Title Smyrna Church/Rev 2:8-11
But today, Jesus is writing to the members of the Smyrna Church in Asia Minor in the first century, saying, "You seem to be poor, but in reality you are rich." Smyrna saints were people who lived a life opposite to that of motherhood, and the community of such people was the Smyrna Church.
1. The appearance of the Lord speaking to Smyrna Church
2. Praise for Smyrna Church
The Smyrna Church was one of the two churches that were not condemned among the 7 churches in Asia Minor (the other was the Philadelphia Church). What will you rebuke the saints who suffer and even martyr for the sake of the gospel? It was just compliments and encouragement. The commendation was, “I know that you endure tribulation and material need for the sake of the gospel” (verse 9). Poverty here refers not to relative poverty, but to almost nakedness and starvation. But, he said, “The truth is, you are rich.” Isn't that what the Lord needs to know? Even if my life is a series of tribulations, if the tribulation is only worth it, and if the Lord, who is the owner of my life, knows it, wouldn't I be able to endure it? No matter how hungry the enemy Satan makes us, if our souls can be enriched with heavenly manna, "My soul has been blessed with the burden of heavy burdens, and when I see that this sorrowful world is transformed into heaven - whether it is a cottage or a palace, the kingdom of heaven" Can't you praise me?
3. Counsel to the Smyrna Church
Visitors to the city of Izmil, today's Smyrna, are sure to visit the Polycarp Memorial Church. On the walls of this church is a painting of the Martyr Polycarp painted by the famous painter Raymond Ferret. In the corner of this painting, there is a picture of a man waiting for his next turn to be martyred while watching the scene of the martyrdom of Polycarp with his hands tied to a rope. It is said that this was the artist's own painting. Martyrdom is intended to portray an event that can be experienced by any saint who wants to live by faith. In fact, in today's text, "be faithful to death" means "to be faithful to the point of death." Not all of us need to be martyred just because we believe in Jesus, but it is very important to live each day with martyrdom.
4. The vision of the well-being church to learn from Smyrna Church
It is the image of a church seeking spiritual wealth.
A well-being church, a healthy church is a church that pursues spiritual wealth. The question, then, is what makes us spiritually rich. We can again summarize the challenges the Church of Smyrna poses to today's churches and members in three points. 1) The confession of faith must be certain. Like Bishop Polycarp, we must live with a profession of faith that cannot be given up under any circumstances. Are you and I willing to live today declaring that Christ is my Savior and Lord if I declare that I am a Christian, even if I am at a disadvantage in business, excluded from promotions at work, and my future is uncertain? A church with many such Christians can be called a spiritually rich well-being church. No matter how many saints enter our church, if there is no clear confession of faith that Jesus is my Lord and is filled with only those who are not willing to lose or sacrifice for the Lord, then it is not a healthy church but a very unhealthy community. will say
2) We must live with the pride of being God's people.
3) You must have faith that looks beyond death.
1. Please share how the appearance of the Lord speaking to the Smyrna church was described and why he appeared that way.
2. Share the Lord's praise for Smyrna Church.
3. Share the Lord's counsel to Smyrna Church.
4. What is the vision of the Well-Being Church to learn from Smyrna Church, and what should our church strive to achieve?