What do you do when suffering has been your past? (Hint: Praise is in your future)

Lenten Series on the Seven Churches of Revelation

In the children’s fable, Chicken Little, a chicken, after being hit by an acorn, mistakenly believes the sky is falling and warns others. It was an exaggerated warnings about imminent suffering from pending peril. But let’s not be dismissive of such announcements. The sky can fall. This week great suffering fell from the sky without warning. In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, nearly 200 people were killed after the roof of an iconic nightclub collapsed—the country’s deadliest tragedy in decades. In Boca Raton, Florida, a twin-engine Cessna 310 inexplicably fell from the sky killing three. The surviving relatives of both tragedies face a lifetime of suffering from expected loss. But most suffering we face is no surprise. The sky falls with warning and regularity, not to exclude God’s people.

An inordinate amount of suffering has always been the order of the day for Christians as recognized with the approach of Passion Week—the commemoration of the suffering of Christ, ending with His Good Friday death on the cross. But Resurrection Sunday—Easter—is coming. Suffering does not have the final word for His Lenten Church. As we march through Lent—the forty-day journey of looking within and looking forward toward Easter, we get through the pains of life with praise in view as seen in the Church of Smyrna, one of the seven churches of Revelation 2. In our mini-series—the Lenten Churches of Revelation—we see that Christ is coming back for His Bride who perseveres the hurts of life for the reward of a hug from God.

First, know that suffering is coming if you are the Lenten church. Don’t run from it; value it. Christ called Smyrna to look within and to reflect on the value of their suffering.

9 I know your afflictions and your poverty-- yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Rev. 2:9

The Smyrna Church was in a rich city, a beautiful city. It was like the beauty of Paris. But apart from the landscape, Smyrna was not a beautiful place if you were a Christian church. Smyrna was the center of Roman Emperor worship. Where they were situated, suffering was pandemic:

• Poverty is a part of the suffering of the church. Because they did not worship the Roman way, the Smyrna church was shut out of fair treatment in the marketplace.

• Slander is a part of the suffering church. Smyrna was ridiculed by the Jews because the Christians believed Christ is Messiah.

• Prison is part of the suffering of the church. To be Christian in Smyrna meant that at any time, you could be arrested.

• Finally, death is part of the suffering church. Polycarp, their pastor refused to burn a pinch of incense to the bust of Caesar. Rome responded with a fire at the stakes for Polycarp, their pastor. He could have run but he didn’t.

Lenten Church, suffering is a mark of faith, a fellowship with Christ. Don’t run. Look within, reflect and persevere.

Look forward to the comfort coming for the Lenten church that values suffering.

Christ promised comfort for the suffering church who is fearless and faithful.

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. Rev.10,11

Christ can make that promise because He, the head of the church, has mastery over suffering.

• Christ is eternal. (v. 8).

• Christ is sovereign. (v. 10)

• Christ is a generous provider. (v. 10,11).

As he approached the fire, Polycarp looked within and valued his suffering. He looked forward to his witness and reward. Listen to his final prayer:

"Lord God Almighty, Father of our lord Jesus Christ, I praise thee that thou hast judged me worthy of this day and of this hour… to participate in the number of thy witnesses, and in the cup of thy Christ."

For the Lenten Church, pain may be part of the journey, but it is not the destination. Praise is. If things remain on course, soon, hugs will replace the hurt.