ETC 4420 Day 7 (7pm)
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wikicommonsChrist commends the church of Smyrna for enduring tribulation and encourages the believers to continue to be faithful in anticipation of imminent, more severe persecution, before they inherit inherit eternal life and heavenly kingship (2.8-11)
Discussion
There are several issues for your attention, some raised in the letter from Jesus, and now others expressed in the letter from some of older members within the church.
How will you pray for yourself, for the church at Smyrna, and for the group of older people who are glad to pray and help as they can?
Leadership challenges in Smyrna
Growing up to know the Bible
Cultural and social differences within the church family
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wikicommonsA note from some church members
Now there is a further issue for your attention, and you consider your response to the existing challenges, that we have already identified.
We could imagine that the church at Smyrna includes people from different parts of society, some wealthier than others. If this was their experience, there may have been different reactions to the pressures they were facing. A gracious letter sets out their overall unity, but also some sharp differences between them.
A letter from church members at Smyrna
Read the letter, discuss the implications of these differences between them, and think about how you would like to pray for the church leaders, responding as well as they can to the differences within the church.
Discussion
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wikicommonsFeedback from the teams
Questions and Comments
Reflection
How does Mark 10.40-45 help the church leaders at Smyrna, as they think about how not to lead the church, and as they seek God’s wisdom for leading well in such challenging circumstances?
What would you pray for yourself in these circumstances?
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wikicommonsHomework
Write a prayer of praise and worship for the church in Smyrna to pray, thanking the Risen Jesus for his encouragement, and asking God’s wisdom to help the church to read the Scriptures, together and individually.
As you write the prayer for them to use, asking God to help them respond to their own letter from the Risen Jesus, encourage them by drawing on the vision of God’s throne, God’s plan, and the Lamb in Revelation 4-5. Use language from anywhere in Revelation 4-5 in your prayer to motivate the church in Smyrna to hear (and obey) what the Spirit is saying to the churches. In this way they can join in with the worship of God in Revelation 4-5.
As you write the prayer, think about the letter from some of the church members to their church leaders, expressing their preferences, what makes them feel secure and what them anxious. They have a clear idea of what it means for you to serve them well as you lead them in prayer.
As you write the prayer, think about our conversation about the risks and rewards of articulating implicit leadership preferences and allow your reflections to guide you.
As you write your prayer, keep Mark 10.40-45 in mind, clarify what you are not going to do, as you serve them, whose teaching and example you are following, and where your praying is heading, as you look towards the coming of God’s new creation.
Please email your response to [email protected] by 5pm before we meet at 530pm