Sermon Tone Analysis
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Text: Rev 3:7-13
FCF: Tendency to help God out.
Obedience is far from helping God.
God created a world were I can invest in my church and see eternal things happen.
Is that me helping God or me living in the world God made?
Intro: Both in the Old and the New Testament, the Bible talks about a-number of doors, often with very different meanings.
For instance, in Revelation 3:20, Jesus says:
It illustrates for us the willingness of Jesus to pursue believers who have grown cold in their relationship with him.
The imagery is of Jesus knocking at the door of a church, and waiting for the church to re-open that door so that a vital relationship can be re-established
Another type of door mentioned in scripture is the door of salvation For instance, in John 10:9, Jesus said:
There's a third type of door mentioned in scripture - the door of opportunity.
For instance, Paul says in Colossians 4:3
It's mentioned a number of times in scripture, and it refers to the way that God gives wonderful opportunities to preach the gospel, and also how he prepares willing ears to listen and eager hearts to receive it.
Throughout history, people have found that God has a unique way of providing opportunities for fruitful service, and hearts ready to accept the gospel.
Trans:
(The City)
Philadelphia was a city strategically located on the road from Rome to the east, and was a strong fortress city.
It was a city of major influence in the area and was located on the edge of a great volcanic plain which was fertile as a result and perfect for grape growing.
It was the centre of worship of the greek god Dionysius, the god of wine - no surprise really.
It's proximity to active volcanoes was a constant threat and the people in the most part lived outside of the city due to the threat from falling buildings within the city walls.
Philadelphia, however, was more than just a gateway to the east or a fertile valley, it was also an "open door of opportunity - spiritually speaking.
In Philadelphia, there was a small bunch of Christians who were faithful to the task.
They were neither large in number, powerful or influential, but they were significant to Christ, who takes the time to write them a letter.
(Christ)
In this Letter, like those we've studied before, Christ introduces himself in terms which are relevant to the audience.
Here Christ says three things about himself- He says he is holy, true and he holds a key which he uses.
1) He says he is holy - morally perfect and without flaw or blemish.
Holiness is an important attribute of God
2) He is true - the one behind everything, the one who is wholly trustworthy and reliable.
3) He holds the Key of David - Now this is an interesting description which refers back to Is 22:22
In Chapter 22, Isaiah condemns the city of Jerusalem.
They had just been delivered from their enemies camped outside their city, but they showed no gratitude for their divine rescue.
The charge lain before them is that they were self-sufficient, - trusting in their weapons, their efforts in strengthening the city walls and their stores of water.
He then turns his attention to an individual
- Shebna, the chief steward of Jerusalem, who was guilty of a similar sin as the city itself.
He was guilty of seeing himself as indispensible, a "Mighty Man" in verse 17.
He apparently paraded through the streets in a mighty chariot and prepared for himself a splendid grave.
As a result of his unfaithful service, he is replaced by Eliakim.
Now the significance of the image is that the chief steward of the city held the key of David
- this was the master key to not only the city but also to the palace.
He was second only to the king and controlled who could come and who could go
- who had access to the king and who didn't.
He was the one who opened the doors and shut other doors.
In Revelation, we see this image continuing v 7-8
Christ is here claiming to be the new Eliakim - the one who holds the palace key, not an earthly door, though, it was heaven's door.
Christ opens and closes the doors which allow people to enter the kingdom - he is in control of the opportunities which we have and no opportunity is not appointed by him.
(The Church's Condition)
Philadelphia was a blessed city.
They were living in the land of opportunity, but why were they so blessed.
The answer is found in verse 8.
Jesus saw what they were about and because of that he opened a door of reaping the great harvest.
1) Little strength - This was a small church with seemingly no prestige.
It regularly got beaten up by the local Jews who had condemned them.
But because it was weak, they relied upon God.
They knew who's work it was and didn't try to usurp his authority.
- It's a lesson for all of us fiercely independent people isn't it.
Small in your own eyes makes one great in God’s eyes.
2) Love the Word - They were consumed by the word, devoted to the word, satisfied by the
word and thriving on the word.
They kept God's Word, which meant that they knew God's Word and we could likely conclude that they therefore spent time studying God's Word.
Are we Wordly or are we Worldly in our focus?
3) Identified with Jesus - Here was a church who no matter what they were faced with, refused to give up on their faith.
The ridicule, the peer pressure, the opposition or even the possible persecution they faced could not make them waver.
Instead they were faithful to the end.
Reasons given for the giving of the open door - the opportunity to preach the gospel to their neighbours, to their friends, to people passing through the city.
I want to ask you today whether you have a door of opportunity open for you?
If you do, are you making the most of every opportunity?
I must admit, that I fail so often and let the opportunities slip.
We need to pray for each others that we be bold enough to take the opportunities God gives us.
Conclusion:
Position of Weakness - Dependence on God’s Word - Adoration for Benefactor
Notice the promises of Jesus to the Weak...
I will - the promises
I have - what Christ has done
I am - On WHOM we depend
Notice that some of these are connected to the events of the First Century
Open Door
Notice that some have yet to happen
I will come quickly
I will pull you from Tribulation
New Jerusalem vs. Heaven
Heaven is temporary
Now
Temporary
New Jerusalem is permanent
In the Future
Permanent
Neither is affected by you but mean to be enjoyed and obeyed.
The church is to never lose its dependence on Christ.
We are depending on our future and can do nothing to make it better except enjoy and obey.
So it is that we are to in this life enjoy and obey.
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