Bless the Lord, O My Soul | A Sermon on Psalm 103:1-5

Introduction
My daughter, Abigail, always says Thanksgiving is here favorite holiday.  The others—especially Christmas, she says—have so much buildup and hype and commercialism.  But then they fail to deliver all they’ve overpromised.  But Thanksgiving is simple:  food, family, and giving thanks.  Abigail has always been wise beyond her years.

As we lead up to Thanksgiving, I want to spend a few weeks considering what it means to give thanks. How can we live a life of gratitude, so that thanks is part of our daily life, not just one day a year?

Gratitude begins when we take time to remember the goodness of God and bless Him for all His benefits. Forgetfulness leads to grumbling; remembrance leads to praise.

Psalm 103:1-5
¹ Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
² Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
³ He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
⁴ He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
⁵ He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

Tuning Your Soul to God
Psalm 103 is attributed to David.  Now David was king of Israel, but it was a long road to get there.  Remember, David started out as the youngest of a set of brothers.  And when the prophet Samuel came to inspect Jesse's sons to see which one of them would be the next king of Israel, David wasn't even invited to the party.  He was left out in the field to watch the sheep.  Even his own family didn't respect him.

And after David defeated the giant, Goliath, and won battles on behalf of King Saul, Saul was jealous.  David ended up unjustly accused of treason and chased all around the land with Saul trying to kill him.  He slept in caves, suffered deprivation, and had his reputation questioned.  But through it all, David reminded his soul to praise the Lord and not forget all the good things.  That's how David lived his whole life and it kept him so in tune with God that the Scripture says David was a man after God's own heart.  

We must tune our souls to God through gratitude.  Do you remember the old radio with the analogue dial tuners?  You would tune it to a station, but you couldn't just go by the number on the dial.  That would get you close, but you had to listen until the static faded and the signal became clear.  

Gratitude is how we tune in our soul to God.  Remind your soul to give thanks to God.

Beware of Spiritual Amnesia
We all suffer from spiritual amnesia.  Forgetfulness is one of humanity’s spiritual diseases.  The Israelites constantly forgot God’s deliverance.  Even after he miraculously parted the Red Sea so they could escape the Egyptian army on dry ground, and God fed them with mana from heaven and quenched their thirst in the desert with water from a rock, the Israelites stilled complained.  They forgot so quickly.

And it wasn't just in the Old Testament.  Even the 12 Disciples who walked with Jesus in the New Testament and saw His miracles, constantly forgot, doubted, worried, and were afraid.

We forget too.  So we have to make ourselves remember what God has done.  Make a habit of remembering and giving thanks. Some practical things you can do to help:

• Keep a gratitude journal - write down things for which you are thankful throughout your day.  Then go back and read it from time to time--especially when you are feeling down or overwhelmed by your problems.
• Share testimonies - tell people about the good things God has done for you.
• Tell your children or grandchildren what God has done for you.  If you don't have children, share it with other young people in your life.  It will encourage them and you.
• Share daily gratitude post on social media.  A lot of people have been doing this during the month of November, leading up to Thanksgiving.  It is a wonderful, useful, uplifting habit.

Throughout Psalm 103, David lists so many of the things God has done.  We read the beginning of His list in verses 3-5 and these are all things for which we can be thankful too. 

We can be thankful God forgives all our sins.
Remember, you do not deserve God’s mercy. You do not deserve good things. You are a sinner.  You turned away from God and rejected His rightful authority over your life.  You didn't care that He made you for a purpose.  You chose to chase after your own desires.  Some may have even done specific things they know they shouldn't do.  But God, through Christ, has mercy and forgives all our sins.  Be thankful. 

He heals all our diseases.
All healing—whether physical, emotional, of spiritual—comes from God.  We often pray for physical healing.  And often it comes.  Do not forget or take for granted every healing that comes from God--even the small moments of healing.  

Sometimes healing does not come in the way we expect.  But we can still be thankful.  Because, if we are in Christ, God is still working to heal us--even if it doesn't come until the next life.  Keep in mind that all physical healing in this life is only temporary.  Even if you are healed from some terrible disease (like cancer) today, your body will still eventually wear out and die.  So our ultimate hope is in the ultimate healing that comes when we rise from death.  Then our bodies will be made completely whole.  And so, we can be thankful...

He redeem us from death.
Ultimate healing comes when we die and are resurrected with Christ.  Through Christ, we have eternal life with God forever.  And there will be no more sin or sickness or suffering or death (Revelation 21).  So no matter what happens to us or those we love, we can be thankful because Jesus conquered death.  We are victorious when we trust in Christ.  Even death can be cause for thanksgiving for Christians who trust in Jesus Christ.

He crowns us with love and tender mercies.
Though we were sinners, rebels, betrayers, failures, God puts a crown on our heads and calls us His royal sons and daughters.  He loves us like He loves His own Son, Jesus.  He rewards us as though we had followed Him faithfully.  What incredible tender mercies! "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."  (Romans 5:8) Praise be to God!  

He fills our lives with good things.
Each of us have so many good things in our lives to be thankful for.  We often forget, because we focus on our struggles instead of our blessings.  We may say, “Why do so many ‘bad things’ happening to me?”  We ought, instead, to ask, “Why does God allow anything good to happen to me at all? Sinful wretch that I am!”

But God fills our lives with so many good things!  Let us train ourselves to be thankful.  For in doing so, we tune our hearts to the Lord’s.

Psalm 103:1-2
¹ Let all that we are praise the Lord; with our whole hearts, we will praise His holy name.
² Let all that we are praise the Lord; may we never forget the good things He does for us.

Building a Life of Gratitude
As we head toward Thanksgiving, it’s easy to think of gratitude as a moment—just a day on the calendar with turkey and family and a quick prayer before the meal.  But Psalm 103 reminds us that gratitude is not a moment; it’s a lifestyle.

When David said, “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” he wasn’t waiting for everything in life to be perfect. He was training his heart to remember that, no matter what happens, God is still good.

Gratitude isn’t automatic—it’s a spiritual discipline. It takes practice.
But when we practice gratitude, amazing things happens:

• The things that once weighed us become lighter
• The noise of worry fades
• And the voice of God becomes clear again.

That’s why Thanksgiving shouldn’t just be a holiday—it should be a holy habit.  A life of gratitude is a life that stays tuned to God.

So this week—and in the weeks ahead—let’s do more than count our blessings.  Let’s build our lives around them.  I challenge your to think how you could practice gratitude.  Perhaps you could:

• Begin every day with a simple prayer: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”
• When you feel overwhelmed, stop and remember one good thing God has done.
• Maybe you want to keep a list or journal of all the things you are thankful for each day.
• Before you fall asleep, whisper a thank-you for His mercy that met you again today.

If we train our hearts to remember—then every day can become a day of thanksgiving.

Closing Prayer
Lord, You have filled our lives with good things—
forgiveness, healing, redemption, love, and mercy.
Teach us to remember.
Teach us to bless Your name not only when life feels full,
but when it feels empty.
Let gratitude shape our words, our homes, and our worship,
so that this Thanksgiving and every day after,
we might live as people whose souls continually say:
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Amen.

 

Called out of Darkness | A Sermon on 1 Peter 2:9-10

Introduction
I’m starting a new series as we lead up to Homecoming on All-Saints Sunday.  What does it mean to live as saints in a troubled world.  And our first sermon is “Called Out of Darkness”. 

We are the Church, God’s chosen and holy people, called from darkness into light.  And today, I want to encourage you to embrace your unique identity as God’s people and to live differently from the world.

1 Peter 2:9-10
⁹ But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,^[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people;
    now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
    now you have received God’s mercy.”^[b]

“But You are Not Like That…”
I want to dive right into the meat of this Scripture, but I must first address this initial clause.  Peter says, “But you are not like that…”  Originally, Peter was talking directly to Christians scattered across Asia Minor who were facing social marginalization and suffering for their faith.  But today, he’s talking directly to us.  And he says, “But you are not like that…” 

Not like what?

If you look back a few verses you find the answer.  You are not like the people of Israel who rejected Jesus. Israel was called to be a Holy Nation of Priests.  They had the honor of hosting the Holy Temple in Jerusalem where people from all over the world could come and worship God.  But they never lived up to their calling.  And when God’s own Son came to them, they rejected Him.  And verse 8 says:  “So they meet the fate that was planned for them.”  And verse 9, speaking to everyone who accepts Jesus as their Lord, says: “But you are not like that…”  So what are we like?

Who Are We in Christ?
“…you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.”  These were the words originally used for Israel in the Old Testament.  But now they apply to the followers of Christ.  Christians don’t replace Israel.  We are the fulfillment of what Israel was always meant to be.  We are chosen by God.  We are royal priests.  We are a holy nation.  We are God’s people.  Let that sink in…

What an honor!  What a privilege!  What a blessing!
But don’t forget that as God’s Chosen People, we have a great responsibility.

Set Apart for Holiness
“You are royal priests, a holy nation…”
Priests are set apart for the special purpose of representing God to the people.  In ancient times, priests stood out as holy.  Special clothes that mark them as different from ordinary people.  Special rituals sanctified them.  And they were known to have special access to God.  People would come to them when they needed healing or forgiveness or a word from God.  They came to the priest for help because they believed the priest were closer to God and had a special connection with Him.  The priest could go to God on behalf of the person in need and interceded for them and God was more likely to listen.

Today, people will often joke that I (as a pastor), have a direct line to God in a similar way.  But according to what the New Testament says, we all do!  I'm no closer to God than you.  You can go boldly before Him and present your prayers and He will listen.  The Holy Spirit lives inside you and intercedes for you in groanings too deep for words.  God hears you and listens!

We are all set apart to serve as God’s royal priests!  We who follow Christ are holier than the Jewish High Priest of the Old Testament!  It's incredible!    

And you are supposed to stand out as different, not b/c you wear fancy clothes or do certain rituals like in the Old Testament.  You stand out because:

• Christ lives in you
• You’re leaving behind the darkness of ignorance, sin, and despair
• You’re walking in the light of salvation, truth, joy, hope.
• You proclaim God’s goodness, mercy, and salvation in word and deed.

Christ Lives in You
When you repent of your sin and decide to follow Jesus, Christ comes to live inside you as the Holy Spirit.  In the Old Testament, the Temple represented God’s dwelling place on earth.  But now, because of Christ, the New Testament  says we are His Temple.  
1 Peter 2:5 – “you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.”
2 Corinthians 6:16 – “ For we are the temple of the living God.”

Have you ever heard of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem? It’s a very special place. The Temple in Jerusalem isn’t there anymore—it was torn down in 70 AD. The only part that remains is the western wall of the Temple.

For centuries, people—both Jewish and Christian—have made pilgrimages to the Western Wall. They write out their prayers on little slips of paper, roll them up, and tuck them into the cracks of the stones. It’s a sacred act in a sacred place, because this is where the Temple once stood—the very Temple we read about in the Bible. I’ve been there myself. I wrote a prayer and placed it in the wall. If you’re standing at the Western Wall, that’s what you do.

But let me tell you something amazing: that wall is not where God dwells. God is everywhere, of course, but that place is no more sacred than any other. The true dwelling place of God is not in the stones of Jerusalem—it’s in you.  There is no holier ground than the presence of the Holy Spirit living inside you right now. Christ lives in us—that’s what makes us different. That’s what sets us apart.

Turn on the Light
Secondly, we need to we need to live in the light.  We need to come out of the darkness.  We stand out when we come out of the darkness.  

This morning I woke up early. I wake up early almost every day, but especially on Sundays. Today I was up a little before 4:00. Now, I don’t mind getting up early—but my wife does. She values her rest, and I want her to have it. So when I get up, I move quietly and I don’t turn on the lights.

Our bathroom is on the opposite side of the bed, so I have to carefully make my way around in the dark. After living in our house for 15 years, I know the layout, but still—you never know what might be on the floor. So I walk slowly, carefully, feeling my way until I close the bathroom door. Then I turn on the light so I don’t disturb her—because I love her, and because, frankly, she’s a lot nicer when she’s slept well!

But it’s hard to walk in the dark, isn’t it? Even when you know where you’re going, you have to move cautiously. And sometimes, as Christians, we try to live our lives like that—as if we’re walking in the dark. Yet Scripture says: “God has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

When Kelly is away visiting her mom, I don’t have to tiptoe around in the dark. I can flip on the light and move quickly, freely. I can see where I’m going. Life is so much easier in the light.

That’s what God wants for us. Life is better, freer, and safer when we walk in the light of Christ. So let me challenge you: where in your life are you still walking in darkness? Where do you need to turn on the light—stop conforming to the world, and instead live in God’s light as His holy people?

As Christians, we need to turn on the light!  We are called out of darkness into God’s wonderful light.  I challenge you to examine areas where you are conforming to the world instead of living in the Light as God’s holy people.

Darkness can represent many things in our lives.  First, darkness can represent ignorance.
As people of the light, we are called to be informed. That means studying God’s Word, seeking to understand it, and asking Him to make us aware of what we don’t yet see. Often we simply “don’t know what we don’t know.” So our prayer becomes: “Lord, show me what I need to know. Make me conscious. Help me be intentional as I follow You.”

Second, darkness can represent sin.
As God’s people of light, we must leave behind sinful behavior—the things we already know are wrong. That means repenting and turning away from them. But it also means asking God to shine His light on the areas we can’t yet see. “Lord, show me the hidden sins, the blind spots, the places I need to change. Bring me out of the darkness and into Your light.”

Finally, darkness can represent despair.
The world constantly tells us reasons to be fearful, anxious, angry, or hopeless. But as people of the light, we are called to lay down despair and embrace hope. No matter how bad things look, we know that Christ has already overcome the brokenness of this world. In Him we have eternal hope. We don’t have to live in despair anymore—we can step out of the darkness and walk in the light.

Living As Royal Priests
Our identity is not just about what God has done for us, but what we are to do for Him.  We are His royal priests who represent God to the world.  Let me ask you some questions:

When was the last time you reminded someone that they are loved and valued by the Lord?

When was the last time you stood in the gap for someone who was far from God?

When was the last time you brought someone else’s needs before God in prayer as a priest would?

When was the last time you prayed with someone?

When was the last time you carried God’s presence into a place of darkness or despair?

When was the last time you served someone in a way that revealed God’s love?

When was the last time you lived in such a way that someone asked about your faith?

When was the last time you told your story of how God changed your life?

Closing
Our closing song today isn’t just a fun song.  It’s a closing reminder to all of us.  Listen to the words of the chorus:
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us

We are God’s royal priests, a holy nation.  We are the Temple of the Living God. He lives in us.
This is an incredible honor and privilege.  But it’s also a responsibility.  We are called to serve,
to represent God to the world.  To be His powerful agents of grace—calling the world repent, inviting more and more people in God’s Kingdom and ushering His Kingdom into our world.

We have the power to do it, because the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in us.
But are we willing to live as God’s royal priests?

What is Forgiveness? | A Sermon on Matthew 8:21-35

Introduction

You know, I like to plan ahead on my messages. If you read David's article in the newsletter, he shared how I usually plan months ahead for what I’m going to preach on each Sunday. That way, he can plan the songs to go along with it. But every now and then, the Lord just grabs me and says, "I need you to change what you were planning." That’s what He did today, based on the Bible study we had on Thursday. We were talking about forgiveness, and the Lord said, "You need to preach on forgiveness today." And so, that’s what we’re going to do.

Forgiveness is a key, central theme in the Christian faith. It’s not optional. It’s one of those core things. It’s as central to our faith as the cross we adorn our churches with and often wear as necklaces. In fact, the cross should remind us every time we look at it that forgiveness is central to our faith.

Unfortunately, because it is so central—and because we talk about it so often—I think most people, even longtime, faithful Christians, often misunderstand what forgiveness truly is. So today, the Holy Spirit is urging me to preach on forgiveness. And I ask ahead of time for your forgiveness if this message goes a little long. This is what the Lord has given me to say, and we’ll also celebrate Holy Communion afterward.

Matthew 18:21-35
²¹ Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone^[a] who sins against me? Seven times?”

²² “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!^[b]

²³ “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. ²⁴ In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.^[c] 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

²⁶ “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ ²⁷ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

²⁸ “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars.^[d] He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. ³⁰ But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

³¹ “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. ³² Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

³⁵ “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters^[e] from your heart.”

The Meaning of Christ’s Parable
Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive. Rabbis taught three times. Peter thought he was being generous by suggesting seven. Jesus responded with seventy-seven or seventy times seven—meaning endlessly.

In the parable, Jesus was teaching about us and God. We are the servants who cannot repay our debt to God. Yet God forgives us completely. And He calls us to do the same for others.

Whenever I’ve preached on this topic over the past 25 years, it gets the most feedback and the most resistance. People struggle with it deeply. They ask, "You mean to tell me I have to forgive my ex-wife? My abusive father? The person who assaulted me?"

I understand. It’s a hard word. But it’s a true word. And it’s central to our faith.

What is Forgiveness?

True forgiveness is releasing resentment and the desire for revenge. It’s choosing to offer grace and let go of the offense.

Here’s the key point: Forgiveness is something you do for your own benefit, not the person you’re forgiving.

People often get hung up here. They think forgiving someone is a gift to the offender. But it’s not. It’s a gift to yourself. It sets you free.

Jesus used a financial example to help us understand. Imagine someone owes you a trillion dollars. There’s no way they can repay it. You can hold onto the debt and let it eat you up, or you can release it. Forgiveness frees you.

Of course, most debts we carry aren’t financial. They are personal. Unfaithfulness. Betrayal. Violence. Abuse. Murder.

You may be wondering, "How could I ever forgive what was done to me?"

Remember, forgiveness doesn’t release the offender—it releases you. They cannot repay you. Nothing they do can restore what was lost. Holding onto the grudge only continues the pain.

Holding onto unforgiveness is like drinking poison every day and expecting it to kill the other person. It only poisons you.

Jesus offers the solution so you can heal: You must forgive.

 

Misunderstandings About Forgiveness

1. Forgiveness doesn’t mean the offender escapes justice. If someone commits a crime, justice must be served. Forgiveness doesn’t erase consequences. But vengeance belongs to the Lord (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19).

2. Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. The Bible never tells us to "forgive and forget." Only God says, "I will remember their sins no more" (Heb. 8:12). We may still need to remember for the sake of wisdom and protection.

3. Forgiveness doesn’t require an apology. You can forgive someone even if they never say they’re sorry. Forgiveness is what you do—it doesn’t depend on them.

4. Forgiveness isn’t the same as reconciliation. You don’t have to become friends with the person. Reconciliation requires more: repentance, apology, changed behavior, and a mutual desire to restore the relationship.

Reconciliation Requires
Much has to happen in order to truly reconcile and restore a relationship.  Such as:

1.     Repentance – The wrongdoer acknowledges the harm and turns from it.

2.     Confession – Honest admission of the wrongdoing.

3.     Forgiveness – The offended person releases bitterness and offers grace.

4.     Apology – A sincere expression of regret.

5.     Restitution (if possible) – Making things right where harm was done.

6.     Changed behavior – Evidence of growth or a desire not to repeat the offense.

7.     Mutual desire to restore the relationship – Both parties willing to move forward.

8.     Time and patience – Trust may need to be rebuilt gradually.

So, you can forgive someone—release your resentment and expectation of offender restoring you—without being reconciled and becoming best buds with your offender. 

Forgiveness is Hard

This isn’t just theory. Forgiveness is hard. I’ve lived it.

Many of you know I didn’t have a good father. He was abusive and abandoned our family. As a child, I hated him. Over time, I stopped hating him—but the Lord called me to do more. He said, "You must forgive him."

That process began when I was 20. My father died a few years ago. By God’s grace, I was able to forgive him and even reconcile to some degree. I preached at his funeral, by his invitation.

So when I say forgiveness is central to our faith, I speak from experience. It’s not optional. It’s real. It’s hard. But it’s necessary.

Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer and say, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," we’re engaging with this truth.

Every time we look at the cross, we’re reminded of how serious sin is—and how deep God’s forgiveness goes. Jesus was crucified for our sins. And as He hung on the cross, He said, "Father, forgive them."

Let us live in that forgiveness. And let us extend it to others.

 

Smyrna - Faithful Through Suffering | A Sermon on Revelation 2:8-11

Is it real or is it cake?
We're going to start off with a game today—because, well, I just think it'll be fun.

In the following pictures several different item, some items are real and some are made of cake?  Can you tell which is real and which is cake?

Which apples are real and which are cake?

Which oranges are real and which are cake?

Which shoe is real and which is cake?

And now I'll show you the answers:

Introduction
The cake picture game ties right in with the sermon. Revelation, the book we’re studying, is a divine vision that helps us see that things in this world are not always what they seem.

Sometimes you think something’s real—but it’s cake. And sometimes you think it’s fake—but it’s real.

We can’t always believe everything we see, hear, or are told. There's more going on beneath the surface.

Even when it comes to the news, there’s always bias—on both sides. Everyone has a point of view. We try to be objective, but there’s always a lens through which we see things.

Scripture tells us that we don’t wrestle with flesh and blood alone—we’re in the middle of spiritual warfare. Revelation pulls back the curtain to show what’s really going on. What we see with our eyes isn’t the full story.

Revelation was given to the apostle John around A.D. 95–96 to encourage Christians facing severe persecution under Emperor Domitian.  These believers were suffering terribly, and Jesus was saying: There’s more going on here than what you see. Don’t give up hope. God is doing something big—something eternal.

In Revelation 1:19, Jesus says, “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.”

So, this vision includes current events (for them), as well as future ones. And when we say “future,” we need to remember: that just means anything after A.D. 95—some of which may have already happened long ago from our perspective.

Of course, Revelation also includes things yet to come. But the danger is thinking it’s all about us or about the end times. It’s not just a code to crack. It’s a message for all God’s people through all time.

Let’s read Revelation 2:8–11, the message to the church in Smyrna.

Revelation 2:8-11
⁸ “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Smyrna. This is the message from the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive:

⁹ “I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. ¹⁰ Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.

¹¹ “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.

This is the Message from the One
The people of Smyrna were suffering. The Christians in Smyrna were suffering. They needed hope so that they could endure. And Jesus reminds us, he he starts to offer them hope by reminding them who he is. 

This is what he says. He says, "This is the message from the one who is the first and the last. The one who was dead but now alive." And so He's reminding them in a subtle way, Jesus is the first and the last. 

They are suffering. It is real suffering. But He wants them to think of this in the context of eternity. What they are suffering is happening right now. But this is in within the context of eternity. 

Jesus also suffered. Remember, it was an awful suffering that He had to go through in the passion. Being tortured, being betrayed, being crucified, awful torture. It was the worst form of torture and pain you could inflict upon the human body to be nailed to a wooden cross until you die. Jesus experienced that suffering. 

And yet, Jesus was the first and the last. In other words, Jesus existed before time and he will always exist. That's a mind blowing expanse of time to think of. And yet in this one moment he experienced suffering. That doesn't take away the fact that He suffered, but it puts it in a broader scheme, a broader scale.  

These people in Smyrna were suffering. But Jesus is saying this is upon a grand scale that you can't even comprehend.  And there's going to be a time 10 billion years from now after you've been in glory in eternity for 10 billions of 10 billions of 10 billions of years. This moment of suffering is going to be forgotten.  It's not going to seem as bad. 

And Jesus also says He is the one who was dead but now is alive. And this is another reminder. Jesus went through suffering.  He even died and yet he is now alive. And this is an important thing to remind the people in Smyrna because some of them may die in the suffering but they are going if they follow Jesus just as He is alive they also are going to be alive again. we realize.

I know about your suffering and your poverty—but you are rich!
He says, "I know about your suffering and your poverty, but you are rich."  Again, this is part of how Revelation turns everything upside down. Because because when they looked at their situation, the church in Smyrna was suffering. They were being persecuted and they were poor. 

Their poverty wasn't their fault. It's not like they made a bad decision and invested in the wrong stock or the economy went south and they lost all their money. They were poor because of persecution.

So here's the situation in Smyrna in the first century.  There was not such a great distinction between Jewish people and Christian people as there is today.  In the first century most Christians were Jewish people who believed that Jesus was the Messiah.  And so Jewish people and Christian people were in the same community and they worshiped together and they worked together. They did business with one another. 

But many of the Jewish people began to resent Christian people and thought they were heretics because they believed in Jesus Christ.  And it wasn't just a theological dispute. They actually thought, "We can turn them into the Roman authorities and say that they are not legitimate Jewish people, but they're heretics, that they're atheists, that they don't believe in the Roman gods, and that they're doing all kinds of bad things."  And they would turn Christians in and the Roman government would take Christian's property, take their businesses, take their money, and oftentimes the authorities would give some of it to their Jewish neighbors. This was a great betrayal that was happening. So Christians in Smyrna weren't poor because they'd made bad decisions. They were poor because they were persecuted.  People they formerly thought of as friends and neighbors were persecuting them. And yet Jesus says, "You you are suffering and are impoverished, but actually you are rich."  He turns it all upside down. 

How can this be? How can they are rich when they have no money, and their homes have been taken from them and nobody will do business with them anymore because they are Christians?

Remember what Jesus said.  He said, "Don't store up treasures on earth where rust corrupts it and moths eat it and where thieves break in and steal it.  Don't store up treasures on earth. Store up treasures in heaven where neither rust nor moth nor thieves can destroy it. Where your treasure is, there your heart  will be also." 

And so what Jesus is saying here is that because they have suffered for the sake of God's kingdom and for Jesus Christ, they have made their bank accounts on earth may be empty but a their bank accounts in heaven are busting at the seams. Their suffering on earth is creating great deposits in heaven.

A lot of people would say, "Well, so what? There's still suffering on earth."  But the idea within the Christian faith is we need to be focused on eternity and not on just what's happening right now. Because Jesus is the beginning and the end. And eternity spans from before time began till after time ends. It goes on forever. And the suffering that we experience in this life or the wealth that we experience in this life or the poverty, it lasts but an instantand then it is gone. But what remains for us in eternity is forever.

There are Christians in our world who are poor now whom we look at and feel pity for but in eternity  they will be the richest people we know and that will last forever. There are many Christians who seem so wealthy now, who will be impoverished for eternity because they focused on what happena in this little tiny span of time we call life and didn't focus on eternity.

We need to be sure that we are investing in our heavenly wealth and less focused on our earthly wealth. And I want to point out that the poverty that Jesus is talking about here is not poverty that comes from making poor financial decisions, right?  Because we spent our money on things and didn't manage it well in this life.  That's not what he's talking about. He's talking about people who are poor because they've suffered persecution.

The Synagogue of Satan
Verse 9b – “ I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan.”

Again Jesus is saying what you see is not all that there is.  There were many people living alongside these Christians who said that they were God's people. "We are God's people because we follow the Bible. We go to synagogue every Sunday. We worship God."

Yet their actions actually opposed Jesus Christ.  They were not God's people. They were actually Satan's people because they were opposing Jesus, opposing God's plan of salvation, opposing people who were trying to turn back to God through Jesus Christ.

There were many people in the world today who claim to be religious and outwardly look religious, but they were not.  Today in our world just because someone goes to church or says they are Christian doesn't mean they are a true follower of Christ.  Everything is not necessarily as it appears. We have to ask the question: Do they really follow Jesus?  Do these people who claim to be religious truly follow Jesus live the way He calls us to live?  Do they sacrifice the way He calls us to sacrifice?  

Many who claim to be a follower of Christ actually oppose Christ and His Kingdom by their actions.

“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer.” Why Not?
Jesus told Christians in Smyrna not to be afraid of what they are about to suffer. What He said to them applies to us too.  We need not be afraid of suffering.  And here’s why.

First, Jesus Has Already Overcome Suffering and Death
Remember who Jesus is – He is the one who “was dead and now is alive forever.”  We will live forever too if we follow Him. If we are faithful to Him in a kingdom where there is no more suffering and no more death.  So we don't need to fear suffering because Jesus has already overcome it.  Have faith!

Second, Jesus Is With Us During Our Suffering
We don't go through it alone. Remember Jesus is the one who walks among the lampstands (Rev. 2:1). In other words, He is walking among us. He is with us as we suffer and He holds the leaders of the church in his right hand.  He cares about us. He is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. And actually, contrary to what we usually think, suffering is a benefit to us. It is a chance for us to draw closer to Christ. It is a chance for us to deposit wealth in our eternal bank account. It is a chance for us to experience Christ walking with us in a very real and intimate way.

Third, Eternal Glory Awaits the Faithful
Jesus said in Revelation 2:10, "Be faithful even to the point of death, and it will give you and I will give you the crown of life." 

Recently, I was sick. I had to go to a clinic up in Varnell. It was just seemed like it was just a cold, but it wasn't going away. And I felt terrible. Had no energy, sore throat. I got there and they did the evaluation on me and said, 'All right, we know what's wrong with you. We've got some medicine that will help make you better.  We can either give you some pills and it'll take a couple of days or we can give you a shot and it'll go to work right away. Which one do you want?"

And I thought, give me the shot! And some people would say, "Well, why would you do that? I'd rather take the pills." Well, one thing I don't really like taking pills. They're annoying. You have to remember to take them. But a shot hurts. And it's that needle. And a lot of people are really scared of those needles. And I don't like them either. And yeah, it does hurt when they stick it in your in your arm. 

But my thinking is that pain, it lasts for a few seconds and then the medicine goes to work right away and I start to feel better. I can take a little pain for a few seconds. Now, that seems like a a silly example and I don't want to belittle the suffering we face.  But when you put earthly suffering in the scheme of eternity, then our suffering becomes so so small.  It's here for a moment and then gone.

Suffering is temporary, but our reward from suffering is eternal.  Jesus promises a crown of life, eternal victory, honor, joy for those who endure suffering and remain faithful. And when our faithfulness leads to more suffering, it means that we will have even more rewards in heaven.

Closing
There is always more going on than meets the eye.  God is working behind the scenes.  We must learn to trust Him and to look with spiritual eyes and listen with spiritual ears.  God is in control.  And the Kingdom of Heaven is eternal and it is breaking into our world.  And Jesus is with us.

As we close, I want to share a responsive reading to remind us to listen and hear what the Spirit says to us today.

Responsive Reading

All:  The Spirit of Christ walks among us and speaks to our hearts.  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.

Leader:  Even when I feel alone, I am never forsaken.
People:  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.

Leader:  Even when the world seems dark, God’s light is still shining.
People:  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.

Leader:  Even when I don’t see the way forward, God is already making one.
People:  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.

Leader:  Even when I am weak, His power is made perfect.
People:  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.

Leader:  Even when I see only loss, God is working for redemption.
People:  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.

Leader:  Even when I feel unworthy, I am called and dearly loved.
People:  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.

All:  There’s more going on than meets the eye.  We must look with spiritual eyes and listen with spiritual ears—not just physical ones. Behind the scenes, God is doing more than we realize.  Let anyone with ears to hear listen to the Spirit and understand.