Be Thou Faithful

unto death! Rev. 2:10

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Write: To whom? Smyrna A church was established there. Smyrna was a large and prosperous city. It was located miles north of Ephesus.

# 1. God was aware of their circumstances..

He knew their works… # 1 He knows that about us! What kind of works show, prove that you are a Christian? Jas. 1:21 I Cor. 15:58 Labor is not in vain. Rev. 14:13 God knows your circumstances…he knows what you are doing or not doing!

Their tribulations.... He is aware of the trials we have to go through 1.Going through sickness and death Of a beloved family member..is hard. I Thess. 4:13-18 “Comfort one another with these words.” 2. He knows when you are tried…Matt. 5:10 Tough..not easy..but..remember Jesus knows …He has not forgotten us!. Psa.23:1-6

In the midst of the city’s prosperity…God’s people were poor Rev. 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. One may be poor, but if he is faithful to God, he is considered rich!..

There were some things that they were going to suffer… 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: Look at so many who have suffered so Much for the cause of Christ. Examples!

Stephen Acts 7: Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

James the brother of John Acts 12:1-3 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

Paul - 2 Cor. 11: Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer!... They were going to suffer… The work of the devil is brought to view> The devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried: And ye shall have tribulation ten days.. (a short period). The trials are temporary.

Be Thou Faithful unto death Even to the point of dying for Christ!. Christ’s exhortation… And here is what I WILL DO FOR YOU…

I WILL GIVE THEE..A CROWN OF LIFE. REV.2:10..This is the imperishable crown. I Cor. 9: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

..The ‘Crown of Righteousness” 2 Tim. 4:7,8 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course I have Kept the faith, How many in this buiding will get this crown?..The crown of life promised to those who love the Lord. James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

..The crown of glory that does not fade away. I Pet. 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Christ’s Invitation Rev. 2:11 “ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. That appeals to me!. Does it appeal to you?

The call to hear..as Matt Burns told us to do. The call to believe..as Matt Taylor exhorted us. The call to repent..as Al Burns proclaimed. The call to Confess Christ and be baptized, as Jay Looney will present to us Next Sunday night.

We can choose to believe and obey or Reject and perish. Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

God is not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3:9. Yet, Jesus said the majority will be lost. Matt. 7:13,14. Not because they could not be saved, but they made that choice!

Be Faithful Unto Death… Be faithful till you die Be faithful if you have to die for Him!

You be faithful to Jesus! Rev. 2:10 You be a disciple of His that does not quit.Lk.9:62 And if you have quit, and failed like Peter, Get up and confess your faults (James 5:16). Do something about it…and Then prove you have repented!. Show by your works…! Just like John the Baptist told the people..bring forth fruits worthy of repentance!. Matt. 3:18

Be (Thou) Faithful