Greg Laurie - Jesus' Words to Suffering Christians (01/14/2018)
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Pastor Greg Laurie shares Jesus' encouraging words to the suffering church in Smyrna from Revelation 2, reminding persecuted believers that Christ knows their tribulation, calls them to remain faithful even unto death, and promises the crown of life while assuring them they will not face the second death.
Jesus' Words to Suffering Christians
Well let's grab our Bibles. We are in the book of Revelation together, as you all know. So grab your Bible and hang a hard right. And we are going to Revelation chapter 2. And the title of my message is, Jesus' Words to Suffering Christians.
Let's pray together. Now Father I pray for everyone here, everyone listening, everyone watching, that your words of hope and encouragement would go out. Because I know there are people hearing this message right now that are hurting. They are suffering. Maybe it is a disability. Maybe it is family problems. Maybe it is marital issues. Maybe it is a prodigal son or a daughter. Maybe it is a health problem. Maybe it is a disability. Maybe it is the loss of a loved one. Whatever it is, Lord, I pray that you will bring encouragement to all of us today as we hear your words to suffering Christians. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
What If the Whole Church Were Like You?
Hey, a few quick questions. What if all of the church were just like you? By that I mean, what if everybody behaved exactly as you behaved in church? In other words, what if every Christian, everyone in this church, attended as faithfully as you attended? Would our seats be empty or full?
What if everybody in this church prayed the same way that you prayed? Would we be a praying church? Or would there not be that many prayers being offered up to heaven?
What if everybody worshipped to the extent that you worshipped? Would this be a congregation filled with God's praises? Or would it be largely quiet?
What if everybody gave as faithfully as you give of your finances? Would we have the resources needed to do what God has called us to do? Or would there be a lack there?
What if everybody shared the gospel as faithfully as you shared the gospel? Would people be hearing about Jesus? Or would many not hear at all?
Well it is a valid question to ask because we are all a part of the church. What if everyone was just like you?
The Walls of the Church: Living Stones
The story is told from history of the city of Sparta. A man came to visit. And the king of Sparta was boasting about the great walls of Sparta. And the visitor didn't see any walls. And he asked about it. And the king pointed to the soldiers in his army. And he said, These are the walls of Sparta. Because every man is a brick.
And the same could be said of the church. We could point to you and say, These are the walls of harvest. And every man, every woman is a brick. Or to put it more biblically, we could say, Every one of us is a living stone. Because 1 Peter 2:5 says, You are living stones that God has built into a spiritual temple.
So we all have a part to play. Everyone should participate. You know it is very easy to become a spectator at church and not a participant. Sort of the equivalent of the armchair quarterback. You know maybe you sit at home on Sunday morning and you watch the football games. Oh I would have never done that. Oh I would have gone long. Or oh I would have passed. Or you know whatever it is. It is so easy to critique. But if you have ever played football and you know what it is like to make those split second decisions, it is a different matter altogether.
And in the same way in church we can say, Well I wouldn't do it this way. And I disagree with that. Hey man, get in the arena. Get down on the field.
The Credit Belongs to the One in the Arena
I love the words of President Theodore Roosevelt who wrote this. And I quote, It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena. Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood and strides valiantly. Who errs and then starts up again and again. There is no effort without error or shortcoming. End quote.
So the idea that President Roosevelt was communicating was the one that deserves the credit is the one that gets out there and does something. And that is what we are called to do.
Stepping Out in Faith: Harvest America
You know one thing that we are undertaking that is pretty bold is Harvest America. And you know it wasn't my idea. I didn't come up with it. The Lord really laid it on the heart of Pastor John Collins and he came with this idea. And I immediately loved it.
And so we have invited host venues around the country to get a live HD video stream coming into their church. And did you know we have over 500 churches participating at this moment. 500. That is a lot. We are praying for a thousand.
And as we have told you our goal is to reach in three crusade cycles or 1,000 days as many people as it has taken us 22 years to reach in Harvest Crusade events. And the way we do this is by having live sites where they get the video feed plus people tapping in in a multitude of other ways and whatever technology they have. We are leveraging every kind of technology platform available to get the gospel to as many people as possible.
I have been doing some interviews for it of late. And I was asked by a Christian magazine, well why are you even doing this? And I said because Jesus gave us the Great Commission. You know I am a man under orders. And I am told to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
And he asked about our goal of reaching some four million people in 1,000 days. And he said, what if you don't reach your goal? I said, well so. What if we do reach it? What if we surpass it? I mean I would rather try and fail than never try at all. Right?
So let's go for it and see what the Lord does. You have got to take steps of faith and trust the Lord and see what the Lord will do.
Our job as a church is not to isolate but to infiltrate. Well that is what He has called us to do. To go into this world and proclaim the gospel. That is part of the mission of the church.
Jesus' Message to the Seven Churches
And we are looking at what Jesus says to the church here in the book of Revelation. We are looking at seven churches that are found in Revelation chapters 2 to 3.
For starters they were actual churches that existed at one time. There really was a church of Ephesus, a church of Smyrna, a church of Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Laodicea, and Philadelphia. In fact they followed the postal route of the day.
So the words of Christ spoke to those actual congregations. But they also speak to the church as a whole. So effectively we are looking at the words of Jesus to His church. What He has to say to each of us.
And it is interesting. He sees church a whole lot differently than we do. You know when He addresses the church we don't find any words of combination for having the biggest church anywhere. Or the fastest growing church. Or the nicest building. He doesn't get into any of that.
Jesus gets right down to the heart of the matter. To the motive. And He starts with the church of Ephesus.
The Problem in Ephesus: Leaving First Love
Now this probably was the church that was in existence around the first century. The believers Jesus would have been addressing would have been the second generation. That first generation of the handpicked disciples of our Lord and those that came to faith under their preaching was now passing into glory. And the next generation was taking their place.
So as they had passed it on there were some problems developing. Now there were many commendable things in the church of Ephesus as you recall. They had a lot on the ball. And Jesus commends them for their hard work and their diligence and all.
But then He says, I see a problem is beginning to develop. And of course that problem was they were leaving their first love. Not losing their first love. You don't lose it. You leave it. If you lose something you don't know where to find it. If you leave it you know where it is.
He says, guys I appreciate it. But there is this problem. You see your work is taking the place of worship. And you are losing perspective.
And the reason this is important to Jesus is if there is a breakdown here other problems will develop in life. As we will see as we follow the progression or maybe I should say the regression of the seven churches starting with an apostolic church of Ephesus and ending up with an apostate church of Laodicea.
Starting with a church that was in danger of leaving their first love and ending up with a church where Jesus is effectively on the outside trying to get back in again.
So if there is a breakdown here it is going to affect us. So what does Jesus tell them to do? Three things. He says I want you to remember, repent, and repeat.
First remember from where you have fallen. Repent and do the first words quickly. Or repent and then do the first words quickly. Or repeat.
Remember, Repent, Repeat – Like Getting Back in Shape
You know we could liken this to a lot of things in life where if there is a problem. We start by remembering. Let's say that some of us have put on a few extra pounds. I know that I have. And you know there is the telltale signs. You know for starters you are punching holes in your belt that were never meant to be there.
Another thing is you have three wardrobes effectively. You have the skinny you, the medium you, and the fat you. And you don't get rid of the other ones. The fat ones are usually all elastic waist and things like that. Because well I may need them later. So you hang on to them and you have all these different things going on.
And there is the telltale signs you are gaining weight. You know you are gaining weight when you take a shower and nothing below your waist gets wet. You know you are gaining weight when you get your shoes shined. And you have to take the guy's word for it because you can't see your feet anymore. You know you are gaining weight when the couch gets up when you do. You know you are gaining weight when kids run to you on sunny days to find shade.
So these are bad things. Don't write me letters about this please. Okay. Relax a little bit. Okay. They are called jokes. Alright.
So you remember. Yeah I used to be in better shape than I am in now. Now repent. What do I need to do? Well I need to think about what I eat.
Now I don't know about you but I am always attracted to all the wrong foods. I am amazed at people who go out and order a salad. I am going to have a salad. I mean I like salad. I do. If it has lots of dressing on it. And lots of goodies on it. But to me salad is like the warm up for the main event. It is like yeah let us make sure the jaw is moving. Okay now when is the real food coming.
I mean I could never just make a meal out of a salad. But I always want pasta. I want pizza. I want Mexican food. I want you know I am always drawn to the wrong food. Never the lean things. Oh I will have more vegetables.
So I understand this. But you change your eating patterns. You increase your exercise. You remember I was in better shape before. You repent. I have to change the way that I am living and eating and so forth. And then you get back and do the right thing.
So the same thing is true spiritually. Remember where you used to be. Remember the heights from which you have fallen. Now repent and do the first works quickly.
Persecution Comes When You Love Jesus
Now here is a question. If I get back to my first love. If I am walking with Jesus as I ought to. And I have a great passion for Him. What kind of reaction should I expect from the world?
Here is your answer. I don't think you are going to like it. You are going to be persecuted. That is right. And that is because when you love someone you will suffer as a result.
When you love someone if they are attacked you defend vigorously. If you love someone and they are taken from you you mourn deeply. It is the result of love. Love will cost you.
C.S. Lewis said, To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung out and possibly broken.
So in the same way if you love God you are going to suffer as a result because people will attack you for your love for Him.
Jesus' Words to the Church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11)
Let's see how that plays out in the church of Smyrna. Revelation chapter 2 verse 8.
Jesus says, And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write, These things saith the first and the last who was dead and who came to life. I know your works, your tribulation, your poverty, that you are rich. I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.
Do not fear any of the things that you are about to suffer. And indeed the devil is going to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested. And you will have tribulation for ten days. But be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.
He that has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. And he that overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
We will stop there.
No Criticism – Only Commendation for Smyrna
The church of Smyrna. This is the shortest message of the seven messages that Jesus gave to these churches. The shortest. It is interesting to point out that there are no critical words from Christ to this church. He just commends them and encourages them.
Now the church of Smyrna was an actual congregation as I pointed out. At this particular time Smyrna along with Ephesus was a center of paganism and false worship.
In fact Smyrna was distinct in that it was renowned for the worship of Caesar. There was sort of a contest going on among the occupied territories of Rome as to who would have the privilege of building a special shrine to Caesar. And as it turns out Smyrna won the contest. And so they were known for their worship of the emperor. Where you would effectively say Caesar was Lord.
Well this needless to say created a problem with the Christians. Because they would not say Caesar is Lord. Instead they would say Jesus is Lord.
So Smyrna was a tough place to be a Christian. And there was a price to pay.
Tribulation, Poverty, and Slander
Jesus mentions in verse 9, I know your works, your tribulation, and your poverty. See they were experiencing poverty in Smyrna because a lot of believers were losing business. When someone would find out that you were a Christian they would take their business elsewhere.
Not unlike what happened to the Jews during the days of the rise of Hitler. And it started off with people not frequenting Jewish businesses. And then the Gestapo came in and they would write Juden or Jew on the window of the business. And then they would make the Jewish people wear the yellow bands around their arms. And then they broke the windows of their businesses and burned them down and ultimately set the Jews off to concentration camps.
And this is what it was like for the Christians in Smyrna. You know someone would find out that you are a believer and they say, oh we don't want to give our business to you. So there was a poverty as a result of that.
And also they were slandered. In verse 9 he says, I know the blasphemy of those that say they are Jews and are not, but are actually from the synagogue of Satan.
The church was not only under persecution from the Romans who were pagans who wanted them to worship Caesar. They were under persecution from these Jews who were out of fellowship with God and are described by Christ as being of the synagogue of Satan himself.
And so they were being slandered. Lies were being told about them. The word slandered, or the idea of blasphemy, isn't so much blasphemy against God as much as it was blasphemy against fellow Christians. So they were blasphemy against Christians I should say. So really they were having lies told about them.
And you know I have to say that when someone has to make up lies about you because there is no inconsistency in your character or your actions, that is a wonderful thing. And that is what was happening to these believers as well.
Be Faithful Unto Death – The Crown of Life Awaits
But Jesus is commanding them and He says, I want you to be faithful unto death and I will give to you the crown of life.
He was telling them that a time of suffering was coming their way. And indeed we know that the believers of Smyrna suffered greatly as did many of the Christians in Rome. thousands and thousands and thousands of Christian men, women, and children were put to death because they would not simply say, Caesar is Lord.
A Roman historian Tacitus records this. And he says, besides being put to death they were made to serve as objects of amusement. They were covered with wild bee skins and torn to death by dogs. They were crucified. Others were set on fire to illuminate the night when daylight failed. Or they were used in Nero's garden as they would be covered with flammable material and set on fire as he rode his chariot through his garden, squealing with delight, despite the agonies of his victims.
So imagine how horrible this was. Nero really began to persecute the church, but the persecution actually intensified under Diocletian. Diocletian was so confident that he had successfully eradicated the church, he had a coin struck that said that the Christian religion is destroyed and the worship of the Roman gods is restored.
Well needless to say that didn't work out so well for Rome. We go to Rome today and we will on a tour coming up soon. And we will visit the beautiful ruins. But that is exactly what they are. Ruins. But the church is alive and well. Thank you very much.
Because Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail against us. Instead of destroying the church, these Roman emperors actually strengthened the church because it had sort of a purifying effect.
Those nominal believers, those half-hearted people left the church because there were no economic or social advantages. And all that was left was truly committed Christian men and women. And they were transformed into this lean, mean, mean, preaching machine that transformed their world and their culture.
So God used the persecution though it was meant for evil. But it was so hard.
Persecution in Every Age – Even Today
And when we hear these things we say, well, man, I am sure glad I didn't live back then. And some of you might feel even bad because you complained the other day about how hard it is to be a Christian because someone made a joke at your expense because you believe in Jesus.
Well look. Persecution shows itself in many ways. I mean it can show itself in the martyrdom of a believer as we have seen in the first century. And even to this present day thousands of people have still been put to death because they followed Jesus Christ.
It has been estimated that since the early church was formed to this present day that millions and millions of Christians have been martyred. So persecution has not stopped and it is going to continue on.
And the Bible says if you live godly in Christ Jesus you will suffer persecution. Now that is a promise we rarely claim. We lay hold of promises of provision and promises of protection. When is the last time He said, Now Lord you promised in your Bible that if I live godly I will be persecuted. So bring it on Lord.
We don't pray that. Who wants to be persecuted? There is no fun in it. It is not enjoyable. But if you are living a godly life persecution will come.
So how should I react when persecution comes my way? Jesus told me in the Sermon on the Mount, Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven.
Why are we persecuted? Because righteousness is confrontational. And when I say that I don't even mean that you say anything. Just your presence. Just the fact that you are a Christian gets on the radar screens of other people. And you kind of bother them a little bit.
So as we just live for the Lord that persecution is going to come.
Persecuted for Righteousness – Not for Being a Jerk
But let me just add one thing. Jesus said, Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake. He did not say blessed are you when you are persecuted for being a jerk. Blessed are you when you are persecuted for being self-righteous. Or blessed are you when you are persecuted for being holier than thou.
No. Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake.
Can I be just really honest for a moment. Some Christians are just That is weird. Ok. And you know what? First of all I don't even know if they are Christians, some of these people.
I mean like I will go and preach somewhere and people will stand outside in the stadium with signs picketing me. And then you will read their materials and they will say all the horrible things that I have said. The problem is I haven't said most of those things. They haven't taken the time to actually hear what I preach. And so they critique what they think I am preaching. And they call themselves Christians.
And I wonder are these people Christians? I don't know if they are or they aren't.
But there are even believers who are just, well how do I describe them? They are like a downer. They are like a quaalude. Ok. Like whatever is happening they bring you down.
You know there might be a non-believer saying, oh man I will tell you what. I just saw the most beautiful sunset last night. And the Christian says, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. What? The world passes away and the lusts there up. Praise God.
You know what? You are kind of an idiot. Hallelujah. Can you just be nice? I am not saying compromise. We will talk about that more in our next message. I am not saying don't stand your ground. I am not saying don't speak up for what is true.
But can you be nice about it when possible? How was Jesus known? He was known as the friend of sinners. And that was not meant as a compliment. But really it was. That He would hang out with sinners. Never compromising. Far be it. This is the Lord Himself. But He loved them. And they knew that He loved them.
And we need to love people. Let's be persecuted for the right reasons. That is what we need.
Encouragement for the Suffering Believer
And when you are persecuted the Bible says that you should rejoice that you have been counted worthy to be persecuted.
But let's consider something else now. So here are these people that are going through this difficulty. This hardship. And Jesus has some encouraging words for them.
Maybe you have wondered at times, why does this have to happen to me?
Listen. God can use persecution in the life of a Christian. Jesus said, they hated me. They will also hate you. A servant is not greater than his master. You are not of this world. If you were of this world the world would love its own. Because you are not of this world. But you follow me. You will be persecuted.
And God can use it.
I read a story. I have told you this before. How they were having difficulty shipping codfish from the east coast to the west coast. Because by the time it arrived it was mushy. So they decided, well we will send it live. But by the time it arrived it was dead.
So they thought, how can we get this codfish from the east coast to the west coast and keep it fresh. And then someone had the bright idea of putting the mortal enemy of the codfish into the tank when they shipped him. And that is the catfish.
And so they shipped it and the fish arrived alive and well because he had spent the entire journey running from the catfish.
And sometimes God will put a catfish in our tank. And we will say, Lord, why do I have to have this neighbor who is so obnoxious? Why did I have to be seated in my classroom next to this antagonistic person? Why do I have to have this family member that is always harassing me and giving me a hard time?
Maybe God put a catfish in your tank to keep you on your toes. Or should I say on your fins.
But if you are discouraged by your suffering, by your hardship, here are some encouraging words from Jesus.
1. Remember: Jesus Is Eternal
Number one. He wants you to remember a few things. He is eternal. Verse eight he says, As this thing saith the first and the last who is dead and came to life.
He said pretty much the same thing in chapter one of Revelation verse seventeen. That he is the Alpha and the Omega.
So here is what he is saying. Guys remember this. I am eternal. I always have been and I always will be. And whatever is happening to you is temporary because you who have believed in me are eternal. You are immortal. You will spend all eternity in my presence.
So this won't last forever. Whatever your suffering is.
Second Corinthians 4:17 says, Our present troubles are quite small. They won't last very long. Yet they produce in us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever.
2. Jesus Knows Your Suffering Personally
Number two. Jesus says he knows about our suffering. He knows about our suffering. Verse nine he says, I know your tribulation.
And the word that is used here for I know doesn't just mean he knows by watching. But the word implies that he knows because he has passed through the same thing himself.
He is saying you know what? I know.
You know when you are hurting in a bad way it is just great to talk to someone else who has been there. Because you talk to someone who hasn't been there and they try to relate to it in their way. But they really can't.
But you talk to someone who has been there and they say, I know.
And it is not even so much what they say to encourage you. But it is just to know that there is someone out there who has gone through what I am going through and they are still standing. They are still alive. They have endured Or did they somehow come through it or at least are coming through it.
And that helps me.
They are able to comfort me with the comfort that they have been comforted with. And then one day I will be able to do the same for another person.
So just for them to say, I know.
I think sometimes the ones that are quickest to dispense all the advice and counsel are the ones who don't know.
I think sometimes the ones who do know just say, I know. I know.
And this is an interesting thing. Because when you are going through hardship you may feel like you need something special from God. You know if only the Lord would just give me a special vision or this great emotional experience to compensate for the hardship that I am going through.
But you know one thing to consider is sometimes when you are going through a hardship and the Lord doesn't do that thing that you were hoping He would do it may be that the silence of the Lord is His highest commendation.
Does that make any sense? The silence of the Lord is His highest commendation.
That is effectively what He does with Smyrna. He doesn't give them a lengthy sermon. He doesn't have a lot to say. Here is what He says. You are suffering. I know. I know. And I am with you in the midst of your suffering.
You see sometimes when we are weaker we need those extra things. But when we are strong we don't need it as much.
Take Peter, James, and John. Have you ever noticed how the Lord singled them out and took them with Him to special occasions? For instance when He raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead He said, Peter, James, John, you guys come with me.
Bet the other disciples said, Lucky. How come they get to do that and not us? Oh man they are so blessed.
Then when He went to be transfigured, Peter, James, John, you guys come with me. And there He shined like the sun with Moses on one side and Elijah on the other. I might add that they slept through most of it. But they woke up for the finale.
Then in the garden of Gethsemane as He was in agony before the Father and praying for the cup to pass, there were Peter, James, and John again asleep. But they are with Him.
Now we say they were chosen for these special events because they were special. Maybe. Maybe they were chosen because they were special needs.
Hey, you don't get the nickname Sons of Thunder for nothing. And that was the handle of James and John. I mean what were these guys all about? Sons of Thunder.
These were the guys that said, Let's call fire down on that city because they were not responsive to the message that Jesus brought. Is that just slightly overkill? Yeah these people weren't responsive. Let's torch them now.
Yeah. James, John, you come with me. Peter, you come too. Why? I want to keep my eye on you.
You know when I was in school I got in trouble a lot. And it is because I was always talking and jabbering and drawing cartoons and doing caricatures of fellow students and even the teachers.
And so the teacher would say to me, Greg Laurie, you come and sit right next to me. Was that because I was special? No. It is because I was trouble. And the teacher wanted to keep their eye on me.
Maybe that is why Jesus singled them out.
But here is my point. To the church of Smyrna he doesn't have a long sermon. He just says, I am there. I know. I understand.
So maybe as you are going through your hardship right now you say, Oh man, God you have got to get me out of this thing. You have got to airlift me out of this situation.
Yet the Lord says, My grace is sufficient for you. I am eternal. I am in control. There is a beginning. There is a middle. There is an end to this.
You are going to go through tribulation for ten days. It is not going to last forever.
There were ten waves of persecution that hit the early church. And some commendators believe this is what Christ is alluding to when He says, You will have these ten days of persecution.
I don't know if that is the case or not. I know they were persecuted but Jesus says there is a time limit on it.
And He says the same to us. I am in control. I am with you. I am sovereign.
So He is reminding them of these things.
3. God Has a Plan – Even in Testing
He also says that He has a plan. Verse 10, You will be tested. I have a plan.
But why do these bad things happen to us? I don't know. Sometimes they are brought by the devil. But remember, whatever Satan proposes, if it happens in our life, God permitted it.
The story of Job is the perfect example. You know the devil comes. Hey, let me have some time with Job. We will see what he is made of.
God could have said, No man, you back off. Leave Job alone. The Lord allowed it. And then those horrible afflictions came against God's servant. But the Lord allowed it. He had a purpose in it.
God will allow certain things. The devil means it to destroy you. But God will allow it to refine you.
And Romans 8:28 says, He causes all things to work together for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.
So God reminds them that He has a plan.
4. Be Faithful – The Crown of Life Is Coming
And He also reminds them that He is loving and will reward faithfulness. He is loving and will reward faithfulness.
He says, Verse 10, Be faithful unto death and you will receive the crown of life.
Now in Smyrna they had an arena where athletic events took place. So they knew all about running races and winning crowns.
And when they talked about crowns, don't think of a big gnarly crown like the Queen of England wears. You know. This was more a crown of Laurel leaves. Like they would give to the winner in an athletic event.
But it was a reward. An award. Something of great significance.
And so He says, I have a crown for you.
There are multiple crowns mentioned in the Bible. The Bible speaks of the crown of rejoicing which apparently is given to those that lead other people to Christ.
And then there is also the crown of righteousness which is promised to those that love the appearing of the Lord. Paul said, I fought the good fight. I finished the course. I kept the faith. Henceforth there is later for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me in that day. 2 Timothy 4:8.
And so there are these crowns offered.
But here now is the crown of life.
Now interestingly to the church of Smyrna He says, I will give you the crown of life. Because you face suffering. Because you are being persecuted. Some of you are going to be martyred. But you guys I have a reward for you as a result of this.
But this reward is also promised to the person who resists temptation and endures personal suffering.
Over in James 1:12 it says, Blessed is a man that endures temptation and perseveres under trial. For when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.
Quick poll. How many of you have ever been tempted? Raise up your hand. You have been tempted to do something evil. Okay.
How many of you have never been tempted? Just wanted to see. Okay. Because not all of you raised your hand the first time. I thought, wait. Are there people not being tempted here? What is going on?
How many of you have given in to a temptation to do evil? Raise your hand. Everybody put your hand up now. This is your cue. Yeah. See mine is up too. Yeah. Okay.
Now how many of you have successfully resisted temptation? Raise your hand up. Oh good. Good.
You know it is hard when temptation comes your way. It is easy to stand here and talk about it. How evil it is. Yeah. Temptation is bad. Yeah.
But what about when you are being tempted? You know what the problem is? Temptation is, well, tempting. Hence the word temptation. It is alluring.
Do you think the devil is an idiot? I don't. I think he is evil. But I think he is smart. And he knows how to package his stuff. He knows how to make bad things look good.
And remember when Eve was tempted by the fruit in the garden. And by the way the Bible never says it was an apple. But whatever it was. Probably pulsated with light. Probably had its own theme song. You know. Who knows.
But whatever it was, the Bible says the fruit was pleasant to look upon. And desirable to make one wise. And you know the rest of that story.
So the temptation will come. And in the moment it is hard to resist. It is not easy. You take hold of the word of God. Maybe you quote it to yourself. You yield to the Spirit. No. I am not going to do it. It is wrong.
And the devil is saying, you idiot. This is the greatest opportunity ever. Go for it. No. No.
And you resist it. And then it sort of passes. And you go, whew. And there is just that sense of relief. Like hallelujah. I passed the test.
Someone else gave into it. And then you see the repercussions in their life. And they say, oh Lord, thank you. I didn't do that.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation. For when he has tried, he will receive a crown of life.
There is a reward waiting for you.
But not just for the person that resists temptation, but for the person that goes through suffering.
Maybe you are suffering today. You have family problems. Marital problems. Children problems. Physical problems. A disability. Bad news from a doctor. You have lost a loved one. Whatever it is, you are suffering. It is hard. It doesn't seem fair to you.
Lord, you say. Maybe you don't verbalize it, but you think it. They are not suffering. Why is it they go through life without suffering? And I have to go through this. And now not only do I have to go through this, but a new problem has come along. And they don't seem to have any problems.
Listen, you don't worry about them. You just be faithful and follow the Lord. And there is a reward promised to you when you are faithful.
So this is what he is saying to the church of Smyrna. And this is what he is saying to us as well. That we should be faithful even unto the end.
No Fear of the Second Death
And then he says in closing, and if you do this, you do not have to fear the second death.
Verse 11, He that has an heir to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says of the churches. And he that overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.
What is a second death? Basically it is spending eternity separated from God in hell.
Now when you are a non-believer you effectively die two times. And when you are a believer you only die once. Let me explain.
The non-believer dies twice. First their life, this side of eternity on earth is a state of living death. Kind of like a zombie. And the Bible even says she that lives her pleasure is dead while she is living.
The Bible says that without Christ we are dead in our trespass, in our sin. It is a state of deadness. You know you chase after everything this world has to offer.
Listen to this. This world is as good as it is ever going to get for the non-believer. So if you are not going to believe in Jesus here is what I would say. Enjoy it while you can. Because this is as good as it gets.
But for the believer this earth is as bad as it gets. For us the best is yet to come.
I just read about a model that committed suicide. A supermodel as a matter of fact. And this was on the heels of another model who attempted suicide.
And we think how is this possible these beautiful people we see on the billboards, on the covers of the magazine with the perfect face, and the perfect body, and all the money, and all the whatever it is they want. They have it. And yet here they are killing themselves.
Because the world is dead. And the world is empty.
If you are a believer you will die twice. You will face, excuse me, if you are a non-believer you will die twice. You will have that death in life so to speak. And then that second death where you face judgment.
But if you are a believer you will only die once. Sure there is physical A little death. But then we live forever.
Sum it up this way. Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.
If you are born once you will die twice. If you have only been born physically you will have a spiritual death throughout your life. And then you will face eternal separation from God.
But if you are born twice, meaning you have been born again by putting your faith in Jesus, you will live for all eternity.
Have you been born again?
See this is what kept these people going.
Hey listen. I haven't painted a rosy picture of being a Christian today. Have I? What have I told you? I have said if you are a Christian you will be persecuted.
So maybe you are sitting here as a non-believer saying, man there is no way I am going to become a Christian. You think I am some kind of sucker? You think I want that life? You can have it.
Yeah. We will take it. I will tell you why. Because we go through life and God is with us.
Listen. Hardship happens to everybody. Everybody faces adversity. Everybody faces tragedy. Everybody faces difficulty in life.
But the Christian has God with them who promises to work all things together for good to those that love Him. And the Christian has the hope that when they die they will go to heaven.
The non-believer doesn't have God with them. They don't have God working things together for good. And then they have that reality of a certain judgment.
Yeah we will take it. A little persecution gets thrown in. So be it. That is life.
But see if you are a Christian you have something worth living for and you have something even worth dying for.
So yeah you know I think it is actually very appealing to have Christ in your life.
And maybe you have never asked Him into your heart. You have never asked for His forgiveness.
And I am going to close today by giving you that opportunity to put your faith in Jesus Christ. And be forgiven of your sin. And know with certainty that you will go to heaven when you die.
If you have never done that do it right now as we bow our heads in prayer if you would please. Everybody praying.
Father thank You for Your Word to us today. And I pray that You will speak to the heart of every person hearing this and watching this. And help them to see their need for Jesus. And help them to come to You right now.
Now while our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed and we are all praying together. Listen. If you would like Jesus Christ to come into your life. If you would like your sin forgiven. If you would like to know for certain that you will go to heaven when you die. If you want that void inside of you filled. That you have been trying to fill with all the junk this world offers. If you want to know God in a personal way.
Would you lift your hand up wherever you are sitting. And I would like to pray for you right now.
You want God to forgive you. You want Christ to come into your life. You want to go to heaven. Raise your hand up wherever you are. I will pray for you today. Just raise it up. Let me pray for you.
God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. Here at Harvest Riverside. If you are watching the video screen. I can't see you. Raise your hand up there at Harvest Orange County. Again of course I can't see you. But the Lord sees you.
Just like He said to the church of Smyrna. I see. I know. He sees. He knows.
If you need to make this commitment do it. Anybody else? Raise your hand up now if you want Christ to come into your life.
God bless each one of you.
Now I am going to ask each of you that have raised your hand if you would please to stand to your feet. And I am going to lead you in a prayer of commitment to Jesus.
Just stand up. If you raised your hand to accept Christ even if you did not. But you want His forgiveness today. Stand up. That is right. Stand up. People are standing. You won't be the only one.
God bless you. Just stand up. Wherever you are. Here in the sanctuary. Watching the video screen. Stand up. Right now.
I am going to lead you in a prayer of committing your life to Jesus. Again anybody else? Stand up now. I am going to lead you in this prayer. Stand up.
God bless you. Anybody else? Stand now. God bless you and you. God bless all of you.
One final moment. If you are going to stand. Stand now. I will lead you in this prayer. God bless you.
All right. All of you that are standing, I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. This is a prayer of asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. Again as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Pray it now if you would.
Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. But you died on the cross. And shed your blood for every sin I have ever committed. I am sorry for that sin. I turn from it now. I commit my life to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.