Philadelphia
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Starting new series 2/28 - Game Over
Today we’re continuing in our series “The Seven”
Looking at churches in Revelation
Henry Ward Beecher
Classroom illustration
Answer simple question - wrong!
Sir, I’m sorry. I will not sit down, you’re wrong.
Finally, someone willing to think for themselves
Taught him a lesson
Preached when it was trendy for right/wrong (Civil War)
He always spoke of God’s love and was criticized
But he never stopped, because he knew it was right
Ever known you were right and sat down?
Ever known you were wrong and kept fighting?
That’s what we’ll see today in Philadelphia
Not Pennsylvania, but in Asia Minor
YouVersion: Philadelphia
We’re in Revelation 3:7-13
Also, LG’s begin - use form!
Background on Philadelphia
Background on Philadelphia
What does Philadelphia mean? Brotherly love
Founded by Attalus II Philadelphos
Co-ruler with his brother Eumenes II - hence his nickname
Eumenes built the library in Pergamum and invented parchment
Youngest of 7 cities
Look at map
Missionary city for Greek culture/religion
Reach barbarians in Phrygia (northeast)
On the main highway from Europe to Asia
Highway made it a wealthy city
Missionary it a religious city
Both of those together made lots of beautiful temples
Called “Little Athens”
But it was also known for earthquakes
Jesus Introduction
Jesus Introduction
Remember Jesus introduces Himself different to each church
7 “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 calls himself true - 2 different Greek words for true (alethinos)
Is like true as opposed to false
Is true as opposed to fake
Jesus wants them to remember that He is genuine
Then He mentions “key of David”
Reference to Isaiah 22 (you can read in YouVersion)
Any time you see David, it’s a reference to the kingdom of God or royalty
It’s an illustration of a door opened and closed by a King
Jesus is a king who opens and closes the door
In Isaiah 22, God takes the Jewish king and flings him like a frisbee
He was unfaithful - and God replaced him
Now Jesus is saying, I’m that guy - the good king who opens and closes the door
Kingdom of God is the heavenly kingdom
It is Jesus who decides who gets in and who stays out
This is important, you’ll see in a minute
For Them
For Them
I know this series has been rough
Last week had nothing good!
Praise God, this week He has nothing bad
Jesus has nothing bad to say about the church in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
8 “ ‘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.
Door reference again
Jesus put a door to the kingdom in the church!
He opened, and it CAN’T CLOSE!
Makes me think of my bedroom
Former owners took door off
We found one close, I need to cut it down and haven’t
It’s ALWAYS OPEN - fortunately we have an attic room so there is stairs
The Door to Kingdom is 2 things:
Opportunity to reach outsiders
3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—
Also 1 Cor. 16:19 and 2 Cor. 2:12
2. Opportunity for a relationship with Christ
Jesus mentions this next week
But this is interesting: “You have little power”
This is a small, non-influential, weak church
No money, political power or popularity
Yet, God opens doors for them
Henry Morris: “Neither wealth or influence, neither promotional schemes nor the eloquence of its pulpit, nor the harmonies of its musicians can give it an effective ministry. The Lord alone has opened the door; the Lord alone ‘giveth the increase.’ ”
CrossPoint
CrossPoint
In a sense, it’s a church like ours!
Bigger isn’t better, smaller isn’t better, healthier is better!
All Jesus cares about is 2 things:
Kept His word
Not denied His name
Like them, we have an open door
Spurgeon: How can I win others to Christ?
What are you? What do you do?
I’m and engine driver on a train.
Is the man who shovels coal on your train a Christian?
I don’t know.
Go back, find out and start on him.
We miss open doors all the time!
We have to live intentionally!
Who is that person in your life?
If you don’t know, find out!
That person you work with everyday
That family member you see every holiday
That neighbor you wave to every week
Step one, find out where they are!
We say we “don’t know what to do”
But usually we’re just scared
The truth is, God opens doors - we need to walk through them
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.
Synagogue is the Jewish local “church”
Synagogue of Satan is not Satanic church
Jews who are persecuting Church - specifically Philadelphia
Jesus doesn’t say all Jews are bad - these are NOT Jews!
Why? REAL Jews see that Jesus is the Messiah
Explain that we are in a sense, Jews
Jesus is the continuation
Here’s how they have responded:
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.
Bob Marley: “Don’t worry about a thing, because every little thing is going to be all right!”
Man, I don’t know about that!
CrossPoint
CrossPoint
I get it, there’s stuff to worry about
2020 was a pretty bad year
Some think 2021 won’t be better
Here is the main lesson: With God, you can stand!!
I don’t know what you’re going through
Lost your job, lost a family member, lost your sobriety...
You can stand! BUT...
You have to be open to the teachings of Jesus
We call Jesus our Lord and Savior
We like the Savior part - Lord can be harder
Who doesn’t want to spend eternity in the presence of a holy and loving God?
But doing what He says...
That applies here too
Who doesn’t want to stand in spite of our circumstances?
But it means you have to listen to Jesus
So how did this church do it?
How can we stand for Christ?
Take responsibility and give up control
Example: Jeff getting hired at Cal baptist
10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
It’s about little things
Those prepare you for the big ones
And then give up control!
Some live life with a battering ram - plowing through doors
You may get through some, but after 3, 4, 5 doors you’re exhausted
Most things in life you can’t control - get over it!
It’s not the harder you try the more control you get
The harder you try the more stressed you get, the more you will compromise
You want to get through the door? Get to know the guy with the key - Jesus
2. Cling to God’s purposes, not man’s
Illustration: Almost got expelled - why?
I used to be a tagger
Everyone was in California
At the time I loved seeing everyone’s name and crew
Like a ghetto Facebook!
I love Illinois because there is not graffiti
Except Chicago...
Tagged the bathroom
That’s not how it was supposed to be!
Remember the Jews attacked the church - they were wrong!
They became the graffiti all over God’s message of hope
And yet, it they will bow at the church’s feet?
Why - because JESUS makes them
Let me do you a favor
Things are going to get busier - how many would like more time
I’ll take a job away for you - revenge
Not your job anymore
Some political post on social media makes you mad?
Not your problem
Some woman at work makes fun of your shoes?
That’s ok
Some guy steals your parking space?
Pull an Elsa - let it go
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”;
wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
Revenge isn’t something we have to do
Let God handle the injustice
3. Keep the Lord’s commands
Here is v. 10, Jesus says “you have kept My word”
You will make it through trials better if you keep Jesus’ commands!
When i was a young father - watching the kids and Tash gets home
As soon as the door unlocked I knew - I have done nothing the whole time
Tash would walk in, I’m playing video games, Gracie is eating frosting form the container, Ronnie is climbing up the curtains, mounds of clothes and toys - what are you doing?
JK - wasn’t always like that
God is NOT an uninvested father
He wants relationship, He wants to provide, and he wants to protect us
Part of that, is having rules
My kids have chores/job - for hard work
They cannot talk back to Tash - for respect
They have to go to school - to learn
We don’t have a single rule to be mean
Neither does God
If you do it God’s way, things are better
Albert Einstein: “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
Encouragement
Encouragement
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Jesus leaves them with this:
11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your 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. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
I love this! Ready?
Remember this is a region for earthquakes
Often buildings fell
When buildings fell they lived in caves, stick houses or mud bricks for wealthy
Constantly saw things falling
God says, forget this world, I will make you a pillar
Something that this earth cannot destroy
Do you think they pulled it off? Conquering in the name of Jesus?
This church existed for 1,200 years!
Only ended when Ottoman empire took over and martyred every single member
But they had built a huge cathedral from where they sent missionaries
1,200 years of faithfulness!
You know what's still standing on that site today?
THOSE! The pillars are still standing
How cool!
God’s promise is forever!
For those who conquer, we get 3 names
The name of God, the name of the city of God, and the name of Jesus
And remember, just like every week, this message is for everyone
Closing
Closing
Beatriz born on the Canary Islands in 1974
At 28, she walked into a store and the clerk said, “Hi Begona”
She was confused, my name is Beatriz
My friend looks EXACTLY like you!
They met and it was uncanny - doppelgänger for sure
Until they realized that Begona had a fraternal twin named Delia who looked like Beatriz’ family
Turns out, they were switched at birth!
28 years, they never knew - and it has been hard!
I remember when Gracie was born, she had a wrist band
Baby Johnston
Mother - Nastascia Johnston
The names on her meant something - she belonged to us
Hospitals take very seriously that they don’t lose a child
0.007% chance of a switch, and most are corrected at hospital
You know who else doesn’t want to lose a child? God
As a child of God, He marks you and you cannot be taken
We are safe - we are cared for - we have been claimed by God
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
We bear the marks of Jesus because Jesus has been marked for us
He was our substitute, our replacement, who stood in our place and bore our punishment
it’s those five bleeding wounds Jesus received on Calvary that give us such hope.
Prayer
Prayer