While Jesus did not offer any criticism of the congregation of Smyrna, that didn’t mean that His message was easy to hear. They were a church under severe Roman pressure and Jesus said that their suffering was about to increase. The notion that doing what is right makes us immune to tribulation is not the message of Christ. But Jesus is faithful to His Church amid suffering. The One who has suffered and won stands with us in our need.

John is the last living apostle of Jesus who writes to the Church in a time of severe pressure. What is the first thing he writes? A vision of Jesus, as He is. The description strips away our Sunday School images of Him. While the imagery is overwhelming, the presence of Jesus is our hope. He stands in the midst of His Church – at all times.