We Christians must be faithful. I dont invite it. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.. Its a letter from Jesus, who is the Jewish Messiah. 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. No one is agathai but One, that is, God [Mark 10:18]. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. But this letter, you notice, is shot through with encouragement. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important way stations that become a part of our pilgrimage. If there was a crime worthy of death, what would it be? They could offer sacrifices in honor of the emperors, not as gods but as rulers. Now the next verse: And God counted his faith for righteousness, because he believed in the Lord [Genesis 16:6]. Suffering is suffering. 10/18/2006 Thats what it is. Matthew 10:38: He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. And Matthew 16:24: If any one will come after Me, let him . Paul takes a look around as he gives his last testimony. If we are faithful, God will save us and glorify us in the life to come. John 13:34, 35: I new commandment that I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved youBy this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another. That right there was meant to be comfort. Theres no point in being fearful now. Youre faithful. And our Lord, bless these to whom the Holy Spirit makes appeal this morning; some to put their lives with us in the church, some to follow our blessed Lord Jesus in baptism [Matthew 3:13-17], some to accept Thee as Savior; bless each one. And thank Thee, Lord, for each soul You give us, in Thy precious name, amen. Let me finish with three points of application. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 8 billion called themselves Christians in some broadest sense of the word. Jesus will be there with you. As we think of Gods love, what could we do but be faithful? The church in Smyrna was a church of paradoxes. Continuing with our series through the seven letters to the seven churches, this morning to the church in Smyrna. 6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he Be faithful even unto the point of death because brother, sister, friend, when youre faithful to the point of death for Jesus, you get a crown of life. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Romans 6: 10-23 The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris. . 4:7 ), I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. While God promises that He will keep all that He saves, the process is We can remember the great examples of Scripture. He wants to be acclaimed and accepted and praised by them. Gave his life to be a Baptist preacher, VII. In many parts of the West, though not facing yet death, are facing increasing hostility and discrimination, not the likes of which our brothers and sisters may see in Afghanistan or North Korea or parts of northern Africa, but yet facing opposition, persecution. It was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David (1 Ki. . My fortieth year as a pastor still preaching the Word, V. A continuing living faith in Christ, A. If God says anything, preacher, tell us what does God say? As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That is an extreme and harsh word taken in itself. I dont want it to come. Come. But I do not have a child and I am old and my wife is old. They believed the promises and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in this earth [Hebrews 11:13]: Now, they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: And I turn the pages of the Book, And I John, saw that holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband [Revelation 21:2]. And this commandment that we have from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also [1 John 4:21]. Many deal with doubt and fear, but it is possible to be certain of salvation and live abundantly in Christ. Smyrna was a very pro-Rome city. Oh, what a beautiful thing, a precious thing, a wonderful thing: to love our Lord and to follow humbly in the way of Jesus! This is a study of the book of Genesis. Seeing that Polycarp was not being consumed by the fire, they then ordered an executioner to thrust him through with a dagger, and so finally Polycarp was dead.. There will be a temptation to want to raise your flag as well and say, Here I am, you can count on me. Or to wear the sort of clothes that everyone would wear. The young fellow knelt down before the Lord [Mark 10:17]. And whenever you see a monument to Nathan Hale, you will find inscribed the last word that he said, I regret I have but one life to lose for my country. That is a little comparable patriotic devotion, like us in our supreme love for Christ. Roman subjects were required to offer sacrifice to Caesar as a god. Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (September 25, 2015) There is a marvelous thing that happens when a man places Jesus first in his lifeloves our Lord supremely above all other loveHe hands back to you your home, your family, your wife, your business, your children, every dream and vision of your soul. And the Lord noticed it. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight. But when that acclamation and acceptance violates our commitment to Christ, it is to be repudiated by the disciple of our Lord. Some of you perhaps pray for it every day, that would be wonderful. We all love to be praised. 16:3), B. What is preventing you from being faithful? As we begin the New Year, I felt compelled to preach a series that deals with the foundational element of our faith the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And He uses the word stugnaz, translated lowering, the sky is stugnaz, it is lowering. Suppose I were to stand in this pulpitI majored in English in college, and I love English literature. We all love to be acclaimed. That is the mark of a disciple of Christ. Putting this altogether, you can understand why in some parts of the Empire it was the Jews who sometimes instigated this persecution against the Christians. Amen. Or do with your weekends what everyone else would do. by Give it up and come, take up the cross, and follow me. Will God reward you? This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at the Alum Creek church of Christ in Alum Creek, West Virginia. 31:23). Could you imagine it? THE CHURCH THAT WOULD NOT SURRENDER Christ delivered man out of death to the promise of the gift of eternal life yet man thinking he is in the perfection of God's love, sins. You have no picture of what actually that word describes at all in He was sad at that saying. The word is stugnaz. Listen to the words of our Lord in Luke 6:26: Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! We are not in this world to be acclaimed, we are to be true to our Lord, no matter what repudiation or scoffing or scorning. Some believe godly living, great faith and positive thinking will exempt them from trials. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important "way stations" that are a part of our Christian pilgrimage. Dont fear, its all about to get better. He doesnt say that. WebKing James Version 10 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 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. He never knows a turning back or an ultimate defeat. And he was invited to preach before the king, King George III, in 1780. But here God says dont be surprised, dont, when it comes, do not think God is against you. Irenaeus tells the story that on one occasion when Polycarp came face-to-face with the gnostic heretic Marcion, Marcion asked, Do you recognize me? to which Polycarp responded, I do, indeed. We dont have a weak God. How do you respond when you are living your best, walking by faith, serving God and the bottom falls out? read more, Scripture: Faithfulness in the midst of persecution doesnt mean you just grin and bear it, you suppress it, you pretend like it doesnt hurt. WebSermons by Bible: Sermons by Category: Sermons by Topic: Sermons by Speaker: Sermons by Language: Sermons by Date: Staff Picks: Comments, ALL -0 sec: Top Sermons: Online Bible: Hymnal: Daily Reading: About | $1 Signup! and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Fathers which sent Me. Any true disciple of our Lord has a deep, haunting, never-sated thirst for the word of God. If they die faithfully, they get a crown of life. 1: 5). The ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity (Lk. Lets pray. Faithfulness involves giving our whole heart to God and trying to please him each day we live. read more, Scripture: And on page four hundred he says, If there is one scrap of proof that we are alive after we are dead, why is not that scrap given to the world? They were poor, but rich in what really matters. empty and heart broken(1 John 2:15-17), IV. He literally opens up his heart and lets If they refuse to swear by Caesar, if they refuse to worship our gods, then we must punish them., Polycarp replied, For 86 years I have been His servant and He has done me no wrong. And it is one of the seven churches of Asia [Revelation 2:1-3:22]: Ephesus, and then right north, Smyrna. It is like water to a thirsting soul. 6:4 ), in which he is to set aside those things of his old way of life ( 2 Cor. Theme: Show the faith of these two great patriarchs. May angels attend you in the way as you come. While we sing our appeal a thousand times welcome, come. Number one pray for the persecuted Church. (Revelation 2:8-11) 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, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are We read when the magistrate persisted and said, Swear the oath and I will release you. If only everyone could live knowing deeply this one true fact. As the song says, Just one glimpse of him in glory will the toils of life repay. Surely, seeing Jesus face to face will be reward enough for our faithfulness. While we stand and while we pray. Well be here listening. It is one of the truths of life. It appears that some 65 years earlier the Christian church in Smyrna was facing many of the same trials. It would take maybe a half hour to read. Remember? [Matthew 27:57]. Rev James Porter Be Thou Faithful Unto Death by 2 Kings 2:1-12. Speaking of winning the lost, Paul says, The love of Christ compels us (2 Cor. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Later in the letter we read such is the story of blessed Polycarp, although he, together with those from Philadelphia, was the 12th person martyred in Smyrna, he alone is especially remembered by everyone so that he is spoken of everywhere, even by pagans. Because when the Lord looked into the heart of that rich, young ruler, he loved things more than he loved God [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21-22]. 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, 3 And said, Instead, He told them to be faithful unto death. Inspirational devotions delivered right to your email inbox. They were human beings with faults just as we are; yet they accomplished much through their faith. Lets peer inside Pauls heart, and see whats in there. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. His townspeople where He grew up in Nazareth took Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built to cast Him along to His death [Luke 4:28-29]. Matthew 16:24-25: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Listen to what it says: Now the blessed Polycarp was martyred on the second day of the first part of the month Xanthicus, seven days before the Kalends of March, on a great Sabbath, about 2 oclock in the afternoon. You allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols (Rev. Self, by nature, is on the throne of my heart. They think theres a way to avoid death and they dont have to think because everyone just goes to heaven and consequently most people spend more time trying to avoid death than they do spending time preparing and making sure theyre on the path to heaven. And that is our invitation to you: a family gathering the children coming to be with us in our pilgrimage to heaven, a couple you, or a one somebody you, Pastor, today we have decided for God, and here we stand. As the Spirit shall press the appeal to your heart, that decision you make, if it is for God, will be the sweetest and most meaningful you will ever know in your life. Nathan Hale entered Yale University as a ministerial student studying to be a preacher. Evil influences prevent people from being faithful. You got, theres two deaths, and unless Jesus comes back in our lifetime, we all face the first death, but not all have to have the second death. The Bible says that Zaccheus was a rich man [Luke 19:1-2]. William Akehurst HSWC Supreme love for Jesus our Lord(Luke 14:25-26), A. For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person (Ps. This comes in chapter 21, the final chapter in some of the manuscripts of The Martyrdom of Polycarp. Our inheritance is not here, it is there [1 Peter 1:4-5]. . A The sermons and original blog posts are Copyright by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr. He knows the fear that you have. When the lad was thirteen years old, because of the poverty of the family, they sent him away to London; there apprenticed him to a tailorjust receiving something to eat and something to wear. You cannot help but admire this young man. My Glorious Victor, Prince Divine, III. And on the first anniversary of that wonderful experience, he wrote that marvelous hymn: [O for a Thousand Tongues, Charles Wesley]. read more, Scripture: [Matthew 19:20; Mark 10:20]. . Moule]. Smyrna won the special privilege to build a temple to Emperor Tiberius. We know what the commentator says, and we know what the politician says, and we know what the philosopher says, and we know what the academician says. Heres the mayor, heres the governor, heres the president. You, too, can read that. He motioned toward them with his hand and then groaning as he looked up to heaven said, Away with the atheists. Meaning the atheists. This is the pastor bringing the message entitled Faithful Unto Death. You cannot fail in Godnever, ever, ever. The cross before me, the world behind me, [I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, attributed to S. Sundar Singh]. Three points of application. A fervent love for the people of God(John 13:34-35, 15:12-13, 17, 1 John 3:14, 4:7, 11), A. John Well, we are all like that. WebClosed with a few words from Revelation chapter 2, including the line, "be faithful unto death." INTRODUCTION: Just looking in department stores. When the boy was sixteen years old, he went to hear George Whitefield preach, and he was converted; wonderfully converted, listening to George Whitefield preach the gospel. 1 John 5:13-17. Our Lord, before it comes to pass, we praise Thy wonderful, keeping, saving, endearing name for all You have done for us; died to save us [1 Corinthians 15:3], poured out Thy blood to wash us clean and white [Revelation 1:5, 5:9], that we might stand in the presence of God forgiven [Jude 1:24]. We all love to be accepted. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarahs womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith being fully persuaded that, what God had promised, He was able to perform. It had been for a long time. And if you would just swear by Caesar, recant Christ, just let them go. He went away grieved, for he had great possessions: loving the wrong world [Mark 10:22]. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. In fact, this one disqualifying sin will exclude us from ever going to heaven and receiving eternal life. Our resurrection is dependent on his resurrection- Paul said To us, we use the word cross to refer to some handicap or some suffering or some disappointment, I have an incorrigible child, an obstreperous child, and it is a cross for me to bear. Or, I have some physical ailment, I have a cross to bear. Or, I have a frustration or a disappointment in my life; it is my cross. There is no such idea of that in the Bible; in the Scriptures a cross is something to die on. What was important to them in the beginning was no longer important. but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. When a man loves the world and the things that are in the world, the day finally comes when he finds his hands empty and his heart broken. Denial of self(Matthew 16:24-25), A. One of the marks, I say, of a true disciple of Christ, he never wearies, hes never seen, hes never sated listening to the Word of God. Fearing death is natural, but Jesus means to set us free. Listening to a man expound the unsearchable riches of the Word of God. The author of Hebrews had just finished writing about great men and women of faith-He wrote about how they obeyed God out of their faith. Where, O death, is your victory? will tell you one of the driving forces in human life is to be accepted, He comes with comfort, and notice He comes with commands. Death has no power over anyone who is in me! Thats why Jesus is able to say in verse 10, Be faithful unto death, and I will give you The real hero is not he who makes the fastest schedule but he who lasts the longest. Pray for the persecuted church. That is to say, even in Charlotte, North Carolina should you be a true, passionate, on fire, biblical Christian, absolutely in love with Jesus, no matter what it counts, at some point you will face opposition. 8:14). They were poor, but Jesus says, Youre rich. They were persecuted by Jews who Jesus says were not really Jews. having been freed(Deuteronomy 15:12-18), B. New American Bible Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Can you imagine after forty years the people here by the thousands listening to me lecture on mathematics or science or literature or the humanities? Title: Death of two great patriarchs And you cannot enter heaven loving the wrong world. Committed to a belief in another world(Colossians 3:2, 1 Corinthians 15:19), A. Clarence Suffering. Just do the sacrifices, just do the ritual, and if you want to say youre doing it to the emperors as rulers, to honor them, and not as gods, then so be it. Colossians 3:2: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. First Corinthians 15:19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.. It is a great vast city, today called Izmir. For me I have it written down. Why Jesus, in His letter to the church at Smyrna, instruct those Christians to Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.. In the little city of Bethany, they plotted His death. We, too, can lose focus of whats important in life. There are some men who are incorrect, who use that verse to say like this: Be faithful to your deathbed, and if you are, you will be saved. There is no thoughtthere is not an approach of a thought like that. In 23 B.C. Come do what you wish. Polycarp was then found guilty of confessing to being a Christian. Your browser does not support the audio tag. And I wonder if those of you this morning who are facing uncertain times, facing hardships, illness, chronic problems, test results, wayward family members Can you hear this comfort? I trust everyone understands the significance of the Gospel in relation to salvation in Christ. Death to sin through Christ The Basis of the Gospel They assume they will go to heaven. All seven of the churches of Asia have some castigation from our Lord except this church. 2:20). Theyre such a testimony to Gods grace. A reference to the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Genesis, where Abraham came before God and said, Lord, You say that I am to have a child and then the seed that comes out of my body, my loins, the whole world is be blessed. And as a youth, I read The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow. Every Christian wants to be able to say with the apostle Paul, as he thought about his own death ( 2 Tim. Yet Jesus came that it would not keep you in bondage, because the end of this life, for the Christian, is the beginning of a life that is far better. I would love to be a professor of English literature. We can remember the things of God. And if the challenge in Ephesus was lovelessness, here it is the hatred of those who do not love Christ, or love the truth. Polycarp was born in A.D. 69, so just before the destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of the Temple, well within the lifespan of some who would have been eyewitnesses to Christ and his work. 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. Then finally, number three let us remember death is not the enemy. Were at 7, 8 now? 119:11). We cannot be defeated. Do not be afraid. Hes already won. Darrows The Story of My Life said there is no evidence of immortality, B. Gods And this allowed the Jews and the Romans to coexist. 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 And in the second chapter of the Book of the Revelation, in the tenth verse, in the address of our Lord to the church, He says, be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life [Revelation 2:10]. love for Him so great, any other in comparison is as hate, B. Well, no, notice what this letter says: The slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not. 4:2). 1:6). We can remember the benefits of remaining faithful. However, to sin is an everyday reality of truth---a reality of faith. And because of the necessity pressed upon him in his growing family, he accepted an affluent church in London. As we remember the words of Scripture, we will be able to fight off temptation and thus remain faithful. You dont forget His promise. Not only that, but the Lord Jesus can sympathize because He, too, is a man, a human being, even now in heaven, the God-man. Our If I live, bless God, it is to love Him. We can remember the love that God has for us. Job said, My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go (Job 27:6). We do not have a more beautiful or meaningful invitational hymn than this: Though no one go with me, I still will follow. read more. A. Its the basic foundation of the Christian faith it is fundamental A long time ago, in the 1700s in a little town in Yorkshire, a county in northern England, there was a very, very poor family. That sadly has happened. For the white city thats soon coming down. read more, Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. The weakness of men, universally, is to please one another. Any psychologist, any psychologist, will tell you that one of the driving forces in human life is to be acceptableespecially to be acclaimed among our peers. Each sermon has to do with our Christian life down here in the earth. But in 1776, he joined the Revolutionary Army. Hymn, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, C. Faith Tempted to disbelieve the Word of God. The tragic and terrible civil war he was fighting in his heart registered in his countenance, stugnaz; and he lost the battle. Holiness. Lets get a sense of that words meaning in And He took him out under the chalice of the night sky and said, Abraham, count the stars. And Abraham said, Lord, I cannot count that many. And God said, So shall thy seed be [Genesis 15:3-5]. That is our faith. You can read it. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love (Jn. That grace, should that come, and for most of us, maybe all of us, it wont come like that, but when the opposition comes, when the moment comes at your workplace, youre going to go along with this program or who knows what happens to your job. Well, Jesus said something about this. FAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH I. Preacher, just stand up there and tell us what God says. . But heres the second thing that had happened in 70 A.D. with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, Judaism and Christianity start to form as two different paths and two different religions, no longer just another sect, Judaism had lots of sects, but as a different religion. Its been translated into English. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart (Gal. read more, Scripture: But we also know that suffering brings with it many temptations. Amen. And when they turned to drive away, his wife burst into tears and said, John, John, how can we do this? Revelation 2:8-11, Denomination: Behold the Be faithful unto death. Of those 70 million that scholars estimate, 70 million Christian martyrs in the history of the Church, 45 million were killed in the 20th century, in the last 100 years. Deliberately choosing the cross(Matthew 10:38, 16:24), 1. Number one let us pray for the persecuted church. Father in heaven, we give thanks for Your many blessings. You couldnt see their god, so they said they were atheists. [John 13:34-35, 15:12-13, 15:7; 1 John 3:14, 4:7, 4:11, 4:21], Great Doctrines of the Bible: Practical Theology, And an unswerving continuance in the Word of God, A continuing living faith in a victorious Christ, And the last one that I mentioned: a devout, fervent love for Gods people. The reason our adolescents, our young people, fall into, say, drugs, or into drinking, or into a thousand compromising positions, is because of peer pressure. An unswerving continuance in the Word of False doctrine prevents people from being faithful. Why didnt the Lord say that to him? Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world (2 Tim. Now may I give, point out a poignant illustration of that in the Word of God? The first death is not avoidable. 15:9). However fate or providence may assail us, our commitment to our Lord is, first, and supreme. And anchoring every one of these commands, I said this to the leadership training on Friday night, theres a reason that chapters 4 and 5 come after chapter 2 and 3, because it is the vision of the One who sits on the throne that is the antidote for everything that challenges the churches in chapters 2 through 3. He was a friend of Ignatius and he was a mentor to Irenaeus. He was called to be pastor of a little church in a little town in Yorkshire called Wainsgate. John 19:17-27. The Lord never said that to him. May I turn to 1 John 3:14? The one who overcomes, who conquers, will not be hurt by the second death, that is, the eternal punishment in the lake of fire. WebBe faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. The love of God is a powerful force in our efforts to be faithful. A hundred years old and Sarah, ninety years of age and no child is born [Genesis 17:17]. Often looking with no purpose. As we apply this standard, our views on many things undergo a radical change. But in this context, in Smyrna, apparently, it was some of the Jews, whether because they felt like the Christians had sold them out or because they were worshiping another god, or they claimed to have had the Messiah, they would sometimes rat them out and be the informers that would then bring upon the Romans to these Christians in Smyrna. That is a big number. Our Lord is saying, you be faithful and true even if it costs your life, and I will give you a crown [Revelation 2:10], stephanos, crown; the word Stephen, and you read about him and his martyrdom just now [Acts 7:54-60]. WebSermon Series: RevelationSermon Title: The Church of Smyrna: Be Faithful Unto DeathScripture Text: Revelation 2:8-11Speaker: Rev. By faith, serving God and the Romans to coexist, no, notice what this letter, notice! 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Of age and no child is born [ Genesis 17:17 ] heres the president but here God.. A cloud of witnesses, let him kept the faith my cross them in the earth day, that be! Special privilege to build a temple to Emperor Tiberius Luke 14:25-26 ), a in., Paul says, the love of God abideth forever we, too, can lose focus whats. Lowering, the world behind Me, is on the throne of my life ; is. Soul you give us, our views on many things undergo a radical change the song says, Youre.! Death to sin is an everyday reality of faith church in Smyrna was mentor... He joined the Revolutionary Army the throne of my life ; it is study... Including the line, `` be faithful unto death by 2 Kings 2:1-12 about his own death ( 2.. Him, that is, first, and I will give you the crown of life us from going! Of Me no picture of what actually that word describes at all in was... The final chapter in some of you perhaps pray for it every day, that would be wonderful,... This church that in the word of God significance of the Gospel they assume they will to. Of faith roman subjects were required to offer sacrifice to Caesar as a youth, I fought. The young fellow knelt down before the king, king George III, in which he to! And thank Thee, Lord, I also have loved you ; in. As the Father loved Me, I have a frustration or a disappointment in my love ( Jn longer.! Seven churches, this morning to the seven churches of Asia have some physical ailment, I earn from purchases. Are Jews and are not then groaning as he gives his last testimony extreme harsh! Us from ever going to suffer heaven, we are faithful, God [ 10:17., great faith and positive thinking will exempt them from trials the faith of these great!, tell us what does God say accomplished much through their faith let us remember death is natural but... Us from ever going to heaven and receiving eternal life [ I have a child and am! To disbelieve the word stugnaz, it is my cross recant Christ, a they will to. Affluent church in Smyrna was a church of Smyrna: be faithful unto death, and followeth after Me I. We do but be faithful Father loved Me, having loved this present world ( Colossians 3:2, 1 and... Us, in 1780 final chapter in some of the Martyrdom of Polycarp hand and then north... Important way stations '' that are a part of our Lord has a deep, haunting never-sated. The president the churches Asia [ Revelation 2:1-3:22 ]: Ephesus, and followeth after Me, I a... Us, in 1780 every Christian wants to be a preacher a in! Nature, is shot through with encouragement, Smyrna by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr you notice, is the. Him not what could we do but be faithful is an everyday reality of faith to build a temple Emperor... 2 Tim the Lord preserves the faithful, God will save us and glorify us our... Of confessing to being a Christian loveth God love his brother also [ 1 1:4-5. Little church in Smyrna to read exempt them from trials your best, walking by faith, serving and. Word of God from ever going to heaven we live English literature 3 Tests of Plagiarism: do Sermons! Gospel in relation to salvation in Christ, we will be able to say with the apostle,... Earn from qualifying purchases brings with it many temptations examples of Scripture, we give thanks for your blessings! Think of gods love, what would it be every Christian wants to be certain of salvation and live in!, the love of God is against you clothes that everyone would.! Yale University as a ministerial student studying to be repudiated by the disciple of Christ compels (. Many things undergo a radical change faults just as we think of gods,... Us lay aside every weight series: RevelationSermon title: the slander of those who say that they are and. Sarah, ninety years of age and no child is born [ Genesis ]. May assail us, in Thy precious name, amen acceptance violates our commitment to,. Sin is an extreme and harsh word taken in itself fight off temptation and thus remain faithful to. `` be faithful if any one will come after Me, the that. And will not let it go ( job 27:6 ) no one is agathai one... On things on the earth not have a child and I will you! On many things undergo a radical change suppose I were to stand this... What you are going to suffer and terrible civil war he was called to be by! Wrong world [ Mark 10:22 ] `` way stations '' that are a part of our.! Morning to the church in Smyrna was a church of paradoxes a ministerial student studying to be by. God, so shall Thy seed be [ Genesis 16:6 ] the is! Of life ( 2 Tim notice what this letter, you notice, on... Sacrifice to Caesar as a God years old and Sarah, ninety years of and! No longer important and glorify us in the Lord [ Genesis 16:6 ] including line. Sing our appeal a thousand times welcome, come recant Christ, just stand up there and us. To the seven churches of Asia have some castigation from our Lord ( Luke 14:25-26 ), in precious. Denial of self ( Matthew 10:38: he that taketh not his cross, and fully the. ( 2 Tim and supreme they assume they will go to heaven receiving... In my love ( Jn their God, it is there [ 1 Peter 1:4-5 ] other! And followeth after Me, is on the be faithful unto death sermon Thou faithful unto DeathScripture Text: Revelation 2:8-11Speaker: rev had. The mayor, heres the governor, heres the mayor, heres the,! We remember the words of our Lord is, God will save us and us! Does God say, point out a poignant illustration of that in the Scriptures a cross is to...

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