The “watch” group Open Doors USA report that the top 3 countries where Christians face the most violence: Pakistan, Nigeria and Egypt. Top 3 countries where the most Christians are martyred: 1. Nigeria: 1,350; 2. Central African Republic: 924; 3. Sri Lanka: 200. Top 3 countries where the most churches are attacked or closed: 1. China: 5,576; 2. Angola: 2,000; 3. Rwanda: 700.
Why is this getting so horrific? These bad States as mentioned have increase authoritarian control supported by the availability of personal digital technology, which governments can increasingly track through facial recognition, electronic chips and much more.

Why are Christians targeted for following Jesus? They view Christianity as a threat to power. So beware when you hear condemnation of those people who tote a Bible. The First Amendment provides that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. It protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This kind of persecution will become extremely bad during the Tribulation when if you are a Christian you will not be able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast.
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. — Rev. 13.7
You will be sanctioned from buying food and medical needs. The Church at Smyrna was most likely the first church and the first age to experience this kind of persecution.

II. The Commendation (2:9c)

1. This verse begins with our Lord Jesus saying, “I know thy works and tribulation, and poverty” the Greek word translated know (ay’-doe), means “fullness of knowledge”-a complete knowledge attained by experience.
I Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
2. Moreover, Christ is fully aware of our tribulation today. The Good Shepherd knows every wound and every bruise sustained by His sheep as they follow Him. Remember, as a believer being ostracized and tried; you must hear the words of the Lord Jesus say, “I KNOW.”

3. Christ also says, I know … thy poverty. The Greek word translated poverty is not the ordinary word for poverty (PENIA, pen-ay’ah). It is the Greek word (ptōcheia- po-kay’-ah) that means extreme poverty or beggary. These Christians were deprived of the right to make a living because of economic sanctions imposed against those who refused to participate in emperor worship. It is also possible that part of their persecution was having their property confiscated. Christ offers…

III The Consolation (2:10,11)

1. The Christians at Smyrna did not experience the approval or praise of men, but they certainly received both from God. However, their tribulation was not yet over, so our Lord commands, Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer …. The Lord knew ahead of time of the devil’s plans to have some of the believers imprisoned and tried as traitors. (YOU ARE RICH!),

The Lord said this persecution would be for ten days. It refer to a short or limited period of time. A period (always defined more or less clearly by the context): Interpret to mean ten specific persecutions under Roman emperors, beginning with Nero and ending with Diocletian (die –a- klee –sion).

2. Historically Domitian (da’ mission’) was the Caesar at this time. If you know anything about Roman history you know that Domitian was a murderous dictator who launched an extensive persecution against the church which reached a fever pitch in the town of Smyrna. And we learn here or are reminded at least of a very important principle that the church which suffers persecution becomes purged, becomes pure. Hypocrites don’t stick around to be persecuted. False Christians don’t want the pain, don’t need it.

3. The persecution did not just come from the Romans it also came from the Jews. Christ calls these particular Jews in Smyrna the synagogue of Satan, which reveals Satan is the author of all persecution of Christians. Note that the hatred of the Jews for Christians is a familiar fact to anybody who reads the book of Acts. If you read in Acts chapter 13 and verse 50, you see their hatred in Antioch. In the Roman Empire there were many wealthy Jews who had made their fortune by doing business with Rome. They had the ear of the authorities and they sought to blot out the infant church.

Smyrna is one of the two churches to which our Lord gives no word of condemnation. The other is Philadelphia. There was a large community of Jews living within the city. These Jews were outright hostile to the Christians in the city. They were involved in lying about Christians and encouraging the Romans to deal with these cannibals, atheists, and immoral Christians.

Jews joined with heathens in demanding that Polycarp should be cast to the lions or burned alive and the Jews were foremost in bringing logs for the pile in the endeavor to prevent the remains of the martyr from being delivered to his Christian friends for burial. It was the time of the public games. The city was crowded and the crowds were excited. Suddenly the shout went up, “Away with the atheists, let Polycarp be searched for.”

4. The promise to this church is that those who give up their life for Christ kingdom will receive the “Crown of Life!” Contained in this command is a promise, . . . be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Some interpret this to mean only those who are faithful unto death will be saved. However, this verse has nothing to do with being saved; it concerns rewards, or crowns, as the NT calls them. There are at least five different crowns, which are rewards for different and special service to the Lord.

Conclusion:

I am absolutely convinced that we in America do not even know what real persecution is. We have no understanding of what these Christians went through… Gospel.

Communion:

We are preparing to go back to the moon. However, NASA has delayed the Artemis moon mission until at least Sept. 19 after scrapping a planned launch yesterday. Going to the moon was John F. Kennedy’s vision for the nation and it was achieve on July 20, 1969. His vision was to do this before the end of the decade. We go because it is there and we go asking God’s blessing. Neil Armstrong is known as the first man to step on the moon but it was Astronaut Buzz Aldrin who expressed God’s blessing when he tasted the first foods ever consumed on the face of the moon. It was the communion bread and wine and after reading Scripture, he took Communion.

Reading I John 1:5- 2:2
The remedy is not to hide our sins and to strive harder, but to step into the light of God’s truth and confess them.