* One of two churches God didn’t rebuke was Smyrna, the least likely of the churches.
* It was a “poor” church.
* Today this would be the po-dunk church with a tiny congregation and even tinier median income.
* They would be the “outcast” church today.
* No website, no cool branding, music is sub-par, no rock-star conferences wanting to use it as a venue.
* The pastor is bi-vocational because the church can’t afford the salary - he’s got no book deal and never invited to speak at the church growth seminars.
* This was a church who was “outwardly” poor, but inwardly they were explosive!
* They were faithful to God’s Word and did not back down from the associated persecution because of it.
* Polycarp was the Bishop (church leader) at Smyrna - John ordained him as bishop.
* He was told to say, “Caesar is Lord.” But he responded, “Jesus is Lord and away with the atheists!”
* He was told to deny Christ, he replied, “86 years I have served Him and He has done me no injury. How can I now deny my King Who saved me?”
* He stood strong and ended up being burned alive for his faith - the very thing God said would happen in verse 10.
* He said to those who threaten to burn him, “I will burn only for a moment, but you will burn for eternity.”
* He did not want to be nailed to the stake when he was to be burned - he said he wanted to stay on the stake without the need of nailing - he would endure the fire on his own.
* Warren Wiersbe - “"The church at Smyrna was not having an easy time of it! The members were persecuted, probably because they refused to compromise and say, “Caesar is Lord.” Smyrna was an important center of the Roman imperial cult, and anyone refusing to acknowledge Caesar as Lord would certainly be excluded from the guilds. This would mean unemployment and poverty. The word used here for poverty means “abject poverty, possessing absolutely nothing. A large Jewish community also thrived in Smyrna. The Jews, of course, did not have to patronize the imperial cult since their religion was accepted by Rome; but they certainly would not cooperate with the Christian faith. So, from both Jews and Gentiles, the Christians in Smyrna received slander and suffering."
Revelation 2:9-10 (12/8/16)
Unlikely Church
December 8, 2016 • Benham Brothers
Revelation - the players (12/27/18)
December 27, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* The players: * The Being on the throne is God. * The Lamb is Jesus. * The dragon is Satan. * The beast is the Antichrist. * The woman is Israel. * The baby is Jesus. * The “rest of her offspring” are God’s people. * The bride is the church - Christians who place their faith in Jesus when they hear the gospel. * The guests of the bride are believers before Christ came and the gospel existed. * Babylon is the world system of the Beast. It’s the political and economic system. * The “Harlot” is the corrupt religious system of the Beast that stands in direct contrast to the Bride. * The Beast can’t be successful in the first two systems without the third to approve of it. * There is a Babylon and a Harlot in every generation - it’s used by Satan to lead people astray. * ** a nation needs several systems to exist, mainly a political, economic, and religious.
Revelation & Red Letters (12/13/18)
December 13, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* Jesus is still speaking. * We don’t often attribute His words to the book of Revelation. * What would He say? * He addresses 7 churches (the number in seven is “perfect” or “complete” - so this message would apply to all the church past, present, and future). * 1) The church of Ephesus - they were the LOVELESS church who had lost their first love. * 2) The church of Smyrna - they were the PERSECUTED church who were enduring hardship for Christ. * 3) The church of Pergamos - they were the COMPROMISING church who put up with those in their midst who believed the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans (sexual immorality and idolatry). * 4) The church of Thyatira - they were the CORRUPT church who tolerated the woman Jezebel (sexual immorality and domineering ambition). * 5) The church of Sardis - they were the DEAD church who looked alive but in reality they were dead. * 6) The church of Philadelphia - they were the FAITHFUL church who were doing good things in the midst of trial. * 7) The church of Laodicea - they were the LUKEWARM church who were riding the fence to avoid persecution.
Revelation 1:1 (12/8/16)
December 8, 2016 • Benham Brothers
* Jeremiah 29:11 - “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” * God spoke an encouragement through Jeremiah because the Israelites were about to go into captivity. * So like a good father He reminded them that this was going to be good for them and that His ultimate plan was for their blessing, not their cursing. * The book of Revelation does the same for us. * A good coach knows you can’t land a big recruit without letting him know your plan for him. * He will continue to remind him from time to time to encourage him to stick it out (redshirt). * When we read Revelation it’s God reminding us to stick it out because something ossum is coming.