Philadelphia
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Intro:
Intro:
Jesus Loves Me - They are weak but He is strong....
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
God uses the weak.... the foolish.... the normal in His Strength, wisdom, and plan.
The Church in Philadelphia along with the church in Smyrna receive only encouragement...... We find this report card refreshing..... Like when you didn’t know your grades, but find out you have passed all of your classes.
Let us as followers of Christ in our weakness be encouraged with all that Jesus is described as in this passage...
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
8 “ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
1. Jesus is the Holy and True One
1. Jesus is the Holy and True One
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
a. The Holy One
God is Holy - He is wholly perfect, set a part from us, we are wholly imperfect.... Jesus is the Holy one.... He is set a part with God in purity and perfection!
John 6:68–69 (ESV)
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
b. The True One
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
All that he does is true.... He is God in the flesh… the Word became flesh.... amongst us..... full of Grace and Truth.... to See Jesus is to See God.... He revealed the Father to us!
To whom and to What shall we go to? are you seeking to solve the problems in your life? the biggest problem is your relationship with God..... In your sin you are separated from God, alienated because of your sins, an enemy of God, deserving of his wrath.......
Do you have an answer that is better than Jesus? Bring it to him this morning..... what a reminder for the church in Philadelphia and to us!
They lived this out day in and day out..... that didn’t have much, but they had JESUS! He was the perfect Holy One… the Only true One!
2. Jesus Opens Doors
2. Jesus Opens Doors
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
8 “ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Jesus has all authority and power.... He has the Key and he opens and shuts the door!
This reminds us of Isaiah 22 and we see
20 In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Eliakim had the power to open and give access to the King, the storehouse, and the treasury...... He alone could open and shut it......
Jesus here now has this key of David! Giving access to the Father, the heavenly storehouses and eternal treasury!
Jesus opens doors for ministry -
We see the NT speak of open doors for ministry opportunities… for the Gospel ministry to be multiplied!
Paul and Barnabas
27 And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord,
3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—
God is the one who opens Doors… Jesus has been given the key..... ti open and shut....
Some doors for ministry make sense.... You see them open up before you and you walk through them.... some you must wait to see why God has opened it.... other times you may ask why it was shut......
Isaiah - Open Door .....
Charles Simeon..... 54 years in one place..... scheduling other preachers… locking him out of the church..... even had families lock the pews so no one could sit there......
You may want to know why a door for ministry is opened or is closed.... maybe like Isaiah or Charles Simeon you wonder if you can remain faithful when it seems the doors seem to shut for the word and ministry to go forth..... but the truth here is that Jesus is in control of it and not you.
3. Jesus Protects His Church
3. Jesus Protects His Church
Revelation 3:9–10 (ESV)
9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
This church was facing the same persecution that Smyrna was..... Jews that were persecuted the Christians..... so much so that the church later described by Ignatius… that they began believing that the OT followed along with Salvation a few decades later.
Jesus’ protection is a direct correlation for his love for His church and his people!......
21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
We don’t earn Jesus’ protection by keeping his word......... he freely gives it because he loves us...... We love Jesus and the fruit is keeping God’s word.
Jesus doesn’t remove us from enemies.... he protects us..... he doesn’t remove us from suffering he is with us and protects us....
You don’t deserve the love of Jesus.... yet he freely gives it..... this is Grace on display!.......
Because he loves.... we keep his word.... he keeps us.....
“No one celebrates the presence and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ more than the person who has embraced his desperate and daily need of it.”
― Paul David Tripp, Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry
Everything in this life other than Jesus is like a paper house in the middle of a hurricane..... He is our refuge and strength.... Jesus protects us in his Love and Grace!
4. Jesus is Coming Soon
4. Jesus is Coming Soon
11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
An often repeated phrase!.... Tell me once it is important.... tell me twice it is really important..... Jesus wants us to know this!
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
He is coming quickly..... If you know the family is coming over to your house for Thanksgiving… you get things ready… prepare the grocery list, the meal plan, clean the house… set the table, make the pies.......
Jesus is coming soon.... Will you hold fast to what you have in Jesus and your salvation?..... What has become more important in your life than anticipating the return of Jesus!
Hold Fast....Keep These are two commands..... One pastor says it this way … “it signifies to hold the word fast, that it does not run away from us!” -
Most of us are leaky vessels… as soon as it comes in it goes out......
What are you holding fast to? Keeping in your mind, heart, and soul?.....
Whose starting for the Cowboys Today? Who has announced their next presidential run? How much money is in your bank account? Which family member is coming to your house for thanksgiving? Who will get into a fight over social media this week?......... What are you keeping? Holding fast too?..... Jesus is coming soon!
5. Jesus Promises Eternal Blessings
5. Jesus Promises Eternal Blessings
12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
A Pillar in the temple
The city of Philadelphia was prone to earthquakes..... and was destroyed because of one...... Jesus is going to make this church a pillar..... He is going to take the weak church and establish it forever! A pillar in the tabernacle in heaven!
Always in God’s presences
Never go out of it! - A vacation is great - we have much to experience....... but we must always go back home.... not with Jesus and eternity! the promise is to be with God forever!
Possession of God!
God’s name.... Name of New Jerusalem.....written on him.... We are his children… His possession....
Intimate relationship with Jesus
We know Jesus’s name that no one else knows but himself!
Conclusion
Do you need this encouragement today?
Look to Jesus! That is all of the letters point… and to this church and to us today!
Have you trusted in the Jesus that is spoken of in these verses? Today is the day you are weak in your sins, but he is strong and mighty to save to the uttermost!
Join our church or be baptized!