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The Five-Fold Podcast
Five-Fold ministry for today. In this podcast we will attempt to determine biblical timelines as they correlate with current events. We will examine the offices of the Five-Fold ministry and gain biblical direction for the world today.
The Five-Fold Podcast
Unveiling Timeless Truths: The Resonance of Smyrna and the Pillars of Modern-Day Faith
Embark on a journey through time and scripture with me, Michael Weedman, as we uncover the profound connections between the ancient church of Smyrna and the vital role of today's congregations. This episode promises to envelop you in the rich tapestry of the Book of Revelation, providing a fresh lens through which to view the enduring messages entrusted to the seven churches. As I chart the course of my commentary work, we'll unravel the mysteries behind the names like Ephesus, "to let go," and Smyrna, symbolizing "anointing oil," and reflect on their timeless counsel. Witness the unique manner Jesus reveals Himself to each church and grasp the significance of the promises that crown each letter, highlighting the indispensable five-fold ministry that continues to shape our spiritual well-being.
Feel the embrace of hope and reassurance as we explore the Promise of Salvation and the solace it offers against the fears of the second death. With each word, let your heart be fortified by the assurance of Jesus' protection and the profound sense of security His promises bestow. I am grateful for our shared moments delving into these spiritual treasures and invite you to return weekly, as we further examine the essential role of apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists in nurturing and guiding the contemporary church. Prepare for your faith to be bolstered and your understanding enriched on this sacred quest.
What is up everybody? Welcome to tonight's episode of the five-fold podcast. I'm your host, Michael Weedman. I am excited, for tonight we're getting into Revelation, chapter 2, the second church. Don't go anywhere, you're gonna love this. Oh, good evening and welcome to this episode of the five-fold podcast. I'm your host, Michael Weedman, and I would like to say thank you for taking the time and joining us tonight on the podcast.
Michael Weedman:The five-fold podcast focuses on the five-fold ministry and the importance of that ministry in today's society. We believe that there is still a need for apostles, for prophets, for pastors, for teachers, for evangelists. They haven't ceased. There's still an operation today and necessary for the success of today's church. So join with us as we dive into this episode of the five-fold podcast and what is happening. Everybody, I am so glad that you've joined us tonight. I'm excited to get into this second church of the book of Revelation. We went last week. We talked about the church at Ephesus and Talked about how that is relevant to today's society and so on and so forth, and so tonight we're gonna go on to that second church, the church at Smyrna.
Michael Weedman:Real quick, I didn't do this last week, but I just wanted to. There's a few things, like I said, I'm writing a commentary on the book of Revelation right now, and that is where all of this is coming from. What I'm, what I'm going over in the podcast, this is what I'm doing. I'm putting it on paper, I'm gonna publish it in a book and it'll be available for purchase off of Amazon and and you'll be able to purchase that or directly from me as well, and I think I'll have it on the website also. But I wanted to just take a moment and Kind of change things up a little bit. As I'm writing this book. The process I don't know if any of you have have written any books, but the process kind of changes sometimes and you you get halfway through something and you're like I don't really like that. I don't know if I like that, I don't know if I want to do this, or I don't know if I want to do this, and you just kind of, I don't know, maybe it's just me, man, I'm just crazy enough to be the only one who does that. But Just just just so you know, I've changed it up a little bit and what I'm gonna start doing is, while I'm explaining these churches and while I'm talking about these, these, these seven churches of the Asian miners there, the churches of the book of Revelation. I'm gonna talk about what their name means.
Michael Weedman:Now, last week we did Ephesus and I did not like, I said I didn't do this, but the name Ephesus actually means to let go and and I don't know there's there's there's something interesting about that. To let go because, because Jesus said, you've left your first love, I have someone against you. Because you left your first love, you let go. And it's almost as if their name is kind of telling on them and I think there's there's a point to that, that that God has allowed these churches in these cities and the spirit of these churches that is still alive today, that is still in a lot of churches today. Last week we went over you fees, the church at Ephesus, and we talked about how, you know, it's possible that they've left their first love, they've left their first works. They've quit talking about repentance, they've quit talking about baptisms, they've quit talking about the infilling of the Holy Ghost, you know, and so on and so forth. Their foundational works, they've let those go. And there's a lot of churches across the world today that have that same spirit and Unfortunately, I believe that you that it is a common practice among a lot, especially in America, but that's beside the point. I'm not going to get on a tirade about that.
Michael Weedman:We're talking about Smirna tonight. Now, the name Smirna, the name Smirna. Now if you would look on a map I showed last week, I showed a map to our viewing audience, I showed a map of modern day Turkey and I showed you where Ephesus was. If you would look at a modern day map of Turkey, where Ephesus is, it is just north to the city where the ancient city of Smirna was laying. The name Smirna means anointing oil. Anointing oil, and that's interesting to me.
Michael Weedman:Now Smirna is an Atta boy church. It's one of those churches that gets an Atta boy from Jesus, and that's pretty awesome. Jesus, as he is writing these letters or giving these messages to John to write in this letter to give to these churches, he introduces himself in each church to a different way. So, for instance, last week, when we talked about the book of the church at Ephesus, when Jesus introduces himself at the beginning of that letter, he says he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Now he does this at every single church, just like at the end of every single church, the letter to every church. He gives us a blessing or a promise. He that, for instance, the church at Ephesus last week, to him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Michael Weedman:There's an introduction that Jesus does as in a hey, this is who I am, this is who's speaking to you right now. It's not that we need to know a reintroduction to Jesus. We know who Jesus is. We know that Jesus is the manifestation of the spirit of God to us. We know that Jesus was God robed in flesh the word robed in flesh to us. So why do we need a reintroduction? Well, maybe it's Jesus just reminding us hey, this is Jesus, this is who I am. So that when I give you this message, you'll understand that this isn't just coming from John, this isn't just coming from some preacher somewhere, but this is the word of God, this is the word that's sharper than a two-edged sword, this is the word of truth. So, the church at Smyrna the word, again the name means anointing oil, and the introduction that Jesus gives you know what? Let's just read it for ourselves. Let's just read the scripture together.
Michael Weedman:If you've got your Bible, open up to Revelation, chapter two and you're going to start at verse eight and we're going to read down to verse 11. Revelation, chapter two and verse eight says this and to the angel of the church of Smyrna, right Now again, remember, angel means pastor to the pastor of the church, write this word. This is the message I want you to send to that angel, to that pastor, to the angel of the church of Smyrna, right, these things say, at first and the last, which was dead and is alive. So here's Jesus' introduction to this one. Hey, you wanna know who's talking to you right now. It's the one who's the first and the last. It's the one who was dead but is alive again. That's who's talking to you right now. And this is how it goes on in verse number nine.
Michael Weedman:I know thy works and tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but of the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation 10 days and be found faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that over cometh shall not be heard of the second death. Wow, and honestly, the church of Smyrna is that church that we should all strive to be. Now wait a second, wait a second. Wait a second Before we go any further. I'm not saying we should all strive to be put to death. I'm not saying we should all strive to be put into tribulation. I'm not saying we should all strive to be arrested of Satan and to be thrown into prisons, but this is a great example of a faithful church.
Michael Weedman:It's unknown when the church of Smyrna was actually established or who established it. Many believe, and I believe along the same, it's very possible that it was established by the apostle Paul in one of his missionary journeys to the Asian minors. There's never really truly a documented start of the church at Smyrna, though. Be that as it may, the church at Smyrna, this message to the church at Smyrna, is a beautiful message, a message that says in the middle of persecution and in the middle of poverty, you can still be rich in spirit. Smyrna was in modern Izmir, turkey, which, much like the modern city Smyrna, was a very large city, one of the main ports for trade in the area in that time. This means that the city of Smyrna was a vital hub for not only the Jewish world but the Roman world, who had control of the area during this time. This would mean that the city would be full of Jewish and pagan worship alike, which would further explain the persecution of the church at Smyrna.
Michael Weedman:The letter to the church at Smyrna does not have not like the majority of the other churches. It doesn't have a but I have somewhat against you message attached to it. It's almost like Jesus is trying to get them to recognize that he already knows what they're going through. He starts off by reminding them I was dead, but now I'm alive, and he goes on to say that I know your works, I know your tribulation, I know your poverty. He doesn't just point out the negative. Actually, a matter of fact, he doesn't even point out the negative, but he says thou art rich. These riches are not of this earth, these are spiritual riches. They have a hope of resurrection.
Michael Weedman:Much like the church at Ephesus, this church had those who were not quite who they said they were. While the church at Ephesus had many who were claiming the apostles, the church at Smyrna had many who claimed to be Jews but were not, and were even pointed out at the synagogue of Satan. From what I gather in my studies at least, this means that they were actively involved in pagan practices and witchcraft but yet still claim to be Jewish people. The church at Smyrna would face unfair punishment and tribulation that would leave many of the believers in Smyrna, would lead them to death. When reading the message to the church at Smyrna, you almost sensed this pride that God has for these people. They were surrounded by pagan worship and idolatry, yet they remain faithful unto God. The name Smyrna means anointing oil. To me, this is significant. If you want to be anointed of God, you must stay faithful to God, even when surrounded by all the sin.
Michael Weedman:God giving the church or God is giving, I'm sorry, the church at Smyrna a Warning and a promise all at the same time. The message is this the devil shall cast many of you, some of you, in the prison, he said. Be faithful unto death, and even though it was certain that some of them would die for the cause of Christ, this is the promise he that Overcometh shall not be heard of the second death. And it of course there'll be more on the second death and later on in the book of Revelation as we go through this. But what a promise. What a promise. See, you and I will one day face persecution and tribulation. I, I don't. I don't doubt in myself that we will. But the promise is the same unto us be faithful unto death and you won't be hurt by the second death. You will have a hope after death. You shall not be hurt of the second death. The promise of the Lord is is this he that overcome it? He that overcome it shall not be heard of the second death.
Michael Weedman:Now, the church at Smyrna again, it's an example of a faithful church sitting in the middle of Pagan worship and idolatry, sitting in the midst of all this evil, of all this hatred, of all this, the sin. They remained faithful unto God and because they remain faithful unto God, they were counted as faithful unto the death. Be thou faithful unto death. Death and I will give thee a crown of life is what Jesus said. He that Atheneer, let him hear what the Spirit saved to the churches. He that overcome it shall not be heard of the second death. That promise is just as relevant to us today as it was to the church at Smyrna in the time when John was pinning this, these words, down to a Papyrus to send to them after his death. It is just as relevant to us now as it ever has been.
Michael Weedman:If we will remain faithful in the midst of sin, in the midst of persecution, in the middle midst of Idolatry, in the midst of witchcraft, in the midst of paganism, in the midst of all the evils of this world, if we will remain Faithful to Christ, we shall not be that overcome. It shall not be heard of the second death. And it brings up another scripture in the book of revelations a little later on, they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony that they love not their lives, even unto the death. So so, church, just listen to what I've got to say tonight about the church at Smyrna. It it needs to be as relevant to us now as it has ever been.
Michael Weedman:We've got to remain faithful, we've got to remain on top of task, on top of the target. We've got to know that, that there is a cause, and no matter how much sin is going on around us, no matter how much evil is going on around us, no matter how much paganism, no matter how much witchcraft, no matter how much turbulence and tribulation goes on around us, we've got to remain faithful because even if we're in poverty this is what he said I know that works in tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews but are not. But of the synagogue of Satan. There are many that say they're Christian. There are many that say they're believers, but they're really not, and Jesus knows who they are. You don't have to point them out, you don't have to call them out. Jesus knows who they are.
Michael Weedman:Remain faithful, keep loving him, keep trusting him, keep serving him, and I promise you that this promise that Jesus gave to this church he take my word ain't nothing but Jesus. He promised it. God is not a man that he should lie. He promised it to us. We should not be hurt by the second death. Hey, I want to say thank you for joining us tonight on the five-fold podcast. I pray that you've been blessed and that you have enjoyed what you have heard. Join us every week as we release new content Concerning the fivefold ministry and their place in today's church. You don't want to miss this, the fivefold podcast. God bless.
