Smyrna

Revelation 2:8-11 - as we have seen over the last fortnight in these evening services, the risen Christ is dictating seven letters to seven churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), through a vision given to the apostle John, who is in exile on the Island of Patmos, off the coast of Asia Minor. The book of Revelation is full of numbers that are representative and symbolic. The number seven indicates completeness, totality. The seven churches addressed by these letters are representative of the whole church. The conditions they face, and the state of their faith, together give a comprehensive picture of the church in every part of the world and in every age of history. These are living letters, living words from the living and reigning Christ to the church today. That is why we are reading them. They are addressed to us as much as to those original seven churches scattered around Asia Minor. Each of these churches is in a different situation. To each there is a different message. For two of the seven churches Jesus has no rebuke, only commendation and encouragement. The first is Smyrna, which we look at this evening. The second is Philadelphia, which we shall come to in a few weeks. It is no coincidence that both of these are suffering churches. They are churches remaining faithful to Christ under persecution. I want to consider this letter to Smyrna under three headings. First, THE CHURCH AND PERSECUTION; secondly, JESUS AND PERSECUTION; and thirdly, RESONDING TO PERSECUTION. First of all then: THE CHURCH AND PERSECUTION. Is this relevant to us? Doesn't talk of serious persecution just conjure up long gone days of Roman games and Christians being thrown to the lions? Whether we undergo persecution is open to question. But this is most certainly relevant to the church around the world today. One observer of the current situation has said this:

The escalating world-wide repression of some hundreds of millions of Christians is one of the worst evils of our time.

Another says:

The murder, torture, and persecution of Christians in the Third World, and even prosperous countries, is one of the worst, and least-reported, of global human-rights abuses at the end of this century thousands have paid a terrible price for their faith.

Persecution is a daily reality for many Christians and local churches today. So what does the risen Jesus say to those who are in the thick of it? Listen again to this brief but potent message. Revelation 2:8-11 :

To the angel of the church in Smyrna [which, as we have seen, is effectively a way of addressing the church itself] write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of 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 will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Smyrna was a relatively well off provincial centre. Like Newcastle today, it had a population of about 250,000. It's prosperity was built around its excellent harbour and road links. It was famous for the architecture of its town centre, for its stadium, and for having won the honour of building a great temple to the Roman Emperor. It was also a tough place to be a Christian. Their situation was in stark contrast to the visible affluence of the city in which they lived. Verse 9: "I know your afflictions" - that is, the severe pressures that they were under. "I know your poverty". Maybe, as often was the case in the early church, those who had responded to the gospel were mainly from the wrong side of the tracks in any case. But economic hardship is almost invariably one of the results of oppression on the grounds of faith. Verse 9: "I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." In this case some of the local Jews were at the forefront of the trouble for the Christians. And one of their weapons was the dissemination of false information, lies and distortions about the attitudes and activities of the Christians. Such slander is absolutely characteristic of situations of persecution, and simply piles on the pain and frustration. The first victim of persecution is truth. But for the Christians of Smyrna, the worst is yet to come. Being subject to economic hardship and deliberate, inflamatory misrepresentation is the preliminary phase of developing persecution. Verse 10:

I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death

For some, the future held the prospect of detention on remand, leading possibly to torture, beatings, and in the end execution by some barbarous method. Imprisonment brings with it separation and fear. Death brings pain and grief for those left behind. Imagine if we knew that was what was up ahead for some of us because of our faith in Christ. How would we react? That is a mental experiment that seems somewhat far fetched for us. But for many Christians, such suffering is all too real a prospect. I try to keep newspaper reports of persecution, so as not to forget what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world. A report from two years ago says:

More rioting saw the destruction of 25 places of worship in a frenzy which caused the deaths of a pastor and his family and appalled both Muslims and Christians alikeAt one church, Pentecostal pastor Ishak Christian was burned to death along with his wife, daughter and neice. Police arrested 120 of the rioters Local Christian leaders appealed to the President to "speedily take charge and proceed according to current law". But many are unsure whether the secular authorities will actThe sensitivity of the incident lead [the local governor] to comment: "This does not mean we will hide the facts, but this issue is very complex let us agree to hush up this problem." Rioters who destroyed ten churches [earlier in the year] are yet to be brought to justice.

Another report, published in the same month, but relating to a different part of the world, said this:

Three house church leaders have been beaten to death by police the last three months, in a fierce crackdown More than 300 house churches have been closed, and scores of believers arrested.One of victims was dragged from her home on the night of May 26 and beaten to death the next day. Police claim she had jumped from a car and been killed accidentallyA second victim was arrested with two others and then beaten to death Sources say the police raided them because the three men were operating a printing press for religious materials. [One Christian leader] said: "The authorities' strategy is to break the house churches of [this city] and thereby intimidate the rest of the Christians throughout the country.

What does Jesus say and do in the face of this kind of suffering? My second heading is: JESUS AND PERSECUTION. First of all it is important to take on board the fact that Jesus warns of persecution to come. Verse 10:

I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days.

It is a consistent theme of New Testament teaching about what it means to follow Jesus that it will involve persecution. The safest attitude is to regard it as part of normal Christian living, for that is what it is. We should do all we can to avoid it, and to prevent it, without compromising the gospel. But until Jesus returns it will always be present. But the persistence of persecution does not mean that it is out of control, running amok. Jesus does not only predict it. Jesus is ultimately sovereign over persecution. On the one hand, Jesus makes clear here in his letter to Smyrna that their afflictions are the work of the devil. Those who are instigating their suffering are acting as agents of Satan (v9). And so direct is the link that Jesus says it is the devil himself who will put them into prison (v10). And yet, on the other hand, it also clear that Jesus knows what is going to happen, when it will happen, the intensity of it, and the duration of it. Why? Because the devil is a defeated enemy, ultimately chained and bound, and under the sovereign control of Jesus. And Jesus does not leave his people to suffer in isolation. Jesus strengthens the persecuted. He strengthens them by his Word. He speaks to them in such a way that they can handle their experience, and are not utterly crushed by it. That is exactly what is going on here. That was the experience of the apostle Paul, who, having been a ferocious persecutor of Christians before his conversion, was in the end faithful through times of great suffering, and even to death. So he says in 2 Corinthians 4:7:

But we have this treasure [the gospel] in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

And he enlarges on that in 2 Corinthians 11:23-25 :

I have been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned

But Jesus taught him something he never forgot:

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

That is why, he says:

I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Jesus strengthens his people by enabling them to know him, and to know that he understands what they are going through. He is (v8) "the First and the Last, who died and came to life again". He himself suffered the most appalling death. His is no glib and inadequate comfort handed down from a place of safety untouched by pain. But he is eternal, and he is the conqueror of death. We are safe in his hands. He says "I know your afflictions and your poverty" "I know the slander" to which you are being subjected. He sees what is happening, and he has been there himself. And Jesus strengthens his people by giving them firm promises to cling to when the going gets rough. Verse 10:

Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

And verse 11:

He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

The second death is the eternal destruction of the wicked in hell. The Christians may be suffering for a time now, but in eternity, at the Day of Judgement, they will pass hell by unscathed. And instead they will receive the crown of life - the gift of eternal life lived in the perfect peace and direct presence of Jesus and his Father. The prospect of heaven is a powerful encouragement to those who are hurting now. There was an account in one of the papers last year, under the headline: "Muslim mobs target Christians". I quote:

Kaleem was one of the last to hide as the Muslim mob approached the Christian districtLooking down the main street, he saw a furious mob, later put at 30,000 by the authorities, approaching.Some were beating their chests, others were waving sticks, metal bars or gunsLike the others, Kaleem ran for his life, hiding with his family of seven as the mob burned and looted Christian homes for three hoursWhen it ended, 600 homes, 125 shops, 14 churches, five pastors' homes and three schools had been burned or ransacked. Thousands of Bibles and books were destroyedThe people say the intervention of the army saved their livesA dozen girls were seized and held captive for three days. Their captors demanded they utter the words that would have made them Muslims But they refused, saying they would rather die. "More than this the girls havn't reported," said one community leader "It is too terrible for us and for them". "Why did all this happen?" asked one old man, close to tears. "We have the same identity, the same colour, the same culture, why are we being victimised?"Walter Jilal, a member of the church, said: "We could hear [them]. They were laughing and shouting: 'Where is your Jesus now? Bring him to put out the fire.'"As with 1500 others, he is now living in a tent with his wife and six children in the courtyard of their house, with nothing but the clothes they are wearing and bedding sent by other Christian communities

Where is their Jesus now? Despite appearances, he is reigning in heaven; he is with his people; he is supplying the strength that they need. So how should we deal with persecution? My third heading is: RESPONDING TO PERSECUTION Our response will obviously need to differ according to whether we are ourselves undergoing persecution. For those who are undergoing persecution as a result their faith, this Letter to Smyrna contains four powerful antidotes to what might otherwise be crushing pressures: a fourfold response to the risen Jesus. First, listen to Jesus. The great danger is that the clamour of the world and the inevitable preoccupation with handling all the issues that persecution throws up will at best distract people from the voice of Jesus, and at worst make them deaf to his encouragement. Learn his promises. Keep his Word always by your side and in your mind. Keep listening. Secondly, be assured of his presence and understanding. He knows what you are going through. He will never leave your side, even and perhaps especially at those times when you have no awareness that he is with you. You may feel alone but you are not. Thirdly, do not be afraid. Why? Because Jesus is in control of the situation, and he is victorious. And he says to us, "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer." And just as the church in Smyrna was told that its suffering would be for "ten days" - in other words, a short period - your suffering is temporary. In eternal perspective, even a life time of persecution is very short. So the apostle Paul can say in 2 Corinthians 4:17:

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

So do not be afraid. And fourthly, be faithful, and overcome. Even if that means giving your life. The prize that Jesus will freely and graciously give you when you enter his presence will be more than worth it.

I know your afflictions and your poverty [says Jesus] - yet you are rich! Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Listen to Jesus. Know he is with you. Do not fear. Be faithful. It is easy enough to teach that from our relative security. But does it work it practice? In about 165AD there was a local persecution in Smyrna, under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Christians refused to deny that Jesus is Lord, and they would not worship the Emperor. One of those who died was the leader of the church in Smyrna, whose name was Polycarp. It is worth taking time to hear what happened to him. Contemporary accounts say that Polycarp, by this time a very old man, had known the apostle John personally. He may well already have been one of the leaders of the church in Smyrna at the time that this letter first came from John in exile and was read to the Christians. He certainly would have known this letter well, and taken its message to heart. What happened when Polycarp was brought before the Proconsul (the local Roman governor), in front of the mob, was recorded by another Christian who saw it. These are his words. I quote:

When [Polycarp] approached, the proconsul asked him if he were Polycarp, and when he admitted it he tried to persuade him to deny, saying: "Respect your age," and so forth, as they were accustomed to say: "Swear by the genius of Caesar, repent" But when the Governor pressed him and said: "Take the oath and I will let you go, revile Christ," Polycarp said: "For eighty six years I have been his servant, and he has done me no wrong, and how can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"But when [the governor] persisted again, and said: "Swear by the genius of Caesar," [Polycarp] said: "If you vainly suppose that I will swear by the genius of Caesar, as you say, and pretend that you are ignorant who I am, listen plainly: I am a Christian. And if you wish to learn the doctrine of Christianity fix a day and listen." The proconsul said: "I have wild beasts, I will deliver you to them, unless you change your mind." And [Polycarp] said: "Call for them, for change of mind from better to worse is a change we may not make; but it is good to change from evil to righteousness." And [the proconsul] said again to him: "I will cause you to be consumed by fire, if you despise the beasts, unless you repent." But Polycarp said: "You threaten with fire that burns for a time, and is quickly quenched, for you do not know the fire which awaits the wicked in the judgement to come and in everlasting punishment. But why are you waiting? Come, do what you will."

End of quote. And Polycarp was burned, with some Jews as well as Gentiles, who were hostile to the Christians, helping to gather materials and build up the fire. As he stood by the stake, Polycarp prayed:

"O Lord, Almighty God, the Father of Your beloved Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received a knowledge of You I thank You that You have thought me worthy, this day and this hour, to share the cup of Your Christ among the number of Your witnesses."

The flames were slow to kill him, and in the end he was run through with a sword. There is the example and the testimony of one who had absorbed into his spiritual bones the message of Jesus in this letter to Smyrna. But what about us? Most of us are hardly suffering any persecution ourselves. The beginnings of it may be there. And may be we are so spiritually flabby that even a little opposition is almost enough to make us want to give in. So we too need to take this encouragement on board. But we also need a different response. We need to respond as those who are not undergoing persecution - at least not yet. What should we do? For one thing we should be grateful. We are for now being spared. Do not forget to be thankful for that. If anything, we are the abnormal ones. But at the same time, we must be prepared for serious persecution, should it come our way. We have no guarantee of immunity. We should not be taken by surprise, ill-equipped and with our guard down. We must also make sure that we are not in any way party to inflicting persecution on others. We must always be vigilant. But beyond that, we have a responsibility to our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. We need to be informed. We need to pray. We need to take what action we can to alleviate, or if possible to stop, the suffering of our fellow believers. Charles Colson says:

We must feel a sense of moral outrage that Christians, in this day and age, are being sold into slavery, and are being tortured for their faith.

This month in the newsletter there are some practical suggestions about what we can do regarding the situation in the Sudan. If you want to read a thorough and carefully researched survey of the situation around the world, I would commend the book by Paul Marshall called 'Their Blood Cries Out: The Worldwide Tragedy of Modern Christians Who Are Dying for Their Faith.' Joan can get it for you through the bookstall. Paul Marshall's assesment is that around 200 million Christians in more than 60 countries live in daily fear of secret police, vigilantes, or state repression and discrimination, simply because of what they believe. If you want to be kept in touch, and to support those who are working to help persecuted Christians, why not join an organisation like, for instance, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, whose President is Baroness Cox. Be grateful. Be prepared. Be vigilant. And support those who suffer.