It tarries through the last breath. Because if were reading Scripture, well have the power to overcome temptation. But notice who this Jesus is. And this commandment that we have from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also [1 John 4:21]. Notice the Lord Jesus says in verse 9, I know your tribulation and your poverty. This was a church that had more pain than they had money. Gave his life to be a Baptist preacher, VII. He told the disciples do not worry about what you will say in that day. 4:10). 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. 15:58). It is in riches. THREE IMPORTANT LOOKS OR PAUL'S LAST TESTIMONY For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. A Compelling Conclusion (Part 1) # 18 You couldnt help but know a man like that. 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. As we remember the words of Scripture, we will be able to fight off temptation and thus remain faithful. Or suppose I were to stand here, and if I were trained to be a scientist; suppose I were to lecture on science three times every week? There is nothing but praise from our Lord for the church in Smyrna [Revelation 2:8-11]. Pleasure leads many to neglect the Lord. 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. The love of God is a powerful force in our efforts to be faithful. Psychologist Smyrna was a very pro-Rome city. The clouds are boiling and the face of the heaven is angry. He was called to be pastor of a little church in a little town in Yorkshire called Wainsgate. 2 Kings 2:1-12. They werent so much concerned that the Christians were going to overthrow the Empire, but they thought this, This is a bad look for Rome. The Importance of Christs Resurrection read more, Scripture: Give it up and come, take up the cross, and follow me. They were most affluent and well-to-do. And of those 8 billion Christians in the 2000 years since Christ, even nominally Christian, about 70 million have been martyred by one definition or another, a little less than 1%. That is an extreme and harsh word taken in itself. The connection of this passage will help us to understand its meaning. The real hero is not he who makes the fastest schedule but he who lasts the longest. WebTo know Me is to have life! 31:23). living faith, consumed with one desire to please Him(John 12:42-43), 1. The fourth characteristic, the fourth mark of a true disciple of our Lordone who continues unswervingly in the Word of God. When Well, no, notice what this letter says: The slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not. 31:23). WebFEATURE SERMON TEXT-FEATURE Featuring a sermon puts it on the front page of the site and is the most effective way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands Matthew 16:24-25: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person (Ps. A. Its the basic foundation of the Christian faith it is fundamental 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. This is the pastor bringing the message entitled Faithful Unto Death. After their conversion, they stop using alcohol but after a while they begin using it again. Paul takes a look around as he gives his last testimony. Well, the magistrate was not happy with this. And dont be afraid about what you would do and what you would be like should you face, the church at Smyrna, what they faced. And our Lord may the flow of our lives be in praise, and in adoration, and worship, and in love for Thee, O blessed God, that as grace and mercy reached down even to me. WebFaithfulness unto death is Gods standard for human life. The weakness of men, universally, is to please one another. Instead of worshipping as they should, they play golf on Sunday mornings or they go the race track or they go fishing. 1 John 5:13-17. Its important to remember what happened after the Resurrection! Which naturally leads to the second command, at the end of verse 10 Be faithful unto death. That means we are never turning back. He went away grieved, for he had great possessions: loving the wrong world [Mark 10:22]. This morning, we want to examine the biblical teachings concerning our faithfulness and call us to faithfulness to God. The Lord never said that to him. Matthew 9:24, Luke 8:53), 2. The gate is too strait, and the way is too narrow for a man to enter heaven holding the love of the world in his arms [Matthew 7:13-14]. And the Lord, looking deep in the soul of the young fellow, said to him, Your heart is in the world. I have decided to follow Jesus, the characteristic of a true disciple of our Lord. Call to worship: Every Christian wants to be able to say with the apostle Paul, as he thought about his own death ( 2 Tim. Suffering. (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 Certainly under all of the rules of logic the one who assumes that an apparently dead person is still alive should be able to produce substantial proof. Verse 10: Do not fear what you are about to suffer. We dare not just go through the motions without loving God with all our heart. But here God says dont be surprised, dont, when it comes, do not think God is against you. We allow ourselves to be involved in so many activities that we no longer have the time to devote to Bible study and prayer. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. How faithful are you this morning? Suffering is suffering. Let me finish, then, where we started. But I do not have a child and I am old and my wife is old. But to be left out like a lone, lost black sheep is to be hurt and the child is a thousand times sensitive to it. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important way stations that become a part of our pilgrimage. The Bible tells us that there is a sin that leads unto death - one single sin - and it might not be what we expect. Where, O death, is your victory? 14 views Watch this sermon on a Roku or Apple TV! 3:11). View all Sermons Faithful Unto Death Series Contributed by Allen James on Sep 29, 2011 (message contributor) (rate this sermon) | 6,507 views Scripture: Father in heaven, we give thanks for Your many blessings. You may say, Well, wait a minute, Pastor. . He wants to be associated with them. He literally opens up his heart and lets us look inside. So many fall away because they are selfish-they dont care what God says theyre going to do what they want to do. If we are faithful, God will save us and glorify us in the life to come. But as long as I listen and bow before self, my life is shriveled and small. But when that acclamation and acceptance violates our commitment to Christ, it is to be repudiated by the disciple of our Lord. This sermon was originally preached by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at the Alum Creek church of Christ in Alum Creek, West Virginia. The premise of this study is the foundation of creation. It is a place on which somebody is executed, a cross. We fail to put God first in our lives-we dont base all our decisions based on what he would want, we neglect to mention the Gospel to our family and friends. You cannot fail in Godnever, ever, ever. 8 billion called themselves Christians in some broadest sense of the word. And the second characteristic and mark of a true child of Christ is to dethrone self in my heart and to enthrone the Lord Jesus: He is the King of my life. Heres the key-those men and women were just like we are. 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.. ON POINT, I Darrows The Story of My Life said there is no evidence of immortality, B. Gods Will God reward you? THE CHURCH THAT WOULD NOT SURRENDER Pastor Wayne Tindale Theres nothing that says we cant pray for it to be removed. The Bible contains many examples of those who forsook God because of evil influences. William Akehurst HSWC For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faithFor by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of So you add them all up, and what? He stayed there in that tiny church over fifty years; their pastor over fifty years. Pentecostal. However fate or providence may assail us, our commitment to our Lord is, first, and supreme. However, to sin is an everyday reality of truth---a reality of faith. Or do with your weekends what everyone else would do. Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world (2 Tim. Give to Him life, home, family, business He will give it back to you It is called a martyr church. Our reward is not here, it is there [Matthew 5:12]. 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 It would take maybe a half hour to read. 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. [Luke 9:62]: No one, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.. Methodist. Lets peer inside Pauls heart, and see whats in there. Its been translated into English. Please, sir, your Majesty, said the pastor, could you grant pardon to the boy? He did it. by Listening to a man expound the unsearchable riches of the Word of God. Church Of God, Joshua 2:1-15 THE GREAT ESCAPE Intro: Ill. Because the one who overcomes this present, temporary, fleeting pain will not be pained by the second and everlasting death. No one is agathai but One, that is, God [Mark 10:18]. He knows your broken heart in a way that no one else does. That is the child of God. 5:17; Self, by nature, is on the throne of my heart. If they die faithfully, they get a crown of life. This is the apocalypse revelation written down by John, who was a Jew, so we ought not take this to be some sort of anti-Jewish polemic. WebSermons by Bible: Sermons by Category: Sermons by Topic: Sermons by Speaker: Sermons by Language: Sermons by Date: Staff Picks: Comments, ALL -1 sec: Top Sermons: Online Bible: Hymnal: Daily Reading: Our It may be in your classroom, when they think that all your beliefs make you a bigot. But to be repudiated and to be censored and to be disliked is a terrible thing to bear. Well, we are all like that. Youre faithful. We have been encouraged and greatly challenged in our personal walk with the Lord. There is one surviving document we know that came from Polycarp. I dont want it to come. Genesis 49 Text: Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mothers sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 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. He gained the information, but on his way back to report to General Washington he was recognized and seized and hanged in what is today New York City, on Market Street and East Broadway. However, when they entered Rahab's house, they found a woman who had already been touched by the Spirit and 4:2). ( Rev. If we live as Christians simply to avoid death, we are not living as Jesus would have us live. Come do what you wish. Polycarp was then found guilty of confessing to being a Christian. It wasnt the procedure at this time that you would try to stamp out every Christian, but if somebody ratted you out, often your family, and you were brought there, then you were made to recant. 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 repudiation of the world, a. Jesus His face beneath the cross is the face of faithfulness. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart (Gal. And Jesus is waiting for the day of our coming. We are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul (Heb. It was the first city, in fact, in the ancient world, to build a temple in honor of Rome. And that leads them into all kinds of things that break the hearts of their parents. Speaking of winning the lost, Paul says, The love of Christ compels us (2 Cor. We could put it like this death comes to us all, heaven does not. Or see the movie or tell the jokes or visit the websites that everyone else. We dont have a little God. But listen to the heroes of the faith. A Scripture is a powerful force in our efforts to remain faithful-You must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them (2 Tim. Centuries earlier, during the period when Rome was struggling with Carthage for supremacy, Smyrna sided with the Romans. Text: 8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: "The First and the Last, the One who was dead and came to life, says: 9 I know your tribulation and poverty, yet you are rich. Would to God we had ten thousand lives to offer to Jesus. The love of your life is in money. Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! And they will come and go, and the worse they can do to you is put you to death. He knows your tribulation. Not only is there no evidence of immortality, but the facts show it is utterly impossible for us that there should be a life beyond this one on earth. Thats what they say, the unbeliever and the infidel and the agnostic. 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? People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? And Jesus will reign now and into eternity. Evil influences prevent people from being faithful. They are clear and unequivocal; the first one is this: supreme love for Jesus our Lord. We are called to be a people of the Gospel; the Gospel must be central to our lives. 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. Father in heaven, our prayer is simple. And it happens. Hymn, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, C. Faith Romans 10:17: Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the word of God. If someone loved Jesus, he never tires of hearing about Him. The word staphanos, Stephen, means crown. And when the Lord says, be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life, it could be a diadem, a royal crown. 10:39). The church in Smyrna was a church of paradoxes. Faithfulness is required for all four quarters, all three periods, all nine innings. WebIts a very tender and touching sceneone of the most moving and heartwarming farewell speeches thats ever been recorded in literature. This letter reported this man was certainly one of the elect. 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.. Would You hold fast Your Church around the world, facing so much more in opposition than we face, and when we are called upon to face whatever trials and difficulties, whether suffering at the hands of others or suffering from natural disasters and infirmity and the age of life, may we be faithful even unto death. Tempted to disbelieve the Word of God. When one is baptized into Christ and becomes a Christian, he begins a new life ( Rom. 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. Well be here listening. It is one of the truths of life. Our resurrection is dependent on his resurrection- Paul said If youre faithful unto death, you will get the crown of life. 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. Each time Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus replied, It is written. One of the best ways to learn how to sin well is never to read the Bible. Our inheritance is not here, it is there [1 Peter 1:4-5]. Title: The Face of Faithfulness: John Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. having been freed(Deuteronomy 15:12-18), B. read more. We can remember the benefits of remaining faithful. II Kings 2:1-12 Of those 36 billion who have lived in the past 2000 years, by a very generous estimate, 12 billion were evangelized, had some access to the Gospel. Revelation chapter 2, verses 8 through 11. Faithfulness involves giving our whole heart to God and trying to please him each day we live. 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