Philadelphia: God Blesses Faithfulness

Jesus’s Letter to the Seven Church in Revelation

“Philadelphia: God Blesses Faithfulness”

February 10, 2019

Introduction

This morning, we are continuing our series on Jesus’ Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation. Today, we come to the next to last letter: the letter to the church at Philadelphia.

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Illustration: Labels — Tom Brady (GOAT or Cheater)

Scholars and commentators have put labels on these churches for centuries.

Ephesus: Loveless Church

Smyrna: Persecuted Church

Pergamos: Compromising Church

Thyatira: Corrupt Church

Sardis: Dead Church

Here is how the church of Philadelphia is commonly labeled: the Faithful Church, the Blessed Church

I want to combine those labels this morning and talk about God blessing faithfulness.

1. The Faithful Church

Theological: The church in Philadelphia was a faithful church. Look at verse 8. Jesus says, “I know you’re works.” Pay careful attention to the end of the verse 8.

Kept My Word: Military word having to do with following orders. The believers in Philadelphia were obedient. Believers in Philadelphia were faithful to obey the Word. They were faithful to love out the Word of God. The believers in Philadelphia were faithful, dependable, and consistent. God could count on them.

Didn’t Deny My Name: In a couple of the sermon from this series, we have talked about a loyalty test that took place in many Roman cities. Once a year, citizens were required to burn incense to Caesar and proclaim Caesar as Lord. Unwillingness to proclaim Caesar as Lord was seen as unpatriotic, it would be the equivalent today of NFL kneeling for the national anthem. The believers in Philadelphia refused to proclaim Caesar as Lord. The believers in Philadelphia refused to renounce Jesus. The believers in Philadelphia were faithful, dependable, and consistent. God could count on them.

Look at verse 10. Notice the phrase, “Kept my command to persevere.” In a second, we are going to talk about how God blessed the faithfulness of this church. I don’t want you to get the wrong impression here. Just because God blesses a church doesn’t mean that things are going to be easy for the church.

: Corrie Ten Boom and Fleas

The church in Philadelphia faced obstacles and hardships. In verse 8, Jesus said that the church had little strength. This was not meant as criticism toward the church. The phrase refers to the number of people in the congregation. The church at Philadelphia was not a large church. This was a very small church. The church of Philadelphia didn’t let their small numbers hinder them. The church in Philadelphia was faithful to persevere.

When the believers in Philadelphia refused to proclaims Caesar has Lord, they would have been persecuted to some extend. The church in Philadelphia didn’t let persecution hinder them. The church in Philadelphia was faithful to persevere.

In verse 9, we see that the church face opposition from the Jews. I got the impression from this letter that Jews excluded Christians. The Jews told Christians that they didn’t belong to God, that Christians didn’t belong to the people of God, that was reserved for Jews. The church in Philadelphia didn’t let opposition from the Jews hinder them. The church in Philadelphia was faithful to persevere. The believers in Philadelphia were faithful, dependable, and consistent. God could count on them.

Illustration: Desperate Need of Something — Dry Socks at Disney

Practical: Faithfulness is what needed in the church today. The church today is plagued by inconsistency. We need to be faithful. We need to be dependable. We need to be consistent. God needs to be able to count on us.

I think about the Builder Generation in America, those born between 1900 and 1946. The Builder Generation was known as America’s Greatest Generation. They were and are a faithful generation: faithful to country, faithful to their jobs, faithful to Christ. They were in the church every times the doors were open. They made sure their kids were in church.

Subsequent generations in America have been less and less faithful to Jesus and the church. We need to turn the tide. We must be faithful, dependable, and consistent. Each of us need to aspire to be like the faithful believers in Philadelphia.

Transition: That’s faithfulness. We are talking about this morning God blessing faithfulness.

2. The Blessed Church

A. Great Opportunities to Spread the Gospel

Illustration:

Theological: Look at verse 8. Sir William Ramsey tells us that Philadelphia was a missionary city. The city was founded to spread Greek culture to the East. Paul is saying to the church in Philadelphia that they were a missionary church for the spread of Christianity. God had opened a door before them to spread the Gospel. Christianity had an open door in Philadelphia for 1,000 years before the city was overrun by Muslims.

Practical: I believe that God has placed an open door before this church for the spread of the Gospel.

Chuck Swindol: The size of a congregation, the limitations of its location, or the restrictions of its budget should never determine its vision. Instead, churches should set their vision based on the power of their God. God is infinite, magnificent, awesome, and mighty—beyond description or comprehension! When He chooses to open opportunities, the possibilities are endless. All we need to do is trust and follow Him wherever He leads.

God places open doors before us. God gives us great opportunities. We need to take advantage of them.

B. The Promise of Belonging

Illustration:

Theological: A few minutes ago, we talked about how Jews excluded Christians. Christians didn’t belong to the people for God. Jesus say, “Not so fast.” Look at verse 7. When it says that Jesus holds the keys, he has the authority not the Jews. Jesus goes on to talk about the saved being the true people of God.

v. 12: new name — In the book of Revelation, you either have the name of God or the mark of the beast. If you have the name of God, you have been saved. You belong to God. If you have the mark of the beast, you are not saved and belong to Satan.

Practical: Who do you belong to? If you are saved, you belong to God. Let that sink in. You belong to God. Belonging to God, experiencing salvation is the great blessing in our lives.

C. The Promise of Security

Illustration: Natalie Duncan and earthquake

Theological: The city of Philadelphia was on a fault line. And earthquake destroyed the city in AD 17. The historian Strabo said that Philadelphia was city of earthquakes. Tremors could be felt daily in Philadelphia. Those in the city were under constant panic. Disaster could strike at any moment. Many had moved outside the city so that if another earthquake hit, they would not be killed inside the city with buildings falling.

Look at verse 12. When the believers in Philadelphia heard about pillar and not having to go outside, it mean security, eternal security.

Practical: Security is a big deal in our culture. We want to have financial security. We want to feel secure in our homes. We want to feel secure when we worship the Lord in church. You go to a college football game or pro game, you walk through metal detectors. Why? Safety

People today are more worried about security on this earth rather than eternal security in Heaven. Jesus offers eternal security for those who are saved. What a blessing!!!

Conclusion