The Sacrifice for Sin, the Call to Holiness, and the Hope of Atonement
Leviticus picks up right where Exodus leaves off, with God’s glory dwelling among His people in the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35, ch. 1:1). This raises a crucial question: how can a sinful people live in the presence of holy God? Leviticus answers by giving instructions for sacrifice, worship, and daily life, showing that sin must be dealt with and that God’s people are called to be holy as He is holy (ch. 17:11, 19:2). Through these laws, God graciously provides a way for Israel to approach Him, remain in fellowship with Him, and live as His set-apart people.
These sacrifices and rituals point beyond themselves to Jesus Christ. The offerings in Leviticus show that atonement requires the shedding of blood (ch. 17:11), but they had to be repeated again and again. Jesus fulfills this as the once-for-all sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:11-14, 10:1-14), making a way for full and final forgiveness. He is both the perfect sacrifice and the true High Priest, and through Him we are made clean and brought near to God. The call to holiness in Leviticus is also fulfilled in Jesus, who makes His people holy and calls them to live in that holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16).
While only a few chapters are selected, these readings have been carefully chosen to reflect the heart of Leviticus as we see it point to Jesus. You’ll see the necessity of sacrifice (ch. 1), the depth of atonement and the role of blood (ch. 16, 17:11), the call to live as God’s holy people (ch. 19), and the rhythms of worship that shape life around God’s presence (ch. 23). Together, they trace the way to holiness and the hope of atonement, showing both the problem of sin and God’s gracious provision. These passages not only prepare us to understand the work of Jesus but also call us to live as a people made holy through Him.
Let’s dive in together and see Jesus in Leviticus!
May 25 — ch. 1 God provides the burnt offering to atone for sin through a spotless substitute, pointing to Jesus, the Lamb of God without blemish or sin.
May 26 — ch. 16, 17:11 God introduces the Day of Atonement, where a sin-bearing substitute and the life blood deal with sin, pointing to Jesus whose blood cleanses all sin.
May 27 — ch. 19 God calls His people to be holy as He is holy and to love their neighbor as themselves, pointing to Jesus who is holy, holy, holy.
May 28 — ch. 23 God appoints feasts for His people to remember His saving works and worship Him, pointing to their fulfillment in Jesus.
Continue in the See JESUS in the Old Testament readings as we begin Numbers!
The Promised Seed, the Covenant, and the Substitute
Genesis begins God’s Story by showing Him as Creator of all things, making a world that was “very good” (ch. 1:31), yet sin quickly enters through Adam and Eve’s disobedience (ch. 3:1-7). Sin’s effects spread through every part of life — violence, corruption, and rebellion against God (ch. 6:5, 11:1-9). Even in judgment, though, God shows mercy and grace, preserving Noah through the flood and making a covenant with him (ch. 9:8-17). As Genesis unfolds, the focus narrows from all humanity to one family, as God calls Abraham and promises to bless all nations through him (ch. 12:1-3). This shift reveals that God is not abandoning His world but is working out His plan to redeem it.
From the beginning, Genesis points forward to Jesus. God promises that the seed of woman will defeat the serpent (ch. 3:15), a promise ultimately fulfilled in Christ (Galatians 3:16, 1 John 3:8). Through Abraham, God establishes a covenant of blessing for all nations (ch. 12:1-3, 15:1-6, 17:1-8), which finds its fulfillment in Jesus and the new covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20, Galatians 3:8). When Abraham is called to offer Isaac, God provides a substitute in his place (ch. 22:13), pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, Romans 8:32). Even as the Story progresses, the promise of a coming King emerges through Judah’s line (ch. 49:10), ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of Abraham and and Son of David (Matthew 1:1).
While not every chapter of Genesis is included, these readings have been carefully suggested to help trace this gospel thread clearly for Christ Community and The Foundry. You’ll move from creation to the fall to the flood and God’s covenant with Noah, then to Abraham and the promises that shape the rest of Scripture. Key moments — like God’s covenant in Genesis 15 and 17, the substitute in Genesis 22, the reaffirmation of God’s promise in Genesis 28, God’s providential saving work through Joseph in Genesis 50, and the promise of the coming King in Genesis 49 — highlight The Promised Seed, the Covenant, and the Substitute. Some passages point directly to Jesus, while others build the foundation we need to understand Him and to understand later chapters in later books of the Old Testament, too. By the end of Genesis, God’s people are in Egypt, waiting for deliverance, and setting the stage for what comes next.
Let’s dive in together and see Jesus in Genesis!
April 18 — ch. 1:1-23 God creates a good and ordered world by His Word, pointing to Jesus, the Word of God through whom all things were made and hold together.
April 19 — ch. 2:4-25 God forms man from the dust and establishes marriage, pointing to Jesus, the Bridegroom of the Church who gives life and restores the lost.
April 20 — ch. 3 Sin enters the world through Adam, but God promises the coming Seed who will crush the serpent and atone for sin.
April 21 — ch. 4 Sin spreads through Cain, but God preserves the promised offspring through whom people call on His name.
April 22 — ch. 5 Death reigns through Adam’s line, yet God preserves the promised offspring.
April 23 — ch. 6:1-8 Humanity’s sin grows great and fills the earth, yet Noah find favor by God’s grace.
April 24 — ch. 6:9-7:24 God judges sin through the flood but provides the ark, pointing to Jesus as the only way to be saved from the wrath of God.
April 25 — ch. 8:1-9:17 God delivers Noah through the flood and establishes His covenant, pointing to mercy after judgment.
April 26 — ch. 9:18-10:32 The nations are birthed and spread from Noah’s sons, with God preserving the promised line through Shem.
April 27 — ch. 11:1-26 God scatters the nations at Babel yet preserves the promised line through Shem to Abram (Abraham).
April 28 — ch. 11:27-12:9 God calls Abram and promises to bless all nations through his offspring — which, according to Galatians 3:16 is a reference to Jesus.
April 29 — ch. 15 God confirms His covenant with Abram, promising offspring and counting his faith as righteousness.
April 30 — ch. 17:1-22 God establishes His covenant with Abraham through Isaac, pointing to Jesus, the promised Offspring.
May 1 — ch. 22 God provides a ram as a substitute for Isaac, pointing to Jesus, the Lamb of God who would die as our Substitute.
May 2 — ch. 28:10-22 God confirms His promise to Jacob and reveals a ladder to heaven, pointing to Jesus as the only Way to the Father.
May 3 — ch. 37 Joseph is rejected and sold by his brothers, yet God already has a plan to raise him up.
May 4 — ch. 40 God gifts Joseph with the ability to interpret dreams, bringing life to one and judgment to another.
May 5 — ch. 41 God raises Joseph from the pit to rule and provide bread in a time of famine, preparing the way to preserve His people.
May 6 — ch. 44 Judah offers himself in place of Benjamin, showing a heart of sacrifice and responsibility.
May 7 — ch. 45 Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, showing God preserving His people and the promised line despite their sin.
May 8 — ch. 46 God brings Jacob and his family to Egypt, not only preserving the promised line but fulfilling His promise that they would become a nation.
May 9 — ch. 49:1-2, 8-12 Jacob blesses his sons before his death, prophesying a coming King from Judah — Jesus — to whom all nations will bow.
The Deliverer, the Passover Lamb, and God’s Presence
Exodus continues God’s Story as His people, now multiplied in Egypt, are enslaved and oppressed (ch. 1:8-14). Though it may seem to some that God’s presence seems hidden at first, He hears His people’s cries, remembers His covenant with Abraham, and raises up Moses as their deliverer (ch. 2:23-25, 3:7-10). God reveals His power of Egypt through mighty acts of judgment and brings His people out of slavery, making it clear that He alone is the Lord (ch. 6:6-7). He leads them through the Red Sea on dry ground, defeats their enemies, and provides for them in the wilderness, showing both His power to save and His faithfulness to sustain (ch. 14:13-14, 16:12). At Mount Sinai, God establishes His covenant with Israel, giving His Law and calling them to be His people (ch. 20:2-3, 24:7-8).
Exodus points to clearly to Jesus as the greater fulfillment of these events. God raises up Moses as their deliverer, but Jesus is the greater Deliverer who rescues His people — not from Pharaoh but from sin and death (John 8:34-36). The Passover, where the blood of the lamb saves God’s people from judgment (ch. 12:13), points to Jesus, the true Passover Lamb whose blood brings redemption (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Peter 1:18-19). The covenant established at Sinai (ch. 24:8) anticipates the new covenant in Christ’s blood (Luke 22:20). And just as God dwelt among His people in the tabernacle (ch. 40:34-38), so in Jesus, God “tabernacled” among us in the flesh (John 1:14), securing forever His presence with His people.
While not ever chapter of Exodus is included, these readings have been carefully selected to help trace this gospel thread clearly. You’ll follow the story from Israel’s bondage (chs. 1-3) to God’s promise of deliverance (ch. 6:1-13), the Passover (ch. 12), and the salvation at the Red Sea (chs. 14-15). Along the way, God provides for His people (chs. 16-17), establishes His covenant (chs. 20, 24), and reveals both His holiness and mercy when the covenant is broken and renewed (chs. 32-34). The book culminates with God’s presence filling the tabernacle (ch. 40), highlighting The Deliverer, the Passover Lamb, and God’s Presence. Some passages directly point to Jesus, while others build the foundation needed to understand Him, showing that the God who saves also dwells with His people.
Let’s dive in together and see Jesus in Exodus!
May 10 — ch. 1 God multiplies His people in Egypt according to His promise, even as they are oppressed.
May 11 — ch. 2 God hears the cries of His people, remembers His covenant with them, and preserves Moses, preparing to raise him up to deliver them.
May 12 — ch. 3 God reveals Himself as I AM and calls Moses, promising to be with him to deliver His people.
May 13 — ch. 6:1-13 God reaffirms His covenant and promises to redeem His people with a mighty hand.
May 14 — ch. 12 God delivers His people through the blood of the Passover lamb, pointing to Jesus, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
May 15 — ch. 14 God parts the Red Sea, delivering His people as they walk across on dry land, and defe3ats their enemy with the waters to save them.
May 16 — ch. 15 God’s people praise Him as their salvation and Redeemer, pointing to Jesus, the eternal King who saves, redeems, and reigns forever.
May 17 — ch. 16 God provides bread from heaven (manna) to sustain His people in the wilderness, pointing to Jesus, the Bread of Life.
May 18 — ch. 17 God provides water from the rock and victory over their enemies, pointing to the life given and the ultimate victory over every enemy in Him.
May 19 — ch. 20 God gives His Law, revealing His holiness, our inability to keep the Law, and our need for Him to rescue us from our sin.
May 20 — ch. 24 God confirms His covenant with His people through the blood of sacrifice, pointing to a new and greater covenant in the blood of Jesus.
May 21 — ch. 32 God’s people break the covenant through idolatry, and Moses intercedes for them, reminding us our our need for Jesus as our Advocate when we sin.
May 22 — ch. 33 God promises His presence to dwell among His people through the tent of meeting, pointing to the presence of God dwelling in the person of Jesus.
May 23 — ch. 34 God renews His covenant with His people and reveals His steadfast love, mercy, and grace, pointing to their fullness in Jesus.
May 24 — ch. 40 God fills the tabernacle with His glory, representing Him dwelling among His people and pointing us to Jesus taking on flesh and dwelling with us.
The Promised Seed, the Covenant, and the Substitute
Genesis begins God’s Story by showing Him as Creator of all things, making a world that was “very good” (ch. 1:31), yet sin quickly enters through Adam and Eve’s disobedience (ch. 3:1-7). Sin’s effects spread through every part of life — violence, corruption, and rebellion against God (ch. 6:5, 11:1-9). Even in judgment, though, God shows mercy and grace, preserving Noah through the flood and making a covenant with him (ch. 9:8-17). As Genesis unfolds, the focus narrows from all humanity to one family, as God calls Abraham and promises to bless all nations through him (ch. 12:1-3). This shift reveals that God is not abandoning His world but is working out His plan to redeem it.
From the beginning, Genesis points forward to Jesus. God promises that the seed of woman will defeat the serpent (ch. 3:15), a promise ultimately fulfilled in Christ (Galatians 3:16, 1 John 3:8). Through Abraham, God establishes a covenant of blessing for all nations (ch. 12:1-3, 15:1-6, 17:1-8), which finds its fulfillment in Jesus and the new covenant in His blood (Luke 22:20, Galatians 3:8). When Abraham is called to offer Isaac, God provides a substitute in his place (ch. 22:13), pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, Romans 8:32). Even as the Story progresses, the promise of a coming King emerges through Judah’s line (ch. 49:10), ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of Abraham and and Son of David (Matthew 1:1).
While not every chapter of Genesis is included, these readings have been carefully suggested to help trace this gospel thread clearly for Christ Community and The Foundry. You’ll move from creation to the fall to the flood and God’s covenant with Noah, then to Abraham and the promises that shape the rest of Scripture. Key moments — like God’s covenant in Genesis 15 and 17, the substitute in Genesis 22, the reaffirmation of God’s promise in Genesis 28, God’s providential saving work through Joseph in Genesis 50, and the promise of the coming King in Genesis 49 — highlight The Promised Seed, the Covenant, and the Substitute. Some passages point directly to Jesus, while others build the foundation we need to understand Him and to understand later chapters in later books of the Old Testament, too. By the end of Genesis, God’s people are in Egypt, waiting for deliverance, and setting the stage for what comes next.
Let’s dive in together and see Jesus in Genesis!
April 18 — ch. 1:1-23 God creates a good and ordered world by His Word, pointing to Jesus, the Word of God through whom all things were made and hold together.
April 19 — ch. 2:4-25 God forms man from the dust and establishes marriage, pointing to Jesus, the Bridegroom of the Church who gives life and restores the lost.
April 20 — ch. 3 Sin enters the world through Adam, but God promises the coming Seed who will crush the serpent and atone for sin.
April 21 — ch. 4 Sin spreads through Cain, but God preserves the promised offspring through whom people call on His name.
April 22 — ch. 5 Death reigns through Adam’s line, yet God preserves the promised offspring.
April 23 — ch. 6:1-8 Humanity’s sin grows great and fills the earth, yet Noah find favor by God’s grace.
April 24 — ch. 6:9-7:24 God judges sin through the flood but provides the ark, pointing to Jesus as the only way to be saved from the wrath of God.
April 25 — ch. 8:1-9:17 God delivers Noah through the flood and establishes His covenant, pointing to mercy after judgment.
April 26 — ch. 9:18-10:32 The nations are birthed and spread from Noah’s sons, with God preserving the promised line through Shem.
April 27 — ch. 11:1-26 God scatters the nations at Babel yet preserves the promised line through Shem to Abram (Abraham).
April 28 — ch. 11:27-12:9 God calls Abram and promises to bless all nations through his offspring — which, according to Galatians 3:16 is a reference to Jesus.
April 29 — ch. 15 God confirms His covenant with Abram, promising offspring and counting his faith as righteousness.
April 30 — ch. 17:1-22 God establishes His covenant with Abraham through Isaac, pointing to Jesus, the promised Offspring.
May 1 — ch. 22 God provides a ram as a substitute for Isaac, pointing to Jesus, the Lamb of God who would die as our Substitute.
May 2 — ch. 28:10-22 God confirms His promise to Jacob and reveals a ladder to heaven, pointing to Jesus as the only Way to the Father.
May 3 — ch. 37 Joseph is rejected and sold by his brothers, yet God already has a plan to raise him up.
May 4 — ch. 40 God gifts Joseph with the ability to interpret dreams, bringing life to one and judgment to another.
May 5 — ch. 41 God raises Joseph from the pit to rule and provide bread in a time of famine, preparing the way to preserve His people.
May 6 — ch. 44 Judah offers himself in place of Benjamin, showing a heart of sacrifice and responsibility.
May 7 — ch. 45 Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, showing God preserving His people and the promised line despite their sin.
May 8 — ch. 46 God brings Jacob and his family to Egypt, not only preserving the promised line but fulfilling His promise that they would become a nation.
May 9 — ch. 49:1-2, 8-12 Jacob blesses his sons before his death, prophesying a coming King from Judah — Jesus — to whom all nations will bow.
For about a year and a half at Christ Community Church (Grenada, MS) and The Foundry Church (Winona, MS), we’ve been involved in various Bible reading plans to help us get into the Word of God for the purpose of growing in and closer to Jesus.
We’ve read through various books of the Bible like Proverbs and the Psalms, and we just completed 260 days reading through the New Testament a chapter a day. We now turn our focus to the Old Testament, but we aren’t changing our focus — we’re reading selected passages in each Old Testament book looking at how Jesus shows up from before “In the beginning, God….” all the way to His incarnation in the gospels.
You don’t have to be a member of either Christ Community or The Foundry; you are welcome to join us in the readings and grow in Christ together!
Below, you’ll find links to go to the digital versions of each section of our reading plan as well as places to download a pdf of each section.
Sunday’s coming, and I’m especially thankful this week.
Not only do we get to gather again as the people of God, but we also get to celebrate 27 years of God’s faithfulness to and through Christ Community Church. That’s no small thing. The local church is one of God’s greatest gifts to His people — where the gospel is proclaimed, disciples are made, and the love of Jesus is lived out in community.
I want to say how personally thankful I am that God has allowed me and my family to be a part of Christ Community. I’ve had the privilege of serving in churches for two decades, but this church has become the church home and faith family we had always hoped for. Candice, Keri, Xander, and I are genuinely grateful — not only to serve here, but to belong here. Christ Community is a gift, and we thank God for it.
That’s exactly the sentiment Paul had in Colossians 1:3-6 when he was opening his letter to the church at Colossae: sharing his gratitude for a gospel-shaped church.
Paul began in v. 3 by saying, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.” He’s not flattering them but pointing to God as the source of their growth and faithfulness. Every local church that stands firm in Christ is a reason to give thanks.
In v. 4, he reflects on what he’s heard about them: their “faith in Jesus” and the love they have “for all the saints”. These aren’t vague religious concepts. Their faith was real, anchored in Jesus. Their love was visible, expressed toward one another. This kind of gospel life is evidence of Christ working.
But where does that kind of faith and love come from? The answer is in v. 5: “because of the hope laid up for you in heaven”. Their faith and love are rooted in something eternal — not wishful thinking, but a secure hope. Their faith and love are rooted in something objective, already laid up, already theirs. That’s our shared hope, too: an imperishable inheritance kept in heaven (1 Peter 1:4), secured not by our own goodness but in Jesus’s blood and resurrection (1 Peter 1:18-21).
Then in vv. 5-6, Paul shifts the spotlight to the gospel itself, “the Word of the truth…which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing…”. You see, the gospel isn’t merely information. It’s power. Wherever it goes — when it’s understood and received by grace through faith in Jesus — it grows, it bears fruit, it transforms lives. That’s what God has done at Christ Community for 27 years, and that’s what we’re asking Him to keep on doing until Jesus returns.
When we gather Sunday, we’ll celebrate that very gospel in song. We’ll sing “Holy Water” thanking God for washing away our sin in His grace and mercy. We’ll sing “Graves Into Gardens” proclaiming the power of Jesus to bring life where there was death. We’ll sing “In Christ Alone” declaring our firm hope rooted in Jesus’s death and resurrection. We’ll sing “Thank You Jesus for the Blood” remembering the precious price He paid to redeem us.
We’ll be reminded of that gospel in our Scripture readings, as in Titus 3:4-7 where we’ll clearly see that our salvation is not in our works but Jesus’s, not in our righteousness (which we don’t have) but His mercy.
We’ll be reminded of that gospel and the Savior it proclaims as John opens up the Word of God and shows us the King of kings, unpacking the value and depth of His sacrifice for sinners like us and the salvation that comes only by grace through faith in Jesus alone.
So, let’s gather together.
Let’s gather on the Lord’s day — on Sunday — not just to mark an anniversary but to lift high the name of Jesus, the One who saved us, who brought us together as a church family, and who is still working in and through us for His glory and our good.
The gospel has borne fruit here, and we pray it continues to do so for generations to come — until Jesus comes.
4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
18…knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
We’re continuing in our study of Revelation called The KING is Coming, where we’re taking a verse-by-verse approach to see what the book truly reveals—Jesus Christ Himself. As always, I’m joined by Jamie Harrison, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to walk through this study together. Today, we’ll be looking at another of Jesus’s letters to the churches, this time turning to the church in Sardis. This week’s passage is Revelation 3:1–6:
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’[1]
Keith Harris: Greetings, Sojourners,
Jamie, are you ready to dive into our study of the letter to the church at Sardis?
Jamie Harrison: Man, I’m ready. Are you ready?
Keith: I don’t think I could be any more ready than I am right now. Not at all. I’m full go, full tilt…. I praise the Lord. I was reborn ready…. So, as we go through this, we’ll give a little bit of witty banter.
Jamie: You’re not going to think it’s funny, but we do.
Keith: And that’s because we’re dads.
Jamie: We are.
Keith: And that’s what we bring to the table. We can study the Bible and make dad jokes.
Jamie: That’s accurate.
Keith: Alright, Jamie, talk to us about the letter to the church in Sardis.
Jamie: So just to get started, kind of a reminder of how each letter is set up—it follows the same general format. You start with the salutation, “To the angel of the church in Sardis.”[2] Each letter starts that way, and each one gives some type of attribute of Jesus.
This one says in verse 1, “Thus says the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.” That’s a correlation back to chapter 1, verse 4, and chapter 1, verse 16. Of course, the seven spirits of God—talking about the Holy Spirit there, the perfect Spirit of God. The seven stars represent the pastors of the churches.
Then He says to them, “I know your works. You have a reputation for being alive, but you’re dead.” And just to hit on that for a minute, He doesn’t praise them at all. He doesn’t say anything about their good works, which He has done with other churches.
Keith: So are you saying that Jesus isn’t going to tell us something good and positive if it’s not true?
Jamie: Correct…. That’s how He rolls.
So when Jesus jumps right into it, He says the word “reputation”—“You have a reputation for being alive, but you’re dead.” This always reminds me of how our pastor, Big John [Goldwater, pastor of Christ Community Church], always says, you know, a lot of people think they’re going to make it to heaven because their uncle was a Baptist preacher, or their grandmother was in church every Sunday, or that kind of thing.
So it’s this reputation—it’s something people thought you had at some point, but you don’t anymore. That’s what Jesus is getting at. You have a reputation for being alive. Your reputation is that you have good works. Your reputation is that you do things for the Lord—but you don’t. You’re dead.
Keith: And that word for reputation there is literally “name.”
Jamie: Yes.
Keith: So we know that if you have been made alive in Christ, your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. If you have life, your name is there. It’s not going to matter—what is it, Matthew 7:21-23—where Jesus says, “Many of you are going to say, ‘Lord, I’ve done this,’ and, ‘Lord, I’ve done that,’” and He’s going to say, “Depart from me. I never knew you.”
So the idea here, like you’re saying with reputation, it’s not about works. It’s whether or not He has made you alive.
Jamie: That’s right. That’s exactly right.
And so He goes on from there and says, “Be alert, and strengthen what remains, which is about to die. For I have not found your works complete before my God.”
So again, He reiterates—look, y’all do have a little bit left. There’s something there. There’s a little fire to work with. But it’s about to die. And if you don’t strengthen it, it’s going to go away as well. Now, does He mean that whole church [at Sardis] is going to cease to exist? Does He mean that those believers are going to cease to exist? I don’t know the answer to that. I think it’s more of a “Hey, you better get yourselves right with Me.”
Keith: And they would’ve known, right?
Jamie: Right. He goes on in verse 3: “Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you’re not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea what hour I will come upon you.”
So look—what have they received and heard?
Keith: The gospel.
Jamie: Right.
Keith: And that’s consistent language across the New Testament—gospels, epistles, and here in Revelation with Jesus Himself saying it. You’ve received it. You’ve heard it. It’s consistent—it’s the gospel. And we know that through the preaching of the gospel is how God awakens us, saves us. And when we confess Him as Lord, He makes us alive.
Jamie: That’s right.
Keith: And so the things in this that are very clear are clear to us and our churches today as well.
Jamie: Accurate.
So I find it… I’m not going to use the word interesting here—I’m not sure what word I’d be looking for—but He says, “If you’re not alert, I’m going to come like a thief, and you have no idea what hour I will come upon you.” Well, if you knew when the thief was coming, you’d be prepared for it. So don’t misconstrue this—Jesus is not saying He is a thief. What He’s saying is that He’s going to come when we least expect it.
And so they’d better repent. There’s that word—repent—again, right? And I want to read the definition of the word repent:
To change one’s way of life as a result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness—to repent, to change one’s way.[3]
So in other words, to repent is not lip service. It’s not just saying, “Lord, I repent.” It’s life service. It’s a complete change. Again, to change one’s way of life. Not an easy thing to do—because we all have things we’d like to hold onto. Things we’d rather not get rid of.
We’ve all got that one little… you know, I think of—what was that homeboy’s name in Lord of the Rings? That’s like, “My precious…”
Jamie: My cousin Gollum. That’s him. And his one thing that he just couldn’t get his mind off of was the ring.
And so we all have that thing—that thing we just don’t want to let go of, that thing we hold onto. Jesus is [essentially] saying, “You’ve got to repent. You’ve got to turn away from it. To change your entire life—a complete change in attitude with regard to sin.”
Keith: Which, in this context, is keeping with what you’ve heard—keeping with the gospel.
Jamie: That’s correct. And in James chapter 2, verses 14 through 26—I’m not going to read that whole section—but this is that “faith and works” section that James talks about. And he goes through and basically says, you know, if you look at people who don’t have clothes or daily food, and you say, “Stay warm and be well fed,” what have you really done to help them?
Keith: Right.
Jamie: That’s right—you’ve done nothing.
Well, the gospel teaches us that we are supposed to act. We are supposed to have works. Those works will prove our faith. They will prove that we love Jesus, that we have a relationship with Him. And if we don’t have those works, then we should repent—to show our faith.
So I think that’s a real good correlation to what He’s talking about here because He tells them, “I know your works. You have a reputation, but you’re dead. You’re not doing anything.” Which is what James is talking about—you’re spiritually dead. And I think about churches I’ve been to before where so many people in the church would say to me, “Well, it’s your turn to do such and such. I’ve done my time.” To which my response was always, “I don’t think you have—’cause you’re still alive.”
Keith: Right.
Jamie: You probably would be physically dead.
Keith: There’s no retirement from being saved.
Jamie: Right.
Keith: Part of that is…what is it L.G. [Schmitz] says? “God has a plan for your life.” And he cites—and I find it interesting that this comes at the end of that section in Ephesians 2:1-10 – that section dealing with how we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-2)?
You get to Ephesians 2:4—“But God…” made you alive in Christ. At the end of that, you have Ephesians 2:10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand.” They’re not our works earning salvation, but rather fruit proving the salvation that He has given. He’s put the life in you—you live it as long as you have it.
Jamie: That’s right. Amen.
And so, to go on there—verse 4: “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white because they are worthy.” So there are some people there who are dressed in white. Which, again—I know we’ve hit on it already—but that’s purity, that’s holiness.
As we look at glimpses into heaven further in Revelation, you see the saints clothed in white, right? That’s the idea here. So they’re still doing what Jesus has called them to do. And He says, “In the same way, the one who conquers will be dressed in white clothes.”
And that’s, again, back to the setup of the letters—we had the salutation, we had the attributes of Jesus, we’ve just talked about the works, praise, and admonition to the church—or in this case, the lack of works and the lack of praise. You get the universal admonition: “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” And then you get this final promise, which is where we are now. And that final promise is that “the one who conquers…”—1 John 5:4–5 tells us that the one who conquers is the one who is saved, who has a relationship with Jesus.
So how are you a conqueror? You’re saved. You have a relationship with Him. And that relationship is going to lead to good works. It’s going to lead to doing things for Christ.
Now, are those things always going to be… pleasant at the end of the day? Are things going to happen to us if we step out for Jesus? Probably.
Will people say stuff about us or to us? Probably.
Are people going to scrutinize our lives? Yeah—for sure.
Because that’s how people are when they’re being convicted of sin and they don’t like it. But our job is to follow Him—in works, in faith—to do what He asks us to do, to be led by Him.
And then He says we’ll be conquerors, we’ll be dressed in white clothes, and “I’ll never erase your name from the Book of Life, but I’ll acknowledge your name before My Father and before His angels.” And so you get this really cool ending to this letter, where He says, “Look guys, if you all will repent—change your attitude, change your lifestyle, come to Me, do the things I’ve asked you to do—then your name will be in My Book of Life, and you will spend eternity with Me.” So I think the question, looking at this letter—each of these letters should lead us to ask ourselves a question. And I think the letter to Sardis leads me to ask myself: Do I have a relationship with Christ?
When you look at this, when you think about this, you go—am I leaning back on a reputation I had? Because I used to be a good Sunday School teacher… or I used to be a good pastor… or I used to be a good van driver… or I used to be a good garbage picker-upper… or whatever it is that you used to do.
Or are you still doing things for Christ? Do I have a relationship with Christ?
If you have a relationship with Christ, but the works haven’t been there, then it’s time to repent.
It’s time to do what He’s telling us to do—and that’s repent.
Big John [Goldwater] preached a message last Sunday—which, of course, I don’t know when this podcast will be put out—so that would’ve been January the…
Keith: 5th.
Jamie: January the fifth. And you can go find that on his Facebook page, I’m sure. Or the….
Jamie: Yeah, either one. And that’s not a shout-out like, “Hey, come to Christ Community Church, we’re the best thing since sliced bread”—which, of course, I think we are; that’s why I go there.
But the message was on point. It was about doing what Christ has asked us to do, growing in our faith with Christ. And I’m gonna tell you—it convicted the… the—I don’t even know what word to say. I started to say “pee,” but that’s probably inappropriate….
Keith: In the context of repentance: the sin out of you.
Jamie: Yes, it did. And so I’ve been honestly struggling with that all week long. But that’s the idea there.
Now, the other thing is, if you realize, “You know what? I don’t even have a relationship with Christ”—the good news is, you can. I was talking to somebody just yesterday about this—somebody who’s close family. They said, “I’m not sure I’m asking God the right questions. How do I know if I’m asking Him the right questions?” And so I started praying about it, and I was led to kind of our verse at Christ Community—it’s Romans 10:9. And in that verse, it tells us how to be saved. And the first part of that is to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. And the issue with that—that most people have—is they’re like, “Yeah, I don’t have a problem confessing Jesus is Lord. I can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ all day long.” But the definition of the word Lord is like—a master or an owner, the possessor of someone or something. It’s the kind of word that’s even spoken of a husband. Which, of course, we know that Jesus is referred to as the groom—the husband. And so, someone that has absolute authority over whatever it is. And so when you think about those things, you go, “Man—confessing Jesus as Lord means I have to give everything over to Him. All of it. My whole life over to Him.”
Now, what I told the guy I was talking to was—when we confess Jesus as Lord and we grow in our relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit begins to answer the questions through His Word.
So maybe it’s not as much a matter of What questions do I ask?—as it is: Have I submitted to the Lord? Have I given Him my everything? Is He my Lord and Savior?
And so, guys—at the end of the day, if you don’t have a relationship with Him… and we always say it’s really simple… well, it’s simple to say the words, but—surrender yourself to the Lord. Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead—which is faith—and you will be saved.
So I think that’s a good place to kind of finish today.
Keith: Yeah. And as we wrap—just, each of these…
Jamie: I really can’t rap. That is, um… Tupac, Eminem—those guys.
Keith: W-R-A-P. My bad.
Jamie: Right.
Keith: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
As you look at this—if you have confessed Him as Lord and He’s saved you—the works are proof of that. They don’t produce that. And Jesus says He will never blot a name out of His Book of Life. If you are saved, you are saved.
Jamie: That’s right.
Keith: Because He accomplishes it—not something you can lose. And so if you look at this and start thinking about it—that you haven’t been consistent—there’s no “losing” of one’s salvation. You may have only been doing lip service.
Jesus talked to the Pharisees—who were the religious who’s who—and they thought they were already dressed in white. They thought they were religiously perfect. And He told them they were whitewashed tombs.
John the Baptist even told the Pharisees to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. If you’re not, you haven’t lost your salvation. This may be that initial repentance—where, like Jamie said, you need to confess Jesus as Lord, have faith in Him, and then He will save you. You’re not getting re-saved, saved again, saved 2.0.
You either are, or you aren’t.
You’re either dead, or you’re alive.
And so, if you read this or listen to this today and realize that you aren’t alive—you can be made alive in Christ today. And that’s our hope and prayer.
Jamie: Mm-hmm.
Keith: Well, this one has been relatively short—as these go. And so, as Big John says, “No one complains about a short sermon.”
Jamie: Amen.
Keith: God bless. Thank y’all—and we look forward to hearing from y’all soon.
[3] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., rev. and ed. by Frederick William Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), s.v. “μετανοέω.”
[4] Smeagol (also called Gollum) is a character from The Lord of the Rings books and movies. He becomes so obsessed with a magical ring that he calls it “my precious” and can’t let it go. Jamie uses this as an example of how we can get stuck holding on to sin instead of letting it go and turning to Jesus.
We’re continuing in our study of Revelation called The KING is Coming. Today, we will be diving into Jesus’s letter to the church at Pergamum. Once again, I am thankful for Jamie Harrison and the opportunity to do this study together. This week’s passage is Revelation 2:18-29:
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’[1]
Keith Harris: Greetings, Sojourners, Welcome back to The King is Coming.[2] My name is Keith, and I’m joined once again by my friend and co-host, Jamie Harrison. Jamie, how’s it going, man?
Jamie Harrison: It’s going great. I’m looking forward to walking through another letter to the churches in Revelation.
Keith: Yeah, me too. We are now in the fourth of the seven churches, and this is the letter to Thyatira. This is the longest of the seven letters, even though Thyatira is probably the least-known of the seven cities. So, let’s jump in. This is the longest of the seven letters, and it starts with Jesus identifying Himself in a striking way: “The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” Jamie, what stands out to you in this introduction?
Jamie: Man, I love how every letter begins with one of the descriptions of Jesus from chapter 1. And this one — “eyes like fire, feet like bronze” — it’s strong. It’s intense. His gaze pierces through everything. The eyes of fire speak to His ability to see right through hypocrisy. And the feet of bronze are strong, stable, pure — He’s coming with authority and judgment.
Keith: Yeah, and I think that’s really important for what He’s about to say to this church. Because on the one hand, He has some really good things to say. He says, “I know your works — your love, your faith, your service, your endurance.” And then He says, “Your later works exceed the first,” so they’re growing. But on the other hand, there’s this deep compromise going on.
Jamie: Yeah, this is one of those churches where you see a really mixed picture. Like, they’ve got some great stuff going on. And it’s interesting that love is mentioned — because that wasn’t the case in Ephesus. In Ephesus, they had truth but no love. Here in Thyatira, they have love — but they’re lacking in truth.
Keith: That’s a great observation. Jesus tells them, “I see your love and your faith and your service and your endurance.” Those are all things we’d celebrate in a church today. But then comes verse 20: “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel….”
Jamie: That’s a heavy name to drop.
Keith: Yeah. Most scholars believe “Jezebel” isn’t her actual name — it’s a symbolic reference to the Old Testament queen Jezebel from 1 and 2 Kings, who led Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality. She influenced King Ahab and the people to turn away from God.
Jamie: So this person in Thyatira — whoever she really was — was doing something similar. Claiming to be a prophetess, teaching false doctrine, and leading people into sin under the guise of spiritual insight. That phrase, “the deep things of Satan,” shows just how off-track it had gotten.
Keith: Exactly. And Jesus doesn’t just say she’s wrong — He says she’s dangerous. She’s seducing His servants. He says, “I gave her time to repent, but she refuses.” That’s both terrifying and gracious. Jesus gave her an opportunity to turn around.
Jamie: Right, and that’s important. He’s not quick to judge — He gives space for repentance. But when someone refuses, judgment is coming. And He says He’ll throw her on a sickbed, bring great tribulation on those who commit adultery with her, and even strike her children dead. That’s intense.
Keith: It is. But that’s the seriousness of sin in the church — especially sin that’s being taught and normalized. Jesus says this judgment will serve as a warning: “All the churches will know that I am He who searches mind and heart.” He’s not just looking at outward appearances.
Jamie: And that’s so needed in today’s world. We live in a time when churches are often pressured to tolerate sin in the name of love. But Jesus shows us here that real love doesn’t tolerate what’s destructive to His people. He calls His church to purity — not just kindness, but truth and holiness.
Keith: Yes — love without truth leads to compromise. And truth without love leads to cold legalism. Jesus is calling Thyatira to hold both — to grow in love and to stand in truth. And for those who haven’t bought into this false teaching, He says: “I don’t lay on you any other burden — just hold fast to what you have until I come.”
Jamie: That’s such a gracious word from Jesus — “I don’t lay on you any other burden.” Just hold fast. That’s the call. Sometimes in the middle of confusion or pressure or even division in the church, the call is just to cling tightly to Jesus and remain faithful.
Keith: Yeah, and I love that the letter ends with promises — not just warnings. He says: “The one who conquers and who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.” That’s a big promise.
Jamie: It is. And it’s drawn from Psalm 2 — that idea of ruling the nations with a rod of iron, breaking them like earthen pots. That’s messianic language, and Jesus is sharing that reign with His people. It’s a picture of participating in His authority, His victory, and His kingdom.
Keith: Absolutely. It’s incredible that Jesus says those who stay faithful — who “conquer” by persevering in obedience — will reign with Him. And then He adds: “I will give him the morning star.” There’s a lot of debate about what exactly that means, but I think it points back to Jesus Himself.
Jamie: Yeah — Revelation 22:16 says Jesus is “the bright morning star.” So when He says, “I will give you the morning star,” He’s giving Himself. That’s the ultimate reward: not just reigning, not just escaping judgment, but having Jesus Himself.
Keith: That’s such a good word. He’s not just promising relief from suffering or an escape from persecution. He’s promising Himself. And that makes sense with the tone of this whole letter. The people in Thyatira needed clarity — and Jesus gives them that. He says, “I see what’s good. I see what’s dangerous. And I’m calling you to stay faithful.”
Jamie: Yeah, and that ending refrain is still the same: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” That means this message isn’t just for Thyatira — it’s for us too.
Keith: Exactly. Jesus wants His whole church to hear this. In a world where compromise is so easy — where it’s tempting to tolerate false teaching in the name of unity or kindness — Jesus reminds us that love and truth must go together. And that He’s coming. So hold fast.
Jamie: That’s the key — hold fast to what we’ve been given, stay faithful to the truth, and trust that Jesus sees, Jesus judges rightly, and Jesus rewards those who overcome.
Keith: Amen. That’s a good word. Anything else you’d want to say to listeners before we wrap this one up?
Jamie: Just that encouragement — don’t let the pressure to “go along” with something false wear you down. Jesus sees your faithfulness. He knows. Hold fast. He is worth it.
Keith: He is.
Thank you, Jamie. And thank you for listening to The King is Coming. We’ll be back next week as we move into the letter to the church in Sardis. Until then, hold fast — and keep your eyes on Jesus.
[2] We’re trying out something a little different and giving a condensed transcript to make it easier to read, but if you want the full Bible study, click the podcast link above or click here.
We’re continuing in our study of Revelation called The KING is Coming. We took a break for our He Who Promised is Faithful readings during Holy Week but are glad to be back at it. Today, we will be diving into Jesus’s letter to the church at Smyrna. Once again, I am thankful for Jamie Harrison and the opportunity to do this study together.
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. 9 “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’[1]
Keith Harris: Greetings, Sojourners,
We are in the letter to the church in Smyrna, continuing our study of Revelation. Jamie, why don’t you remind us as you did in our last Bible study about the form of these letters – the five things that show up in each one.
Jamie Harrison: Yes, that is correct. Each letter is going to have a salutation. In this letter, “Write to the angel of the church of Smyrna” (Revelation 2:8)[2] – the angel being, of course, the pastor, the messenger, the person delivering them the Word. Then, you’re going to have where Jesus will say something about Himself – His attributes. Then, there will be something about their works, some praise and admonition. Except in this church – Smyrna is one of two churches that does not have an admonition (correction, something to fix). Then, you’re going to have a universal admonition which is to anyone who hears, who has ears to hear – to listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. Finally, each letter will contain a final promise.
Keith: Alright, talk to us about Smyrna. What does Jesus tell us about Himself here?
Jamie: He starts off by saying, “Thus says the First and the Last, the one who was dead and came to life” (Revelation 2:8). The letter to Ephesus referenced back to the description of Jesus in Revelation 1, and so does this one. In Revelation 1:17, Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last…”; He continues to say, “I was dead, but look – I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys to death and Hades.” It’s really cool that Jesus keeps going back to what He’s already said – to almost repeat for emphasis.
Keith: He’s doing it on purpose.
Jamie: Correct. He’s is the First and the Last which, like I said in Revelation 1, is a claim that He is God. He was there in the beginning as we know. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). So He was the First, and He will be the Last.
It’s also important to note that He points out again that He is the one who was dead and has now came to life because all of Christianity is a complete waste of time if He didn’t raise from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). There’s a lot of dead people, but He’s the only one….
Keith: What is it that John Goldwater says? “Dead saviors can’t save.”
Jamie: That’s correct. You know, I was talking to someone the other day and – I apologize if this bothers anybody, but you know where people are like, You know that my dead relative was looking down on me today, or I was talking to them and they clearly gave me an answer. I know this is going to bother some people, but if you’re expecting some dead relative to help you with something, you’re [in a pickle]. I’m sorry, but when you take your last breath, you’re done. So, it’s important that we make a decision for Jesus before that happens….
Keith: …because He was dead and came to life – not was brought to life. He just stopped being dead (Revelation 2:8, John 10:17-18). Like Jamie was saying on the part of our relatives, it may seem to have someone we care about look from what we would describe as an afterlife, but we have something better than that: we have the God of the universe who was there at the beginning, pre-existed the beginning (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:17) – He’s going to be there at the end and continue eternally. He is the God who saves, the God who looks after (Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 121:3-5). He’s Emmanuel – God with us (Matthew 1:23). We shouldn’t be satisfied with lesser things (Psalm 119:37). Jesus is clearly superior to everybody and everything (Hebrews 1:3-4, Philippians 2:9-11).
Jamie: That’s right.
After Jesus says this, He goes into telling them some things about themselves. He says, “I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9). Let’s touch on that real quick. When He says, “I know your affliction and poverty.” History tells us that Smyrna was a very wealthy town – very well-to-do. Why would the Christians there experience “affliction and poverty”? It’s simple when you look at it.
In order to work, you had to join a guild, which is like what we would call a labor union, right? Each one of those guilds back during that time, would have been represented by some god or goddess. In order to join, you had to worship that god or goddess. So as a Christian….
Keith: …almost like your dues….
Jamie: As a Christian, I’m not going to worship this god or goddess because that’s a false god. I’m not going to be able to join a guild, which means I’m not going to work because I can’t get a job. It wasn’t laziness – they couldn’t get a job. A lot of Christians ended up begging for food and things like that, but it’s because they were willing to suffer that affliction to follow Christ.
So, we ask ourselves the question of if someone comes to you at work and asks you to do something immoral (or whatever the case may be), are you going to do it to keep your job or say “no” and that whatever happens happens? Are you going to compromise your relationship with Christ to advance at the workplace? Or are you going to put Him first? These Christians here at Smyrna put Him first.
Then He tells them that He knows the slander of “those who say they are Jews and aren’t but are a synagogue of Satan”. He tells [the believers there] that they are about to suffer – that the devil is going to throw some of them in prison to test them, and they’ll “experience affliction for ten days”; He tells them, “Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
He kind of tells them exactly what’s about to happen. There’s this synagogue of “Jewish” people who are claiming to be Jews but in the biblical sense, they’re not.
Keith: Ethnically, they are, right? But just as Jesus told the Pharisees on more than one occasion – you’re talking about your father Abraham but you’re of your father the devil. The fruit of your life is showing what you are more than your ethnicity is.
Jamie: Mmmm…. This was happening. This synagogue was slandering them. They would be jailed normally about ten days. They experienced, obviously, persecution and things like that while in prison – sometimes to the point of death. But Jesus says, “Be faithful to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life.” So, what is the crown of life talking about? I think we probably know the answer to that, but let’s look at James 1:12. Again, we always want the Bible to speak for itself. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.” So, it’s eternal life with Jesus.
You notice, you know, this book of Revelation a lot of times – when we look at it, we think it’s just a sign of what’s going to happen and all these different things and how bad things are going to be – and it is, but it’s not at the same time. The revelation is of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1). It’s about Jesus Christ. It’s to lead us to Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:17-18, 5:9-10). The whole central setting of Revelation is the throne room (Revelation 4:2-6). Everything centers around the throne room where God – the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit – is present with multitudes around them worshiping Him, praising Him (Revelation 4:8-11, 5:11-13). Right? As all of these things are going on.
There’s no admonition in this letter to Smyrna. There’s no this is what you’re doing wrong. They have it. They get it. They have a relationship with Jesus, and because of that relationship, they are putting off these other things and are following after Him. Because of that they’ll receive the crown of life.
Keith: I mean, just that idea in and of itself: be faithful unto death. If you’re living in an area of the world where following Jesus means certain death, you’re going to be in less need of an admonition because if you’re know that following Jesus means certain death here on earth, you’ve counted the cost like Jesus said in Luke 14:27-28.
The idea there that “be faithful unto death, and I’ll give you the crown of life”, He doesn’t say when you die in prison in ten days or when you die in the tribulation; it’s for all of life. If you’re like John, who’s on the island of Patmos in probably his 80s or 90s – that just because he didn’t get martyred, he’s no less faithful unto death. He’s faithful until the time that God calls him home. That crown of life isn’t just for martyrs; it’s for those who are saved for all of life.
Jamie: You know, you’re talking about people who are being persecuted even to the point of death today…. Was it Richard Wurmbrand in that book we read[3]? They put him in a room – in a closet, basically smaller than a closet, and all four walls were nails. There was just enough room for you to stand. If you moved at all, you were going into these nails. They had him in that room for days on end. No food. No water. Nothing like that. Eventually, they would open the door and he would just collapse to the ground. They would defecate and make him eat it – urinate in his mouth, things like that….
Keith: …beat his feet so much that he could never wear shoes again the rest of his life….
Jamie: Right. And not once did he waver. Not once did his relationship with Christ come into question. He continued to tell the guards about Jesus the whole time he was there. And eventually did get out. But what it did was it strengthened his faith. So, if there was any point, to all of these trials is that it strengthens our faith in God.
Keith: Speaking of, I had forgotten about this, but while you were talking…there was a guy named Polycarp. He was a pastor in Smyrna and a disciple of the apostle John. And at [Polycarp’s] martyrdom, when he’s about to be executed for Christianity, they gave him an opportunity to recant. We talked last week where Jesus gave the church at Ephesus to repent and remember the love they had at first – those who were going to execute Polycarp gave him an opportunity to repent and remember his love for the powers-that-be, His love for Jesus was more. He says,
“For eighty and six years I have been his servant, and he has done me no wrong. And how can I now blaspheme my king who saved me?”
They killed him for that, but Jesus’s own words here – and I don’t think that’s an accident – I mean, it’s more than ten days later, but I don’t think it’s an accident that Jesus told Smyrna this knowing full well that Polycarp and those in the immediate context living in the same situation as Polycarp – that they were faithful unto death.
Polycarp has a crown of life. John has a crown of life. And if we, in our churches today, are faithful unto death, then we’ll receive that crown of life. The proof’s in the pudding, so to speak.
Jamie: It is. That pudding’s pretty good stuff…..
Just to finish this out real quick…. I always say real quick, and it always takes forever. I take that back.
Keith: It takes the time it takes.
Jamie: Just to finish this out, we have Jesus with a universal admonition, which in a word, you know, is let anyone who has ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. What is the Spirit saying to us? He says, “To the one who conquers”. Remember 1 John 5:4-5 here. This is those who are saved, those who have a relationship with Jesus will never be harmed by the second death.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
This is not a scare tactic by any stretch of the imagination. It’s explaining what the second death is. You might have died here on earth, but the second death is the one – it’s the one. If you have a relationship with Christ, you won’t experience the second death (John 3:16, 5:24). You will have a life everlasting with God the Father (John 17:3). If you don’t have a relationship with Christ, you will experience that second death, which – even with all of the lake of fire and all that – the punishment of hell is an eternal separation from God (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Matthew 25:41, 46). You’re never with Him again. You’re eternally separated from your Creator.
Keith: And the ever-presence of His wrath.
Jamie: That’s right, but I think the people who are there will still blame Him – will still be angry with Him. So imagine living in eternal punishment, being angry the entire time. That’s the feeling it’s going to be. I can’t describe it. We’ve never been there. We don’t understand it. We don’t want to be there.
Sometimes, like right now, people will be like, now, let me invite you to come to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to come to know Jesus because you’re scared to go to hell. If you come to know Jesus, it needs to be because you were convicted by His Word and want to have a relationship with Him – and you want to love Him.
Keith: How does Paul say it in Philippians 3:8? The surpassing worth of knowing Christ. That’s a far cry from the surpassing worth of not wanting to go to hell.
You think about different people you’ve heard talk. Well, I got married to so-and-so because they were the only person in my community or if I didn’t marry this person I’d have to marry that person. That’s not love. … The idea that you’re just pursuing one thing because you don’t want the other, that’s not it.
That’s not the image you get in Matthew 13:44-46 where Jesus is giving the parables of the man who is walking through a field and finds a treasure worth more than any treasure he’s ever seen. He immediately goes back to his house, cashes out all of his assets, and buys the field. He’s not willing for anyone else to find this treasure. The pearl merchant who, upon finding the pearl of great price, doesn’t haggle – doesn’t negotiate – he cashes out everything he has to buy this one pearl.
Jamie: And that’s what these people in Smyrna did. They were willing to give up their jobs – the opportunity to own their house, purchase food for their family, things of that nature – for the sake of Christ.
Keith: That’s one of the things that I wonder here, and I’m not trying to speculate. But He’s talking to them about how they were rich before Christ in a worldly sense. Now in a worldly sense they’re in poverty. Jesus reminds them that they are rich – that their life is in danger but they have Life. I would imagine some of them were in definite danger – not necessarily of martyrdom or execution but just in the ability to sustain themselves and live.
As we look at this to close it out, think about how we talked about Polycarp and Richard Wurmbrand. It reminds me of the perspective here – “the one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:11) – the idea that the closest to hell believers will ever experience is what they experience here on earth. That’s the greatest threat the world can give us – that it’s going to kill us, leads us to our greatest reward (Philippians 1:21-23, Revelation 21:4-5).
This reminds me of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.I’ve been reading through his Letters and Papers from Prison[4]…. There are times where he’d be aggravated that he had opportunities for the gospel and he’d repent and minister to this or that person. Everyone who was thrown into the concentration camps wasn’t Jewish ethnically. They weren’t even necessarily for the cause. If they Nazis wanted to just get someone out of the way, they had the camps for this.
Bonhoeffer, on the last day of his life, got up and preached. There was a guy there as a witness – a British intelligence officer kind of kept the Nazi guards at bay to let him finish his sermon. Then Bonhoeffer willing went with them – walked to his execution almost consoling the guards because – you know, you’d have to feel some kind of way when somebody’s looking at you and talking about the love of Christ, preaching the gospel and you’re going to be the one to kill him. And what he told those guards right before they took his life was: “This is the end, but for me, it is the beginning.”
Where so many face the second death, those believers in Smyrna, they face the beginning.
The tears they had for persecution were wiped away by the nail-scarred hands of their Savior whom they served unto death.
That’s good news.
Jamie: Amen.
Keith: Well, Jamie, that about wraps it up for Smyrna. Sojourners, we’ve enjoyed our time with you today. Check with us next time as we look at the letter to the church at Pergamum.
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
With those words, the grave was silenced, death was defeated, and hope reigned eternal.
Long before that first Resurrection Sunday morning, Job declared through tears and pain, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). He didn’t have all the answers, but he held onto the living hope that one day, beyond death and decay, he would see his God for himself. That hope was not misplaced.
Because Jesus lives, we can face anything – even death – with confidence. The Redeemer Job longed to see is the risen Christ who lived on earth, bore our sorrows unto death, and now lives reigns in glory. And as surely as He rose, He promises that all who trust in Him will rise too (John 11:25).
Today is not just a celebration of what happened – it is a declaration of what is to come. Our Redeemer lives! And one day, with resurrected eyes and glorified bodies, we will see Him face to face.
Let your heart rise with resurrection hope. Jesus is not here. He has risen just as He said. He ascended back to heaven and has promised to return to gather His people to Himself.
Just Keith Harris 