Smyrna: The Persecuted Church

What does it mean to remain faithful when faithfulness costs everything? In this powerful exploration of the church of Smyrna from Revelation chapter 2, we are confronted with a community of believers who refused to say 'Caesar is Lord' even when it meant losing their livelihoods, their families, and their freedom. Jesus addresses them not with rebuke but with commendation, calling them rich in the midst of what appeared to be total bankruptcy. The central tension here is one we all face: the gap between how the world measures our worth and how heaven does.