Jesus’ Letter To The Church In Philadelphia: Keep It Up!

Revelation 3:7–13 (ESV)

“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.

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

Introduction:

The city of Philadelphia (which means “brotherly love”) was 25 miles southeast of Sardis

It was an important high-plateau city on a main highway that connected with Smyrna

which was about one hundred miles due west

In AD 17 the city was devastated by an earthquake and then rebuilt by Tiberius

As a result, it was loyal to Rome

Called “the gateway to the East,”

it was something of a “missionary city” for the spreading of Greek culture

In this passage Jesus promises the church that it will be a missionary church for the gospel

We do not know how the church was founded

What we do know is that it was a church that pleased Jesus

Like the church at Smyrna (2:8–11), our Lord has no word of criticism or correction (Johnson, “Revelation,” 2006, 630; also Mounce, Revelation, 98–99)

I suspect this was due, in large part, to the exalted view and love they had for Jesus and the gospel

The description of the Savior in verse 7 would support this thesis

The Lord’s Self-Designation V.7

Revelation 3:7 ESV

“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.

Three truths are set forth concerning the Lord who walks among His church

Look at Revelation 1:12-13 “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.”

He Is the Holy One

This title was ascribed to God in the Old Testament

Isaiah 40:25 says, “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.”

Here, and elsewhere in the New Testament, it is equally and appropriately ascribed to Jesus

Mark 1:24 says, ““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.””

Acts 3:14 says, “But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,”

The idea is one of purity as well as separateness

God is separate from creation as the Creator

He is separate from sin as the Savior

Who God is, Jesus is, because Jesus is God

He is pure, undefiled, spotless, without stain or blemish

Hosea 11:9 says, “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.”

Jesus is this Holy One who walked among us in the flesh and now walks among us by His Spirit.

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

He Is the True One

Revelation 6:10 combines these two titles, calling Christ there, “the One who is holy and true.”

Jesus is “the true God,” distinct from all others

What He says is “the truth”

John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

He says “The Truth” because it flows from the True One

Ideas of trustworthiness, reliability, dependability leap from this title

He is genuine and He is faithful

This would certainly encourage this church with “limited strength.”

He will sustain them and see them through the commission He had given them

They have His word on it!

As 1 John 5:20 declares, they could count on the One who “is the true God and eternal life.”

He Is the Sovereign One

Christian had been excommunicated from the synagogues:

the doors were shut to them. (Ad 90’s)

Imagine you are a Jewish believer who has worshipped in temple all your life

Now you’re not allowed to enter

Against that Christ stands with a key in his hand

That implicitly looks to Chapter 1:18 and the fact that Christ “holds the keys of death and Hades.”

It also looks back to Isaiah 22:22

At Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Eliakim, who became the royal guardian that served in the Kings court in ancient Jerusalem

Which says, “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.”

Here in Revelation 3:7 the same words appear and are again ascribed to Christ

Keys = authority

Christ alone has the authority to admit persons to his heavenly city

Because he is holy and true, no one can ever argue that his admission of some and refusal of others is unrighteous

The protestant Reformation chanted this loud and proud!

The Lord holds the keys

To What? Heaven, to rest, to reward, to both victory & sufferings

And so today that person or thing that binds us  up in fear and anxiety doesn’t hold the keys;

Christ does!

The Lord’s Praises vv.8-10

You keep My word and do not deny My name - v. 8

Revelation 3:8 ““ ‘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.”

Notice their faithfulness is not conditioned on their size or resources

The congregation of Philadelphia was small.

Its members had little strength to oppose the forces of evil

Yet Despite your “weakness”

The Lord says, You kept My word and … not denied My name

The Lord says, “I know your faithful service on My behalf and the gospel’s.”

Even despite being targeted and attacked

They are pressing into the gospel

Even in the middle of opposition they never stopped their gospel mission

Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””

Kept my Word and endured patiently - v.10

Revelation 3:10 “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.”