(Message © by Rev. Larry A. Langer, First Presbyterian Church, Jasper, IN, January 30, 2011)

“7 Churches: Brickbats and Bouquets”

“2. God’s Message to Smyrna: Do Not Fear”

 Revelation 2:8-11 and Luke 12:13-34

“I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear…” (Revelation 2:9-10a)

Last week we began this series on the letters of God to the churches recounted for us in the Book of Revelation. We learned about the great, thriving church at Ephesus. According to what John was told to write, the ECC – the Ephesus Christian Church – was “doing church” quite well. By all outward appearances, the members were “toiling” – working hard. They were “patiently enduring.” What? They were able to be their strong, little church, despite being only a small part of the society in Ephesus. They were also “not tolerating wicked men.” In this church, these were not pagans – non-believers – outside the church, but these were folks inside the church who “claimed to be apostles of Jesus Christ,” but were not. So, those who were truly believers inside the church were working very hard and patiently enduring those also inside the church who were causing trouble.[1]

However,” said God to the ECC, “Even though you are faithfully fighting and withstanding, you have forgotten your first love. You are concentrating on the fight, rather than on the foundations. If you will concentrate on the foundations, on your “first love,” then you won’t be so tired and more positive things will happen in the church. Remember, Christ is in the middle of you; you have your own angel that Christ holds in his hand; and, you are like a “golden lamp stand” which is “highly valued” and “giving light.” So, hold onto your first love, Jesus Christ, and the positive things will come. The Ephesians Christian Church will grow!

That was last week’s church: One doing well, but being very tired because they didn’t fully rely on Christ.

This week’s church is the Smyrna Christian Church, the “SCC.” The letter to it begins, “I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich.” The Smyrna Church was the exact opposite of the Ephesus Church. The Smyrna Church had an extremely deep foundational faith in Jesus Christ, and this is what the letter meant by being “rich.” Rather than being “rich in things but poor in soul,” they were like the widow whom Jesus pointed out who gave her last dime to the church to express her love for Christ. The members of the Smyrna Christian Church were so rich in faith that they would give everything they had to show their love.

But because their love and loyalty was first to Jesus Christ, they did suffer terribly. In fact, the word translated “affliction” in our Bibles, as in “I know your affliction…” is one of the strongest words in the Greek language to indicate very serious trouble. Another word into which the Greek could be translated is “tribulation.” All of these words indicate a “crushing pressure; the church at Smyrna is under “crushing pressure,” and this from two fronts.[2]

The first front is the cultural and governmental front. Smyrna is a coastal city about forty miles north of Ephesus. It is extremely wealthy. It is not known for its faith in Jesus Christ; it is known for its very strong emperor worship. Worship the emperor and all will be very well! There is evidence that even some of the first-century Jewish settlers had given up worshipping only God in their synagogues and included also worshipping the Greek god Zeus. In addition, in 195 B.C. a temple to the Goddess of Rome was constructed, and in A.D. 26 a temple to Tiberius was also constructed. These and temples to Cybele were at opposite ends of the paved street known as the “Golden Street” from the temple to Zeus, and temples to Apollo, Asclepius and Aphrodite.[3]

The crushing pressure from the government came sometime between A.D. 81-96 during the rule of Roman Emperor Domitian, who dictated that emperor worship was compulsory for every Roman citizen under threat of death. Once a year a citizen had to burn incense on the altar to the godhead Caesar, after which the worshipper was issued a certificate that he or she did so.[4]

A commentator goes on to say, “such an act was probably considered more as an expression of political loyalty than religious worship, and all a citizen had to do was burn a pinch of incense and say, “Caesar is Lord.”[5]

Oops! The same Greek used for “Lord” in “Caesar is Lord” (kyrios) is the same word to describe our oath to Jesus Christ when we say, “Jesus is Lord…Jesus is kyrios.” So, most Christians in Smyrna refused to do this. Perhaps nowhere was life for a Christian more perilous then in the city of Smyrna with its zealous emperor worship. The early Christian Polycarp was martyred in A.D. 156 at the age of eighty-six for refusing to say, “Caesar is Lord,” but saying instead, “Eighty-six years have I served Christ, and he has never done me wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” (Euebius Ecclesiastical History 4.15.25).[6]

So, as a result of trying to live faithfully to Jesus Christ, the members of the Smyrna Christian Church were rich in soul but poor in things.

But there is one other, even more crushing load on the SCC, and this is that they were being attacked by Satan, manifest through folks who were slanderous. The letter says, “I know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jesus followers and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”[7] The members of the Smyrna Christian Church, being “rich in soul,” were all the more subject to the attacks of Satan!

In this case they were being slandered (and we know this means that lies were being spread about them) by folks who held themselves out as being “true Jews,” being the “true synagogue members.” However, as Alan Johnson points out,

They say they are Jews, but are not, shows that even though these men claimed descent from Abraham, they were not his true descendants because they did not have faith in Jesus Christ, the “seed” of Abraham. These unbelieving and hostile Jews probably viewed the Jewish Christians at Smyrna as heretics of the worst sort, deserving ridicule and rejection.[8]

So, these Jews who don’t believe in Jesus Christ are telling lies about those who do believe. And, as we know from our life-long experiences, lies are very wearing on us. First, we are devastated that someone would think so little of us that they would want to tell an untruth about us. Second, we really are sad for the one lying about us. Third, we really do want to retaliate against the lies, fighting back with all our might, using everything at our disposal to “make it right.” Fourth, if our cooler head prevails and we have prayed to the Lord about it, then we consider the source and end up praying for those who would slander us. The lie could be a control issue, an “out of control” issue, jealously, a medical or psychological issue, or a spiritual issue, a “the devil made me do it” issue.

However, to get from the devastation of being lied about to praying for one’s attackers is an extremely wearing and taxing process. This is what had worn out the good people at the Smyrna Christian Church. Every time they turned around, there was another untruth being told about them because of their faith and faithfulness and the foundation of their faith, Jesus Christ.

At least Jesus let the folks know that all their suffering wasn’t their fault, that it was coming from the outside. Sadly, but truthfully, he told them that there would be even more suffering, perhaps even to “the point of death.” Now, for church people in the U.S. today, this most likely would not mean a physical death, but to Christians in the “stan” countries, like Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, the mostly Moslem countries, being a Christian is certainly to risk one’s physical life. The “Great Deceiver” Satan and the “Slanderer” the devil are certainly active in these countries where a believer in Jesus has to fear his or her own family, his or her neighbors, his or her government, spreading rumors about them. Believers in Jesus are routinely rousted out of their homes, beaten, tortured and killed for their faith that “Jesus is Lord,” rather than “Allah is Lord.”

For the members of the SCC, Jesus is helping them recognize that some of them may be imprisoned for standing firm in their faith. Now, it isn’t known whether the 10 days mentioned are actual or just an indeterminate but relatively short amount of time. No matter the length of time, though, in the first century Roman world, prison was usually not for punishment, but the prelude to trial and execution, hence the words in our text, “Be faithful, even to the point of death.”

So, what Jesus said in Luke 12:32-34 is comforting:

Be faithful, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“Be faithful little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” How many churches, how many individual believers, how many persecuted Christians are sustained by these words from Jesus though Luke’s gospel?

The Smyrna Christian Church is assured by the Lord’s letter to them that they are very much in his hands to be cared for and to even thrive. Remember, the angels of all seven churches are in the Lord’s hand and each church is a golden lamp stand which gives light. So, to the SCC, the Lord reminds them that he is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, that he was dead, but is now alive forever more. On the SCC’s part, they are to be faithful, even unto death, and Jesus will give them the crown of life with this additional promise: “They would not even see the “second death.” Of course, here the second death refers to God’s eternal judgment. Faithful believers in Jesus Christ have nothing to fear of any judgment.

Such is the “crown of life” for a believer. I mean, isn’t this what we look forward to, Jesus placing a crown of life on our heads?

Imagine yourself in the midst of Smyrna, though, standing looking at the “crown of Smyrna” – the beautiful skyline formed around the city by the “hill Pagos, with stately public buildings on its rounded sloping sides” (Ramsey, Seven Churches, p.256). Look at all the temples built to the Greek gods and goddesses and to the emperor. Notice the folks going in and out, to and from the worship of these gods and goddesses. These folks literally have a garland of flowers on their heads. Then look at a coin in your pocket and see the god Cybele or Bacchus pictured with a crown of battlements on their heads. Look at your other coins and see faithful servants of the city pictured on them with laurel wreaths on their heads.[9]

Then close your eyes and remember that your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom alone you worship and serve, has promised you the imperishable crown of life.

James 1:12 reminds us “Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

And, I Peter 5:4 adds, “When the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never, ever fades away.”

And as we read at the end of each letter to the churches in Revelation: “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

Amen!

[1] Alan Johnson, Revelation (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary), (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Co., 1981), p. 433

[2] Earl Palmer, Revelation (The Communicator’s Commentary), (Waco, Texas, Word Books, 1982), p.131

[3] Johnson, 436-437

[4] Johnson, 436-437

[5] Johnson, 436-437

[6] Johnson 436-437

[7] Johnson, 438

[8] Johnson, 438

[9] Johnson, 438-439

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(Message © by Rev. Larry A. Langer, First Presbyterian Church, Jasper, IN, January 23, 2011)

“7 Churches: Brickbats and Bouquets”

“1. God’s Message to Ephesus”

 Revelation 1:9-2:7 and Genesis 3:1-13, 22-24

“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers…But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the work you did at first.” (Revelation 2:2a, 4-5a)

Think with me a moment about the measuring tools we use to measure a church. We might use a collection plate to measure a church: The more in the plate, the better the church. We might use a membership role: The more people “on the roles,” the better the church. We might use the attendance count: The more people in worship, the better the church. We might use the number of children around: The more children around, the better the church. We might use how much mission money is given to projects beyond the church doors: The more that is given beyond the insider of the church, the better the church.

We might use a variety of measurers and the higher the quantities, the better the church.

However, when we look at the Book of Revelation in Scripture, and at the seven churches to which John was to send dictated letters, nowhere do we read about money, numbers, children, or mission giving. Rather, we read about the quality of the faith life of the people. The words are coming from the Lord, dictated to John, to be sent to the different churches. John wasn’t judging; God was. I propose to talk about these seven churches and what God is saying to them, and let the Holy Spirit convict us of where we might get our own “brickbats” or “bouquets.”

An important point to remember throughout our reading and learning about these seven churches is that Jesus is in the middle of them. We read in Chapter 1, verses 12 and following,

Then I (John) turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man…In his right hand he held seven stars…As for the mystery of the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Notice that the seven churches are called “lampstands.” Jesus Christ is in the middle of them, and the messengers of the churches (the angels) are in Jesus’ hand. Because of this setting, we can believe that Jesus hasn’t abandoned these churches, whatever their problems, but that all of them are still very important to Him. In fact, they are of priceless value because they are “golden lampstands” and they “give light,” much the way Jesus said that “a city set on a hill gives light all around.”

Five years ago now, we as a church of Jesus Christ, adopted our Mission Statement that includes being “a light,” “a beacon,” if we will, to Jasper and the world. This has been on every Sunday Worship bulletin and every “Church chatter” newsletter since. Here it is; hear it again:

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Those who follow me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life” (John 8:12)

Drawn by the loving light of Jesus, we choose to follow him as Lord and Savior and reflect his light to Jasper and the world. As his beacon focused by the Holy Spirit, we share his light through our caring love and actions.

Doesn’t this seem to us that it is right out of our text from Revelation today? Seems to me it is.

Now, each of the seven letters concludes with the exhortation, “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Do we have such an ear that is attuned to the Holy Spirit? And, one more exhortation as we begin to study Revelation and this comes from Jeremiah 29:11 –

I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes, says the Lord.

So, Let us listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

John is first told, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands: “I know you…””

We will see this same form used in all seven letters, especially the phrase “I know you.” To each church the messenger (angel) of the church is the one to whom the letter is sent. In each case, the people are told that Jesus Christ “knows” (discerns) who they are and where they are. In each church, there are three parts to the message: a statement about the church, an exhortation, and a promise. Toward the close of each letter is the word “overcome.” For example, “To him who overcomes…” In the context of each of these seven letters, the word “overcomes” becomes a strong expression meaning “repent.”

So, to summarize, each letter is specific to a church, contains both bouquets and brickbats, and a promise that if the church overcomes the brickbat, repents from the brickbat, there will be a blessing to the church.

Now to the church at Ephesus. The members had lost their first love, not only this, but their leaving had been total. As Dr. Earl Palmer, one of my favorite pastors and teachers, describes it,

This totality means that there was a theological, spiritual, psychological, and an ethical crisis at Ephesus. We can only wonder how this happened. Had the Ephesian Christians outgrown in their own thinking their need for God’s grace? Perhaps in their review they had gone on beyond such a primitive bedrock fact as the agape love of God, and in their “progress” they had moved on toward “deeper” theological truth.”

Of course, this is tongue-in-cheek by Dr. Palmer. There is no deeper theological truth than the agape love of God. We remember this by John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We also remember Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

And Romans 8:35-39, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

So, if this is the greatness of God’s agape love toward us, who left or who leaves? The people of the Ephesus Church left and perhaps we do, too. As Dr. Palmer states it,

The “Ephesus problem” happens quietly and by gradual, imperceptible shifts of focus. Remember, the text says they have “lost their first love.” They are described as being brave, hardworking, and as people devoted to the truth over/against falsehood. They have held to the central truth about God with courage and perseverance. However, they have allowed other issues to get their attention.

I believe we see this in the Presbyterian Church as a denomination: We have allowed particular issues to get in the way of our “first love.” Our first love has always been the Great Commission of our Lord. We know it well: “Jesus said, ‘Go, therefore, into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and remember, I am with you always, even to the ends of the earth!”

Even now, we are very hard-pressed as a denomination to provide monies to support the missionaries we want to send out. We are spending far, far too much money, time and effort fighting on either side of the homosexual agenda. The denomination spends too much time and money on social agenda issues and not enough on saving souls, on telling the good news of Jesus Christ, on calling for repentance, and a Godly lifestyle. And, what we have decided to do is change the Book of Order to make it all better. Bah, humbug, is my opinion.

But it is so hard to keep our priorities in balance because tensions in “political correctness” pull us one way or another. Within the whole structures of the love of God to and through a denomination or a particular church are what has become known as “The Six Great Ends of the Church” that we still do well to follow. These are:

The proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind.

The shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the people of God.

The preservation of the truth.

The maintenance of divine worship.

The promotion of social righteousness.

The exhibition of the kingdom of heaven to the world.

If our first love is to be the church that God intends for us to be then we make this our aim, by keeping the Six Great Ends in tension. But what happens is that when we are first united with a church, we feel that love and warmth and a new closeness to Jesus Christ. After not too long, however, we as we get more and more involved with the church as a good worker or as an officer or as an employee, and something may happen along the way. We place our concentrated importance on “doing the job” or “getting it done” or “making sure things run right,” and we lose sight of, for whom and why we do anything we do: we lose sight of Jesus Christ. We lose sight of the reason we united with the church in the first place: The people showed the love and warmth of Jesus Christ and we wanted to do the same.

The import of the letter to the church at Ephesus is the exhortation to keep the “main thing the main thing,” and the “main thing” for every Christian Church is to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ.

The main thing is not to become totally preoccupied and fascinated by specific themes or goals or fights – shoot, no one would join a church just to fight against some cause. A church should never be concentrated on only one particular issue that it forgets all others. This becomes a serious pathology. No, we unite with the fellowship of a particular church because we feel the agape love of Jesus Christ being shared there, and we want to be part of it.

There is great reward in doing this. Verse seven concludes the letter to the Ephesus Church with, “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.”

Remember the “Tree of Life,” my friends? It is the one from which Adam and Eve were barred. They couldn’t eat of it because they would then “surely die, thus saith the Lord!” But, now, if we conquer, if we overcome, if we repent, and turn back to our first love, Jesus will give us – you and me, first of all sinners – permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord; Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it” (Isaiah 1:19-20). Amen!