Not Truthful

Revelation 2:9, “eI know thy works, and tribulation, and wpoverty, (but thou art wrich) and I know the blasphemy of xythem which say they are Jews, and are not, but are ythe synagogue of zSatan.” [1]

I.   Rich

     A. Toil

     B. Trouble

II. Righteous

     A. Twisted

     B. Trespass

III. Rejected

     A. Torment

     B. Torture

Introduction:  Today we will consider the church in Smyrna.  I mistakenly said last Sunday evening that we would be going to Philadelphia this morning.  Philadelphia is the sixth church.  Today we will not visit a suburb of Atlanta Georgia.  There is also a town called Smyrna in Tennessee.  We won’t go there today either.

Several years ago following a census it was discovered that the majority of the people in this nation considered themselves to be Christians.  That sounds very good.  Then it was asked how many attended church.  That number was quite a bit smaller.  Then they were asked of the church attendees how many would say that they were active members.  Again that number was smaller still.

Today we see that people who are asked actually denounce being religious at all.  That number is growing.  The number of people who claim Christianity is also shrinking.  Churches were hit a blow when the governments of the world prevented corporate worship services.  People are not returning but people have gotten comfortable working from home so that number may be skewed.

There are other religions that are picking up percentages.  It seems that the governments are encouraging those to grow while Christian churches are being ignored and discouraged.  People once would lie about being Christians but now they are bold in their denying.

We have been studying the effects of exile that the Israelites faced.  Daniel and Ezekiel are two prophets who spoke for God during the exile.  In comparison with today we find that many seem to be OK with their denial of Jesus.  Back during the exile of Israel and Judah there were those who would die rather than deny they were descendants of Jacob.

It has been said that the Church is a symbol of the Jewish people.  As we consider the Jews in the writings of the New Testament we should see the parallel to the Church.  Where the Jews went we seem to be going.

Today we will be hearing from Jesus about that local church in Smyrna.  We should see a parallel with even our Merry Oaks Baptist.  It is a time of discovery.  If there is any similarity between some in the church in Smyrna and those in our church today, it is for us to discover about ourselves.  Natural sinful nature is to look around and point fingers at others.  Let us uncover deep truths about ourselves and pray that we do not judge anyone but ourselves.

Through Jesus we have already overcome the evil.  Let us live in such a way that others will take notice.  Jesus said that if we do that we will be tested and tried throughout the process of this life.  Jesus promised that we will not be hurt by the everlasting death of torment.  I pray that we live in such a way that we will not be afraid.

Scripture:  The Scripture today is Revelation 2:9.  Please stand for the reading of God’s word.

Prayer:  Please be seated.

Message:  Follow as we read Revelation 2:8, “And unto athe angel of the church in tSmyrna write; These things saith uthe first and the last, vwhich was dead, and is alive;” [2]  Jesus referred to himself as the First and the Last.  He was dead but is now alive. 

He reminds them in Smyrna that He cannot be fooled.  He knows their works there in the church in Smyrna and how much they toil.  He knows how much we toil too.  Notice that the text doesn’t say that Jesus knows that they toil hard or hardly at all.  He knows exactly how much they do.

Some churches work very hard at what they want to work at.  What is the mission of the church?  Is it to do ministry or win souls?  It is both but neither should be ignored.  If there is a need in the community the church should certainly fill that need if possible but not at the expense of soul winning.

Jesus knew about the trials and tribulations that the church in Smyrna was going through.  Were they really going through trouble or were they only finding something to complain about?  There are churches in this world today that are going through trouble. 

We know about trouble or at least we like to think that we do.  People around here are mentioning our trouble here at Merry Oaks but what trouble are we having?  People are talking but what is being done against our church?

Then Jesus mentioned poverty.  There is that comment in the parentheses. “but thou art rich.”  This might lead the reader to believe that if the church was misrepresenting themselves about poverty that they might be misrepresenting themselves about how hard they work and how much trouble they were going through.  Could it be that they were only finding things to complain about?

Jesus knew about their blasphemy.  Blasphemy is twisting the truth.  They twisted the fact that they were Jews according to Jesus.  The Jews were chosen by God The Father to bring righteousness into the world.  Jesus came into the world as a Jew.  They were not acting righteous at all.

They didn’t belong in the same group that were believers and followers of Jesus.  They had trespassed against those who belonged in the family of Jesus.  They were not the temple for the Holy Spirit as we Christians are supposed to be.  Instead they were the synagogue of Satan.

We hear that saying, “Once saved always saved.”  To truly be saved means that the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in you.  You are the sanctuary for Him.  He keeps you safe from the evil one and seals you for salvation.  There is that caveat of Hebrews 6:4, “ For lit is mimpossible for those who were once nenlightened, and have tasted of othe heavenly gift, and pwere made partakers of sthe Holy Ghost, 5 And qhave tasted rthe good word of God, and sthe powers of tthe world to come, 6 If they shall ttfall away, to renew them again uunto repentance; vseeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and wput him to an open shame.” [3]

That is one scary verse.  What it really says is if a person were to accept Jesus and received the Holy Spirit; if they had become familiar with the Bible and had received spiritual gifts from heaven; if they absolutely choose to throw that away then there is no coming back again.

Here is verses seven and eight, “7 For the earth xwhich drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs ymeet zfor them ||by whom it is dressed, xreceiveth blessing from God: 8 But athat which beareth thorns and briers is brejected, and is bbnigh unto ccursing; ccwhose end is to be burned.” [4]  If anyone does this then they are the synagogue of Satan.

Hell is that place of everlasting torment and torture.  There will be no worship of God in that place.  Everyone will have everlasting life one place or the other.  Just as eternal life with God started the moment you decided to follow Jesus, so does the everlasting torment begin for those who absolutely refuse Jesus.

The synagogue is the place where worship is held.  We are here in the synagogue where we worship Jesus.  Our bodies are the synagogue of Jesus.  We became the synagogue for Jesus the moment we accepted Him as Savior.

There is that hypothetical if in Hebrews 6:6, “If they shall ttfall away…” [5]  Let us see the end of that text.  Going back to Hebrews 6:9-12, “But, beloved, we are persuaded dbetter things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10 ddFor eGod is not unrighteous fto forget your work and fglabour of love, which hye have shewed toward his name, in that iye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that every one of you do hshew the same kdiligence to lthe full assurance of mhope unto the end: 12 That ye be not nslothful, but nnfollowers of them who through faith and patience inherit opthe promises.” [6]

And now back to today’s promise in Revelation 2:10-11, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and aye shall have btribulation cten days: dbe thou efaithful unto death, and I will give thee fa crown of life. 11 gHe that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; gHe that overcometh hshall not be hurt of ithe second death.” [7]

Prayer: 

Invitation:  We are living in a scary time but those in that time when John was exiled to Patmos were also in scary times.  Jesus knew because He always knows.  He knows that we are scared now too.

The same promise to the church in Smyrna is to us today.  We are living among people who are misrepresenting whom they truly are.  We are putting up with that because there is nothing much else that we can do.  To make war against what is happening to us is to take the war that has already been won and attempt to fight is all over again.

We will have that crown of life.  In God’s eyes Who sees everything forward and backwards we already are with Him.  What have we to fear?  Let us not concern ourselves with turning back.  There is too much to look forward to.  Consider His mercy and grace as we sing…

e ver. 9, 13, 19. ch. 3:1, 8, 15.
w See James 2:5.
w See James 2:5.
x See Rom. 2:17.
y ch. 3:9.
y ch. 3:9.
z ver. 13, 24. & 3:9. & 12:9. & 20:2, 7. See 1 Cor. 5:5.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 2:9). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a See ch. 1:20.
t So ch. 1:11.
u See ch. 1:11.
v ch. 1:18.
[2] Ibid., Re 2:8). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
l See Matt. 12:31, 45. So ch. 10:26.
m Comp. Matt. 19:26. Mark 10:27. Luke 18:27.
n ch. 10:32 (Gk.). So Eph. 1:18. Comp. John 1:9.
o So John 4:10. & 6:32. Eph. 2:8.
p See Gal. 3:2. So ch. 2:4.
s Gal. 3:5 (Gk.).
q Ps. 34:8. 1 Pet. 2:3.
r See Eph. 6:17.
s Gal. 3:5 (Gk.).
t So ch. 2:5.
tt See Wisd. 6:9.
u Comp. ch. 12:17.
v So ch. 10:29.
w Esther 14:11. Matt. 1:19 in the Gk.
[3] Ibid., Heb 6:4–6). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
x Ps. 65:10.
y Hist. of Susanna 15. Luke 9:62 in the Gk.
z So 2 Tim. 2:6.
|| Or, for. See ch. 2:9.
x Ps. 65:10.
a Isai. 5:6.
b See 1 Cor. 9:27.
bb So ch. 8:13 (Gk.).
c So Jer. 44:22. Comp. Gen. 3:17.
cc So Isai. 27:11. Ezek. 15:4. Mal. 4:1. John 15:6.
[4] Ibid., Heb 6:7–8). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
tt See Wisd. 6:9.
[5] Ibid., Heb 6:6). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
d See ch. 7:19.
dd Prov. 19:17. Matt. 10:42. & 25:40. Mark 9:41. See Matt. 5:7.
e So Rom. 9:14. 2 Thess. 1:6, 7. ch. 13:16.
f 1 Thess. 1:3. So Acts 10:4.
f 1 Thess. 1:3. So Acts 10:4.
g So 1 Cor. 16:16.
h 2 Cor. 8:24.
i Rom. 15:25. 2 Tim. 1:18. See Rom. 12:13. & 2 Cor. 8:4.
h 2 Cor. 8:24.
k See Rom. 12:8.
l ch. 10:22. See Col. 2:2.
m See ch. 3:6.
n ch. 5:11 (Gk.).
nn Comp. ch. 13:7.
o Comp. Gal. 3:18.
p So ver. 15. ch. 10:36.
[6] Ibid., Heb 6:9–12). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a See John 16:33.
b Matt. 24:9 (Gk.).
c Comp. Gen. 24:55. Dan. 1:12, 14.
d See Matt. 10:22. & Heb. 3:6.
e ver. 13. ch. 17:14. So ch. 12:11. See 1 Cor. 4:2.
f James 1:12. So 2 Esdr. 2:43–47. ch. 3:11. See 1 Cor. 9:25.
g See ver. 7.
g See ver. 7.
h Comp. Matt. 10:28.
i See ch. 20:6.
[7] Ibid., Re 2:10–11). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.