Smyrna: the church that suffered

Sermon Podcast for Cornerstone Community Church in Galax, Virginia

This week, we start a new sermon series on the first three chapters of the mysterious book of the Bible, Revelation. Revelation is a letter addressed not to an individual but to seven church communities. Each letter first tells the church who Jesus is and how the hearers should live in light of that identity. The messages to the seven churches remain crucial and relevant for us today, and there is something we can learn from each church.

Today, we study the church in Smyrna. Suffering, persecution, and martyrdom have indeed been the calling of the followers of Jesus among the nations throughout history. The message to the Smyrna church was to remain faithful during their suffering because God is in control and his promises are reliable. Jesus never taught that believers would avoid troubles, suffering, and persecution by being faithful to him. Rather, believers must be faithful to Christ even when suffering. Only then will their faith prove genuine. Believers remain faithful by keeping their eyes on Christ and on what he promises for now and for the future

Sermon Notes

Smyrna was a church that suffered

• Revelation 2:8 NLT

Jesus understood they were being crushed by adversity

• Revelation 2:9-10a NLT

Will we choose fear or faith?

• Revelation 2:10b-11 NLT
• Philippians 3:10-14 NLT
• 2 Timothy 4:8 NLT
• James 1:12 NLT
• John 15:18-20 NLT

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