Text: Revelation 2:8-11

Introduction

• City of Smyrna. 55 Km from Ephesus.
• Result of the missionary work of Paul. ( Acts 19:10 )
• There was a great Jew colony there, hostile to the Christians.
• The pastor was called Policarp, which means "many fruits".
• There was a great temple for people to adore the emperor.
• Whoever refuses to adore him would loose everything and be persecuted.
• What did Policarp teach? Nobody should offer sacrifices or adore other gods.
• Policarp was burned and died at age 86.
• The name of the city, Smyrna, means myrrh (the present that the magi brought to Jesus)
• Myrrh is a plant that when crushed produces a perfume.
• The believers had their lives crushed by Jesus.
  Revelation 2:8. “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.”
• A word of encouragement to the believers who could die at any time.
• It served to remember that Jesus overcome the death.
  Revelation 2:9. “afflictions and poverty”
• Afflictions because of the Emperor’s persecution.
• Poverty because they had their houses stolen.
  Revelation 2:9. ”Those who say they are Jews and are not”.
• Those were people who went to the meetings but denied Jesus as the messiah.
• Because they denied Jesus, they were “Satan’s synagogue”.
  Revelation 2:10. "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.”
• The believers faced trials, thrown in the prisons.
• Ten day which represent a period of afflictions.

Conclusion

• “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
• Not only martyrs (those who died for the name of Jesus) but all will receive a crown.
• There were Olympiads in Smyrna. The idea is of an athlete’s crown and not a king’s crown.
• I Corinthians 9:25
• Revelation 2:11 “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death”.
• The first death reaches all people, believers or not believers.
• The second death is the eternal death; the death of the soul. Mathews 10:28
• Two final lessons:
  1) The letter does not have any church criticism.
  2) Are you certain that you won’t be hurt by the second death?