Latest Podcast

Saturday, October 22, 2016

The Letter to the Church in Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11)

Outline: The Letter to the Church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11)
  1. Comfort (vv.8-9)
  2. Instruction (v.10a)
  3. Encouragement (vv.10b-11)
Summary: We now focus our study on Jesus' letter to the church in Smyrna.  Smyrna, unlike Ephesus, was a healthy church, which is why rebuke, correction, and warning are absent from this letter.  But to say that Smyrna was a healthy church does not mean that life was easy for them. Rather, the believers in Smyrna were well acquainted with pain, poverty, and persecution and Jesus, the One walks among His lampstands (1:12-20), was totally aware of their circumstances.  Therefore, in this letter, Jesus' comfort, instruction, and encouragement was designed to help them conquer, that is, to remain faithful in the midst of their circumstances, no matter the cost.   

Main Point: Jesus calls all churches and all christians to conquer, to remain faithful to Him in the midst of our circumstances, no matter the cost.  

Discussion Questions:
  • What circumstances was the church in Smyrna experiencing? (vv.9-10)
  • Should the fact that Jesus is present with the church in Smyrna and intimately aware of all their circumstances be a terrifying or comforting reality for them? Explain.  
  • How does Jesus comfort the church in Smyrna? (v.9; Hint: "I know ____")
  • What instruction must Smyrna heed in the midst of their trying circumstances? (v.10a)
  • What does the phrase "ten days" symbolize? How should it impact the church in Smyrna?
  •  What promises does Jesus seek to encourage the church with?  (vv.10-11) What conditions are attached to those promises?
Application Questions:
    • What trials am I currently experiencing?  And how am I responding to such trials?
    • How should Jesus' presence with me and intimate knowledge of all that I am going through serve to comfort me? 
    • How am I doing in terms of heeding Jesus' instructions to not fear future trials and to remain faithful no matter how hard things get?  
    • If faithfulness to Jesus meant dying for my faith, would I be willing to do so? How can I live now that would prepare my heart to make such a sacrifice?
    • How should the promise of being awarded the crown of life and being protected from the second death serve to fuel my present faithfulness to Jesus? 
    • What fellow believers can I comfort and encourage with these truths?
    Prayer Points:
    • Acknowledge that Jesus is present with you and intimately aware of all your circumstances
    • Praise Jesus for being a Savior can sympathize with you in the midst of all your trials
    • Ask God to help you to conquer, to be faithful in the midst of your trials, no matter the cost
    • Ask the Holy Spirit to help you run to win the crown of life and dodge the second death
    • Ask God to help your brothers and sisters at FBC to remain faithful through trial so that, as a church, our witness would be strong and bright for the glory of Christ