Message to the Seven Churches

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Message to the Seven Churches

• Today
• The Message to Smyrna
• The Persecuted Church

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Revelations 2 8-11

• Rev 28 And unto the angel of the church in
  Smyrna write These things saith the first and
  the last, which was dead, and is alive
• Rev 29 I know thy works, and tribulation, and
  poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the
  blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and
  are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

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Revelations 2 8-11

• Rev 210 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 ye
  shall have tribulation ten days be thou faithful
  unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
  
• Rev 211 He that hath an ear, let him hear what
  the Spirit saith unto the churches He that
  overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

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Introduction

• The church is sometimes called upon to suffer
  terrible persecution. This has always been true
  down through History and it was certainly true in
  Smyrna.
• This Church was under severe attack from
  community leaders and city officials.
• Smyrna was told in VS 10 that more horrible
  persecutions were coming and that the church was
  to stand firm for truth against all attacks.
• Smyrna is the picture of what a dynamic church
  should be. One that makes a mark on society and
  leaves no doubt about the communities condition.

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1- The Recipient

• The Church Leader in VS. 8
• To the angel of the Church of Smyrna
• The Word in the Greek is Angelos
• Angelos Means both Angel and minister in the
  new testament.
• The message is being given to the one Christ
  holds responsible for the church he has been
  given oversight for.

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The Church Leader

• Is responsible to stand forth for Christ teach
  his people to stand for Christ
• He is not to buckle under deny Christ He is to
  lead his people strongly no matter how sever the
  persecution may be.

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2- The Speaker

• Jesus Himself is the speaker to the Church
• His message is wrapped up in two exhortations
• He is the first and the last (Supreme ruler over
  all government officials)
• Heb 927 says all men will face death and after
  that they will be judged by Christ

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This Means

• all persecutors, all those who afflict, all those
  who cause trouble for others better take heed.
• They shall be judged if they usurp authority and
  take power over human life into their own hands.
• There is one authority over all life

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Commendation to the Church

• Four Commendations
• The Church Bore up under terrible sufferings,
  tribulations, Slander,
• The Church continued in spite of poverty 2 Cor
  610, Matt 820 2 Cor 810
• The Church Bore up under all kind of slander,
  ridicule, mocking, lies, rumors, accusations,
  backbiting, criticism, murmuring, discrimination,
  and divisions.
• The Church was Spiritually wealthy. Had Gods
  approval

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Smyrna leaves a strong message to every church.

• We are either an assembly of Gods people or a
  synagogue of Satan and rejected of God.
• It all depends on whether we worship and serve
  the Lord Jesus Christ

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Lets take a look at some scripture

• Mat 1032 Whosoever therefore shall confess me
  before men, him will I confess also before my
  Father which is in heaven.
• Mat 1033 But whosoever shall deny me before men,
  him will I also deny before my Father which is in
  heaven.
• Mat 1034 Think not that I am come to send peace
  on earth I came not to send peace, but a sword.

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Lets take a look at some scripture

• Mar 838 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of
  me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful
  generation of him also shall the Son of man be
  ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his
  Father with the holy angels.
• 2Ti 212 If we suffer, we shall also reign with
  him if we deny him, he also will deny us

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Lets take a look at some scripture

• 2Pe 21But there were false prophets also among
  the people, even as there shall be false teachers
  among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
  heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,
  and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
• 2Pe 22And many shall follow their pernicious
  ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be
  evil spoken of.
• 2Pe 23And through covetousness shall they with
  feigned words make merchandise of you whose
  judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and
  their damnation slumbereth not.

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Historical Facts

• Smyrna means Bitter.
• It received its name from myrrh, one the chief
  commercial products
• Smyrna was a proud city- proud of its culture,
  its beauty, its commercial wealth, its social
  life.
• Smyrna was persecuting the Church severely. Large
  numbers of Jews who were influential in city
  politics were steeped in the Old Testament
  beliefs and prophecies.
• The reaction to Messianic Jewish converts was
  severe, (Christians lost jobs, unable to trade,
  mocked and scorned.)

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The Message to Smyrna

• God did not chide the Church at Smyrna knowing
  that the sufferings would draw them closer to Him
  and ultimately would set a proper Christian
  witness before the people of Smyrna and the
  surrounding communities.

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Gods promise to Smyrna

• He is always with them
• He knows about their suffering
• He limits the time of sufferings.
• He rewards the overcomer with eternal rewards.
• Crown of Life (Eternal Life)
• Delivered from the Second Death
• Given a white stone of approval
• Given a new name

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Acts 540-42

• Act 540 And to him they agreed and when they
  had called the apostles, and beaten them, they
  commanded that they should not speak in the name
  of Jesus, and let them go.
• Act 541And they departed from the presence of
  the council, rejoicing that they were counted
  worthy to suffer shame for his name.
• Act 542And daily in the temple, and in every
  house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus
  Christ.

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