Sermon | Revelation 2:8–11 | 2026 May 24

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1. PinnedStudy NotesShared for sermon learning
   Levi Chen
   May 24th, 2026 at 10:03 pm
   Be Faithful Unto Death — Revelation 2:8–11 Revelation is the last book of the Bible, in which the apostle wrote letters to seven churches. There were certainly more than seven churches at the time, but these seven were chosen as representative ones: Ephesus, which had forsaken its first love; the w... Read more

   Be Faithful Unto Death — Revelation 2:8–11
   Revelation is the last book of the Bible, in which the apostle wrote letters to seven churches. There were certainly more than seven churches at the time, but these seven were chosen as representative ones: Ephesus, which had forsaken its first love; the worldly church; the church that compromised on truth; the church that was alive in name only — and of course the church of Philadelphia, greatly used by the Lord.
   Of the seven churches, five were in decline and two were overcoming. The two overcoming churches were Philadelphia and Smyrna. The letter to Smyrna is the shortest of the seven, yet the most remarkable — not a single criticism, only commendation. What was it about this church that so pleased the Lord Jesus? We too must learn from it and strive to become such a church.
   Smyrna was a port city, and it still exists to this day — it is Izmir, the second-largest city in modern Turkey. The city had many temples and was one of the cities that worshipped the Roman emperor; many temples to Caesar were built there to curry favor with Rome. The gospel was likely brought to Smyrna by someone who had heard Paul preach in Ephesus. The city had a Jewish population, and some of them reported Christians to the authorities. There was a bishop at the time named Polycarp, one of the last disciples personally discipled by the apostle John, who was also martyred after being reported by the Jews. The exhortation given to this church — be faithful unto death — is a command for the church in every age. What are we pursuing: fleeting security, or an eternal crown?

   I. The Lord's Self-Description
   "The first and the last" echoes the declaration "I am the Alpha and the Omega." The Lord's self-description differs in each of the seven letters, and this is connected to the particular situation of each church. This church was under persecution. In the midst of persecution, what fills a Christian's heart is: "Don't let them catch me" — "When will this persecution end?" Those in power say to you: "Believe it or not, I'll have you imprisoned; believe it or not, I'll have you lose your job." My next-door neighbor installed a security camera at their front door, but it was pointed directly at our home. I asked the wife why it was facing our house — her eyes shifted and she looked away. I then asked her husband, and he said nothing. God is saying: I am the first page of history and the last.
   "Who died and came to life" — this means the Lord Jesus took on flesh, entered into human existence and suffering, and ultimately entered into death itself. Jesus is not only the beginning and the end; He also entered the most agonizing page of human history. The greatest suffering in this world is not a broken heart, the loss of a job, or going through surgery — it is the moment the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross. And so the Lord Jesus is comforting believers in their suffering: You think you are suffering? The greatest suffering was Mine. And then — "came to life again" — this is a proclamation that the power of Hades cannot overcome God. He passed through the deepest darkness and suffering, and then rose again. This means that the Savior who died and rose again is at work bringing reversal in our lives. Will you bow to Caesar, or will you bow to Jesus?
   If you are under pressure right now, your first instinct is fear. But the Lord Jesus's self-description tells us: He has already entered into everything you fear — and there He has conquered. The reason we dare to enter into suffering today is because we believe God is in control. If we do not believe this, every hardship could become the last straw, ready to crush us at any moment. And yet throughout history, so many saints dared to face death and shame — because they believed the Lord Jesus had entered into their suffering and was sovereign over it. The Lord who governs history governs all things. No Roman emperor can determine our destiny; the future belongs to the Lord Jesus. And so, just as we sang today: though the enemy rages like a flood, we will ultimately prevail — we are fighting a battle that has already been won.

   II. The Lord's Commendation
   (Some examples I didn't have time to note down)
   The church in Smyrna was enduring tremendous persecution. The Lord Jesus said, "I know your tribulation." A strong soul is nourished by suffering and brokenness. What is the way the Kingdom of Heaven expands? We imagine it to be glorious. David struck Goliath down with a stone, and everyone was instantly stirred. Moses stood at the edge of the Red Sea, and the waters parted like walls. Lazarus was raised, with so many people watching all around. Yet of the heroes of faith, it is said that they experienced poverty, affliction, and torment. The Kingdom of Heaven unfolds through suffering. Why does God always use suffering to advance His Kingdom? We believe first that God is loving and that God is powerful. But for God to lead His children to constant victory, this is the path that must be walked.
   During Martin Luther's Reformation, he called all the nuns out of their convents. One nun could find no husband, so Luther married her himself. Luther had a daughter who fell gravely ill at the age of thirteen. He loved her dearly, yet God still took her.
   When we suffer, let us remember — this is precisely how God advances His Kingdom. It is the most heartbreaking way, but it is the most glorious. It is not that your career flourishes, but that every person is able to take up their cross and follow Him. The church in Smyrna remained faithful even after enduring great tribulation.
   "Poverty" here means to have absolutely nothing. This is not merely a matter of a declining quality of life — it is a matter of survival itself being in question. Smyrna was a prosperous city, much as Nanjing is a relatively prosperous city, yet believers in the church were generally quite poor. Were the believers weak? No — it was because they were required to worship Caesar. Worship Caesar, and a job paying ten thousand yuan a month was no problem. In this world, poverty means failure, disgrace, and shame — "mock the poor, not the prostitute," as the saying goes. You could have had a respectable job; now because of your faith you are forced to take work that is low-paying and looked down upon. But the Lord Jesus says: you are rich. One kind of wealth belongs to this world and lies within easy reach; the other can only be seen through spiritual eyes — a blessing yet to come. Some say, "Can believing in Jesus give me blessings I can see and touch? That wealth feels too distant! I just want something real. I just want Jesus to solve this problem for me." Many Christians, without realizing it, are being shaped by the values of this world. Christians too begin to chase recognition, acceptance, and respect from the world. What we long for is the world's kind of wealth. But the Lord Jesus said: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" To be rejected by this world is normal for the Christian; to be embraced by it is what should give us pause. The church in Smyrna went through all of this and still trusted God.
   "Slander" — to be deliberately maligned with intent. At first the Romans could not distinguish between Christians and Jews, but because of Jewish informants, Rome began to persecute the church. The Jews did not believe the gospel. When Polycarp was sentenced to death, the Jews had already helped the Romans gather the firewood. Historically, it has typically been people inside the church who slander the church. It was Miriam, Moses' closest companion, who slandered him. It was the Pharisees who slandered Paul. It was the chief priests and scribes who cried out for Jesus to be crucified. Those who wound the church most deeply are those within it. Slander requires no sword — a single word is enough to destroy a person's reputation and ministry. One unverified judgment or criticism can inflict lasting harm.
   Why does verbal harm arise so often? In David's time, Absalom rebelled and David fled. David had been kind to Jonathan and Mephibosheth, providing for Mephibosheth generously. Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, met David on the road and cried out, claiming that Mephibosheth had said David's throne was about to fall. David then gave Mephibosheth's property to Ziba. Later, when David encountered Mephibosheth himself — disheveled and unkempt — Mephibosheth said, "When you fled, I had no time to come to you." Then David understood fully: Ziba had been slandering Mephibosheth. If you believe the one who slanders, you yourself fall into injustice. Do not be quick to judge. Do not slander or pass judgment on members of your church, or on other churches.

   III. The Lord's Encouragement
   What concerns us most is: when will the persecution end? The Lord Jesus not only gave no indication that the persecution would end soon — He said that some would be thrown into prison and await death.
   In Revelation, the "ten days" refers to a precise number of days that the devil cannot extend and cannot shorten. Jesus was saying: suffering has its limits. This brought great comfort to Smyrna. The trial will end — therefore, do not be afraid. Be faithful unto death. The emphasis is on faithfulness. Faithful until the very moment you stand before the Lord.
   Daniel's three servants walked out of the furnace without a hair singed — but then there was also Stephen, who was stoned to death. During World War II, in Auschwitz, there was a cell block known as the death cell. On its wall was a cross that had been scratched out by hand. At one point, a prisoner escaped. A Nazi officer, enraged, ordered ten prisoners chosen at random to be killed as a deterrent against further escapes. One of those selected broke down weeping — he longed to see his children again. Another man stepped forward and volunteered to die in his place. That man was a priest. The Nazi officer then locked all ten in the death cell, intending to starve them. Over the weeks that followed, all ten died there — yet during that time, the cell became like a sanctuary: there was prayer, there was singing, and every condemned man was filled with joy. After two weeks, the priest had still not died of starvation, so the Nazis administered a lethal injection to kill him. One of the ten survived, and it was he who brought this story to the world. It was also he who had scratched the cross into the wall — in memory of that priest.
   Some people might think: those who do not believe, those who are not faithful, seem to have everything. "Even if not, we will not worship you" — this means: even if God does not spare our lives, we will never bow to this world. Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" — the Greek word used for "love" there carries the weight of deep, selfless love. Peter replied, "I love you" — but the Greek word he used was one that speaks of a lesser, more familiar affection. Peter knew he could not love more than that. We are all weak. On the first day we say, "I won't look at my phone anymore" — and the next day we're back at it. We are all weak, but Jesus is strong. It is precisely because we are weak that we must overcome persecution through grace. Do not be afraid — He is our strength.
   American universities today are in a very troubled state. Many American missionaries have abandoned campus ministry. Those who most vocally champion homosexuality and transgenderism tend to be students from elite universities. Charlie Kirk persisted in proclaiming the gospel to college students, and in the end was despised and shot dead. He was killed on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University. A hundred thousand people attended his funeral, including Trump and Vance. This sparked a brief surge of spiritual interest. The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church's revival. FBINewsweek
   "You will not be hurt by the second death." The first death is already frightening enough — but the second death is far more terrifying. In the darkness of hell, one cannot see one's hand in front of one's face, and it is an eternal darkness, and one must remain there alone, forever. "Is anyone there? Help me!" — and no one answers. The Lord Jesus said, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. We Christians do not fear the second death, because we have an eternal hope. For us, death is nothing more than a threshold into eternity. The reason we have courage is because we have the hope of life and an everlasting crown. Our glory, our crown, is obtained through self-denial and loss. And so we take up our cross and follow the Lord — it is costly, it is suffering, it seems like loss — yet what is gained is the crown of life.
   In the history of martyrdom, Polycarp had the chance to escape, but he said: may the Lord's will be done. When the Roman soldiers came to arrest him, he prepared dinner for them. He was given one hour to pray, and in that hour he prayed for everyone — including his enemies. Some were moved by this old man. They said to him: deny your faith, and we will release you. He replied: for eighty-six years, the Lord Jesus has never wronged me. In the end, he was burned at the stake. This is the calling upon every one of us — be faithful unto death.

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