To The Church in Philadelphia

Mission and Vision

Context

THis message along with the church at Smyrna are the only 2 that have no negative condemnation

The City of Philadelphia was a small town along this trade route that these letters are addressing

It was prone to earthquakes, the few people that remained in the area did not have sturdy structures because they would just fall down anyway

They mostly lived outside the city and shephearded and farmed

The church there we come to see, has been dealing with opposition from a jewish synagogue who are actually not of the Lord but are wicked and evil

To The Church In Philadelphia

Jesus intro

The Holy one. THe true one

This intro actually departs from the other letters.

in the other letters Jesus reminds them of something that he had already said in Ch.1 Some description that he already used

This one is brand new and speaks less about what he looks like but directly about his character

The terms the Holy one and the True one are direct references to the divinity and the soverignty of Christ as God

These terms are used exclusively in the OT to describe God the Father

Jesus calling himself the Holy one and the True one is him reminding the people of Philadelphia that the one that they serve is God almighty

Sometimes we need to be reminded that Jesus is not just a helper

He’s not just a friend, not just someone who binds and lifts and holds and comforts,

He IS GOD

He is the holy one and the true one

THe one who has the Key of David

WE see in Ch.1 that Jesus already said that he had the key of death and hades

Meaning that he had soverignty over death and the grave and now he’s saying he has soveriegnty over the kingdom of God

By being the one with the key he is saying that no one enters without his say so

By the keys being the key of David he is speaking of the promised righteous kingdom that was to come through the lineage of David to establish righteousness for the nations.

he’s talking about the kingdom of God

Jesus is reminding the people that its not their works that open the door, it’s not their behavior… it’s not other’s opinions of them

What opens the door of the kingdom of God is Jesus Christ himself and what he did for us on the Cross at calvery

He opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens

Again speaking to his sovereignty and his authority.

Jesus is the one who sets the parameters and he’s the one who opens the door for those who are needing the gospel

Jesus is the one who opens and closes all doors that need to be opened and closed

This is edifying for us as well as for them

How freeing is it to know that the buck doesn’t stop with you

That in spite of your best efforts, God is still in control and will bring about the opportunities necessary for you to walk fully with him

Jesus goes into his intro… I know your works

He doesn’t elaborate but because of what comes next we can assume that they were a church that maintained what they knew to be true of Christ

He reminds them again I set before yo uan open door, which no one is able to shut

No matter what people say about you, no matter who comes against you, no matter what situations get thrown at you… No one can close the door that God has opened for you

Now that doesn’t mean that you always choose to walk through it… it just means that you can’t blame others. No one can close it

You have but little power and yet you have kept my word

This church wasn’t a huge church with a lot of influence… but they keep the truth of Christ active and central in thier ministry

In spite of the opposition that they have recieved… they have held tight onto what they knew was right and true and good

They held on to the word of God

Jesus speaks to their oposition a bit

The synagogue of Satan

We don’t know the specifics but we do know there was persecution from the religious sect of jews here and much like the ones in Smyrna… they have alligned themselves against the true church of Jesus Christ and have aligned with the world and its ways

Jesus says that he will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that He has love you

In Jesus’ sovereignty he is telling the people not to avenge themselves… not to try to prove anything to anyone… but to simple allow Jesus the sovereign one to exact what ever kind of judgement… righteous judgement… that he deems fit

There is a piece in here about the church keeping the word and therefore being kept from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world

There are some things in here that we have to accept that we don’t understand

THis could be talking about an event that happened in the 1-2nd century or this could be talking about a future day of trial…

Either way the prescription for the believer is the same… hold true. Endure.

The next verse starts with the phrase I am coming soon

Whether he comes or calls… we are all closer to seeing Christ now than we ever have been

THis is not something to fear but something that should consistantly sober us as we live our lives

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