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Welcome to Emmanuel Temple Church. Smyrna – Persecuted Revelation 2:8-11. Revelation 2:8-11. 8 "To the angel of the Messianic Community in Smyrna, write: 'Here is the message from the First and the Last, who died and came alive again:
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WelcometoEmmanuel Temple Church Smyrna – Persecuted Revelation 2:8-11
Revelation 2:8-11 8"To the angel of the Messianic Community in Smyrna, write: 'Here is the message from the First and the Last, who died and came alive again: 9"I know how you are suffering and how poor you are (though in fact you are rich!), and I know the insults of those who call themselves Jews but aren't - on the contrary, they are a synagogue of the Adversary. CJB Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Revelation 2:8-11 10 Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the Adversary is going to have some of you thrown in prison, in order to put you to the test; and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful, even to the point of death; and I will give you life as your crown. 11Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities. He who wins the victory will not be hurt at all by the second death."‘ NKJB Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Smyrna – Persecuted • Jesus (Jehovah is Salvation) , is the Only True Living God, (was dead but alive) and speaking to John directly. • John the youngest of the 12 chosen disciples, now an old man, imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos converses with and writes as instructed, the LORD Jesus’ s words. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Believers residing in and around the city of Smyrna are the original recipients of this specific letter. • Smyrna one of the seven assemblies of saints on this major Asia postal route. • Message of comfort, a reminder, empowerment, preparation and assurance. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
True Christianity – from the Beginning • Mathew 5:3-12 • Then and now - to the End. • 2 Timothy 3:12 • 1 Peter 4:12-14, 16 • Romans 8:17-18 Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
History of Izmir (Ancient Smyrna) • The 5,000 year-old city of Izmir is one of the oldest cities of the Mediterranean basin. The original city was established in the third millennium BC (at present day Bayraklı), at which time it shared with Troy the most advanced culture in Anatolia. • In the first century AD, Smyrna became one of the earliest centers of Christianity….. Both Revelation and the Martyrdom of Polycarp indicate the existence of a Jewish community in Smyrna as early as the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
The origins of the Christian community there, which was established in the 1st century, are unknown. Ignatius of Antioch stopped at Smyrna on his way to martyrdom in Rome in 107 AD, and he sent a letter back to the Christians there from later in his journey. Smyrna's bishop, Polycarp, was burned at the stake in Smyrna's stadium around 156 AD. [3] Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
The port city of Smyrna sat 35 miles north of Ephesus, built near the ruins of an ancient Greek colony destroyed in the 7th century B.C. There was a considerable number of Jews in the city from pre-NT times through the Ottoman period. Even today various synagogues are located throughout the modern city. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
From the Day of Pentecost – Asia saints among those who were baptized in Jesus name before Paul’s rebirth, trips to Asia . • Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,Acts 2:9 NKJV • Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.Acts 6:9 NKJV Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
The Omniscient – Author and the message Jesus (the Head of all things concerning His Body) – acknowledges His awareness of the state of Smyrna believer's: faithful witness and 1. Works -(service in the continuance of what they were called and assigned to do.) 2. Tribulation – (hardships, humiliation, struggles, oppositions they were experiencing.) 3. Poverty - (their decrease in necessary daily provisions meant to sustain life.) 4. Blasphemy of others - (Insults, mocking, using force to try to make them denounce the LORDSHIP of Jesus, lies from impersonators and of the Adversary. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Preparation – Compassion The LORD Jesus encourages and empowers them to face the inevitable events which were sure to come by: • 1. Don’t be afraid of the evil plans and plots of the Anti-Christ. • 2. Not just ordinary people, but controlled by the devil and his slaves, • 3. Would last no longer than 10-days • 4. But remember the Word of God, The Way, The Truth, and The Life, even if murdered will live again. • 5. The LORD Jesus is the Resurrection and The Life, and he has promised eternal life with Him. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Nature of Persecutors 2 Tim. 3:1-5 (CJB) • 2. People will be self-loving, money-loving, proud, arrogant, insulting, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, • 3. heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, uncontrolled, brutal, hateful of good, • 4. traitorous, headstrong, swollen with conceit, loving pleasure rather than God, • 5. as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power. Stay away from these people! Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecuted • James the Great • Philip the Apostle • Matthew the Evangelist • (Son of Zebedee) was beheaded in 44 A.D. • was crucified in 54 A.D. • killed by a halberd in 60 A.D. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecuted • Matthias • Andrew • Mark • Peter • Apostle Paul • Jude • Thomas the Apostle • was stoned and beheaded. • Peter's brother, was crucified. • was beaten to death. • crucified upside-down. • beheaded in Rome. • was crucified. • was killed by a spear. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecuted • Bartholomew • James the Just • Luke the Evangelist • Simon the Zealot • was crucified. • beaten to death by a club after being crucified and stoned. • was hanged. • was crucified in 74 A.D. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecuted Growing Persecution of Christians in Nigeria Open Doors USA Calls on Christians in the West to Support Suffering Believers through Prayer Christians in Nigeria have faced increased persecution in recent years. http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/8966217656.html Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecuted Gunmen killed 14 members of an extended family in a midnight raid on a village in central Nigeria on Saturday. Witnesses said they were all from one Christian family, and had been shot or hacked to death by Muslim Fulani herdsmen. http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/ Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecuted The associated press today announced that hundreds of Christians and their families were slaughtered in “Nigeria religious violence” – brutally hacked with machetes if they could not or would not identify themselves in the language used mostly by Muslims (Fulani) www.persecution.com Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecuted Nine year old boy. Then they hanged or beheaded the rest of his family. Yet another example of Muslim on Buddhist violence in a country where Muslims are only a small minority. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Persecutions 12 yr old being coached in how to behead www.barenakedislam.wordpress.com Taliban Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Mathew 5:10-12 10 "How blessed are those who are persecuted because they pursue righteousness! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 "How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! 12 Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great -- they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience
For His Name For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10
http://tebowhaters.com/2010/11/12/daily-shows-john-oliver-hates-tim-tebow-like-he-hates-bin-laden.aspxhttp://tebowhaters.com/2010/11/12/daily-shows-john-oliver-hates-tim-tebow-like-he-hates-bin-laden.aspx “I dislike Robert Mugabe. I hate Tim Tebow. If I was in a room with Tim Tebow and Bin Laden and I had a gun with one bullet in it, I’d shoot Bin Laden. I’m not a monster. But if I had two bullets–I’d shoot Tim Tebow first. Denver Broncos QB Emmanuel Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith…A Life Changing Experience