Sermon Tone Analysis

Mali Africa

I use this country to open with for two reasons...

1) This is the Sunday we recognize, remember, and bring awareness to the persecuted church around the world (pray for the World book)

(slide of Tower)

2) Because of what a local pastor told me about how God worked there in the town of Kati just outside Bamako, the capital.

The communist were building this massive radio tower taking up almost twenty-five acres

The more the Christians prayed the more efficiently the work on the tower was done (WEAK & HELPLESS… SMALL)

The day before the tower would go live and send the message of communism across Africa, communism fell

The only qualified people to run such a station were an American missionary couple who used the radio tower to broadcast the Gospel message to Africa!

Weakness / a Feeling of Inability to do something about a situation...

Any here feeling weak?

The church Jesus sends a message to in our passage today felt weak, that they had “little power” and needed great encouragement

Revelation 3:7-13

As we read this message, I want you to remember what this book of Apocalypses is… Revelation 1:1 we are discovering and knowing Jesus Christ deeper and more completely...

Philidelphia

“Brotherly Love” We cannot read into the name of the city and apply that to the church.

However, we do see that this church in this city may have had a heart for the lost and God was going to honor that

Known well for the powerful earthquakes shattering the city and its buildings

This city was known as “Little Athens” … Gateway to the east!

Many gods were worshiped here

There were many here who are religious, but few who have relationship with Jesus Christ

May have even been the case for the Jews in this area… religious yet having no relationship with the God who called them His people

To this church in a city full of gods Jesus introduces Himself...

Jesus Is...

HOLY | TRUE | AUTHORITY | IN CONTROL

What a precious thing that we have God giving us His Word to remind us of His Character!

What a comfort… REMEMBERING!

Holiness:

Def: “one perfect in goodness and righteousness

Only God is Holy.

Here once again we see a clear statement to the fact that Jesus is stating He is Deity.

(NOT a deity, But rather Deity!)

Mankind’s holiness is only that which is imputed, coming as a result of the work of Jesus Christ

True:

Jesus is genuine, he is the original, He is the real deal in a place full of counterfeits.

He is authentic and creator in a place full of false and manufactured gods

In a place where lies of Satan run rampant, Jesus stand as the One True God!

A place where things “LOOK” true He “IS” true.

WOW what a contrast and what a hope for this church who feels little power.

Consider this: Revelation 6:10 the martyrs here refer to Christ as “Holy and True”…

because He is Holy He has to judge sin, because He is True, He has to vindicate His people slain!

Jesus Is...

Authority:

In His Holiness He not only has the Authority to Judge, but also to rule!

The Keys of David… the Kingship belongs to Him!

Keys lock and unlock… given to those who have authority

Control:

With His authority comes control… He opens, He closes

Not chance, man, not happenstance… His choice, time, and control

Consider what He says about this open door… that no one can shut!

An Open Door to the Church

Jesus was going to work!!!

I love watching Him work… Remember He is the One building His church

In the new testament the Phrase “Open Door” consistently refers to ministry opportunity

Jesus Christ is… “Lord of the Harvest” the Head of the Church, He determines where and how people will serve

WOW!!! What a blessing when God uses someone or someones who are little in power to show His greatness

David and Goliath

The small group of believers in Mali

Paul and Silas (Prison Doors) or Peter walking right out!

Allow God to work

Then be ready to declare Christ

Verse 8… “not denied name”

Kept His Word… the truth in the midst of lies

This church had a great potential for the work of God! WHY?… because of the One they placed their Faith (NOT… resources, wealth, size, etc.)

Jesus would work in spite of their obstacles:

Obstacle of size or power

Obstacle of Jews in the city: synagogue of Satan… God’s chosen people were now the tool of Satan!

Spreading lies about you

Jews have a great heritage but heritage is not a guarantee for salvation… (Christian home/ Nation / Lineage)

God’s Promises

To a church that needs encouragement… (first I will use you!) then...

The Religious will know… His love for them!

“they will bow down at your feet”

When?

How?

We don’t know if this would transpire in the near future for the readers of John’s day or if it is referring to end time events.

Was God going to humble the Jews in Philadelphia and open the door to bring the gospel to them?

There is no record of this but none the less it could have occured.

We do know that in the end God will show Himself to be TRUE!

There is a certainty given here for the overcomer / victor!

God’s promise regardless of the time of fulfillment would bring comfort and hope to the believer as it would with His NEXT PROMISE....

Kept From Hour of Testing

verse 10

NOTE: Jesus does not promise to spare believers from suffering or martyrdom but to shield them from his wrath and to transform martyrdom into triumph

As we approach this passage we need to consider what is being said here:

There is an “hour” coming where the Whole World will be tested (This is global)

God will judge evil and sin on a global level (Revelation unveils Christ in His role as judge after the messages to the churches)

So Why Tell Philadelphia?

You will be kept from this… Pre-Tribulation Rapture

Hard to see them going through this and not being impacted

Comfort and encouragement… was for them then and for us know, and for all in between!

Patterson states this well: Eschatological promises made to the churches, such as the church at Philadelphia, many of which would never be actually experienced in their own lifetime, were, nonetheless, the cause of great comfort.

The church today reads those same promises and is comforted by them.

Death is conceivable for any believer prior to the beginning of events described in the Apocalypse.

Nonetheless the people of God are both comforted in their sorrows and encouraged in their task by the ability to read and know that their work is not in vain and that the forces of Christ and righteousness eventually prevail over the tragic evils that have scarred the landscape of human history.

Consequently, even if the promise to the church at Philadelphia involves a deliverance that neither they, their children, nor their grandchildren actually experience, a promise of God for the ultimate triumph of those in Christ remains for the future.

In light of persecution that may go on in the mean time God promises to come quickly...

Quickly?

2000 years later… 2 Peter 3:7-9

Church… He is coming quickly… He has opened a door of opportunity to share the gospel… but time is short!