Pastor Adam Parmenter

Smyra

Second stop in the mail route
•Destroyed by Lydians in 600 BC. No city for 400 years.
•200 BC Greek officer Lysimachus rebuilt Smyrna.
•Tradition claimed that it was Alexander the Great who rebuilt
•Referred to as the city that died and came back to life.

The crown
•Smyrna built on mount Pagos. The slopes of the building were adorned with public buildings.
•Ancient writers described Smyrna’s skylines as a “crown”
•Ancient coin inscriptions describe Smyrna as “first of Asia in size and beauty,” and “The Ornament of Asia.”

Part II: Jesus Knows His People

Tribulation: A crushing weight

Poverty: Impoverished

Slander:
• Greek word for blasphemy
• In Roman empire, Jews were granted exception for emperor worship
• Many early Christians were originally Jews and benefited from that exception.
• Non-Christian Jews could “out” them.

• Other claims made against first century Christians
• Incestuous (husband and wife as brother and sister in Christ)
• Cannibals (consuming body and blood of Christ)
• Atheists (not willing to recognize the Roman gods or Ceasar as true gods)

Part II: Jesus Knows His People

The culture and governmental system of Smyrna had taken from these new Christians

• Tribulation: Taken their peace
• Poverty: Loss of power through loss of material wealth
• Slander: Stolen their reputation

Why did Jesus say, “You are rich?”
• Matthew 6:19-20
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
BIG IDEA: The cultural and system of Smyrna was not big enough to take from them what really mattered.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Part III: Christ Encourages His People

Revelation 2:10
“...you are about to suffer.”
“throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.”

The reference to “ten days”
• May have implied that the suffering was a short duration.
• May have referred to a ten-day festival in the arena which for most participants ended in death.

“...faithful unto death...”

Not how I tend to encourage someone.

The power of the message depends on the one who is speaking.

Part I: Christ Reveals His Role

Revelation 2:10
First and Last
Descriptive name of God. Eternally existent.
Isaiah 48:12& 13 God the creator
“I am the first , and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.”
•“...right hand...” signifies power, control and authority.
•“...heavens...”
•A NASA expert claimed the observable universe is 92 billion light years across
•Low estimate of 100 billion galaxies.
•Estimated at 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars
•Not poetry. God does not have hands, but he is able to do all this verse describes.

Isaiah 44:6 One true God.
“I am the first and the last; besides me there is no god.”

BIG IDEA: Jesus Christ is God the all powerful creator. The First and the Last. There is no other.

Part I: Christ Reveals His Role

Revelation 2:10
“...who died and came to life.”
Romans 5:8 “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I Corinthians 15:3&4
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...”

BIG IDEA: Jesus has the power and the right to promise me life.

· Marvin Hall (brother-in-law of Alice Avery & Judi Beckwith, uncle of Jason Avery & Kim Collins) continues to be hospitalized in Missouri but is improving.
· Abby Hendrix is recovering from surgery.
· Matt Jenks (Don & Deb Jenks’ son) is at home recovering following a medical issue and brief hospitalization. He will follow up with his primary care doctor.
· Darren & Cindy Bailey and their family (friends of Mike & Amy Neikirk) lost their son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren in a helicopter crash on 10/22. A 10 year-old son survives and was not on the flight.
· Judy Niekirk (Mike's mom) is recovering from surgery for renal cell carcinoma. She is recovering well, but the cancer has spread. She is waiting for an oncology appointment to be scheduled .
· Marialice Quinn (former member of FBC) is continuing treatment for cancer and continued prayers during this time are greatly appreciated
• Penny Cornet (Rocky Starland's Aunt in Cypress, CA) at a rehab facility for therapy to regain strength.
• Vasha Ferguson is recovering from hand surgery for carpal tunnel.
• Vince Bryant (Miriam Bryant’s son) is recovering from foot surgery.
• Beth Bocock continues to recover from ulcerative colitis.
• Check out our monthly prayer card on-line at southhavenfbc.com under “Weekly Bulletins” for a list of those with on-going needs.

First Baptist Church
1635 76th Street
South Haven, MI 49090
269-637-1291
southhavenfbc@gmail.com