“Staying Faithful To Christ In The Midst Of Suffering”

Message given by Rex Beck on October 1st, 2023

In spirit John saw the churches as lampstands and Christ walking in the middle

Revelation 1:10–13
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” ¹² Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; ¹³ and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.

Ephesus, a church where the believers abandoned their first love

Revelation 2:4-5
‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵ ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.

…and are given a chance to overcome the abandoning of the first love

Revelation 2:7
To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

Smyrna, a church where believers are taught how to be faithful in the midst of suffering

Revelation 2:8–11
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: ⁹ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say 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 cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for 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 will not be hurt by the second death.’

The faithful will be given a crown of life

Revelation 2:10
‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.