The Church that Endures

Intro:

Andre Aggasi in 1989 did a Cannon camera commercial that ended with the phrase, “Image is Everything”. That phrase became a mantra in the early 90’s. It was something that resonated with people and sadly hurt Aggasi personally to the point that a few years later he changed his image completely but by then it was too late, the phrase was connected to him.

Sadly, many Churches today hold to this type of mantra. They want their image to bring people to Church. They promote their Pastor and his preaching like he is a celebrity. They create environments for experiencing worship by people’s preferences. They worry about how large their digital footprint is and how to grow it so people will see them.

Today we see by looking at the Church in Philadelphia, not in the USA, that a small Church that is unlike any of the other Churches in Revelation God commends and does not rebuke. In fact this small Church is the only one of the seven that still exist today in Alasehir in Turkey. This Church can track its history all the way to the apostles. This is a Church we should look deeply at today and see what Jesus commends them for and how this might apply to our lives and our Church today because this is a Church which endures.

Revelation 3:7–13 ESV

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. “ ‘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. 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. 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. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 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. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

So if falling into he image trap is so easy, we need to correct our sight. This text shows us this in 3 ways.

1. See that our hands are empty. (vs. 7-8)

COPS and breaking in doors. The people on the inside think they have the door shut and secure and the police have the resources to break the door down no matter how secure.

This is often how we look at the kingdom of God. We think that God has the door shut and we just need to be good enough, use the right tools, and we can force the door open. Here we see that Jesus says, who have empty hands when it comes to the door of the kingdom.

Jesus holds the key of David which is the key to the kingdom of God. This is an expansion of the keys of life and death as mentioned in Chapter one. So what we see from the very beginning is that Jesus is reminding the Church that he is the one who has the keys to the kingdom and whoever gets in is let in by Him. No one can force the door open and no one can shut the door on themselves or anyone else.

2. See that our voices are important. (vs. 8-9)

Though this is a Small Church as Jesus signifies that has little power he shows that their voices are important in two ways.

First, that have not denied Christ under persecution.

A couple weeks ago we were at Luke’s football game and there was a run that sticks out in my mind. The running back was supposed to run up the middle but their wasn’t a hole so he bounced it outside. When he did a linebacker came over to tackle him and the running back put his hand out and shoved the kid to the ground. Everyone in the stands saw it and we had a collective, Oh! together.

When I was thinking back on that moment I thought about how we treat our enemies. We say, you are against me and so I am going to stiff arm you and move on when Jesus says we are to love our enemies and the greatest, most loving thing we can do is tell them about Jesus and this is what we see as the second thing in this section.

Second, they will proclaim the gospel to their enemies and Jesus will save them and they will learn that Jesus is for the nations and they are loved by the same God.

How can we know this? Jesus is not only the holder of the keys, he is also the door of salvation.

John 10:7–18 ESV

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

So what do we see in this passage?

Door of the Kingdom

Giver of Life

Lays down His life for the Sheep

Sheep of other fold to gather

One flock and one shepherd

GOSPEL

So why are our voices important? This message needs to be told.

Image, experience, emotion, fun, comfort, and laughs do not save anyone. Jesus saves through the message of the gospel, so we must share it. This little Church shared the gospel to their enemies, those who were persecuting them and their enemies were saved.

You might think you are a small nothing but Jesus desires to use you to share the gospel with those around you. All you have to do is get over your image is everything mentality and use the voice God has given you.

3. See that our God is for us. (vs. 10-13)

Keep us from the coming trial of persecution.

Make you a pillar in the temple

A new name which is identified with Jesus.

When we see this promise we see that even in this moment God is for us and has a future and hope for us.

Passion eats despair for dinner. - Greg Matte

This quote has been ringing in my ears since Tuesday morning. It was as if in that moment God was showing me through His Word that He was fully capable of taking our Church into the future as long as we focus on the right things.

Passion for Jesus eats despair of circumstance for dinner. - Aaron Scarbrough

Jesus

Doctrine

Great Commission - Locally and Globally

Discipleship

Evangelism

Unity

The problem is over the last year we have slipped into a survival season instead of a passion season. It is time we break out of that season and the only way to do it is to look to Jesus, Obey Him, and trust in His promises.

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