Rev 3:7-13
Notes
Transcript
Letter to Philadelphia
Letter to Philadelphia
Good morning every one,
I hope you are well today, it is a joy to see you all here today.
We are just nine days from Vacation Bible School and we still need your help.
This is one of those events where it truly is all hands on deck so to speak.
It is still one of the best opportunities for children to hear the gospel and come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Please, join us and take part in helping make a Kingdom’s difference in the children that attend, and hopefully homes they live in....
Also, toward the end of July we hope to have our Deacon ordination for Wes Slagle, just waiting for a date to schedule this important event.
Now today we come back to the Revelation chapter 3. And we are looking at verses 7 to 13.
The message here is the Letter from our Lord to the church at Philadelphia.
From all that we know, Philadelphia is the youngest of the 7 cities, founded by colonists from Pergamum. It was founded with the purpose of helping spread Greek culture and language to Lydia and Phrygia… In fact the did it so well, that by 19AD Lydians has pretty much become Greek, even forgetting their own language. Philadelphia pretty much left its mark on the world by being great producers of grapes and wine.
But all was not well there, having such great soil was one thing, but it being near a volcano also meant earthquakes and around 17AD a great earthquake left the city so shaky that most people lived outside the city in huts to save themselves from falling stones and such from the buildings.
And remember the vineyards I mentioned earlier, the same Emperor that imprisoned John on Patmos is the one that ordered half the vineyards of the area destroyed in an effort to protect the vineyards of Italy. That didn’t set well for those there for they were heavily dependent on this to get by.
So looking at this and all that is happening in the area, we see the people and the church in the city. But how did they live and what was there present condition?
The church at Philadelphia they were a congregation suffering in the world who was opposed to Christians and lets consider these three thoughts.
Jesus promises them...
1. An Open Door....
As we see the word of the Lord come to this body of believers we know they are a church who suffered under the hand of many…
They were a group of humble believers who truly only had the Lord…They had Jesus and He had them.
And as we open the words of this passage, the Lord, look as what Jesus says to them..
Lets look at verses 7-8 Rev 3:7-8
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.
As Jesus speaks to the church and its pastor, he speaks of himself in 3 ways that they need to pay attention too.
Jesus says - The words of the holy one, the true one, and the one who has the key of David...
The First, Holiness: Being holy is part of Jesus very nature, He is the Son of the Living God, the second person of the Trinity. The Greek word hagios, means holy, pure, separate. He is different than the rest of creation, He is without sin, Holy. The very attribute of his very nature.
And we must be reminded, as the Lord is Holy, we are called to live holy lives as well.
Second, He is the one who true.... Again, truth is part of is nature. It is a characteristic of His very person and nature. In Revelation 19:11 the Bible says....
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
When we think of Jesus, understand, He is not a portion of who God is, not a shadow of Him. He is the one who is the True God.
Jesus said when you have seem me you have seen the Father…
Jesus is also referred to this again later on in Rev 6:10
10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
He is the Only True One.....
But then there is this last designation, He is the one who has the key of David… What is that, what does this mean?
A key is what we use to open or unlock a door.. it opens what has been closed away, keep from the eyes of another…
The Key of David has a tie back to Isaiah in Isa 22:22
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.
During Isaiah’s time the steward of Hezekiah, King of Judah ( this is after the divide of the kingdom) this steward was said to possess the key of David, He is the one person someone would need to seek out in order to gain access to the King himself.
Without a doubt, Jesus is the one who has access to the Father and through him we gain access to the throne of grace.
Jesus said Himself that no one comes to the Father except by him in John 14 :6 as He was in the upper room with his disciples.
And we also confess there is no other name under heaven given to me bu which we must be saved Acts 4:12...
Jesus holds the key to David, and ultimately access to God the Father… And in their suffering and poverty, Jesus had the key to open a door for them.
A door that only He could control, opening and closing according to the will of God.
They may have been weak and poor, but Jesus would open the opportunity for their ministry to expand and that they might be a steadfast pillar in the community they ministered.
Jesus knew their condition, He would see them through their difficulty, He was their God.
And look at this last thought at the end of verse 8, Jesus says “...I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Jesus knew their works and faithfulness my friends… their little work would be allowed to grow because of their faithfulness.
It reminds me church, we are small but God has allowed us to do far more than we could think or ask at times. We have had a presence around this world and in our community.
We must strive to continue that work for the glory of God. Size of the church doesn’t matter, the willingness to serve the Lord is what matters.
Just as Jesus knew their works, so Jesus knows us today,our works,and our place in this journey along the time of life. He will open opportunities and close others in his timing.
We are only called to be faithful…steadfast where we are and were he has called us…
As we continue today, we see our second thought,
Jesus promises to
2. Vindicate them....
The church at Philadelphia has faced difficulties, like many churches during that time. Both Jews and Romans had brought suffering and persecution upon the church, but listen my friends, the Lord will take care of his church....
So lets hear what the Lord says to them… verses 9-10 Rev 3:9-10
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.
One of the saddest points of Christian history has been be the persecution believers faced. Without a doubt it is, but never forget, The Father is watching.
There were those in the city who claimed they were Jews but were not, instead Jesus says they were of the synagogue of Satan.
What is Jesus saying here? There are those who had aligned with Christ, Jewish people but they turned away from the church, they turned away from Christ and denied his name and went back to Judaism.
Why, persecution is tough, it is easier to align oneself with the greater crowd and to also give into Emperor worship to spare oneself trouble.
These who called themselves Jews, they thought being a child of Abraham is enough, but they are not Abraham’s children. Being a physical descendant is one thing, But a true spiritual child would have recognized Jesus and would have not given up.
Jesus refers to these who turned away and now have joined those who persecuted the church as the synagogue of Satan.
These Jesus says, He will make bow down and know that the Lord has loved his church.
When will this happen, We are not completely sure, if the Jews of the the city would have been humbled in the immediate future. Yet it may also refer to an event during the Apocalypse .
In either case, The Lord has judged his people Israel for they have profaned his name before the world.
But for the church, verse 10 the Lord rewards the efforts of the faithful. Look again at verse 10 Rev 3:10
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.
Those who kept his word, the Lord promises to keep.
Loyalty is a sure reward and the Lord promises to keep them from the “hour of trial” that is coming upon the world.
Patient endurance is a beautiful part of the Christian life and even James, the half brother of Jesus calls for the church to endure patiently. James 5:8 says
8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Listen hard times are here and they will continue, But the church is called to endure patiently, live faithfully and the Lord will keep his church safe. As the Tribulation comes, the church is removed my friends
As we move on through the book of Revelation we see the bowls of Judgment will be poured up upon the earth, but we need not fear.
The Lord Jesus is telling them, I will keep you from wrath. We are kept safe because we are in the presence of the Lord and not just in this world.
The coming of the Lord is a blessing to the church, but it is a terrible time for those who are lost, because they stand condemned.
Condemnation upon those who do not know Jesus is a terrible thing,
The Lord will save and protect his church, he will vindicate them in due time and all the world will know they are his bride the people whom He has died for...
Friends, the most important thing is knowing we are His and doing our best to bring others with us.
Amen..
Now just one last thought, Jesus promises
3. To Make Church a Pillar...
The opening words for the church at Philadelphia, tells them and us, the Lord is coming soon.
Look with me at verses 11-12 Rev 3:11-12
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.
When you look at this letter to Philadelphia, we find that this church is one that the Lord does not find fault with… there is simply the exhortation to be faithful, be patient.
But Jesus says I am coming soon. Jesus says this, and while we do not know when His return is, our task, church isn’t to try and figure out his return, but to live faithfully, expectantly know that His return could be at any moment.
The early church lived expectantly, they valued only the joy of Knowing Jesus and being pardoned from sin...
But listen as time has gone by while the Lord waits for more children to come into the Kingdom the church hasn;t always done well.. we forget and we live for ourselves… Jesus can return at any moment, we should live expectantly.
Look at what the Lord says next… “...Hold fast what you have so that one may seize your crown....”
The crown here is that one we talked about earlier, the victor’s crown (stephanos).. hold fast that no one seizes it..
The threat here isn’t the loss of salvation. But under the intensity of persecution, there is a threat that they could succumb to the pressure and give up. They do not lose their salvation but there is no reward, their works do not stand...
Think of Paul’s warning to the Corinthians in 1 Cor 3:10-15
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
My friends, make sure you are living faithfully and working faithfully that at the end of your days we have a gift to present to the Father, that gift if faithfulness and faithful work.
Now go back to verse 12 Rev 3:12
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.
For those who are faithful, who overcome, who preserve…There are four promises made to them. Look at that passage....
4 things......
A. They will be made a Pillar in the Temple of my
God.
B. They will not depart from it,
C. They will possess the name of God’s city, the
New Jerusalem and finally...
D. They will possess God’s new name....
Could we stop here and just be encouraged here. for them and us today...
To be a pillar in the temple means you are never excluded from God’s presence my friends, You will not depart from that city, You and I will dwell in that city for ever and forever my friends..
What a blessings my friends to know they will be established in His presence,
We as the body of Christ will be in His city for all the days to come, never departing from the presence and city of our God.
Listen to Rev 21:2
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
That city continues us, His people and we are the Bride of Christ...
A day is coming for us my friends, we will walk with our God, he will take away the tears, the sorrow and hurt of this world.
Finally we will possess the name of God…
The city of Philadelphia knew a lot about new names, they had been severely damaged through earthquakes and as others like the emperor helped them, in honor they changed their name to Neocaesarea… and Later when Vespasian was kind to them, they called the city Flavia..
For the children of God, we have a new name, given by the one who has redeemed us by His own blood.
Friends, the truth of this text is simple, remain faithful, even in the face of great persecution..
Hold fast and do not give up, in due time the Lord will come and deliver us all into his Kingdom were we will never depart and we will never know pain and suffering any more.
We will be blessed my friends, we will be blessed.
This morning, do you know Jesus as your Savior?
A. Do you know Jesus, are you certain of this…
now is the time
B. As a child of God, are you walking faithfully with the Lord? Do you find yourself living for you or for HIm. If your focus is you, yo will have gained your reward, and not the one in that city.
C. This morning, if you need prayer, please come and let us pray with you and for you.
This morning come...