Job said, My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go (Job 27:6). We read when the magistrate persisted and said, Swear the oath and I will release you. More were killed by other religious groups, and far and away, most of those Christian martyrs were killed by the state, some 55 million out of those 70 million. 1 Corinthians 15:1-58, Denomination: In order to adequately embrace the Gospel, we must understand the Gospel. Hes already won. You got, theres two deaths, and unless Jesus comes back in our lifetime, we all face the first death, but not all have to have the second death. 23127). Yet Paul told Timothy that anyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. And if the challenge in Ephesus was lovelessness, here it is the hatred of those who do not love Christ, or love the truth. It is a great vast city, today called Izmir. And the world passeth away . Of course it does. And in the second chapter of the Book of the Revelation, in the tenth verse, in the address of our Lord to the church, He says, be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life [Revelation 2:10]. But we also know that suffering brings with it many temptations. They were poor, but rich in what really matters. He lived to be 86 years old, and for the second half of his life he served as the bishop of Smyrna, which we just read is the second city in Revelation, today the modern city of Izmir in Turkey. In 23 B.C. 1 Cor 15:14 We cannot be defeated. He was arrested by Herod when Philip of Tralles was high priest, during the proconsulship of Statius Quadratus, but while Jesus Christ was reigning as King forever. My Glorious Victor, Prince Divine, III. Because when the Lord looked into the heart of that rich, young ruler, he loved things more than he loved God [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21-22]. So we dont have to long for it and want it. WebFaithfulness unto death is Gods standard for human life. For almost 300 years Smyrna had a close connection with Rome. The gate is too strait, and the way is too narrow for a man to enter heaven holding the love of the world in his arms [Matthew 7:13-14]. Theyre such a testimony to Gods grace. Certain things I try to pray for each day, certain things I try to pray for on a day of the week, and persecuted church is one of those. There was a price on the head of our Lord. You dont forget His promise. Then, they feel they dont need God, because theyve succeeded in life. It is called a martyr church. Now may I give, point out a poignant illustration of that in the Word of God? Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! While we stand and while we pray. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. II Timothy 4:6-8 Paul was looking with 10:39). Those who seem to be strong in the faith prove to not have been in the faith. But to be repudiated and to be censored and to be disliked is a terrible thing to bear. There is one surviving document we know that came from Polycarp. The third thing that had happened is by the end of the first century, some Jews had compromised with Rome. Pray for the persecuted church. But look at Jesus (John 1:10-11, Mark 5:40, Because the one who overcomes this present, temporary, fleeting pain will not be pained by the second and everlasting death. A hundred years old and Sarah, ninety years of age and no child is born [Genesis 17:17]. But to be left out like a lone, lost black sheep is to be hurt and the child is a thousand times sensitive to it. Suffering. Web10/ 9/ 94 FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH REVELATION 2: 10 (PAGE 1785 COME ALIVE BIBLE) JESUS CHRIST is appropriately spoken of as "the faithful witness" (Rev. Ritual of piercing the ear of a slave who refuses to leave his master after In fact, this one disqualifying sin will exclude us from ever going to heaven and receiving eternal life. Come. This is the apocalypse revelation written down by John, who was a Jew, so we ought not take this to be some sort of anti-Jewish polemic. But here God says dont be surprised, dont, when it comes, do not think God is against you. If I die, praise His name, it is to be with Him. Truly, temptations----works of the devil challenge our daily thoughts and decisions. read more, Scripture: We come to see that the thing of value is not speed but endurance. read more, Scripture: In Matthew 16:3 Jesus uses it describing the face of a sky before a violent storm. 12:1). Dont fear, its all about to get better. He doesnt say that. 1:6). And in Jerusalem, they nailed Him to a cross [Matthew 27:32-50]. Number one let us pray for the persecuted church. 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Denomination: He knew what it was to face external temptation when that suffering came. It appears that some 65 years earlier the Christian church in Smyrna was facing many of the same trials. 6:4 ), in which he is to set aside those things of his old way of life ( 2 Cor. Amen. Or the story of Polycarp. Baptist. read more, Scripture: Seeing that Polycarp was not being consumed by the fire, they then ordered an executioner to thrust him through with a dagger, and so finally Polycarp was dead.. THREE IMPORTANT LOOKS OR PAUL'S LAST TESTIMONY A long time ago, in the 1700s in a little town in Yorkshire, a county in northern England, there was a very, very poor family. 31:23). Now the next verse: And God counted his faith for righteousness, because he believed in the Lord [Genesis 16:6]. 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 [John 13:34-35, 15:12-13, 15:7; 1 John 3:14, 4:7, 4:11, 4:21], Great Doctrines of the Bible: Practical Theology, And an unswerving continuance in the Word of God, A continuing living faith in a victorious Christ, And the last one that I mentioned: a devout, fervent love for Gods people. Theres no point in being fearful now. Would You hold fast Your Church around the world, facing so much more in opposition than we face, and when we are called upon to face whatever trials and difficulties, whether suffering at the hands of others or suffering from natural disasters and infirmity and the age of life, may we be faithful even unto death. We would like if He had said, Do not fear because you wont suffer. I would much prefer that. Suppose I were to stand in this pulpitI majored in English in college, and I love English literature. We must Come. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. A 18:6). May I turn to 1 John 3:14? The most remarkable Polycarp, who proved to be an apostolic and prophetic teacher in our own time, bishop of the catholic church, meaning the orthodox, universal church in Smyrna. I. 6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he But as long as I listen and bow before self, my life is shriveled and small. He stayed there in that tiny church over fifty years; their pastor over fifty years. self in my heart and enthrone the Lord Jesus, 1. And when John Fawcett stood and preached before the king, the king was so moved he said to the preacher, Ask anything and I will give it to thee. And the wonderful preacher replied, Sir, I have nothing for myself, but one of my families has a boy, a wayward boy who faces the sentence of death for forgery, in the strict laws of that time. Later in the letter we read such is the story of blessed Polycarp, although he, together with those from Philadelphia, was the 12th person martyred in Smyrna, he alone is especially remembered by everyone so that he is spoken of everywhere, even by pagans. WebFAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. But here in the second half of the first century, several things had happened to make this situation untenable. 11:4). Which naturally leads to the second command, at the end of verse 10 Be faithful unto death. Romans 6: 10-23 The LORD preserves the faithful (Ps. I love that. It is a place on which somebody is executed, a cross. read more, Scripture: I AM the LIFE. Believed and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims in this earth(Revelation 21:2). Thats a great man, a marvelous man; thats Gods man. Every sabbatical, every seventh year, the slave in a Hebrew household was to be free. Well be here listening. It is one of the truths of life. He went away grieved, for he had great possessions: loving the wrong world [Mark 10:22]. We can remember the things of God. Listening to a man expound the unsearchable riches of the Word of God. Now, before I mention the last one may I recapitulate? False doctrine prevents people from being faithful. When we think of all Jesus endured to save our souls, how could we not be faithful? My fortieth year as a pastor still preaching the Word, V. A continuing living faith in Christ, A. And that beautiful, symbolic portrayal in the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy is symbolic of all of us. In a different context, James says, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours (Js. We all love to be accepted. Do you need to come to Jesus right now? For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. John 12:42-43 writes: Among the chief rulers, many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than they loved the praise of God.. Pleasure leads many to neglect the Lord. You can read it. Jesus does not offer a rebuke to Smyrna. Our home is not here, it is there [John 14:1-3; Reveltion 21:1-5]. Thats the promise in verse 11. WebSermons by Bible: Sermons by Category: Sermons by Topic: Sermons by Speaker: Sermons by Language: Sermons by Date: Staff Picks: Comments, ALL -1 sec: Top Sermons: Online Bible: Hymnal: Daily Reading: Our Supreme love for Jesus our Lord(Luke 14:25-26), A. He told the disciples do not worry about what you will say in that day. It was a way for Rome to save, kind of save face and yet not have to go through this extermination of all the Jews, so well let them get by on a technicality. Three points of application. God(John 8:31-32, 14:23-24), A. 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