Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.
Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. He is saying to all churches. Every bit of it has instruction for us, has warning for us, has information for us. It has to do with our philosophy. It has to do with our priorities as a church.
It has to do with everything. So it's good for us. It's been probably five, six years since I've dealt with these seven churches, and so I think it's good for us to revisit it again. Let's look at these short verses at the church at Smyrna. Verse eight. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty. Notice the parentheses, 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. 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. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Remember this last phrase. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Anybody know what's missing in these verses that we had at the church of Ephesus and we have in many of the other churches? We do not find an accusation here.
We do not find Jesus rebuking this church for anything. Now this first church, Ephesus, they were doing so many wonderful things, he says, but I do have somewhat against you because you've left your first love. You're doing what you're doing out of duty and obligation.
You've lost the heart of it. You're just going through the motions and you say you're doing it for me, but you're really not doing it for me. Well, we come to this church full of tribulation, full of trials, full of poverty, and he has nothing to accuse them of. Nothing to really rebuke them for. So we're going to begin number one with the description. We said that every one of these churches, first Jesus gives a description of himself and then he gives a commendation of what they may or may not be doing right. Then he gives an accusation, but we don't have one here and then he kind of gives a proclamation and all those things, so we're going to start with all of this and we're going to pray and dig in today and I'm just so thrilled to see you this morning. Let's pray.
Lord, my heart's heavy this morning. I wonder if our church had the kind of trials that this church has had. If we would be as faithful as this church was. God, I pray that you would help us today to look at this passage and let you speak to our hearts through it. Thank you for every person here, but Lord, we're not putting on a show this morning. Yes, we have church clothes and the church service and we all are kind of on our best behavior, but Lord, we're just a bunch of sinners. Some of which have been saved by grace. None of us better than any of the others. Lord, we just need your word today.
We're desperate for it. In the name we pray. Amen. Number one, Jesus gives this church the description. Look at verse eight.
And under the angel of the church in Smyrna, remember last week we talked about the angel of the church would have been the pastor of the church. These things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is alive. So the first thing in description, Jesus describes himself as first, the first and the last. Jesus identifies himself as the beginning and the end. His name reflects his eternal existence.
He is Alpha and Omega. John 1-3 says he created all things. Revelation 1-8 says that he will exist forever. He is the first and he is the last. And it is very important for you and I today to understand one thing, that if he was not the first, then that would mean something created him. If he was not the first, then something would be greater than him to make him. And our minds cannot fathom this, but our God is eternal, which means there was never a time, even ten hundred million years ago, there was never a time that God did not exist. There was never a start to him. Now, that doesn't make sense to us and if you think about it long enough, your brain gets fried and you go to the hospital, okay?
So don't think about it too long. But I am telling you right now, it's important for us to understand and believe this point. If he isn't the Alpha, then he's not God. That means somebody else was and made the Alpha, but Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. He's the beginning and the end. He is the greatest. He is the original. He's the only. How can he be King of Kings and Lord of Lords if something or someone made him?
He is eternal. Jesus looks at this church and he says, I was the first and I was the last. I was here before you. I'll be here after you. You say, well, is this, should this be encouraging?
Oh yeah, it should be encouraging. See, the Bible says that you and I through Christ have access to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. That means this, that if you have been saved through the grace of Christ, look at me, if you have put your faith and trust in his finished work on the cross, you are now, you have life as long as he is alive. He is Alpha and Omega. Notice, secondly, he says, I was dead and am alive, which was dead and is alive.
Now, let me just say this this morning. If we could just stop right there at that phrase, was dead, that would equal Christ with every other religious starter, every other religious creator, every other person that wants to be worshiped. It would make him the same as Allah, it would make him the same as Joseph Smith, it would make him the same as any other head of any other religion that started, because they are dead also. And if we stopped right there that Christ was dead and is dead, that would equal the playing field, it would make him no different than anyone else. But I'm here to tell you today that Jesus Christ himself described himself as he which was dead but is now alive. You say preacher, why is that so important?
You gotta be kidding me. Jesus would not be the first to be crucified, but he would be the first to resurrect himself from the grave. He was dead, which is the same as everyone else, but what distinguishes Jesus Christ from any other religion, any other belief, any other tradition, any other so-called God or may God or whatever else you want to call it, what separates him from everyone else is that he resurrected from the dead. He was dead, but he is now alive. I serve a risen Savior. He's in the world today. I know that he is living whatever man may say. I see his hand of mercy. I hear his voice of cheer.
Just the time I need him, he's always near. He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today. The designation of Jesus as eternal and the crucified and the risen would provide encouragement to this church, because they had people that were being killed. They had people that were being martyred. They had people that literally died for their belief, and this reminded them that Jesus also was dead but is now alive, and that's why you and I can look at a casket of a loved one that we know has been saved, and we don't have to sorrow as those which have no hope, because if that person is in Christ, Christ is alive and they're alive. Some of you have had to bury some family recent.
This ought to encourage you. Jesus says, let me describe myself to you, church. I'm the beginning and the end.
I was dead, and I'm alive now. Second, we see their commendation. We see what the church was doing well. Notice if you would, verse nine, 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. Commendation first, I want you to notice, works and tribulation.
Do you see where I'm going with this? Works and tribulation. You know what sets this church apart from most churches? Most churches would have tribulation, we quit. Tribulation I'm going to quit going to church. Tribulation I'm done. What makes this church so wonderful is that even in the middle of tribulation, they kept working. Can I challenge you this morning, Kerwin Baptist Church, may we be a church that, may we be a church that even in the middle of tribulation, even in the middle of testing, even in the middle of trials, even in the middle of, of accusation and criticism, whatever else may befall us over the years, may we be a church where always in there is tribulation that there will still also be works. Usually Satan knows if I bring tribulation it'll stop their works, but not this church. You know the name Smyrna is very closely related to the word myrrh.
You see when certain plants are crushed, they emit a fragrant resin that we call myrrh. And it seems that the church of Smyrna, the more that they were pressed, the more that they were pressured, the more that they had things brought against them, somehow they brought forth a sweet smelling savor to the Lord. Oh, if we would be that kind of Christian, oh if we would be that kind of church.
May I say something and I want you to write this down. Sometimes it is not what God enables you to do, it is what God enables you to go through. There are times in your life that it's not about what God is going to enable you to do, it's about what God is going to enable you to go through. See you and I sometimes we go through trials and testings, we sit and we stop and think I just can't do for the Lord what I used to. I'm going through this and now we feel worthless and we feel like hey I can't, I can't produce, I can't work, I can't do what I did and we begin to think that we're not as good a Christian now and maybe, and dear friend I'm here to encourage you this morning.
This church, it wasn't about all really that they did, it was about what they were faithful through. And sometimes it's not about what God enables you to accomplish, it's about what God gives you the strength and the power to be able to persevere through. Works and tribulation. You know often to the followers of Christ there's tribulation and no works. After all, tribulation is a great excuse to stop the works. We begin to ask ourselves is it worth serving the Lord to have to go through this?
After all we expected a cruise as a Christian, not a rowboat. One of the hardest things to do in life is to continue to work out of a heart of love for God even when tribulation has set into your life. But this church had works and tribulation.
You see what was great about them wasn't just their works, it was the fact that they stayed faithful through tribulation. Can I ask you something this morning, how are you doing with that in your life? I guess I should ask myself the question too, how am I doing with that? One of the hardest times to stay faithful is when you feel that there is things attacking you that are unfair, things that have come out of nowhere, things you don't understand. And I'm gonna tell you something, it'll happen at church.
The place that you feel like you should be able to go and, and have safety and feel the love of folks, it's the very place Satan's gonna work through somebody and they're gonna say something to you and you're gonna, you're gonna get wounded and you're gonna get hurt. How are you doing with tribulation? Are your works continuing? Do you still read your Bible? Are you still in the Bible? Are you still praying? Are you still faithful to church? Are you still involved? Are you still serving others, finding a way in your life to serve others and do for others?
Or have we just kind of enclosed it all in our own little bubble and made it all about ourselves? This church had works and tribulation. Can I tell you secondly, this church had perceived poverty. Jesus says, I know your works and your tribulation and your poverty. You see, in addition to its sufferings, the church at Smyrna had experienced poverty. As if testing and tribulation wasn't enough, it also hit the pocketbook. See probably more than likely, Rome had confiscated a lot of the Christian's property, had taken a lot of their goods, had taxed them to the hilt. They had experienced what the world calls poverty. They didn't have all the luxuries and commodities that you and I enjoy. They had just about lost everything. And they were being tested and tried at every turn, yet they were still busy for the Lord. Even looking on, this situation would feel real sorry for these poor people.
But it reminds me of a song. When this world looks upon me as I struggle alone, and they say I have nothing, but they are so wrong. In my heart, I'm rejoicing how I wish they could see. Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on me.
I know I'm not wealthy and these clothes might not be new. I don't have much money, but Lord, I have You. And to me, that's all that matters, though the world may not see. Thank You, Lord. For Your blessings on me. Jesus says, listen, I know, I know, church.
I see your poverty, but I'm gonna put a little set of parenthesis right here. And I want to make you aware of something, you precious church at Smyrna. I know the tribulation that's come at you, and I know the trials that have come at you. And I know that you've got tribulation and yet you're still busy and you're still faithful, and I know that it feels like you're working and working and working and not getting anywhere because of everything that's come against you. And I know what's happened to you, and I know that now you're dealing with poverty and you don't have things and you don't have money, and you're beginning to feel like you have nothing at all. But I've got something in the parenthesis that I want you to know. As far as I'm concerned, you're rich. Now I don't know about you. Last time I checked, it doesn't matter what people say or think, it matters what Jesus says or thinks.
And I want to remind you about something today. If you just stay faithful to tribulation, and you keep serving your Savior, and you keep gratitude in your heart, and some things might not happen in your life, and you might not get some things, and you might not enjoy some things, but don't you ever let yourself think you have nothing. And don't ever let yourself think that you're in poverty, because if you know Christ, you're rich! You see, the world was wrong about them. The world saw a poverty-stricken church. Oh, but we're not home yet. You see, when you and I get to Heaven, in this thing we call the judgment seat of Christ, we're gonna witness the very people that were members of this church. And we're gonna hear, as the Creator of the universe looks at them, says, well done church. You didn't have much down there, but you have everything up here. I want to remind you something, sitting out there, you and I can become very discontent with a lot of things.
But there's this little parenthesis that you need to remember. That Jesus, not someone else, but Jesus says about you, you are rich. I want you to notice, thirdly, the synagogue of Satan. He says, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews but are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Now, the believers at Smyrna were under attack, not only from Rome, but by this group of militant apostate Jews. And they literally followed Satan himself. They were ones that claimed to be Jews but weren't. Jesus calls this particular group a synagogue of Satan. Now you can't get much worse than Jesus calling you that. Now the reference is very specific, which means Jesus is not referring to all Jews or even all synagogues, but to this specific one. And that's what this church was facing.
But while we're talking about it, can I bring up fourthly, the commendation. He says, listen, you have works and tribulation. You have perceived poverty, but you are rich and you're dealing with this synagogue of Satan. But let's just say what it really is, number four, it's Satan himself. And what the church at Smyrna was dealing with, can I say something, Kerwin?
Baptist Church is dealing with the same thing. Satan is fighting us too. Satan is mentioned in four of Jesus' seven letters. This ought to increase our awareness of how Satan is fighting churches.
Now I know you and I say, well I know that, I'm aware of that, but are we really? First Peter 5, 8 says, be sober, be vigilant because your adversary, the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour. What I can find in Revelation chapter two and chapter three is that Jesus says He is traveling in and amongst the churches. So that means while Jesus is walking in the midst of us as a church, Satan is too. You say they can both be at the same place? Oh yeah.
Oh yeah. You say, well what makes the difference who you listen to? Who you follow? Who you imitate? It's Satan.
But let's get off that. Chapter three, I want you to see his recommendation. No accusation of this church. As far as Jesus could tell, they were doing what He would want them to do. But in verse 10, he gives a recommendation, which is really an encouragement here. Now notice what he says. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Now I would have stopped there.
I wouldn't have gone into detail. If you want them not to fear, I would stop. Hey listen, just don't fear all that mess. No, he says don't fear all that mess and then he tells them exactly what the mess is probably going to be. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison. Thank you for the great news that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation.
Wonderful, thank you so much for the encouragement you've given today. Then he says this, be thou faithful unto death, which means some of you are going to die. Well, so much for the praise service. So much for 99% of the guys on TV. That's going to hurt some love offerings, isn't it?
That's going to hurt some mail-in checks. Notice his recommendation first is be faithful unto death. Now why he describes these things, I wanted to explain to you why. He says this, don't fear prison because if it's my will I can get you out. How many of you know Jesus got other people out of prison?
Jesus brought an earthquake and sprung some prisoners. He says Satan's going to put you into prison but don't let that prison scare you. It would be better to be in prison with Jesus than out of prison without Him. You think it's scary to be in prison as a Christian, you ought to try being outside of the prison not a Christian.
Now you've got reason to be scared. He said listen, don't fear prison, I can get you out. Then he says don't fear tribulation, I can get you through. Then he says don't fear being tried because the Bible says you can come forth as gold. The greatest news that anyone can receive is the news of the free gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ. It is our desire for you to know Him personally.
Would you take a moment to hear this today? Every man is born with a sin nature. Romans 3 23 says for all of sin and come short of the glory of God.
No matter how hard we try, we're not good enough to obtain God's glory or to get to heaven. Because of that sin carries the penalty of death. Romans 6 23 says for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of our sin or the payment of our sin only equals death in separation from God. But it's only through God's gift of salvation through Jesus Christ that we can accept Him as our Savior.
Jesus Christ paid for your sin debt. The Bible says in Romans 5 8 but God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. All you have to do is receive Christ by faith as your Savior. Romans 10 9 says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved. Verse 13 continues for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. It's as simple as admitting that you're a sinner believing that Jesus is the only way and calling upon His name. Bible says whosoever that's anyone can call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. Have you accepted Christ as your personal Savior? There is no greater day than today to take care of this. Would you accept Christ as your Savior? If you have any questions please give us a call at 336-993-5192 or visit our website at KirwanBaptistChurch.com or visit us at person at one of our three service times. We hope you have a great rest of your day. God bless you.
