7 Churches: Philadelphia

Intro

Where does the source of your devotion lie?

Revelation 3:7–13 CSB

“Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens: I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. “The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. 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 out of heaven from my God—and my new name. “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

I. The Gatekeeper

“Majordomo”

Royal Position with authority

Isaiah 45:1–2 CSB

The Lord says this to Cyrus, his anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and disarm kings, to open doors before him, and even city gates will not be shut: “I will go before you and level the uneven places; I will shatter the bronze doors and cut the iron bars in two.

Isaiah

Ezekiel 44:2 CSB

The Lord said to me: “This gate will remain closed. It will not be opened, and no one will enter through it, because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. Therefore it will remain closed.

Ezekiel

Jesus holds the keys of Heaven

Matthew 16:13-

Matthew 16:13–19 CSB

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”

Jesus alone determines Man’s worthiness.

Matthew 25:44-46

Matthew 25:44–46 CSB

“Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’ “Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Do you resemble Christ?

II. He is the source of our power.

God humbles the proud

Psalm 51:17 CSB

The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.

Isaiah 57:15 CSB

For the High and Exalted One, who lives forever, whose name is holy, says this: “I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed.

James 4:6 CSB

But he gives greater grace. Therefore he says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

2 Corinthians 12:9 CSB

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.

Philippians 4:13 CSB

I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.

III. Eschatology in a nutshell.

“It ain’t over, ‘til it’s over!”

Because the Philadelphians are faithful they are promised a door that never closes.

Salvation is salvation

BUT: there are rewards for being faithful!

Revelation 4:10–11 CSB

the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say, Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.

Revelation 4:10 CSB

the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say,

Matthew 6:20 CSB

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.

Matthew 6:5 CSB

“Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.

Heaven is already better than anything you could possible imagine.

Application

Where does your reliance reside?

I want to be an open door!

A brief note of avoiding judgment and persecution.