Becoming A Pillar

Revelation 3:7–13 NKJV

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. 13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

Pray: Father, help us endure and become pillars in Jesus name.

I want to talk to you about becoming a pillar. About responsibility, stability, and longevity in your life and faith.

The city Philadelphia was subject to earthquakes and was almost completely destroyed during the reign of Tiberius. The church had been tested and challenged in their faith. They had been persecuted and pressed by the culture around them.

But they persevered. The door that Jesus opened for them could not be shut by anyone else. He commended their strength, though it wasn’t much, and their perseverance.

He called them to hold fast and continue and promised to make those who do to be pillars in the temple of God.

Life can be demanding. It can pull us in many directions and leave us shallow and spread thin. Life also can be tumultuous and chaotic leaving us without peace and stability.

Some days, it simply demands endurance and perseverance to just make it. Sometimes it can be so challenging that even after putting on the whole armor of God and withstanding evil and the pressure of the day, it is all that you can do to simply stand (Ephesians 6.13).

Let’s be honest, we know that Jesus said that we were to be lights set on a hill shining brightly into the darkness around us and to shape the environment, but sometimes it seems to be that we are not strong enough to make a difference (cf. Matthew 5.16).

And just like He did to the church in Philadelphia, the Lord is speaking encouragement to stand fast and remain in His strength in the face of shaky times.

And we are facing the shaky times of societal decline and the rise expressive individualism. All around us we see an exodus of biblical values and a rise of self.

One way that this shows in the way commitment is declining.

Currently 2.9 out of every 1,000 marriages end in divorce. In 2017 there were approximately 787,251 divorces.

In America, almost 23% of children are in single-parent households.

In February 2022 almost 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs. 47 million left their jobs in 2021. This trend has been called “The Great Resignation.”

According to an Unstuck Church report, church attendance declined 36% in 2020 and 28% in 2021.

When you see such a departure from values and relationships you can’t help but wonder what kind of life does that leave us now and what kind of legacy will we leave for our children and our children’s children.

Choosing to become a pillar means that we will be found responsible, stable, and resilient until the end. It means that we will become a part of the solution and the kind of people who Jesus blesses.

Take the Ancient Paths

We know that for many of us that if we approach life and faith the same way that we have been, things are not likely to change for the better.

In fact, our culture has made it both easy and convenient to avoid commitment and Christlikeness. Jim Collins in his book From Good to Great made the insightful observation that technology is an accelerator.

In the context of business it enables you to do what you do good even better, faster, etc. Or, it exposes what is bad or broken more widely and rapidly.

In our lives, it works in a similar way.

It enables private secret conversations…that can lead to quick and easy affairs which can result in broken homes.

It enables making finding new jobs easier. It makes finding new churches easier, or not even going to church easier.

Tickle the ears vs planting where the Holy Spirit says.

Schools enable parents to avoid parenting.

Cars allow us to travel and work away from home limiting the time we spend and work alongside family.

Distractions and drama are fueled by social media and 24/7 streaming services.

There are many ways in which modern technology serve as a threat to spiritual life.

Illustration: In the Acropolis at Athens there are some Corinthian pillars. They are all that remain of the once famous Temple of Olympian Zeus. The Athenians worked hard to preserve them and keep them. One morning they woke up to find that one of these amazing pillars broken down and fallen on the ground. There was no storm, and it didn’t make sense that this massive structure should fall. Upon inspection they found that a colony of ants had found a small crevice and had gradually eaten the cement until it could stand no longer. — James Burns, Encyclopedia or 7700 Illustrations

Just like the ants, there are a multitude of ways that work against our souls and seek to undermine the strength, stability, and longevity of our life and faith.

Jeremiah 6:16 AMP

Thus says the Lord: Stand by the roads and look; and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it!

The Way of Jesus is the eternal path. It is the good way. It is the way that leads to life and rest for your soul.

But following the Way of Jesus requires that we go all in and follow God. All day, every day (cf. Luke 9.23).

Following Jesus requires that we become pillars. His way enables us to stand up and meet the needs of the world that we live in. It empowers us to counter the flood of culture and evil. By the work of the Holy Spirit, the church becomes a part of the restraining force holding back the lawless one (2 Thessalonians 2.5-12).

Following the Way of Jesus enables us to become pillars in our homes, our church, our community.

Illustration: I recently heard of a study that about 72% of Americans claim to be a Christian. A different study was taken to see if it were possible to find out how many Americans practiced the ways of Jesus and that came to be around 8%

There has always been a remnant that God has had. Those who do not bow the knee to culture and false gods but who stand in the strength and beauty of God’s grace (cf. Romans 11.1-6).

This will work. It has worked. This is the way that Christ followers throughout the centuries have changed the world and brought the good news of the kingdom of heaven.

Steps for Becoming

Here are a few things that we can do to become like a pillar.

We Bear the Weight of Responsibility

Galatians 2:9 NKJV

and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

One of the things that pillars do is bear weight.

In this passage, we see that three apostles are considered to be pillars. They bore the weight of responsibility and authority.

If we are going to be pillars in our homes or in the church or on our jobs or community then we need to be able to carry responsibility.

Are you taking responsibility for your spiritual life?

Are you taking responsibility for your home life?

Are you taking responsibility for your finances?

Are you taking responsibility within the church?

Are you taking responsibility on your job?

Are you the kind of person that can carry weight?

Luke 9:23 NKJV

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Following Jesus means carrying the weight of the cross wherever we go. It means that we deny our flesh and self and choose to follow Him.

We Build on the Right Foundation

Luke 6:46–49 NKJV

46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

For pillars to stand they must be positioned wisely. They have to be built on a solid foundation and they help hold up the structure of a building.

Notice that Jesus ties strength and stability in life to two things: His word and obedience to His word.

If we are going to be the strength and stability in our homes we need to stand on His word.

If we are going to push back against the unrelenting tides of evil in the world we need to stand on His word.

This parable was not to unbelievers. Jesus was talking to believers.

His message is clear: to be a pillar that has strength, stability, and longevity we must base our lives on His word.

We Work With the End in Mind

Luke 14:28 NKJV

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—

In order to endure and persevere to the end we need to have the end in mind.

In their book Built to Last Jim Collins and Jerry Porras identify one of the most important qualities companies that have generational success is that they have a core ideology that sustains them throughout changing times.

For them, a core ideology is defined as a mixture of core values and purpose.

These values inform how they are going to do things and the purpose is what they are working toward.

Revelation 3:12 NKJV

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

As pillars one of the rewards is that we will bear God’s name on us. We will be in the presence of our God and we will be His chosen people.

Stay focused on the purpose of God for your life. Stand on and embrace the values of the Way of Jesus. And remember that there is a reward awaiting those who overcome.

Conclusion

1 Timothy 3:15 NLT

so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

The church is called to be the pillar and foundation of the truth.

You are called to be a pillar.

So accept responsibility.

Build on the right foundation.

Work with the end in mind.

Following the way of Jesus will enable us to find refuge from the storms of life. It will provide strength, stability, and endurance.

As pillars we will be strengthen and bring stability to our homes, our church, our community. We will be used by God to help hold back the evil in the world and instead advance the kingdom of God (cf. Matthew 16.18).

Pray