Philidelphia

Revelation 3:7–13 ESV

“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. “ ‘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. 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. 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. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Invisible spiritual realities

an open door that no one can shut - v8

they have access

crown they already possess - v11

they are rulers

Where do these realities come from?

they are faithful - they have the evidence of faithfulness in their works - HOW? - they have kept his word and not denied his name even though they have little power

political power - influence - wealth - etc.

They don’t have the clout and the connections - but they hold fast - and ti’s because of this faithfulness that Jesus promises that he WILL KEEP THEM from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world.

The judgement of Jerusalem/Rome - 70AD

CONTEXT

enduring heavy persecution by the Jews

referred to as the “synagogue of Satan”

One of the priary means of persecution? Lies - misrepresentation

rumors about the infant church - cannibals - incest - atheism - revolutionaries - insurrectionists…

it was a war of public perception - much like today...

seen the Duggar doc promoted? Shiny Happy People? Of course you have… it’s everywhere. Why? Because it’s an opportunity to slander the Bible believers.

Some sinful stuff went on - but many of the same secularists who decry Josh Duggar as a sexual predator fly pride flags and support transgender transitions in children.

you can’t have it both ways.

it’s slander with a broad brush.

And slander always makes life difficult. Your public perception diminishes.

boycotts - family business takes a hit - rejected by their extended families and previous friends…

suddenly folks don’t talk, they don’t engage, folks go dark...

And a few years earlier? Rome burned - and guess who got the blame...

imagine going through this -

But Jesus - I thought the gates of hell couldn’t stand against our advance?

We thought you promised to build your church?

We thought you’d never leave us or forsake us? to the end of the age?

We thought you had ALL POWER and ALL AUTHORITY?

things aint looking great...

imagine the discouragement...

have you ever faced it?

DISCOURAGEMENT - of course you have...

loss of excitement - enthusiasm...

hard to get to the work you know you’re called to do

don’t want to take on new things

the vision, the mission wanes.

maybe you feel stuck - like no matter what you do it’s not gonna advance anything.

Maybe your discouragement is from some real setbacks - possible...

maybe you’ve fallen into sin...

maybe some more folks left the church and you’re discouraged

maybe you’re measuring yourself against someone else’s “success” and coveting it.

or maybe you’ve dealt with something similar to Philidelphia? rumors, gossip, slander...

or maybe it came from a faithful friend or family member...

we should discourage sinful behavior - no doubt - but we want to additionally encourage the good.

and even Christians mess this up sometimes - we discourage the good and encourage the bad.

How? many ways I’m sure - but maybe...

we highlight or wink at or laugh at foolishness

we caution and “reality check” those fighting to be on mission...

Everybody’s got different tendencies here as well...

maybe you’re more prone to be discouraged...

maybe you’re more of a “everything is awesome” kind of guy.

As Christians - we want to be realists. But we also want to remember what the general trajectory of history is going to be.

that’s going to help us both respond rightly to our current situation - and have the COURAGE to keep fighting forward.

BECAUSE - the way forward is won through trials.

your trials mature you -

James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

and God wants you to be matured.

he wants more good fruit to come from you.

and so that means… trials.

And in the midst of trials what’s the Lord going to do ? Encourage you, like a good pastor/shepherd.

and here he encourages Philidelphia.

FOUR WAYS - and I hope they encourage you as well.

FIRST - Jesus has the Key of David - v7

in other words - he is the king. Jesus is the king and he controls who has access to him with his KEY.

and he offers YOU access.

You have the ear of the King - and that means, as anyone in leadership will tell you, access means influence.

if you’re a leader and folks have access to you, they have influence over you, that’s just how it works. For good, or for bad.

but with JESUS - he won’t be swayed against his will. He won’t be swayed against what is true and right.

but that doesn’t diminish - you have access. you can make your requests known to the ONLY ONE who can truly do anything about it.

the one in whom the hearts of our leaders lie.

the one in whom the security and future of your family rests.

You have access. You have his ear. He hears you. And the Bible puts forward this profound mystery, that somehow, our prayers influence him and the trajectory of the universe.

in other words - prayer works. and you have access - so make your requests known - and be encouraged.

SECOND - He opens and closes doors -

in other words - it’s not your sin that opens and closes doors - that brings or takes away opportunity

or your skill that opens and closes.

or other people’s wicked agendas that opens or closes doors -

It’s Jesus and HIS WILL.

opportunity comes from him - you just walk around trying handles and see what happens.

you don’t need to worry about it - you don’t need to be anxious. He’ll take care of you, and he’ll do exactly what he wants.

That gives us a joyful disposition. We are able to move well and honor him.

THIRD - Jesus knows your works. - v8

last weeks chastisement is this weeks encouragement.

You’re an obscure little church with no power, no influence, … but you’re faithful.

and Jesus sees it.

BUT! As we gain and grow influence - what does that mean?

influence = fame?

No. Influence = infamy.

and it’s at THIS POINT that many who rise in influence fall - because they want fame.

they want to be liked. not disliked.

who doesn’t? and as a result… they fall.

FOURTH - and he will cause their persecutors to fall at their feet. v9

in about 70AD Rome comes and wipes out Jerusalem and ends the Jewish persecution.

the trajectory of history IS that the wicked lose.

and in their destruction Jesus both ended the persecution of his church AND he spared them from the backlash by the Roman army...

sawtooth

you serve a God who cracks out the teeth of his enemies - psalm 3.

he wins. an

and though you may be discouraged now.

for.. who knows why...

he wins. be encouraged.

he’s winning right now.

even in the midst of your trial, your discouragement, he is painting the story of your life so that he may win through you.

and he will.