A CALL TO COURAGE (3 OF 8)
by Drew Hunter
Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11
This content is part of a series.
A Call to Courage (3 of 8)
Series: Seven Challenges Facing Every Church
Drew Hunter
Revelation 2:8-11
We're taking a couple months to hear Jesus' messages to seven churches in the first century.
We don't have anything else exactly like this. We believe that the Spirit of God inspire all the letters of the New Testament. So we have letters in the New Testament to churches. But in Revelation 2-3, Jesus told the apostle John to record direct messages to seven local churches. And John did it, and we have them in front of us today.
And each of these seven churches faces some kind of challenge. Some of them are facing these challenges well, and Jesus commends them for it. Some of them are not doing well, and Jesus warns them and exhorts them about it. Most of the churches have a mixture of commendation and correction.
This morning we're looking at Jesus' words to the church at Smyrna.
The church at Smyrna has nothing negative said about them at all. Jesus gives no corrections. He gives no challenges. He gives no warnings.
But he does address a challenge. This church is a suffering church. Life isn't easy for Christians in this city. And it's not going to get easier anytime soon. In fact, the larger culture is growing increasingly hostile to Christians. Things are about to get worse for them. They are about to be persecuted intensely for being Christians.
And in light of more hostility on the horizon, Jesus calls them to not be afraid. He calls them to not fear their coming trials. He calls them to be courageous.
?That's striking. He didn't just want them to know that suffering was coming. He called them to not be afraid of it. He commanded them to not be afraid of it. They will be tempted to become cowardly and fearful. And in his single exhortation to this church in this season of it's life-he calls them to courageous endurance in a hostile culture. Don't deny him. Don't compromise his truth. Don't hide your identity as a Christian. Be ...
Series: Seven Challenges Facing Every Church
Drew Hunter
Revelation 2:8-11
We're taking a couple months to hear Jesus' messages to seven churches in the first century.
We don't have anything else exactly like this. We believe that the Spirit of God inspire all the letters of the New Testament. So we have letters in the New Testament to churches. But in Revelation 2-3, Jesus told the apostle John to record direct messages to seven local churches. And John did it, and we have them in front of us today.
And each of these seven churches faces some kind of challenge. Some of them are facing these challenges well, and Jesus commends them for it. Some of them are not doing well, and Jesus warns them and exhorts them about it. Most of the churches have a mixture of commendation and correction.
This morning we're looking at Jesus' words to the church at Smyrna.
The church at Smyrna has nothing negative said about them at all. Jesus gives no corrections. He gives no challenges. He gives no warnings.
But he does address a challenge. This church is a suffering church. Life isn't easy for Christians in this city. And it's not going to get easier anytime soon. In fact, the larger culture is growing increasingly hostile to Christians. Things are about to get worse for them. They are about to be persecuted intensely for being Christians.
And in light of more hostility on the horizon, Jesus calls them to not be afraid. He calls them to not fear their coming trials. He calls them to be courageous.
?That's striking. He didn't just want them to know that suffering was coming. He called them to not be afraid of it. He commanded them to not be afraid of it. They will be tempted to become cowardly and fearful. And in his single exhortation to this church in this season of it's life-he calls them to courageous endurance in a hostile culture. Don't deny him. Don't compromise his truth. Don't hide your identity as a Christian. Be ...
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