You Only Die Once
By Pastor Andrew Farland
You Only Die Once
In the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, God wrote letters to seven different churches. What we’re learning while we journey through a portion of these letters is that God specializes in meeting people where they are. And when He meets them, he does so by speaking timely, relevant truth into their lives.
God’s letter to the church at Smyrna is the most powerful of the seven. And if I’m honest, it’s the most convicting. You see, powerful men in the first century felt threatened by Christianity, a religion based on peace, love, and the sharing of wealth. Because of that, government officials and religious leaders regularly taunted, imprisoned, and even killed the Christians in Smyrna because they were different. People can be funny, can’t they?
Following Jesus makes you different. People will notice. And, sometimes, people will persecute you because you’re different.
For whatever reason, peace and forgiveness gives rise to defensives and hatred. Have you seen that in your own life? Has anyone ever made fun of you because of your faith? Have you noticed people treating you differently because you follow Jesus? If so, you’ve caught a glimpse of what the church in Smyrna was experiencing.
God wants you to hear today what He told the early Christians:
If you’re born twice, you’ll only die once.
In other words, if your faith is in Jesus, you have nothing to fear because you have hope that you will live forever in paradise with Him. In the face of persecution, remember God’s words:
Revelation 2:10
“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.”
Be encouraged today because God is with you.
