Episode 75 - Revelation Made Relevant 5.1

Jesus said, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Scripture is clear that our life on this planet is nothing more than a vapor, or like a flower that blossoms for a season and then withers away and is no more. Such is the stuff of this world, too; it rusts, it tarnishes, and it decays. Still, the temptation exists for us to put so much stock in that which is temporary rather than in that which is eternal. The way we overcome such temptation is through self-denial, through taking up our cross daily and following Jesus. This, of course, is not easy because our sinful nature is constantly waging war with God’s Spirit in us, and in some cases, this internal struggle is fleshed out through the external reality of persecution. In our study this week, Jesus encourages the persecuted church in Smyrna and assures them of the eternal, unfading crown awaiting all those who endure to the end.