The Seven Churches of Revelation: Philadelphia

In just a few moments we will dismiss from the auditorium and go to the fellowship hall for a time of praise and fellowship. In just a few days we will celebrate a day devoted to giving thanks, and certainly as Christians we have a lot to be thankful for.

I thought briefly about pausing our series on Revelation and preaching a Thanksgiving message, but I realized there are two churches left and two Sundays in November. I really want to start thinking about Christmas in December, so today we find ourselves in Revelation 3. As I began to look at the letter to Philadelphia I noticed that this church that represents the true church shows us that, as believers in Jesus, we truly have a lot to be thankful for!

If you know Jesus, you have a lot to be thankful for.

How grateful are you for all that Jesus has done for you?

We have many reasons to be thankful today. First, we should be thankful for:

The Overwhelming Person of Jesus Christ v. 7

Jesus wastes not time here. He gets right down to business. He had no condemnation for this church it was a faithful church. That ought to be the goal of every church on this planet to be a faithful church!

Let me ask you, has God ever once let you down? NO! One thing I have learned in my life is that God is always faithful! The very least I can do is to do my best to be faithful to Him.

I love the way Jesus describes Himself to this church, in the most overwhelming way. He describes His:

Holiness

I’m glad today that our God is holy!

I’m glad today that He demands we be holy!

If He had not been holy, He could not have paid for our sins

I’m glad that 2000 years ago God became man, dwelt on earth for the world to see, was tempted but didn’t sin, was angry but did not sin, was tired, but did not sin, was beaten but did not sin, was reviled, but did not sin, was falsely accused but did not sin.

I’m thankful today for the old rugged cross on which they nailed the holy Son of God to die in my place, to take my sin, to pay my cost!

I’m glad today that 2000 years ago death had no power to keep my Savior in the tomb, that He got up and is today at the right hand of God!

I’m glad today that I serve a holy God!

Not only did Jesus describe His holiness, but He described His...

Truthfulness

I’m thankful that in a day when the world says we can’t know what truth is, the Bible says Jesus is true!

John 14:6 “6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

I’m thankful that Jesus is trustworthy

He’s never lied to me!

He’s never withheld any good thing from me

He’s never let me down

He’s never disappointed me

He’s never turned His back on me

He’s never broken a promise to me!

What He says He will do, why?

Becasue He is truth!

Not only does Jesus describe His holiness and His truthfulness, but He describes His...

Kingliness

I’m thankful that today He is seated at the Father’s right hand, but I am even more thankful that one day He will sit on the throne of His father David!

The mention of the “key of David” refers to His ultimate right and authority over any and everything!

I’m thankful to be serving the God who can open something and no one can shut it!

I’m thankful to be serving a God that can shut something no one can open.

When Jesus shuts a door on your past, don’t try to pry it open. Let it be shut and praise His name.

When Jesus opens a door, step out on faith and go through it!

Church that is who Jesus is. He is in the door opening and shutting business. We can be thankful today for the overwhelming person of Jesus Christ, and we can be thankful for...

The Overwhelming Power of Jesus Christ v. 8

Notice immediately in this verse we go back to the opening and shutting of doors. This speaks directly to:

The Power of God

Here is a simple fact: God can do things you can’t.

There will be times in your life that God is going to show up and do what you thought couldn’t be done.

This church finds itself wedged in between two churches that had gone off the deep end

Looking at Sardis and Laodicea it would have been easy to lose hope.

What is the point after all when surrounded by false professors and the unconcerned masses?

But to Philadelphia, because of their faithfulness, God had opened up a great door of opportunity allowing them to preach the gospel

This is not the first time God had opened such a door for his faithful followers

1 Cor. 16:9 “9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”

The simple truth is this: God honors the faithfulness of His people

The overwhelming power of Jesus to open and close doors speaks also to...

The Powerlessness of Man

Notice Jesus did what no one could do

He opened the door.

This church had only a “little strength”

The word little is “Mikros”

We get our word “Micro” from it.

Do you understand when someone gets saved, its not the preacher that did the saving, its the Lord!

Notice why Jesus did what no man could do

He did not do it because of the type of music they preferred

He did not do it because of the way they dressed

He did not do it because of the version of Scripture they used

Jesus opened the door and blessed this church because they were faithful to Him!

Church if we are going to have God's hand of blessing on us then we MUST be faithful to HIM!

I’m thankful today for the overwhelming power of Jesus Christ! I’m thankful that He can do what I can’t do. I’m thankful that He can open a door and no one can shut it. I’m thankful that He is always faithful to His church. Church, we need to be faithful to Him!

What are you doing for God in your daily life? Who are you praying for to be saved? Who do you know personally that needs to see Jesus Christ alive and well living inside of you? How are you showing a lost world that you are serving and all-powerful, faithful God?

Let me give you another reason to be thankful today, what about...

The Overwhelming Protection of Jesus Christ v.9

I’m thankful today that I serve the God of the universe. I’m thankful today that Jesus Christ is in my corner. There were evidently people in Philadelphia who were claiming to be Christians but were not. They were agents of Satan, spreading lies, rumors, gossip, and slander about this faithful church. Jesus says, don’t let them bother you. Listen to what He said in Matthew 5:11-12

Matthew 5:11–12 KJV 1900

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Jesus says reminds us in Revelation that He is going to have the final say over those who would spread lies about His Church.

There are two probably applications to verse 9:

Some of the false believers will be saved

Because of the faithful witness of the Philadelphia believers, some will trust in Christ

They will worship with those believers in Philadelphia

Some will no doubt never trust Christ

Let it be known today that these will still bow before Him!

Notice the verse doesn’t say they will worship the church, but they will worship at their feet!

I am thankful that I serve a God who sees when my enemies are against me. I am thankful that He is going to have the final say over them. I am thankful for the overwhelming protection of Jesus Christ so that I might boldly say with David, Psalm 56:3

Psalm 56:3 KJV 1900

3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

I have one final reason you can be thankful today, because of...

The Overwhelming Promises of Jesus Christ v. 10-13

There are three promises I want to point out:

The Promise of the Rapture. v. 10

That tribulation period is going to be bad.

I’m thankful I won’t be here!

That is what is meant by the phrase, “I also will keep the from the hour of temptation...”

That’s good, but it gets better...

The Promise of His Return. v. 11

“quickly” does not refer to time

It is a reference to speed!

When He comes for His church we will be gone before the world has a clue what has happened.

The Promise of Relocation. v.12

I am not going to say that I fully understand what this verse means, no one does, but I do know this:

The temple of God is in Heaven, and that is where we will be!

We will have our dwelling in the New Jerusalem when it comes down from heaven

We are going to be in His presence for ever!

I’m thankful today for the overwhelming promises of Jesus Christ. I am thankful today that no matter how awful things may be here on earth, I have a Savior that loves me, that is coming to get me, and that I will be with forever in heaven. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Conclusion: Church, if you know Jesus as your Savior, you have a lot to be thankful for.

It is so easy to become discouraged when your focus is on this earth, so instead let us have our focus on Jesus Christ and His overwhelming goodness. This week, when you’re with your family remember that you should be thankful for:

The Overwhelming Person of Jesus Christ

The Overwhelming Power of Jesus Christ

The Overwhelming Protection of Jesus Christ

The Overwhelming Promises of Jesus Christ

Let’s bow our heads for prayer. Pray. Invitation:

Today if you are thankful that you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, will you raise your hand? Be sure to let Him know this week how grateful you are for Him by showing His love to others.

One more question and we’re done, we’ll be dismissed and we’ll go eat. Would you be honest with God and honest with yourself today, maybe you’re not 100% sure if you died today you’d go to heaven, but you’re 100% sure you don’t want to go to hell, would you raise your hand, I’ll not embarrass you I just want to pray for you. Anyone?

Right where you are you can know Jesus in full forgiveness of sin if you will admit your sin, believer He died for you and call on Him to save you. Is that you today would you raise your hand?