Speaker: Deacon Otniel Sudarjo
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good evening, let us hear the Word of God. Let the peace, grace, and joy of God be in the midst of us abundantly.
Revelation 2:8-10
2:8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
2:9 "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 synagogue of Satan.
2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about tosuffer. 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.
The condition of the church in Smyrna (the church of the end of time) was in the physical tribulations, until the peak ones.
On verse 10, it is emphasized "Do not fear any of those things which you are about tosuffer". The words 'about to' refer to something that we will experience.
Often, we are not faithful to God when we face the tribulation with Him.
God lets us face the tribulation not because He has negative plan on us, but to let us be able to fall down at His feet.
Falling downmeans confessing that we have no power, can do nothing, and only stretch our hands to worship God.
Luke 8:40-44
8:40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.
8:41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell downat Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house,
8:42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
8:43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,
8:44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
There are 2 things that make us not able to fall down at Jesus' feet as follows.
These days, we can do nothing. However, if we are standing firm, believe, and are willing to fall downwhen we face the miseries as what God said to Jairus and the woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years, He will stretch His merciful hands to us.
The resultsare as follows.
Let this short Word of God motivate us. In the times when God lets us experience the tribulation with Jesus, let's response in the correct way, be faithful and believingthat His merciful hands will be stretched to us.
The resultis that God is able to create miracles upon our lives, both physically (He is able to revive the dead and make the impossible to become beautiful) and spiritually (we are changed until we enter the city of New Jerusalem).
God blesses us.
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good evening, let us hear the Word of God. Let the peace, grace, and joy of God be in the midst of us abundantly.
Revelation 2:8-10
2:8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
2:9 "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 synagogue of Satan.
2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about tosuffer. 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.
The condition of the church in Smyrna (the church of the end of time) was in the physical tribulations, until the peak ones.
On verse 10, it is emphasized "Do not fear any of those things which you are about tosuffer". The words 'about to' refer to something that we will experience.
Often, we are not faithful to God when we face the tribulation with Him.
God lets us face the tribulation not because He has negative plan on us, but to let us be able to fall down at His feet.
Falling downmeans confessing that we have no power, can do nothing, and only stretch our hands to worship God.
Luke 8:40-44
8:40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.
8:41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell downat Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house,
8:42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
8:43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,
8:44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
There are 2 things that make us not able to fall down at Jesus' feet as follows.
- Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue. God let his only daughter, which was his hope, to be sick and almost died.
He represents us who put our hopeon anything on this world, such as the wealth, social status, intelligence, or anything else.
This is the first hindrance.
The consequenceis living in the atmosphere of curse (being dry, in pain, and bitterness).
Praise God that God let those things happen to make Jairus able to fall down.
Jeremiah 17:5-6
17:5 Thus says the Lord: "Cursedis the man who trusts in manAnd makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.
17 :6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited.
If we depend on anything on this world, we will have the atmosphere of curse. This atmosphere will often make it difficult to worship God and our worships are dry. Let's us pay attention to this thing.
If we depend on God, we will be in the atmosphere as "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord."
Let this be a lesson for us. When God lets us have physical tribulations, He will help us if we use that chance to fall down, worship and stretch our hands to Him.
Luke 8:49-50
8:49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher."
8:50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."
'Do not be afraid; only believe' means God will fight for uswhen He lets us enter the narrow door and we can fall down at His feet.
A narrow door means as follows.- Tribulations with Jesus.
- Having the perseverance in doing 3 kinds of main service although people are mocking us.
- Luke 8:43-44
8:43 Now a woman, having a flow of bloodfor twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,
8:44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
The second hindrance is a woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years.
She represents the ruined lives, those who are facing the impossibilities. Often, we don't fall down when we face impossibilities, but we lament.
A flow of bloodmeans there is a ruptured blood vessel. Spiritually, it meansthere are a split, rot, slander, and malice.
These miseries also often shake the soul, as it is written in the book of Proverbs.
This woman was in misery but God gave her a chance to fall down at His feet.
When we face the miseries, we have to trust Godand be willing to fall downand stretch our hands to Him and worship Him.
These days, we can do nothing. However, if we are standing firm, believe, and are willing to fall downwhen we face the miseries as what God said to Jairus and the woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years, He will stretch His merciful hands to us.
The resultsare as follows.
- FAITH and MERCY create miracles, those who are dead will be risen by God (Jairus' daughter was not dead). Maybe our future, ministry, or everything seem dead, but if we are not doubtful, there will be miracles in our lives.
- God is able to restoreeverything that has been ruined, rotten, or broken, as what the woman has experienced.
1 John 4:18
4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
God said to Jairus and the woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years 'Do not be afraid!'. It meansthat God will erase our fearthat has filled our lives by His love and we will be able to love Him more than anything, and others like ourselves.
The fear often makes us unable to love God and unfaithful to Him. - 'he had an only daughter about twelveyears of age'
'Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelveyears'
The number 12 refers to the number of commissioning.
It began with Jacob and then it grew to 12 tribes, to 70 people, and so on.
On the age of Jesus, it began with Him, and then it grew to 12 disciples, 70 disciples, and so on to be called and sent by Him.
It meansthat if we are willing to experience the physical tribulations with Jesus, God will use our livesin the revival of the latter rain of the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 3:8-10
3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
The exampleis Paul who experienced tribulation with Jesus. Paul was willing to suffer the lossof all things that he was proud of and he depended on, and he was used by God. - Revelation 21:12
21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribesof the children of Israel:
The number 12 describes the connection with the New Jerusalem.
It meansthat if we are willing to experience the tribulation with Jesus and fall down, He will work to change and renew usuntil our name is written in New Jerusalem. We are together with God forever and ever.
Let this short Word of God motivate us. In the times when God lets us experience the tribulation with Jesus, let's response in the correct way, be faithful and believingthat His merciful hands will be stretched to us.
The resultis that God is able to create miracles upon our lives, both physically (He is able to revive the dead and make the impossible to become beautiful) and spiritually (we are changed until we enter the city of New Jerusalem).
God blesses us.