Wealth with Sacrifice

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• By Rev. Devadosan Sugirtharaj
• Posted 01/10/2021
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DNA of Our Church: Epiphany Sermon Series

Wealth with Sacrifice

Revelation.2:8-11

Rev Dr Devadosan Sugirtharaj

Introduction

• Our theme of this sermon continue as the DNA of our church. The simple question is this: What kind of church do we function in this world?
• Last Sunday, we meditate on the Church in Ephesus and its message from God and we learned that our church should be excellent in word and deed and also we should not lose our first love to Jesus at any time and any way.
• Today we meditate on the second Church in the book Revelation, named as the Church in Smyrna.

Word Study

• The Hebrew word for excellence is Segullah. It means God’s wealth, riches. property and prosperity. It does not mean what we accumulate but what God gives to us.
• The Greek word for wealth is plots. It means abundance, possession of many kinds, fulness and riches.
• In the bible, it is noted as God’s abundant blessings, not just material wealth or money, but God’s riches to us live in the fear of the Lord and to become good steward of his wealth, not to worship them.

Context of the text

• The Lord reveals his message to Smyrna Church. Smyrna’s name comes from the word Myrrh, sweet perfume for embalming dead bodies. It was the centre of education and culture in the Roman world. It was also important for trade and commerce. It was also called as Glory of Asia. It had a street called Golden Street which had many temples of Greeks for Cybele, Apollo, Asklepios, Aphrodite and zeus, Roman emperor built a temple for the goddess of Rome (Dea Rome) and then Roman emperor made the law that the citizens should worship Roman Emperor as God. So Smyrna is called as the city of Izmir in Turkey.

1. The DNA of the Church is to be rich in their spiritual life than rich in their materials in order to serve God.  Revelation. 2:8-9

• “And to the [a]angel of the church in Smyrna write,‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a [b]synagogue of Satan.
• The crucified and risen Lord told the Smyrna Church that he knew their works, tribulations and poverty. Because of the law imposed on them by Roman Emperor, they were fired from their jobs, persecuted and became poverty. Their economic persecution was huge. At the same time, lot of Jewish community in that city also persecuted them as they were called to love their neighbour as themselves in Leviticus. God looked at them spiritually not jews though they were ethnically. That’s why he called them as ‘Synagogues of Satan”. However, in the midst all persecution and  poverty, they were rich in their faith and life. They were rich poor church rather poor rich church.
• God has called us as the Church to be rich, wealth in God. God does bless us abundantly in both spiritual and physical realms. However, the material blessings and accumulations should not make us poor in faith before God’s eyes. Money and wealth are important. Though we have abundance in them, if we are poor in faith, then we are poor rich church or person.
• James.2:5: 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
• Matthew 6:19-21:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
• 1 Timothy.6:17-19: 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
• 1 Timothy 6:9-10:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
• Biblical Example: Demas. Demas was one of faithful companions of Paul when he was imprisoned at Rome (Colossians.4:14; Philemon.1:24). However, because of economic poverty and political persecution, he wanted to become rich and safe and left the faith. Later he became the priest of Roman temple at Thessalonica.
• 2 Timothy.4:10:10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—
• Sermon Illustration: One day a man walked with the Pope and marvelled at the splendours and riches of the Vatican. Pope told him: We no longer have to say what Peter told the lame man: Silver and gold have I mine. His companion replied: But neither can you say: Rise up and walk.

2. The DNA of the Church is to be strong and brave in sacrifice their lives for God and his gospel in order to serve God.  Revelation. 2:10-11

• 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until 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. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
• The Lord told the Church in Smyrna that they should not fear of Roman empire or persecutions as God was with them in their sufferings. Here he said about 10 days as it was the Greek expression for a short time. He knew that they were tested by the devil. However, he admonished them to stay faithful as sufferings may be process of testing their faith clearer and purer like gold. They will be rewarded with the crown (trophy) of life and also will not hurt by the second death, Hell.
• God understands the sacrifices, pains and tests we go through for the faith and gospel of Christ. They are painful. However, God wants us to be faithful in our sufferings and sacrifices so that we will be made purer and also honoured by God for everlasting life with him.
• James.1:2-4:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
• 1 Peter.1:7:that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
• Romans.5:3-4:3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces [b]perseverance; 4 and perseverance, [c]character; and character, hope
• 1 Pete.5:10:10 But [a]may the God of all grace, who called [b]us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, [c]perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
• In the midst of their excellence in works, Ephesians fell short of their love to the Lord. They had forsaken their first love for God. They were hard working but they no longer had the same love for Christ as they first believed. Their work was no longer motivated by love. Jesus called them to repent. If they do not repent, he warns them to remove their lampstand from its place. If they repent and listen to the Spirit of God, then he will give them tree of life and paradise of God.
• In the midst of all our excellence in everything we do for the Lord, all must be motivated by our first love to Jesus. If our love is fallen short, God wants us to repent and give back to his first love. If we do, God will honour us to shine more and more and at the same time we will be blessed to enjoy to eat from  the tree of life in the kingdom of God. Doing many things with excellence should not put our first love in the back seat and Jesus warns us to be careful about it.
• Mark.12:30:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ [l]This is the first commandment.
• 1 John.4:16:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
• Bible example:  Moses: Hebrews.3:5-6:5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope [a]firm to the end.
• Sermon illustration: On 2nd May 1994, National and International Religion Report published this story. On February 20, 1994, a former Hindu who had changed his name to Paul James was murdered by a crowd of extremists at his church service in the Phulabani District. The eyewitnesses said James called out Jesus, forgive them as his assailants cut off his hands and legs, and severed his torso. The attackers decapitated James as he planted 27 churches. This incident has drawn heavy media attention in the area. The love of the victim inspired many people in that area. Anand Paul: Head of the Gospel to the Unreached Millions said: The gospel is spreading because of persecutions. We are risking our lives to do this. People need to pray for us.

Conclusion

God has called to be his church with His DNA. Through the message to the Church in Smyrna, in Revelations 2:8-11,  Jesus speaks to us to be the church of wealth and sacrifice. 

• The DNA of the Church is to be rich in their spiritual life than rich in their materials in order to serve God.Revelation. 2:8-9
• The DNA of the Church is to be strong and brave in sacrifice their lives for God and his gospel in order to serve God.Revelation. 2:10-11

Questions for Discussion

1. When you feel burdened by poverty and difficulties, how do you preserve your spiritual life in the midst of the difficulties? How do you value faith and wealth in comparison with the worldview of the world?
2. Lot of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer because of their faith in God economically, physically, emotionally and relationally. How do you support them in your lives?
3. Because of poverty, sufferings and loss, many compromise their faith because of fear. In what areas of life do you feel the pressure to compromise? From where does the pressure come? How do you deal with them?