The Church at Philadelphia

Introduction

I want to welcome you again this morning.

First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.

I also want to welcome those who may be joining us for the first time today. I hope your time with us today is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.

I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

That being said, if you’re just joining us, we are just a few weeks into a new series called the “The Seven Letters”. A series that is based on the first three chapters of the book of Revelation.

And we’ve called it the seven letters because the book of Revelation was written to seven specific churches that existed at the end of the first century.

And it’s in the first three chapters of Revelation that Jesus personally addresses each of these churches. And that’s important for us for a couple of key reasons:

First, as we’ve learned, the churches that Jesus addresses are meant to represent the universal church.

Which means, the book of Revelation wasn’t just written for those 7 churches, but for all churches of all time.

Second, in addressing these churches, Jesus either addresses them as a church He is pleased with, unpleased with, or somewhat pleased with. And then based on the condition of each church, Jesus addresses them accordingly.

Which means, if we want to be a church that is pleasing to Jesus then we need to know what is and isn’t pleasing to Him.

So, if you haven’t been with us, I’d encourage you to download the app so you can listen to the previous messages leading up to today.

Today however we are picking up with church #6 of the 7 churches, the church in Philadelphia. And like the church in Smyrna, this is a church that Jesus is well pleased with.

Which should grab our attention this morning, because I don’t know about you, but if this is a church that Jesus is well pleased with, then I want to know what this church is doing.

And so to help us determine that, I have three goals this morning.

First, we are going to spend a few moments looking at what life was like in the city of Philadelphia at the end of the 1st century.

This is important because it gives us the context of what the early Christians were facing in Philadelphia.

Second, we are going to look at what Jesus liked and didn’t like about the church in Philadelphia.

Finally, after looking at what Jesus has to say to this church, we are going to look at how His words apply to our church in our context.

In other words, we are going to ask ourselves, “How do we compare to the church in Philadelphia?”

And so to get us started this morning, I want to begin by painting a picture for you of what life was like for early Christians in the city of Philadelphia.

So, what was it like? Well, like all Roman cities of this time, Philadelphia was a city committed to worshiping the Greek and Roman gods.

Which means living for Jesus in Philadelphia would have come at great risk.

However, there were some advantages to being a Christian in Philadelphia that Christians in other Roman cities didn’t have. Because in many ways Philadelphia was not your typical Roman city. Typical in that it wasn’t a destination point or even a city Rome gave much credence to.

This was largely due to the fact that just like the city of Sardis, Philadelphia had nearly been destroyed by the earthquake of 17 A.D.

You may recall we referenced that earthquake last week and how it nearly destroyed 7 prominent cities in Asia at that time, Philadelphia being one of those cities.

As a result, due to the level of destruction, Rome for the most part had abandoned the city of Philadelphia and its citizens.

One indication of this is that they quit requiring the city to pay tribute, which meant they weren’t seen as a productive city in the eyes of the Empire.

Not only that, but in order to further down grade the status of the city, the Roman Emperor Domitian tore out all the vineyards, which was the financial backbone of the economy in Philadelphia.

It would be like Marysville losing Landoll, GP, and the Railroad all at once. It would be devastating to our economy.

So as you can imagine, this left the city of Philadelphia with a little bit of a bitterness towards the Emperor.

And so add that all together and living as a Christian in Philadelphia would have been different than living as a Christian in Ephesus or one of the other prominent Roman cities. Because in Philadelphia you were kind of off the radar.

Now, did that mean the Christians in Philadelphia didn’t face persecution?

Of course not. Christians will always face persecution. But what’s interesting is that the persecution they were facing wasn’t necessarily coming from the Greek world as much as it was the Jewish world.

Because like all Roman cities, Philadelphia had a Jewish population and a Jewish Synagogue where Jews would come to worship. And its from this group that the Christians in Philadelphia were facing their greatest challenge.

How do we know that? We know that based on what Jesus is about to say to this church.

And so to help us get a better understanding of what was going on, let’s jump into our passage as Jesus addresses this church. Beginning in verse 7 Jesus says this:

Revelation 3:7 ESV

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.

In this opening statement Jesus begins to identify the challenge that the Christians in Philadelphia are facing, and He does it by the way He introduces Himself to this church.

Let me show you what I’m talking about.

Notice first that Jesus says He is the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David...

So, what does that mean? It means that as Jesus comes to this church, He begins by clarifying that He is a Deity. But He’s not just any Deity, He’s the holy one, which is a direct reference to the God of the Bible, to Yahweh Himself.

Why is this important? It’s important because it identifies Jesus not only as the God of the Bible, but of the God of the Jewish nation. The God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. The God of Judaism so to speak.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. Because He says He’s not only the Holy One, He’s the true one as well.

So, what does that mean?

The idea of “true” here implies that not only is Jesus the God of the Bible, but He’s the true Messiah. The promised Messiah that the people of Israel had been waiting for.

But unfortunately the Jews had rejected Jesus as not only being God, but they had rejected Him as the promised Messiah. How do we know the rejected Him? We know because instead of putting their hope in Him, they nailed Him to a cross.

This leads us to a final detail I want you to notice, because not only does Jesus say He’s the Holy and the true Messiah, Jesus says He’s the one who has the key of David.

So, what’s the key of David? The key of David is meant to point us back to Revelation 1:18 and John’s physical description of the resurrected Jesus.

And so to refresh our memory, let’s jump back to Revelation 1:18 where we are given the imagery of the resurrected Jesus. John writes:

Revelation 1:17–18 ESV

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

In this description Jesus declares that He’s the one who holds the keys of death and hades.

If you recall, what that means is that Jesus is the one who has authority over salvation and judgment. That Jesus is the one who judges and saves mankind.

But apparently Jesus as another key, and it’s called the key of David.

So, imagine if you will a key ring, and on this key ring are the keys of death and Hades, along with another key, the key of David.

So, a great question would be, “What does this key do?”

The Key of David is a key that works in unison with the keys of death and hades. Because not only does Jesus have authority over salvation and judgment, but Jesus is the gate keeper.

In other words, He is the one who gets to decide who comes in to His Kingdom and who does not.

Why does Jesus have that authority? He has it because He’s the fulfillment of the promise that God made to David. That through the seed of David would come the Messiah whose throne would be established forever. We read about this promise in 2 Samuel 7 where the prophet says to David:

2 Samuel 7:16 ESV

16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

In this passage the prophet is declaring to David that through His offspring the promised Messiah will come.

And so what Jesus is declaring here is that He is that promised one. The one whose throne is established forever. That He is King Jesus. And that as King, He has the key to the Kingdom. And that He’s the one who gets to decide who comes into His Kingdom.

So, why this introduction? Why is it so important that the church in Philadelphia be reminded that Jesus is the God of Israel. That Jesus is the True Messiah. And that it’s Jesus who gets to decide who comes into His kingdom?

We find out in the next two verse, because look at what Jesus goes on to say:

Revelation 3:8 ESV

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.

After introducing Himself as the True God and Messiah of Israel, Jesus now commends the church in Philadelphia for their faithfulness. He says, “I know your works?”

What works? According to Jesus it’s the work of keeping His word and not denying His name.

In other words, this was a church that had remained faithful to Jesus regardless of what it cost them. A church that faithfully preached the Word. A church that was unwilling to deny the name of Jesus no matter what.

And this has pleased Jesus.

In fact, Jesus is so pleased that he tells this church he’s about to open a door of opportunity for them that only He can open. And that regardless of their lack of “wordly influence/power”, He will give them the power they need. Why? Because they have been faithful. Because they have kept His Word. Because they have not denied His name. So Jesus says, “I’m about to do something through you that nobody will be able to stop. So get ready church, because revival is coming!”

Because that’s what happens when a church is committed to following Jesus no matter what. In churches like that there is no limit to what Jesus can do and will do through that church.

Which leads us to the opposition the church was facing. Because as Jesus commends this church for their faithfulness, He also identifies those who have been opposing them. Because He goes on to say:

Revelation 3:9 (ESV)

9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie...

Jesus now addresses the opposition this church has been facing, and apparently the opposition is coming from what Jesus refers to as the Synagogue of Satan.

So, whose involved in that Synagogue? Must be the Romans, right? Must be the Gentiles who worship the false gods, right?

No, Jesus says it’s the Jews who say they are Jews but are not. So who are they?

They are the Jews who attend the local Jewish Synagogue in Philadelphia.

So, why would Jesus say they are Jews who say they are Jews but are not?

He says that because from an ethnic and Biblical perspective, the Jews are the ones from which the promise of the Messiah comes. They are the chosen race.

And what Jesus is saying is if a Jew were a true Jew, they would have recognized the promise one. They would have recognized that He was the Messiah. But most did not. Instead, they rejected Jesus.

And so when Jesus refers to Jews who say they are Jews but are not, He’s talking about the Jews who attend the local Synagogue, who claim to be heirs of the promise, but have rejected Him. And apparently, the Jewish Synagogue in Philadelphia is full of many of them.

And this where the opposition is coming from as Jews and Gentiles who attend the Synagogue are putting their faith in Jesus, which has resulted in the door of fellowship being closed to them as the new believers are being kicked out of the Synagogue.

And the message from these Jews who kicked them out is:

We are the ones who represent the God of the Bible not you.

We are the ones who represent the entry point to God, not your Jesus.

And you are no longer welcome. You’ve been banned from the promises of God. The door of association and fellowship has been shut to you.

And from a social and religious standpoint this would have been devastating to those who followed Jesus. Because to be kicked out of the Synagogue meant they had been disassociated from their Jewish heritage, their closest friendships, their social status, and their relational tie to the God of the Bible.

Which is why Jesus introduced Himself to this church in the way that He did. Because to the church in Philadelphia Jesus says this:

Don’t let this discourage you. Because remember who the true God is, it’s me. Remember who the true Messiah is, it’s me. Remember who gets to decide who is a part of my Kingdom, it’s me.

So, don’t listen to these Jews who say they are Jews but are not. They don’t represent me. They aren’t a part of my Kingdom. Because they have rejected me they are a Synagogue of Satan.

And these would have been encouraging words to a these believers who had literally lost everything when they were kicked out of the Synagogue.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. Because He goes on to make two promises concerning the opposition they are facing:

First He says:

Revelation 3:9 (ESV)

...behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.

In this first promise Jesus says there is a day coming when those who oppose them will recognize the error of their way. A day when they will know the truth. A day when they repent and recognize they were wrong.

What Jesus is saying here is, “In the end it will be worth it. In the end your faithfulness will prove true and it will lead others to me. So don’t lose heart.”

Second He says:

Revelation 3:10 ESV

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.

In this second promise Jesus now promises protection for these believers.

And what we need to understand is that this is not necessarily physical protection or protection from persecution, but protection of a spiritual nature.

We know this because the word “trial” here is the idea that Jesus will protect them from spiritual temptation.

We see this exact same phrase “I will keep you from testing” in John 17: 15 where Jesus asks the Father not to remove believers out of the world, but to protect them from spiritual attack. Jesus puts it like this:

John 17:15 ESV

15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

What we need to understand here is that Jesus is not praying that God will protect them from physical harm or suffering. What He’s praying is that God will protect them spiritually.

You see what many believers fail to understand is that we are not exempt from the consequences of sin. Which means, sickness could take us out. War could take us out. Unfortunate circumstances could takes us out. But in the midst of that, what we can be assured of is that we will be spiritually safe. Safe in knowing that as long as our focus is on Jesus our salvation is secure and the rewards of eternity await us.

Which means, the challenge is to escape temporal thinking. The challenge is to stop thinking nothing bad should ever happen to us. The challenge is to come to terms that we could get sick, we could face intense suffering, we could face intense persecution, and we will eventually die, but in Christ we will live eternally.

Living with that mentality changes the way you live. It changes the way you process tragedy. It changes the way you process death.

And so Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia, “Listen, hard times are coming on the world, but don’t lose heart, I will give you the strength to persevere. I will protect you from the spiritual attack that is coming.”

So, maybe a great question would be, “What’s this hour of trial that’s coming on the world that Jesus is referring to?”

The hour of trial coming on the world more than likely is referring to something that is going to happen on a local level. “World” typically means the world a person knows. And in this case, it’s the known Roman world.

But it could also refer to overall world, and could be an encouragement to hold fast during and all world trial.

The point is, Jesus is warning them that times of spiritual difficulty are coming, but not to worry because He will protect them.

So, that’s the message to the church in Philadelphia. A message of hope. A message of encouragement. A message of promise. A message to keep on keeping on.

The question now is, “How does this apply to us?”

As usual, it applies to us in a number of ways. But to help us fine tune how it applies, I’d like to suggest it applies in two specific ways:

Application #1 - Following Jesus is going to get you kicked out.

What I mean by that, is when a person makes Jesus Lord of their life, not everybody in your life is going to be as excited about that decision.

The truth is, there are going to be family members who find it very disturbing.

Disturbing that all of a sudden you are no longer acting like the person they’ve always known.

Disturbing that all you can talk and think about is Jesus and what He’s done in your life.

Disturbing that all of a sudden you seem to be abandoning the religious traditions and heritage that for generations your family has followed.

And it’s going to get you kicked out. Kicked out of family conversations. Kicked out of family decisions. Kicked out of family fellowships.

This is what had happened to the Jews who accepted Jesus in Philadelphia as some were disowned by family members.

And it should come at no surprise because Jesus said this would happen. He puts it like this in Luke 12:

Luke 12:51–53 ESV

51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Jesus says faith in Him will lead to family division. It will lead to you being kicked out.

Along with family, there will be friends who are just as disturbed.

Disturbed because all of a sudden you’re acting like a different person.

Disturbed because all of a sudden you’ve turned into some kind of goody two shoe Jesus freak. And it’s going to get you kicked out of your social circle.

And believe it or not, along with family and friends, it may even get you kicked out of the church or religous circle you’ve lived in.

Kicked out because you’ve replaced religion with relationship.

Kicked out because you’re hope is no longer in an affiliation, ceremony, sacrament, or a tradition..

Kicked out because you’ve given yourself to a savior and not an institution.

And let’s just be honest, that can be discouraging, and in some cases devastating.

In fact, this is why some of you won’t get baptized. You’re afraid of what your family will say. You’re afraid of what your friends will say. You’ve been told if you get baptized at MCF you’ll no longer be Lutheran. You’ll no longer be Catholic.

But here’s what we need to understand. While it seems you’ve been kicked out, you’ve actually been brought in.

Brought into a relationship with a God who loves you through faith in His Son Jesus.

Brought into a new family with people who love Jesus like you do.

Brought into a new love, a new hope, a new joy, a new peace, and a new destiny.

You’ve been brought into the Kingdom of God.

The Apostle Paul puts it like this:

Colossians 1:13–14 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Paul says we are now a part of Jesus’s kingdom.

So, while it may feel like you’ve been kicked out, you’ve actually been brought in.

And I don’t know about you, if getting brought into God’s Kingdom means I have to get kicked out of something else, then so be it. Because I want to be a child of God.

This leads to a second application:

Application #2 - Because you’ve been brought in, you’ve been given spiritual protection.

The fact is, while it may seem that persecution or physical harm is the greatest threat for a Christian, the greatest threat a Christian actually faces is of a spiritual nature.

Because at the end of the day, Satan’s goal isn’t to kill you physically, it’s to kill you spiritually.

And we know that because if Satan wanted to kill us physically, then he would have just taken Adam and Eve out. But he wanted to kill them spiritually. How did he do it? By tempting and deceiving them into disobeying God.

And guess what, thousands of years later he hasn’t changed tactics. He’s still about killing you spiritually.

To bring you to a point where you give up on your faith.

To deceive you into thinking that following Jesus isn’t worth it.

To wear you down with the challenges of life to a point where you’re ready to give up.

To tempt you, blind you, deceive you into disobeying God. To lead you to spiritual death. That’s his ultimate goal. That’s his win.

But Jesus says because we are part of His kingdom, He will protect us from those attacks. He will give us the strength to overcome. Paul puts it like this:

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Paul says when the enemy comes at us, God will provide a way of escape. And the way of escape isn’t necessarily total deliverance from it. The way of escape is the ability to endure it as we find strength in Jesus.

And I’m going to tell you right now church, we need that more than ever. Because I believe an hour of trial has come and is coming on the world.

I’m not trying to be a dooms day prophet here, but I truly believe dark days are ahead for our world.

You might say, “Pastor, how do you know that?”

I’m not sure how to describe it, but I just sense it, and I’m not alone in this, that something has shifted and that life as we know it and have known it is about to change. Because I believe a demonic darkness has fallen on our world.

As I was thinking about this week, it reminded me of a line from the Lord of the Rings movie.

If you haven’t seen the Lord of the Rings movie, the movies are meant to depict the battle between good and evil as evil works to destroy and overcome the world. In fact, the Lord of the Rings trilogy was written by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien who was a committed Christian. And as a result, the trilogy in many ways depicts the Biblical battle between good and evil.

Which is why the opening line of the movie came to mind, and it goes like this as it sets up the movie:

“The world has changed. I see it in the water. I feel it in the Earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, For none now live who remember it. ”

Church, there has been a shift in the world. Because never before in ministry have I seen so many people struggling. So many people feeling hopelessness. So many people feeling lost. And I know many of you have felt it.

Now, some might say, Well pastor, it’s because of covid. It’s gotten people all out of whack. Just give it time and things will be back to normal.”

I’m going to say that Covid is just one of the symptoms of a deeper problem. And maybe what Covid did is bring it more to light. Because the problem isn’t physical, it’s spiritual. The problem is the ongoing affects of sin as this world continues to spiral towards its ultimate destruction. And what I think has happened is that the spiritual spiral has intensified.

You might ask, “Pastor, do you think the end is coming? Do you think Jesus is coming back soon?”

I don’t know when Jesus is coming back, I wish I did. But here’s what I do believe. I believe we are in a season where He could. Because while we don’t have the time to discuss it this morning, what we need to understand about the book of Revelation is that it’s cyclical in nature.

In other words, if we were to study chapters 4-21 of Revelation, what we would discover is that the judgments and predictions of Revelation are cyclical. And that in any generation could be the final cycle that leads to Jesus’s return.

I mean think about it, if you were living during the WW2 generation, wouldn’t you have thought you were living in the last days? The world was at war, hitler was killing Jews left and right. You know Christians then had to have thought Hitler was the antichirst.

And the fact is, he was an antichrist. Because in every generation there will be one. The Apostle John puts it like this:

1 John 2:18 ESV

18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

You see one of the signs that Jesus is coming back is that there are antichrists. And one day there will be a final one, and then Jesus will return.

So, does our generation represent the last cycle? I don’t know. But what I do know is that we are living in a more intensified cycle. One that could or couldn’t lead to the end.

But regardless we need to know how to navigate it. Because I have a feeling it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Now, you might be thinking, “Wow pastor, thanks for the encouraging word!”

Honestly, it is encouraging. Because I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for Jesus to come back.

And it’s also encouraging in knowing that despite the world falling apart, Jesus promises to protect us.

Because that’s the promise Jesus is making. That when the trials come, when the darkness is darker than normal, He will be with us through it. He will give us hope when it seems hopeless. He will give us strength when we feel weak. He will give us vision when we can’t see. He will give us the ability to endure the spiritual attack that is coming on this world.

Now, some might ask, “Pastor, why do we have to go through these trials? Why can’t Jesus just come back and be done with it.”

Well, there are various reasons God allows trials, but when it comes to end times stuff, trials will determine who is faithful and who is not.

You see spiritual trials serve two purposes:

For those who believe, spiritual trials are meant to refine us. They are meant to cause us to depend more on God. To seek Him at a deeper level. Which leads to greater faith. The Apostle James puts it like this:

James 1:2–4 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James says trials are a good thing for Christians. And what Jesus promises during those trials is greater spriitual protection.

But there’s also a second affect of spiritual trials. Because for those who oppose God, who refuse to put their hope in Jesus, trials lead to greater spiritual decline. Trials lead to a harder heart.

And that’s why it’s so important we press in and remain faithful, now more than ever. Because the more than ever we need Jesus. And if we turn to Him, He promises to come to us. To help us overcome. To help us stand firm. To help us persevere through the trials to come.

The fact is, some of you are facing spiritual trials.

Trials that are causing you to trust God in ways you’ve never had to before.

Trials that are causing you to wonder if God is really present in your life.

Trials that are leading to feelings of depression and anxiety.

Trials that are challenging the relationships in your life.

Trials that are causing worry, confusion, and doubt.

The truth is, we can all feel it. We can taste it in the water, we feel it in the earth, we smell it in the air. Something is happening. An hour of trial is coming upon us.

But the good news this morning is, if you’ll keep your focus on Jesus, if you’ll stay faithful and committed to Him, He promises to protects us from the affects of this trial.

Which means, Jesus’ protection will lead to greater trust in God.

Jesus’ protection will lead to greater evidence of His work in your life.

Jesus’ protection will teach you to overcome the depression and anxiety.

Jesus’ protection will lead to a strengthening of relationships.

Jesus’ protection will eliminate the worry, confusion, and doubt.

Through the trial we will grow stronger. We will become more impactful. We will have greater opportunity to make Jesus great.

MCF, I’m not afraid of the hour of trial because in the hour of trial we will overcome. WE will lead many to Jesus. We will make Jesus Great.

Some might say, “Wow pastor, that sounds hard. Is it really worth it in the end?”

Oh, it’s worth it. Because as Jesus closes out his message to this church, he closes out by reminding them and us of the reward that comes for those who persevere. Look at what He says:

Revelation 3:12 ESV

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.

In this closing statement, Jesus makes 4 promises to those who preserve and remain faithful.

Promise #1 - A personal invitation into Jesus’s Kingdom.

That’s what Jesus means when He says He will write on him the name of my God.

This is a reference back to Revelation 2:17 where Jesus says:

Revelation 2:17 ESV

17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

If you recall the white stone represents an invitation, and on that invitation is the name of Jesus. Which means if Jesus gives you one of these stones, He’s giving you an invite into His Kingdom. In other words, it’s what gets you through the door, because He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Promise #2 - Access to the presence of God.

This is what Jesus means when He says He will give us the name of the city of my God, which is a reference to Ezekiel 48:35 where Ezekiel writes:

Ezekiel 48:35 ESV

35 The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.”

In this passage Ezekiel sees a vision of the city of God, a city that is called “The Lord is There”.

The promise then is a place of citizenship in the city of God. The city where God dwells. Where His presence is. And so to the person who perseveres Jesus says, “You’re going to get access to God’s presence.”

But He doesn’t stop there because:

Promise #3 - Permanent Residence.

This is what Jesus means when He says He will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.

This is a promise of permanent residence in God’s presence. He’s going to make you a permanent fixture. In other words, nobody is going to kick you out of this city and temple. Nobody is going to shut the door on you. You will have a place of permanent residence in the presence of God.

Promise #4 - New Identity.

This is what Jesus means when He says the person who conquers will have my own new name.

The idea is that your permanent identity will now be with Christ. And with Christ we will take up residence with him on the earth where the Synagogue of Satan will no longer exist. Revelation 21:2 puts it like this:

Revelation 21:2 ESV

2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And as a result, we will now be identified with His name. The name that is above ever name.

Philippians 2:10–11 ESV

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

These are the promises Jesus gives to those who conquer. To those who persevere. To those who don’t give up or give in. To them will come great reward.

And so to this church and to us Jesus says:

Revelation 3:13 ESV

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

The encouragement here is not not give in. To keep our focus heaven-minded with a final reward in mind. To not be tempted to conform to earthly circumstances and fleshly desires. To hold fast when the world seems to be falling apart. To put our hope and faith in the protection of a loving Savior.

And for a church who does this, Jesus is greatly pleased.

Let’s Pray