Sermon Tone Analysis

Philadelphia was one of the strongest churches Christ wrote to.

It was a church focused on the gospel and spiritual comitment.

It was small and poor compared to the church at sardis.

But inwardly it was dynamic and faithful

there is a large cotrast between the two christ does not have anything good to say about Sardis, but he does not have anything bad about Philidalphia.

The city of Philidalphia was the yongest of the seven it was founded in 150 B.C.

The city wes small comaped to the other ones, it sat in a vally in the heart of Asia Minor near Timolous Mountins.

Its greatest distiction was that it was located on a Roman road that ran from Rome to Troy

Rev 3:

Rev 3

Introduction V. 7

Christ draws attention to himself using three describing statments

he that is holy, he that is true,

he that hath the key of David,

he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

This statement is addressing certin Jews in Philidalphia that they alone would inherit the Kingdom of God and he would exclude certin followers.

Christ is stating here that the door that is opened can not be closed by man and the door that is shut can not be opened by man

Each statement drwas attention to Christ as the only true messiah

Good

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.

Christ tells them they have little Power, this congregation was small and of little importance form an earthy prospective, but to Christ he viewed them more highly than larger congregations such as Ephisis because they had kept the word.

The Church in Ephisis had not embraced teaching that was heretical, neither did they deny the name of Christ

Moddern day heeisies

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.

This was mentione in an eilier letter this is refering to those who thought that Christ would only accept a certin group of people.

Theese people thought they were doing the activities of God but in fact they were doing the activites of the divel

Saul was one of theese people being described.

Christ tells them that a day is comming when they will lean that Christ loves them

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.

11 I am coming soon.

Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

Christ reminds them that they will be spared from the tribulation.

Mid-trib advocates here would that the statement “keep your from the hour of trial” is refering to the final 3.5 years of the tribulation which is the wrath part however if he is comming like a theif in the night it can not be in the middle of the tribulation

Matt 24:

No one may cease your crown

verse 11 is not talking about the loss of salvation but the loss of rewards, there are five types of crowns

11 I am coming soon.

Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

Imperishable Crown

Given to Believers who faithfully run the race

2. The Crown of Rejoicing

To those who are a faithful witness

3. The Crown of Righteousness

given to those who have lived a good richious life

4.

The Crown of Glory

Given to those who faithfully feed the flock of God

5.

The Crown of Life

The Crown of Life

Given to those who undergo severe hardship, testing, or death on His behaf

Christ here therfore is lickly refering to the Imperishable 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.

Here we see a an additinal reward for rhe one who overcomes?

In addition

We will be a piller in the temple of God.

This refers to the believers permenent resedince in the presence of God.

At the end of all things all true believers will be in glory in the presence of God worshiping him for evermore

13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Listen and obay what Christ has to say