A New Year's Grace
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Revelation 3:7 (HCSB)
“Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: “The Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and closes and no one opens says:
I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close.
Take note! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—note this—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.
Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
The church at Philadelphia was small and weak, but wonderful. It was a church that was alive and faithful. It was a church reaching out to the lost, inviting all to come to the Lord. It had overcome tradition, ritual and legalism of the Judiastic religion. A few wolves, a remnant of Jewish religion, were in the flock, sewing seeds of rules, “religion” and tradition, but Jesus assures the church that these liars will be brought low before their feet. They will come to know that Jesus loves those who follow Him, do His will and love well; not those who promote “religion”.
The church expected and received the truth of the Lord’s imminent return and shone that light brightly. It received nothing but praise from the Lord, no rebuke. The church at Philadelphia did things Jesus’ way. It was a church of love, brotherly love. That is what the word Philadelphia means. The church took to heart Jesus’ command, “To love one another as Christ loves you, the church” (Jn 13:34). It also understood that Jesus loves the lost, and that that love is costly. Jesus gave His life, for them and they would in part give their lives for Him, to reach the lost. Maybe this is why the church was small and seemingly weak and powerless…they gave their lives, to reach the lost, for, and because, of their love for, and the love of Christ.
Jesus says, “Behold” or “Look” to the faithful of Philadelphia three times.
Look…an Open Door (v.8)
I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close.
God puts before those willing to love as Christ loves, those with limited power, who keep His Word, and do not deny His name, open doors that nobody is able to close. The reference of verse 7 is found in Isaiah 22:22 where Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, is given power and authority to rule by God. Eliakim would be a peg, driven firm, that would not be removed, except by the Lord.
I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; what he opens, no one can close; what he closes, no one can open.
A faithful church, even though small and weak, following Christ, is a peg that will not be removed. Philadelphia was given that promise and that opportunity. We are that same church, given the same opportunity, if we keep Jesus’ commands and follow His love, His way. The Key of the House of David is Jesus. When Jesus is on your shoulder, no door can remain open and no door can remain closed. All saints, and all sinners, are under the soveriegnty of Jesus.
Take note! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—note this—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.
Behold! All Sinners and Saints are Under God’s Soverignty! (v.8-9)
The trouble in the Philadelphia church was no trouble at all. Jesus would take care of them. Those who despised Scripture and denied Christ would be brought low, brought to account. The faithful were/are to remain faithful. Just as today, those who despise the Word of God and deny Christ will be brought low, brought to account before Christ and His disciples, His church, His lovers. Many Christ-proclaimers have a form of godliness, but no power, because they deny Christ and His commands, His Word (2 Timothy 3:2-5). Scripture says to avoid such people. If they repent, welcome them back as a brother or sister (Mt. 18:15-17; Lk 17:3-4).
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!
Behold! Philadelphia Flourished Because of Patient Endurance (v.10)
The church of Philadelphia flourished because they kept the word of Jesus’ patience. Rev 3:10
Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
or
Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
Jesus’ command of patient endurance is the command to bear evil and suffering with steadfastness and hope with our eyes on Him. It is to rest in the fact that God is soverign, in control of all situations, and that He rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness to Him (1 Sam 26:23a). Perserverance is patience to endure and not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial. It is to live the precept of consistency toward God, whether in joy or sorrow, in faith and duty. It is to “bear up under”; much like a weightlifter doing squats, he/she must hold the load across their shoulders and legs while they bend the knees and then push up and repeat to get stronger. We get stronger in the Lord wen we bear up under circumstances and situations, drinking in the hope of Christ. Rom 15:4-5
For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus,
And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.
Facing the days to come, the church of Philadelphia, the faithful of Christ, would be kept from the trial of God to come. Will we be kept from the trial of God to come? Am I faithful to the Word and Jesus? Even so, we will still, and still do, face trial. In the trial of the Last Days of which the Book of Revelation reveals to us, Jesus calls the saints to endure and be faithful.
If anyone has an ear, he should listen: If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed. This demands the perseverance and faith of the saints.
and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name. This demands the perseverance of the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”
The Church of Philadelphia was given a fresh vision of God, a challenge, and an opportunity. By all knowledge, they persevered, met the challenge and took the opportunity. The Confessing Church in Germany during the rise and rule of Hitler did the same thing. Led by Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the church refused to be influenced and coeherced by Hitler’s rule. Pastor Bonhoeffer’s response and encouragement to the church was this, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, p.7
“Therefore, wherever it pleases God to put man in this world, the Christian must be ready for martyrdom and death. It is only in this way that man learns faith.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ibid, p.19.
What Bonhoeffer was preaching about was grace…costly grace. The kind of grace that Jesus died for. Is this the kind of grace we are living and willing to die for?
This leads to our main question, in the weeks to come, that every Christian deals will at some time: How are we to live as a Christian in this world today?
Sermon in a Sentence: An open door is always available to those who follow Jesus commands and Jesus’ ways.