The Letter to Philadelphia – Little Church on a Great Mission

Welcome to week 7 of our sermon series in the Book of Revelation as we focus on Jesus’ letters to the 7 Churches of Revelation. Today, we’re going to cover the 6th church, the church in Philadelphia, a Little Church on a Great Mission……. a church on God’s mission……. a church living out the mission given to us by the Lord Jesus …. by the Master Himself…..

If you could, please open your bibles to the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 28, verses 19-20 and let’s read and hear what the Lord gave us to do until His return…….

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“19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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While knowing our Savior is with us always …… The Lord Jesus commands us, as we go about our lives, to make disciples ….. to share the Good News with others …. And when they respond to the Good News, repent of their sins, and say yes to Jesus …. Confessing with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in their heart in His resurrection ….. being forgiven of their sins… being saved from the penalty of their sins…. Saved from eternal death….. with the Holy Spirit coming to reside in the new Jesus follower… then we are to baptize the new follower and teach them to observe….. to follow ….. to obey …. To live out all the commands of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ……. to love God, to love others, and to love one another…..

Yes, there are specific things we read and hear from the Lord through the Bible… from His holy scriptures…… but they are summoned up by loving Him and everyone we come into contact with …… we are to share the life and love of our God, our Savoir, our Lord with others….. not to do so is akin to not loving others…. and more importantly, not loving the One that died for you …… the One that died for them … the One that died for the sins of the world….

We are to follow the perfect example the Lord Jesus gave us to follow……..

The Great Commission is God’s plan …… we can read in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John the example Jesus gave to us…. where we see how Jesus made disciples of many …. and sent them out to make other disciples…. to reproduce followers of Jesus ……. and all those disciples reproduced to the point that many of you here and many watching today have been made disciples of our Lord Jesus…….

True followers of Jesus are on Jesus’ mission …… true followers obey their Lord….. true followers love their Savior and obeys His commands …….

Based on the letter from Jesus, written down by the Apostle John, to the Church in Philadelphia, that is exactly what we see …… a church on mission …… a church passionate about serving our Lord on mission ….. we see a Great Commission Church….

So …. What do we know about the city and the church in Philadelphia?

We know the city of Philadelphia was founded in 189 BC and it means “brotherly love” or “one who loves his brother” and was so named due to the love King Attalus the second of Pergamum had for his brother, King Eumenes the second of Lydia …

We know the city was approximately 25 miles from Sardis …. where the church we discussed last week was located. …. a dying but dynamic church ….

We know the city is located on a terrace 650 feet above sea-level overlooking a large fertile valley that was known for producing a great amount of high-quality wine…… the land was fertile due to volcanic ash – because it was in an area with active volcanos

We know in 17 AD a large earthquake destroyed Sardis and 10 other cities in the area – with only parts of Philadelphia being destroyed – and we know the city was quickly rebuilt by the Roman emperor Tiberius….. and the city built a statue for the emperor, worshipped the emperor, and even changed its name to Neocaesarea in his honor which means “New City of Caesar”

We know the city was strategically located on a main trading route in Asia Minor (which is in modern day Turkey) and was known as the “Gateway to the East” … and was so built to spread the Greek culture to the surrounding areas …… the city did their job of spreading the Greek culture and Greek language so well that the Lydian language ceased to exist around 19 AD …..

The inhabitants of the city knew how to be missionaries …. though missionaries for the Greek culture

As for the church in Philadelphia, we know little about the church except for what the Lord said to His church there – which we’ll read in a moment – and that the churches in the cities of Asia Minor were planted out of Ephesus by the Apostle Paul and his disciples … and we know this because in Acts 19:10……

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“This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

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The folks in Philadelphia were among the residents of Asia that heard the Gospel of our Lord Jesus….

Of what little we know concerning Philadelphia – we know that an early church father, Ignatius, traveled through Philadelphia on his way to his death in Rome and that some of the church folks in Philadelphia were martyred along with Polycarp …… and we also know the church continued to exist until the area was overrun by muslims in the 1400’s.

We know the facts I just mentioned ….. and we know what the Lord said to the church in today’s passage of Scripture…..

So, let’s go ahead and get out our bibles and turn to the last book …… Revelation chapter 3 verses 7 to 13 …… and as always – the scripture will be up on the screen…….

The things we’ll read today were applicable for that church during that time and serve as examples to us today – having application for us as a church…… and gives us hope and encouragement as individual followers of Christ….

Starting in verse 7……

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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.”

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. 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. 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. 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.”

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When comparing this letter to the previous 5 letters we’ve covered to date – with the exception being the Letter to Smyrna ….. you’ll notice something missing. This Letter from Jesus - to the church in Philadelphia is different …. Like the letter to Smyrna, Jesus doesn’t rebuke the Church in Philadelphia. They are a faithful church …. A church focused on Jesus and His mission …. They loved our Savior and lived for Him …. They gave their hearts and lives to Jesus ……. Jesus has no complaint or warning for them …… By no means were they perfect …… because there are no perfect churches ….. they were not a large church either …… but they were alive and faithful to our Lord ..….. a Little Church on a Great Mission …..

Let’s go ahead and dig into today’s passage ….

So – in verse 7 – we see the Letter is written to the angel or messenger of the church …… remember – angel means messenger – this could be the angelic being that is assigned by God to watch over the church body – or it means the pastor of that church body ….. pastors are messengers …… it could be the one that was given a copy of the book of Revelation by John to take back to the church in Philadelphia ….. whichever it is – the letter is written to that church body ……

Jesus continues in verse 7 with a description of Himself – but unlike the previous letters to the other churches – this letter does not refer back to the language used to describe Jesus in Revelation chapter 1 – which we covered in week 1 of this series ……. Instead, Jesus uses a description of Himself from the Old Testament….. here we see from verse 7

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‘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.”

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“The Holy One” is a title for God that we see in Isaiah chapter 40 verse 25

“To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.”

And from Habakkuk’s prayer in Habakkuk chapter 3 verse 3……

“God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.”

And Hosea chapter 11 verse 9 when God had mercy on Israel…..

“I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.”

And we also appropriately see this describe of God our Savior, Lord Jesus in the New Testament….. see the Gospel of Mark chapter 1 verse 24 where Jesus expels an unclean spirit….

“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

And also in Acts chapter 3 verse 14 where Peter speaks to a crowd of Jews at Solomon’s Colonnade after healing a man…..

“But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,”

God is separate from creation – He is Creator ….. He is separate from sin – He is without sin ……. He is pure and undefiled and spotless without stain ……. He is the Holy One… and Jesus describes Himself with the title “the Holy One” ….. so the Holy One does not bring a rebuke to the Church in Philadelphia……. How encouraging is that …….

And from verse 7 we see “the True One” … the only true God

Look at Jeremiah chapter 10 verse 10…

“But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.”

Look at Jesus’ prayer before He was arrested….. John chapter 17 verse 3

“ And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

And of course, John chapter 14 verse 6

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Look at Isaiah chapter 44 verse 6

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.””

If there are no other gods – that makes Him the only True God……. He is the True One …. Again a title Jesus uses to describe Himself …… so the True One does not bring a rebuke to the Church in Philadelphia……. How encouraging is that……

And continuing in verse 7, we see “who has the key of David”

This means Jesus has the messianic authority …. He is, by human birth, in the lineage of David …. He is King …… He has all control …… He is Sovereign …… the Messiah has absolute power …… He holds everything in His hands …. He is in complete control of everything…….

Look at Revelation 1:18

“and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

And Isaiah 22:22

“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.”

Also from verse 7 we read “who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”

and from this Isaiah verse “He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.”

Jesus has absolute power … absolute control ….. absolute authority to admit or not admit entrance into heaven…. into the presence of our Lord and God …… Jesus has all the keys ……. Whatever Jesus opens stays open – whatever He closes stays closed….. Jesus has all the power………

Know this: there is only One entrance into eternal life…. and that is Jesus ….. He has all the keys to heaven’s treasures ….. He is the key to eternal life …… Amen!!

Now let’s look at Verse 8:

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“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.”

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As stated earlier …… this was a small church ….. small in numbers – that’s what it means when it says “you have little power” ….. it does not mean little in God’s power ….. it means little in numbers of folks that belonged to Jesus’s church in Philadelphia ….. small in the number of Jesus followers …..

Though they were small in numbers - the Holy One, the True One, the One that has all the keys……. knew their works ….. knew their faith ….. knew they had kept His commands …. knew they had not denied the name of Jesus before God or man ….. knew they lived for Him…….

Remember – Philadelphia was on the road that served as the gateway to Asia …… Jesus had opened the door for the folks in that church to make disciples of all nations……. And they went about His great mission to make disciples for Him that love Him, seeks Him, lives for Him, and loves others for Him…….. they taught new followers to obey His commands ……

Jesus saw their faithfulness to the spreading of the Gospel and making disciples for Him….. though they were small in numbers, small in influence in the city, having little authority …… they proved to be successful in the mission given by the Lord Jesus…..

The size of the church doesn’t matter when the church body is faithful to the Savior and the mission…. The mission He gave to His church – small faithful churches can have a great impact …….

Let’s look at verse 9…..

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.

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It appears that the city of Philadelphia had a large group of Jews because it seems there was a synagogue located within the city …… the Jews in the city were hostile towards the Christians and persecuted them ….. though the Jews thought they were serving the only God of the universe – they were in fact spiritually lying to themselves….. were unbelieving and hostile towards others that did not believe like they did …. they did not believe Jesus is God, that He is the Messiah …… and as a result were in opposition to God …. they were more in line with the evil one than with Jesus ……. The Jews persecuted Jesus’ church in Philadelphia …….

Jesus loves His church - and here Jesus stated He would protect His church – He would defeat their enemies – causing their defeated enemies to come and bow down before their feet …… bowing down before an enemy is a sign of defeat ….. Jesus would defeat the enemies of the church and those defeated enemies would bow down before the victors…..

We read in Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Jesus is for His church …… He was for the small Philadelphia church ….. He loves His church …. He protects His faithful church …….

Now let’s look at verses 10 to 12…..

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. 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.

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Let’s look at verse 10…… there are some differing opinions and beliefs concerning verse 10…. Which reads…….

“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.”

Some believe that faithful believers will be raptured from the earth before the tribulation period…… before the “hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.”

Some believe that faithful believers will go through the tribulation period and are saved from, or protected from, or are divinely immune from the specific trials the unbelievers will go through.

Here’s what we know…..

1. God is Holy, and true, and just……

2. Jesus is our example of patient endurance…..

3. Those who love God follow His commands … they do what He says ….. they live for Jesus and his mission ……

4. Jesus promises to protect His church according to His plans…..

5. Jesus followers are citizens of heaven …. we are in the world, not of the world …. not dwellers on the earth…..

6. Jesus said His followers would go through various trials and persecutions….. and are protected from God’s judgement …. unbelievers will be judged by God ……

7. The hour of testing is for a specific and definitive period of time …. There is a beginning and end…..

8. The hour of testing is only for those that have rejected Christ …. for unbelievers …. for those in rebellion against God ……

Jesus promised the church in Philadelphia would not go through the hour of testing ….

Now let’s cover 4 facts from verses 11 and 12 …..

Fact #1: We see in verse 11, “I am coming soon” …. Jesus is going to return to earth one day

Look at Matthew 24:44….

“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

And Acts Chapter 1 verses 10 and 11

“10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Jesus will return and we don’t know when …. So be ready …. If you know Jesus, be encouraged that He is coming for you to take you where He is and will make all things right…

Fact #2: We also see in Revelation 3 verse 11, “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.”

This does not mean material things …. This refers to holding on to His Word, His promises, His deliverance.

No one can take your salvation – but the prince of the power of the air, the evil one’s minions, and evil men can rob you of your future heavenly rewards if you take your eyes off of Jesus, give in to temptation, and disobey our Lord and Savior…… don’t let evil rob you of future rewards …….. hold on tightly to Jesus and obey Him

Fact #3: We read in verse 12, “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.”

If you remember, Philadelphia was located in active volcano and earthquake zone …. And after earthquakes hit, the stone pillars of temples and building were usually the only thing left standing ….. the folks in the Philadelphia church would have been encouraged to know

They would be made pillars of God’s temple …… conquers left standing at the end in the presence of the only Holy and True and Sovereign God ……..

Look at Ephesians chapter 2:20-22

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

And on to Fact #4….We also read in verse 12, “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.”

What an encouragement to know that as followers of Jesus, we are going to be with the Lord forever, in presence of the God forever, that we will be with Him forever when He makes all things new ……

Look at Philippians 3:20…..

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

Know that we are His people and are known by His name…… we get to worship and serve God forever ….. we are His forever and are citizens of heaven…… what an encouragement….

Pastor Daniel Akin says: “The names signify who my God is, where my home is, and who my Lord is! I belong to the Father, heaven is my home, and Jesus is my Lord. I bear the signature of my God!”

You belong to the Creator of the Universe …. Be encouraged by it! Amen!

And finally….verse 13 ….. which ends as the other letters to the other churches have ended

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

We need to be sure to listen to what God has said to each of the 7 churches …. Heed the warnings, change detestable behaviors, follow the Lord’s commands, be encouraged by His word….

Remember - the things we’ve read today were applicable for that church during that time and serve as examples to us today – having application for us as a church…… and gives us hope and encouragement as individual followers of Christ…. and a church body…..

The church in Philadelphia serves as an example…… the Holy One, the True One, the One with the Keys to all of heaven’s treasures did not have a word of rebuke or correction against them….. they were faithful, they lived for Jesus, they lived on His mission to make disciples ….. they were persecuted and patiently endured …… the did not let their small size discourage them and let it get in the way of God’s great mission … they were faithful …… they were a Great commission church…… and Jesus promised they would not go through the hour of testing……

I’m inviting the band to come back up on stage ….. and I want to leave you with some encouragement …..

- You are citizens of heaven – you bear the signature of our God, our Lord and Savior!

- God can do anything He wants through a church of any size ….

- small churches can make big impact on those around them……

- God blesses small churches that live out the Great Commission …. churches that make disciples…..

- God protects the faithful that endure patiently from the hour of testing…..

And I also want to leave you with some questions to think about …… and honestly assess where you are as followers and where we are as a church body…

- Are you on God’s mission?

- Are you making disciples?

- Are you faithful to our Savior….do you love Him and live for Him?

- Is LifeSpring Church faithful to our Savior….do we live for Him?

- Is LifeSpring Church a Great Commission Church?

Think about those things and let’s do something about it if we are not found to be an example as the church in Philadelphia was found to be by our Savior ….. Amen!

Let’s stand. And worship our Savior…….