Philadelphia
Letters • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
To the Church Philadelphia
To the Church Philadelphia
Intro
Recap where we have been:
Church #6:
The Church of Philadelphia— the patient church.
Lets read how Jesus first address them:
“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.
So first a little background.
Philadelphia was a very popular city until about 17 AD.
A giant earthquake wrecked the city.
It was then that in order to rebuild Philadelphia Rome sent help.
Philadelphia wanted more help but did not receive that from Rome.
It was then a bit later, that Rome asked Philadelphia to get rid of their half of their vineyards.
Their vineyards was the backbone of the economy — it was what the city was known for it even rivaled that of the Roman Vineyards.
Hence, why Rome wanted them to get ride of their vineyards.
The city of Philadelphia felt mistreated and misused by the empire of Rome.
While the city was still polytheistic, we do not read about issues about this in the chruch.
However there were several synagogs all over Philadelphia.
As more and more Jews were being persecuted they would settle in small towns like Philadelphia.
Jews would have settled here and built synagogs of worship, Christians would have been welcomed in--
As Christians were viewed as a sect of Judaism.
That was until they started to preach that Jesus was the messiah and that He rose from the grave.
It was then that Christians started to be thrown out of the synagogs.
Meaning that if you were a Christian- a Christ follower— you were not welcomed into the synagogs.
The door had been shut behind them in the other synagogs.
As they had to find a way to meet since they were no longer allowed in the synagogs.
So lets go back to:
“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.
Jesus again is speaking to them.
He first comes at them and says the holy and true one that is I the Christ.
The one that you can trust:
The city of Philadelphia thought they could trust Rome but that turned out to not work out so great, so Jesus is telling them you can trust me!
And then he says; who has the key of David- who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no on can open.
The key of David is interesting as this refers back to Isaiah.
In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
The key was offered to grant limited access by the people.
By having the key of the house of David it means that Eliakim has access to the King anytime he wants.
Most likely these early Christians were having doors shut in their faces in the synagogs and Jesus is writing a letter to them saying— I have the keys and I will open the doors and no one can shut it!
I am the holy one TRUST IN ME!
Now maybe you have already heard but this church did not have any complaints against them.
So tonight we are going to break it down by good, better, best.
So lets start with the good.
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.
Explain
No It is likely the church here was smaller as in compared to the other churches. (v.8)
Jesus says i know you have little power.
But I know your works— Jesus again is getting personal with them.
And he says to them that they have kept His word and they have not denied His name.
They were being recognized for being faithful.
Now going back this whole door being open from the key of David— Jesus is saying I have allowed access to you to get to God goes through me (Jesus).
It is through Christ alone that we have access to the Father.
It was when Christ breathed his last breath and in the temple the veil tore in two!
At that moment the door was open and no one can shut it!
Illustrate
Have you have been recognized for something?
Like a big project that you put a lot of work into and you got the A you deserved.
Or maybe it was a championship that you worked really hard for.
Or maybe it was to be the best fortnite played ever.
Or you perfected your craft and you earned high honors.
I recall when I received an award for best defender my senior year for basketball.
I had worked really hard over the off season to get better at playing defense.
As I did not score a ton, so the way I stayed on the floor was by playing great D.
I ended up always being paired with the best player, which was a tough task most nights.
But I was very thankful to be recognized for the effort.
Application
You know what it is liked to be recognized for something as it boast your confidence and it makes you want to keep trying even harder.
I got credit for something that was earthly and a reward that I have seen long forgotten.
The church here was being recognized for remaining faithful to Christ.
This is the best person to recognize them.
Jesus himself.
Who are you trying to be recognized by?
The creation or the creator?
We can all get lots of recognition by those around us but if we are failing to be known by the Christ— who is opening the door before you— we are just shutting the doors.
That is questions number one:
Who are you trying to be recognized by?
Be honest with yourself— because for many of us we are not chasing after Jesus.
That was the good- lets look at the better.
BETTER
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.
Explain
Here Jesus is referring to the synagogue of Satan which we discussed a couple weeks ago with the church of Smyrna.
“ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
If you recall the other church that did not have a conflict to report- or something that Jesus was holding against them was the church of Smyrna.
So both cities with no issues that Jesus brings up to them— they were standing up and staying true to Christ.
Yet both of these cities were living in tension with the Jewish community.
None of the other churches mention the Jewish population, but here in the same way we have mention of the Jewish community.
But it is not a good light for them.
They are only pretending to be Jews.
Meaning they are actually Jews but they are not acknowledging that Jesus is the messiah, remember Paul mentions all over the NT that Jesus came first for the jews and then the gentiles.
Paul modeled this as he always entered the Jewish synagogues first as did Jesus.
Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
And Jesus is not asking them to strike down the Jewish synagogue.
Actually he is not asking them to do anything.
But is telling them that He (Jesus) will make them come and bow at their feet.
This will show how much he loves them.
It is an interesting may to show love
The door is open to God’s kingdom for all those who follow Christ.
This means that there are Jewish people who are God’s chosen people who do not acknowledge that Jesus is the true messiah.
And because of this the Jews who do not believe will fall down at the feet of the believers and they will know that they are loved by the Messiah- Christ.
Illustrate
I feel like the Jews thought they had the right answer— that they knew what they were doing or they know what they are doing.
They believe that they are so right that on that day of Christ second coming— they will be forced to bow and realize that they were wrong.
Have you guys ever been so sure of something before and you would stake your life on it— only to be proven wrong?
How do you feel?
I know I feel really dumb and embarrassed.
Application
Here is the deal— if we do not make Christ the Lord of our life— AS in if we do not surrender our lives to Him— then on that day of His coming back— we will be face down bowing to those who are called beloved.
And on that day those who are bowing will realize that they made a costly mistake and they will know how great the saviors love for the believers are.
I do not want to be wrong on this one.
I want to know where my eternity will be spent.
Because at the end of this life there will be two choices and only two.
What side of heaven are you on?
That is the better- lets check out the Best.
BEST
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.
Explain
Now here is the best part.
This church was patiently enduring.
Meaning they were suffering greatly but they were enduring through it.
Now this passage right here has caused many debates.
As it mentions here that this church is going to be kept from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole earth.
It is no secret that Christians need to anticipate tribulation in the world.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Which leads to the debate of pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation or tribulation.
This is the idea that Christians will either be rapture before the great tribulation (pre-trib)/ Midway through the tribulation/ or at the end of the tribulation (post-trib).
The rapture would only in essence refer to the first two as the last one would just be Christ second coming.
I do not want to get too far into this here, as we will have a chance to go more into detail about the tribulation in the spring.
Some believe that this passage here in Revelation is in reference to us Christians today.
Meaning that we will partake in the promise made to the church of Philadelphia.
As in the trials or tribulation will be held from us.
However, this promise is being made to the church of Philadelphia, not to Christians everywhere.
Philadelphia was a real place in the middle east and they had a real church that Jesus spoke about to John.
For some also would even go as far as to see that We are the church of Philadelphia.
This is even harder to get behind because I have a hard time believing that the church of today is anything like the church if Philadelphia.
Meaning that we would not partake in the promise mentioned above.
It is clear that those belonging to the chruch of Philadelphia will not suffer as rest of the world will.
However this passage can be interpreted one can find hope and encouragement.
One that we are loved and our names will never be taken out or blotted from the book of life.
The door is open are you willing to walk through it?
Or maybe you have already walked through it, maybe however you have lost your way.
Illustrate
I recall a time in my life where I too lost my way.
I remember seeking thrills and things that pleased me, it did not matter who I hurt or used to get what I wanted.
The problem with wanting to be satisfied by earthly things is the need for more of it.
It is consistent and it seems like every-time I was satisfied by this world— the craving came back stronger.
It was not until I was left with the question of Do you love Jesus more than these other things?
I’ll never forget having that conversation with a guy named Blake Wolf.
You see you can fake it- you can fake me out but you can never fake out the one who is holding open the door.
You can’t fake it till you make it with the one who made it all.
Application
So my last question tonight is--
do you love Jesus more than this world?
Do you love Jesus more than __________?
Maybe that is what you need to fill it in yourself.
And when you get to that point of knowing what you are chasing in this life, at that point repent and leave it behind.
Surrender everything you have and give it all to Christ who loves you unconditionally.
And just to be clear that mean that there is nothing you can do to lose his love, you can’t out-sin his love, you can’t out-run it, and you can’t do anything to deserve it.
He is crazy about you.
Are you crazy about him?
Lets pray
Because he is crazy about you.
Conclusion