Plymouth, United Kingdom
15 Gordon Terrace, Mutley, Plymouth Headquarters. PL4 6EP. UK
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BIBLE STUDY.
THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA
(THE CHURCH FACING PERSECUTION).
MEMORY VERSE: Rom.8:35 “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution or, famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
TEXT: Revelation: 2:8-11.
(I)THE LOCATION OF SMYRNA:
Smyrna was a rich city in Asia Minor on the Aegian Sea. It is now called Izmir in present day Turkey.
(II)THE PECULIARITY OF THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA - REVELATION 2:8-11.
The Church at Smyrna suffered severe persecution as it had to contend with the opposition from ungodly Jews. Poor among men but rich toward God, it smarted under the yoke of material poverty. The irony of their situation was that Smyrna was a bustling trading city of wealthy merchants.
In the midst of this suffering, the Lord did not promise an immediate deliverance or instant relief, rather He forewarned of more sufferings to come. The devil is declared to be the source and cause of the approaching tribulations. It would however be allowed by God to try, but not to destroy the believers. The suffering would not be forever but for a short duration : ten days (Rev.2:10).
2 Corin.4:17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding & eternal weight of glory”.
The Lord therefore encouraged the Smyrna believers to remain steadfast unto death with a promise that He would give a crown of life. Our suffering for righteousness as believers is temporal while the attendant reward is eternal.
It is noteworthy that out of the 7 Churches, only Smyrna and Philadelphia were blameless. The Lord’s message to Smyrna was all divine approbation and approval without any “but”!. The Church at Smyrna was like gold: it passed through the fire of tribulation and came out pure in God’s faultless rating.
QUESTIONS:
(1)IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CHURCH WITHOUT SPOT OR WRINKLE ? (Eph.5:27).
(2) HOW CAN THE MODERN CHURCH DODGE PERSECUTION AND TRIBULATION IN THE PRESENT WORLD?
(III)THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA:
1. The Church at Smyrna is a great lesson to all Churches today.
2. Purposeful Existence (Gen.1:4; Matt.5:14; Eph.5:8).
3. It lived up to its name as a Church and fulfilled the purpose of its existence as a candlestick that was lighted and shinning.
4. Every Church should be a lighted lampstand. The world must feel its impact.
5. Persecution and tribulation (2 Corin.4:8-10; Rom.5:3; 8:35-39).
6. The non-conformist, uncompromisingly righteous posture of a true Church will attract the hostility of the corrupt world (John 17:14 “I have given them Thy Word and the world has hated them”).
God through Jesus Christ gives the Church the grace to endure persecutions and tribulations just as the Church at Smyrna endured (1 Thess.3:4; 2 Thess.1:4).
The Church at Smyrna can be regarded as a symbolic universal fellowship (2 Timo.3:12) whose members are spread all over the world and they include:
1. Wives who are being persecuted by their husbands for their Christian faith.
2. Men & women who are passing through tribulation because they would not compromise their faith.
3. Christian children who are being persecuted by their ungodly parents.
4. Believing employees who are being denied of their entitlements by their unbelieving employers.
5. Pastor who suffer from Church members for standing firm on sound doctrine.
6. Church members who are persecuted by their leaders for holding on to the Word of God.
(IV) CONCLUSION:
The Smyrna spirit of enduring poverty instead of trading the faith away for the transient pottage of earthly riches is the true Christian spirit (Mark 8:36).
While Christianity is not synonymous with poverty, believers should not crave for wealth “at all cost” as instructed in 1 Timo.6:9.
EXERCISE:
(1) List and comment on 7 people in the Bible who stood firm for God in the face of persecution.
(2) Are Christians today facing persecutions and are they winning the battle?
‘… greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world” 1 John 4:4Founder & General Overseer: Pastor Mike Ileladewa .
Charity Reg. No: 1162595