The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, July 1, 2026, we take a short break from our Bible study series on Heaven to focus on the 4th of July.

It's a great celebration for our nation - 250 years of freedom!

Some have wondered if freedom can be lost?  Which then leads us to the question - can our freedom in Jesus Christ be lost?

This week looks at what it means to be free.

Please note - we will be online only at 6 p.m. 

After the 4th of July, we will return to the conclusion of our Heaven series for two more weeks.  We'll finish up our study on Jesus' words of encouragement to the 7 churches - words serve as guidance for our lives as well - and then a look at what our eternity in heaven will be like.  There is still much to learn from our study of Revelation and the words of Jesus!

If you can't join us in person, you can always participate through our Facebook page - we go "live" at 6:00 p.m., and you will have a front row seat.  If you can't join us live, there are 3 ways to watch the message later - on Facebook, on YouTube, or here on our website. (the "Past & Future Messages" page).  Messages are posted the following day so you can watch a replay of any message anytime!  

If you want to keep some notes from a message, you can download the notes for a specific message from the "Past and Future Messages" page of our website.  There are many ways to be spiritually fed and encouraged.

  Hisr- Smyrna was a wealthy city, yet the Christians there were often udy series on Heaven with a look at Jesus' words of encouragement to the 7 churches.  These words come to us in Revelation 2-3.  We only had time to tackle what Jesus said to the first two churches this week, but we will pick this up again starting on July 8.  The first church Jesus addresses is in Ephesus (a city in modern day Turkey).  Revelation 2 begins with Jesus saying, "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people . . . You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.  Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."  

There are several messages in this for us.  First, acknowledge that Jesus sees us.  He knows what is happening in our lives and in our hearts.  He sees our struggles, our good deeds, and the desire of our hearts.  He sees our aversion to wickedness.  It's a reminder that we aren't alone in this life.  We don't have a God who is far away, distant, and uncaring about our lives.  He is present and watchful.  Second, because Jesus sees what's in our hearts, He urges us to not lose the love we have for God, but to keep it growing.  Consider your personal relationships with others, be it spouse or good friends who you love.  Love in those relationships have to be nurtured to keep it alive.  In strong, loving marriages, many people will say "I love you more than I did when I married you."  That's proof that our love grows.  But the opposite is also true.  Our love can diminish.  What Jesus saw with the people in the church at Ephesus was a love that had diminished.  It's not that they didn't love Jesus, it's that they began to love other things mores.  They - like us - let life get in the way.  There comes a point when you say you love Him, but the actions don't back up the words.  What to do?  Nurture that love.  Spend time with Jesus.  Keep worshipping . . . reading the Bible . . . attending worship.  Keep growing in your knowledge of Him.  Keep demonstrating that you love Him and don't just say it.  Love is a verb.  Proof of love is in our actions.  The Apostle Paul wrote Timothy a reminder  “to fan into flame the gift of God.”  That's a good image of what we should do with our love for God.  Ignite the ember of love and fan it into a flame.  Let your heart be on fire with love for Jesus just like it was the day you gave your heart to Him.  Our faith & love of Jesus requires active cultivation.  A fire  will go out if you don't stoke it.  So we have to stir up our love for Jesus and let it continue to grow.  

Jesus then said something interesting to the church in Ephesus.  He said, "If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."  What He means by removing their lampstand is to take away their witness.   

Jesus called His followers to be “the light of the world.”  (Mt. 5:15).  To be the light of the world is like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  It's there for all to see.  It has a witness.  But if the light has gone out, there is no witness.  Never mistake the reason anyone's witness is strong.  It's not because they are a better person, it's because God has empowered their witness.  But there is a direct correlation between one's love for God and a powerful witness.  The stronger the witness, the deeper the love.  If our lives lack a passionate, fiery love for God it will also lack a strong witness to others.  So our lampstand will not be lit.  Our candles will not be burning.

After this, Jesus gives a wonderful word of encouragement.  He said, "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Rev. 2:7).  He is saying that our lives will have challenges and trouble, but we can be victorious.  Through Him and His power, we can face any challenge, climb any mountain, and live as "more than conquerors."  We can be victorious.  And when we are victorious, we will eat from the tree of life in Paradise.  That means - we will be in our eternal home - Heaven.  And that final home is the ultimate Paradise.  It will be better than the original garden of Eden.  We will be with God, living in peace, joy, and love forever!  Hold on to Jesus' hands through the challenges of this life.  Don't get discouraged and give up.  He gives us the victory.  He will fight your battles. Just stand and wait for the victory to come to you.  

Next, Jesus spoke to the church in Smyrna, a place known for its wealth and the production of myrrh.  

Today, Smyrna is a bustling city called Izmir, also in Turkey.  

Jesus - the One "who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again" - said in verse 9, "I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!"  

  History tells us that even though Smyrna was a wealthy city, the Christians there were often marginalized and economically disadvantaged due to their faith.  They were treated differently, perhaps as outcasts because they were followers of Jesus.

Yet Jesus says that despite material poverty, they are "rich."  What does He mean?   The words of James 2:5 give us a starting point.  It says, “dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?”

And, of course, Jesus said during His time on earth, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 5:3).  He went on to teach in Matthew 6:20 – “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

If we live with the mindset that to be rich in heaven is what matters, we can live rich lives, no matter our bank account.  The richness Jesus offers us in to be rich in love, to be plentiful in peace, to be wealthy in wisdom, and to be abundant in joy.  Those are things money can't buy.

Jesus concluded His words to the church in Smyrna in verses 10-11.  He said, "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 life as your victor’s crown.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death."

Two things to note here.  First, our victory will be rewarded with a crown.  We might even have multiple crowns for multiple victories.  So the "victor’s crown" awaits us.  Second, when we are victorious as followers of Jesus, we will not have to be concerned about "the second death."  The phrase “second death” is mentioned multiple times in the book of Revelation.   It is synonymous with the lake of fire.  It’s “death” because it is a separation from God, the Giver of life.  And it's the “second” death because it follows our first physical death.  Consider Revelation 20:14–15: “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

The second death is for those who have rejected Christ. It is not a place believers in Christ should fear.  When we give our hearts to Jesus, He puts our names in the book of life!  Our names are written with heavenly ink by Jesus' hand.  Names are not erased from the book of life.  So once saved, always saved.  You don't have to worry that you can lose your salvation.  No one can snatch us out of the hand of Jesus.  (See John 10:28).  Jesus saves us, and nobody can take us away from Jesus.

This is just the beginning of what Jesus had to say to the 7 churches.  After we celebrate the 4th of July next week with a message on freedom, we'll return to Jesus' words to the 7 churches.  So much more to come!!