eternity. That's the worst thing. And Jesus promises this church in Smyrna that they hold fast. They will not be hurt by the second death. And those of you who are here this morning who don't know Christ, that's why we plead with you to come to Christ, to flee the wrath to come. There is persecution from evil men and by the hands of wicked men in this world, but there's coming a judgment, which we've been reading about in the revelation. There's not coming from men, but it's coming from heaven. Do you remember it was in chapter six, we were reading the angel said, wait until all those where gods are sealed so they would not be hurt by the wrath of God that's coming upon the earth. Some of you will experience God's wrath because you've not fled to Christ. Might I plead with you this morning, lay down your weapons of warfare and come to the only savior of sinners, the eternal one, The one who was dead, but who came to life. The one who has all power in his hand and he has the power to save. Next week, Lord willing, we'll come back and we'll look at the remainder of this letter and see how our Lord instructs them through this difficult time. May we receive instruction from the Lord for our own lives. as we look at this word of approval and admonition. Brethren, our Lord is good, and his mercy endures forever. Amen? Let's pray. Our Father, we confess that we live in a lap of luxury, and ease. And we know it's because of your providence. You have set the bounds of our habitation. You have ordained the times in which we are born, the countries in which we are born in, the families to which we have been given. We know all of this is in your hand. And we thank you, Father, for the mercies which we endure. But we plead with you, Father, that we would not be lulled to sleep that we will recognize that we are still in enemy territory. And because we love you, the world will hate us. Oh, Lord, prepare us and equip us for what we may face and what we do face because we know all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. So we ask, Lord Jesus, Keep us, be our help, be our guide. As we go through troubled times, we thank you for the peace. We pray, Lord, that you would not allow us to be fearful, but to be courageous and to know that our great savior, our great captain, has endured the struggles in the trials of an evil world upon himself because of our sin. and he has promised to bring us home safe at last. Oh, Father, we thank you. We ask that you would be with us and that you would be kind, eternally kind to those in our midst who are lost. Oh, Lord, we pray that you would draw them to the bleeding side of our great Savior. For it's in his name we pray. Amen.