Faith Not Fear

Americans are afraid, very afraid. In fact, fear is playing a bigger role in American life than at any time in recent history, according to the results of a new survey from Chapman University. Every year for the past decade, sociologists at Chapman poll more than 1,000 Americans to find out what scares them the most. They ask about 85 fears, ranging from spiders and ghosts to public speaking and tornadoes. And what they have found is that we are afraid of more things, and are more afraid of those
things than they have been in the past. Here’s our top 10 fears right now:
1. Corrupt Government Officials
2. People we love becoming seriously ill
3. Cyberterrorism
4. People we love dying
5. Russia Using Nuclear Weapons
6. Not having enough money for the future
7. US becoming involved in another World War
8. North Korea Using Nuclear Weapons
9. Terrorist Attacks
10. Biological Warfare

Now, as fearful as these things are, there’s one other area of fear that’s specific to followers of Jesus Christ. We fear being persecuted for our faith. Now, we may not be facing the kind of extreme persecution Christian’s face in other parts of the world today. But there is a growing hostility of Christianity in our culture today that is having an intimidating and stifling effect on God’s people.

In fact, there are some who say that the church is already experiencing forms of persecution in our country. Christianity is openly opposed on many college campuses. People are now calling Christians bigoted, dangerous and evil. We are being slandered as antichoice, anti-diversity, anti-gay, anti-inclusion and anti-intolerance. At some point it may become illegal for Churches to preach what the Bible says about homosexuality as this may be one day classified as hate speech. All that is to say, is that the Christian faith is under attack in our culture today. And that leaves us with a question: How would Jesus have us respond if and when we are attacked for our faith in Jesus?

This was the dilemma facing the church of Smyrna when Jesus gave them His message in Revelation. They were facing severe persecution from the Roman culture and the Jewish community of Smyrna. And many followers were filled with fear, and some were leaving the Church. This is the context of Jesus’ letter to the Christians of Smyrna recorded for us in Revelation 2:8-11, where Jesus’ message to them was meant to help them, and us, respond with faith not fear when our faith comes under attack. But before Jesus calls us to faith, He wants us to encourage this church. And that’s where Jesus begins His message, by reminding them, and us, that…
1.Jesus Knows The Fears We Face: John writes: “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.” Revelation 2:8-9 First, let me introduce you to the city of Smyrna. If Ephesus was the chief city of Roman Asia, then Smyrna was the shining jewel. A city of over two hundred thousand, Smyrna possessed a fine harbor and a prominent hill known as “the Crown of Smyrna” that was surrounded by elegant estates. The city had been founded as a Greek colony around the year 1000 BC but was destroyed in 600 BC by an invasion from Lydia. Over three hundred years later, Smyrna was rebuilt in a grand style according to the plans of Alexander the Great, adorned with temples to Zeus and Cybele. As early as 195 BC, Smyrna threw in its lot with the rising power of Rome, dedicating another temple to the goddess Roma. During the three hundred years between that time and the writing of Revelation, Smyrna had been one of Rome’s most loyal vassals, having been lauded by Cicero as “one of our most faithful and ancient allies.”

So them, given Smyrna’s commitment to Rome and the cult of emperor worship, the church of Smyrna became a vulnerable target to the persecutions of emperor Domitian and to the hatred of the Jews living this city. So, Jesus begins his message by telling them that knows what they are going through. They were facing three forms of persecution:

Tribulation: Jesus says to them: “I know your afflictions. I am aware of the burdens the Romans have place on you and the daily pressures that affect you. You are not alone in your sufferings.”

Poverty: Jesus says to them: “I know your abject poverty, how some of you can’t even feed your families. I know how your businesses have been shunned and rejected. I know what it’s cost you to stand firm with me.” Professor Richard Phillips gives us insight into the severity of their poverty, saying, “Successful participation in social and economic life of Smyrna would probably have been impossible for those not willing to worship Caesar. The imperial cult permeated virtually every aspect of city and often even village life, so that individuals could aspire to economic prosperity and greater social standing only by participating to some degree in the Roman cult.” And since the Church in Smyrna refused to do this because of their worship of Jesus, they were automatically singled out as unworthy of their support.

Now, this kind of persecution is something many Christians in foreign countries face today. Businesses are boycotted. Some are burnt to the ground. With no means of supporting themselves, Christ followers are left with crushing poverty. In our country some business face protests for refusing to cater to homosexuals and others have been sued. This kind of persecution is real. It was definitely real for the church in Smyrna.
But Jesus, didn’t just want to encourage them by letting them know that He was aware of their plight. He also sought to encourage them by stating a spiritual truth, by saying: “but you are rich” Materially they had very little, but spiritually they had everything. Jesus doesn’t expand on this. But we can say that it was their faithfulness in the face of affliction that demonstrated they were spiritually rich. James reminds us of this truth saying, “Listen, my dear brothers: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?” James 2:5 In other words, if you believe in Jesus, you have all the spiritual riches that belong to Him. You have the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience (Romans 2:4). You have the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:33). You have the unsearchable riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8) are the beloved of God, you are a coheir in Christ. You have everything in Christ. You are rich!

Not only that, but you are heirs of the kingdom. Remember how Paul describes the Kingdom: for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 Sometimes when life is hard, it is easy to forget the riches of the kingdom: You have the righteousness of Christ, the peace of Christ and the joy of Christ, all because you have the Holy Spirit. Don’t forget this when this world treats you with contempt. This world is not your home. If you are in Christ, you are a citizen of His kingdom, you have the Holy Spirit living in you and this will never change.

Now, there’s a third area of affliction God’s people were facing: Slander They were the object of slander from the Jewish community. First, because many of their converts had come from their community. And secondly, because this Jewish community had received a number of privileges under Roman Rule… Because of Jerusalem’s support of Julius Caesar in the civil war over a century earlier, Jews were granted special permission not to worship the emperor but to offer prayers to their own God on his behalf. Now, not wanting to share this status with converts to Christ, the Jews slandered Christians to the authorities as those who did not worship the God of the Old Testament. Among slanders known to have been launched at them were the claim that Christians drowned their children and ate human flesh (claims arising from false ideas of baptism and the Lord’s supper), that Christians were politically disloyal, and that they were fireraisers, since they predicted the end of the world by fire.

Here however, Jesus reminds this church that these Jews are really only “those who say that they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan.” Jesus pronounced something similar when denouncing the Pharisees saying, You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44. Slander is basically lies generated from the Father of lies to smear your reputation. So, Jesus wants them to know that He is aware that these so-called Jews were not serving God but were serving the cause of Satan.

As this applies to us today, there is an increasing amount of slander aimed at Christians: We are mocked as being hateful because of our stance against homosexuality. We are mocked for being out of touch with modern culture for believing in the Bible. We are mocked for believing in a God who does nothing to stop pain and suffering. In fact, the more ungodly our society becomes, the more we’re mocked for being intolerant and exclusive of our faith in Jesus. The list goes on. This slander will become more and more part of our lives as we enter the last days. As Paul reminded Timothy: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 2 Tim. 3:1-4 Here’s the point: Jesus knows whatever trouble you are facing. He was aware of the persecution facing the Smyrnaean Church, and He’s aware of the hostilities we face today. But he also wants us to know how we are to respond when we are attacked. How does He want us to respond. First…

2.Jesus Doesn’t Want Us To Fear “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.” Rev. 2:10a When Jesus commands “do not fear” He is saying, “Stop being afraid. You have nothing to fear from your oppressors.” Why?
Jesus gives us three reasons:

Do not fear for He is sovereign over all things: In his introduction Jesus reminds them that he is “the first and the last” This speaks of God’s complete sovereignty over human history from beginning to end, and its use by Jesus shows not only that He is divine, but that He’s sovereign over everything that’s happening to them. Even though it feels like evil is winning, it’s not. Jesus is still in control. This is important: When you’re your faith is under attack, you are not alone. You need not fear because He is in control even when your life seems out of control. So do not fear hatred. Do not fear slander. Do not fear what man can do to you, for Jesus is in control.

Do not fear for He has conquered the grave: “who died and came to life” Jesus has already experienced the very worst that the world can do to its enemies, and Jesus prevailed in His resurrection. Therefore, we should not fear to death. Douglas Kelly summarizes Jesus’ meaning as saying: “I have passed through the territory of death already. I have taken all of its terror away for believers. Now, the only thing that awaits you on the other side of death is holding my hand as we walk together into the new beauties of resurrection joy.” This is the hope we have in Christ. We don’t have to fear death because Jesus defeated death and lives today. That’s the second reason to stop being fearful, now the third:

Do not fear for He permits trials for a purpose: “Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested” Anytime you face attacks to your faith; anytime you are treated unjustly for your faith, Jesus uses that hostility to test your faith. In fact, we should think of our faith being tested in two ways:

Testing proves the genuineness of your faith Peter wrote that we should rejoice in our trials, since they “have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7) In other words, when you stand firm in your faith when being slandered, you prove your faith is real. When you stand firm in Christ when your faith costs you your job, your reputation, or even your freedom, you prove your faith is real. Anyone can claim to have faith in Christ when life is going well. It doesn’t cost you anything. But when you are arrested for having a Bible study, or for owning a Bible, or praying in public, like what’s been happening in Communist China, then you prove your faith is real. The testing of your faith always allows an opportunity to prove the genuineness of your faith.

Testing provides strengthening or refining of your faith Paul said that “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Your faith also has the opportunity grow stronger in the midst of adversity. Whenever you suffer for being a Christ follower, your suffering will produce endurance. Persevering under persecution is one of the themes of this book. Remember what perseverance means? It means to stay the course in the midst of adversity, to not to throw in the towel when life gets hard. So, when you suffer for Jesus, Jesus will strengthen your faith. Jesus uses opposition to your faith to mature your faith. However, if you are never tested, you’re going to have a weak faith. That’s why Jesus allows us to be tested… You see, one thing we often forget is that Jesus is far more concerned with your Christlikeness, than your comfort.

Not only that, but Peter compared the trial of faith to the refining of precious metals. Precious metals are refined by removing the dross, the waste, the garbage. Likewise, Jesus allows trials to purge the worldliness or sin from your life so He can make you more like Him. So, the next time you are undergoing a trial or an attack on your faith, don’t let fear get the best of you, but let Jesus strengthen or refine your faith. You see, Jesus doesn’t want you to shrink back, He doesn’t want you to cower, He wants you to endure so He can build your faith. Which leads us to the final thing Jesus wants to teach us today. Jesus does not want us to be fearful…

Jesus Wants Us To Be Faithful Jesus says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:10b-11 Just like rekindling our love for Jesus is the most important thing we can do as a Church, being faithful as God’s people is just as important. And the best way to prove your faithfulness is to stand firm with Christ no matter what you are facing. That’s what He’s calling the church in Smyrna to do, and what He desires in His church today.

I can’t help but think that it saddens Christ when He looks at his church in America today. Faithfulness to His Church has gone out of style. People church hop looking for the best worship, or deeper preaching, or a quality kids’ program. They’ve become consumers of spirituality rather than faithful followers of Jesus. Or they just give up on the Church altogether, saying that they love Jesus, but not the church. Perhaps they were never taught or simply forget how much Jesus loves His church, as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Ephesians 5:25

Jesus sees the Church, you and I, as the bride He laid down His life for. So then, if you say you love Jesus, then you will love His church like He does. Being faithful means having the same kind of commitment He does. It means being willing to lay down your life for His Church. Not walk away when the going gets tough. But to be faithful when adversity strikes, to be faithful no matter what. You see it’s faithfulness that helps us win against tribulation, hostilities and slander. And when you are faithful to His church, it pays off. For when you are faithful, Jesus promises to “give you the crown of life.”

This crown is the victor’s crown. It’s the crown of the one who conquers fear and lives by faith to the end. As James 1:12 reminds us, “A man who endures trials is blessed, because when he has passed the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” This crown of life is none other than eternal life. When you stay faithful to Christ no matter what, Jesus will give you the crown of eternal life to wear at the wedding feast of the Lamb. Jesus wants us to stay the course, to be faithful even unto death.

So now he concludes his message by giving one final reason for us to remain faithful, saying, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.” You see, there is something far worse, then physical death: it is spiritual and eternal death, what is here called “the second death.” In Revelation 20:14 it is called “the lake of fire,” another way to describe hell. In Revelation 21:18 we are told who experiences the second death: “But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars – their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” It is the second death from which Christ came to rescue us. Revelation 20:6 tells us because of Christ, this death has no power over us. So be faithful, even unto death.

So, John’s challenge to us is this, “Are you listening?” Are you listening to what the Spirit is saying: To those who are suffering for Jesus, He promises an eternal reward and an eternal promise. So do not be fearful but be faithful. Stand with Jesus no matter what. He desires faith not fear.