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Smyrna: Suffering in Christ

Smyrna: Suffering in Christ. Revelation 2: 8 -11. Smyrna: Suffering in Christ Rev. 2:1-7. Halley’s Bible Handbook: “ Two were very good: Smyrna and Philadelphia. Two were very bad: Sardis and Laodicea. Three were part good and part bad: Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira.”

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Smyrna: Suffering in Christ

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  1. Smyrna: Suffering in Christ Revelation 2: 8-11

  2. Smyrna: Suffering in Christ Rev. 2:1-7 • Halley’s Bible Handbook: • “Two were very good: Smyrna and Philadelphia. Two were very bad: Sardis and Laodicea. Three were part good and part bad: Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira.” • Jesus has no complaint of Smyrna, only praise and encouragement. • “What Christ Thinks of the Church” by John R.W. Stott

  3. Smyrna: Suffering in Christ Rev. 2:1-7 • Famous for science, medicine, and majestic buildings… • ‘crown of porticoes’ -public buildings ringed the Mt. Pagos summit. (v. 10) • Smyrna is modern Izmir in Turkey. • St. John probably ordained Polycarp as bishop of Smyrna, the ‘angel’. • Jesus uses meaningful title to each church, here “first and last, who died and came to life again.”

  4. Smyrna: Suffering in Christ Rev. 2:1-7 • Details prove again ‘Jesus knows!’ • History… and ‘your afflictions and your poverty.’ They were suffering! • Emperor worship was 300 years old! • Local Jews made it worse for church. • Suffering: Poverty and slander. • Coming: prison and death. • Yet they’re rich in heavenly wealth. • Jesus comforts “do not be afraid.”

  5. Smyrna: Suffering in Christ Rev. 2:1-7 • Prison fearful and terrible, death was also possible. (Polycarp 2-22-156…) • Stott (1957 “…we shrink from suffering… the world sees nothing in us to hate…the world hardly notices.” • Jesus ‘reveals’ he is the eternal one, the victorious one (even over death!) • See God is on the throne, purposeful, limits evil and suffering. • ‘Crown of life’ is eternal life!

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