Come Alive!

[The following is the full manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 28th of February, 2016.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

When we observe the Lenten period as it is intended, we look inward at our own response to the great and beautiful sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.  We continue that self-examination as a congregational family by studying what Jesus had to say to the fifth of the seven churches of Revelation.  Through this series we hope to understand the church that God wants us to be, and what steps we might need to take to reach that goal.

So far we’ve looked at the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira.  While Jesus had nothing but good things to say about the church in Smyrna, He was especially concerned about how the church family in Thyatira had allowed their tolerances to go to the extreme.  They had to bear His harshest words so far.

Today we’ll look at the church in Sardis, which we’ll see is kind of middle of the road – not terribly bad, but not terribly good either.  Listen and follow along to what Jesus had to say to them as recorded by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation chapter 3 verses 1 through 6, reading from the New King James Version of our Bible…

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

--Revelation 3:1-6 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, please put a hedge around this family this morning, shielding us from Satan’s distractions, so that we might hear and understand the message You have for us this day.  Show us where we stand as a family in Your eyes, Lord, and where You want us to be, both as individuals and as a church.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


A young girl gave herself to Jesus and became a Christian while attending an exciting revival service at her church one evening.  She was baptized the following Sunday morning and that afternoon she ran through the house joyfully singing and dancing about.  Her sour grandfather rebuked her by saying, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself!  You just joined the church and here you are singing and dancing on the Lord’s Day!"

Crushed by her grandfather's attitude, the little girl went out to the barn, climbed up on the corral fence, and observed an old mule standing there with a sad, droopy face and bleary eyes.  As she reached over and patted the mule sympathetically, she said, "Don't cry, ol’ mule.  I guess you've got the same kind of religion that Grandpa has!"


Do we still feel and celebrate the joy of our salvation like that little girl?  Or has our faith gone cold, afraid to show itself, like the grandfather’s?  Do we go around bleary-eyed, with a sad, droopy face?  Or do we sing and dance, rejoicing in the Lord Jesus for all He has done for us?  Would a casual observer be able to see any sign of life in us, and by that I mean Christian life?


Jesus opens this fifth letter by identifying Himself as “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars”.  To understand that reference, we need to look back in the first chapter of this Book of Revelation.  We saw earlier in this series where Jesus tells us that the seven stars are the angels of these seven churches, which could simply be those who will carry these letters to the churches or may be actual divine angels assigned to watch over the churches.  As for the “seven Spirits of God”, we see this term first used by the Apostle John in his greeting to the seven churches, in verses 4 and 5 of chapter 1, where he says…   

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

--Revelation 1:4-5 (NKJV)

Just who are these “seven Spirits of God”?  Some believe this refers to the seven angels who stand before the throne of God to serve Him.  But in the versions of our Bible that I searched, the “S” in “Spirits” is capitalized, and that means it refers to the divine, to God in one of His persons.  We know of God’s Holy Spirit, but seven Spirits of God?

In the New King James Version of our Bible, which I have been working out of for this series, the number seven appears around 30 times in the Book of Revelation alone.  There are seven churches, seven stars, and seven lampstands, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven thunders, and seven angels, seven horns and eyes on the Lamb, seven heads on the dragon, seven golden bowls, and I may have missed a few others.

You see, the number seven in our Bible represents completeness.  The number of God is three, as in the Holy Trinity.  And the number of man is four.  God’s great master plan is completed by the events described in the Book of Revelation, which finally brings man back to God the way He intended it from the start.

So I think the “seven Spirits of God” that Jesus uses to describe Himself, that He says He has, is really God’s Holy Spirit, the Third Person of God, in the completeness of God’s plan.  I believe the “seven Spirits of God” refers to the Holy Spirit in His perfect and complete fullness.  I don’t mean to belabor this point too much, but we need to realize that what we are looking at in Revelation is God’s great plan finally coming to fruition.  And that time is rapidly approaching, so we must be prepared!


Much like Smyrna, the city of Sardis is also a seat of emperor worship, where Caesar is treated as a god.  But unlike Smyrna, the church in Sardis may have accepted this form of idolatry a little too readily.

Jesus says He knows the works of the church, and He understands that they are considered as alive and active, maybe even thriving.  But in His eyes, they are dead.  They are dead spiritually.

As a church, they have maintained all the necessary vital signs.  They live, they breathe, they walk, they talk.  They get together for worship and sign songs of praise.  They share resources with those in need.  But there is no spirit in them or  their activities.  There’s nothing left on the inside – no fire, no hopes, no dreams, no passion for life.  They’re just going through the motions, doing what they’ve been told a church of Jesus Christ should do.


We need to take a good long and hard look at ourselves - each and every one of us – look within ourselves to see what’s inside.  We need to check for a pulse, for vital signs, to make sure we’re alive.  Let me use our chicken pie sale this past week as an example.

As a church family, we held a successful sale which raised funds that will be used for and by the church and will be shared for those in need within our community.  Like Sardis, I’m sure Jesus sees this as part of our good works.  But I wonder if, like Sardis, Jesus will find that not all of our works, even this one, are perfect before God.

Now I know that if you are gainfully employed you can’t necessarily take time off during the workday to come help make and distribute chicken pies.  And there are other valid reasons, such as medical conditions, that prevent folks from coming out to help.  But if none of that kept you away and you did not come help with the load, ask yourself why.

Maybe you thought there was nothing you could do, that you have no knowledge or skills in this area?  Maybe you thought you’d just get in the way?  Or maybe you looked at the weather reports and thought it would be much better to just stay home where it’s dry and warm?

And for all those who did come out to help, why did you come?  Did you come out of a sense of duty and responsibility to the church?  You know the need and you always help so you came?  If so, that is admirable, but where is the passion, the joy of working in service to Jesus and your fellow man, the fun of the fellowship we share as we work together?

This is what Jesus found missing at Sardis!  They did the work, they went through the motions, but for too many, it was just because they thought that was what they were supposed to do.  There was no longer any joy in doing the work, no enjoyment of the fellowship, no fire, no passion.


Now this doesn’t apply to everyone at Pilgrim, no more than it applied to everyone at the church in Sardis.  Jesus noted, in verse 4, that “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments”.  He means that there were those in the Sardis church who were still doing things for the right reasons, who still served the Lord with passion, who still had that fire and zest for life and for God.  Just as there are many here who do our works not just out of a sense of duty, although that plays a huge and strong and good role, but also because of their love for each other and for the greater community.  We have hopes of being able to do even more locally and beyond.  We serve our Lord with a passion that is based on our love for Him and our acknowledgment of all that He has done for us.

Like those few that Jesus praised in Sardis, many here are worthy to be clothed in white, the color of purity.  Your name will be maintained on the good side of the ledger in the Book of Life.  And Jesus will stand before God His Father and proclaim you as one of His own.


As we do this inward examination, as we check our own pulses and motivations, I want us to remember what it feels like to be dead.  And again, I don’t mean dead physically, but dead spiritually, dead in sin.  The Apostle Paul describes this death quite well, I think, in his letter to the church in Ephesus, the first of the seven that Jesus addressed in His Revelation to the Apostle John.  Hear the words of Paul in his book of Ephesians, chapter 2, verses 1 through 6…  

2 In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. 2 You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God. 3 Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.

4-5 But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God’s wonderful kindness is what saves you. 6 God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven.

--Ephesians 2:1-6 (CEV)

We made God angry but God was merciful!  We were dead just as Jesus was dead.  But God raised us to life just as He raised Jesus back to life.

Isn’t that a wonderful image?  The same power and authority that God used to raise Jesus from the dead and restore life to Him, He gave to us, to bring us from the death of sin back into life with Jesus.  That power and authority is none other than His Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that lives within us.  The same Holy Spirit that will give us the life and fire and passion as we serve Jesus, that will keep our hopes and dreams alive.  The same Holy Spirit that will restore us to life eternal if we believe in Jesus as Lord.


Jesus told the church in Sardis and He tells the church known as Pilgrim to be watchful.  He will come like a thief in the night, that no one may know when.  So we must be watchful and ever vigilant to do His works and for the right reasons.  And not only that, but we are to strengthen the things that remain.  We are to stoke the fires that are about to go out, stir up those dying embers and restore the passion of life, not only within ourselves but in all those around us!

We need to do all we can so that when we stand before our Lord, we will not hear Him say, “I know your works, but I have not found them to be perfect before God”.  Hold fast, and repent.  Jesus gives that word of instruction often, so we know it’s important: Repent.  Turn from what we are doing that is wrong in God’s eyes, especially if we are doing it intentionally.  Turn back to God and to serving Him.

Rekindle the fire within; restore the passion, the hopes, the dreams.  Awaken the sleepwalker.  Stop just going through the motions.  Come alive!

Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus is the key to Your great master plan for mankind.  Through Him, You pardon our sins.  Through Him, You grant us eternal life.  And through Him, You show us a glimpse of how Your plan will play out at the end of days.  Jesus addressed the seven churches of Asia of His time on earth, and the message He had for them still holds true for us today.  Thank You, Father, for loving us so much that You give us every chance possible for us to repent and live a life of service to You and to Jesus.

Hear us now, Father, as we bow before You in the silence, repenting of our sin against You, asking Your forgiveness…

Lord Jesus, Your messages to the seven churches hold so very true for us still, for every church family across the globe.  From what You said in those letters, we can see our own faults as well as what we should do to get right in God’s eyes.  Please help us come alive in our service, so that we will not be found lacking when we stand before our Father God.  In Your blessed name, dear Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Judgment Is Coming

[The following is the full manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 21st of February, 2016.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today we continue our Lent-inspired self-examination by focusing on the fourth church of Revelation.  Our hope and prayer is that this period of reflection and study will reveal the church that God wants us to be, and any steps we need to take to get to that goal.

So far we’ve looked at the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos.  While each congregation had its strong points, only the church in Smyrna escaped any criticism from our Lord.  Pergamos especially was singled out, because of how much they compromised their values with the world.

Today we’ll look at what many feel to be the worst of the seven churches, as far as what they did wrong.  Listen and follow along to what Jesus had to say to the church in Thyatira, as recorded by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation chapter 2 verses 18 through 29, from the New King James Version of our Bible…

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations —

27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ — 

as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

--Revelation 2:18-29 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, please block out all the noises of the world so that we might hear and understand the message You have for us this day.  Help us recognize where we are in our walk and show us how to get to where You want us to be, Lord, as individuals and as members of this Pilgrim church family.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


Retired Methodist Pastor Rodney Buchanan wrote the following in 2005:

One of my favorite cartoon strips is “Frank and Earnest.” Frank is in the courtroom standing before the judge who says to him, “It’s ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty.’ You can’t plead ‘I gotta be me.’” The cartoon is humorous because it touches a reality in our culture which places the need for self-expression above the need for morality, integrity and honor. I often think about the fact that Jesus warned His followers to beware of the “wicked and adulterous generation” in which they lived. And then I wonder what He would call our generation which has long passed the simple immorality of His day into acts of violence, sexual addictions and perversions that had never been thought of then, and around which we have built many of our television programs and movies. And yet, we have an aversion to calling anything sin these days.


As Pastor Buchanan alludes to, our society has gone way beyond tolerance.  According to a study conducted in 2008, 65% of men, 48% of women, 36% of fathers, and 20% of mothers agreed that pornography was an acceptable way for someone to express their sexuality. As a result, many men don’t know how to have a relationship and women wanting a relationship seem to adopt the male point-of-view on porn.

What was once unthinkable has become commonplace.  Do you remember when Rob and Laura Petrie always wore pajamas and slept in separate twin beds?  TV commercials today, aired at any and all hours, show scenes that would have made Rob and Laura blush.

There’s an Arabian proverb that says, "If a camel once gets his nose in the tent, his body will soon follow."  Well, folks, the camel stuck his nose into Western culture some years back and now there is no more room in the tent for Christ.  The “I gotta be me” mentality that Pastor Buchanan mentioned permeates our society to such a degree that almost anything is considered acceptable now.  The need for self-expression comes from the trend of self-absorption.  Too many folks think the universe revolves around them and that they should be able to do anything they want to do.  They used to finish that line with, “as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone”, but that no longer seems to matter either.

“Tolerance” is the buzzword of our too liberal culture.  It seems we are now supposed to be tolerant of anything and everything except intolerance, which has no place in modern society!  While there are some good aspects of being tolerant, such as when it comes to forgiveness and loving others, it can be taken too far.  And this is exactly the fault Jesus finds with the church in Thyatira – they have taken tolerance to the extreme.


Like the messages to the other churches, this one starts out by identifying its author, commends the church for the good stuff, reprimands it for the bad, tells it what it needs to do, and what it can expect to receive based on its future actions.  But this time, everything is a bit more serious.

Jesus seems to want to put the fear of the Lord into the hearts of the church family immediately, by declaring that this message comes straight from the Son of God.  This is the only time in the seven letters that He uses that reference: the Son of God.  He says His eyes are like a flame of fire, burning everything in their path, boring straight into the hearts of man.  His feet are like fine brass, able to crush anything underfoot.

Like He said to the church in Ephesus, Jesus points out that He is aware of the works of the church of Thyatira.  Unlike the Ephesians, who had lost that fire of first love, the Thyatirans actually increased their service and devotion to the Lord.

But then things turn bad in a hurry.  This family has allowed someone to come in among them, a woman who claims to be a prophetess, who teaches that it is OK to commit immoral acts and practice forms of idolatry.  They’ve not only allowed this to happen, but many have accepted and started following these teachings.  The woman has been given every opportunity to repent of her evil ways and refuses to do so.  She condemns herself, and all those who follow her example are condemned as well unless they repent and turn completely from this wickedness.

But those in the church family who do not accept these teachings and do not follow these sinful ways, Jesus will not lay any further burden or punishment on them.  They are to hold fast in their faith until He returns, at which time He will share His power and dominion with them.

This, in a nutshell, is the content of the harshest pronouncement Jesus made on the seven churches.  But we need to look a little more closely at a few points, because this letter definitely applies to the Christian church in America today.


Jesus mentions the name “Jezebel” as the woman who has effectively causing the downfall of this church, but she should not be confused with the same “Jezebel” of 1st and 2nd Kings in the Old Testament.  Rather, this is more of what we refer to as a “Jezebel spirit”.  This is a mindset that mirrors the acts and deeds and beliefs of that original Jezebel, infamous for her sexual immorality and for how she worshiped idols and false gods.  This is the spirit that has crept into the Christian church all across this land, the camel that stuck his nose in our tent.  This is what you hear expressed in words like, “The times have changed; we have to change with the times.”  “God is a loving God - He won’t really condemn anyone if He loves us.”  “Once saved always saved, so you can do anything you want as long as you believe in Jesus.”  “I know God will understand; I only have this one little vice, and I don’t think I could get through this life without it.”

This Jezebel spirit tells us it’s OK to sell out our Christian principles in order to fit in our modern society, as long as we still believe in Jesus.  You see, part of the problem in Thyatira was the prominence of the local trade guilds.  Basically, you would struggle to do business in town if you weren’t a member of one of the guilds.  But these guilds all had their own false god they worshiped and that led to feasts and festivities that usually included all manner of sexual debauchery.  So the Christians there were torn between trying to stay true to Jesus and His teachings while making a decent living.

We can relate to that today, can’t we?  Don’t many folks have the same problem?  God says, “Remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy”, but how many folks do you know that have no choice of whether to work on Sunday or not?  Of course, some who do go to church on Sundays practice all kinds of meanness and wickedness during the week, because that’s how modern society functions.  As in the church in Thyatira, too many today think that our freedom in Christ permits us to do just about anything we need or want to do in order to fit in.


And one last clarification about Jesus’ message here.  When He mentions adultery, He not only means that physical act of a sexual relationship between two people that are married, but not to each other.  He is also pointing to spiritual adultery, or idolatry.  If we truly consider the church to be the “bride of Jesus”, then if we worship some other god, we are committing adultery against our Father God.  And please remember that false gods need not be made of stone or gold.  Anything that we give most of our time and love and resources to, anything we give more of ourselves to than to God, no matter what that thing is, it can be the object of our worship – our idol.

These were the harshest words Jesus had to say to any of the churches, and family, He says them to His church today.


Just as He told those in Ephesus and Pergamos, Jesus’ instruction to the church family in Thyatira that tolerates and accepts this Jezebel spirit is simply to repent.  Family, if we recognize ourselves in any of these messages, and especially in this one today, then we need to do as Jesus warns and repent.  We need to turn completely away from doing what we know is wrong, what our Bible tells us is wrong, and turn fully back to God our Father and follow only Jesus Christ His Son.  We need to stop being tolerant of what we know is sinful in God’s eyes.  We need to take a stand for righteousness.

Everything Jesus said to the church in Thyatira is true today, and especially what He promises in verses 23 and 25.  “All the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”  When will Jesus do this, when will He give to each of us according to what we deserve?  When He returns to earth.  And when He comes back, it will be to judge, because that is God’s will.

Listen to what Jesus says in the Gospel account of the Apostle John, chapter 5, verses 22 through 30…  

22 "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me."

--John 5:22-30 (NKJV)

God has handed over all judgment to His Son Jesus.  And His judgment will be righteous, with those who have done good being resurrected to everlasting life while those who have done evil are resurrected to eternal condemnation.  First He will judge Satan and evil men and all will be destroyed and cast into the lake of fire.  Then He will judge all mankind.

The Apostle Matthew recorded this promise Jesus made, in chapter 25 of his Gospel account, verses 31 through 34 and 41… 

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world...

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels...’”

--Matthew 25:31-34, 41  (NKJV)

Don’t think we get off easy.  Jesus will also judge His church.  In Revelation chapter 20, verse 12, we read…

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

--Revelation 20:12 (NKJV)

Family, it’s not a question of “if”, only of “when”.  Jesus is coming and we will be judged.  If we see any of the traits in ourselves that Jesus warned the seven churches of, then we need to repent and get ourselves right with God again.  We need to be careful of how far we allow our tolerance to go.  We need to exorcise any vestige, any trace of a Jezebel spirit from our lives  and from our worship.  For our Lord Jesus is coming soon.

Judgment is coming.  And we’ll get what we deserve.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, we fear that we have become too tolerant in accepting the ways of the world into our lives and into our worship.  We allow the current culture to dictate how we should spend our time and our resources, how we should treat or mistreat others, how we define good and bad.  Forgive us, Father, for those times when we fail to put You first.  Forgive us when we give of ourselves to false gods and worship idols, when we put the needs of the flesh ahead of the needs of our eternal souls, when we simply follow the crowd rather than taking a stand for what is moral and righteous.

Hear us now, Father, as we silently approach Your throne, repenting and seeking Your forgiveness, pleading for Your help…

Dear Jesus, You have shown us those ways in which we are indeed righteous in Your eyes.  Help us continue those ways and to hold fast to our belief and service until You return.  But Lord, You have also warned us of our failings, and we stand convicted by God’s Holy Spirit of those things we do which are wrong.  Help us to repent, blessed Lord, and follow only the path that leads to righteousness.  In Your perfect and blessed name, Lord Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Stop Compromising!

[The following is the full manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 14th of February, 2016.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today is the first Sunday of Lent, that season when we reflect on the great sacrifice our Lord Jesus made on our behalf.  This reflection should lead us to self-examination, peering inward at our own response to that sacrifice, as individuals and as a church family.

To help with that process, we’re looking at how Jesus addressed the seven churches of Asia in His Revelation to the Apostle John.  When we’ve completed the series, we should have a clearer understanding of what kind of church we are so that we can determine if that is the church we should be, and how to become that church if we find ourselves falling short of the goal.

So far we’re examined the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna.  Jesus was quite complimentary of both, noting only that the Ephesians had lost that inner fire to serve the Lord that they once enjoyed.  Jesus could find no fault with the church in Smyrna, even though they thought of themselves as less than successful, from a financial standpoint.  Our Lord instructed them both to keep up the good work, adding that the Ephesians also needed to repent of their lost love.

Today we’ll look at a church not held in quite as high a regard by our Lord.  Listen and follow along to what the Apostle John recorded as Jesus’ message to the church in Pergamos, in the Book of Revelation chapter 2 verses 12 through 17, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’”

--Revelation 2:12-17 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Holy Spirit fills us, speaks to us, guides us.  Let Him touch our very hearts now, Lord, and write there the message You have for us this day, as we contemplate all that Your Son Jesus gave for us.  Help us to better see and follow Your will for us, Lord, as individuals and as members of this Pilgrim church family.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


Back in 1931, Irving Thalberg of MGM decided he wanted to buy the film rights to “Tarzan”, written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. So Thalberg sent Sam Marx to negotiate with Burroughs, telling Marx not to spend more than $100,000, which in those days was a huge sum. Marx contacted Burroughs and asked how much he wanted for the film rights. "$100,000," said Burroughs. When Marx offered him $25,000, Burroughs walked out of the meeting. However, Marx and Burroughs continued to negotiate throughout the summer. Burroughs eventually settled for $40,000. After signing the contract, Burroughs admitted that he had wanted MGM and Thalberg to make the picture so badly, they could have had it for nothing if they had insisted. "Mr. Burroughs," replied Marx, "If you had held out, you would have gotten $100,000!"


And then there was this New York family that bought a ranch out West where they intended to raise cattle. Friends visited and asked if the ranch had a name. "Well," said the would-be cattleman, "I wanted to name it the Bar-J. My wife favored Suzy-Q, one son liked the Flying-W, and the other wanted the Lazy-Y. So we're calling it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y." "But where are all your cattle?", the visitors asked. The man replied, "None survived the branding."


Both of those short illustrations are examples of compromise.  The first one is a negotiation over the cost of a “product” – something most of us are probably familiar with, especially if we frequent yard sales or flea markets or any time we’re buying a car.  Usually we look at negotiations as working toward a win-win situation, where both sides give a little so that ultimately they are both satisfied with the deal.  In this case, though, Mr. Marx coerced a compromise out of Mr. Burroughs that benefitted only Mr. Marx and his interests: Mr. Thalberg and MGM.  It seems Mr. Burroughs was satisfied, though, because he wanted Mr. Thalberg and MGM to make the movie from his book regardless of payment.  But I believe most of us would agree that he was effectively cheated out of $60,000 he could have had.

The second example is more of a compromise of principles.  Each member of the family wanted to give the ranch a different name.  Rather than settle for one, leaving three people unhappy with the decision, they simply lumped all the names into one, making it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y Ranch.  So everyone would be satisfied, right?  Well, to a degree, but what about the poor cattle?

That’s the problem with compromise – it generally does not make everyone happy, or even fully satisfied.  Whether it’s compromising over the price of a new car or compromising one ideal to reach another, we’re always going to be left with a taste of something missing.

Why am I focusing so much on that word “compromise”?  Because this is what Jesus has against the church in Pergamos – they compromised their principles.


This letter to the church family in the city of Pergamos is similar in structure to the others.  It opens with a word about Who is sending it, in this case it is “He who has the sharp two-edged sword”.  That sword has already been mentioned once in this book of Revelation, back in chapter 1, and it will play a prominent role later, in chapter 19 when Jesus comes to battle the forces of the evil one.  That sword is the Word of God, and it is indeed sharp.  Jesus wants the church, and us, to understand exactly where these words originate, and under Whose authority they are delivered.

Then the Lord offers praise to the church family and commends them for keeping their faith in Him.  Even though they are located in a city that has a grand temple built to the false god Zeus - a city filled with idol worshippers - this church has stayed faithful to Christ.  They still identify themselves as believers even when one of their own, Antipas, is martyred, leaving others to fear the same fate.

But then, as with Ephesus, the letter turns into a reprimand.  Jesus finds fault with the Pergamum Christians, and it is not pretty.


Pergamos, also known by the name Pergamum, is the place where parchment was first used, and the city boasted one of the finest libraries throughout antiquity.  The word “Pergamum” itself means “married”, and sadly that pretty well describes the relationship between the Christian church there and the world.

All the attitudes and value systems of the unbelieving world had made their way into the processes and rituals and even the hearts of the church.  They had come to tolerate a cult of idolatry and immorality.  Jesus points out that they adopted the ways of those who follow Balaam and Nicholas.  Balaam taught that it was OK to commit sexual immorality, and the Nicolaitans accepted and practiced free love.  There can be no mistaking how Jesus feels about that last, can there, when He adds, “which thing I hate”.


But then, just as He did for the Ephesians, Jesus gives the church family in Pergamos a way out of the mess they’ve gotten themselves into.  Repent.  It’s as simple as that: repent.  Turn away from this sinful way of living and turn back to God.  Stop doing all these wrong-headed things!  Kick the world out of the church and bar the doors to it!

Now this isn’t to say that the church should not go into the world, seeking to make disciples and spreading the Good News, just as Jesus commands us.  It means we must do as Paul told the church in Rome.  Even though we must live in the world, we must not allow ourselves to be conformed to it.  We must go out into the world to change it - not let it change us!


My greatest fear is that too many churches in the US today, and maybe across the globe, have become like the church in Pergamos.  Too many have allowed the world to influence their practices, both in their private lives and in their worship.  Too many have become houses of entertainment rather than houses of worship.  Now there’s nothing wrong with entertaining people, but we should come together here, as a family of Jesus, to worship our Father God.

Too many have abandoned their Christian ideals, at least partially, for the sake of compromise and convenience.  And before we say we would never compromise our principles, we would never compromise our standards, we need to realize that we do indeed do just that at times.  Sure, it’s often only over little things.

We’re willing to accept language or scenes in a TV show because we like the humor in it, so we compromise one Christian principle for the sake of enjoying the show.  We swallow hard and vote for a candidate whose character and ideals are noticeably not Christian because they promise great things for us, or worse, because they’re of the same political party as us.  We silently stand by and allow a very vocal minority to decide how our children are to be taught, in an environment where Christ is not allowed to enter.  We let someone take charge of a task who does not practice self-control or self-discipline just because no one else wants to do it.  We play follow-the-leader, even when that leader shows signs of being morally bankrupt, just because they are popular or effective or simply likeable.  We choose to hold to some Biblical guidelines while forsaking others, especially those that might interfere with our lifestyle, with the way of life we have come to know and enjoy.  We compromise our heavenly rewards
for the sake of a few earthly pleasures.  And sometimes we run the risk of compromising our eternal souls.


Jesus’ instruction to that church in Pergamos was simple:  repent.  Repent, or He will wage war against them with His mighty and sharp two-edged sword.  Well, folks, He has issued that same command and warning to us, the church family in Pilgrim, and to all churches that bear His name.  Repent!  Stop compromising with the world.  Stop being a tool of Satan.  We have our user’s manual right here in our Holy Bible.  We know what’s right and what’s wrong.  We just need to stop doing the wrong and keep doing the right!  It really is that simple.  And what better time is there to stop doing the wrong stuff than at Lent, the time of personal sacrifice and reflection.

Jesus sacrificed Himself for us!  He gave His all for us!  Can’t we give up some of our worldly pleasures that He says are wrong?  Can’t we do that for Him?


As He did for the Ephesians, Jesus also promised the church in Pergamos that if they would repent and turn from their wicked ways, they would be rewarded.  Just as the children of Israel were fed all they needed by manna from heaven, the church family would have all their needs seen to by a loving Father in heaven.

This is the promise to us as well.  If we truly repent and change our ways, He will see to all our needs.  And not only that, He will give us a tiny white stone with a name etched in it, a name just for us, a name that no one knows but Jesus - His special name for us alone.  This may seem a little silly, getting a small stone with a name on it.  But its significance can be seen in the words of God delivered through His prophet Isaiah, in the 2nd verse of the chapter 62 of his book… 

2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory.
You shall be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the Lord will name.

--Isaiah 62:2 (NKJV)

King David also gives us a great reason to listen to Jesus in this regard, in verses 2 and 3 of his 119th Psalm…

2 Joyful are those who obey His laws
and search for Him with all their hearts.

3 They do not compromise with evil,
and they walk only in His paths.

--Psalm 119:2-3 (NLT)

Obey God’s laws.  Search for Him with all our heart.  Walk only in His path.  And stop compromising with evil.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, Jesus utters Your word from His mouth and it cuts sharper than any sword.  As He addresses the church in Pergamos, He speaks to us, His church today, all across America and right here in Lexington.  Forgive us, please Father, for we have reached compromises where we should not.  We have allowed the world to creep in and taint our worship of You.  We have relaxed Your laws, Your commandments to us, to make our lives a little more comfortable, a little more pleasurable, a little more bearable.  Forgive us, Lord.

Hear us now, Father, as we come to You one-on-one in the silence, seeking Your forgiveness and offering our repentance…

Lord Jesus, Your sword cuts swiftly to the target and we know our sin.  Help us, please Lord, to turn from our sinful ways, to seek only our Father God’s path, to repent and compromise with evil no longer.  We long for that reward of Your special name for us, and for eternity in paradise with You.  In Your beautiful and blessed name, Lord Jesus, we pray.  Amen.

Nails In His Hands

[The following is the manuscript of our Ash Wednesday service held on the 10th of February, 2016.]

Follow along with the words of the Apostle Luke, from the 4th chapter of his Gospel, verses 1, 2, and 13…

1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

--Luke 4:1-2, 13 (NKJV)

At Lent, we reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us by symbolically placing ourselves in the wilderness, fasting for 40 days, resisting repeated attacks by Satan.  We begin this season of personal sacrifice and reflection today, Ash Wednesday.  We come together tonight for this purpose, in the blessed name of the One who gave His all for us:  Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.


Listen and follow along as I read to you from the Contemporary English Version of our Bible, the Gospel according to the Apostle Matthew, chapter 27, verses 15 through 26…

15 During Passover the governor always freed a prisoner chosen by the people. 16 At that time a well-known terrorist named Jesus Barabbas was in jail. 17 So when the crowd came together, Pilate asked them, “Which prisoner do you want me to set free? Do you want Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 Pilate knew that the leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were jealous.

19 While Pilate was judging the case, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man. I have had nightmares because of him.”

20 But the chief priests and the leaders convinced the crowds to ask for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be killed. 21 Pilate asked the crowd again, “Which of these two men do you want me to set free?”

“Barabbas!” they replied.

22 Pilate asked them, “What am I to do with Jesus, who is called the Messiah?”

They all yelled, “Nail him to a cross!”

23 Pilate answered, “But what crime has he done?”

“Nail him to a cross!” they yelled even louder.

24 Pilate saw that there was nothing he could do and that the people were starting to riot. So he took some water and washed his hands in front of them and said, “I won’t have anything to do with killing this man. You are the ones doing it!”

25 Everyone answered, “We and our own families will take the blame for his death!”

26 Pilate set Barabbas free. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat Jesus with a whip and nail him to a cross.

--Matthew 27:15-26 (CEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, we open our ears and our hearts to Your message this evening.  Speak to us in words we can understand, that we might know Your will for our lives.  In the holy name of our Lord Jesus we pray.  Amen.


Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.  We generally associate the day with scripture from Jonah or Job or other Biblical records of covering ourselves in ashes as a sign of repentance and a reflection on our own mortality.  Many will leave their churches tonight with the sign of the cross marked in ashes upon their foreheads or the backs of their hands.  And they’ll go home and wash them off.

But during Lent we seek to grow closer to our Lord Jesus by trying to experience at least a little of what He went through while He walked this earth.  Ash Wednesday kicks off our observance of the journey Jesus made starting with His 40 days of temptation by Satan in the wilderness and ending at the cross.

On that cross, man dealt a cruel judgment against our very Savior.  He took the punishment that should have been ours.  He chose to accept the nails, so that we wouldn’t have to suffer eternal death.  Jesus took the nails for us.  He allowed Pilate’s soldiers to nail Him to that cross, there to suffer a horrible death.  Those nails left marks that will last forever.

But those nail-scarred hands proved useful, at least once.  You probably remember this passage, from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 24 through 29…

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

--John 20:24-29 (NKJV)

I pray that we never lose sight of just how blessed we are.  We have not seen those nail-scarred hands nor His spear-pierced side, yet we still believe in Jesus as Lord.


But tonight isn’t about belief so much.  It’s more about remembrance.  It is imperative that we never forget the sacrifice Jesus made for us.  And I think it equally important, if not more so, that we not make Him repeat any of that sacrifice.  He took the nails for us once, there on that cross.  Should we be responsible for driving more nails into His hands?

Each time we fail to follow His commands to us, we pound another nail right into His hand.  When we stretch the truth, cheat even a little on our taxes, take for our use something we should not take – BAM! – we pound another nail!  When we curse someone under our breath for some perceived slight – BAM!  When we avoid eye contact with the beggar, the needy, the homeless, the hungry - BAM!  When we hold onto bitterness rather than freely giving love – BAM!  When we don’t at least try to control our lusts for the things of this life – BAM!  When we fail to unconditionally, sacrificially love one another – BAM!  When we put anything else ahead of God in our lives – BAM!


I’ve driven a lot of nails into my Savior’s hands over the years.  And sadly, I’ll probably pound in a few more before my life here on earth is over.  But if I try really hard, if I stop and think of what I am about to do, maybe I can pull back on that hammer before it strikes.  I just need to remember.

The ashes may remind me for a moment of my own mortality.  But the nails remind me of my Lord’s mortality before He returned to heaven, of His pain and suffering on my behalf.  I may not be able to see the scars those Roman nails left behind, not until I stand face to face with Jesus.  But I know I’ll cry when I see all the ones that I left there in His hands.

Jesus took the nails for me and for you.  Remember this, and drive no more into His hands.  Amen.


Let us join now in a prayer of confession…  Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred, and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep.  We have offended against Thy holy laws.  We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us.  Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.  Spare them, O Lord, which confess their faults.  Restore them that are penitent, according to Thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord.  And grant, most merciful Father, for His sake, that I may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life – to the glory of Thy holy name.  Amen.


The season of Lent is a time of penitence, discipline, and renewal.  In the Ash Wednesday service we are reminded of our mortality, we confess our sins, and we experience forgiveness through Christ’s death and resurrection.  In Scripture, ashes serve both as a symbol of mortality and as a sign of mourning and repentance.  But the way modern services treat ashes today leaves no lasting symbol, for we go home and wash them off with no one else ever seeing them.  We soon forget they were even applied.

So tonight I invite you to come forward, come to the foot of the cross and receive not ashes, but a nail.  Carry it with you throughout this season of Lent.  Take it out every now and then and look at it, maybe show it to others.  And remember that Jesus took the nails that we deserve.  He took our punishment for our sins upon Himself.

Let this little nail be a constant reminder of how easy it is for us to be like our Savior’s original tormentors and drive more nails into His hands by our thoughtless actions and words.  Remember the sacrifice He made.  Remember the punishment He bore.  And don’t add to it.  Never forget – Jesus took the nails for you.  Let this one remind you not to drive any more into His hands.

Let us pray…  Father God, You created us from the dust of this earth, and someday to dust we will return.  But while we breathe, may we live holy lives, always remembering the sacrifice Your Son Jesus made on our behalf.  May we observe this season of Lent by examining ourselves, by repenting of our sin, by prayer and fasting, by works of love and service, and by reading and meditating upon Your word.  And may we not drive any more nails into our Savior’s hands.  This we pray in the blessed name of Jesus our Christ, who gave His all for us.  Amen.


Neither sin nor death is the final word.  We can leave this service with confident assurance and with great thanks.  Jesus took our sins upon Himself.  Our Lord Christ conquered death.  And now nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Go in peace, and in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Be Faithful to the End

[The following is the full manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 7th of February, 2016.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today we get back to our series covering the seven churches of Asia as addressed by name by Jesus in His Revelation to the Apostle John.  When we’ve completed the series, we should have a clearer understanding of what kind of church we are so that we can determine if that is the church we should be, and how to become that church if we find ourselves lacking.

It’s been a few weeks, but when we last looked at the first of those churches, the church in Ephesus, we saw that while they had a lot going for them, they were still missing something.  By all outward appearances, they seemed very successful as a church serving Jesus.  But our Lord said they had lost that fire of first love, that devotion and enthusiasm for truly serving Him and all others.  He told them to repent and get back that loving feeling and they will be rewarded with everlasting life in paradise.  Otherwise…  well, the future didn’t look so good for them.

Let’s look today at the next church Jesus calls out, the church in Smyrna.  Listen and follow along to what the Apostle John recorded as Jesus’ message to this church, in the Book of Revelation chapter 2 verses 8 through 11, and again I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until 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 shall not be hurt by the second death.”’”

--Revelation 2:8-11 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that He can speak to us and guide us.  Let Him touch our very souls now, Lord, with the message You have for us this day, for we know the time is drawing close when Your Son Jesus will return.  Help us better understand Your will for us, Lord, as individuals and as members of this church family.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


Our good brother Boyd Clodfelter told me of a man who really wanted to win the lottery a few weeks back when the jackpot got up so high.  He was deep in debt and had run out of ideas on how to earn more money.  For weeks he prayed to God, “Please, God, I never ask for much.  Please let me win this lottery.”  Each week he didn’t win, and he’d pray again, getting more desperate.  “Please, dear Lord, let me win this lottery.  I really need the money, Lord, but I’ll tithe 10 percent to you when I win.”  Again, nothing, and again he prayed.  “Please, Lord, the payoff is over a billion dollars now!  Please let me win this one!  Please, please, please!!!  I’ll give you half if you just let me win!”  Suddenly, the man heard that still, small voice of God, saying,  “Help me out here.  Buy a ticket.”


Now that, my friends, is faith!  Not only thinking, but expecting that God will give him the lottery winnings without having to buy a ticket!

But aren’t we all kind of like that sometimes?  Don’t we pray to God and plead for things?  Over and over we pray, “Please God make this happen!”  “Please, God, help this person through their tough times!”  “Please, God, help!”  But then we stand by and wait for something to happen.  We almost console ourselves with the surety that all things must happen in God’s timing and not ours.

But what do we do to help God make something happen that we are waiting for?  At what stage do we finally put our pleadings into action?  When do we finally go out and buy that lottery ticket?  James, the brother of Jesus, tells us that faith alone, faith without works, faith without action is dead!  Jesus tells us to keep the faith, but He also intends that we do something with our faith.


Jesus begins His comments to the church in Smyrna by reminding them, and us, that He once was dead but came back to life.  Is that something we have to take on faith, that Jesus came back to life?  Not according to the Apostle Paul, who said this in 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses 4 through 8 after noting that Jesus Christ died for our sins…

4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

--1 Corinthians 15:4-8 (NLT)

And none of those more than 500 witnesses were ever refuted, not one testimony was questioned.  If we believe in the words of our Bible, then we don’t have to accept Jesus’ resurrection only on faith – we have eye-witness accounts attesting to it.

I’ve been talking about faith a lot so far, even including a form of the word in the title of this message.  Just what is faith?  The author of the Book of Hebrews puts it like this, in chapter 11 verse 1…

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

--Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

Each of the letters to the seven churches begins with an instruction by Jesus for John to write to the angel of that given church.  Could this be one of the “things not seen” that the author of Hebrews is speaking of?

Last time I mentioned that each of the seven churches, and every church today, had an angel associated with it, and by this I mean a divine being.  But the word for “angel” in the Greek also means “messenger”.  When John penned the Book of Revelation, he was in exile on the island of Patmos.  He couldn’t leave, but he could receive visitors.  So many of the churches would send folks to visit with John and in that way they could send messages back and forth.  So these seven “angels” could have been messengers from the seven churches that visited John, and that could take these words from Jesus back to them.

The author of Hebrews continues in verse 3 with this clarification of verse 1…

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

--Hebrews 11:3 (NKJV)

By faith, we know that all the stuff we see was made by things we can’t see – by the spoken word of God.  If we were to continue this reading of Hebrews, we’d see that almost every verse in chapter 11 provides examples of how folks we read of in our Bible acted on their faith, and some of the amazing feats they accomplished because of it.  They put their faith into action, just as James says we must do.

And I believe it’s safe to say that the church in Smyrna also put their faith into action, because Jesus said “I know your works”.  “I know your works”.  They put their faith to work and Jesus recognized it.

But life was not exactly easy for this church family.  Jesus also noted that they suffered through times of tribulation.  And they still had more trials to look forward to in the future.

We’ll get to that in a moment, but first I’d like to look at Jesus’ next comment.  He remarks that He knows the church’s poverty, and then, almost as an aside, He says “but you are rich”.  Isn’t that a contradiction – you’re poor, but you’re rich?

By all accounts, the church in Smyrna was indeed poor, in financial terms.  Remember one of the things we said the early church did?  They’d often sell their personal possessions to help see to the needs of others.  Perhaps, this church family had many needs and had nearly used up what little monetary resources it had available.  Another way to look at this is that Smyrna, being a port city, was quite rich itself, yet the small Christian community within the city was poor in comparison.

But Jesus isn’t talked about financial wealth here.  He means this church family is rich in spirit.  They are spiritually wealthy, because of their great faith and their sacrifices for the needs of others, for serving God.  Money and fat bank accounts and tidy savings are not the mark of a rich and successful church, not in Jesus’ eyes!


Jesus’ next comment may also be a bit confusing.  He speaks of the blasphemy of false-Jews and a synagogue of Satan.  We need to understand that the city of Smyrna was a center of emperor worship.  And being a Roman city, the emperor to be worshiped was Caesar, whichever Caesar happened to be in power at the time.  The Jews that lived there failed to uphold the Law of Moses, serving Rome instead of God.  In this way, they became tools of Satan, doing his work.

And then comes the note about future trials and tribulations, all at the hands of the devil.  The simple truth is that Satan cannot stand to see us serving and worshiping God.  If we are doing right by God, the evil one will attack us without mercy, striving to beat us down enough that we just give up trying anymore.  He wants us to lose our faith and turn away from God.

This is what the church in Smyrna faced because they were doing God’s work, God’s bidding.  Jesus warned that the devil would continue to test them, even have some of them thrown into prison.  But He then promises that if they will just be faithful until the end, that He will give them the crown of life.  If they stay true to God to the end, they will avoid the second death, which is eternity in the lake of fire.


So what did the church in Smyrna do wrong?  We saw where Jesus faulted the church in Ephesus for not keeping their enthusiastic devotion to Christ and to serving God.  But notice that He finds no fault at all with the church family in Smyrna - He has only good things to say about them.

This then, would be another great example for us to follow.  We should continue our good works, serving God by seeing to the needs of His children.  We should face adversity and tribulation gracefully, not complaining or making a big deal out of it.  We should look at those times of being tested by Satan as indications that we are doing right in the eyes of God!  We should be more concerned with building and maintaining spiritual wealth than financial gains.  We should stand firm on the word of God and on being holy in His sight rather than allow ourselves to be swayed by the world and its popular culture.  And we should not be afraid of what is to come, of what might happen next.

Nowhere in our Bible are we promised a bed of roses.  In fact, if we are anything like the church in Smyrna, we can expect bad things to happen, to us and to those we love.  Satan will do his best to test us, just as he did that church so long ago.  But if we hold out, if we keep faithful until death, we will be so richly rewarded by God, we cannot even imagine it.

Be faithful to the end, and receive the crown of life.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, we pray that we might be more like Your Son’s church in ancient Smyrna, the one where He could find no fault.  We long for that crown of life that You hold for us, if we remain faithful to the very end.  Help us be ever faithful to You, Lord, as You are to us.  Help us be faithful and true in the little things so You might trust us with greater tasks and treasures.

Hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, crying out to You from our hearts when mere words aren’t enough…

Dearest Jesus, we want to be just like Your church in Smyrna.  Not in their suffering so much, but in how You could find no fault with them.  This Pilgrim church has suffered many tribulations, too, Lord, yet we also persevere and bear that suffering as gracefully as we know how.  You’ve shown us, Lord Jesus, that financial wealth is nothing if we are spiritually bankrupt.  Help us be spiritually rich, even if we become materially poor.  This we pray in Your beautiful name Lord Jesus, our Master and our Redeemer.  Amen.