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WEEKLY
Volume 2 Number 2
10 June 2007
Be Thou Faithful unto Death
(Message delivered by Rev Hien Nguyen at the Sunday Worship Service, 2 pm, June 3, 2007)
Text:
Rev 2:8-11
We honour faithful people because they are reliable and we can trust them and work with them without any reserve or suspicion. A faithful man is not easy to find. The Bible says, “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” (Prov 20:6). Many are faithful in the beginning, but in the end due to temptations or difficulties, they fail. It is very common to hear of a person who is seeking for a job but does not have the proper skills. When asked how long he would work for the company if he is trained, he may promise to work there for life. But after a few years, when he has acquired all the skills and knowledge of the job, and saw a better offer from a bigger company, he is easily tempted to leave. Even in the church ministry, we have heard of many
pastors or preachers who were very fundamental and faithful to the Lord and God’s Word in the beginning, but in the end they are compromising and becoming men-pleasers. Many others are tempted even to leave the ministry and return to their secular work when facing difficulties or problems in the ministry. Our Lord Jesus tells the parable of the sower, and the seed on the stony ground is for those who hear God’s Word and immediately receive it with gladness, but later due to persecutions and tribulations or afflictions they are offended or fall away. Therefore, it is very precious in the sight of God for a Christian to be faithful unto death. The Bible says, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit” (Eccl 7:8).
Jesus’ Words to the Church in Smyrna
Recipient: to the messenger of the church in Smyrna. Among the seven churches in Asia Minor, only the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia are not rebuked. Smyrna was a city in western Asia Minor. With a very good natural harbour, this city became an important commercial centre. In 23 BC, Smyrna was given the honour of building a temple to the Emperor Tiberius because of its years of faithfulness to Rome. Thus, the city became a centre for the cult of emperor worship.
The church in Smyrna was founded through the fruitful ministry of teaching and training of the apostle Paul “in the school of one Tyrannus” in Ephesus for two years. Later, under the wicked reign of the emperors Nero (ruled AD 54–68) and Domitian (ruled AD 81–96), Christians in Smyrna were severely persecuted. It became a crime punishable by death to refuse to worship the image of the Roman emperor as “lord.” Many Christians were compelled to choose between “Caesar as Lord” or “Jesus as Lord.” To choose Jesus was to choose martyrdom. Our Lord Jesus Christ encouraged the persecuted Christians of Smyrna, “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John, a faithful leader in the church of Smyrna, suffered martyrdom in AD 155.
Author: Our Lord Jesus manifests Himself as “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive” (v 8). In chapter 1:8, Jesus says, “I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Alpha is the first letter and Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet, denoting the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, “I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Rev 22:13; cf. Isa 44:6; 48:12). Jesus’ statement of “I AM” reminds us of His eternal self-existence, the living and true God, and the faithful covenant God of His people. He is the beginning and the end of all things. Before everything came into existence, our Lord Jesus is there and after all things pass away, He is still the same. Truly, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Heb 13:8). To persecuted Christians, the Lord Jesus encourages them by His resurrection, “which was dead, and is alive” (v 8), and “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” ( Rev 1:18). He is the living and almighty Saviour, who has overcome Satan, the world and death. He faithfully obeyed His Father unto death, but He is now alive with all glory, honour and power. Therefore, He is able to secure that if His followers are faithful until death, they will “receive the crown of life” and “shall not be hurt of the second death.”
Jesus’ Omniscience: Jesus says, “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” (v 9). The Lord Jesus perfectly knows their works, their tribulation, and their poverty. Although they are materially poor, our Lord also knows that they are spiritually rich in Him. Being hated and persecuted, it is not easy for them to find a suitable job. Their land and properties may be confiscated, and they have to move from place to place; as a result, they are so poor. However, they keep themselves close to the Lord and enjoy His sufficient grace, strength, comfort and encouragement, so they are rich in Him and in faith (2 Cor 8:9; James 2:5). On the contrary, the church in Laodicea is rich materially but poor spiritually as they are lukewarm and do not need anything even the Lord, who is standing outside knocking at the door of their heart! My friends, our Lord knows everything. He knows our works and our troubles and tribulation and our spiritual condition. He knows who are the true Jews or false and who are the true Christians or only professing.
Jesus’ Sovereignty: The Lord Jesus says, “behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days” (v 10). Through His words, our Lord Jesus proves that not only does He foreknow everything, but He is also in control over everything. Nothing happening to God’s children is by accident, as a sparrow falling on the ground is not without God’s permission. Here, Satan uses persecutions to discourage believers from following the Lord, but the Lord sovereignly allows Satan to trouble His children so that they “may be tried” in a limited length of time. Therefore, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Peter 4:12), and “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).
Jesus’ Words of Encouragement
To the persecuted church in Smyrna, our Lord gives them His words of encouragement: Fear not and be faithful unto death.
Fear not: “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer” (v 10). Our Lord encourages them not to fear any of the persecution that they are about to suffer, as He taught His disciples, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28).
Be thou faithful unto death: Our God is “the faithful God” and “faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19) who has kept His words and promises, especially His covenant with His people (Deut 7:9; Heb 11:11; 1 Peter 4:19). Our Lord Jesus faithfully obeyed His father even unto death and is “the faithful and true witness” ( Rev 3:14) and “a merciful and faithful high priest” (Heb 2:17; 3:2) and is called “Faithful and True” ( Rev 19:11). The fruit of the Holy Spirit is faith, which also means faithfulness, fidelity or loyalty (Gal 5:22), and God’s Word is “the faithful word” and is true, sure, trustworthy, believable, and “worthy of all acceptation” (Tit 1:9; 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:3; 2 Tim 2:11; 2 Peter 1:19; Rev 21:5; 22:6). Therefore, a true believer who is controlled by the Lord and God’s Word cannot be unfaithful, but by His sufficient grace he will persevere unto the end. Through God’s Word we know that God requires us to be faithful, as He only uses and blesses the faithful: “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Cor 4:2) and “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:2).
Therefore, it is vital for you and me to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, even “faithful in that which is least” (Luke 16:10), and “faithful in all things” (1 Tim 3:11), faithful in preaching God’s Word (Jer 23:28), faithful in using the talents God has given to us for His service and kingdom with our time, our lives, and our ability (Matt 25:14-23). My friends, in the past, we might be faithful in praying, worshipping, studying God’s Word, sharing God’s Word to others, and doing God’s Word, but how about today? We might start well with zeal and diligence, but are we still pressing on faithfully? Are we still “faithful in all things” and ready to be “faithful unto death”?
Reward for Those Who Overcome: “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” (v 11). The second death is the eternal condemnation in Hell, the lake of fire, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev 21:8; cf. 20:14-15). Therefore, it is a great blessing for those who are faithful unto death, as they shall not be hurt of the second death, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Rev 20:6). Then, do you and I want to enjoy this great blessing? May God help us and keep us faithful unto death although we have to stand alone or in the minority.
Conclusion
My friends, our Lord is still speaking to all the churches and to each one of us today, “I know thy works… Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life…He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” How precious and blessed it is for us to hear, believe, receive and keep our Lord’s words of encouragement and His promise of reward for the faithful unto death! May the Lord keep us “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb 12:2-3). May the Lord graciously keep us faithful to Him and His Word unto death. Amen.
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