The Rich Little Poor Church

[Music] People of God said amen open your Bibles again with me to the book of the revelation of Jesus Christ at chapter number 2 verses 8 through reste number 11 last time we talked about the church at Ephesus the letter Jesus wrote to the church at Ephesus and this morning's word is to the church at Smyrna verses 8 through verse number 11 and unto the Angel of the church in Smyrna write these things says the first and the last which was dead and is alive I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan but none of those things which thou fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer the whole the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation 10 days be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death thank you you may be seated the grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our God shall stand forever I want to talk a moment about the rich little poor church rich little poor Church the next service I want to talk about the poor little rich church but in this worship I want to look at the rich little poor church the church at Smyrna along with the church at Philadelphia against whom Christ voiced no criticism was facing suffering related to spiritual warfare and imprisonment because of their faith if Ephesus was the Fallen Church Smyrna was the fearful Church Smyrna was a prosperous city with a population at that time of over 100,000 it was called the crown city because it was surrounded by hills that resembled a crown it was also called the flower of Asia because Smyrna was a wonderful place to live it was famous for its production of myrrh when the wise men came to visit with Jesus myrrh was one of the gifts that they brought to him it was a a fragrance used as an embalming spice but it was also a fragrant odor that would fragrance the whole house there were many temples in Smyrna some temples were dedicated to Zeus who in Greek mythology was the father of all gods and men there was a temple to Apollo's that was a temple to Aphrodite that was a temple also to Asclepius the god of medicine you've seen this staff with serpents intertwined around it on doctors lapels or at drugstores that represent the god of medicine Asclepius had a temple in Smyrna but Smyrna brothers and sisters because of their faith was a crush Church they they face persecution the scripture says that they be faced tribulation the word tribulation means pressure it comes from the latin word tremulous a Tribune was the stone that was used to grind wheat to separate the wheat from the chaff that stone ground the wheat the separated from the trap the chaff that tribulus at tribulation that grinding that crushing that stone was what made that church strong the church is suffering economic hardship because of Jewish blasphemy or Jewish slander nevertheless their faithfulness in the face of their affliction demonstrates that even though they were poor they had spiritual wealth never mind these fortune prophets on television in the radio never mind the propagation of the prosperity preachers the scripture says if you would live godly in Christ Jesus you will suffer tribulation jesus said in this world you will have tribulation pressure crushing the stone of offense the stone of cracking the the threshing of the soul of the believer anybody who would walk with God will come under pressure that that that doesn't that doesn't bode well with many of us because many of us want a Christianity that's easy no problems no stress no burdens but God can't get glory out of your life without pressure somebody here this morning who's been under the stone of crushing can help me testify that you're better on the other side that when you win in in I wish I had two or three witnesses here who can help me testify that had it not been for my crushing had it not been for the pressure that I was under I'm stronger I'm wiser I'm better I can handle just about anything because when God gets through with me I shall conform at school they face poverty in a city that possessed everything Smyrna was a rich city but this little Jewish colony of believers had nothing because they would not bow to Caesar and because they would not bend the knee to Caesar they were expelled from trade-union there were trade guilds on trade unions that the only way you can make money the only way you could be economically prosperous was to be a part of these trade guilds and because they were not bow and give obedience to Caesar they were excluded and lied on by their fellow Jews you don't have to be doing wrong for pressure to come on I wish I had one or two more witnesses here you can be doing the will of God and pressure and crushing will come in your life but now you have to walk softly here and don't get bearing across confused and reaping a Christ because all the stuff you go through is not bearing across I wish I had a witness it some of that comes from reaping a crop I wish I had two or three more witnesses it look at the trials the stress make sure that what you're going through God says it because you're trying to do right and you're not reaping what you put in somebody else's life don't don't don't don't get all spiritual after you broke up somebody's marriage [Applause] [Music] [Applause] yeah don't come don't come join over here after you to up somebody's house and waving your hands and you so spiritual not not now be not to see I wish I had a Bible reader God is not mocked what you send in the lives of other people will come back in your own life you no good ever [Applause] and I a soldier of the cross follower of the lamb shall our fear to all his cold a brush to speak his name must I be carried to the skies on flower beds of ease while others fought to win the prize and sail through bloody sea when you're Christian some things you just have to go through some pressure you just have to stand up under some trial will come in your life because you're trying to do what's right because they would not bow to season because they would not give oil T to the infra they were imprisoned and put to death when you read church history one of the early church fathers named the Polycarp who was the bishop of Smyrna was burned at the stake Polycarp was one of the last church fathers to know president Li and speak with John the Apostle and they brought him to the amphitheater in Rome to burn him at the state and an emperor gave him another chance to deny and recant his testimony about Jesus and and Polycom refused to deny Christ and they and they tied him to the stake and Pony calm said you don't have to tie it too tight cuz I'm not gonna run I'm not gonna move because he's been with me 86 years and he has not done me any harm and I will not deny my king and my Savior when pressure comes on you don't deny Christ cuz he will stand up in you in the midst of your trial anybody here ever have to wake up in the middle of the night anybody here ever been under severe pressure because you were trying to teach Sunday School you would find a knee and right you were trying to give God glory out of your life and the devil made sure that you were on his hit list [Applause] let me remind you let me let me remind you that if you're not bothering if you're not bothered by Satan it's a pretty good sign that you ain't bothering here brothers and sisters when you're a Christian you get crushed and fresh Paul said we are persecuted but not for see cast down but not this stroke progressed but not in despair because we bear in our bodies the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ holy cop says don't don't don't tie it too tight for fear that I'm going to move away from you because I came to the Coliseum to give my life for my sake and listen Jesus said I know your work and this morning if you were called on to give an account of your work would you be able to stand up under the pressure what kind of works are you doing for the kingdom this one talk back to me if you can whose life is being impacted by your testimony whose walk is being made easier because you are encouraging them how are you working in the church how are you working in the kingdom of God so that when he comes again you can go back with you I met on my singing in the choir I'm not I'm not assuring at the door I'm not talking about throwing your hands in the air like you just don't care I'm talking about going to work tomorrow and telling somebody that Jesus is mighty the same telling somebody in your family who knows you better than everybody else I was lost but now I'm back they face poverty they face hardship they faced prison they were crush I told you that in Smyrna that was a tree that produced a plant called mer mer was a sweet fragrance but but the only way to get the fragrance out was to crush the lead and we run it by you again the only way to get the fragrance out was to cross the lead somebody still didn't get that the only way to get it to smell sweet what's a crush it under pressure and the only way God will get a sweet fragrance out of your life it's a flesh you under pressure listen you can't really sing amazing grace until grace has been amazing in your life [Applause] you can't really shout about the goodness of God until you've been broken God came through for you you can't really talk about God as a mother father motherless until you put your mama in the grave and God brought you back to church on Sunday morning giving yo God giving God the glory because he's able to pick up a bow down hey listen your praise got to cost you something and that's why I can't let you dictate to me how I give God praise cuz you don't know how expensive my praising you don't know what pressure I've had to stand up under you don't know what flashing I've had to stand up under [Applause] those of us who read the Bible know the story of this woman who came in where Jesus was with that alabaster box and the disciples looked at us and said that that's too much that's that's too costly we could have taken that oil and sold it and given the money to the poor Jesus said the poor you have with you always but everywhere the gospel is free I want you to talk about this woman with this alabaster box because praise when it is real is expensive what are you when what price are you willing to pay for your hallelujah I'm not talking about cheap praise that somebody tell you give give God a hand to break that cheap free somebody tell you to give God the glory that cheap praise because praise when it's cheap is artist rated and staged and manage but praise when is expensive you don't need nobody to tell you to give gone a hand to play [Applause] when you think about when God brought you from how many dogs God has open for you how many ways God has made for you it may not cost that for you but it takes all of that for me in in recent years in recent years I've been through so much loss sickness under death false friends people who said they would be with me and I can't find him with a 6-1 I've had to stand up under some tremendous pressure but here's this out I'm still standing I'm standing on the promises of God I'm standing on the faithfulness of God cuz he promised have a got a witness I will never leave you nor forsake you [Applause] they were a crush Church whatever hurry they were a consistent church it is right here in verse number nineteen I know your words Jesus is saying to this church I know what you're going through I'm with you I know what you're trying to do and I know what opposition you have met because of your stance for the gospel but I'm still with you I know who walked out on you I know who's blaspheming I know is lying I know it the church you don't mean you any good barn it's alright I will take care of you let them lie you just keep on doing what's right let them try to stop your progress you just keep on doing what's right don't let them drag you down to where they are and brothers and sisters the mistake we make as Christian if we get mad and we return evil for evil someone ought to help me preacher but jesus said let the wheat and the tail grew together don't try to pull them up because they look so much alike when I come I will do the separation unknown lyrics you but I'm with you I'm only tried to pull you down but I'll raise you up I'm gonna try to stop you but I'm pushing you ball [Applause] listen he says I know you worked you you you pull but you really reach because your self words is not connected to your network somebody should have shouted right there what you have does not make you who you are because the devil can come and take all of that in the moon but I'm still coming to church next Sunday to tell God thank you because what I have is not connected to Who I am [Applause] see them take my property that's all right I got some property where moth can corrupt where thieves can't break through and steal [Music] Satan threatens to kill me that's alright I've been crucified with Christ nevertheless not i but Christ lives in me have a got a witness here brothers and sisters here what detects their fear none of those things that you were suffering behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that she may be tried and ye shall have tribulation 10 D 10 D 10 DS that 10 days struck me because 10 in description is a number of divine order we have 10 fingers 10 - there were 10 plagues in Egypt there were ten commandments there were 10 brides me 10 lepers the number 10 is significant in description but this text is an allusion to Daniel chapter 1 I need a Bible reader here because in Daniel chapter 1 Daniel and Shadrach Meshach and Abednego had been brought to babylon a special emissary and the king nebuchadnezzar put them in his court because he wanted to use that wisdom and he told the the gods to to feed them leave from the king's teeth you go help me preach this one then you said to the guard I'll tell you what I need you to do for ten days I wish I had a Bible reader feed up vegetables and water and let the rest of them eat meat from the Kings table and after ten days over we will see whose God has delivered them I wish I had a Bible reader what the text is really saying is you go go through it temporarily but you're gonna come out of it better than you win in and God is telling somebody this morning be patient you gonna go through it but you gonna come out better than you win in this discernment is not for weak Christians who can't stand nobody talking about you who can't stand nobody lying on you you ain't gonna make it in this church you gonna have a hard way to go if you join nearly grow and thank you ain't gonna have no opposition somehow help me talk it if you think everybody here loves you you crazy if you think everybody glad when you being blessed you need to go sit on a psychiatrist cat [Applause] you just don't have to go through something but if you go through it for his sake he said you'll be better when you come out of it ten days is not a long time to suffer listen what Daniel and his three friends said is we would rather serve God then bow to iearn Daniel Shadrach Meshach and Abednego did not know how their trials will go come on but because of their pinned a fast when the trial came God gave them sufficient grace not now here's a real shock grace welcome tell the trial shows up [Applause] little empty bag and unpack them let me see if I can help you with that the King had issued a decree that he built a golden image on the plains of Duras and he said that the sound of music the sackbut and the lyre the fruit and the harp when you hear that music everybody boughs are you will be thrown immediately into a burning fiery furnace I wish I had a Bible reading so when the music started everybody bowed except Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and so they came and told the king when the music started everybody bound except these men that you put over up the King said bring them in they brought Shadrach Meshach and Abednego in and the King says when the music's arms everybody in the kingdom is to bow to this golden image I'm gonna give you one more chance but when you hear that music bow and you will not be thrown in the fiery furnace Shadrach Meshach and Abednego said okay we got the email we know what the rules are we don't have to leave your presence we don't have to go to a committee meeting at the lead role because you know all we do is meet to decide when the next meeting is going to be and never really get anything accomplished because we meet and eat and greet and never really do any Church work I just thought I'd throw that in as an aside but it's a king we don't have to talk us over this matter because the God we serve is able and he will deliver us out of your hand but if ya [Applause] even if he does not deliver us he can and we are not going to bow to your golden in the King got so mad he had the fire heated seven times hotter than it was normally here it was so hot that the men who threw him in were burned alive to make sure they would burn they put on wool caps wool blankets they tied their wrists and their ankles and threw them in the mess of a burning fire and closed the door Kings sat down on his throne and said didn't we [Applause] through three men in the pot this is yes king he said well I see four men loose [Applause] that's the show walking around dancing shouting in the fire and listen just when grace was needed it cooled down the flame Daniel had a habit of praying three times a day he will help me preach this water and King Darius issued an edict that nobody was to pray except to him and so Daniels enemies said King you got somebody in your team who raises his window every day and looks toward Jerusalem and prays three times a day and you said they would be thrown immediately into the lion's den King Darius loved Daniel and did not want to see Daniel put to death but because he had put his seal on the edict he could not go back on his own word you know the rest of the story they threw Daniel in the lion's den here's the shout again all night the King was awake and Daniel was sleeping [Applause] because just when you need rain grace becomes sufficient someone ought to help me close it the scripture says the riots got up early in the morning and went down to the Lions Den and yeah down or Daniel has your God been able to deliver you from these lions expecting not to receive a response Daniel says all change last night I use the Lions as a pillow the God I've delivered me is there anybody here no God will deliver you [Applause] want you to I want you to get this I don't wanna I don't want to hurt me right here he says be thou faithful not until death but untrue then because there is a difference between until and unto unto death means that you're very frightfulness my cause your death you missed that doing what God told you to do might cause your dad if you remember those boys at Columbine High School who went in at high school and shot up those children and asked one of those students are you a Christian and the young lady would not deny Christ and they shot her point-blank in the head that's faithful unto day her faithfulness caused her death now I would hope that in the time of trial in the crucible of trial that I would be able to give God my religion I don't know because I haven't faced it yet Chuck why'd you got right there but all of us are how to lose your own sundae all of us are thank you Jesus own son that's because you ain't been broke yet you haven't been sick yet you haven't lost everything you have you still got something that's why you giving God free you still got your health and strength but somebody in here this morning ain't feeling good but still giving God hallelujah somebody here today don't know how your bills are gonna get paid but you're still giving God thanks cuz you live long enough to help me testify that when praises go up message come down and if you're faithful God will show up in your fiery furnace I said if you think God was short in your Lions Den if you're faithful God will show in your Philippian jailer if you're faithful God will make your enemies your footstool if you're faithful God will walk with you through the valley and the very shadow of death if you're faithful God will dry your tears when your child is gone if you're faithful God will be a father when you're fatherless if you're faithful God will stand up in you in the midst of your trials if you're faithful God will never leave you nor forsake you if you're faithful even though people don't like you God will still move you follow if you're faithful even though they line on you behind your back God will still open doors for you they won't be able to understand why you so happy all the stuff I'm doing to stop you all the stuff I'm doing to try to pull the out from under you but not yourself because of evil do neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity I wish I had a Bible burrito they shall soon be cut off like grass and they shall wither like the Drina the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid when the wicked even my enemies and my fools came upon me to eat up my flesh just before they got to me god rip them and they stumble and they fell no weapon own against me shall be they able to prosper because the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he maketh me to lie down in green pastures come on you can preach it with me he leads me beside the still waters he restores my soul he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake yea though I walk through the valley and the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and your staff they comfort me by preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies thou anointest my head with oil my cup is just running over come on you can preach it with me surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the be the mother and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever is there anybody here been through some suppling help it praise the Lord is that anybody here been through some pressure help me Kim called the glory is there anybody here ever been through some crushing why don't you grab somebody not just anybody not get you a praise father get you a variance problem and both we all right now can't one another I see the lightning flashes the firm the roll I felt since freaking session they were trying to talk to my soul but I [Applause] ah the voice of Jesus telling me vital he promised didn't he do it he promised Linda zulan why would you hurt somebody tell him he promised never never never never never ah no ezel [Music] [Applause] [Music] listen he says if you're faithful underneath here's what I got waiting for you I will give you the crown of life that's called the Stefano's cry thus the final scrum is the victors Christ you are more than a conqueror you are victorious and you come through your suffering and you will not see the second dance because listen the Stephano's crown is only given at the judgment seat and only believers will stand at the judgment not to be judged for sin because that's over now we will be at the judgment seat to receive I could I won't be in that number I want to persevere and hold out to see what the end is going to be you [Music]

Channel: Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church

Views: 50,506

Keywords: Reverend Terry Anderson Pastor Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church Houston Texas

Id: R-ae28LRChw

Length: 47min 46sec (2866 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 05 2017