be faithful unto death sermon

THE CHURCH THAT WOULD NOT SURRENDER You couldnt help but know a man like that. Heres part of the story. WebFAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love (Jn. Now, before I mention the last one may I recapitulate? And it is one of the seven churches of Asia [Revelation 2:1-3:22]: Ephesus, and then right north, Smyrna. Its a very human response to fear death. If I die, praise His name, it is to be with Him. And thank Thee, Lord, for each soul You give us, in Thy precious name, amen. self in my heart and enthrone the Lord Jesus, 1. Hes telling us from Gods Holy Scriptures about our Lord. He was arrested by Herod when Philip of Tralles was high priest, during the proconsulship of Statius Quadratus, but while Jesus Christ was reigning as King forever. Then, they feel they dont need God, because theyve succeeded in life. Theres nothing that says we cant pray for it to be removed. We dont want to make the mistake of saying that just because one worships three times a week every week he is faithful. All of us do. I dont want it to come. Lets pray. Which naturally leads to the second command, at the end of verse 10 Be faithful unto death. For almost 300 years Smyrna had a close connection with Rome. Not some physical anguish or personal disappointment, 2. 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. Fearing death is natural, but Jesus means to set us free. Jesus Himself said, Do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell.. We have to remember the reality to come which will last forever and the reality that exists now. For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. The Importance of Christs Resurrection Deliberately choosing the cross(Matthew 10:38, 16:24), 1. 2 Kings 2:1-12. Our resurrection is dependent on his resurrection- Paul said Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. Or suppose I were to stand in this pulpit and lecture on the humanities, or any subject you would choose to name: philosophy, psychology, medicine, astronomy, anything. Faithfulness means you keep bearing witness to Jesus. 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. But what our Lord refers to is, compared to our love for Himour supreme devotion to Himall other love for wife, child, home, brother, sisters, all other love, compared to our love for Christ is as hate; our supreme love for Christ. Heres the key-those men and women were just like we are. If there was a crime worthy of death, what would it be? Say away with the atheists. And I dont know if this meant to be humorous at the moment of his almost death, but heres the story Polycarp solemnly looked at the whole crowd of lawless heathen who were in the stadium. Pleasure leads many to neglect the Lord. Father in heaven, we give thanks for Your many blessings. Since we know that God will richly reward us, we should be faithful. FAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. The same thing is true of those in Hebrews 11. read more. When that moment comes, you trust that the Lord gives you the words to say, gives you the courage. So they didnt have the same protection. And that leads them into all kinds of things that break the hearts of their parents. WebSermon Series: RevelationSermon Title: The Church of Smyrna: Be Faithful Unto DeathScripture Text: Revelation 2:8-11Speaker: Rev. 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 that beautiful, symbolic portrayal in the fifteenth chapter of the Book of Deuteronomy is symbolic of all of us. Kids, young people, you will face even more pressures. False doctrine leads many astray. B. Church Of God, Joshua 2:1-15 THE GREAT ESCAPE Intro: Ill. It is one of the marks and the characteristics of a good disciple of Jesus; our love for one another. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 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. 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. 1 John 5: 13-21 Those who seem to be strong in the faith prove to not have been in the faith. 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. We will suffer. May angels attend you in the way as you come. Jesus told the church in Smyrna, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10, KJV). Our inheritance is not here, it is there [1 Peter 1:4-5]. The text is taken out of our Lords message to the church in Smyrna [Revelation 2:8-11]. 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 Leave me as I am, for the One who enables me to endure the fire will also enable me to remain on the pyre without moving. Then Polycarp prayed a final prayer and when he said amen, the men in charge of the fire lit it. WebWe know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. [First John] 4:7, Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth read more, Scripture: Give us ears, give us courage, no matter the time, no matter the opposition, no matter the circumstances. 2014.04.20 HE AROSE and you can too! 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.. And the Lord, looking deep in the soul of the young fellow, said to him, Your heart is in the world. 1 2 3 4 Next He did NOT say, If you are faithful a few short years I will give thee a Hebrews says since the children have flesh and blood, He, too, shared likewise in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy the one who holds the power of death, that is the devil, and set free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important way stations that become a part of our pilgrimage. 2:10 )? Luke 14:25 and 26: And there went great multitudes with Him: and He turned, and said unto them, If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, his wife, and children, his brothers, and sisters, and yea, his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. We all love to be acclaimed. I AM the LIFE. However, many Christians are not as faithful as they need to be in their service to God. [Matthew 19:20; Mark 10:20]. Money causes individuals to work long hours and thus neglect their families. Its important to remember what happened after the Resurrection! Most of us, if were honest, are scared of suffering. Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (September 25, 2015) They were most affluent and well-to-do. He wants to be associated with them. 10/18/2006 by choice to our Lord and Master forever, 1. The Basis of the Gospel To Him be the glory, honor, majesty, and eternal throne, from generation to generation. The handles of my plow where tears are wet. A Compelling Conclusion (Part 1) # 18 How faithful are you this morning? Suffering. Give it up and come, take up the cross, and follow me. Repent. Now, before I speak of another, may I pause to avow; there is never, ever, a defeat, never in our commitment to our Lord. 15:9). 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 empty and heart broken(1 John 2:15-17), IV. read more, Scripture: My Glorious Victor, Prince Divine, III. They could offer sacrifices in honor of the emperors, not as gods but as rulers. 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. Most of us fear death, but as a Christian were called to hope. Many people have is just the opposite. We dont want to exaggerate it, we dont want to claim that were facing what other people are facing. WebFaithfulness unto death is Gods standard for human life. But if a man loves God, every day is a sweeter day, a triumphant day, and some day, a victorious day. But in 1776, he joined the Revolutionary Army. The Bible tells us that there is a sin that leads unto death - one single sin - and it might not be what we expect. WebTo know Me is to have life! We lament death. . New American Bible Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. 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. Probably dates to around 108 A.D., that is shortly after the death of Ignatius. And you cannot enter heaven loving the wrong world. . Our reward is not here, it is there [Matthew 5:12]. And God said, Abraham, come here. When the spies arrived in Jericho, they entered into what everyone thought was a harlot's house. Amen. by Fawcett converted listening to George Whitefield preach, 1. We do not have a more beautiful or meaningful invitational hymn than this: Though no one go with me, I still will follow. Suffering. We come to see that the thing of value is not speed but endurance. Be faithful unto death. 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 days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Picking things up after Polycarp has been arrested and hes being brought into the stadium in Smyrna. And he was invited to preach before the king, King George III, in 1780. 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. How do you respond when you are living your best, walking by faith, serving God and the bottom falls out? We dont have a little God. 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. When Jesus said follow Him, this is our life's course. Thats the cry in each one of these churches. Evil influences prevent people from being faithful. Some of those Christians have been killed by other Christians. Isaiah 38:1-8, James 1:2-4, 1 John 5:14-15, 1 Peter 3:12, Denomination: 2:10). 119:11). When I was a youth growing up, Clarence Darrow, the great agnostic and atheist, literally covered the horizon in the legal profession. 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. I have never heard an exception to this in my life, and it is always false, it is always untrue. Deuteronomy 2:1-15, Denomination: He told the disciples do not worry about what you will say in that day. As we apply this standard, our views on many things undergo a radical change. Behold the 1 Cor 15:14 It is an instrument of execution, and when I am invited to take up my cross, I am invited to die to myself that I might live to the Lord. The shears with rust are spoiled and yet. read more, Scripture: But here in the second half of the first century, several things had happened to make this situation untenable. In broad, open daylight where everyone could see, he knelt down before the Lord, the Prophet from Nazareth saying, Agathai didaskai [Mark 10:17]. It is in riches. II Kings 2:1-12 . "Faithful unto Death" Sixth Sunday after Pentecost St. Mark 6:14-29 July 16, 2006 IN NOMINE JESU In the rite of Confirmation, the confirmands are reminded of what 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. And what you do and what you believe and how you carry yourself is thought strange? 6:4 ), in which he is to set aside those things of his old way of life ( 2 Cor. His face beneath the cross is the face of faithfulness. ON POINT, I 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. read more, Scripture: They assume they will go to heaven. But pastor, does God say anything? Because the one who overcomes this present, temporary, fleeting pain will not be pained by the second and everlasting death. People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? And He uses the word stugnaz, translated lowering, the sky is stugnaz, it is lowering. Father in heaven, our prayer is simple. But as Polycarp entered the stadium, there came a voice from heaven: Be strong, Polycarp, and courageous. Or some translations, be strong and play the man. And no one saw the speaker, but those of our people who were present heard the voice and then, as he was brought forward, there was a great uproar when they heard that Polycarp had been arrested. When one is baptized into Christ and becomes a Christian, he begins a new life ( Rom. Or do with your weekends what everyone else would do. Jesus calls us to overcome. I have decided to follow Jesus, the characteristic of a true disciple of our Lord. Suppose I were to stand in this pulpit and speak and discuss English literature three times once a week? It has never happened in the history of the world. Will you be willing to be faithful when youre misunderstood as a Christian? Certain things I try to pray for each day, certain things I try to pray for on a day of the week, and persecuted church is one of those. 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. He uses these reminders as an example to us of how we, too, can accomplish great things through our faith. That is an extreme and harsh word taken in itself. When we suffer, were tempted to doubt Gods goodness, to question His sovereignty, to find Him less glorious, to wonder if Hes left us or forsaken us. Jesus knows. And if you would just swear by Caesar, recant Christ, just let them go. 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. Paul takes a look around as he gives his last testimony. For Jesus sake we pray. read more, Scripture: He famously died a martyrs death in 155 or 156, and when he died the church at Smyrna sent out a letter, To tell the story of those who have suffered martyrdom, especially blessed Polycarp, who as though he had set his seal by his martyrdom brought the persecution to an end.. That right there was meant to be comfort. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The words of the first and the last, who died and came to 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. They are clear and unequivocal; the first one is this: supreme love for Jesus our Lord. But this letter, you notice, is shot through with encouragement. Truly, temptations----works of the devil challenge our daily thoughts and decisions. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21, 22]. He literally opens up his heart and lets us look inside. Foursquare. They are all doing it. Give it up. 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? 4:2). Dont think youre the only one to have this struggle. 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. 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. And a man who preaches the word of the Lord is someone people love to listen to. I read in the Book of Hebrews beginning at the eleventh chapter beginning at verse 9: By faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange countryFor he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. He knows your tribulation. Remembering the things of God will help us overcome temptation.

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