FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Sermon by Dr. George Bryant Wirth

The Second Sunday in Lent

March 12, 2006

A VISION TO GUIDE US

FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION – SMYRNA

(Faith Over Fear)

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11; Romans 5:1-5

INTRODUCTION

As we continue this Lenten sermon series entitled “A Vision to Guide Us from the Book of Revelation,” let’s remember that the focus of our attention is on the letters which John wrote to the seven churches in ancient Asia Minor as he was caught up in the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:10-11).

John was exiled to the Island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea during a dark and difficult time when Christians suffered under severe persecution by the Roman Emperor Domitian (81-96 A.D.). In those twilight years of the first century A.D., the risen Lord gave His servant John the words to send to the congregations that were struggling to survive, encouraging them to go on instead of giving up, and to hold onto the hope which was still alive in them.

Last Sunday we talked together about the letter to the church in Ephesus, where the people heard the Word of the Lord leading them toward repentance and renewal. Today, as we explore the letter to the church in Smyrna, let’s listen to what the Spirit of Christ has to say about how faith can conquer our fear.

I

As we arrived in the beautiful harbor of Izmir, Turkey last June, most of us in our First Century Voyages group were surprised to learn that this modern day metropolis of three million people was once called Smyrna and has a history which goes back almost 3000 years. Legend says that the Greek poet Homer, who wrote The Iliad and the Odyssey, was born there. Herodotus recorded the demolition of the city by the Lydians in the 7^th century B.C., and it was rebuilt by Alexander the Great 300 years later. At different times controlled by the Greeks, the Lydians, the Persians, the Romans, the Mongols and the Turks, Smyrna has been recognized as one of the great centers of commerce and trade in that region of the world (See the Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Smyrna, pages 392-394 and “A Guide to the Seven Churches” by Fatih Cimok, 1998, pages 54-60).

So it was during the reign of Domitian, when John on the Island of Patmos sent the letter to those persecuted Christians in Smyrna, writing words which were given to him by the risen Christ:

…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 they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 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 years you will have tribulation. 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. He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death.” (Revelation 2:8-11)

You see, although the city of Smyrna was wealthy because of its prosperous harbor and flourishing industries, those who followed Jesus Christ there were isolated, oppressed and deprived of the opportunities that others enjoyed, which was why they were living in poverty.

Moreover, there was conflict and tension between the Jews and the Christians, both of whom knew what it was like to live as victims under the thumb of the Emperor Domitian. But when some of the members of the synagogue who feared for their lives sided with Rome, the Christians were left stranded and standing alone. No one spoke up for them as they were put into prison, where many were beaten and finally died.

So the Word of the Lord was sent to the church in Smyrna through John, saying Do not fear what you are about to suffer – in other words, “Hold on”! Hold on to your faith in Jesus Christ, and even in the face of death, He will give you the crown of life”! (Rev. 2:10) And if we listen ever so carefully, I believe we can still hear those words speaking to us today.

II

You say “Preacher, I’m not really afraid of going to prison. I’ve gotten a couple of parking tickets recently, but I don’t think it’s all that serious.” Well, the truth is there are members and friends of this congregation who are incarcerated today, and that is a fearful place to be. When we visit them, the most encouraging words we can say are “Hold on! Hold on to your faith in Jesus Christ! We are praying for you and the Lord is with you, right here and right now.” And if anyone in this church wants to get involved in our prison ministry, then call me or Rev. Connie Lee and we can set that in motion.

But there is a deeper truth which all of us know, and I’m speaking now about the reality of fear in our lives. To be sure, some forms of fear are healthy and protect us from danger, like being afraid to touch a hot stove so we don’t burn our hands…or the fear of driving too fast because we might be hurt in an accident or hit someone else. To feel that kind of fear is a good thing, and that is actually the way God made us – with a built in security system that sounds the alarm when we are in harms way.

I felt that fear ten years ago this very day when a group of us from Atlanta and Princeton Seminary flew into Tel Aviv to spend two weeks in the Holy Land. At the airport, we were surrounded by soldiers with machine guns who were there to protect us from terrorism. And I thought to myself, “How God awful that would be, to be so fearful about terrorism.” And of course now, since September 11, 2001, that fear pervades our lives right here in America, and it leads to other forms of fear which are paralyzing – emotional and psychological fears that can imprison us and lock us up inside ourselves so that we can’t get out.

In his best-selling book “Living Beyond Fear,” the Presbyterian pastor and author Dr. Bruce Larson describes it this way:

“A Wall Street Journal article reported on a survey in which men and women from all walks of life were asked ‘What is it you fear most?’ Contrary to expectations, the fear of death was number three. The fear of failure and the fear of loneliness ranked one and two.

A few years ago on a retreat with a small group of men, we pursued a variation of that survey question: ‘What is it you fear worse than death?’ Poverty was one man’s most pervasive fear. Others said the fear of rejection, the fear of pain, the fear of hell, the fear of failure, even the fear of success. We learned that day that the personal fears of our small group were just a sample of the kinds of fears most people are plagued with. Fear of the past, fear of the future, fear of ridicule, fear of impotence, fear of old age, and the loss of health…fear of making mistakes or the fear of never finding fulfillment in life…” (From “Living Beyond Fear,” by Dr. Bruce Larson, Harper and Row Publishers, San Francisco, 1990, page 7)

If I had been in that group, no doubt the confession would have been made about my fear of heights – acrophobia by name. I don’t ride on ski lifts or cable cars, and for a long time now, I’ve been afraid to fly in small single-propeller airplanes.

And just to lighten things up a little, I might have told the group a story about a priest who was taking his first airplane trip and was scared stiff. He chewed his nails, fingered his rosary beads and rubbed the cross hanging around his neck.

Seated next to him was a businessperson who traveled alot. He noticed the perspiration pouring down the priest’s face and asked him “What’s your problem?”

The priest admitted his fear of flying, to which the businessperson replied “Why? You’re a man of faith. Doesn’t the Bible quote Jesus as saying something like ‘I am with you always, even to the close of the age?’ So why are you so afraid?”

The priest thought for a moment and then answered “Because, what Jesus actually said was “Lo…Lo I am with you always…”

Well, I’m getting better at it, but confession is still good for the soul.

How about you? How is it deep down within your heart and mind and soul? If we’re willing to tell the truth, all of us would confess that at one time or another in our lives, we have struggled with anxieties, apprehensions and fears that threatened to paralyze us. Like those Christians in ancient Smyrna who were thrown into prison, we have found ourselves locked in, wondering when and how we would ever get out. And if that is where you are right here, right now, then listen again to what the Spirit of the risen Christ had to say to those first century Christians in Asia Minor, words which still speak to each and every one of us today: Do not fear what you are about to suffer…be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

My friends: that is the greatest promise of all, which assures us that faith in Jesus Christ can and will conquer our fear. And it resonates with what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, the same promise which each and every one of us needs to hear:

…We know that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

That is God’s promise to you and to me! The question is: do we believe that promise is true?

III

Lorraine Murray believes it. She works at Emory University and oftentimes on Saturdays we read her articles in the Faith and Value section of the AJC. I clipped this one out because it spoke to me and I think it speaks to all of us here as well. Listen:

“I peeked into the crowded room. Some folks were checking their watches as if they were expecting someone.

I took a deep breath before opening the door. I’m the one they’re expecting, I realized. I’d called the meeting, and I was nervous.

The men and women were young and old, stylishly dressed and shabby. But I recognized them immediately.

They were my worst fears.

Everyone looked up expectantly as I took my place at the podium. A burly guy hunched over in a chair near the window stood up.

‘How long have you been with me?’ I asked nervously.

‘I came on board when you were a little kid,’ he replied, adjusting his tie. ‘I’m your fear of being abandoned.’

Suddenly, I remembered the baby sitters who had paraded through our house after my mom returned to teaching when I was barely 2 years old. When she’d walk out the door each morning, I had howled, fearing she wouldn’t return.

‘Aren’t you outdated?’ I asked. ‘My mom’s been dead for many years.’

‘I keep up with the times,’ he replied. ‘You never know when your husband might walk out on you.’

‘That’s absurd,’ I countered. ‘We’ve been happily married for 19 years.’

He glowered at me. ‘Call me absurd if you want to. You’re the boss.’

I jotted down notes, stalling for time. I have a loving husband, good friends and beloved family members, I reflected. Why is this guy still on the payroll?

Suddenly, a scrawny woman with glittering eyes and pointy fingernails jumped to her feet.

‘I’m your fear of dying,’ she announced. ‘I’ve been with you ever since your mom died of cancer.’

She gestured to two women sitting behind her.

‘They report to me,’ she said proudly. ‘They are your fear of suffering and your fear of getting cancer.’

‘I think I deserve a raise,’ she added. ‘I’ve been working some long hours lately.’

I had to agree. Ever since my cancer diagnosis a year ago, she had visited me first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I certainly couldn’t accuse her of laziness.

Still, I felt ashamed to acknowledge her identity. If I truly believed that this world is a way station between birth and eternity, then surely I wouldn’t see death as such a terrible thing. Surely I could dismiss my bevy of fears.

The tallest guy in the room was raising a beefy hand. When I nodded, he stood up.

‘I’m one of your main fears,’ he proclaimed. ‘I underpin all the others. Without me, the rest would be nothing.’

He paused and then delivered the punch line.

‘I’m your fear that Christ’s promises are false. I’m your fear that when you die, you will confront total nothingness.’

I was stunned and I was speechless – but I couldn’t call him a liar. If I believed wholeheartedly in the Master’s teachings, surely I wouldn’t be confronting a roomful of fears. After all, Christ said, time and again, ‘Fear not’ and ‘Don’t let your hearts be troubled.’

At that moment, I spotted someone sitting alone by the window. He had big, soulful eyes.

‘What fear are you?’ I asked.

‘I’m not a fear,’ he said quietly. ‘I sneaked into the meeting out of curiosity. I represent hundreds of others who aren’t here right now. I stand for all the prayers being said for you – by your friends, your family, your church community and your readers.’

Suddenly, the room was filled with ugly snarling sounds. Horrified, I saw my fears rising from their seats – and heading straight for us. Mouth dry, heart pounding, I gripped the gentle guy’s hand. Then I began to pray aloud: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven…’

And when I looked up, the fears had vanished.”

(From an article by Lorraine Murray in The Atlanta Journal Constitution, “Confront Worst Fears with Prayer,” June 2004)

Do you believe that the promise is true, that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can give to you and to me the power to overcome our fears? If you believe it or if you want to, then listen again and hear what the Spirit said to the church in Smyrna, words that are still speaking to us today:

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life!

In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This sermon is dedicated to Katherine Swope and Matthew Wirth, who plan to be married on July 15, 2006 and who will live in their new home in Smyrna, Georgia.