The Good Life, Even When It Costs Us

Scripture: Revelation 2:8–11

There is a famous believer who was martyred for his faith. His name was Polycarp.

Polycarp was a Christian in the city of Smyrna and a disciple of the apostle John. He is sometimes given particular attention in Catholic tradition, but he was simply a brother in Christ who belonged to the church in Smyrna.

The church in Smyrna experienced extreme persecution and tribulation. Polycarp himself would eventually be martyred there after the people of Smyrna were called upon to worship the emperor of Rome.

According to the account of his martyrdom, Polycarp was arrested while sleeping and brought into the stadium, where he was put on trial in front of a crowd. The rulers gave him an opportunity to save his life. All he had to do was reject Christ and swear by Caesar.

But Polycarp responded:

“Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How could I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

They took him to a post in the middle of the stadium. When they went to tie him to it, he told them there was no need. He was then burned.

Now, it's unlikely that any of us will have to surrender our lives for Christ in the same way Polycarp did. But I know it can be a struggle for us to live with Christ as Lord of our lives.

We have neighbors to keep up with. We have kids' sports pulling us in every direction. We have employers who don't care when the Lord's Day is. And then there are our own sinful desires, constantly pleading with us to give in to the pleasures of this world.

But sometimes the difficulty isn't simply the temptation to compromise. Sometimes life itself gets hard.

Things are up in the air at work. Utilities get more expensive. Your marriage feels stale. You're having trouble with friends. Or something like a pandemic threatens to change the world around you.

When things get hard for a season, we can begin to wonder what we've done to make God upset with us. We start asking whether it's worth continuing to follow Christ when life seems to keep getting harder.

It turns out we're fickle creatures. We're prone to wander.

And that brings us to the church in Smyrna.

Smyrna was an extremely wealthy city. It had a harbor that brought in trade, a large public marketplace called an agora, and a theater. Think of the equivalent of an international airport, a massive shopping center with community spaces, and an MLB stadium.

The city was also known for exporting wine, a luxury product in the Roman world. It was a place where people could enjoy the good things life had to offer.

But the Christians there were experiencing something very different.

They were slandered and accused of things no one would want to be accused of. Christians were called atheists because they refused to worship the Roman gods. They were accused of cannibalism because they observed the Lord's Supper. They were accused of disregarding family because they called one another brother and sister.

They also faced opposition from Jewish communities, and the area would produce many martyrs.

Jesus knew exactly what these believers were experiencing. And His message to them was not that their suffering meant they had somehow missed out on God's blessing.

In fact, He tells them something remarkable: they may be poor in the eyes of the world, but they are rich.

Since we know the goodness of God leads to a blessed life, let us hold fast to the good life offered to us in Christ, even if it comes at a cost.

1. A Blessed Life Can Be Had in Poverty

All too often, we think blessing is experienced when we have all the things we desire in this life.

We think being blessed means having money, having good health, going on vacations, and getting some new toys that are cool.

We often measure the goodness of God by how much we have and how comfortable our lives happen to be.

But that's not how Jesus measures blessing.

Look at what He says to the church in Revelation 2:8–9:

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. 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.’”

Jesus knows their tribulation. He knows their poverty. He knows the things people are saying about them.

And then He tells them that they are rich.

That's a pretty remarkable statement when you consider the city they lived in. Smyrna was a wealthy city. There was plenty of opportunity to enjoy the things of this world. Yet the Christians who lived there were experiencing poverty and persecution.

But Jesus doesn't measure their lives by what they possess. He measures them by what they have in Him.

There is something else worth noticing here. Jesus addresses the message to the angel of the church.

Throughout Scripture, angels are messengers who communicate messages from God to people. So it is likely that the person who received this letter was the pastor or messenger responsible for delivering it to the congregation. The churches would receive their individual messages along with the rest of John's revelation, which would be read among the believers.

That meant the people in Smyrna would hear Jesus Himself acknowledge their suffering and remind them of the riches they possessed in Him.

And I think that's something we need to hear, too.

We live in a culture that constantly tells us what the good life looks like. More money, more possessions, more experiences, more comfort. But the good life Jesus offers isn't dependent on having all those things.

You can be poor and still be rich in Christ. You can be suffering and still be blessed. You can have very little in this world and still possess something the world cannot take away.

Friends, we need to stop measuring God's goodness by the things we have.

The church in Smyrna didn't have the comfort or security that others in their city enjoyed. But Jesus called them rich.

And if Jesus says they are rich, who are we to argue with Him?

2. Suffering Does Not Mean Christ Is Distant

There is a tendency among people to believe that suffering of any kind means Christ is distant from us—or worse, that He has abandoned us.

Maybe it's medical issues that seem unfair. Maybe it's relational or marital problems. Maybe your life has become chaotic, and you can't seem to get things back under control.

When things get tough, we might begin to believe God is punishing us.

But suffering isn't always an indication of God's punishment.

Sometimes our tribulation comes because we are trying to live the right way in a world that doesn't share our values. And sometimes it is simply the result of living in a fallen world.

Listen to what Jesus tells the church in Revelation 2:9–10:

“I know your tribulation and your poverty ... 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.”

The believers in Smyrna were hurting in just about every way. Some were being excluded from the marketplace and the trade that supported the city. Others were being slandered and accused of things they would never have wanted to be associated with. And some were facing imprisonment and death.

Jesus doesn't overlook any of it.

Notice how specifically He acknowledges their pain. He knows their tribulation, their poverty, and the slander being directed toward them.

And then He tells them something that might seem difficult to hear: there is going to be more suffering.

Jesus doesn't promise that their circumstances will immediately improve. He doesn't promise that they will be protected from every hardship. Instead, He tells them to remain faithful.

Why?

Because the suffering they are experiencing isn't pointless.

Remember, these letters were circulated among the churches along with the rest of John's revelation. These believers needed to understand that their difficulties, their repentance, and even their faithfulness unto death had meaning in light of what God was going to accomplish.

The future in God's kingdom is bright for those who remain faithful to Christ.

I think about my girls and how quickly they are growing up. Sometimes one of the hardest parts of being a parent is watching your children navigate difficulties in life.

I wouldn't be a good father if I simply plucked them out of every difficult situation instead of encouraging them as they learn to navigate life.

Sometimes the way we live differently from the world comes at a cost to them. And as a father, I have to ask myself: Do I give in and make it easier for them to fit in, or do I teach them how to live faithfully in a world that isn't interested in Christ?

I don't enjoy watching my children struggle. But I understand that there are things they need to learn, and sometimes those lessons come through difficult experiences.

And I think we sometimes struggle to understand that God can love us and still allow us to experience difficulty.

Friends, there is a reward for faithfulness. It just isn't always immediate.

We need to stop assuming that a difficult season means we've done something wrong or that God has somehow abandoned us.

Sometimes the difficulty we're experiencing is the result of living faithfully in a world that doesn't share our values. Sometimes it's simply the result of living in a fallen world.

But regardless of why we're experiencing difficulty, we can know that Christ sees us.

He knows our tribulation. He knows our poverty. He knows the things people say about us.

And just as He encouraged the church in Smyrna, we need to hear that same encouragement.

Don't give up simply because following Christ has become difficult.

3. Even Death Is Not the End for the Believer

You've heard me say this before: death is not the worst thing that could happen to a person.

Death happens to everyone, but not everyone who dies has the same future.

For the believer, physical death is not the end of the story.

Jesus continues His message in Revelation 2:10–11:

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 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.”

Notice what Jesus tells these believers. He doesn't promise to keep them from dying. In fact, He tells them that some of them are going to die because of their faithfulness to Him.

But He gives them something to look forward to. He promises them the crown of life.

The crown is a picture of victory. It is the reward given to those who remain faithful.

And I think it's important that we understand what Jesus is doing here. He's asking these believers to look beyond their immediate circumstances.

The people persecuting them have the ability to take their lives, but they don't have the ability to determine their eternal future.

Jesus does.

Then He says something else that is incredibly important. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.

The Bible speaks about two deaths. There is the physical death that every person will experience, and there is the second death, which is the final judgment of those who are not found in Christ.

In other words, these believers might lose their lives in this world, but they have nothing to fear about their eternity.

Think about the contrast here. The people of Smyrna could threaten their physical lives, but they couldn't take away the eternal life Jesus had promised them.

That's why Jesus can tell them to remain faithful even unto death.

Their faithfulness isn't dependent on whether they survive their circumstances. It's dependent on the One who has already conquered death.

Remember how Jesus introduces Himself to this church? He is the first and the last, the One who died and came to life.

He's not asking them to trust in something He doesn't understand. He's already been through death, and He's conquered it.

Think back to Polycarp.

When he stood in front of the people threatening his life, they gave him an opportunity to walk away. All he had to do was deny Christ.

But his response was that he had served Christ for 86 years, and Christ had done him no wrong.

Why would he turn his back on the One who had given him everything?

Polycarp understood something that we sometimes struggle to remember. His life wasn't ultimately defined by how many years he could spend on this earth. His life was defined by the One he belonged to.

And if death was the consequence of remaining faithful, then he had something far better waiting for him.

Friends, we need to remember that our hope is not found in how well things go for us in this life.

Our hope is found in Jesus Christ, who died and came to life.

We spend a lot of time trying to protect the things we have in this world. We protect our money, our homes, our reputations, our relationships, and even our own lives.

And there is nothing wrong with being responsible with those things.

But none of those things are ultimately going to last.

The question is whether we are holding on to Christ.

Because even if following Him costs us something in this life, we have a promise that cannot be taken away.

The crown of life is worth more than anything this world can offer.

Conclusion: Hold Fast to the Good Life

None of us are likely to suffer in the same way the church in Smyrna did. But maybe we would begin to experience a little ostracism if our lives increasingly looked different from those in our community.

When we choose Christ, we are saying no to some of the ways of living that are common in the world around us.

And sometimes that comes at a cost.

But I want you to remember what Jesus tells this church.

First, a blessed life can be had in poverty.

Don't measure the goodness of God by how much you have or how comfortable your life happens to be. The church in Smyrna was poor, but Jesus called them rich.

Second, suffering does not mean Christ is distant.

Just because things are difficult doesn't mean God has abandoned you. Jesus knew exactly what these believers were experiencing, and He knows what you're experiencing, too.

And third, even death is not the end for the believer.

Our hope isn't found in the promise that everything will go well in this life. Our hope is found in the fact that Jesus has conquered death and promises eternal life to those who belong to Him.

When things are hard for a season, we sometimes begin to wonder what we've done to make God upset with us. When things are tough, we start asking whether it's worth continuing.

We are fickle creatures, and we're prone to wander.

But the church in Smyrna reminds us that the goodness of God is not measured by the ease of our circumstances.

Jesus sees His people. He knows their suffering. He knows what they have lost, what they are enduring, and what they are being asked to give up.

And He promises that those who remain faithful to Him have a future that is better than anything this world can offer.

So let us hold fast to Christ.

Let us not trade the eternal riches we have in Him for the temporary pleasures of this world. Let us not abandon our faith when life becomes difficult. And let us not become so focused on protecting what we have here that we lose sight of what Jesus has promised us.

The good life is not a life without suffering. It is a life with Christ—even when following Him comes at a cost.