Be faithful in times of persecution

1. Lessons
from
Smyrna
Revelation 2:8-11

2. 8 “To
the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died
and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—
yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews
and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of
what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of
you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten
days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the
crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second
death.

4. Revelation 1
Who is Jesus?
Son of man
Prophet, Priest
and King
Revelation 2-3
What Jesus
expects of his
Church
Jesus’ Letters to the
Seven Churches
Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamum
Thyatira
Sardis
Philadelphia
Laodicea

5. Structure of the Letters
1
Destination
2
Description of Christ
3
Commendation
4
Rebuke
5
Exhortation
6
Warning
7
Promise

6. 1
Destination
2:8a
angel of the church in Smyrna
2
Description of Christ
2:8b
the First and the Last, who died and came to life again
3
Commendation
2:9
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are
rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews
and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan
4
Rebuke
5
Exhortation
2:10a
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer
6
Warning
2:10b
I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test
you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days
7
Promise
2:10c-11
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you
the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will
not be hurt at all by the second death

7. 1
Destination
2:8a
angel of the church in Smyrna
2
Description of Christ
2:8b
the First and the Last, who died and came to life again
3
Commendation
2:9
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are
rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews
and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan
4
Rebuke
5
Exhortation
2:10a
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer
6
Warning
2:10b
I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test
you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days
7
Promise
2:10c-11
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you
the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will
not be hurt at all by the second death

8. Persecution in Smyrna (context)
Judaism,
Christianity
and Imperial
Worship

9. Persecution in Smyrna (result) v. 9 &
10
• Afflictions
• Economic
poverty
• Imprisonment
• Death

10. Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna (69-155 AD)

11. Martyrdom of Polycarp

12. Persecution of Christians worldwide

13. Persecution of Christians worldwide
1. North Korea
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Afghanistan
4. Iraq
5. Somalia
6. Maldives
7. Mali
8. Iran
9. Yemen
10.Eritrea

14. Is there persecution of Christians in
Malaysia?

15. 1. North Korea
2. Saudi Arabia
3. Afghanistan
4. Iraq
5. Somalia
6. Maldives
7. Mali
8. Iran
9. Yemen
10. Eritrea
11. Syria
12. Sudan
13. Nigeria
14. Pakistan
15. Ethiopia
16. Uzbekistan
17. Libya
18. Laos
19. Turkmenistan
20. Qatar
21. Vietnam
22. Oman
23. Mauritania
24. Tanzania
25. Egypt
26. United Arab
Emirates
27. Brunei
28. Bhutan
29. Algeria
30. Tunisia
31. India
32. Burma (Myanmar)
33. Kuwait
34. Jordan
35. Bahrain
36. Palestinian
Territories
37. China
38. Azerbaijan
39. Morocco
40. Kenya
41. Comoros
42. Malaysia
43. Djibouti
44. Tajikistan
45. Indonesia
46. Colombia
47. Uganda
48. Kazakhstan
49. Kyrgyzstan
50. Niger

16. Responding to Persecution
• Denial
• Flee
o Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt (Matt 2:13-14)
o disciples told to flee (Matt 10:23)
o Paul over the Damascus wall in a basket (Acts 9:24)
• Stay and Endure
o Peacemaking (Matt 5:9; 5:38-48)
o Overcome evil with good (Rom 12:19-21)
o Accepting martyrdom for Jesus’ sake (Matt 16:25)
• Appeal to Authorities – Legal Rights
o Paul appealed to Caesar (Acts 22 &25)
o Exercise legal rights to be protected

17. 1
Destination
2:8a
angel of the church in Smyrna
2
Description of Christ
2:8b
the First and the Last, who died and came to life again
3
Commendation
2:9
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are
rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews
and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan
4
Rebuke
5
Exhortation
2:10a
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer
6
Warning
2:10b
I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test
you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days
7
Promise
2:10c-11
Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you
the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will
not be hurt at all by the second death

18. Lessons from Smyrna: Faithfulness in
Persecution
• Be at peace in the midst of storms – God is in control
(Mark 4:35-41; Acts 27:25; Daniel 6:21-23; Revelation
14:12)

19. Acts 27: 13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they
thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they
weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 Before
very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,”
swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the
storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it
and were driven along. 16 As we passed to the lee of a small
island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat
secure.

20. 17 When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under
the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run
aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor
and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent
battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw
the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s
tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor
stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we
finally gave up all hope of being saved.

21. 21 After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up
before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not
to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this
damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage,
because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
23 Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve
stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must
stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the
lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for
I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

22. Lessons from Smyrna: Faithfulness in
Persecution
• Be at peace in the midst of storms – God is in control
(Mark 4:35-41; Acts 27:25; Daniel 6:21-23; Revelation
14:12)
• Keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2-3)

23. Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who
endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will
not grow weary and lose heart.

24. Lessons from Smyrna: Faithfulness in
Persecution
• Be at peace in the midst of storms – God is in control
(Mark 4:35-41; Acts 27:25; Daniel 6:21-23; Revelation
14:12)
• Keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2-3)
• Present suffering future glory (Rom. 8: 28-30)

25. Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love him, who have been called according to
his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to
be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined,
he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he
justified, he also glorified.

26. Storm in the
Sea of Galilee
Rembrandt
• Revelation 2:8-11

27. Lessons from Smyrna: Faithfulness in
Persecution
• Be at peace in the midst of storms – God is in control
(Mark 4:35-41; Acts 27:25; Daniel 6:21-23; Revelation
14:12)
• Keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:2-3)
• Present suffering future glory (Rom. 8: 28-30)